#the whole thing was just a labor of love for one of my favorite scenes in one of the most well written books

[dragonsarecats]

my personal love letter to adam parrish <3

#twila draws #adam parrish #the raven cycle #trc #ronan lynch #the raven boys #richard gansey iii #blue sargent #my art #this is my junior thesis aka all i've worked on since January! #im ridiculously happy with this sjdfhjskdfh #the whole thing was just a labor of love for one of my favorite scenes in one of the most well written books #i had the pleasure to read as a miserable teenager

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

The more I think about season 2, the more grateful I am.

In a lot of ways, OFMD's writers, cast, and crew were given an almost impossible task. S1 was brilliant and took everyone by surprise by how successful it became. I am still shocked every time I rewatch by how smart and efficient the writing is, how intelligent the social commentary. S1 is a masterclass in good television.

And for s2, expectations were incredibly high. OFMD found massive word-of-mouth success in a way I've never seen with any other show, and they suddenly had a big, incredibly passionate audience - the renewal was because of massive fan support, and that must have translated to an incredible amount of pressure in the writer's room. Plus, as if that wasn't enough on its own, they're having to deal with budget cuts and Max slashing them down to only 8 episodes to tell a 10-episode story. This is an incredibly daunting task.

And yeah, I've been critical. OFMD is my favorite show, no contest, and it's easy to be critical of the things we love. We can all see that the pacing was off this season, especially in those last two episodes. Some arcs felt rushed; some side characters didn't get enough screen time to set up what they're doing this season. Jim and Olu especially suffer for that. It's inexcusable that this show's budget was slashed the way it was and I'm sad for what we could have had.

But, on the whole? Holy shit, this season was incredibly successful! Despite an incredible amount of fan pressure, the writers told the story they wanted to tell. They never lost sight of Ed and Stede's story, and were smart about allocating screen time so our leads' arcs never suffered too much for it. There's so much creative problem solving - when they realized they'd need to be smart about which side characters to keep on screen, they turned Buttons into a bird in a way that underscored season themes of transformation and change. 10/10, no notes. They even remembered their audience and left us on a satisfying note for all our characters - we get to end with Ed and Stede, happy and together, starting their new life.

They had an impossible task and they did a fucking commendable job. Character beats and humor are balanced amazingly well. Ed and Stede feel so much more fleshed out this season. Just like in s1, OFMD will never be a show where you can catch everything with one watch - there's so many little jokes, hidden gags, small details to discover with every rewatch. And every single actor is giving it their all in every scene! You can tell how much this show was a labor of love for everyone involved.

I'm proper fucking impressed. Here's hoping they get a renewal and a better budget for season 3!

#ofmd #ofmd s2 spoilers #our flag means death

[netflix]

Spotlight: Adam Stockhausen

Production Designer, The Wonderful Story Henry Sugar

Oscar winning production designer Adam Stockhausen (not pictured above, that’s Benedict Cumberbatch), whose work you may know from Wes Anderson films like The Grand Budapest Hotel, Asteroid City, The French Dispatch, Isle of Dogs, and Moonrise Kingdom, as well as titles like Bridge of Spies, and West Side Story (2021), took the time to answer some questions.

Which details from or aspects of The Wonderful Story Henry Sugar did you focus the most on while adapting it to the screen? How did you meld Roald Dahl and Wes’s worlds?

The details on this one started with Dahl’s writing hut! We matched the details pretty carefully and exactly. As soon as we step outside of the hut though we start to move through the world of the story and the world of the stage at the same time. Wes had the idea of how he wanted to do this from the very beginning. My main challenge was trying to figure out how to pull it off—making the parts move and getting each to have the right detail.

What’s a small change you made on a project that ended up having an unexpectedly significant impact? 

Lots of times this happens—where what seems like a small thing at the time becomes a very significant turning point. I’m in Berlin now writing this and remembering being here scouting for East Berlin for Bridge of Spies. We were struggling to find a section of town that still felt old enough to show the early 60s, and decided to take a chance on a quick search in Poland. That quick search changed the whole production plan and ultimately gave us the look of our East Berlin.

How has technology changed the way you approach your work? 

Technology has definitely changed the way we plan the work. We used to model everything in cardboard or sometimes just plan in two dimensions with pencil and paper. We can now plan in 3-dimensional space using modeling programs and see what real lenses will do.  This allows for more accurate planning and makes scenery moves like the casino set in Henry Sugar possible.

Do you have any signature easter eggs you like to leave? Any small details that you are particularly fond of? 

I wouldn’t say there are easter eggs in this one. But there are loads of special details! I think my favorite might be the levitation boxes where we painted a perspective view of the background onto a prop box. The actor sitting on the box appears to be floating in a very special and theatrical way.

Did you talk about reflecting the iconic Quentin Blake illustrations in production design? How would you go about doing that? 

Not really. They are such incredible drawings and I’d say they’ve been inspiring me since I saw them as a child! But for this the starting point was really the machine Wes devised to move us through the story—and pairing that to specific references scene by scene.

There is such an intentionality to the aesthetics of a Wes world. Is there a set or frame that took you a long time to get perfectly right? 

All of them! It’s a very labor-intensive process getting these frames right. Occasionally one will click right away, but usually it’s a process of refining and refining. The jungle for instance went from sketches to models to samples and back again several times before the final look settled.

If you had to present one frame that showcases the best of your work, what would it be? 

Oh my. Maybe the jungle? I really enjoyed making the jungle!

With all the moving sets in the trailer for The Wonderful Story Henry Sugar, it feels reminiscent of a theatre production. Are there distinct differences in approach between film and theatre and how much do you blur the lines between them in your work? 

I think the lines are blurred completely! Or maybe they aren’t even there. I love that Henry Sugar is so incredibly theatrical in its storytelling.  It allows us to show the artifice of the sets all the time which somehow makes them even more satisfying when they finally do line up and create a complete picture. I think the casino set is a perfect example—the pauses where it all lines up for a second are even more enjoyable because we get to see it broken apart and sliding away.

Thanks, Adam!

#spotlight #entertainment spotlight #adam stockhausen #wes anderson #production design #filmblr #wes weaving #web weaving

[fenrislorsrai]

Fandom Trumps Hate- Good Omens Offerings

this is a non-exhaustive list because there are so many Good Omens offerings. These are just Discord pals that were go "aaaaaaaaaaa what if nobody bids on me!?!?!?!"

well, then what if I give you the opposite problem and EVERYONE bids on you. AHAHAHAHAHA. Chaos for a good cause! my favorite!

Read the full offering for details. I've just given a super quick summary and additional fandoms they do if you're going "I hunger for CROSSOVER" plus said nice things about them. HAHAHAHA. YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT MY COMPLIMENTS NOW!

Get art or words as a gift for your favorite fandom for a charity donation! Fandom Trumps FAQ on how it all works. @fandomtrumpshate

Dorli-+ Legend of Zelda, Avatar The Last Airbender- illustration, banner, or book cover -- up to M rating - does trans/nb characters, f/f ships - absolutely the softest, squishiest looking character work. get the most huggable version of characters. (or squishy AND hot. ohohohoho)

SassishMoon- illustration up to E rating- does trans/nb characters, f/f ships -special note, I got art for Moon last year and it was fabulous. also have a collab coming out in a zine and it is HOT HOT HOT.

WarGoddess- + FullMetal Alchemist- Illustration up to E rating- interested in angst, unhappy endings, genderbending- lovely textures. beautiful skins tones and absolutely fabulous wings.

Sightkeeper- illustration up to E rating- option for comic page if bid goes high enough!- interested in trans & nonbinary characters- Delicious line work and delightful facial expressions. also: monsters

TheRavenMuse - 5-10K fic up to E rating- make it dark, make it weird! and by weird, has done Bentley/Bookshop smut. TIME FOR CRACK.

contritecactite- + Final Fantasy: VII, XII, XV, Ace Attorney 5-10K fic up to E OR 5K podfic of your work up to M rating- interested in trans & nonbinary character, F/F, polyships, and canon compliant/fill in the gap in canon type fics- go get you some RADIO omens. and Book Omens. writes very caring stuff... and sometimes caring is a good healing fuck.

accidentaldemon- under 5k up to E rating- interested in polyships, trans & nonbinary characters, and humans AUs- do you need some Crowley & Young Shadwell fic? AccidentalDemon has you covered.

TawnyOwl- 5-10K up to E rating- loves AUs where they meet and find they're perfect for each other in a new and special way.

SeedsofWinter +Our Flag Means Death + Venture Brothers- Fan Labor for up to E rating. (length depends on final bid value) Deep content editor. Goes way beyond the basic spelling and grammar check. This is a draft editor to help fill in missing scenes and fix pacing. Has run several zines as the editor! Interested in trans /nb characters, polyships, f/f, reader insert, unhappy endings, and RARE PAIRS.

Ngk_is_cool - under 5K up to T- TV or Book Omens! time for all those secondary character to shine! anything but a/c. especially interested in ace and queerplatonic relationships. do you want a fic with some footnotes like the book?

Shaninal- under 5K up to M rating- A/C in some canon complaint fluff and humor. OR beta read for 5-10K up to E rating for Good Omens, Percy Jackson, or Miraculous Lady Bug

EdosianOrchids- 3 options! 2 soft & fluffy up to 5K and one 5-10K hurt/comfort. TV or Book Omens. especially known for chronic pain, disability, and PTSD focused fics. Come and get some HEALING and comfort for the chronic issues. also does aspc fics.

HKBlack- 10-20K up to E rating. Interested in trans/nb characters. Love AUs with a happy ending. THERE WILL BE PUNS. SO MANY PUNS

This is only a partial sampling go see the whole Good Omens tag

and if you are have a gomens offering not listed here, feel free to add in reblogs! Let's give some charities some money!

#good omens #fandom trumps hate #book!omens #radio!omens #fanfic #fanart

[fanhackers]

Honoring Our Foresmutters: Joanna Russ

Inspired to post today by the recent New York Times article on Joanna Russ, “Joanna Russ Showed Us the Future: Female, Queer but Far From Perfect,” which promotes an exciting new collection of her work by the Library of America.  Joanna Russ was a fan and a fanfiction writer well as, arguably, the literal founder of the field of fan studies. While Russ has been referenced or namechecked many times in the Fanhackers blog over the years (here and here, for example), I don’t think we’ve ever specifically shouted out her field-founding 1985 essay “Pornography By Women For Women, With Love.”  (Is there an important fan studies essay before this one? Perhaps Ien Ang’s 1985 work on Dallas fans? Janice Radway’s 1984 Reading the Romance? Lamb and Veith? Lichtenberg, Marshak, and Winstons’s 1975 landmark Star Trek Lives? Maybe that one. But Russ is pretty much the first to document and defend modern slash fandom as we know it (which is one of the reasons the NYT article links to the Archive of Our Own.)   

Russ says a lot of things in this essay about Star Trek slash, what it is and how it works, and how slash serves as a sexual fantasy for women. (She also says some pretty fascinating things about not just female rape fantasy, but also about male rape fantasy: there’s a lot of sympathy here for men’s sexual fantasy and empathy for the way men are thwarted under patriarchy as well.)  But I think my favorite thing in the essay is the way Russ is willing to own her feels:

I hope I haven't offended anyone by calling K/S "sexual fantasy." If it weren't, I wouldn't pay any attention to it. I love the stuff, I love the way it turns me on, and I love its attempt to establish a very radical androgyny in its characters. So many feminist creations of Amazons and Goddess-worshippers and so on simply don't work-most are very thin–but K/S works, if you know and like Star Trek, and (as I mentioned) it is the only sexual fantasy by women for women that's produced without the control or interposition of censorship by commercial booksellers or the interposition of political intent by writers or editors. It's also a labor of love for the women involved, since it is (and must be, because of the possibility of lawsuit) non-profit. I find it raw, blatantly female, and very valuable and exciting.

She ends the essay preparing to go back to the story she is writing!

And now, if you will excuse me, I must go back to my ancient Vulcan castle with the carved bedposts where I have left my two characters, Guess Who and Guess Which, in a very dramatic and painful situation. In fact, I left Spock preparing to beat Kirk, whom he has bought as a slave in an alternate universe in which violent Vulcan (Spock's planet) never reformed. Of course the point of the whole scene is that Spock can't bear to do any such thing because he is madly in love with Kirk. So he smites his forehead with his hand (or some similar gesture) and rushes out to agonize. Meanwhile Kirk (who's of course in love with Spock) agonizes too, but in the opposite direction, so to speak.  They will do this for a long as I can contrive, and then they will make great music together, also as long as I can stretch the scene out. Yum. And so on.

That “Yum,” in print, in 1985, is everything! 

–Francesca Coppa, Fanhackers volunteer

#author: francescacoppa #Joanna Russ #foresmutters #fan studies #fanhackers #quotes

[kittyball23]

Mission Accomplished (a Trolls fanfic)

Summary: The brothers are able to break Floyd free from the diamond… but are they still too late?

A/N:  Okay, okay, I know I said the previous one would be my last update for now, but how could I NOT write about that new scene that came out?? FYI, spoilers sort of, so if you’re not down for that don’t read

__________________________________________

The brothers’ song still lingered in the air even long after they’d finished singing it, sparkles resulting from the musical notes that they’d hit so harmoniously. The Family Harmony had been accomplished, and the wanna-be popstar twins were off somewhere in the river below them, more than likely flailing around helplessly with their thin, limby arms and legs.

Smiles and cheers had followed from the jubilant group. The Trolls had won!

“You did it!” Poppy cried, hugging Branch

“We did it!” he corrected. He readily cupped her cheek, overcome with a sudden urge to sweep her in for a heart-stopping kiss, when a weight suddenly fell onto his side, unbalancing him. He gasped when he realized that it was Floyd.

The magenta Troll, having been cheering alongside them, fell over, unstable on his legs. He groaned as he hit the ground, far too weakened to even attempt to push himself back up.

“Dude!” John Dory cried, hurrying to one side of him. Branch, Clay, and Spruce were quick to follow, surrounding their brother in a semicircle. Poppy and Viva stood off to one side, watching with wide eyes and giving the guys their space.

Branch felt his eyebrows crease with worry. Floyd had used the last bit of musical lifeforce inside of him to help add on to the harmony and break himself free, and it seemed to be having its effects on him now. He was hardly able to breath, each intake and release of air labored, and the last of his telltale magenta color was disappearing.

“Oh my gosh…” Clay murmured. “What do we do?”

“I… d-don’t think that any…thing can be d-done…” Floyd managed to say, albeit strained.

“What?” John Dory sounded appalled. “What are you saying, Floyd? That you should just die?!”

“No way,” Spruce pitched in. “We came here to break you free from that diamond!”

“A-and you did…” Floyd said. “I couldn’t be any more grateful. I knew you guys could do it. And I thank you for it, more than you could ever imagine…” He paused, glancing up at each one of them and feeling his eyes water. Suddenly, a little laugh escaped him. “Heh… look at us… We’re all together again…. I want you to know that you’re my b-bestest friends in the whole… wide… world… I couldn’t ask for any other brothers… I l-love you guys so… so… much…”

It was a little difficult for Floyd, but he managed to lift his hand just enough in Branch’s direction. Branch saw this and, meeting him halfway, gripped it. Floyd looked up into his eyes, and though he spoke no more, Branch could still read the intense emotion coming from him. Floyd was his favorite brother, and Branch was Floyd’s favorite as well. And it was the blue Troll who he continued to look at, all the way until his eyes fluttered shut and his hand went limp.

Branch felt his heart clench terribly. “Floyd?” he whispered, feeling his voice break. He felt tears pool into his eyes. “Oh, goodness no…”

“Floyd, wake up, bro,” Spruce urged, “Wake up!” He grabbed onto his leg and shook him, but the Troll was still deadweight.

John Dory slumped, covering his face with his hands. “This is my fault,” he whimpered. “If I would’ve just been faster…”

“No, bro, this is my fault,” Clay said, “If I hadn’t given y’all a hard time trying to come in the frst place…”

“Uh-uh,” Spruce said. “This is my fault. If I would’ve - “

But he had stopped himself from finishing his sentence at the sound of Branch bursting out with a sob. The blue Troll leaned over his brother’s body, pressing his forehead against Floyd’s and clutching onto him tightly.  Tears leaked down his cheeks in large, messy drops as he came to terms with what had just happened.

We tried... We tried but we were still too late. Now Floyd is gone.

Another family member gone, just like their Grandmother.

He felt his other brothers come to surround him, all putting one of their arms around each other, and the other arm on Floyd. Each of them silently mourned the loss of the magenta-haired Troll.

Suddenly, some humming began. John Dory looked up, as did Spruce and Clay, and they found that it had actually been Branch. And in listening closely, they recognized the song. It was the song they’d sang for the Family Harmony, a slower rendition of it, as Branch paid homage to its songwriter with the somber tune.

His brothers easily joined in, humming along and pushing past the pain. It was the least they could do. There seemed to be nothing else…

Until…

Branch could sense a glow emanating, and he forced his eyelids open, lifting his head slightly from where it had rested on his brother’s. He gasped. Was he really seeing what he was seeing?

It seemed like he wasn’t, because his brothers saw it too when they opened their eyes. There was a colorful glow that ran from each of their arms from where they were on top of Floyd, as if they were supplying him with their talent. Floyd’s body glowed, his arms regaining that blueish skintone and his hair regaining some of that rich magenta color it had been.

Suddenly, he looked nearly completely normal.

But, is he actually… alive? Branch wondered.

“Floyd?” he asked, shaking him gently.

There was silence…

But then…

The magenta Troll gasped, blinking awake all at once. JD, Spruce, Clay and Branch all gaped at him. He stared back at them.

"Am I... I mean, did I... die?"

He squeaked in surprise when all four of the brothers replied with a scream of "FLOYD!" and was subsequently crushed by arms squeezing him in a tight hug.

"You're alive!"

"Oh, thank goodness!"

"We thought you were a goner for good!"

The three elder brothers bombarded him with phrases of relief. Branch in the meantime remained clung at his side, not wanting to let go, making sure that this was real.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he told him genuinely.

Floyd grinned at him, sweetly ruffling the blue-haired crop of hair atop of head. "Hey, um guys?" he asked the brothers. They immediately perked and listened in. "Do you think we could be a family again?"

Branch exchanged a look with the others. They knew just what he was thinking, so he spoke up for all of them. "Floyd, we ARE a family." And with that he went back and hugged him again.

Viva and Poppy, overcome with emotion, hugged each other as well. "Mission accomplished, sis?" the Putt Putt Queen asked.

Poppy winked. "Mission accomplished!"

#trolls #trolls 3 #trolls band together #dreamworks #floyd trolls #branch trolls #john dory #spruce trolls #clay trolls #poppy trolls #viva trolls #fanfiction #kittyball writes

[foreverdolly]

hi!!! congratulations! i wanted to request biker!austin with the enemies to lovers trope and the quotes “i want it to hurt” and “quit being such a brat”

i love you!!

𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 | 𝐛𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐫!𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

prompt: "I want it to hurt" and "quit being such a brat"

song: tear you apart - she wants revenge

word count: 1.8k

notes/warnings: biker!austin has my whole heart. the reader being such a brat was honestly so sexy to write. . . i edited this while i was half asleep, so hopefully i didn’t miss any errors! i love you too, angel! thank you for the request ;)

Disobeying orders just so happened to be your specialty though. 

Disobeying orders just so happened to be your specialty though. 

Your father had been a part of the very same motorcycle club that Austin’s own father had once led. You were practically raised in the clubhouse since you had been in diapers, and now that your father had retired you found it hard to stay away. You always gravitated towards men that liked to stay in trouble. The kind that drank too much booze and snorted whatever they could get their hands on. 

You rode them for all that they were worth and kicked them to the curb the second that you became their latest fix. Life was easy that way. 

But nobody knew you quite like Austin. 

But nobody knew you quite like Austin. 

Gone were the days of him following after you like a little lost puppy. Now he treated you more like a nuisance than anything. Maybe he was still butthurt about that. . . thing that happened between the two of you right before you had left on your latest adventure. 

When Austin practically spat your name, the warmth of his body directly behind you, his shadow looming over you, the other men all shut their mouths and took a collective step back. 

You had to hand it to the blonde; his father’s constant verbal abuse had turned him into one scary son of a bitch. Fear was a hard emotion to inspire in you, yet the hairs on your arms were beginning to stand on end. 

Still, you scoffed in annoyance before turning on the heels of your vintage cowboy boots, staring the man down through narrowed eyes. 

“What do you want, Butler?” You tilted your head to the side ever so slightly, a teasing grin pulling up at the corners of your mouth. 

The muscle in Austin’s jaw jumped as he clenched his teeth, his blue eyes hard as steel now that he was staring you down. Still, you didn’t falter. You kept your shoulders relaxed, her hand lazily holding a bottle of beer by the lip of the glass. You were just there to have a good time. He was the asshole that was about to cause a scene. 

You had a way of getting under his skin. It was a talent, really. 

He reached out, locking down on your wrist with a vice like grip so that he could tug you back towards his office. You knew him well enough to understand that he had an image to uphold. Yelling at a tiny girl in front of everybody wasn’t a very good look for him, you supposed. Beer sloshed onto the ground as he continued to roughly tug you, not caring about your small hisses and groans of discomfort. He finally let you go after he slammed the door closed, the well used dart board swinging back against the wood. 

“What the hell was that for?” You gasped out, holding your arm up in front of your face. Sure enough, the skin looked a bit red from his ape-like strength. “God damn caveman. You could have just told me that you wanted to speak with me. Not break my fuckin’ wrist.”

His back was facing you, his shoulders already huffing with labored breaths. You were poking the bear and you knew it. You should stop. 

But you just loved doing it so much. 

Getting reactions out of him was one of your favorite pastimes. He just looked so cute when he was angry, what with his big blue eyes narrowed. His plump lips pulled into a deep frown. God, he was doing it now. You were just about to open your mouth, hellbent on getting him even more wound up than he already was. 

That was before he slammed his hands down onto his desk, sending papers flying off of the sides. A mug filled with pens teetered over the edge, shattering against the old wooden floor. Your jaw ticked, your lashes fluttering as you tried to assimilate the mess around you. 

“I tried being nice and you just ignored me.” He spat out, his hands still braced against the desk, his broad shoulders hunched. 

You stood there a few more seconds, trying to decide if egging him on was the best thing to do in this situation. The older he gets, the more brash and angry he is. 

You ‘tsk’, leaning back against the door as you motion towards the floors. Of course he can’t see you with his back turned, but you don’t care. “God, why are you such a baby? You’re this upset over me not paying attention to you? We’re not twelve anymore.” 

You dragged the heels of your feet as you approached his desk, bending down so that you could pick up one of the broken pieces of pottery. You turned the piece over in your hand, trying to flesh out what kind of design had been painted onto it. Austin snatched the piece out from between your fingers, and all you could do was watch as his fist clenched down and around the shard. You flinched, your eyes flickering up to his face. 

“Quit,” He spoke between clenched teeth, his fist trembling as he tightened his hold on the glass. “Acting like such a fuckin’ brat.” Blood began to drip down the sun kissed skin of his wrist and onto the floor at his feet. 

Your chest tightened, but you decided to ignore the insult. Instead you reached out, taking his hand in yours. “Let go.” You spoke, trying to pry his fingers open. He strengthened his hold, sending even more fat droplets onto the ground. 

“Aus, let go! You’re hurting yourself!” You gave his solid chest a push, making him take a step back. The glass was sent clattering to the ground as he stumbled back into the desk, the legs scrapping loudly. If anybody heard the muffled sounds of your fight from outside of the door, nobody was coming to either of your rescue. 

“I want it to hurt! What the fuck is wrong with you, huh?!” He finally yelled, the muscles of his biceps flexing as he gripped down onto the edge of the desk. You can’t remember a time where you had seen him this angry at you. You must have seriously struck a nerve earlier. 

“Why are you acting like this? Jesus. . . You need to calm the fuck do-” 

“You’re just gonna act like nothing happened. Like it didn’t mean anything.” 

You froze, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. He was that upset over. . . over what happened two months ago? 

“It didn’t mean anything.” You told him, suddenly looking over his face more carefully. 

He laughed humorlessly, his jaw clicking as he leaned his neck back, staring up at the ceiling for a couple of seconds. He was trying to figure out how to handle this situation. 

“Bull fuckin’ shit, it didn’t mean anything. You’re a liar.” 

“Austin. . .” You were approaching the situation a little more carefully now that you knew just how emotional he was over it. He was reacting with anger, but you could see the sadness in his eyes. “It was just sex-” 

“Yeah, sex.” He straightened up to his full height, towering over you. “Between us. You and me. We’ve known each other since we were kids. What happened wasn’t just sex.” He grabbed a fist full of wavy blonde locks, giving them a few tugs in frustration when he took in your blank expression. 

“Don’t try to gaslight me into believing that I’m crazy. I was right there with you.” He was trying to reason with you. 

If you were any other girl then you would have given in right away. If you were any other girl you would have agreed with him- told him that you hadn’t stopped thinking about him ever since you left. 

But you weren’t any other girl. 

You weren’t good at expressing your emotions. Whenever you were forced to you often shut down. You could feel yourself doing that now, all while trying to figure out how to salvage whatever fucked up relationship the two of you had before sex ruined everything. For the last ten years the two of you had been like fire and ice. You two would spit insult after insult at each other, all while knowing that the two of you were a match made in hell. 

You hated his guts, all while loving the shit out of him too. 

“W-We. . .” You swallowed when he took a step closer to you, the toes of his motorcycle boots bumping against your own. “We would never work. We’d just end up killing each other.” You tried, motioning between the two of you. 

“I know that you hate feeling tied down. I do too. But I can’t get you off of my mind.” It was hard to breathe when he was looking at you like that. 

He was looking at you like he loved you. 

He was smart for not giving you enough time to answer. You were stubborn, and you were positive that you’d say the wrong thing. You were bound to mess up and say something that you truly hurt him. Something you truly didn’t mean. 

His lips were just as soft and warm against yours as you remembered. Maybe your overactive mind was playing tricks on you, but you could have sworn that you could feel his hand tremble as he reached down to cup your cheek, his lips pressing kisses down the corner of your mouth, and then down your jaw. You could feel his heavy breaths against your bare collarbones, and all at once you realized that you wouldn’t be able to stop this from happening. 

Not because you were too afraid to say anything. Not because you hated the thought of rejecting him. 

But because you wanted it. 

He was right. He was right about it all, and part of you hated him for that.

taglist: @knoxvillesshoes@cosmorant@ol1viam@simply-sams-things@haim80s@gabbcabb@8hgel@slutt4him@busy-bee-angel-misska@kaitaesupremacy@dazedshoon @4rt3m1ss@cryingabtab@kittenlittle24@austinsrealgf@austinbutlersgirlfriend@clearbolts @dark-as-love@anni-secret-account-75@ab4eva@starcatchxr @julietamidala @obbsessivereader@gwuide@blurredcolour@the-little-red-haired-girl@meladollsims@poppet05@shrekstheloml@randomwriter888@idc123sworld@vane28282@mirandastuckinthe80s@girlblogger2002@rockerchick05@screechingstrawberrysong@simpforevery1@girlabirla@dre6ming@obetrolncocktails@fairyjanes@jensenswinchester@lo-bells @in-my-body-bag@fxntxsix@petrparkrslut@eliseinmemphis @lelifesaver @screaching-cookie@fantuhsise@areuirish @bcofl0ve@mslizziesblog@shynovelist@ssstrangersblog @harrysthecraic@hangmanswhore@jyvnho@mymamalife @melodydior @18lkpeters @memphis-mania @rjmartin11 @artlover8992

and the big daddy crew: @powerofelvis @ggwritesstuff @woundmetender @eliseinmemphis @polksalademma @flwrs4aust @headfullofpresley @cryingabtab @austinbutlersbaby @lindszeppelin @rosaminny

#foreverdolly #dolly’s sleepover #2.5k celebration #askdolly #austin butler drabble #austin butler imagine #austin butler fic #austin butler x reader #austin butler x y/n #austin butler fanfiction #austin butler fandom #self insert #reader insert #austin butler elvis #celebrity x reader #x reader #female reader #one shot #imagine #elvis movie #elvis 2022 #elvis baz luhrmann #austin butler #enemies to lovers #angst with comfort #biker!austin butler #tattooed heart

[lynzishell]

List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore 💙

Yay! I'm finally going through my asks, lookit me go! We'll start this week with the winner of the poll... The one and only ✨Dawn Stephens✨

💖She has a Sociology degree from Foxbury Institute. She did not graduate with a high GPA, in fact she barely passed. She’s very smart, but genuinely hates reading and studying. She is the type of person that likes to be up doing things all the time. She struggles to just sit quietly. If she’s going to sit for an extended period of time, then it’s usually to watch a movie or a favorite TV show (with someone else, never alone). Even then, she’ll likely be distracting you the whole time.

💖During college, Dawn dated a lot, and had a lot of relationships that were short lived and full of drama. To be honest, being so heavily neglected growing up had left her desperate for love and affection. Most of the guys she dated wanted to date around and have fun and enjoy their college years, but Dawn would become instantly attached and clingy which would drive them away. It took her a while to work through this phase in her life, to understand why she felt/acted the way she did, and what she really needed. Before meeting Phoenix, she hadn’t dated anyone in nearly a year and was finally in a good place. That coupled with the fact that Phoenix is a very present and attentive partner means we’ve never seen that needier side of Dawn.

💖The necklace that she wears everyday was a gift from her high school best friend, Claire. Feeling rebellious one weekend, the two of them hopped a bus to visit a mall (strictly forbidden, of course). Claire caught her eyeing the necklace and bought it for her. Unfortunately, Dawn was never able to wear the necklace because A – she wasn’t allowed to wear jewelry and B – she would’ve had to explain where she’d gotten it. When she and Atlas left, Claire stopped talking to her, just like everyone else, and they’ll likely never speak again. But wearing the necklace now is kind of a symbol of her freedom from that life.

💖She loves the process of getting her nails done but can’t stand them afterwards. Every once in a while, you’ll see her with long painted nails, but they never last long because she removes them after a few days. (fun fact: she has beautifully manicured nails when she gives birth to Aspen because I forgot to remove them from her swimwear after their Sulani vacation. I didn’t want to risk messing up the childbirth process by going into CAS to fix it… so let’s just say she had her nails done while in labor, cos why not?)

💖There is an intentional inconsistency in the story that I doubt anyone noticed, it’s such a small detail… In this scene, Dawn mentions having a dog growing up: “He was a miniature schnauzer named Snickerdoodle. [giggles] But I would call him DooDoo.” … But then later, in this scene, it’s stated that Atlas has never had a dog: “He’s not used to dogs. In fact, he’s never had a pet of any kind before, so he isn’t sure what to do.” These two grew up in the same home, so what's the deal? Who was Snickerdoodle? This was actually Claire’s dog, and Dawn was absolutely smitten by him and would pretend to herself that it was her dog. (And she did in fact get in trouble once for saying DooDoo.)

#tysm for the ask 💖 #lynzi answers #aries outtakes #dawn extras

[myarchiveforme]

some observations of priscilla, bc the people I went to see it with are not the type to enjoy analyzing media and I have thoughts

also this is just me venting on my phone so these are very undeveloped thoughts idk

*contains mild spoilers*

the style is so lovely, if there's one thing sofia can do it's curate a damn atmosphere. i haven't seen marie antoinette in a while but sofia works with environments like another character in the movie, and it's so effective in pulling you into the experience.

you feel that boredom and monotony and confinement so vividly - you basically don't see priscilla outside of graceland between her arriving and elvis leaving the last time, and you almost don't realize it. and you become so familiar with the rooms and the space, it's depression when you don't leave your house for months and see the same things over and over and feel like a doll being moved around a little dollhouse just being picked up and put down in situations.

the shot when elvis is leaving the last time and priscilla's being left behind but her world is getting bigger??

this portrayal of elvis is so interesting - he's a character, the whole time, and you get these glimpses of what he really thinks or feels. he's pulling at her strings just to see what happens, just to experiment with the reactions. it's like he just wants to see that his actions can have actual effects on people, to prove that priscilla is 3d and not the paper people he sees on stage. or again, like priscilla is just his doll to put into situations.

also, I don't know enough about the psychology or realities of grooming and abuse to really get into it, but the relationship with sex is so... like she's an image of purity to him, to the point of being undesirable. too pure to desire. it's that groomer mindset of priscilla being something he has to "protect," like his child almost, but also to have control over her actions and to keep her in the box he's put her in.

and 6'5" jacob elordi next to 5'1" cailee spaeny in a movie about a grown celebrity grooming and claiming a 14 year old girl?

the scene of priscilla trying on clothes for elvis and the group of guys was SO profound to me - the discomfort of it, but also the gratification of male approval and attention? the little smile in the end when they like the outfit - that's such a familiar feeling to me, being deeply uncomfortable on display for men but still having that goblin inside of you that's fed with their attraction to you. especially at that age, god. same with her graduation - she's their little mascot, the pet project. and she doesn't have any friends, so she performs for them, for their applause and approval

and the omnipresence of elvis's gang and complete absence of female friends for her. he's putting on a show, always, and she's supposed to put on that show with him. and then behind closed doors, she's not putting on the show anymore but he still wants the priscilla on stage. and she is NEVER without makeup in front of him, especially after he tells her to wear more eyeliner. always picture perfect. uggh I could see this movie fifteen times. the moment of quiet in chaos as she puts on her eyelashes before giving birth? it's so poignant, that even in labor she's putting on a show for him and the world but taking pride and peace in the art of it. that was one of my favorite scenes honestly

cailee's performance was just incredible. so delicate and nuanced and honest and I hope we get to see her again and again.

NOT EVEN TO MENTION the fashion and styling, my god. stunning. it's iconic and beautiful and tells the whole story within itself.

anyway if anyone wants to discuss this movie with me please I'm desperate

#priscilla

[charmwasjess]

18 and 21 please!!

21. Have you ever deleted an entire scene after spending hours laboring over it? If so, why? I delete finished scenes quite a lot actually! Milk Run was supposed to start with a scene where Dooku ambushes Sifo-Dyas to ask him The Big Favor. They have that whole argument of Sifo going "no?? no I'm not doing that, why are you asking me this, what's wrong with you, hey weren't you supposed to go therapy??" But it was Sifo's POV and I decided I wanted to write the fic in switching Dooku and Qui-Gon POV sections like Sitting in the Dark. It's part of the reason I gave Sifo-Dyas a POV for the epilogue, because the whole fic actually started with him.

….honestly, the thing I cut the most is sex scenes. I tend to write them lot more extensively - usually out of pure horniness reasons, god bless - and then whittle them down to what goes in. The Dooku/Jocasta scene in Milk Run actually goes on for another two pages. A lot of times I remove them entirely. I think I wrote a good chunk in Jedi Nights before I decided there was no way Sifo would fuck him just then. I've written most of a sex scene for Rabbit Heart that isn't going in: Sifo-Dyas, GO TO BED. I WISH I'd written out the interrupted sex in Making It Up because Dooku was about to get wrecckkked.

18. What’s one of your favorite lines you’ve written in a fic? Some lines I love… Milk Run, chapter 8.

Arnet choked out a laugh. “Sifo-Dyas. Open your eyes. You’re already fucking mad. Everyone knows it.”

Sifo-Dyas seemed to lose all his words. He looked at Dooku.

Arnet shrugged coldly. “Your friends just don’t want to admit it to you.”

For all the sting of personal betrayal, the threat to his life’s work, Sifo-Dyas had been amazingly calm and composed, even pleasant, up until that point. So it came as a real shock when he hauled back and punched Arnet in the face.

I'm really fond of that whole section, beginning with Arnet making a hilariously bad attempted robbery and ending with Dooku and Sifo-Dyas slamming their Makashi and Soresu lightsaber forms together into just the most idiotic insane fighting style. Makaresu??

I think that's honestly the best character work I've done with Sifo-Dyas in my stuff. And I love that it's in Qui-Gon's perspective, because he doesn't really know Sifo that well, and his mounting bafflement with everyone in that scene is just so precious to me. You know: "...wow, this is going bad, oh, shit, did that guy just tackle someone???"

Thanks so much, Ant!!! Fun choices. :D And anyone else, I'm still answering fic asks!

#fic stuff #answered asks #my writing

[justreadertings]

Hi, hello, is this Sweet Understanding? No. It is not. My deepest apologizes. However, I was inspired and wrote a baby oneshot that may turn into a couple of oneshots in this AU. Anyway, I super adore this one and only have one more scene to finish for SU so I hope that will be out soon! All my love- Magee

TW: implied miscarriage, mentions of cheating, talks of pregnancy and labor complications

WC: 2324

Eire

Aelin’s whole body ached, and yet, she’d never been happier. She’d been a mother for a whole three days now, and it was the greatest thing the gods could have given her. Her sweet Eire lay sleeping against her chest, breathing softly. Aelin made sure to settle into the pillows as best as she could without disturbing her daughter. She could watch her child sleep for hours and never bore it. Only the soft rapping at her open bedroom door took her out of it. 

“Fireheart, do you need anything?” 

Aelin’s heart glowed more than it ever had. Her boyfriend’s face was nearly as exhausted as she was, but he never missed a beat. He was so good to her, to their Eire. 

“I’m ok,” she said. Rowan’s green eyes swept over her, as they had constantly since she’d gone into labor. “I’m ok, you buzzard, now stop worrying so much. It’s bad for the baby,” she quipped.

“Is it?” He lifted a brow. 

“Ummhmm,” she hummed. 

Rowan came around to her side of the bed, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll make sure to keep it in mind.”

Aelin patted the bed beside her. “Come here, come lay with me.”

Rowan obliged, instantly. She nestled into him, and a wave of contentment wafted over her. She hadn’t exactly had the easiest labor- hadn’t exactly had an easy pregnancy for that matter. Her entire body felt sore and tense. She was unfamiliar with it, if she had to admit, and the only time she felt truly at home in it was in the familiarity of her boyfriend’s arms.

“You’re so beautiful,” Rowan whispered against her forehead. “Eire gets it from you.” 

Aelin smiled softly. She’d never really had a family before this, and the comfort of it had her more at peace than she’d ever been. Aelin’s eyes began to close, her breathing turning soft. 

But their peace only lasted a few minutes, as a knock on the door jolted her awake. Both she and Rowan were quick to make sure their newborn wasn’t disturbed. 

“What time is it?” she asked, dread filling her.

Rowan looked at the clock, and let out a sigh. Aelin knew what that meant. “It’s noon.”

Her head fell backwards. “Wyrd save me,” she whispered.

Rowan pressed a kiss to both her head and then their daughter’s before getting up to get the door. Aelin pressed a million kisses to the top of Eire’s unfairly soft head, and breathed her in. 

Just a few moments later, brown hair and eyes were standing in her bedroom doorway. 

“There’s my munchkin,” Sam said.

Aelin forced a painful smile. She knew this would be hard… but she’d never expected it to be this hard. The whole situation was complicated. 

Rowan came into her life when they were teenagers, and they’d fallen in love instantly. They had this… soul connection. But circumstances with Aelin’s foster care never really worked in her favor, and after three years of dating she was shipped away the summer before her senior year. Rowan had promised that when they graduated, he’d go to wherever she was and they would be together. 

But then he’d gotten an internship all the way in Dornelle, and Aelin could not give up the opportunity to go to college. The money she’d saved up and the constant moving meant she could only afford to go to in-state schooling. But now, seven years later, they were living together with their baby. 

Well… Aelin, Rowan and Sam’s baby. Aelin had met Sam in her third year of college, and they had dated, gotten engaged, and then promptly broke up two months before Aelin found out she was pregnant. Which was right around the time Rowan Whitethorn walked into her favorite coffee shop and back into her life forever. 

And he wasn’t going away this time. Aelin planned to keep him forever. She liked to say he was “baby trapped”, but he didn’t think that was too funny. Aelin knew their story was strange, that most men wouldn’t fall in love with a woman who was carrying someone else’s child. But she was Rowan’s and Rowan was her’s. Rowan told her Eire was her, and anything that was her was something he loved.

Rowan had already lost one child. He’d told Aelin that she and Eire were his second chance at happiness. That they were the family he always feared he’d never get. 

But that family also, sadly, included Sam.

Sam had come to the hospital the day she was born, and had made plans to see her today. When Aelin asked when, Sam had just said he’d “stop by.” At two this morning, when Aelin was up feeding Eire, she’d received a text that Sam would “stop by” around noon. Rowan was doing a very good job of not strangling him.

Sam came over and looked down at Eire. 

Aelin smiled. “Gods, isn’t she beautiful?” To his credit, Sam did agree. “You want to hold her?” 

Sam nodded, and Aelin pressed another hundred kisses to her baby before passing her to Sam. When she was sure he had her, Aelin looked over to Rowan for assistance. He was by her side in an instant, and took her by the elbow to help her stand. Pain laced down her sides, down her back. All of her insides were mush, and sweat beaded on her brow. 

She was finally standing, albeit leaning into Rowan slightly. 

“Gods,” Sam said behind her. “You look awful.”

Both she and Rowan turned to look at the man. Aelin’s fingers dug into Rowan’s forearm. “Push a baby out of your vagina and we’ll talk.”

Rowan snorted. 

“Can you help me?” she gestured to their bathroom. Aelin had actually moved her side of the bed- even though she hated it- to be closer to their on-suite. Rowan slid his arm around her, and pain again sliced through her. Her doctor said she’d have to accept that her own healing would take time. Her pregnancy had had its fair share of complications, and she’d had several surgeries in the aftermath, all while dealing with the intense fear that her child was not ok. Eire had gotten stuck on her pelvic bone during labor, and Aelin was sure that her life was flashing before her eyes when her doctor began pushing and prying to get her out. 

But they were here, they were ok, they were healthy and above all else- alive. But Aelin really, really, really didn’t need to be mocked about it. 

“You don’t want me to help?” Sam asked. 

Aelin just kept on her way to the bathroom. Sam hadn’t exactly been thrilled about Rowan being in Aelin’s life. He’d been difficult through the whole thing, complaining that Rowan was at every event with her, that he was there for the birth, even though Aelin had invited Sam and he hadn’t shown up. Sam arrived an hour later, and met Eire when Aelin was in surgery, so neither she, nor Rowan was there to give the ok. 

But Eire was Sam’s too, and she just had to accept that. Sam, however, had to accept Eire was also Rowan’s. 

Once Aelin had cursed at Rowan to let her pee in peace, she could hear the men sit in uncomfortable silence on the other side of the door. Despite them now being in each other’s lives for nearly a year, they hadn’t exactly warmed up to each other. Rowan was adamant that Sam hadn’t treated her right, and wasn’t a huge fan. He only played nice because he knew how difficult life could be for both her and Eire if they outwardly hated each other. 

Sam had bitched about Rowan since the day they met, claiming that Rowan was just a “rebound”. He’d actually ruined her baby shower by giving a far too detailed toast about how, despite them being broken up, the baby had to have gotten there “somehow” in front of all of her closest friends. Rowan had nearly killed him until his best friends took care of the tipsy baby-daddy so he could be there for her. 

Aelin’s emotions had been so up and down then, she’d cried for hours after the party before marching over to Sam’s apartment to cuss him out. Ever since then, they’d all been very stiff around each other. Nearly everything they spoke about was baby-related. Aelin thought that was for the best. 

After she was done, her body was furious that she’d done anything out of the norm, and cramps began to invade her lower half. She called out for Rowan who was there in seconds. 

“Is something wrong?”

She shook her head, hands braced on the counter. “It’s like last night,” she told him.

He ran a soothing hand down her back, and of course, Eire began to cry again. Aelin hung her head for a moment, before moving back to the bedroom. She sat on the end of her bed, and gestured for Sam to give her the baby.

  “What’s wrong?” He asked.

Aelin’s finger lightly caressed Eire’s tiny cheek. “I don’t know, I just fed her.”

“Did you do it right?”

She looked up at him to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. “Yes, Sam. I fed her right.”

He leaned back to rest against the wall. “I just didn’t know. Big guy over here made me leave when that boob expert came in.”

“The lactation consultant?” Rowan asked, and Aelin could hear the frustration in his voice. 

“Whatever.”

Eire still fussed, so Aelin rocked and cooed at her, and even smelled her, but she didn’t need to be changed. After a few minutes, Aelin looked at Rowan and offered up a smile.

Her boyfriend sighed. “It’s not going to work every time,” he told her, reaching for the baby. 

Aelin pursed her lips. “You’ll see.”

Rowan rolled his eyes, but, just as Aelin implied, he began to hum to their daughter. He hummed and held her right to his chest, where she settled and promptly fell back asleep. 

“Hate to say I told you so, but…” Aelin mused.

“Quiet,” he warned, playfully.

Sam was watching them with narrowed eyes. Aelin turned to him. “I hate that she’s so fussy right now. I really wanted you to get a chance to be with her.” 

Despite how complicated everything was, she would never deny someone as important as Eire’s father the chance to love her. Aelin knew one day, everyone Eire ever met would love her, but that should start with the people who were to raise her. 

“You don’t find it weird that you took her out of my hands to give to him?”

Aelin frowned. “I don’t find anything weird about one of her parents holding her, no.”

Sam huffed. “Maybe you’re just too hormonal to see how fucked up this is, but maybe in a few days you’ll come to your senses.”

“Excuse me?” Aelin asked. “If you’re implying that I’m not doing what’s best for my child you’ve got a whole lot coming.”

Sam shook his head. “I just think that maybe you’re trying to punish me.”

Aelin narrowed her brows, and Rowan watched with careful eyes while still rocking Eire. “Trying to punish you?”

“Yeah. You, doing all this, messing with everything… I already apologized for what happened with Lysandra-”

Aelin stood- which hurt like hell, but was necessary to get her point across. “What ‘happened with Lysandra’ was that you asked her to sleep with you, and when she said no, you called her crazy and messaged her boyfriend to flip the story. And when she told me, you gaslit me and tried to make me think I made it up.” Aelin could nearly see red. “And after a fifteen hour labor, three surgeries, and two days with no sleep, do you really think this is a fight you want to start with me? Because I survived all that, and let me tell you, Sam Courtland, I can survive you too.”

Sam shook his head at her. “You know what, I’ll just be absent from our daughter's life, just like you want.”

“What I want is a cherry soda, and about six bowls of Fruit Loops. What I need is for you to look at every single invitation I’ve sent to you about our daughter’s checkups, and how included I’ve made you in all this. What I need is for you to grow up and be a father. If not, there’s the door!”

With that, Aelin sat back down on the bed, and stuck out her arms so she could hold her baby. Rowan gently placed Eire back in her arms, and all of her pent up anger melted away. Rowan pressed his lips to her head, and she was very confident that she desperately needed that. 

Sam left about two minutes later with an annoyed, “call you tomorrow.” 

Aelin only waved a dramatic goodbye, promising that she’d have a real talk about arguing in front of their daughter on another day. 

Rowan braced his hand around her waist as they sat on the edge of their bed. “I’m proud of you, Fireheart.”

All of her fight gave out to exhaustion, and she leaned against him. “Eire is three days old and I’ve already yelled in front of her.”

Rowan shook his head. “You weren’t yelling. And besides, I’m sure she’ll want to see how fierce her mama is.”

Aelin smiled against his shoulder. “Thank you. You’re so calm.” She glanced up at him. “I might need some of that.”

“All in due time, my love.”

Aelin leaned in and Rowan bent down to place a kiss on her lips. With the puppy snores of the baby in her arms, and the soft kiss from the love of her life, Aelin knew despite the chaos and the exhaustion- her life was looking pretty great. 

-

Yeah, how am I NOT gonna write more of them? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! mwah!!

Taglist:

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@fireheart-violet​

@backtobl4ck​

@morganofthewildfire​

@rowaelinismyotp​

@aelinchocolatelover​

@thegreyj​

@foughtconquered​

@swankii-art-teacher​

@booklover242​

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@captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship​

#Eire #rowaelin #throne of glass #tog #sjm #tog fanfiction #sjm fanfiction #rowaelin fanfiction #baby fic

[lunerians]

did this thing on twitter where I posted some of my scrapped scenes from sour kanzi and talked about my thought process behind them + why I changed it! (an author’s note, if you will)

starting off: this is from the scene right before kieran falls asleep and later gets found by florian (courtesy of hydrapple) one of the things I really wanted to explore was kieran’s mentality and the whole aftermath of indigo disk; for this scene, I wanted to show just how damaging his habits were pre-indigo disk, as well as express his frustration over how he never reached his goal (of beating florian and being strong enough) the last line in particular I really really wanted to keep, but since it didn’t fit with the revised version I had to I had to scrap it :/

The book snaps shut with a loud crack before he chucks it as far as he possibly can. Kieran's wrist makes a cracking sound; he winces. Somehow, learning type weaknesses and advantages would be much easier than all of this.

Kieran shivers at the unwanted memory—the long, sleepless nights spent laboring over movesets and pouring over team synergies, the endless amounts of coffee and chocolate snacks he'd eat as cheap and easy meals… 

All that hard work to reach the top, but never the one he wanted. Always out of reach, always one step ahead of him—when they fought for Ogerpon, when they met again during the Championship Match, when he lost Terapagos.

Kieran gnaws on his thumb through his glove. Whatever; it's in the past now.

this next one is a slightly different ending to when kieran goes to sleep in the coastal biome; this was mainly scrapped because it felt like it was a little too on the nose about kieran's homesickness (as well as providing a reason why he would go back to kitakami)

The two dragon pokemon cry in unison, Hydrapple's sugary sweet scent drifting away on the breeze. Furret curls its tail around him, settling into its favorite position in Kieran's arms. He noses deeper into its fur, breathing in the stale familiar smell of home.

Home, huh...

He thinks of his room, back in Kitakami—the quiet nights, the dark skies littered with twinkling stars, the lingering smell of apples from the apple orchard. No one cares about him there. There'd be no more leering, watching eyes, no more dorm to taunt him about his pathetic failures…

He would just be Kieran, a boy who wanted more than he could ever have.

I did end up using furret as a way of depicting his homesickness, though! this part from the final version in particular is definitely one of my favorites :3

“You’re way too heavy to be doin' that,” Kieran coughs. The pokemon just wiggles in his arms, squeaking as it butts its head into his chest. A tired smile tugs at Kieran’s lips when he looks into Furret’s empty black eyes. “And too happy to see me. Why’d you come out, huh? Didja want to lie down with me?”

Furret burrows itself into his shirt, entirely too big to fit inside his tank top. Kieran has to drag it out by its tail, earning a disgruntled squawk in the process. “Ok, stop, I get it! You’re gonna rip my shirt if ya keep doin' that!” 

The clingy pokemon scrambles back to its original position, completely and utterly undeterred by his best efforts. Kieran sighs; Furret always loved to sleep and cuddle with him back in Kitakami, often scampering up to him for a hug whenever he came home. That's why it hurt the most, putting it away in his boxes. A pet, spoiled with love, could never win against the likes of properly trained pokemon.

He’s learned that lesson plenty of times.

this scene is a slightly different ending to kieran and florian's picnic after doing florian's BBQ's. I wound up changing it I didn't like how the scene was progressing (and also. it didn't sound good enough heh). I did write this as a way to show how unreadable florian can be when they're upset. I also wish I didn't scrap the last part where they're cleaning up the picnic table (again, plot reasons), because kieran overthinking in a silly doofy way is always super fun to write

Florian just stares at him, their mouth slightly parted in surprise. They take a jilted step in his direction. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—You were fine last time, so I thought…”

"I'm good!" Kieran squeaks, extremely mortified. He resists the urge to hide his face in his hands. "I just—you surprised me."

“O-oh.” Florian eyes flicker to the ground in thought. “Do you… want me to ask? Next time?”

Somehow, the idea of being told at all is even worse. Kieran shakes his head slowly. "No, it's… it's okay. Really."

Florian squints at him, and Kieran's fingers twitch. “Are you sure? I don’t mind; I just… I don’t like making you uncomfy, even if it’s by accident.”

"Y-yeah. It's cool. Promise." Kieran even smiles a little, just to make it a little more convincing.

Florian looks him over one more time, their mouth pressed into a small, thin line. "If you say so…"

Kieran almost breathes a sigh of relief. He quickly turns away from Florian's scrutinizing look, eyeing the half put away picnic table and the chair pile. "Do you want to, uh, pack up, or…?"

A pause. Florian passes by him a few moments later, their expression… blank. "We can. I think Miraidon ate the rest of the sandwiches anyway."

The two of them make quick work packing up the picnic supplies. Florian was right—the rest of Kieran's sandwich is just gone, probably dissolving in Miraidon's stomach. Miraidon licks its lips as it sits underneath a nearby tree, ever watching them go back and forth.

Florian's still… quiet, though. They haven't said anything since Kieran embarrassed himself earlier, which really isn't helping his nerves. What if Florian doesn't believe him? What if Florian thinks Kieran is uncool now. Why couldn't he act normal for once oh my god why—

"Uh, Kieran?" Florian speaks up, dragging him away from his thoughts. "You're balling up the tablecloth…"

Huh? Kieran looks down, the cute whimsical cloth crinkling in his hands. He almost drops it when he hastily unrolls it to its full length; after flapping it in the air a few times, he folds it back up and hands it to Florian. The creases are still there, much to his dismay.

Florian looks at it, studies it for each little crease, and Kieran is this close to actually crying. 

Finally, finally, they take the cloth from his hands. "I never got to ask you earlier, but… will you be okay, while I'm gone?"

Ah. So they were thinking about it after all.

last one! originally I planned to have kieran apologize to carmine instead of drayton so that he could also ask her to go back to kitakami with him (since they still weren't on casual speaking terms at this point) I really wish I kept this because siblings <3 but. I also struggled super hard with this scene that I ended up rewriting about half of the entire fic

Oh no. Oh no no no he's not ready, he won't ever be ready, not ready at all!!! He still doesn't know what he's gonna say and Carmine is gonna be so angry and—

The League Club Room doors open, and Florian drags him inside.

Carmine's standing off to the side with Amarys, a bag in the other girl's hands. The room smells vaguely sweet and fruity, his stomach churning with nausea and overwhelming homesickness. He can't do it, he's a coward, after all!! A horrible, sick coward!!

Florian’s words fizzle in his ears as they wave to Carmine, and she. sees. him.

Her face falls, and Kieran is truly doomed. He's gonna die here, chewed into tiny bits and pieces before Florian's very eyes!! Even Amarys knows it—she just has to take one look at them and leaves. She says her goodbyes to Carmine, offering a crisp greeting to him and Florian on her way out.

And then it's just the three of them. Alone.

Carmine approaches them, her arms crossed over her chest. She just—looks at him, and Kieran’s hand twitches. He should speak up, to apologize for being so mean, for ignoring her all this time, to just say hello, but the words tangle in his throat. His mouth betrays him to keep his silence.

"Not even gonna say hi, Kiki?" Carmine says, almost bitter. Her eyes darken as she reaches her arms towards him, and Kieran shuts his eyes for the worst. "Why, you little—"

The sting doesn't come. 

Instead, her touch is… warm? Carmine squeezes him tightly, her fingers pressing into his skin. It's not comfortable—Kieran's too short and small for Carmine's long arms—and he can't really breathe, but he doesn't move away. Not when he feels something soak into his shirt.

"You got some nerve, showing up like this after last time," Carmine mutters into his shoulder. Her voice shakes around the edges of her words.

Kieran's eyes start to burn, but it feels.. different, somehow. A quiet type of ache, almost soothing instead of burning bitterness or anger. Slowly, carefully, he holds her just as tight.

"Sorry…" he whispers. The words start to tumble out of his mouth, a string of messy apologies and choked thoughts. It’s all so ugly and doesn’t make any sense, but Carmine… listens. She listens as he heaves into her jacket, as his voice cracks and his mouth turns dry, until there are no more tears left to cry with.

I’m sorry for pushing you away. I’m sorry for ignoring you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t talk to you until now. I’m sorry for hurting you.

“Geez, you’re such a handful…” Carmine says as she pulls back, her eyes tinged red. She places a heavy hand on his shoulder. “But I guess that comes with the territory of being your big sis, huh?”

if you've gotten this far and haven't read sour kanzi yet, then you totally should pspsps (it's a kieran/florian fic that takes place after the indigo disk dlc ft. some canon divergence and a whole lot of Mental Issues on kieran's part. very fun)

#kieran #florian #carmine #apple of my eye series

[bookinit02]

HI HELLO GOOD EVENING

I'm dead tired bc I got barely any sleep last night + braindead because I've spent the past several hours binging through your Stranger Things Byler retelling and I'm a bit out of words, HOWEVER. It finally clicked in my head that you have a tumblr and I, also having a tumblr, can use said tumblr to throw my appreciation upon you in a more direct manner.

On that note... the retelling is AMAZING and I love it so very very much!!! (I've also been leaving a whole stream of comments on the fic itself, so a lot of my feelings have already been described in detail there XD). It makes me feel so very many emotions, both good AND bad, and for a fic to trigger THAT MUCH of an emotional reaction in me is really an achievement. It's so beautifully sad and tender and joyous and realistic, and all the more painful for it—and all the more beautiful IN that pain. I haven't actually been a big active part of the Stranger Things Fandom (TM) for several years, but I still often return to Byler fics, sort of like a comfort blanket in story form—and yours are some of the BEST (I think it was also you that wrote one of my favorite ever painting scene fix-its; I'll have to go back and re-read that as well!!)

I started reading season 4 last night (which is in part to blame for my lack of sleep) and finished up the rest of it today. I'm so extremely excited for season 5 and to see what you've done with it—I already started reading the script for episode one and it looks amazing (god, I bet that Mike having a panic attack/Vecna episode hurts WAY more in prose)!!! I can't decide between reading all the script first, then reading the fic; or reading the script episodes and then reading the according fic chapters; or just barreling on ahead in the fic and coming back to the script if it strikes my fancy later (which is, if I'm being honest, the most likely outcome). All will have to wait til tomorrow, however, as I have dinner and a warm bed to get to. All the love to you and your fic!!

(Love how I said "I'm so braindead I've run out of words" and then proceeded to give evidence to the EXACT OPPOSITE claim. I'm really a bit like Mike lmao, even if I'm struggling to actually describe my specific emotions or feelings about something, I can run my mouth about any old thing for ages XD)

hi hello good morning!!! i have been watching ur comments come in with so much joy and happiness—hopefully i get time to respond to all of them within the next few days! i hope that you have gotten so much rest and that you are all refreshed for the next day🫂💗

thank you so much for all your kind words, in this ask and otherwise! the rewrite is really a labor of love that has been sustaining me for over a year now, and it is always so impressive and awe-worthy to me when new people discover it and start from the very beginning. that is SO much to read!! several novels worth!

as for the script, read it in whatever order you would like! my recommended order was originally to read the script first, then the fic chapters—but i know that some people want to experience the plot twists and developments as they happen, so really any way you decide to read it is completely fine! the byler scenes are all the same (with a bit extra in the fic), it’s really just the other characters and plot lines that are expanded.

thank you for “running your mouth,” as you’ve called it—but i prefer to think that we’re just chatting🥳 i really love interacting with people through both comments and asks, so feel free to do both (and to talk as long as you’d like)! i am super grateful and honored that you’ve chosen to read my story, and i hope that you enjoy what i have so far of season 5!!💗🫂

#asks #this is so nice🥹 #thank youuuuuuuuu #rewrite

[a-redharlequin]

Moodboard Commissions

Due to a lot of financial strain my family is under, I'm trying out doing things I love for a little money as much as I can and make ends meet.

Here's a few answers to some questions you might have!

What is a Moodboard?

A moodboard is a collage of images arranged in a pleasing fashion. It can be a general aesthetic or for a particular subject (like your favorite show, character, or ship!)

What can I use my Moodboard for?

When completed, you can choose to keep it all for yourself, post it with credit to myself, or I can post it for you (as long as it's allowed by tumblr guidelines). You can also post it on AO3 if it's for a fanfic, just give me a shout out! (AO3: TheRedHarlequin)

These moodboards will be for personal use ONLY. I do not own the images used in these moodboards. Though the majority will be royalty free, what I am actually selling is my labor, time, and aesthetic ability to customize something that makes you smile! If you want a commercial free moodboard, that is a separate conversation.

What can I request?

I accept almost ANY requests, including NSFW/Kink! I have extremely few hard nos and I will be upfront about them (scat and nsfw involving underage are the top two nos). I can skew NSFW that can pass the guidelines of tumblr for posting or I can make it full monty for just you and your friends' entertainment!

I found some cool art, can we use that?

Unless you have proof of explicit permission from the artist personally for the exact purpose of the board, I DO NOT use art from independent artists as it's a form of reposting.

What art I will use: widely recognized art studios (think Ghibli films), classical art (Mona Lisa, Van Gogh), scenes from a manga (Naruto, BNHA) and the like. Basically if you can look at something and go "Oh I know that!" then that's okay.

Faceclaims, Aesthetics, and References

Do you have an OC or TTRPG character you'd like a faceclaim and/or moodboard for? Would you like a collage you can give to your favorite artist to help them bring your character to life? Need references for that outfit or special something you want your artist to incorporate into that piece you've wanted done forever? I'm happy to help!

That all sounds fun! How much?

Simple: $6-$12

Large: $12-$25

Set of 3: $25 or $35

(Prices are negotiable but dictated by time & labor invested, see details)

Details: 

Simple moodboards

Boards of 9 or less still images, with minimal work required, would be around $6. (Additional hours, late requests, adjustments, custom words, photo editing, font selection, etc can raise the price from $6 up to $12)

Large moodboards

Boards of 10+ images and/or containing gifs, with all the bells and whistles. These can include very specific faceclaims or references as they take longer, are more involved, and I have to justify my time spent when I could make more doing something else. I will give you a quote depending how involved you want your commission but the expected range is $12 up to $25.

Set of 3:

If you commission three 9 still image moodboards as a set (for instance if you want moodboards of your ship, I can do one for each character and then one with them both), the price will be a flat $25. This includes lots of adjustments! 

For $35, I will do a set of 3 boards, each with 12 images, customizations and gifs will be included. You get the whole kit and caboodle X3!

I will do multiple check ins while the work is in progress to make sure you're getting an end result you are happy with!

Why do Gifs cost extra? 

Because they are much harder to balance properly. What that means is that gifs can easily clash or throw off an entire board if not coordinated carefully. They're just harder to work with and take a lot more time usually. But they're definitely worth it and can give any board that extra oomph!

Payment

Payments will be accepted through PayPal once commission is completed.

(I do accept payments in installments for large boards and sets, but it must be paid in full within 30 days of completion of the commission.)

If you would like examples of my previous boards, please just send a DM!

Commissions Are Open!

Slots 1, 2, and 3 are currently open.

#moodboards #mood boards #moodboard #aesthetic #aesthetic board #collage #commission #coldflash #the flash #fandom #k i n k #legends of tomorrow

[nanasalt]

YES give me literally ALL the salty opinions on Anastasia the Broadway Musical

I feel like when I watched it I liked it, not loved it, but then the more I thought about it/ESPECIALLY the more I saw the fandom praise decisions that were made, the worse the whole thing got

I wish I could remember which post this was in reference to, but I do have an entire salt tag! Showing here.

The weirdest bit, to me, was watching people act as if film!Dimitri and musical!Dmitry have literally anything in common. Film!Dimitri is a great character who I love, and people used their warm memories of him to justify Klena's stage Dmitry who was, frankly, an asshole. He threatens her, he doesn't put in half the work she or Vlad does in the con, and is just ... awful. I love asshole characters, and honestly have a soft spot for asshole stage Dmitry, but as a romantic option? Absolutely the fuck not.

Anya at least has a similar amnesia backstory to her film counterpart, but that's where the similarities end. Film!Anya is 18, self-assured, and kills the bad guy. Musical Anya is nearly 26, a terrified waif, and simply lies down and waits to be killed. These characters have nothing in common. It frustrates me to no end because we've had more than one version of the story with a good, strong Anna/Anya/Anastasia, and instead we get this absolute void where a character should be.

You could literally replace Anya with the music box, making it a plot about two conmen getting Maria's favorite trinket to her while Gleb tries to stop them for some reason, and nothing would change. Gleb can still choose not to stop this all on his own, because Anya did nothing to change his mind in canon.

The biggest issue in my eyes, and the one we kept coming back to, is that Anya isn't Anastasia. She might be, but so much of the fandom takes it as gospel that she is and it makes the story boring -- and problematic, which is why people don't like it.

Morally, if she's not Anastasia, this is a story of two conmen who gaslight a mentally ill woman into thinking she's someone she's not. One of them falls in love with her because he's carried a torch for this a child he saw one time seventeen year ago. This is a deeply unsettling thing to think about, and given we never see Anya display much fire and personality (outside of the one fight scene) I'm not confident she'll hold her own when Dmitry next yells at her. In fact, I'm pretty sure she'll do what she does throughout the show; go along with being the person he says she is, pretending to be his dream girl.

And here's the thing: the Romanovs were killed in July. Anya talks about being found in the snow by the road. These things are pretty incompatible, since Yekaterinburg is a pretty pleasantly warm temperature around that time of year. So either Anya got shot and dumped twice, or she's not Anastasia.

Then we have a 'villain' who's saying saying "Hey, maybe don't take the identity of someone who's already been condemned to death. Maybe just stay Anya and also out of trouble, please."

That said, I don't like Karimloo as Gleb, so there's that. All his choices are awful and weaken a role that already isn't getting much support from the text.

Honestly, the whole fandom made me feel like I was taking crazy pills. Anastasia is a fun musical, and one with potential, but it is - critically - not good. Feel free to send me your salt as well, I've got LOTS to commiserate about.

Assorted minor complaints!

Dmitry's father was sent to a labor camp when Dmitry was young. Given Dmitry is 27 now, that means that his father was sent to (and died in) a labor camp under the Tsar's regime. Oops. Good thing he was so into that 8 year old he saw back then!

Gleb is consistently cast older when that just doesn't work. If he's any older than Anya, he would've been sent to fight in WWI, which to me would justify anti-monarchy sentiments. Since he's still living at home and considers himself 'a boy' when the Romanovs were killed, he would be Anya's age or younger -- so under eighteen at the time, and under 26 now.

The scene where they call Dmitry 'Dima', as if to establish they know how nicknames work, @ everyone who complained about the '97 film using "Anya". Except that film never said"Anya" was short for "Anastasia", and in the play it's short for "Anna". So.

The ballet that parallels Dmitry to Siegfried and Gleb to Rothbart. You know, Rothbart being the man who dresses a girl up like a princess, and Siegfried being the one to almost shoot her. But sure.

Also, "Odette" does Odile's fouettes there, so you could argue that that is Odile, the fake, the whole time. Interesting choice.

I really cannot stress enough that Anya and Dmitry have no shared backstory at all yet the show pretends they do. "Crowd of Thousands" took place almost two decades ago.

I'm realizing a lot of these complaints are just, nobody looked at the timeline at all. And it seems nitpicky, but it also seems like the bare minimum they could've done, you know?

#Kat Answers #Anonymous #Anastasia the Musical #Kat Salts #partway through writing this I did the math to get SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO and just bad a minor breakdown

[lakemichigans]

tlou episode 9 thoughts!!

- I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I'M SO HAPPYYYY this has always been my favorite theory for why ellie is immune and it also means that, however unlikely, there actually could be other immune people out there. it wouldn't benefit the narrative to meet any other immune people yet, but in the future...? like a third game...?

- baby ellie just popped right out huh fksjfkd i guess the quickest way to speed up labor is to kill a zombie

- hearing ashley johnson's voice, especially hearing her use her sweet baby voice brought me to tears immediately

- joel seems a lot more aware & understanding of why ellie is so checked out, but still tries to cheer her up. in the game he's well-meaning but pretty much clueless. i like this change!!

- the giraffe scene was perfect, 10/10, no notes

- "i'll follow you wherever you go" 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

- i'm a fucking mess because of that conversation by the medical tents, that was an incredible moment to add and i wasn't expecting it at all. the look on ellie's face when she realizes that it's her, she's the one that "healed all wounds"

- no sarah photograph? :(

- "we didn't tell her, we didn't cause her any fear" FUCK! that's the problem!!! the problem is that ellie would die for the cure if you gave her the option, but you were too chicken shit to tell her the truth! everyone in this room has their own (selfish) motivations and no one is thinking about ellie, not really, not even joel. IT MAKES ME CRAZY AHHHHH YOU'RE ALL COWARDS

- the hospital shootout was everything i wanted and so much more. joel found his reason to live and god help him, he'll fight for it -- no matter how many lives he needs to take to get there. it was so intense and the music was beautiful and it was just gory enough to make you feel the weight of the brutality without feeling like it's a cheesy slasher. also loved how many times joel reloading or switched guns. and his dead eyes throughout the whole scene are haunting

- wow, killing jerry happened so damn fast!! in the game, you can stand in front of him forever and he'll just keep pointing his knife at you (and in the remake he pleads with joel, "this is our future, think of all the lives she'll save.") but i love the decision to shoot him in the blink of an eye. joel is beyond caring about anything other than ELLIE ELLIE ELLIE. i do like that he doesn't kill the nurses though, because it's a purely practical mission: save ellie. everyone else is just in the way.

- no abby sighting? :( i really thought there would be one :(

- i'm a little bummed that the themes were spelled out so specifically by marlene and joel's last conversation, but eh, whatever. TV audiences tend to need things spelled out clearer lol. i'm a little surprised they took out the line "how long until she's torn apart by a pack of clickers? that is, if she hasn't been raped and murdered first". considering what happened last episode, i felt that line would ring more true than ever. kinda underwhelmed by this confrontation tbh, which is sad because it's so pivotal

- ohhhh god he expanded upon the lie 😭 that hurt so much worse. i'm devastated for ellie

- joel talking about sarah felt more painful than i previously thought possible. also adorable how he doesn't want to offend ellie by calling her "not girly" ajfjsjfksj

- maybe i'm just blinded by my love for the game, but i don't like any of the dialogue they changed in the final scene. joel's original speech is SO poignant and perfect but i didn't get the same emotion from this one. and there was no glance at his watch :( i would've preferred keeping riley's fate vague (we already knew anyway), because "i'm still waiting for my turn" is so much more emotional to me. ugh. i'm a little peeved they changed so much about this scene that has long been considered as close to perfect as possible :(

- i don't want to end on a bad note so let me just say that the entire experience of watching this show has been incredible beyond words. seeing a game i love so much be treated with care and passion, opening up a whole new world for people who never would have known about it before this... it's just amazing. i'm so grateful that this show exists and feels like a love letter to the fans rather than a cash grab. it's so damn beautiful

#the last of us hbo #tlou spoilers #the last of us spoilers