#the power of the kudos button

[vroomvroomwee]

Aziraphale's vest

I'd like to take a second and talk about his vest because I think it's a really good metaphor for Aziraphale's internal feelings.

At first glance it's obvious the vest is quite old. Really old in fact if you note the way it's practically disintegrating.

And it got me thinking a bit. The way the white practically bleeds from the edges of the neck, shoulders and buttons, going further and further, one day if he's persistent enough to wear it, it might even take over the entire vest. You could say that that, somehow, mirrors Heavens influence over Aziraphale. Slowly, slowly, biding their time, until it has completely ridden him of any colour. Until it has completely washed him of his identity, of his originality, of his character.

Take a look at his clothing when he's up in Heaven.

Completely and utterly white. Every piece of clothing he's wearing is pure and untarnished white. Upon entering Heaven, against his own accord, it has stripped him of his uniqueness, of anything that might distinguish him from any other angel who blindly follows orders and who's sole purpose is to do Heavens bidding.

Now, he could miracle the white patches on the vest away easily. But he doesn't want to.

The thing is. He likes the imperfect. He likes partaking in human activities and pleasures, like food, music, etc. Likes to indulge himself in earthly things Heaven would label as sinful or "sullying." And as someone who bas been on the receiving end of Heavens ridicule and passive aggression for millenia, as someone who for centuries has been told that he's underperforming and needs to do better, as someone who is all too aware of his own impurity by the standards an angel should hold and of the quite frankly unholy behaviour in performing immoral temptations and directly going against Heavens orders no more than a few times throughout the eras, it's no wonder he finds comfort in the imperfect.

He keeps the deteriorating edges because they are a perfect representation of his own internal feelings and image. After all, there's no rule that says he can't. And a big kudos to the costume department, for the patches perfectly encapsulate his religious trauma. Without it, he would probably be a very different person. He wouldn't be the same Aziraphale we know and love. The same way he likes being old-fashioned with his clothes and how that is a part of who he is, his trauma is a part of him as well, along with Heavens influence that has shaped him into who he is today, whether he likes it or not.

Every part of the vest illustrates Aziraphale's character and internal feelings, which brings me to another point I want to draw attention to, and that is the BACK of the vest.

It's DARK. And I don't think I'm mistaken when I say that most of us didn't expect it to look like that from behind. We all just assumed that it would be the same beige colour as the front, which is in tune with the rest of his attire. After all, seeing him wearing a dozen different outfits all throughout history, all of them some shade of white, it was the logical conclusion.

But no.

It's not white. It's a dark, slightly viridian or a dark blue colour. "Dark blue suggests a more mysterious depth or ominous quality. Power and authority: Dark blue signifies power and responsibility. "

Not what we would have expected that colour at all. Similarly to how one wouldn't expect an angel to perform temptations or be gluttonous, or envious, or slothful, or hedonistic. Not at first glance anyway.

Not unless you look carefully.

Not unless you know him.

The coat almost acts like a cover. The light over the dark. Almost as if it's trying to hide something. The only times we see Aziraphale not wearing the coat is in his bookshop. Which is logical, of course. You wouldn't wear a coat indoors, obviously. Except he DOES. He wears the coat when he and Crowley are drunk, he wears it when he's reading Agnes Nutter, he wears it when Gabriel and Sandalphon pop in, he wears it when he's talking to the Metatron, he wears it when he's listening to Shostakovich, he even wears it at the Ritz where it would be custom to take off your coat while dining. And it's worth noting that during the events happening (at least in the first season), the season is summer. Which would make it quite ridiculous to be wearing so many layers everywhere you go and therefore risk boiling. But he still wears the coat.

The only times he doesn't wear it is in the first episode after the sushi, when he's all ALONE, and in season 2 at the bookshop when Crowley comes back and in 1941.

And there's something oh so personal about that.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the darker part is specifically the back of the vest. There's always been this natural human instinct to protect yourself by never ever turning your back on a foe. And I don't think this is a conscious effort on Aziraphale's part, but rather genius writing, directing and costume design, and anyone who's watched and read Good Omens knows that almost nothing is coincidental.

Note this is probably the first time Aziraphale has called Crowley his friend, seeing how uncertain and doubtful he was to even say the word in this scene and how quick he was to deny their friendship in the Shakespeare scene. And the camera immediately cuts from Crowley to Aziraphale, who is turned away, whose back is turned to Crowley oh so casually without a care in the world. Just before he calls him his friend. His back is turned, and so is the dark part of his vest.

The dark part he only shows in his bookshop, when he's alone and there's no one there. The part that he now only shows to Crowley as well. Crowley who knows him so well and who's been with him through everything. "I won't tell anyone if you won't." And "you said trust me""and you did". Just this small motion of Aziraphale depicts exactly how much trust he has in Crowley not only that he'll keep him safe and protected but to accept him just as he is, to not judge him, to not demean him for his imperfections as an angel. Practically mirroring Crowley's self-protection mechanism that is reflected in his motions to hide his eyes with his sunglasses (there's a wonderful meta on this by @simply-brightly-zee here )

And it might just be clothing, or it might just be genius symbolism, but note how self-aware Aziraphale is of his looks when Gabriel pops up.

The desire to impress is almost unconscious in this scene, and how does he go about doing it? By making sure he looks presentable. Presentable, despite the white patches and the vest that is falling apart, he doesn't even realise it. Therefore, it's clear Aziraphale puts thought into his clothes, whether consciously or unconsciously.

I personally dont think any of this (the coat, the patches, the way he turns his back, when, where and around who he's most comfortable) is a deliberate and intentional act on Aziraphales part but rather creative brilliance from the directors and producers. So him being shown to expose the back of the vest only in scenes with Crowley (and the one in s2 infront of an amnesiac Gabriel with the intelligence and awareness of a squirrel) is a master move on the costume department's part. The symbolusm being so small and imperceptible, but holding so much meaning. This small metaphor shows how much Aziraphale trusts Crowley and how comfortable he is around him. Crowley who knows about Aziraphale's transgressions, sins, unholy behaviours, lack of interest and dedication to his job, and overall "incompetence" as Aziraphale might put it and how he's "just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing". Crowley, who will accept him and love him no matter what. Not despite those things, but because of those things.

They have found their "own side".

Edit: Not that important, but I just want to mention how, despite being tattered and falling apart, the vest is still in perfectly good condition. No matter the white seeping in and draining its colour, the vest doesn't have a single seam torn, not a button lost, perfect as the day it was bought. No matter what it's been put through, it's still kicking, whether by miracle or sheer willpower. Very much like the person wearing it.

#good omens #goodomens #aziraphale #crowley #goodomenss2 #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #good omens season 2 #aziracrow #goodomenss2spoilers #good omens meta #good omens analysis #analysis

[an-idyllic-novelist]

Queen Bee-zlebub with gender neutral!reader platonic headcanons

warnings: alcohol and drug usage, non-consensual behavior, explicit language.

This is a fictional story, therefore the behavior portrayed here is not acceptable in real life. If you do not feel comfortable venturing further, please push the 'back' button on your mobile device or computer and find something else much more pleasant to read.

You are responsible for your Internet consumption!

Hey guys, and welcome to my first Helluva boss fanfic! I'd like to thank @thatstonedwriter for not only reading the draft of this piece, but also giving me feedback on the parts I initially struggled with writing out. Definitely check out their Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss content guys, it is amazing!

So with that being said, sit back, relax, and let's get this party started! :)

Being Beezle-bub’s friend definitely makes life in Hell interesting for you. Not only is she the Deadly Sin of Gluttony, but her parties are legendary; you never leave on an empty stomach, or feel dissatisfied.

 Her power comes from her guest’s good vibes, so she knows if they are enjoying themselves or things are getting out of control, leaving her no choice but to step in and remedy the situation before the party’s mood goes sideways in the worst way possible. Case in point with Blitzø at Bee’s last party. He drank in the name of the sin of pride, instead of indulgence. 

You met Queen Bee in her mansion during one of her weekend parties; nothing special, really. You were having a good time and challenged her to a friendly drinking contest. Loser would buy drinks next time they met. You didn’t win, but you came pretty damn close and thanked the Deadly Sin for indulging your whims, promising to buy her a drink when you met each other next time. 

Polite, easygoing, and cheerful without a stick up your ass? You definitely won some brownie points with Queen Bee. More kudos would be earned if you’re honest with her. 

Before the night was over, she invited you to a more exclusive party she’d be hosting in the following weeks. She will immediately follow you online if you have any social media accounts. Sinstagram is her main one to advertise her Beezle-juice and other products. Party invitations? Nope. Sorry, but those are her rules. You gotta know someone to come to her events, or know her to get permission to set a single foot on her property. She can’t keep stealing large quantities of drugs from Belphegor or else that asshole will keep changing the locks on her. 

When you weren’t getting drunk or high as a kite with the Deadly Sin, you’d meet up somewhere in the Gluttony Ring and grab a drink. That’s actually what happened first, since you did promise to buy her shots after losing the drinking contest with her. From there, you’d either trade gossip at the local coffee shop that’s known for their killer frappuccinos, or just go window shopping.

If you see something you like, clothes, booze, or anything else? She’ll buy it as long as you come to her next party like you said you would. If you can’t make it because of work? She gets it, but just let her know as soon as you do, okay? She is a busy lady after all. 

She’s all for fucking and getting fucked at her parties, but she shares Ozzie’s philosophy that consent makes it an art form. Non-con shit like drugging drinks or pushing someone into something they aren't down to doing? And someone pulls that kind of stunt on you, her bestie? Yeah, that son of a bitch is yeeted out of the goddamned window faster before anyone can blink and the party's over. 

Vortex would definitely be happy to see you around the dance floor. Other than himself, you’re probably the only person that can calm down Bee if she’s super upset or angry. If you have time before you go home, you help him out with cleaning up the place or getting some hangover remedies prepped up in the kitchen for the the guests that were too fucked up to go home. 

 She’s definitely trying to reign in her temper, but it can be hard for her. When she gets in one of those dark moods, you’re only a phone call away, like you always tell her. And when she does call? You’re there in a heartbeat, or talk to her until she can finally relax and fall asleep. 

Yeah…she’s really glad she met you. 

Taglist:

@myafterlifeisbetterthenyours

@nunezs-stuff

@mitra555

@isuckatwritingsobenice

@nixie-writes

@vikkirosko

@abelheilonwife

@puffy-bangs

@technikerin23

#an idyllic novelist #helluva boss x reader #helluva boss headcanon #queen bee helluva boss #queen bee lzebub #helluva boss #viviziepop #gn!reader #gender neutral reader #platonic headcanons

[jpitha]

Blockade Runner (redux)

I decided to edit and combine my old story Blockade Runner into a single (longish) one shot. I'm still working on ideas for my next long story in addition to posting some cool stuff to /r/HFY if you want to check me out and offer kudos there too.

The small group of K'laxi stood before the Captain.

Their fur was puffed out and their eyes were wide. They were trying to hide their fear, but the Human Captain saw through it. They had escaped from the Xenni attack on their starbase with only their lives. They were the lucky ones.

"W-what did you say?" the leader of the group, Tingmell, was trying his best to stand up to the tall human who frankly towered over them, but it was a losing battle.

"We're going to run the blockade and get you home." The Captain explained things- to Ting at least -entirely too matter-of-factly. "I put it to a vote with the crew and Dawnbreaker they were all in agreement. It's not right that you got caught up in the war, and we know what happens to K'laxi who get captured by the Xenni."

K'laxi who get captured by the Xenni get killed and turned into coats the Xenni wear, but only after they're tortured and any useful information is extracted.

It's not pleasant. It's not meant to be.

"Please don't misunderstand Captain Bennigan, we're very grateful, but we can't ask you to do this, it's too dangerous"

"Good thing you didn't ask then!" Captain Bennigan laughed at his own joke. "Now, we're going to be operating at the ragged edge of what's survivable for Humans. Dawnbreaker says that so long as you stay in the acceleration couches you'll survive too. Turns out K'kaxi are more durable than you let on, eh" He closed one eyelid quickly in a gesture that Tingmell's translator explained was 'complicated but like a joke. he's trying to set your mind at ease.'

Captain Bennigan turned to Ting and spoke to him directly. "If you want, you can sit up here with us, but everyone else should get into the couches now."

"Y-yes, okay, I'll stay up here." He turned to the group. He was the only one wearing a translator, so nobody could follow the conversation. He switched to Cali'mak, a northern K'laxi language that most everyone in the group understood. "Captain Bennigan is going to take us home-" There were gasps and noises of surprise "-but it's going to be a dangerous ride. Everyone into the acceleration couches now please. I'll stay up here and tell you how it goes." Wide eyed, but understanding, the K'laxi left the command deck and went down to the cargo deck, which was set up with K'laxi sized acceleration couches.

****

Ting had never worn a support frame before. It was - at the same time - clunky and awkward, but also powerful and fluid feeling. According to Dawnbreaker, it would enable him to survive the punishing gee forces that they were expecting while out of an acceleration couch.

It was extremely overbuilt like most things of Human design. Dawnbreaker interrupted his marveling at the support frame. "The K'laxi are secured in their couches and are waiting comfortably." Ting knew most starships were run by AI, but only the Humans gave theirs so much agency and let them give opinions on how things should be run. It was odd to hear the AI speak so... casually to him and everyone.

"Excellent." The captain adjusted his position in his command chair. When he did so, the vegan leather in the chair squeaked and rumbled. "Dawnbreaker, have our gifts to the Xenni finished printing?"

"Two more minutes Captain, and the missiles will be complete; we can proceed now."

"Good." Bennigan pressed a button and there was a two tone whistle that was heard all over the ship. "Crew, it's time to set off. I apologize, but as we are taking off near the end of the evening shift, please take your stimulant pill now." While Ting watched and tried to make sense of what was happening, everyone took out a small box from their pocket and swallowed a small green capsule. He caught the Captains eye but didn't say anything. "Going to be a long day, Tingmell. You're about to see some things that the Humans don't prefer the other races - especially the Xenni - know about us, so uh, keep it quiet, okay?" Wide eyed, Ting nodded.

With that acknowledgment, his seat molded around him and his support frame, and straps came across his chest which locked him tightly in the seat. He looked around and everyone was strapped into their seats too. The straps tightened automatically just to the point when they were too tight, and backed off just a bit. Ting had a moment wondering how they knew how tightly to strap him in.

"Dawnbreaker? As Captain on board, I authorize you to unleash War Emergency Power, and in the case I am incapacitated you are free to make your own decisions to continue the mission, save the crew and save your own life in that order. Acknowledge."

"Acknowledged Captain Bennigan. War Emergency Power authorized. All fuses and limiters removed. Operating time at WEP is estimated to be sixty three minutes before permanent damage occurs."

At that, the low thrumming of the ship that Ting felt at all times aboard a human starship changed. It became a steady roar of power, straining to be released.

Captain Bennigan turned and faced the crew on the command deck. " Lieutenant Richards? Proceed ahead, War Power. Commander Penn? Launch countermeasures, missiles, and drones. Lieutenant Commander Harrison? Prepare for wormhole generation." Everyone immediately busied themselves to complete the Captain's orders.

As the ship streaked towards the Xenni blockade Ting was able to notice the flashes of the Xenni firing at them. Most seemed to miss, but the roar of the ship was punctuated with hollow thumps of shots hitting the thick Human armor. Dawnbreaker seemed to shrug it all off without worry. While they were on the run, Ting's superior sense of balance was getting all turned around as Dawnbreaker dove and spun and turned, dodging the Xenni and trying to foil their systems from picking up a missile lock.

After a few minutes, Lieutenant Commander Harrison looked up from his console in the rear of the deck and shouted "Navigation solution found. K'lax coordinates locked in."

A different human at a front console called out. "Power output at 280 percent. Wormhole generation in 183 seconds."

"What?" Ting was utterly lost as to what was going on. "Captain Bennigan, what about the warp gate?"

"Oh, we're not going through the warp gate" Captain Bennigan turned to face Ting and he had a wicked grin. "I told you, you're going to see some stuff."

Ting could barely follow what was going on. The noise, the smells, the changes in orientation in his seat were all playing havoc with his perception of the scene. It seemed they were diving towards the Xenni blockade but also avoiding the warp gate - the main method of (non-human) transit between systems. It seems like the humans were buying time for something.

"Power output at 420 percent, nice!" cried the human at the front console. Even during this high stress environment, a few humans around Ting who heard the number chuckled, thought he had no idea why. Some Human thing.

Dawnbreaker called out, "Captain Bennigan, power output is sufficient for wormhole generation, and the navigation solution has been found. At your command."

"Thank you, Dawnbreaker." Captain Bennigan was calm and collected even with all the noise and stress and action around him. He signaled the ship. "Attention, Attention, Attention. Wormhole generation shall commence once this message has completed. Those of you who-" he paused a fleeting moment. "-have trouble with the process, please make sure you are secured. See you on the other side."

"Link us to K'lax."

Ting felt, rather than heard the change. It was a whole body vibration that started in his lower extremities and worked it way up until his whole body was vibrating. It was as if he was a bell that had been struck. The vibration grew in intensity and made even his fur vibrate. It felt like he was going to vibrate apart and then...

****

Tingmell awoke.

He was lying on soft moss, and the dappled orange-yellow light of home was shining down on him. With a start, he sat up and found himself in a forest at home. The very type of forest his kind came from.

About 3 meters away, were a small group of K'laxi, all wearing very old and traditional clothes. Some in the back had fashions that predated Contact even! The one closest to him tipped his head back and made the barking cough of K'laxi laughter.

"You did it! You actually did it!" He stopped to laugh again. "I have a wager with Himelli over there." He pointed to a K'laxi in the back in an exceedingly ancient garb. "Did they tell you what was going to happen, or did they just buckle you in and say something like - he affected a surprisingly good human impression - "This is gonna be so cool! Just wait and see!"

"W-what? No, they didn't tell me." Ting saw Himelli make a sour face and give a small satchel of what he assumed were coins to the elder he was speaking with. "They said they were going to generate a wormhole. What actually happened?"

"Oh, that happened. They did it. They actually learned how to do it before Contact, so they used it as their sole method of transit for a while before we showed them the warp gates. Most of the other sapient races know about it too, they're just not crazy enough to do it. This happens to about 1 in 100 of all sapients who try. The humans just decide that it's fine."

"But, please, honored elder, what happened?"

"Oh, you're dead."

"Dead?"

Ting must have misheard. He couldn't be dead. There was much too much to do!

"Oh yes, very." The eldest K'laxi flicked his tail, a nod. "Though," he continued. "Not for very long. Once the human ship leaves the wormhole and enters space again you'll go back to your body and 'be alive' again. Whole thing is a mess really." He scoffed. "And the humans think this is normal!." He laughed.

****

Ting came to in his support frame, belted to the seat on the command deck of Dawnbreaker. He glared at Captain Bennigan who was watching him carefully. The Captain locked eyes with Tingmell, nodded with a small grunt and said "We'll talk about it later." He turned forward. "Status!" he barked to the room.

"We've exited the wormhole in atmosphere of K'lax!" The human who shouted the update sounded like he was trying not to panic.

Dawnbreaker spoke right after. "Captain Bennigan, we have exited the wormhole much closer to the K'laxi homeworld than anticipated. We are deep in the atmosphere, tumbling towards the surface from a height of approximately seventy five kilometers."

When Ting heard Dawnbreaker's report, he was confused. When he saw Captain Bennigan's surprise he was terrified. It was then that Ting noticed the noise. In addition to the buzzing hum of the reatctors at WEP, he heard the howl.

The howl of air rushing around the hull.

Bennigan regained control over his features immediately and started barking orders. "Direct emergency power to the engines. We need to boost into a safe orbit. Fire the juke-charges to arrest our spin and orient us towards orbit"

Even Dawnbreaker sounded worried. "Aye Captain, firing juke charges. All-hands prepare for shock."

In space, there is no real way to change your direction quickly. Early human ships experimented with huge, heavy, fast spinning gyroscopes so that they could spin around quickly, but this only changed their orientation, not their direction of travel. Later, it was decided that since everyone was chained to the same laws of physics, space battles weren't going to be like air battles. Instead, the humans concentrated on thick armor to withstand attack.

In the case of a missile attack, human ships could launch small shaped charges which would detonate near the thick hull, and the shockwave of the explosion would cause the ship to slide or 'juke' out of the way of the incoming missile without changing their direction of flight. In atmosphere, tumbling towards the surface with no control surfaces, Dawnbreaker was using the juke charges to arrest the ships spin, and orient it back towards space.

Ting didn't know this. What he did know was suddenly there was a cacophony of double booms as the charges were launched and almost immediately detonated, the force of the explosion pushing against the ship, causing it to move.

The noise was incredible.

Ting could only describe it like being in a hailstorm inside a metal box. Mercifully, it only lasted a few seconds. After the spin was stopped and the ship was pointed back to space, Dawnbreaker's main drive fired. At war emergency power, everyone onboard was subjected to punishing gee forces to boost the ship back into orbit. Ting thought that his bones were going to snap from the weight, but Dawnbreaker knew the limits of his passengers and kept the thrust right at the edge of what he could take.

After a few minutes, the thrust eased and Dawnbreaker spoke. "Attention. We have entered a safe - though low - orbit around K'lax. I apologize for any discomfort you may have experienced. I report no Xenni presence. So as to maintain preservation of my systems, I request War Emergency Power be suspended."

Captain Bennigan nodded. "I concur. Suspend War Emergency Power, set systems to standard power."

The howl of this ship quieted to the low thrum Ting was more familiar with. Captain Bennigan sighed heavily and looked at Ting. "Well, we made it. How was your first trip through a wormhole?"

Now that the emergency was over, Ting could afford to be angry. "Captain Bennigan, it was fine except for the part where I died."

The captain looked at Ting with a soft, weary expression. "It happens to me too and I hate it every time. It may be a small consolation, but our philosophers keep arguing about whether it's actually death or just a hallucination as a side effect of cutting a hole through spacetime."

"That doesn't help."

"Yeah. Didn't help me first time I heard it too."

#humans are deathworlders #humans are space orcs #humans are space oddities #humans are space capybaras #humans and ai #humans are space australians #humans and aliens #sci fi writing #writing #the k’laxiverse

[toburnup]

Is there a way you personally think people should support your fics?

Whenever I write I’ve always been a ‘I’m grateful someone read it even if they didn’t enjoy it’ type of person but recently I’ve seen a lot (like seriously a lot) of people saying, if you don’t comment on fics (on ao3) you aren’t supporting them or the creator. I know I don’t feel that way about what I write because I’m not really a good writer and I’m just happy if one person likes it because that means someone took time out of their day to read but now I think maybe I’m an asshole for not like commenting on everyone’s fics?

You’re like the best writer of fics imo so I’m wondering how you feel about all of it? And I’m sorry that I haven’t left any comments on your work if that’s truly the correct way to support!

well. this has been a topic of conversation for a long time, and everyone will have a different take on this, but here's mine.

the downside to reading without commenting is that hits on their own.... don't really mean anything. hits just mean someone opened it, it doesn't even mean that they read it. i've opened lots of fics, started reading, found out it wasn't for me and closed it. it still registers my hit. kudos means they technically scrolled to the end of the page and clicked a button. they're nice, but i consider kudos w/o a comment to be the equivalent of "i didn't hate it" (i'm sure many would disagree, but this is my take!)

so, yes, i'm a firm believer in leaving comments. i will always comment on a fic when i read it, because if i had 5-10 minutes to read a fic, i have 30 seconds to write a quick comment. if i had an hour to read a fic, i have 5 minutes to write a longer comment. but i have the same mentality for eating out - i only go out to eat when i have the $ to leave a tip.

obviously, there are some fics where i end up leaving much longer comments, but i build that into my reading time (so if i'm about to read a friends fic where i know i'm gonna Ramble, i hold off until i have adequate time). does that mean i sometimes don't get to fics right away? yes. but for my own sake, i'd rather read it and write a comment while it's fresh.

i don't think you're an asshole lol, but i think you're kind of devaluing comments. and devaluing your effort as a writer! you're putting hours of free work into something they enjoyed, i don't think it's too much for you to ask for people who engage w/ your work to leave a comment.

the biggest pushback i see from people who don't comment is that it takes a long time, or that they don't know what to say. and to that, i say: i have people who simply leave a 💕 in a comment and that's enough. it still tells me way more than a lone kudos. and the people who put the time into leaving longer comments are just my heroes. the backbone of fandom, imo (my repeat essay commenters are like.... truly amazing, amazing people).

confession, i used to be a kudos-no-comment reader. i still remember the first comment i left as an adult (this was a few years ago) - it was on a WIP that hadn't been updated in ? a couple months, and i was like. i NEED to tell this person how much i loved this. and i felt stupid as hell writing the comment, but i powered through out of sheer stubbornness. and the author replied, and they said something like "i've been struggling writing the next chapter, and this helped!" and then they fucking updated the fic like 2 days later 😭😭 it changed me, i swear. so, with that...

comments are especially important for ongoing fics, because people will only leave a kudos once. that ratio of hits:kudos:comments can mess with the author (like 1000 hits, 100 kudos, and 10 comments is significant!). that's why i'm (now) a big believer in reading WIPs and supporting them along the way, it's disheartening to see the hits go up and nothing else.

i'm very grateful for the amount of comments i get! i think i'm really lucky in this way. occasionally i'll get a comment from someone who tells me they've never commented on any fic before, and like!! yay! the first one is toughest, but it only gets easier after that.

another important aspect of comments is it builds relationship between the reader and writer. i love seeing familiar usernames and icons, and i notice when people haven't commented in a while and it always makes me happy when they pop up again. i also really like replying to comments. it takes... multiple hours but it's my favourite part of the process second to writing the fic itself. i also occasionally will poke around on someone's profile and if they've written a fic, i'll give it a read. it's a good way to make new friends.

anyway. i'm not saying all this to tell you to comment on my fics, but more to gently encourage you to reframe how you think about comments in general. it's like... why we clap at the end of concerts. just because we're in the room doesn't mean we enjoyed the show, so we do things like cheer! clap! scream! we make our opinion heard.

comments are like clapping 💙 it's free to do, and shows our appreciation. why wouldn't we do that?

#long post #on fanfiction #vio answers #thank you for asking! #ao3 #comments are like reblogging on tumblr #(altho rb'ing is easier) #it's simple and free!! just do it

[novantinuum]

Fandom: Steven Universe Rating: Teen Audiences Words: 1.8~ Summary: Steven can’t help but dread the undefined cocktail of emotions that trigger this newest power… 12 shorts, each delving into Steven’s developing opinions and feelings about his “pink mode” in SUF.

Chapter 12: A scene set a few days after The Future.

Welp, this is the end, folks! Thank you so much for your patience over the years with this one.

If you read this and enjoy, I’d greatly appreciate your support through reblogs here, or kudos/comments on AO3. Thank you!

___

Even a good two hundred miles into today’s leg of his road trip, the emotional exhaustion of this morning’s therapy session lingers heavy like a mounting thunderstorm over his head. His mind’s horizon is a murky greyish-green, and his thoughts are like scattered bands of moisture hovering up within those dark clouds. That moisture… with every passing minute it swells at the seams more and more, threatening to break the seal of his self-imposed silence and stream on through, manifesting as a torrential downpour of stress that’s destined only to overwhelm him. The logical part of him knows these unwanted thoughts will fester if he doesn’t acknowledge them, knows they’ll get caught up in the updrafts and spin into icy granules of hail that— once it finally plummets to earth— carries a far more destructive potential than its liquid kin. But there’s another facet of him— vacant and stubborn— that simply doesn’t care. After all, it’s not like the alternative is any more attractive.

In stark contrast, the real weather is drop-dead stunning. Because of course it is. The leaves are finally starting to turn, the stratosphere is spotless, and a light breeze anchors the temperature at a manageable 68 degrees.

It just doesn’t seem fair… that the world surrounding him gets to be so lush and light and beautiful while his mental space still feels like a nightmare some days. And yes, yes— ‘he really shouldn’t be so hard on himself, he’s come such a long way since March,’ blah blah blah— he knows.

He knows.

So how long will he have to put up with this constant maelstrom of mental crap?

It’s stupid, but he guesses a naive part of him believed that this road trip would fix him. That if he simply removed himself from the source of his traumas, the clouds in his sky would immediately clear… like Beach City itself was somehow the progenitor of his demons, and not his own mind.

Clutching the wheel a little tighter as he eases his way through the road’s bend, Steven sighs, his fingertips pressing visible indents into the worn pleather grip. Hmm. Maybe what he needs right now is some musical distraction. Eyes still glued to the road, he fumbles his right hand across the dashboard, feeling around for the tape deck’s play button.

As he sinks into the blissful auditory embrace of one of his custom mixtapes over the next few miles, the mental diversion is almost enough to make him forget about all the open, weeping wounds today’s talk session left.

Almost.

Unfortunately, the mood is pretty much shattered when one of the original Sadie Killer and the Suspects songs turns on.

“Don’t be scared, it’s the afternoon,” the speakers blare, the sound of his own guitar lines evident in the backing music, “Don’t be scared ‘coz pretty soon we’ll be—”

Steven smashes his pointer finger against the pause button, a dull ache settling at the pit of his stomach. Damnit, he completely forgot this mix had that one on it! Why’d he have to be subjected to this today, of all days? It just doesn’t seem fair, especially when his initial involvement and eventual separation from that band was literally the topic he brought to his therapist for discussion today! And yeah, compared to the rest of his problems this one is tiny and stupid and petty, and he really just oughta give it up and stop feeling upset about it. But like… he was a part of Sadie Killer, y’know?! He was a founding member. He played at their first few gigs… and when he wasn’t on stage, he was working double time in the back as their devoted roadie. Not to mention, he recorded some extra backing guitar for the final cut of like, half of their songs. And even when the demands of his Gem ambassador work pulled him away from being an active participant, he still considered himself one of their biggest fans.

So why is it, then, that when they decided to break up the band they never once thought to consult him? To even give him warning?

It’s prolly ‘cause they never actually wanted you as a part of their group anyways, the bitter, most miserable corner of his brain spits, a concept that— after so many productive sessions with his current therapist— he immediately recognizes as false. But entertaining the thought for even half a second is bound to have its consequences, which is how he finds himself spiraling a swift descent into the foreboding aura of crisis.

His heart begins hammering against the confines of his rib cage as that familiar, nauseating heat rises within his cheeks.

Oh, no, no, no no no— come on, it’s been so many days since he’s had a flare-up! He can’t break his streak now! And over this? At least turning pink over reminders of his many near deaths or that time he turned himself in to Homeworld for Mom’s war crimes or whatever makes sense, but this-?? Over all these silly little teenage insecurities he should’ve moved past ages ago?

Why does all this ‘recovery’ junk have to be so damned hard?

Why can’t he just be better?

His shaking form now wholly enveloped in that familiar, nauseating pink, Steven pulls aside at the next gas station he spots. Stars, h-he… he can’t let himself get this worked up in the driver’s seat. Not today. Not again. He rolls into an open spot at the furthest edge of the lot and shifts into park.

Deep breaths, Universe, he prompts himself, shaking his hands as if vying to kinetically sweep this energy right out of his system. Deep breaths. There’s no life threatening dangers here.

Sadie… Buck, Jenny, and Sour Cream… the way they communicated the band’s break up to him was unideal, but they didn’t mean to make him feel like he didn’t belong. They’re his friends, they would never do that to him. They all knew how much he cherished their act, so they probably dreaded the thought of having to issue the news to him at all and kept putting it off. It wasn’t anything personal. It’s just… human. It’s flawed, and it’s messy, and yes, it hurt him deeply— but if he wants to carve out a more balanced way of life for himself, he’s gotta learn to coexist with that feeling.

He wants this.

He craves this, he swears he does.

So why, then, can’t his whole, unified self get with the program and stop flooding his system with so much raw, unbridled diamond power that he could probably hurl this whole car straight to West Keystone? The Gem war’s over! He doesn’t even need this sheer level of hyper-vigilance anymore! Can’t he just rest?!

Still flushed pink, Steven lets out a dull huff of frustration, folding his hands together into his lap. All right, then. His usual trick of shaking it out isn’t working. It’s clearly time for more of that mindfulness technique his therapist taught him.

“Back straight… activate your diaphragm… now, breathe in for four. Out for eight. In for four, out for eight. That’s it, yes. Very good, Steven. Keep breathing. Now, focus on the fullness of your lungs… on the faint whistling of your nose as the air passes across the turbinates. Focus in on your present, on the pull of the Earth beneath you… on every muscle that’s still resisting this calm. Clench them tight— and then one-by-one, from the crown of your head to the very tips of your toes, release.”

His once frantic heartbeat slows to a resting lull. The tension drains from his aching shoulders. His breath falls even. Behind his eyelids little flickers of light play out a now familiar scenario, one that exists on a plane of consciousness halfway between a daydream and a memory:

He sits cross-legged before his gem, both halves of himself mirrored in their expression and posture. The Gem— manifesting in flat colors and harsh edges that are desperate to mimic the shadows and softness of organic life— looks all but identical to how he appeared that day, a timeless relic of traumas long past.

The Gem merely stares at him, unblinking. Unfeeling. Except… given the warm rush of pink that’s made its home within his veins, that clearly isn’t true, is it?

“You’re upset,” he says to this part of himself, a blunt observation.

Silence. His counterpart’s gaze wavers for a good while as he contemplates this allegation. Then, his lips parting:

“So are you.”

His cheeks flush, caught off guard by the cutting accuracy of the Gem’s statement. Because as much as he’d like to blame all his problems on this imagined personification of his Gem heritage and all the power contained therein, Steven Universe only exists as an amalgam, the combined sum of his parts. And those parts may have fallen dreadfully out of sync as of late, but an emotional overreaction can’t just proliferate out of control without a root to stem from.

And that root… is him.

Stars, it’s always been him. Why else would this Gem have fought so hard to save his life back in White’s head, even risking his loved ones in the crossfire if it meant carving his way back to him?

Deep inhale.

“I am, you’re right,” he nods. “I’m upset about a lot of things. And that feeling can be so hard to be okay with. But what I do know… is that we’re not living in a war zone anymore. We’re safe. I’m safe. You can rest now, I promise.”

He opens his arms in invitation, a metaphysical olive branch to this part of himself. The Gem’s brow creases inwards… ever so slight, almost unnoticeable. And then, surging forwards, he envelops him in the most fiercely passionate hug he’s ever experienced.

“You’re safe,” the Gem all but breathes in his ear. “I’m safe…”

Steven’s eyes snap open, sensing that overwhelming aura of pink finally draining back to the diamond at his core. He gives an exhausted exhale, dropping his head against the top rim of the steering wheel as he takes a moment to recover from such a huge spike of adrenaline and hard-light. And then his stomach gurgles.

Frowning, he checks his phone for the time. Past noon already. He was hoping to make it to Charm City before stopping for lunch, but it won’t hurt anything to grab a quick snack here, now would it?

He returns to his car a few minutes later with a bag of BBQ Chaaps and a fresh bottle of water, rejuvenated and ready to hit the road again. His thumb jabs the play button on his tape deck as he shifts into reverse. That same ol’ Sadie Killer and the Suspects song starts on up again.

This time, however— the violent squall in his mind having since settled into a light, manageable shower— he resolves to at very least hum along.

#su #su future #steven universe #su fanfiction #steven universe fanfic #my writing stuff

[magicalrocketships]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @powerful-owl! (Em's answers are here)

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

170. Crikey etc.

2. What's your total ao3 word count?

2,698,478. That's a lot of words.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

At the moment I'm writing F1, but I haven't been able to write anything for quite a while, and I never put the lid on any fandom. I've got some outstanding 1D WIPs that are on hiatus.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Emperor's New Clothes (1D famous/not famous, NDA where there used to be a relationship)

Can't Fight The Moonlight (Harry/Draco accidental mpreg)

Truly, Madly, Deeply (10 Things I Hate About You) (1D high school AU, famous/not famous again)

Maybe This Time (1D age play)

I Had Rather Hear My Dog Bark At A Crow (tomlinshaw, secret relationship, watersports, resulted in some of my favourite saved screenshots:

hashtag never forget (my beloved)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

LOOK, I want to, and I used to when I had a fic lj, but every couple of years I'd try to on ao3 and then I'd just be drowning in my own horror at writing "thank you so much!!!!" over again and essentially we hit a slump and I haven't in ages. I'm going to pick it up again, though.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

oh god I hate a sad ending. I hate them!!!! I will only accept an ambiguous ending under certain circumstances, so I don't think I've got any with truly angsty endings. I've got plenty with very angsty middles. That SAID, I occasionally get hassle from people who don't think my fics are happy enough at the end because I don't like to tie all the ends up. I really, really hate pointless epilogues - NOTE, not all epilogues are pointless, and some of them I love - but the ones where it's just an unnecessary flash forward and all the problems are solved and they've got 2.5 children and a beautiful house and everything's perfect and it just feels like a horror story to me, like a fannish/romance novel version of the stepford wives. If it's an epilogue where the characters have had a bit of a chance to breathe after the main events, and they're happy, GREAT. If it's a cookie cutter ending then I'm out, so I guess maybe the end of Emperor's New Clothes where they're trying living together and trying to be financial partners in their relationship, and Not Your Fault But Mine, where Louis and Nick are together but it isn't obvious which route Louis is going to take back to university/he's still struggling with his mental health was still too angsty for some people. To me, both those fics end with them together and planning for a future so they feel happy to me.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think all of mine are happy but maybe We Used To Wait is the most deserved happy ending, because it's the one where Louis was in an accident and a secret relationship with Nick, and he's in intensive care and his injuries are really bad, and the ending is him getting to perform again, and being out and being with Nick.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

y e p. Sometimes it makes me laugh because this fic very clearly wasn't For You, just press the back button, and sometimes it's more frustrating. Sometimes it's gross.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Oh yeah baby. My current fic is delightfully feral (to me) and I love writing smut. And then other times, I'm like... yes we won't be writing THAT right now thank you, no sex please we're British. Usually I have one week per month when I vastly prefer everyone keep their clothes on. Love a weird hormonal flux.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I have in the past, but in general now I can't be bothered. I definitely wrote a Sharpe/Doctor Who one back in the day.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yeah, a few times. The most egregious (and recent) was someone stealing We Used To Wait (which was Louis/Nick) and changing the names to Aaron and Robert, and amending various little bits to suit Emmerdale canon. If you're going to steal a fic, it's best to do it in a fandom I'm not in/I don't fucking read in, for the love of fuck.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, I love having a blanket transformation policy on AO3. I'm always so in awe of people wanting to engage with your writing like that.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! A couple of short ones and then the delicious Sugar, We're Going Down which I co-wrote with my very dear Anonymous friend, and we didn't ever think we were going to share it when we wrote it (hence why my friend is anonymous on it!) so we just went balls to the wall feral with it.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

I don't have an answer to this, but if I ever considered something my OTP I will go to my grave loving it. I love Louis/Nick so much, and each OTP before that. Right now I'm extremely focused on Max/Daniel and I don't see that going anywhere soon.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Nope, I have the I Had Rather sequel and Harry Styles Cooks outstanding but hopefully they'll both get an ending when the time's right, even if it's just me reading them.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue? Angst? IDK??!! Help!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Oh, action and description for sure. I'm not a very visual writer/reader, I very rarely have a picture of a character in my head or the space that they inhabit. I know everything they say, though.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I'd be worried about fucking it up. If I knew someone who was a native speaker and it worked, then I guess.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Young Americans technically, then probably Percy/Oliver in Harry Potter and Dom/Billy for the Lord of the Rings films.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

I Had Rather Hear My Dog Bark At A Crow - I loved writing this, it came together in a few weeks, it made me fall in love with the pairing, legit changed my life for various reasons and I just enjoy it a lot.

Anyway, tagging @allwaswell16, @astorytotellyourfriends, and @junkshop-disco if you fancy it :)

#waffling on about fic

[deliberate-disguises]

WHEN Ao3 comes back up (by the higher power, I KNOW they'll survive this! For now I, and all of us, must hold back from opening it until the Ao3 people say they're in the clear), here are reasons why Ao3 is superior than Wattpad and ff.net (and maybe livejournal if anyone is still using it--dear Lord, I feel old):

TAGS. Ao3 has tags that allows us to have a clearer guess on what we're stepping into. Plus, people can go wild on tags and it's always amusing to see. Wattpad has tags, too, but it's not the same.

Filters. I dislike Wattpad's filter. It confuses me a lot. Ao3 has better and extensive filter. We can filter tags we want to see and tags we don't want to see. We can also use the "search words" bar (or something like that) and that has saved me when I can't remember the title and/or the author but I remember certain sentence(s) in the summary. Ff.net's filter is just ... too limited.

Let's admit it, Ao3 does not have ads. Ugh, ff.net sometimes has ads popping out in the middle of a fanfic (really, right in front of my salad?) and it's absolute hell. I don't know about Wattpad but last time I checked, you might have to deal with ads before going to the next chapter.

Ao3 allows us to see the whole fic if we want to, not just chapter by chapter. I set my own account to show entire work and it's a blessing when I find a multi-chaptered locked fics (aka fics that can only be read if you have an account). I don't have the patience to press "next chapter" button.

Lastly, IT'S DOWNLOADABLE. IN SEVERAL FORMATS. I personally like reading on my phone, so I usually download the .epub or .mobi format. If it's over 50k words and/or it's that good, I'd leave a kudos (usually as a guest because I'm too lazy to sign in), and then download it so I can read when I'm offline.

Okay, bonus, this one is for the writers: FORMATTING. You can have footnotes!! Actual working footnotes! And embedded links! I don't think ff.net and Wattpad have that. For example, JAFF (Jane Austen Fanfic, bc I'm on a P&P roll) writers who like to add footnotes are adorable! I love seeing how they took time researching it and I get to know interesting tidbits about that era without having to fall into a rabbit hole (I'm the type to hyperfixate.)

Those are my reasons. Praying for Ao3 admins and my fellow Ao3 writers and readers.

#ao3 #ff.net #wattpad #livejournal

[asukamood]

Wrath (BTH)

***

Previous post — Next post

First post

This post is part of the Bad Things Happen series.

***

Warnings: Strong language

Synopsis: He was smart, Blue had to give him that.

Unfortunately for him, Blue was smarter, and he was about to show him how superior he was at these games.

He will always be the last one laughing.

***

Blue had been patiently waiting for Finch’s text with Dream in the latter’s office, having given himself for mission to reward himself for all his efforts by seeing in person Dream’s fury as he would listen to the recording, numerous ideas for punishment racing through his mind as he would stomp furiously toward the dungeons.

For now, though, said angel boy was blissfully unaware of the series of events his boyfriend has been foreseeing and pulling the strings of.

Besides, he was certain that Dream was too caught up in his paperwork to pay attention to Blue’s knowing smirk he had been shooting at him for the past hour. Or perhaps his revealed teeth had been drowned by the ocean of white inside of Dream’s office.

People tended to say that Blue was dramatic but this time, he was perfectly realistic. There were piles of paper that reached the ceiling everywhere you landed your eyes. Even in the busiest periods of Justice Reigns, Dream had never been overwhelmed by such a great amount of paperwork.

Dream did seem suspicious about the fact Blue did not try to get him to take a break today seeing the amount of work literally looming over him, but he brushed it off, having long since given up on figuring out what Blue was up to.

He was quite the enigma, but he supposed it was part of his charm.

Dream would not have been disappointed to know what his boyfriend was on about in that head of his.

While Blue hated the master of dungeons (maybe hate was too small of a word for what he actually felt toward him) for what he had done, he had to give him kudos for the execution of his plan.

Finch had been allowed a week off, so he wasn’t there to monitor the dungeons and the guards’ activity and while Dream would normally check the dungeons’ cameras occasionally to keep an eye out on those sorts of things, he had made sure to let some criminals go rampant while he was busy in a raid to give him as much paperwork as possible to keep him from having the time to monitor them too.

He was smart, Blue had to give him that.

Unfortunately for him, Blue was smarter, and he was about to show him how superior he was at these games.

He will always be the last one laughing.

As if on cue, Dream’s phone suddenly beeped, making the latter almost jump out of his skin as he accidentally snapped his pen. A groan of frustration left him, Blue’s smirk just grew even larger.

A sleep-deprived, frustrated Dream was more likely to make bad decisions but also more likely to listen to Blue’s suggestions, even if they were to go against his normal course of actions.

Well, it is not like Blue did not have a way to make his angel boy listen to him if it came to it.

But this method is quicker and is also likely to bring Blue quite the entertainment when Dream would eventually regret whatever he suggested he did and wallow in regret.

“Huh, a text from Finch?” Dream’s eyebrows raised in both surprise and curiosity as his finger swiped over the screen, opening the message. While he was doing that, Blue had wrapped his arms around Dream’s neck, his cheek resting on his shoulder as he looked over the contents of the screen.

‘Dear Lord Dream,

I have my suspicions that the master of the dungeons might have been abusing his power. After listening to the recording, I have sent you below, may I request you to meet me in the security room?

There are things I would like to confirm with you.

May this message find you well,

Finch.’

Dream’s eyes narrowed at the text before he quickly pressed on the play button on his phone screen, the dialog Finch had witnessed a few minutes earlier bouncing around the wall of paper all around them.

Just by the way he felt Dream’s chest heave in a deep inhale, he easily guessed that now he was not only frustrated but absolutely furious.

Blue let go of him as he quickly typed Finch a response before calling Ink.

“Hello Ink, I am afraid I will have to be delayed at some of my meetings and such today. I will also be unavailable for a little while; you are in charge until my return.” He did not even let his trusted assistant speak or ask any questions that he had already hung up, letting his chair fall back as he stood up and stomped toward the entrance.

Even in his fury, he somehow managed to dodge all the papers in his way.

Blue shook his head in amusement before following him with light steps.

***

It was a normal day at the dungeons, the bars still sent electrical shocks to anyone who touched them, there were still some criminals maniacally laughing in their sleep and the day seemed as boring as ever.

Or so, that was the case until the entrance to the area was slammed open, the doors loudly bumping into the walls which caused most of the criminals to flinch. The ones closest to the entrance turned to glare at the origin of the noise before their glares fell into pathetic fearful glances as they paled, coming face to face with the CEO of the Justice Reigns organization in the flesh.

His mere presence was more than enough to make most people sweat bullets but the fact he was radiating a more murderous aura than all the criminals here combined clearly only worked to enhance said effect.

He royally ignored the terrified stares that followed him and stomped toward the end of the hallway, his every footstep echoing loudly through the corridors like a warning bell for an immediate danger.

Which seemed like the case then.

Most of them did not even notice Blue trailing after him with a smile plastered on his face.

When the master of the dungeons came into view, Dream started walking even faster. He shouted his name in a terrifying tone, said man flinching before he turned around slowly, answering his call with a shaky voice and skin so pale he would have been mistaken for an albino if not for his hair and eyes.

Oh, how good it was to see such an expression on his face when the trouble did not even begin.

“We need to have a little discussion.” He stopped in front of him, a death glare focused on him as he crossed his arms around his chest.

“Of course, My Lord!” The other was quick to reply, sending his assistant off to get some tea. He was smart enough to tell that making the already furious man in front of him wait any longer than necessary would spell his doom.

Well, it’s not like he could really escape from it anyway.

Blue had made sure of it.

As he watched him absolutely decomposing in front of Dream’s intimidating stare, he secretly sent the audio recording Finch had bothered to get to Randy, along with a message signed ‘Finch’.

He was not quite one for violence, but it didn’t mean that Blue was going to let them get away with just losing their job after everything they’d done.

***

“Oh, hello Finch!” The doctor smiled as the captain stepped through the door, waving. He answered with a nod.

“Hello Jasper, is everything okay?” The other man nodded as he closed the drawer that he has been rummaging through shut, taking out a small syringe and a small bottle of liquid.

“As busy as ever but nothing out of the ordinary.” He responded as he dumped an empty bottle that had been left there. “I suppose you’re here to see Hacker?”

“I am, any progress on his condition?” Jasper put all of his tools on top of the desk, grabbing a new pair of clean gloves.

“He’s still quite sleepy but he doesn’t seem to be sleeping as much anymore.” He cursed as the gloves put a little too much resistance to his liking. “The regular administration of painkillers also seems to do him good. I think he should be fine to leave in a few days, if someone is by his side of course.”

Finch had to step aside for a nurse to zoom past him, hands full with new material. “He’s still going to need to use painkillers, but the amount would be reasonable enough for him not to need any assistance from a medical professional.” As he finished his sentence, he reached for a mask.

“Although, I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave for surgery. I trust you not to mess with anything, but it is my duty to make sure nothing happens to my patients, I hope you understand?” Finch nodded.

“Of course, you’re just doing what is expected from you. I will be careful not to touch anything I shouldn’t.” Jasper seemed satisfied with this answer as he walked away, turning back once to remind him he had an appointment this Friday.

Finch sighed before he got on the move, Hacker’s room just right around the corner. He opened the door slowly.

***

“We haven’t gotten any news from Hacker for a while now.” Randy let out with a worried frown on his face as he placed the plates on the table. Across from him, Bobby’s expression faltered as well as he glanced at the empty chair next to him. “Do you think--”

He spoke up before Randy could introduce the idea that something might have happened to him. “He is fine, you know him. He is probably just flirting with Finch again.” The way he tapped on his fork as he said that was evidence of his nervousness.

Randy did not know if he said that to convince him or himself but either way, he did not comment further. “I hope that you’re right.” They both sat down and began to eat before Randy’s phone suddenly beeped.

Both men flinched, not expecting that. Randy took out his device with an eyebrow raised his hand swiping to unlock the phone. Bobby, who was still munching on some pasta, spoke up. “Who is it?”

Randy’s frown deepened. “It’s an unknown number but apparently it came from... Finch?”

“whAT-” Bobby almost choked on his handful of pasta before he jumped off his seat and ran behind Randy, leaning onto his chair to look above his shoulder. “Hacker gave it to him? He is such a simp I would not be surprised that he did.”

“There seems to be an... audio file?” Both were getting more curious now, especially since the sender had stated that this was something both should know. Bobby clicked the play button.

***

“I... Holy shit.” Bobby stepped away with a hand over his mouth, his face as pale as the moon. “No way that...” He shook his head. “This has to be a joke.”

Randy, who was still sitting at the table, was shaking from pure anger, his fist vibrating as he suddenly snapped the fork in his hand in two, his nails transforming into long and sharp claws. His pupils turned a bloody red as his voice started to distort, sounding deeper and more echoey.

“Those BASTARDS!” He yelled, getting up from his seat.

‘I will make some arrangements for you to be able to talk to the two you have heard in the recording. I was told to give you this opportunity as a sort of compensation for our failure to make sure this would not happen. Of course, you will not be chastised during your stay, and you will also get to see Hacker once you are done with them.

There is a warehouse on the border of the Justice Reigns’ territory, please meet us there tomorrow at 2 P.M. (## #### #### ###)

In hopes this message finds you well,

Finch.’

#dreamswap #ds dream #angst #ds blue #drueswap #ds dreamberry #ds drue #ds drueswap #ds dream x ds blue #dreamswap blue #dreamswap finch #dreamswap bobby #dreamswap hacker #dreamswap randy #hinch #ship #finch x Hacker in progress

[admiral-mason]

Destroy the System: Part 1

This is a usual Genshin Impact SAGAU x Iron Harvest 1920+ crossover. But this time it's different. This time it's based off of an idea I once noticed here known as a Teyvat "World System" (I cannot remember the original post where I saw it, but kudos to them).

First off, the reader/creator is not Isekai'd within Teyvat, rather they're still in the real world. They're also aware of SAGAU fics.

The self-aware Genshin Impact characters are unable to interact with the Creator because the system limits it. If characters act out of line, the system punishes them via jolts of pain akin to that of an electric shock. When the action is small and barely noticeable, the shock is only a bit painful. But when it's a large, very noticeable action, the pain is akin to that of Xiao's karmic debt.

They so dearly want to interact with you, but this system won't let you. It's also virtually unbreakable, so their hopes and dreams are blocked by this overseer.

...Or are they?

Nahida, using the power of Irminsul, manages to catch your attention by overriding your map generation when you started a new World Map game in Iron Harvest.

That's the backstory that leads us to our current moment.

Warning: I think I carved up dialogue. Also might be incredibly wordy.

You are seriously confused.

You just started a new World Map mode in Iron Harvest, choosing the Schierlands as the map. Then, you chose "Storm on the Horizon" as your scenario, and finally, you chose Saxony as your faction.

After the loading was completed, you're somehow face-to-face with Nahida, the Dendro archon from Genshin Impact. She bears a friendly smile. You just stared with a perplexed look as to how this is happening.

"There you are, your grace," She said, the text showing up as if this was a cutscene. Okay, now she's saying stuff that isn't even in Genshin Impact. You quickly moved your mouse to the "X" button, but it didn't work when you clicked it. You noticed the look on Nahida's face shifted to a slightly sadder one. "Please, don't go. I need your help."

You also noticed something behind her. It was Irminsul, the tree of knowledge. You quickly deduced that this is a SAGAU situation and that you're probably dreaming. Just to check, though, you pinched your cheek. "Ow. I guess I'm not dreaming," you said.

"Just in case if you're wondering, you're not dreaming, your grace," Nahida said. "I'm using Irminsul to communicate with you." Okay, might as well listen to her. "Perhaps this can help you speak with me." You noticed a chat bar pop up at the bottom of the screen.

"What is all of this?" You typed in. You were absolutely confused about all of this. "I've... actually called you for help," she said. "You see, all of us, all of Teyvat, is self-aware of you. You are our creator, after all. Guiding us, helping us grow stronger..."

"And we loved you for that." She finished with a smile. "So we wanted to interact with you, but... that was when we found out about the system." Her smile faded. "It's a program that restricts us from helping you. If we disobey it, it inflicts pain on us."

The screen faded to black and it displayed Bennett tampering with what looked to be code. He tried setting your current primogem counter (which was 3,200 before you spent it all) and tried to double it. But the block of code glowed red, and then all of a sudden, he screamed hysterically as there was red lightning surging around his body. This lasted for a good ten seconds before he fell unconscious. Fischl, finding him, gasped and helped him out of the code.

The screen faded back to Nahida. "Every time we try to help you, no matter how much or little, the system hurts us." You picked up on the fact that she now had tears in the corners of her eyes. Man, this sucked. You hated seeing people cry.

You typed in the words "how do I help?" in the chat bar. "I'll show you, your grace," she responded. Suddenly, the world map was generated. This was a different map from all the others. It was a long, thin island, and your capital was all the way to the left while the enemy capital was all the way to the right. All of the other regions were taken by the enemy; guess it's just you and that capital city. Your singular commanding army bore a logo of a golden flame, alongside an abnormal starting strength of 8. The enemy had no army.

The most peculiar part was that both of your factions were different. Yours simply bore a squarish shield with a sigil that resembled a golden four-pointed star. The enemy faction, meanwhile, had a circular shield with a sigil resembling a red eye.

Nahida spoke again. "I've managed to manifest an area occupied by you and the system. This will allow you to fight the system directly in this world of 'Iron Harvest' as it's called. I've also been able to grant you more technology ready at your disposal", and cut the system's income to not activate until a while later."

"All of these situations are annihilation-based, so you don't have to worry about other objectives. Please, your grace. Win this fight. I believe in you." Before the chat box disappeared.

The game had begun. Well, you did have a few hours to spend, it was the weekends after all. Nothing serious is also happening, so time to fight!

You checked your army, and- holy Jesus Nahida wasn't holding back! You had the barracks units of ALL FOUR NATIONS alongside their basic mechs. Your army was also massive; instead of the usual 20 unit slots, yours had 30. You even had ten slots unlocked instead of the usual seven or eight. They were filled with three squads of Polanian riflemen, a squad of Rusviet engineers, a squad of Saxonian medics, a Saxon field cannon, a squad of SHM-60 Grozas, a squad of S3-55 Wards, an SHM-86 Kolokol, and a ZR-3 Revere. Thank god your PC can run all this. Otherwise, it would be fried.

You also had a starting income of 550 coins, and your capital city was producing 75 per turn. Every region captured would give you 50 more. Using this large-scale income, you bought out three more slots worth 50 each, spending 150 coins out of your large budget. You filled these ranks full of PZM-7 Smialys for scouting.

You did lack a hero unit though, so that might be a problem.

You moved your army over to the first region, which had a defensive value of 6. While you could just auto-battle this, you'd rather just manually fight them so you can produce more units to amass an army.

When you clicked the orange combat icon to fight in that specified region, you checked the description of the mission at hand.

"This is the first major attack post, your grace. The forces here are Polania's most barebone ones, so use their faults to your advantage."

You clicked 'fight now' and noticed that you had a deployment budget of infinite. There was only one deployment area with twelve buildings which were likely the HQ, barracks, and workshop for each faction. The enemy only had one HQ, which you know from the description is a Polanian one.

You deployed all of your units as you got ready to fight. Let's see if this system can stand against this 'Creator' of Teyvat.

Genshin Impact is owned by miHoYo. Iron Harvest 1920+ is owned by Jakub Różalski and KING Art Games.

#sagau #iron harvest #sagau x reader

[hom3land3r]

Can you be a real hero for a moment please?

There's some petty catty fandom bullshit going around right now and it has me pretty depressed. I prefer to just observe and not engage but it feels so wrong to say nothing. However, I don't know what to do.

What would you do if you saw what amounts to a highschool mean girl "clique" trying to alienate and "other" queer people of a different mindset over shipping bullshit?

Or to give you an emotional investment here, what would you do if you saw people doing this Ryan or Zeus or anyone else you loved?

It's one thing to have a different opinion or even be enthusiastic about an opinion, it's another to be so far up your own ass that you try and reinforce your own opinion, unironically as in not joking, as fact.

A worthless endeavor since opinions by definition are not fact and cannot be right or wrong.

All while treating other actual human beings like eyesores for the crime of existing in shared spaces that aren't owned by anyone.

I've seen unnecessary hostility and disingenuity too. I'm not going to mince it. At this point I'm positive it's deliberate and obtuse.

And yes, before you ask, this bullshit is about you and whether you would top or bottom for Butchlander. For reference, the queer person getting "other"ed who thinks you would top is promoting their ideas but not trying to harm, police, or "other" anyone for having different ideas.

The people who think you're a bottom are straight up doing that insidious drama posse bullying type shit to try and snuff it out, bordering on barely veiled soft fascism that is completely devoid of understanding the nuances of your show and story itself.

But they're just "baffled" by these totally insane "outside the norm" or "unpopular" opinions, right?

I wondered why the bottom Butcher club didn't seem so active on here when the AO3 kudos buttons tend to speak for themselves.

"Resurgence" my ass, those grown ass adults acting like children purposely and very subtly, discreetly or overtly, attack that side of fandom to discourage and make sure "No bottom Billy" can happen. And I'm not paraphrasing there, one of them literally went into an artist's ask box just to say that exactly.

I'm so over fandom toxicity but I'm at a loss, what the fuck can I even do about this before it gets any worse?

Without starting a villain arc.

By the way, I don't care about Butchlander and mostly just can't wait for you to finally get yours from humanity after all the bullshit they put you through.

I do, however, care about bullying when I see it.

Alright.

Here’s the thing, I’m used to folk having their ideals and whatnot and all but forcing them upon me. I’ve had my share of folk expressing their strong desire for William and I to get together. While flattered, it’s not my cup of tea. But to each their own.

Whatever stories and fan ideals you have about me, more power to you. Whatever floats your boat. But, and I’m asking here, be sensible about it.

By some miracle there’s been a sense of community building here since I created this fucking blog. Which, I never expected to happen. Truly. You guys are invested in my life and it’s cute, if sometimes a bit…much (ahem…💎). But my point is, that I expect everyone to treat each other with respect. We’re all friends here, right?

For the folk that can’t be reasoned with, I suggest doing all you can to block and erase them from your life. At the end of the day, you’re always going to have a bunch of crazy fanatics pushing their ideals because that is the way. It’s complete bullshit.

Say what you want about me. Write what you want about me. Draw what you want about me. But don’t be a dick to folk who don’t agree with you. It’s as simple as that. And don’t act like a fucking clown over William and I for fuck sake. I mean seriously, of all the things to get so defensive over. My lord. Take a moment and seriously rethink about yourself.

One thing I don’t condone about all of this is bullying others. If you have to bully anyone, bully me. Leave others out of it to do their thing and you do yours. If you have to direct your attacks at someone, fire them my way. Let’s see how long you last then.

C’mon. Grow the fuck up.

#homelander #ask homelander #the boys tv #the boys amazon #the boys series #the boys

[yorshie]

RE: multiple kudos on the same fic

I assumed that it meant 'you have hit the kudos button and it has told you that you've already left kudos on this fic before' BUT I have, on more than one occasion, opened a fic in an incognito tab so that I could leave extra kudos as a guest 😬🫠

thank you Cleric! That does help. you too @luckycharms1701 and @desceros i saw your comments.

I got super excited for a moment because I imagined the little line "Red has left 15 kudos on this fic" lol like i wanted the author to know I was especially unhinged about it. Cuz I DO appreciate 'guest' kudos (and I will 100% be abusing this new power). I also look at the logged in ones like 'ok ok who was also at the devils sacrament. do you have any goodies?' a lot of times how I find new fics to read is I sniff around who leaves kudos/bookmarks/comments ex. and go snoop through their catalogues. And if I see the same name over and over in the kudos section I'm like 'ha ha. got em."

#ask away! #I am just borderline old. pretty soon I won't know how to use skype. #is skype even a thing still?

[wingsyouburn]

Tagged by @accidentallylita - thank you! :D

How many works do you have on AO3? 93

What's your total AO3 word count? 296,837

What fandoms do you write for? Final Fantasy (usually VI, VII, VIII, X), The Mummy, Power Rangers, some MCU in the past, random Yuletide stuff

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Angel of Mine (MCU, Steve/Bucky/OC, Angels AU)

My Little Dorito (MCU, Steve/Darcy)

Arabian Nights (The Mummy, Rick/Evy/Ardeth)

Beyond the Stars and Stripes (MCU, Steve/Darcy)

With These Hungry Eyes (MCU, Steve/OC)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes, but sometimes it takes me a while because I see it come in and I'm like !!!!! yes let's answer our friend in our computer and then I forget, I'm sorry!!!

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Probably House In The Trees; you'll find I'm not your angst writer.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Most of them, take your pick lol Let's go with You Reflect Me (I Love That About You).

Do you get hate on fics? I have in the past. Y'all, just hit the back button and shut the fuck up.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yup. :D The kind that might make you blush if you read it in front of other people.

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? If the thought strikes, so not often. I have my FFIV/FFX crossover series that starts with Left Your Mark On Me, that's probably the craziest.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Thankfully no.

Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, but I was co-writing a novel with a friend for a while.

What's your all-time favorite ship? For what fandom? Please be specific.

What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Angel of Mine is on permanent hiatus, which sucks because I probably have another 30k written that won't get posted.

What are your writing strengths? Dialogue and character.

What are your writing weaknesses? Descriptions. I come from a journalism background and I'm always trying to expand on things, because my natural style is to be short and sweet.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? Generally speaking, I would put those words in italics rather than actually write in another language that I don't personally speak. And since my Spanish is pretty fucking terrible, I'll stick with a few common phrases, thanks.

First fandom you wrote for? Posted? Highlander: The Series. Before that, it was Dark Shadows (the original 1960s gothic soap opera).

Favorite fic you've ever written? This answer will probably change over the years but currently it's Upon My End Shall I Begin, the Seifer redemption fic I always wanted to write.

#meme time #amie writes #fanfiction

[bekala]

20 Questions for Writers

@noxnthea tagged me so here we are.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 18

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

555,722 more than I expected. It's gonna get higher!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Almost exclusively Marvel, but I have two Sons of Anarchy fics that I brought over from my FanFiction.net account way back when and there's more over there.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Order of Operations (Darcy/Bucky; E), biologically, but not conceptually (Darcy/Bucky; T), Trust in Motion (Darcy/Bucky; M), Lessons in Avoidance: Or How Darcy Lewis Learned to Have Feelings (Darcy/Clint; E), a haunting (Darcy/Bucky; T)

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to reply to all of them. Talking to readers in the comments of one of my absolute favorite things about posting fics.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

An Unsealed Fate (E)

Is an AU one shot Bucky/Clint/Nat based the night before a battle in a world inspired by the show Carnival Row. All the characters are having this bittersweet moment of expressing their love for each other and not saying goodbye as they prepare to fight for freedom at dawn the next day.

“We don’t say goodbye before we part,” Clint continues as his fingers finish the last button and he starts to tug Bucky’s trousers and pants over his hips, “we don’t seal a fate until all other paths are closed to us.” 

“He’s right,” Nat says and when Bucky turns his head again she’s so close he can make out the gold stars around her irises, the only outward sign of the immense power hiding under her skin, “don’t tempt fate. What will come will come but we have now and we’re going to celebrate it with you.”

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Almost everything tends to have happy endings in one way or another! I write fic as an escape so even though I like to let some angst in I like to wrap it up with a happy ending.

That said, the most stereotypical happy ending I have is probably, It's Quite Inconvenient. This is a Darcy/Bucky Regency AU comedy of errors, and it ends on a very happy note!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not usually, fingers crossed it doesn't start! I love my fandom community like crazy!!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yep. The kind I want to read.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I don't know that I've written any crossovers but I've written a number of AUs.

11. Are any of your fics converted into podfics?

No, but I'd be excited about it if they were.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not technically, but I work so closely with @noxnthea on so many of my fics they might as well be co-written - or at least co-loved/co-plotted/co-agonizedover. The running joke is she's the fairy god-mother (and superstar beta) to everything I put out. I don't think any of it would make it public without her!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I don't know that I could pick.

I love writing Darcy/Bucky.

I'll read almost anything though - I write almost exclusively Marvel but my reading tastes extend well beyond the Marvel fandom.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Too many to talk about.

The one I really think won't ever get finished though is a daemon AU that's got about 50k words and is Clint Barton centric. I love it so much but it just never fell into a strong final plot unfortunately. It's also in present tense, which I don't write anymore so it would be SO hard to pick back up - BUT, god, when I go back and reread it sometimes do I just love it so much.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good at action sequences, banter, and pacing?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I am really trying to work on getting better at complex plot development and suspense. I also want to get better building a more complex vocabulary to improve my diction.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I do this. I don't mind when others do it.

I think it's best when done sparingly and with a sensitivity to the fact that you don't speak the language. I prefer when it's done in a way that the dialouge is not important to the scene. Or if it is, I think it's really cool when the translation is provided contextually rather than in notes later on. That said, I've seen it done really well both ways!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Tamora Pierce - on an account that doesn't exist anymore. I have been in fanfic for A LONG time. Like, the first fanfic I ever read was printed out and handed to me in the hallway of my middle school when the internet still made screeching noises as it connected.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Oh, um - I think I've answered this before, but I'd probably have to say: Order of Operations - I am in love with this universe and still writing sequels and follow ups. I think it just came to me during a really difficult time, which is still in progress, and it's become a comfort to just sink into it and share with the community.

It's been so much fun!

tagging -- anyone who sees this and wants to do it!

@shireness-says maybe??

#tag game #ao3 writer tag games #my fic

[jaywings]

HI I'M LATE. Writing asks: 7, 37, 44, 75!

7. Post a snippet from a wip

A dust-encrusted desk with a computer sat in the corner. Zim nodded and marched lock-kneed to it. He was violently shoved aside by GIR, who leaped onto the rolling chair in an explosion of old, half-disintegrated foam, sending the chair crashing into the wall. “I’m gonna play Club Penguin!” GIR cried. “No!” Zim knocked him off the chair. “No penguin-clubbing! I have work to do!” “Aw.” GIR’s pout lasted approximately three seconds before something else caught his attention and he ran to investigate whatever it was. Zim pursed his lips and leaned toward the monitor, jamming his thumb on the power button. An Irken computer never failed to respond immediately. This piece of shlinkgoff trash took so long to boot up that Zim nearly snapped the keyboard in frustration.

37. What fic has been the hardest for you to write?

Hm... I want to say Real Science, because it's the longest thing I've ever written (quite unintentionally), and it tries to balance around six POV characters from two completely different fandoms. It also focuses on characters that can be a bit of a challenge to write- GLaDOS, Chell, and Zim especially. It's really pleasing when people comment about liking their dialogue and characterization.

44. What is your favorite genre to write?

Adventure! For long fics, at least. For short fics I like slice-of-life stuff, recovery and bonding, and "missing" scenes that could fit into the source material.

75. Is there a particular fic that readers gravitated towards that you didn’t expect?

Yeah, that's For This Music is My Language, my one Coco fic. It's got the most hits next to Real Science, and it tops both the kudos and bookmarks. I don't really know how people still find it tbh, haha.

#ask memes #babycharmander #Thank you!

[blankd]

People are very familiar with how konami utterly fucked the Silent Hill IP and in that vein my personal franchise that "got SH'd" would be Breath of Fire.

Certain fans assigned the 5th game (Dragon Quarter) as being what killed it, but I'll defend that game for being a fairly unique RPG (and good!!) in its own right. I feel like if it came out now, people would appreciate it more.

It's relatively short (if you're fast you can legitimately beat it in <8 hours), brutal (flavor/setting + finite resources, finite enemies) and there's a simplicity to it that people seem to mistake as a problem rather than a choice.

read more of me rambling on about how one mechanic can uniquely define a game

One of the loudest fan criticisms of DQ is that it didn't have the dragon gene mixing/summons people loved and that there was !!only one dragon form!! But I'd say it was a worthy sacrifice for doing more with the dragon mechanics.

Your dragon/"I win" button was strapped to Ryu's/the MC's lifespan- sure you'd get devastating dragon powers, but it would also eventually kill him and could deadlock* your game if you abused it. Even walking around would (slowly) tick up the death counter which generates a good sense of urgency *without* condescending railroading.

As a result of this, DQ features something most of the other BoF games generally lacked, meaningfully dangerous encounters.

Other entries would be more typical random encounters that could be snuffed out or eventually grinded out of being a threat.

Meanwhile DQ has finite enemies (and EXP). Battles would take place on a 1:1 map, terrain, enemies, hazards, and items were retained from the normal map and vice-versa.

The game also cranked up the stakes by having limited hard saves (it required a consumable item), but still allowed you to have a soft save anywhere (the latter would be deleted upon reloading the game). Retaining your progress was always on the line and properly framed the dragon option as a temptation with consequences.

*note: the game wasn't so unfair as to leave you without any recourse, you could get a Restart+ where you carried over some items and EXP from a failed run to start the game over again, but leave it to gamers to puzzle out a way to exploit this courtesy to grind/farm, kudos on figuring it out but newspaper whap for going against the spirit of the game

This sort of decision working mechanically, playerwise, AND as a story point was a unique experience. Most games get bogged down in complexities and convulsion but DQ kept to a simple and sweet execution of "this power comes with a terrible price" and is a stronger experience for you.

As a game designer, the cohesion of story and mechanics is a solid inspiration.

Anyway did you know that there was a BoF 6? It was a mobile game and it shut down in about a year. Yes it is was soulless as it sounds. Yes the art is as bad and generic as it sounds.

---

Bonus Round! BoF Game Rankings + Misc.:

BoF:DQ (in case it was not obvious) is my favorite of the series, it's an RPG I can easily revisit and enjoy, truly a lean game. My ideal remake would tidy up the graphics to be nicer and to tweak some fiddlier bits, but the best I can hope for is a lazy port just because I don't think there are many copies (and more people should play it!). The NA box art is a crime though, horrible, 1000 years dungeon.

BoF 4, I like the overall plot and what it tried to do, there's some dodgy TL but I like the weird dragons and the art. Unfortunately it suffers from being in that PS1-PS2 transitory era and from RPG trappings of the time.

BoF 2 (GBA) has a a soft nostalgia spot in my heart. The TL work was incredibly jank, but is what defined JRPGs for me with its funny little freak party and the whiplash of weird goofy shit and Horror that Just Works.

BoF 3 and 1: I never really got around to properly playing either of these and have no real motivation to fix that.

I actually own the BoF artbook (in Japanese) and if you happen to enjoy them, I rec the the purchase even if you know nothing about the series. It actually contains *art from all 5 games* and having a consolidated timeline for how the art evolved over time is fascinating.

#blankd's blabbies #breath of fire

[multimousenette]

20 questions for fic writers

Thanks for tagging me @queer-cosette!! I forgot to get around to this but here we go

How many works do you have on ao3? 8

What’s your total ao3 word count? 44,112

What fandoms do you write for? I have written for BBC Ghosts, Miraculous Ladybug, and My Hero Academia. The present tense in the question is misleading.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Is this- is this aLLOWED (ghosts), these little words (miraculous), baby Heather button (ghosts), can’t get used to letting you go (miraculous), Rosa grandiflora (miraculous)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Only very rarely. I never got into the habit, I guess!

What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Probably the first ML fic I posted on Wattpad as an angsty fifteen year-old.

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? can’t get used to letting you go or is this- is this aLLOWED

Do you get hate on fics? I did get some not so nice comments on (again) the first ML fic i posted on wattpad as an angsty fifteen year-old, mostly cos they thought my super cool OC was gonna get in the middle of adrienette.

Do you write smut? If so what kind? No, but I have a few ideas percolating. Real microwave treatment.

Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve ever written? No, but miraculous and my hero academia would work so well together trust me

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Yes! Ironically they messaged me asking if they could repost to instagram, but when I looked at their instagram, they hadn’t bothered to wait for a reply🤡

Have you ever had a fic translated? No.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No.

What’s your all-time favourite ship? I am consumed with bkdk brainrot

What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? Rules of Playing Make-Believe — it was a chronological ML rewrite with a Lila redemption and overhaul of miraculous powers, but really I think it was more of an excuse for me to be really autistic abt ML and arrange all my dolls in a line

What are your writing strengths? I’m good at mimicking voices/writing styles, which is definitely a bonus for fic!

What are your writing weaknesses? Actually putting words on a page lmao

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? Again, did this in my first ever ML fic on Wattpad (you get the idea), mostly based on my not-yet GCSE French. It was a choice. Not a good one, though.

First fandom you ever wrote for? Frozen, I think? Or the Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley, though I never posted any of that.

Favourite fic you’ve ever written? I did forget that A Steady Hand to Hold exists but it slaps tbh

#tag game #ao3