#writer: admin josh

[thehill-rpg]

Episode 2: Whispers on The Hill Part: 1/??

The quiet shuffle of bare feet on the gravel courtyard fills the air, accompanied by the faint squeak of a rusty pool gate reluctantly opening. With a pair of composed steps, a slender figure, tall yet delicate, makes her way towards an ageing pool chair. As she reclines on its worn surface, the chair emits a soft groan of protest, bearing witness to both its own well-worn years and the age of its current resting place: Palm’s Motor Hotel. Donning a pair of Ray Bans, she settles in, clad in a casual ensemble of a Washington Nationals' tank top and a worn pair of denim short shorts. In her hand, she opens a well-read copy of Cosmo, its pages gently fluttering in the breeze. Tucked between them is a torn clipping from yesterday’s issue of The Hill, resting over an article titled ‘The Secret to Finding Your Soulmate: Date Your Alter Ego.’ A good article, offering the kind of advice you could only get out of a drunk best friend, yet not the one currently capturing her attention.

Chelsea Dalton reclines beside a pool that seems questionably operational (was that the smell of an impending bacteria infection?), her gaze fixed on the familiar words. She reads it again, for what feels like the hundredth time, each word etched into her memory. She knows every line by heart. It’s beautiful.

It’s also months of dedication, collaboration, and hopefully, justice. Sure, it’s a departure from her usual flair, and while, yes, she’d normally sell her soul for this kind of traffic on her blog, she knew there was no way her posting this story would get it the attention it deserved. Hence, her email to Violet Shard, almost three months ago. She’d been hesitant at first. Sure, she was a fan, but this was something that needed to be handled with care. She was too close to her own source. She couldn’t risk being named. However, Violet had assured her of anonymity and a series of follow-ups that wouldn’t brush any pertinent details under the proverbial rug of Washington D.C. political justice. That's why she had agreed, and why she now found herself just outside the District, technically in Maryland, waiting for said blonde journalist. 

Where was she?

As she waited for Violet’s late arrival (had her trusty Saab finally coughed its last puff of exhaust?), she let her thoughts drift over to Gray, and the party she would have been at if the news she’d just leaked to The Hill, hadn’t implicated his father. She’d probably have been in some uncomfortable sundress right now, watching as Gray loosened a tie, only for his mother to promptly tighten it again, while she discreetly passed another crab puff to Mac. Of course, she hated every second of it, but even without her mom’s urging, she hadn’t missed one since she’d moved in next door to his family at six. What could she say? She had a thing for fish paste covered Hors d'Oeuvres. And tortured artists… She’d let the last one remain unsaid, stubbornly resisting even her subconscious attempts to divert her down that worn-out, oh so familiar road. Not today, Bucko! 

Just as she was attempting to shift her focus, fate intervened with the unceremonious thud of a bottle of sunscreen hitting her thigh, yanking her back to the realm of the living—or, more accurately, a realm that didn't revolve around pining over her best-friend of twenty-seven years. “Slip, slop, slap…” She glared over her glasses at a man holding a faded beach towel and a copy of The Hill. 

While quick judgments were usually her forte, she decided to withhold hers until he extended his hands to offer assistance. She leaned towards labelling him as the "concerned dad" type rather than a creepy motel lifer. "Uh, thanks, but— Is that the latest copy of The Hill?" She hadn’t been able to pick up a copy before she’d left her house in order to get here in time and she was keen to see how Violet had followed up. “Sure, kiddo. It’s yours.” She dropped her guard, leaning over to take the paper from his outstretched hand, “Are you moving in?” She’d have answered if the headline story hadn’t caught her attention. Violet Shard, facing charges of defamation and harassment, for her latest story on Congressman Whitman and Harris. “Uh, sorry, do you mind if I–” She was already up, picking up her copy of cosmo and hurrying out of the pool area and back towards her day room and her burner. FUCK. Voicemail. “Violet, call me. I— What can I do?” 

Well, she knew one thing she could do…  

She hastily opened her laptop, disregarding the unread emails clamouring for her attention with their requests for her usual freelance work. Instead, she navigated to her blog and swiftly crafted a new post.

Ms. Whisper here, emerging from the shadows with a scoop hotter than the Capitol's political inferno. It appears our esteemed journalist, Violet Shard, finds herself in the clutches of controversy. But this isn't your run-of-the-mill scandal, my darlings—oh no, it's a tale of truth-telling and the ruthless consequences that follow. Violet dared to shine a light on the dark dealings of Congressman Whitlock and Harris, revealing their insidious involvement in the war-torn realm of Matamba. Yet, instead of accolades, she's met with handcuffs and accusations of defamation and harassment. But fear not, dear readers, for Ms. Whisper is always on the case, ready to peel back the layers of deception and hold the powerful to account. In this cutthroat world of political intrigue, even the bravest truth-seekers like Violet Shard aren't safe from the claws of injustice. So, keep your ears to the ground and your eyes peeled, because when it comes to unravelling the truth, there's no hiding from the relentless pursuit of Ms. Whisper. #StandWithViolet

Her phone buzzed—an SOS. She shot a text back that she’d be there soon. Though even with her foot planted to the floor of her beemer she knew she’d never break an hour. Hastily rummaging through her overnight bag, she retrieved a somewhat acceptable dress (she didn’t own many); though the party might've been cancelled, she was certain Gray's mom wouldn't want the reminder. Hastily, she made her way over to the shower, and tried her best to find the password to get the hot water working longer than two seconds.

She did her best to keep her hair from getting wet, as she washed her nervous sweat from under her armpits. Chelsea hadn't seen this coming without a fight, but nabbing a journalist? This wasn't just a hiccup; it was the kind of move that had First Amendment lawyers rubbing their hands with glee.

She gave up trying to tune the shower into submission and let the cold water run down her back, as she wracked her brain for a way to assist Violet beyond mere page views. Nothing. Nothing.

When it came down to taking action, what good was being Ms. Whisper if all she had in her arsenal were a sharp tongue and a quick wit? That certainly didn't grant innocent journalists a Get Out of Jail Free card, did it?

After a quick drying session (as evidenced by her dress clinging to her back and making it a challenge to slide down over her thighs), Chelsea grappled with her wayward curls, victims of the fierce heat akin to the Battle of Waterloo. With her belongings in tow, she checked out of the motel, conceding that, for the time being, there was little she could do for Violet. As for Gray, a sense of obligation stirred within her to mitigate the unintended turmoil she had caused him. Nonetheless, she refrained from assuming full culpability, acknowledging that the root of this mess lay primarily with his father. All she’d done was overhear a phone call, sneak into his office at night, and make a few dozen or so copies of a report that she only wished now had more than just Congressman Harris’ name to it.

Pulling up to Gray’s house, adjacent to her own, Chelsea switched off the ignition and discreetly covered her overnight bag with one of Mac’s car seat covers in the backseat before stepping out and making her way inside. The atmosphere was sullen, with white chairs being shuffled in and out from the patio to a van parked out front. From a distance, Chelsea observed Nora overseeing the operation with an overflowing wine glass in hand. She couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility for the sombre mood, knowing she had played a part in it, at least partially.

Following the faint strumming of a bass, Chelsea ascended the stairs, purposefully bypassing Mr. Whitlock’s study. She had been instructed to call him Brody, but it just didn't sit right with her. Instead, she made her way down to Gray’s room at the end of the second floor. Her fingers brushed against the wooden door as she announced herself before slipping inside.

"So, on a scale from six-pack therapy to a spa retreat in the German highlands, how concerned should I be about you?" She offered a tentative smile. However, the instant she caught the strains of "Darn The Dream" by Ron Carter, being plucked, she realised she was entering yodelling territory.

#second episode: whispers on the hill #writer: admin josh #feat. chelsea dalton #feat. gray whitlock #recurring feat. broderick whitlock #recurring feat. joe plecki #recurring feat. nora whitlock #location: palm motor hotel #location: the whitlock home

[liminalmemories21]

L, S, & X for the writer asks : D

L: What’s the weirdest AU you’ve ever come up with?

That I've written? Definitely TK as a high end art thief.

That exist as snippets? Probably the OG 911 crew as library staff - which is 100% about the fact that everyone I know is a librarian so I know way too much about the internal politics of a public library.

(Bobby is the Director, Hen & Chim are Reference & they hate Circ, Maddie & Josh are Cataloging and work for central, Buck is the lone (gasp!) man who works in Children's, Ravi is in library school & working part time at the library and circling through departments, Athena is the local cop who stops by periodically to check in.

I promise you this is both accurate and funny if you are familiar with public library staffing

They all meet the Lonestar crew at an ALA conference.

Owen is the Director, Paul works reference & the little old ladies all LOVE him - like will call and then hang up if someone else answers and call back until they get him, Marjan runs adult programming and the library social media, Judd's been there forever can basically do any job in the building but works in admin now, Tommy runs a social work program out of the library and is trying to recruit TK because he did his undergrad in social work, Carlos is, again, the local cop who answers the weird calls.

If I could think of a plot to go with this I'd write it.)

S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

To read? Kid!fic. I love Kid!fic, which is doubly entertaining since I do not particularly like children in real life (exceptions granted for my friends kids in small quantities).

To write? Carlos working out his complicated relationship with his family.

X: A character you enjoy making suffer.

I don't really? I guess I enjoy making Carlos confront the consequences of not talking about things.

Thanks for the ask!

#tarlos #911 lonestar #writing #asks

[desert-bluffs-and-me]

Wtnv quick rundown - Live Show - All Hail

Check the rest of my rundowns here, or by using the names in my pinned!

Sticks and stones may break your bones. That is just one of a number of things that sticks and stones may do. Welcome to Night Vale.

Featuring the voices of Meg Bashwiner as Deb and Caitlyn, Hal Lublin as Steve Carlsberg, Joseph Fink as Josh Crayton, Symphony Sanders as Tamika Flynn, Desiree Burch as Pamela Winchell, Kates Jones as Michelle Nyugen, Emma Frankland as Sheriff Sam and Jeffery Cranor as himself/Intern Jeffery.

The radio station is being 'visited' by the Glow Cloud, which is hovering overhead. It starts to drop dead cows on the station. Cecil, assuming they must have disappointed the Glow Cloud somehow, leads everyone in receiting the Glow Cloud Oath of Fealty.

The Oath doesn't work and everyone listening to the broadcast is being gripped with Glow Cloud worshipping mass hysteria. Cecil insists they do it again. He then ponders why everyone but himself is affected, coming to the realisation that he's been affected this whole time without realising it, only believing himself to be talking normally. In fact there's a recording of him worshipping and chanting to the Glow Cloud all the way back to when Deb was there.

The Glow Cloud then directly speaks through Cecil. It states that it does not desire worship, but communication, which it can't do unless it takes over a human body. Every time it tries to communicate people start to worship and grovel which is not the desired reaction at all.

It goes on to says that instead of worrying about being good to the Glow Cloud everyone should be good to each other instead. In fact the oath is supposed to be a oath to be good to each other and it also suggests saying all hail as a casual greeting not as worship.

It also states that the dropping animals thing is a medical condition and that the animals are already dead when they drop from it, as it actually loves animals especially turtles and would never harm them.

When Cecil is released from control it appears he believes he was going through his broadcast as normal and has learnt nothing from what was said (probably not even hearing it).

Weather: “See Me” by Mal Blum

Deb is here with her sister Caitlyn, doing an ad for Hilton hotels. She also apparently has family members called Sean, Connor and Megan. Caitlyn says that her 'kid sister' Deb is actually the weird one, because she spends so much time with humans. Meanwhile, Caitlyn only spends time with humans if she wants to drain their life energy. Deb says she's always stressed out when her sister comes to town.

Steve Carlsberg is there in the station as he is banks VP of community outreach and there to talk about the bank sponsored NV Jazz Fest. Cecil is not happy about this. Cecil is also surprised that Steve is VP of a bank as he apparently has trouble remembering his own house number. Steve says he has always been good at finance and even minored in counting, being able to count absurdly high. He offers to demonstrate this but Cecil interrupts him and gets him back on track talking about the Jazz Fest. Steve says that the Jazz Fest will involve literally running out into the desert to try and find jazz which will result in them being attacked by wild animals (especially birds). Steve hugs Cecil before he leaves.

Josh Crayton(16) is there, in the form of a '30 something podcast writer' to talk about his experiences as a student under the Glow Cloud. Josh says that the Glow Cloud seems to be a pretty good admin and that he's friends with the Glow Cloud's child.

Tamika is on the show, talking passionately as always about the power of books as physical bludgeoning instruments and tools against being easily controlled by the Glow Cloud by reading them. She has plans to get rid of the Glow Cloud, but they don't seem to account for the Glow Cloud being a cloud and seem to be more about what she thinks will be cool.

Pamela is there to give an emergency press conference about the Glow Cloud. She apparently has a crush on Deb (who according to Pamela is a great dresser). She rambles in her usual way, not saying much of sense and claiming she's a hologram.

Michelle's segment is on the same subject as Steve's as her part is a bonus track. Here we learn she went to business school, is only running the shop as art and doesn't take cash any more because she doesn't believe in capitalism. She insists she doesn't hate people, just dislikes them and is frustrated that they don't what good music is. Cecil likes Ed Sheeran. Michelle leaves, saying that she and Maureen are going to spray paint some birds. Like, actual birds.

Sheriff Sam barges in and tells us about how they use lasers to mark androids as theives should they try to steal engagement rings, which they are apparently fond of doing. Cecil engagement ring apparently has a stone in the shape of a beaker and gold filigree wrapped around which says 'I'm very interested in science these days'. They apparently haven't even noticed the Glow Cloud before Cecil points it out.

Intern Jeffery has apparently invented time travel and uses it to erase his fears, including preventing the invention of the aeroplane and eventually preventing his own existence so he won't die as an intern.

(There's also apparently segments with Carlos, Dana, Earl and Melony but I don't have access to them sorry).

#wtnv #welcome to night vale #wtnv quick rundown #wtnv all hail

[joshfuckingkiszka]

〚find your way around〛

please keep in mind: my blog contains nsfw material, therefore minors should not interact with my content. if i cannot see your age when you interact, you will be blocked. 

to begin

my requests are always open, unless stated otherwise; i ask that you do not pressure me to write something. i will always communicate when i feel like i cannot write what you are looking for, but i do have a life outside of tumblr/writing, and i will get to your requests eventually. 

please keep in mind when requesting that i, as a writer and person, do have boundaries that i will not cross when it comes to writing, please visit my rules and disclaimer before requesting anything.

to be added to the taglist, please fill out my form!

〚masterlist〛

『about me』

an absolutely feral college dropout, mk, who would gladly give up my life for dolly parton or stevie nicks. if you ever see me acting up for anyone besides josh, no you don’t. i follow from joshfuckingkiszka-admin and would gladly kick sam in the shins given the opportunity (he knows what he did).

『feedback』

please feel free to message me about any comments or questions you may have. if you see any mistakes, they’re not intentional, but we will act like they are until i realize what i’ve done and inevitably go back and fix it. 

#navigation #mk’s nav #mk’s taglist #masterlist #mk’s masterlist

[dreamsmp-au-ideas]

I’ve fallen down the Theater AU Rabbit Hole while putting off doing any of my own actual writing and I have a couple ideas to purpose.

Tommy was still a part of SMP Earth, like a canon aspect of it. It’s just that people tend to forget since Tommy was technically still in middle school at the time of SMP Earth being an on going thing. That being said he was literally there all the time which is what actually led to him joining the program when he became a freshman. While Business Bay started off as something small and a fun little joke to appease to gremlin child he ended up dragging in a couple other friends (Deo, Luke, Bitzel, and Wisp) and somehow through sheer force of will he managed to make himself a main character which ended up transferring to Dream SMP.

The Admins on SMP Earth much like Dream were considered “Gods” within the story. Wilbur was the leader of the trio who created SMP Earth. For one reason or another Tommy challenged one of the admins to a fight and because somehow he keeps winning backstage solitaire games without knowing anything about how the game works he genuinely managed to Kill God with an army of four, himself included. (Wisp still does his betrayal and improved betrayals towards Tommy’s character slowly becomes a running gag. Wisp was a senior at the time of SMP Earth and he joined Tommy for a couple sessions because he thought Tommy had a lot of potential. He turned out to be right, and the betrayal was more so a push to get Tommy to do his own thing instead of clinging to Wisp because he was a senior and Tommy kinda looked up to him. After he genuinely won against Josh the theater agreed it was a good idea and the child must stay.)

Deo was actually a freshman that Tommy had been friends with but sadly had to transfer schools once Tommy actually got to high school. Luke and Bitzel also ended up going to different high schools but the group still all keep in touch even if they can’t act together anymore.

After Techno semi canonized SMP Earth they decided to go the full mile and say that all of their plays are connected. The characters are just reincarnated again and again and SMP Earth happened a long time before Dream actually came into power and started creating the Dream SMP. Techno so far is the only one to actually remember his past lives which has aided to the Technoblade Never Dies jokes, saying that it’s actually because he’s immortal. At least half the cast thinks that, the other half doesn’t because if he was actually immortal surely he’d remember the rest of the countries which his character obviously doesn’t.

This has had an interesting side effect where if Tommy’s character ever remembers SMP Earth it’s silently agreed upon that he’ll inherit the admin powers he got from killing Josh. So far every single writer for the show including Tommy himself during the arcs he’s written has denied any possibility of his character remembering. 

This becomes especially interesting when we talk about the canon meeting theater au. C!Tommy has no clue what in the hell SMP Earth is while t!Tommy at some point looks c!Dream dead in the eyes (after t!Dream plate smashes the mask and then confiscates the remains) and tells him “Don’t make yourself the second God I’ve had to kill” and there isn’t a single person in the room who can tell if that’s a joke or dead serious. Techno is proud. 

Speaking of Techno I like the idea of c!Techno and t!Techno getting into theological debates where t!Techno always wins. T!Techno recognizes his character to be an unreliable narrator and that pure anarchy is a terrible idea. Communities created with anarchist ideals aren’t bad as long as there are ways to keep everyone from going feral, but pure anarchy is just 2b2t and t!Techno knows that. Eliminating tyranny through the abolition of all government just leads to the tyranny of those who are physically the most strongest and can subjugate everyone else. It doesn’t fix anything and this is an arguing point both Technos fight over a lot.

T!Techno much like t!Dream has also threatened both his character self and c!Dream for so much as looking at the children wrong. This Techno while still a bit awkward very much loves his racoon brother and if c!Dream lays a single finger on his Tommy then he gets to go back to the SMP without an arm. In fact, t!Techno, t!Dream, and t!Wilbur probably all just stand super menacingly in front of the Freshman while they glare down half the character versions of their friends and fellow castmates. They know Niki and Jack are trying to murder Tommy. They know everyone’s faults probably better than the people themselves do. They wrote those faults. And ain’t anything bad happening to their kids.

-------------------

Oh these are all good. All of them are so good. Especially with the lore in this. Everyone being connected to the plays they made because of reincarnations? Perfect. And then we have c!Techno and t!Techno getting into theological debates and I love those.

All the Theater kids know their characters and their faults. Nothing bad is happening to the kids and they’ll be sure of it.

#dream smp #dream smp au #theater kids au #theater meets canon au #tommyinnit #timedeo #bitzel #lukeorsomething #wispexe #josha20 #technoblade #dream #dreamwastaken #wilbur soot #nihachu #jack manifold #submission

[obetrolncocktails]

New Discord Server for GVF Writers!

Hello everyone! So, @katie-gvf created a discord today just for GVF writers on Tumblr. It's called GVF Writer's Club.

As an admin, I am putting in a shameless plug to join! It is highly recommended for any member to be 18+, but we do have a few channels that are designated SFW.

Here is the link to the server.

If you plan on joining, please like this message!

Btw, here is Josh waiting to welcome you to Hell.

#Greta Van Fleet fanfiction #gvf fanfiction #josh kiszka fanfic #jake kiszka fanfic #Danny Wagner fic #Sammy Kiszka fic #greta van fleet #josh gvf #josh kiszka #jake kiszka #jake gvf #gretavanfleet #sammy gvf #danny gvf #gvf

[palukoo]

So! @thxngam and @claudiasjeancregg enabled me to talk about that scene in Dead Irish Writers and oh boy did I run with it! 

So... the scene is super interesting for several reasons... let’s dive in...

It’s a scene that’s just women, and, by West Wing standards, several women, and you realize you’ve never really seen all the main women together without the men before that, I think. I mean, you also really haven’t seen how Donna and Abbey interact, which is why this scene is so good

The four of them actually have two scenes with this sort of thing off the top of my head-- this, and then during Zoey’s kidnapping arc with Amy and CJ trying to stop Abbey from going into the press room (though Donna doesn’t talk in that one)

I probably will bring this up again but on top of this not being a dynamic the audience has seen before, I don’t think it’s a dynamic that they’ve had before in this combination... like... 

Any group of two of them I will accept having spent some time together, though I doubt Donna and Abbey are close (partially due to the power dynamics I’ll get into later) and Donna and Amy don’t know each other well

Any group of the three of them? Not so much

Amy, CJ, and Abbey maybe, because they do say or imply that Amy knows both of them and is friends (?) with both of them before we ever see her, but... I don’t see her as being particularly close with the campaign or administration, so... (but I’m SO glad we get it here and during the kidnapping arc)

Amy, CJ, and Donna is a dynamic I adore and that I think this scene kinda opens the door for it in a lot of ways but again, since I don’t think Amy and Donna are close at all at this point and Amy’s not that close the the administration at this point, I don’t see it

CJ, Donna, and Abbey I will absolutely accept actually but not in any sort of like meaningful or non professional context. The way Donna reacts to being invited in in this scene? This is new for her

Amy, Donna, and Abbey? Nope. Love it as a concept, but nope

So the four of them? Yeah, no

Which is relevant in like. The way women get to interact on screen and like. The way women are isolated in male dominated fields

(Amy, working for the WLC, is certainly in a less male dominated subset of the male dominated field of politics, as is Donna since a bunch of the assistants are women, and I get that Abbey has a very specific and gendered position in the show, but she and CJ are both absolutely in male driven fields)

And it’s relevant because Abbey’s shifting her anger into this like, feminist framing where she doesn’t not have a point (I’ll get there) but it’s also not really the whole story at all, which is why I think it was very smart of them to have it be this group to call her on it, because from any of the guys it would’ve been... easily yikes?

The other absolutely crazy thing here is the power dynamics which I know people have talked about before and CJ even calls attention to but you’ve got like

Abbey is sort of CJ’s boss, and her friend, but the nature of their positions in the administration are weird and they’re both honestly undermined a fair amount but a lot of the admin doesn’t take First Lady/Abbey seriously, so! It’s interesting!

Not in a direct sort of way but CJ clearly has more power than Donna, and they’re also friends

Do the math on Abbey and Donna, plus again we don’t really see them interact before this

Amy sort of exists outside of this, because she’s the only one who doesn’t work in the White House, but that also like. Is a dynamic in it of itself. She also definitely has a more visible and overtly powerful position than Donna and is sort dating Donna’s boss, so?

Also Abbey used to babysit for Amy which just makes this. A lot!

So I’m gonna try to sort of break the scene up into parts and do it like that. If I wanted to make this even longer, I would start before this scene because there’s a lot of relevant context/lead up, but I’ll just mention it

Donna’s just found out she’s not a citizen which is a lot

Amy’s kind of pissed at Josh who’s kind of pissed at her

Abbey’s also kind of pissed at Josh probably, especially if she caught any of what he was saying to Amy

Abbey didn’t want a whole thing and is obviously stressed about her license

CJ’s the one who caught that the guy was recusing himself and had to tell Abbey

“Claudia Jean?” “Yes, ma’am?” “Let’s go get drunk.” “Okay” should be a master class in acting

Also relevant is Abbey choosing CJ and Amy to get drunk with for this. They’re career women in politics who are her friends and who should understand this sort of.

So they get to the residence... “Awasiwi Odinak, far from the things of man...”

Abbey instantly cuts to complaining about Jed bc she’s angry at him and in her defense only some of it is misplaced!

But like... she says “what a jackass” and CJ immediately says “I’m gonna open the wine” in a very “can we not do this” way, and Amy just... is there. Hanging out. Trying to open drawers

As a note on that there is no way Amy’s being like. Genuine there. I love how awkward she is but she’s not about to take notes while getting drunk with them. She’s being awkward and funny and avoidant and I love her (like as a random note Amy is... very rarely still)

When she comes to sit with them and sits on the arm of the couch, it’s a really interesting detail that I see as her sitting as far away from them as she can without it seeming so blatant

And Abbey keeps talking, and neither of them really respond 

CJ with the corkscrew is of course iconic and funny and I think it’s part of the reason the scene works and it makes sense because CJ’s uncomfortable in this scene. Her rambling about the corkscrew prevents her, momentarily, from being in this uncomfortable position that she’s put into so much more later where she’s thrown into the issues of Abbey and Jed’s marriage and she really doesn’t want to be because she has a ton of respect and care for both of them

What I mean by “the reason the scene works” is that it needs to keep being drawn back to funny before it can snap. It’s a very specific kind of bubbling tension, and I really like it

Abbey saying “I’m board certified in thoracic surgery” brings you back to the fact that maybe she won’t be for very long, but it’s said as a joke and moved on from quickly, so you can’t dwell on it

I describe Abbey in this scene as “erratically vulnerable” which I don’t know if that’s quite right, but I think there’s maybe a glimpse of her realizing what she’s saying here, and the specific implications in that moment, and then changing subjects immediately

And of course she asks Amy about Josh...

What I find really interesting about this is Amy’s response of “he’s... you know... he’s adjusting.”

Amy doesn’t pull punches with Josh usually, but she does here (she also seems to earlier when she tells him he’s right, but then she gets Abbey to bug him) and I think it’s because we’re seeing her talk about Josh, not to Josh

Abbey says “well let him adjust faster. Jackass.” which is again, funny, but so so indicative of how frustrated she is and how she’s taking it out because literally earlier in the episode she says to Amy and Josh something like “I still haven’t gotten credit for this (I love them and their responses of “we’ll see” and “jury’s still out” to that)

Enter Donna!

Side note on timing, Donna walking in as Abbey insults Josh vs Abbey walking up as Josh insults Abbey

Donna coming in shifts this scene a lot

For one thing, it sets up this interesting play (that feels like me being really contrived and probably is) on audience proxy, that if I get into will only complicate things so I guess... if you’re curious, ask

(Donna plays audience proxy a lot in The West Wing as they explain political concepts and whatnot, and it’s not a thing you see so much in these really character driven scenes because it becomes unnecessary and sort of clunky

But the thing is that in this scene at this point, Amy feels very audience proxy-y... I will concede that in any given scene it’s easy for me to default, in analysis, to Amy and her perspective, but she feels very much like an observer of CJ’s jokes and Abbey’s anger thus far in the scene-- it definitely shifts back to Donna after the fade out)

I also want to shout out Donna’s body language here! The way she steps in cautiously and plays with her hands as she talks is really good at showing her discomfort, and I think it’s neat to draw a parallel here between her and Amy a minute or two before. Like, seriously though, watch her hands in this scene. It’s so good

But Donna walking in this room shifts things!!

Pulls attention to the... D plot? I don’t know, it’s the B plot of the scene, but there’s a lot going on in this episode, which is funny in the context of watching it if not for Donna, and away from Abbey’s heavy plot here, like a pressure valve in that tension I was talking about. Donna looks nervous here, but everyone else seems to relax

It also makes this more of a... White House thing. Like, because Abbey and Donna specifically probably have not been friends much, it further complicates the lines between personal and professional relationships here

But let’s actually talk about the dialogue a little bit, because I think it’s really funny that she’s there looking for Amy for Josh, when Josh knows she left to get drunk with CJ and Abbey, and there’s not a second in that room where Amy is going to leave. It somehow feels shoehorned/plot device-y but also in character at the same time?

The line is “Josh was looking for Amy” to which Abbey says “She’s right here” and Amy just waves weirdly with half her hand since she’s holding her glass. Yes I know I keep fixating a little on Amy’s physicality, but it’s SO good

And then Abbey says “Where have you been all night?”

One of my FAVORITE exchanges this episode is “It’s a little tough to explain, ma’am.” “Tougher to explain than secretly prescribing Betaseron?”

The way Abbey jokes about it!! It’s very specific because it’s not an “I’m moving past it so I can joke about it” it’s that she’s specifically bitter and it comes out... not hostile, but something

That’s sort of what I mean by erratic vulnerability?

Donna explaining the citizenship issue with CJ’s convenient questions is a nice break, like I said, and Amy’s “you seem pretty calm about it” gives Donna the room to freak out about it a little

And Donna freaking out about it a little gives Abbey room to be the “rational” one? Not exactly?

It’s also just a nice contrast in how they show their anxieties and it works really well for them as characters

Donna goes to leave, and Abbey invites her to stay

Which is also interesting? Since like I said, I don’t think they’re friends

But it’s also super in character because there’s something very grandiose about Abbey and it’s there in this scene. Like she... wants an audience? Even as she’s sort of trying to get away from this room where she’s forced to perform? I don’t know

Donna’s genuine excitement here is so cute

She sits even further from them than Amy had, on a chair instead of the couches

Another great exchange? “I probably shouldn’t drink, though” “I wouldn’t worry about it!”

There’s also something a little awkward and desperate about Amy’s “Canadian, huh?” like she’s trying to fill the silence and keep it from driving straight back to Abbey’s anger and identity crisis, and I just like how they play off each other here

CJ "opens" the bottle, Abbey says they'll decant it, Amy says "Now it's a party" and does the most iconic slide from the arm of the couch onto the cushions with Abbey

And then it cuts back in, and they're all boozier, especially, evidently, CJ!

But there’s something to be said, if we’re tracing body language, for Donna now being on the couch and Amy leaning into Abbey so much

With the later context that they’ve known each other since Amy was a kid, I accept it, but it’s absolutely crazy in the context of Abbey as the First Lady and Amy joining them because “you think I don’t wanna write a book some day?”

I mean, I love it either way, but it makes more sense with the retroactive context

I love love love CJ laughing and rambling about the cork and the wine and then you get another really important shift. Because Abbey seems annoyed in general but more amused than anything by CJ’s tangents before the fade out, and she’s at this point way less endeared.

Which totally makes sense, of course, ‘cause if you’re stressed and frustrated, anything is going to annoy you, including and honestly especially your friend being rambly about something completely irrelevant

I also love Donna looking around at Abbey and Amy while CJ is talking trying to make like conspiratorially amused eye contact, it’s a really subtle, human detail

Anyways, Abbey interrupts CJ to make her stop (This is another body language thing where I love how leaned back she is, how she rubs at her forehead as CJ keeps going on)

And it’s here I’m gonna start being REALLY pedantic probably

“Mrs. Bartlet, I wanted to ask you a question but I’m not sure how” “What?” 

First of all, this feels so... soft? This is actually why I’ll accept the babysitter thing

Amy playing with Abbey’s dress is so! good! Look, Amy’s so fidgety and I adore it!!

Also, I love this because Amy clearly doesn’t really want to ask, but she’s also not good at keeping quiet when something is bothering her

“Well, if the most they can give you is a year's suspension, is it...?” “That big a deal?”

Amy stops herself! Because she doesn’t want to say it! Or doesn’t know how to 

Amy never actually criticizes her in this scene, which is neat, because Amy’s practically introduced to us through criticizing Abbey. One of her first lines in the show is “[Abbey] isn’t doing enough for women” and she has lines like “I’ll keep poking him with a stick. That’s how I show my love” but in Privateers, Josh also tells her “it’s okay to tell her you disagree with her” while Amy’s refusing to go against her. It’s not inconsistent-- I just think Amy has a think about criticizing Abbey to her face, kind of, and here, while Abbey’s this upset, of course she’s hesitant at best

“Yes.” “Yes. I'm a doctor. It's not like changing your major. You of all people should...”

Abbey really says this to Amy “who has had seven jobs in three years” Gardner, Amy “and I’d [stake my job and career on a political issue] again” Gardner... “you of all people should...” Amy’s a career driven feminist lobbyist, but she’s not someone who can tie her identity to a job which is the real issue Abbey’s having, she just wants to frame it like this

I love the way Amy looks down during this, too

(“You of all people should...” makes a lot more sense, actually, after Amy loses her job because of her and Josh’s political fights over marriage incentives in welfare reauthorization)

((Also, how many times did Donna change her major? It’s not relevant, really, it just makes this an even funnier room for Abbey to say this in))

“I mean, women talk about their husbands overshadowing their careers. Mine got eaten”

She’s valid for being angry about this, but also she’s conflating things. She’s not losing her license just because of Jed

Like, it’s fair for her to hate how much of herself and her career and her life she’s had to give up because her husband is the president. I think it’s important, even with Donna’s also valid criticism here in a minute, that Abbey’s not being irrationally upset. It’s a choice she played a part in making, but it was never going to be a good choice for her, and it isn’t really fair to her, and it isn’t really any one person’s fault

And yes, I DO love how Abbey talks with her hands here. It’s that kind of grandiose thing about her

“Your husband got eaten” “My career” “Yeah, well, I’m on dangling modifier patrol” “What is your problem?”

I’m going to lose it a little bit here, because it’s really funny at face value

Like, this is one of my favorite tww comedic moments. The timing is so good. But trying to analyze this scene? Watching this scene multiple times? This is them being snippy with each other. CJ is upset here, with Abbey

(One of the things I really like about Sorkin-style rapid fire dialogue is that there’s a rewatchability where you pick up on different things each time)

CJ’s really subtle about it, which is... CJ is very subtle about her emotions a lot and there’s something similar you can look at throughout the show as a whole and also this episode in particular with the different ways that she, Abbey, and Jed learn to put on facades and deal with being very, very public people. Abbey in particular in this episode has a lot of rapid demeanor shifts, but you get the same thing from CJ going to brief in some of the heavier episodes, or, like, Jed at Leo’s funeral

I mean, really, the “What is your problem” feels way more jarring than anything CJ has said because outwardly she’s just been joking, but there’s... a tension or something? A flatness to her voice? A lack of amusement? It’s a really stark contrast to how she’s been overly amused about the cork or whatever. It’s good, and I like that Abbey picks up on it and doesn’t let it keep going unspoken

I do wanna take a second here because CJ doesn’t fully answer, I don’t think, so I wanna answer for her

A part of it is just her loyalty to Jed, too, and specifically to the president I think, and the awkwardness of being thrown into Abbey being so disparaging about that 

I also think that, as a character who takes on a lot of personal responsibility and, to an extent, guilt (less than some of the others, or at least less overtly), and internalizes a lot, it sort of bothers her that Abbey’s refusing to take responsibility here, like, at all, and that Abbey is externalizing all of her anger

The other thing is that we do unpack all of the team feeling betrayed and upset and angry with Jed and even sort of Leo during the whole MS plot, but we don’t really deal with any of them being angry with Abbey

And none of them would be, particularly, because she’s not their boss, their career, their friend, but she is CJ’s friend

She tells CJ “I wanted to be there when you were told” but she didn’t say “I wanted to tell you” (which. I could write a lot more about this but this is already too long)

And I think CJ hasn’t had any opportunity to address or unpack that

Oh, and here we see CJ refilling her own AND Donna’s glasses, meaning Donna is drinking. I would love to see the full transition between the scenes tbh

“Are you First Lady right now?” I love CJ’s sigh leading up to that, the way she doesn’t want to get into it

“What are you talking about?” “Sometimes you like to talk, and I think that’s great, but sometimes you're Abbey and sometimes you’re my boss, and I respect both very much, but--”

HOW is CJ this eloquent moments after the corkscrew monologue? 

No, but this is really it, and speaking of taking things under the surface and calling them out (wow, I did it, the whole analysis, right there...), CJ is just shining a massive light on the weird power dynamics here, and that everyone in this room other than Abbey has a really, really valid reason to feel uneasy in this conversation because of those power dynamic

“I’m Abbey.” “Yes, I agree with her”

Cutting it off right here because I love how quick they are with this. Like, it’s Sorkin, so duh, but Abbey’s hand up cutting CJ off and as soon as she’s spoken, CJ jumping in to say what she wants to

This is interesting because Amy hasn’t exactly made a point for CJ to agree with, also. Like, it’s supposed to be “is it really a big deal?” but Amy did not say that. I just think it’s neat

Also, because I’m obsessed with CJ and Amy’s implied friendship, I love this moment

“Look, they take this job away from me, I got nothing. I don't have a cat. I could get one, but I don't have one. Frankly, I'm not wild about cats. I don't hate them. I'm just not... I could learn to like them, I guess, if I...”

CJ losing the thread here again gives the scene it’s rhythm... it’s ebb and flow of tension and humor... it’s funny, to watch this, but you also kind of want to get back to the point, too

“CJ?” (with the pointed arm motion, too) “You've got a husband, children, a home and a life. And we're talking about one year of your not having a medical license.”

I think CJ is mostly being like “It’s not all you are” and sort of “stop complaining” but it’s also a step away from a point that Amy also ends up approaching, which is... First Lady is a weird position, and they do something specific with it in the west wing

Essentially, neither Abbey nor Helen wants it and it sort of becomes about sacrifice and loyalty and public and political and private life balance, but the First Lady is a public figure, with responsibilities and powers and careers, and it’s fair to on a professional level be upset with Abbey for being so dismissive about those

It’s also fair for Abbey to resent being thrust into this role she doesn’t want

“Jed got censured, and that came with no tangible penalty, and it was a banner headline, and he's having a slow nervous breakdown.”

The way I interpret this is both that she’s bitter at having to bear the tangible penalty of the two of them, and she’s trying to justify being upset at it, at the perceived injustice

ALSO, Abbey’s voice here makes me want to cry, because she sounds like she’s about to cry, and I realize half of this analysis is me saying “Yeah they were right to call Abbey out” but like. You do feel for Abbey here. You understand why she made the choices she did and why she’s upset at having made them, at being put in a position to make them

CJ looking away and almost rolling her eyes here is also really good, she’s so frustrated at Abbey just willfully missing the point 

“That’s different” “Why?” “‘Cause it is, and you know it.”

The thing that makes it different is actually, I think, basically the point Donna’s about to make. Like CJ’s close to making that same point, because the thing that makes it different is that what Abbey did is directly related to her doing her job poorly, essentially, and what Jed did isn’t, so of course she’s gonna get a more tangible penalty

“Okay, I’m First Lady again” “Okay.”

Abbey saying that is obviously a shield but also feels so vulnerable, like an admission that she can’t take it

CJ’s tone here is so good, too. Like she is backing off but the way she says it like “Okay well if you don’t wanna hear it that’s fine I guess”

Again, god, watch their hands

“You are First Lady, Abbey.” “Yes.” “And it’s not like it’s been a detour from healthcare” “No” “What, you’ve expanded Medicare to...” etc etc

Cutting in after that and keeping talking about it is... pretty bold honestly

The thing here is that Amy’s both arguing CJ’s point, basically, of like, you still have things, a career, and reassuring Abbey and being like it’s not giving you or your priorities or your identity up

It’s very smart, and it reminds me that Amy is, in very specific circumstances, really good at this sort of communication

I also love that she can list all this off. Like, of course she can, but I love it

When CJ says “There’s plenty of stuff left” I really wonder if she’s supposed to mean to list or to do but I like the sort of ambiguity there

Here’s another bit where the tension subsides, and the thing is, this is a weird sort of fake out ‘cause it almost feels like that’s going to be it, but no one has said the thing, the tension hasn’t fully erupted yet

“That’s not the point” “What’s the point?”

The point is that Abbey never wanted this, it’s not her, and god, I want to hug her

“I’m a doctor” could be a really poignant beat because that’s also the thing Abbey hasn’t explicitly said yet, or at least not emphasized, that this is about feeling like her identity is being taken away

But do they let us sit with this line? No. If they gave us a beat here, Donna’s line would feel weird on several levels

“Oh, Mrs. Bartlet, for crying out loud, you were also a doctor when your husband said, ‘Give me the drugs, and don't tell anybody,’ and you said, ‘Okay.’”

Donna has not spoken, I should point out, since before the fade to black. It makes the line really slap you in the face. Everything about this line, from timing (immediately after line before, long pause after it) to who is saying it is designed for impact, surprise

She’s also saying it very nonchalantly, half laughing. There’s a lot about her delivery that is exasperated, genuinely frustrated criticism, but it’s also just... almost playful teasing for a second in there

More on why it’s Donna saying it, though

I think you just don’t expect Donna to be... it’s not quite rude. Antagonistic at all? Beyond like lightly teasing the others? Certainly not to Abbey especially with the lead in of her being surprised and honored by being invited to drink with them

Amy criticizing Abbey doesn’t have the same impact. She’s not a main character, you’re probably gonna take Abbey’s side, really, and Amy criticizing her, like I said, isn’t new

You can’t take the personal elements out of CJ saying it. You can’t. They don’t give us a ton of context on CJ and Abbey’s friendship, but it’s very clearly deep, and CJ has also already explicitly backed off as far as this conversation

Remember what I said about audience proxy? Donna’s kinda their go to every-man, and this also is a window into how the public would feel about it. For the like, hundredth time, Donna and Abbey are not close, and she’s as close as you can get in this show, maybe, to an objective messenger for this while it’s still from a trusted, likeable main character. You have to balance feeling for Abbey with Donna’s valid point here

Also, Donna’s really good at reading people and casually calling them out/breaking things down.

(Aka being a stand in for explaining things (if it’s political, explain it to Donna, if it’s someone’s emotional shit they’re too repressed to say but you want the audience to get anyway, explain it through Donna. This isn’t criticism, I exploit the second often in my fic)

See also: her and CJ in No Exit, her and Amy about Josh in Commencement

(Donna doesn’t actually look at Abbey like at all as she’s saying this. She’s mostly vaguely looking down or looking at Amy. I don’t know what to do with that, exactly)

Abbey’s stare here!! It’s... shellshocked. Because I don’t know that she really has processed like, no, this was your mistake too, you did have agency in this, etc, bc she’s been using the anger as a defense all episode

Amy’s face is comical here, which I think is mostly not expecting that from Donna (which is the point) or from anyone to Abbey. Based on their relationship, there’s probably some base defensiveness on Abbey’s behalf, but I also think, and this is more headcanon, that like this is a position Amy’s been in before

“I used to get you in some jams” “Yes you did” plus her whole vibe, I have to assume Amy’s stepped out of line with Abbey before

CJ doesn’t look surprised, because hey! She knows both Donna and Abbey well, so she can maybe see it coming more, and like I said, I think she was really about to make the same point before Abbey stopped her, kind of. She looks like she’s waiting for it to catch up with Donna

And catch up it does! She looks over, panicked, to CJ, like she’s just remembered the whole layout of power dynamics CJ articulated

“Oh my god. You switched back to First Lady” “That’s alright”

I love that the first thing Donna says isn’t an apology, isn’t saying she was wrong, she shouldn’t have said that, she’s out of line, it’s just panic

And the fact that Abbey quickly just reassures her after! It’s so good

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Bartlet” “It’s okay”

The camera staying on Abbey here is really smart, the way she shakes her head and you can watch her distracted reassurance, her processing 

Even without the “O Canada” etc stunt, I would insist, from Abbey’s reaction here, that she really isn’t upset with Donna, she’s just upset, but she does know, really, that she needed to hear that, that she’ll be grateful for it

CJ and Amy both make faces that are kind of like... quietly agreeing with Donna. Like a “Well, yeah, and now it’s been said, and that’s... a relief?” It’s good for the release of tension they finally give us

“He took the censure standing up, Abbey. I was very proud to have voted for him that day.” “Me, too.”

This is not the place for me to unpack my feelings on Amy and Jed

Her calling her Abbey here is interesting, personal, considering she’s been calling her “Mrs. Bartlet” all night and they’ve explicitly gone over the “you switched back to first lady” but I think it really works for the line

With this, it’s different, too, because it did come with no tangible penalty for Jed, but it’s still... something about integrity, maybe.

And Abbey saying “Me, too” is so gently hopeful, in a way, and it’s the first positive thing she’s said about Jed this whole time, really, and it gives you a nice feeling, like it’s going to be okay. Abbey and Jed, and Abbey just as a person

Donna looks so sort of regretful here you just want to reassure her that Abbey really, really isn’t upset with her, that she appreciates it, but it’s okay because you get the Canadian flags at the end

“Let’s get back to the party” is sort of one of the switches I’m talking about with Abbey, and you need it to move the episode along, and it wraps it all up

anyways this is an 11 page document and i’m sorry

#tww #my post #The West Wing #abbey bartlet #cj cregg #amy gardner #donna moss #dead irish writers #hmm tumblr is the worst there was more formatting here in post editor with bullet points under each other like section headers #but now yall get an even less comprehensible version :))))

[thgdiscovery]

THG Discovery: Discover Wednesday

Welcome to week 4 of THG Discovery! I can’t believe we’re done with our first month already. Hopefully, everyone found some new material to enjoy and found some new blogs along the way. Thank you again, and enjoy this month’s last week of THG Discovery!

Creators

Remember, if you’d like me to showcase another work of yours, put it in an ask, and I will answer it with a link to that work. If it is a story posted on Tumblr or a site other than AO3/ FFN, please DM me ( @eiramrelyat ) the link.

Everlark

Writer: @alwayseverlark​— Normandy Landing (Rated T); Watercolours (Rated T); Bet or Dare (Rated M)

Artist: @leilanisart​— Untitled; katniss; I’ll see you at midnight

Writer: @joshs-left-earlobe​— Trained Professionals (Rated M); Ode To Sleep (Rated E); The Registry (Rated T)

Writer: buttercupbadass— Through the Wood (Rated T); Time after Time (Rated T/ Hayffie); Celestial Roadtrip (Rated G)

Writer: @notanislander ​— Letters to Panem (Rated G); Simple (Not Rated); Redemption (Rated G/ No Pairing)

Writer: @everybirdfellsilent ​— Like it was Yesterday (Rated G); All the Little things (PIP Oct. 2015) (Rated G); Falling Into You (PIP 2015) (Rated G)

Writer: @madetofly​— Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Rated G); The Person I Needed (Rated T/ Katniss & Finnick); Sail Away (Rated T)

Odesta

Writer: Emma_writes_things— To Sleep In the Sun (Rated G); Letters to Friends (Rated G); Home is what we make of it (Rated T/ Hayffie)

Hayffie

Artist: @h4yffie-ship​— Untitled; Don’t be stranger; Someone is helping Effie loosen her corset

Writer: @melacka​— Talk (Rated M); Thirsty (Rated M); Half of you (is not enough for me) (Rated E/ Everlark)

Blogs/ Mutuals:

@everlarkbirthdaygifts​ was a prompt based blog that is no longer active, but they have a decent sized library of fics for you to read through! You can find their masterlists here.

@beckyike​ (Everlark) @kelskels95​ (THG) @mmabins1​ (THG) @socmono (THG)  @leanmariee​ (THG)

Your THG Discovery Admin

@eiramrelyat​

#everlark #hayffie #odesta #everlark fanfiction #everlark fanart #everlark blog #hayffie fanfiction #hayffie fanart #hayffie blog #odesta fanfiction #odesta blog #fic rec #fanart rec #blog rec #week 4 #thgdiscovery #thg

[softest-cinnamon-roll]

but when it heals, it beats for you

summary: my fic for @thoughtfullyyoungduck for the Writers Revolution Valentine’s Exchange. words: 3,314 rating: T a/n: I made a new taglist as it has been a year! If anyone wants on it, please just let me know! <3

* * * * * 

Eddie hated parties, he always had. Even when he was younger and his friends would have birthday parties in their backyards, Eddie hated them. Maybe it was the loud screaming of the children, or the germs as they shoved their fingers into all the food that had been laid out in the open air, Eddie couldn’t tell, just knew that he didn’t like it. Even when he went to college, his hatred for parties never changed as soda was replaced with alcohol, and screaming children were replaced with screaming adolescents.

Those parties though were still a little bit more bearable than these parties. These parties being ‘work social gatherings’, a sorry excuse for all the boring office people he worked with to come together and gossip in a place with alcohol instead of at their desks. These gatherings were also a way for co-workers to cosy up to the Heads of Departments with the hopes of securing a promotion or even a pay rise. The whole thing made Eddie want to barf, and the worst thing about it was that he was obligated to be there as a new member of the staff.

Fresh out of college, Eddie had secured a job as an admin assistant at a lawyer’s firm in New York City. It wasn’t anywhere near his dream job, but when you were poor any job would suffice just to be able to pay the bills. Eddie didn’t have any other option, and he would just have to grin and bear it until a better opportunity came along. With that thought in mind, he stepped up to the bar and ordered a beer, taking full advantage of the free open bar.

“Kaspbrak, I wasn’t expecting you to actually show up. You’ve surprised me!” A voice practically yelled from right next to Eddie. He winced and turned to greet his co-worker, Josh, with a forced smile. “You should come over here, meet some people. Important people, if you get what I mean?”

Meeting people was the last thing Eddie wanted to do, in fact he had hoped to get through the evening without speaking to anyone. However, the look on Josh’s face told him that he wasn’t getting out of this one, and with a sigh he nodded, gripping the neck of the beer bottle and slipping from the stool.

“Sure, lead the way.”

Josh ran his mouth as they made their way through the crowds to whatever table they were heading to. Eddie drowned out his voice, even though it was rather difficult given how loud he was, but it suddenly became a whole lot easier when another voice drowned out Josh’s annoying tone. A voice that Eddie would recognise anywhere. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes locking onto the back of someone he thought he’d never see again.

He was engaged in a conversation with Eddie’s boss and another co-worker, Janet, who was fake smiling and making ridiculous attempts at flirting. Even though Eddie had no right to, a feeling of jealousy built up in his stomach.

Richie.

Eddie stopped walking, freezing in the spot as his brain started providing him with escape routes. Out of all the people that had to be at the function that night, why did it have to be Richie? What did Eddie deserve to be faced with such bad luck?

Sensing that Eddie had stopped following him, Josh turned around with a frown on his face, before grabbing Eddie by the wrist and tugging him forward into the group. The force of the jolt forward sent Eddie flying, knocking him into Richie himself, who also jolted forward, causing Janet’s drink to spill on her fancy blouse.

Serves you right, Janet.

“Woah, easy there-” Richie started at the same time Janet snapped in her high pitched voice, “Fuck sake, Eddie, watch where you’re going!” Which caused Richie to freeze and look down at who exactly had knocked him sideways. Their eyes locked, and just for a second, no-one else at the work gathering mattered but the two of them. Eddie had forgotten just how easy he could get lost in Richie’s eyes.

The moment didn’t last long, thanks to Janet, who pushed Eddie away just a little to fuss over Richie, making sure none of her drink spilled over his fancy three piece suit. “Eddie is new, please don’t let his clumsiness affect anything we were talking about,” she fussed, and Eddie had to roll his eyes at the dramatics of it all.

“Calm down Janet, it was just an accident,” Eddie muttered, taking a much needed step back from Richie, putting distance between them. No matter how far he moved though, the scent of his cologne was stuck in his nostrils. He swallowed, feeling Richie’s eyes on him and Eddie knew if he looked up, he’d see the same confusion and questioning in his eyes that was there the last time they saw one another.

Eddie wasn’t ready to deal with that issue yet. Nope, no way.

Luck was never on his side though, as Josh took that moment to speak up, addressing why he brought Eddie over there in the first place. “Yes, Eddie is our new co-worker, but he should have an equal chance of meeting important people like the rest of us. Eddie, this is one of our companies interested investors, Richie Tozier.”

There was a pregnant pause before Richie smiled and extended his hand for him to take, which Eddie did. A jolt of electricity shot up his arm and he almost pulled back before he remembered everyone watching them. According to all of Eddie’s coworkers, this was the first time he was meeting Richie Tozier, they had no idea just how well the two knew each other.

“Nice to meet you,” Eddie offered, not sure if Richie wanted the group to know they had history.

Just at that moment, the music changed from an upbeat tune to a much slower one and Janet lurched forward, breaking the trance the two of them were under. “Mr Tozier, I love this song. Would you dance with me?” Eddie had to hold back a scoff at how obvious she was being. The company, of course, had chosen her to charm Richie intp signing a contract with them and she was, no doubt, going all out with her given task. It was a little pathetic, really.

Hoping to make a quick exit back to the bar for one last drink before slipping out the back door, Eddie stepped back, only for a hand to be wrapped around his wrist, tugging him back. It was Richie’s hand, of course it was, and there was a look in his eyes that Eddie couldn’t quite place. “Actually, I was hoping Eddie would dance with me, if that’s alright with you?” He asked, eyes never leaving Eddie’s shocked one’s for a second.

Eddie should say no, he should shake his head and tell Richie to dance with Janet, it was her role in all this after all. God, if he said yes Janet would shoot daggers into his back for the next month, at least. The thing was, Eddie didn’t want to say no. Call him selfish all you want, but Eddie wanted to be alone with Richie, even if it was just for a three minute dance. With his mind made up, Eddie nodded his head, allowing Richie to take his hand and lead him to the dance floor.

It wasn’t until Eddie felt Richie’s hand on the small of his back as he pulled him closer for the dance, that he realised his chest was all compressed in panic. The second that Richie’s hand touched him, all the panic faded and it was as though a bubble had formed around the two of them.

“A lawyer’s firm, eh?” Richie broke the silence, his chin settling on top of Eddie’s head. They had only been in each other's presence for ten minutes and they were already falling into their old habits. “I swear, I didn’t know you worked here.”

That caught Eddie off guard and he pulled back to look up at Richie with a confused frown on his face. “What do you mean? I never- I didn’t think you knew I worked here. Why would I think that?”

Richie shrugged a little, looking bashful as he glanced up at the ceiling for a brief moment, “I just wanted you to know that I didn’t...look you up or anything. I didn’t follow you or check up on what you were doing. Even if I wanted to.” He let out a breath. “You made your decision and I respected it.”

Another lump formed in Eddie’s throat and Richie’s words only seemed to add to the confusion. Yes, he had made the decision to end their relationship, but only because Richie was going to end it first. “I don’t understand. Why would you want to check up on me? Or follow me or whatever? You- I did you a favour by ending things first. I knew you were struggling to find a way to do it, so I did it first.”

The look on Richie’s face was nothing less than pure pain as he registered Eddie’s words. He shook his head, “What are you talking about? I wasn’t- who told you I was going to break up with you?”

Eddie froze up a little and he forced himself to think back, way back to when he had overheard the conversation Richie was having with a friend of his. The words were still bitter to think about and his heart hurt. “No-one told me. I heard you. On the phone. You were talking to someone about finding it hard to change your relationship status, and that you had to be really careful. I don’t know about you, Richie, but that screamed of wanting to break up with me. I just- I don’t know why you didn’t just tell me when things stopped working for you. I’d have understood. We weren’t...it wasn’t like we were public or anything.”

Richie blinked a few times and Eddie could see the moment when it all clicked for him. The confused look turned to one of understanding, but instead of looking guilty, Richie looked...overwhelmed.

“Eddie...holy shit...Eds, no. Fuck.” He stopped moving to the music and instead moved the hand that was on the small of Eddie’s back to his hand and took it in his own. “This is too public a place for this conversation. Five minutes, that’s all I need.”

Even if Eddie hadn’t wanted to follow Richie before then, the pleading look in his eyes was all it took for him to nod. He let Richie lead him off  the dancefloor, out a door and into a hallway.

“How do you know where you’re going?” Eddie asked softly, letting Richie lead the way through the corridors of the hotel.

“I had a function here myself a while back, got a bit overwhelming so I went to explore,” Richie replied almost immediately, turning one more corner and opening a door that led to a balcony overlooking the city. “Found this place.” He closed the doors behind them, allowing total privacy, and Richie ran a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t going to break up with you.”

Out of all the things Eddie thought Richie was going to say, that was not even in the top ten. He blinked in confusion, looking a RIchie a little skeptically. “Alright, say you weren’t going to break up with me then. What did that statement really mean?”

Richie moved a little closer to Eddie, but not too close that he’d feel trapped. He reached down to take Eddie’s hand in his once more.

“I wanted to ask you to go public with me, Eds.”

Eddie suddenly felt sick to his stomach, as the look in Richie’s eyes, the sincerity, meant that he was telling the truth.

“I was just nervous because we were, as you pointed out earlier, not exclusive. I was technically your sugar daddy and we had sort of made that unspoken agreement that what we had was just...well what we had.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand, just a little bit, a soothing gesture. “Maybe it was just that at first, but then we started hanging out without the sex, we had movie nights and you’d spend the night just...chilling. We’d laugh and tease each other like it was a real relationship and suddenly that was all I wanted it to be. I wanted it to be real, but I was scared that maybe you didn’t want that. Then you broke it off with me and that sort of just...sealed it.”

The silence let Eddie know Richie was done speaking, letting him know it was his turn. His cheeks were burning red with embarrassment and he let out a frustrated groan at his own stupidity.

“I’m such a fucking idiot.” Eddie tried to step back, but Richie still had hold of his hand, keeping him grounded. “I’m such a fucking idiot, I was so caught up in thinking that you didn’t want to be with me anymore that I didn’t see the signs that maybe it was the total opposite. I can’t believe that I was that much of an idiot that I ruined the best thing I had in my life.” He looked up at Richie then, his eyes filling with tears, “Because you were, you were the best thing I had in my life. Nothing ever compared to the way you made me feel- make me feel- because I’m still crazy in love with you-”

Eddie didn’t get to finish his declaration of love as Richie swooped in fast, his arms securing themselves around Eddie’s waist as he hauled him forward, bringing their lips together in a long overdue kiss. A squeak of surprise left Eddie’s lips before it was replaced with a soft moan, his hands reaching up from where they were handing by his sides and weaving into Richie’s hair. It was just like the dreams Eddie had been having for months, except this time it wasn’t.

They pulled away after a few moments, the need to breathe too much to ignore and Eddie fell back onto his heels. Damn Richie and his height. Richie was grinning, tears clear in his eyes from behind his glasses. “I love you, too. I always have. You’re my perfect match and these six months without you? They’ve been torture.”

“I’m sorry,” Eddie breathed, his fingers clutching at the curls on the back of Richie’s neck. “I’m sorry for fucking up so badly and jumping to conclusions. I’m sorry for not just talking to you about it instead of...you know.”

Richie just shook his head and leaned down to press another, more gentle, kiss to Eddie’s lips.

“We can talk about it, over dinner maybe?” Richie suggested, a hand moving to cup Eddie’s cheek, thumb running over the skin under his eye. “We can discuss everything, lay all our cards on the table. What do you think?”

It was a good idea for them to talk it out before jumping into something with one another again, yet Eddie didn’t want to wait until the next night after dinner for Richie to take him to bed. He’d been without him for six months and now he knew Richie didn’t want to end their relationship and that he loved him, Eddie didn’t want to wait any longer. “I think it’s a great idea,” he breathed, moving his head up to Richie’s ear. “But...I also really want you to take me home,” he whispered and then added, just for clarification. “To your home.”

* * * * *

Richie’s apartment was just like Eddie remembered it, open space and filled with life. He hadn’t had the chance to properly look around the night before, his mind...and body both otherwise preoccupied. Now he was awake though, the bed next to him empty but still warm, which meant Richie hadn’t long since woke up.

Eddie sat up, stretching and groaning as his bones cracked before he climbed out of bed. He grabbed his underwear from the bedroom floor before pulling out one of Richie’s shirts from his drawer. As Eddie stepped out of the room, he could hear Richie’s voice filtering in from the kitchen area, clearly speaking to someone on the phone. He edged closer, peeking his head around the corner, and right enough Richie was on his phone, pacing back and forth.

“Something came up, but I’d be happy to meet with you on Monday morning, at the office,” Richie spoke. “We can talk business and sign contracts.” He looked up then, eyes meeting Eddie’s from across the room and he broke into a smile. “Mhm, yes that makes sense,” he spoke into his phone whilst beckoning Eddie closer with his finger.

With his own, equally large grin on his face, Eddie moved closer and stepped between Richie’s legs as he continued his call. The body heat was welcome and Eddie curled back into Richie’s embrace, taking a piece of toast from the plate in front of them and taking a bite.

“I have to go, I have other business to attend to. I’ll be at the office on Monday morning, 9am sharp and we can talk.” Richie hummed and the voice on the other end, muffled back before the call ended and the phone was shoved into Richie’s pocket. “Stealing my breakfast?”

“If you’re not fast, you’re last,” Eddie shrugged, dramatically taking another bite of the toast. “Was that my boss?” He asked.

Richie nodded, running a hand through his curls, curls that Eddie had messed up the night before. He shuddered and the memory. “Your boss is quite...forward. He wasn’t happy I ditched the party last night.” Richie shoved more toast into the toaster and set the timer, turning back to Eddie. “Do you have somewhere to be today?”

“Not unless you do,” Eddie hummed, wrapping his arms around Richie’s waist, seeking more of his body heat. “Anyway, aren’t we going out for dinner? To talk and stuff?” He looked up just as Richie looked down, their eyes meeting for a brief moment before Richie closed the distance with a soft kiss. “Mhm, morning.”

“Morning,” Richie breathed back, spinning Eddie around so he was pressed up against the counter. “Fuck I missed you, I missed you so much.”

Eddie’s stomach clenched, his eyes softening almost immediately as he glanced towards the floor in embarrassment. It was his fault after all, his fault that Richie had to miss him in the first place. He felt Richie’s fingers under his chin, tilting his head up so their eyes locked.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Richie spoke softly. “Please stop?” His head tilted to the side, curls falling loose and into his face. Eddie thought he was the most handsome man he’d even laid his eyes on. “Come back to bed?”

Richie stepped back and held out his hand, allowing Eddie to turn him down if he wanted to, always giving him that choice. Instead of Eddie’s stomach clenching in a bad way, this time it clenched in anticipation with what was to come.

Yes, they had to talk, sit down and have a conversation about their relationship and what they both wanted. Eddie was going to have to communicate with Richie, tell him everything about his past and why he had thought he was going to break up with him in the first place. The thought was terrifying, but Eddie wanted nothing more than to let Richie get to know him completely.

All that could wait though, until later.

Eddie smiled, reaching his hand out to take Richie’s, letting him lead him back to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him.

* * * * * 

taglist

@s-s-georgie @richietoaster @jessiohhh @gazebobullshit @eds-trashmouth @thingsilike-08 @thoughtfullyyoungduck @stellar-alley @yallreddieforthis @lgbtqmads @ambitiousskychild @reddieonwheels @moonlightrichie @that-damn-clown-movie @ghostnebula @care-bear13 @madidraw @pieofepicness @transbuckaroo @vanillaredvelvet @toziertool @femmereddie @itchytoaster @eddiesasspbrak @eduardo-andale-lets-go @pinkmedusa6 @kmcarras @bowtiescarves @greetingsfromderrymaine @eduardoandale @waterflowrr @jojobeaner @mahanawhonahan @dinolaur @viciousmaukeries @sunshines-fabulous-legs @reddie-forever @sophiac356 @are-you-reddie-for-it @liilaac @no-she-wasnt-reddie @gaymoonfan @selma318697 @reddie-4-more @ratbird0917 @adhdtozier @tozierpunks 

#reddie #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #my writing #amy writes

[moss-lyman]

r20ebecca asked for 13/14 and I chose 14 from general :)

“Come back.”

She’s laying on the couch, still in her pajamas from the night before at 3pm and she’s a full box of Oreos deep as she watches old Facts of Life reruns. She’s picked up the phone about 20 times the last hour alone, but she stops herself from calling him every time.

She tried talking to him for weeks and he kept blowing her off. She didn’t do anything wrong, she doesn’t need to feel guilty for quitting. He’s only her boss, she doesn’t owe him anything.

Okay, that’s a lie. She owes him everything, but she can’t stay in that job anymore. It’s only making her angry and she may have been abrupt at quitting, but he wouldn’t listen. She had no choice.

It still hurts that he didn’t call, though.

She looks at the phone again, about to pick it up for the 21st time when a knock at her door startles her. She wraps her afghan around her shoulders and walks to the door, peeking out the peep hole to find Josh himself out in the hallway. She doesn’t open the door right away and he knocks again.

“Come on, Donna. I can see your shadow, I know you’re right there. Let me in.”

“Why?” she asks, still refusing to open the door, and she sees him huff indignantly.

“I need to talk to you. Just open the damn door.”

She rolls her eyes and flicks the lock before walking back to the couch, and Josh barges in.

“What do you want, Josh?”

He walks further into her apartment and looks at the television. “TVLand?”

“What do you want?” she asks again pointedly. “State your business or go home.”

“Go get dressed,” he says, walking to her kitchen and opening the fridge for a water bottle.

“What are you talking about?”

“And hurry,” he says, looking at his watch. “We have less than 2 hours.”

“For what?” She stares at him like he’s grown two heads. “I don’t work for you anymore, remember?”

“Donna,” he says, cocking his head toward her bedroom. “Go get dressed.”

She sits up. “Are you okay? Have you hit your head and you have amnesia or something?” He sets the water on her coffee table before walking around and physically lifting her off the couch. “Josh, I don’t know who you think—“

“Go get dressed. I’ll explain in the cab.” He nudges her to her room, but she digs in her heels.

“I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what the hell is going on.”

“We’re going to Houston.”

“Texas?”

“No, Romania,” he deadpans, giving her a look. “Yes, Texas.”

“What the hell is in Houston?”

“Matt Santos.”

“Congressman Santos? The one not running for another term?”

“Correct,” he says, grabbing her carry-on from her closet and throwing things in it. “Now, get dressed. We have a flight soon.”

“Josh, stop,” she orders, grabbing his arms. “I don’t work for you anymore. I’m not going.”

“I know you don’t work for me anymore, Donna. The temp from Hell has made me well aware of that. I’m telling you, you’re going with me.”

“I already have another job.”

He actually laughs at that and Donna’s eyes flash. “Working for Bingo Bob is not a job. It’s a death sentence. He’ll barely make it to the Convention.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Will offered me an opportunity. I’m practically second in command with their campaign.”

“I’m telling you you’re actually second in command with my campaign.”

She freezes. “Santos wants to run?” Josh doesn’t answer her, just shoulders the backpack and heads to the door, but she steps in his way. “Josh.”

“I have a nine point plan, okay? I’ll get him to run.”

Donna is the one to laugh now. “You’re ambushing him.”

“No,” he says before looking at her. “We are ambushing him.”

“Where is this coming from? 24 hours ago, you wanted nothing to do with me, and now you’re offering me a promotion?” He runs his hands through his hair in a way that tells her he’s nervous, not angry, but she doesn’t let up. “Josh.”

“I never said I didn’t want anything to do with you, Donna. I was busy. You knew my schedule.”

“Yes I did, that’s why I made an appointment for myself which you chose to ignore many times.”

He turns around to look at her. “I wasn’t ready to leave the White House,” he says quietly. “I made a commitment to Jed Bartlet and I intended on seeing it through, but then Leo’s telling me to go and you leave and it’s like it’s not even the White House anymore.” He shrugs his shoulders. “I’m asking you to come back. Go to Houston with me and if it doesn’t work, then I’ll leave you alone.”

She looks at him long and hard, trying to see if he’s lying, but she knows he isn’t. “What do you mean by second in command? I refuse to be your assistant, Josh. I want more than that and if—“

“Not my assistant,” he assures. “You’d be like senior staff to Leo. What I was doing the first campaign.”

“We’re gonna need a speech writer.”

“Does that mean you’re in?”

She bites her lip for a moment, but doesn’t have to think very long. “I’m in.” He goes back into high-speed motion, but she stops him. “I have a couple conditions.”

“Name them quickly. We really gotta go.”

She brings her hand up to tick off her fingers. “I will not file or type a single memo, note, press release, or whatever else for you. You’ll do it yourself or hire an assistant. You don’t come to me for the admin garbage. Number two,” she says pointedly when he starts to walk out of her room, “my opinion holds weight.”

“Your opinion always holds weight.”

“Well, this time around, I don’t have to run everything by you first. You’re not my liaison to the Congressman.”

“Anything else?”

“I get a massive salary bump if he runs and we start making money.”

“Fine. Let’s go.” She still won’t budge. “What?”

“You have to shake on it. I need your word, Josh.”

He drops the bag he’s been carrying and stands up straight, reaching his hand out for hers. She grabs it and he looks her right in the eye. “You have my word. If we pull this off, all those conditions will be met. I swear.”

He shakes once and she grins at him before taking her hand back and pushing him out of her room. “Get out of here, I gotta get dressed,” she says and shuts the door on his equally happy face.

#my fic #josh x donna #the west wing

[thxngam]

Any recent ww fics youve liked?

oh you betcha! be prepared to see like the contents of the first five pages of the TWW AO3 page bc i have absolutely no Self Control with these

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30689858: handle with care by berkingbad: you do need an account for this fic. TW: main character death though you never see the character. set in some sad, heartbreaking AU where leo dies during the bartlet admin not on election day in season 7. all the same, very very sad, and a lovely closeup on donna and josh’s relationship during that hypothetical time.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30661691: Coruscate w/ no author--an AU with grey’s anatomy vibes with josh as a resident (i think?) and paramedic!sam. literally josh being in love with his coworker sam and panicking and donna mocking him and it ends so sweet i thought my heart was melting. (have you noticed i’m dramatic?)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30651005: The Cooperative by @torn--and--frayed​: WHY DID WE NEVER GET JOSH AND DONNA BEING DOMESTIC IN CANON THAT WASNT RELATED TO DONNA MAKING JOSH BE A MATURE ADULT (though he did need it!) i’m sorry that was aggressive. josh and donna move in together. v v cute.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30767861: negative space by bornfalling: BREAK. MY. HEART. donna forgets the past couple years post-gaza and with that goes josh and donna’s intimacy and stuff, thereby ending that ridiculous flirting/camderie/intimacy thing that j/d had going on. josh’s pov of his loss, but not technical loss. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29115855: Let Me Teach You What Real Love Looks Like by IveDoneMyWaitng: this fic has made me cry and it literally has 2 chapters. lots of sam schmoop that’s definitely not really canon but also not not canon so here ya go

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30062217: Regulatory Infractions by @hufflepuffhermione​: bc we ALL wanted to know the Rules that Donna mentions in the Midterms episode. So so so good!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30825962: Enjambment w/ no author: Literally bc i love the last paragraph. Do I know anything about Veep? No. Do I like the last scene and also the lovely overview of Josh during the Santos admin, even though interspersed with characters I’ve never heard of? Yes.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30792935: and i knew you w/ no author: BECAUSE GUESS WHAT if sam stayed through the end and had to go through leo’s heart attack, amy gardner, bartlet’s MS attack on the way to China, his mentor/boss/subject of heart eyes (’who's you favorite writer?’/’toby’) betraying the country (to which he has very obvs strong feelings, we’ve all see SGTE, SGTJ), leo dying, and then being away from josh/seeing him get more and more stressed on the campaign trail he would be very VERY emotional

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30792647: Committee Amendments by @torn--and--frayed​: bc we allllll wanted to see Donna be COS to FLOTUS and be the boss that she was born to be. also v cute look at j/d’s relationship

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30785072: You’re One of the Good Ones, Sam Seaborn by Tyrols: A comedy of errors! sam/donna but not really sam/donna

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30478647: touch my soul from the outside by cassieholliday--soulmate au but rosslyn with donna and josh. absolutely stunning. really pretty writing.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30475245: feelings im not used to feeling ‘cause, oh, they make me feel alive by annemeredithperkins: by one of the greats in the josh/donna world. Bi donna and ainsley hooking up while their respective stupid love interests are stupid. (yknow while i mention it here, will someone pretty please ask for rare pairs?) 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30420837: Toby Ziegler’s Exploration of What He Can Do With Words, Besides Winning an Election by @joshtoby: GUESS WHAT HAVE SOME SEXY TIMES (read the notes bc they make me laugh. you’re a linguistic genius sitch, not unlike our grumpy speechwriter)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30352230: before the die hits the table by sadness_out_of_context: guess what? i liked elsie before she disappeared to mandyville. i wish she stayed. have some wholesome lesbian!elsie snuffin (though that’s not heavily touched on) razzing her exasperated brother William bailey (szn 4 will is the only will with rights)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30342732: On a Technicality by KindaTea: HAVE SOME MORE SEXY TIMES

yall know how i mentioned 3 pages at the beginning? guess what? i lied. this is the past 5 pgs of TWW’s AO3 page. i didn’t include some fics (Pieces Form the Whole, The Denial Twist by @jessbakescakes, You, Me, and This Town by @jessbakescakes come to mind) but also they weren’t posted recently, they were just updated recently (i think) so they’re not on the list. that doesn’t mean i don’t regularly reread them and u should too!

have a good day lovelies, and pls leave comments and kudoses (is that the plural form? imma guess no) at all of these fics and any other fic u read! it can even be a plain ol keyboard smash or a <3 if you don’t have it in you to leave something long but u wanna express how much u liked something or just cause ur not very verbose. authors like that anyway!

[multiversemuses]

Happy Holidays, @mae-rps! I wanted to use this Secret Santa exchange as a chance to celebrate the return of a certain supernatural setting and all the beings therein. As for the middle images that are photographs with different fonts, I liked the idea of being able to go around Brookhaven and spell out its name using the letters from its architecture and items from inside/around buildings. I’ve featured a sampling of locations found on Brookhaven’s streets. I also slipped some visual nods to Lily, Jenny, and Josh in among their respective species aesthetics. <3

I’ve wistfully reflected on this world and its characters so many times, but even that was nowhere near as much as I missed you, admin-in-arms! One of the rare good things to come out of 2020 was our online reunion. I really hope you like this tribute to the ’verse that started our eight-years-and-counting friendship! Love and long distance hugs to you, my esteemed co-writer and beloved friend!!

#Secret Santa 2020 #maerps #Made for Muses #Verse: Brookhaven #blood tw #long post

[irresistiibles]

The Howl to my Sophie! The Sam to my Josh! I think you're just incredible. As an admin and a writer! Every reply from you is so much fun. You just breath so much life into these characters, even the ones I'm not familiar with. It's such a joy to write with you and I can't wait to have more threads with you!

i’m yelling thank you adklsjfakdf you’re the best. i’m so bad at figuring out how to reply to these messages but you’re great and i always love writing with you!

#( memes && sunny ) #hwyear3 #softsliders19

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Pluralistic: 16 Mar 2020 (Trump wants a US-only vaccine, Covid at Home, tips for laid-off techies, Tiktok's secret moderation guidelines, Corona Bar Mitzvah, Shmoocon 2020 videos)

Today's links

Covid At Home: A guide for isolation, illness and recovery

Trump wants a US-only vaccine: Reality has a well-known globalist/collectivist bias.

Folding@Home to beat covid: 23 distcomp projects to give your CPU to.

Italian hospitals fix their ventilators with 3D printed parts: Fablabs to the rescue.

How to prepare for coming layoffs: A guide for techies junior, senior and prickly.

Leaked Tiktok moderation guidelines are a censoring mess: No poors or ugly people welcome.

Canceled Bar Mitzvah is still a mitzvah: Today I am a mensch.

Shmoocon 2020 videos online: Hours of entertainment and infosec funnies.

This day in history:

Colophon: Recent publications, current writing projects, upcoming appearances, current reading

Covid At Home (permalink)

Dutch hacker and XS4ALL cofounder Rop Gonggrijp and artist Vera Wilde have produced Covid At Home, an open-access guide to staying healthy, treating illness, and general pandemic preparedness.

https://covid-at-home.info/ It's an excellent, sober, accessible guide, produced with help from medical professionals.

They're seeking help to translate it into other languages as well. German edition coming next.

Trump wants a US-only vaccine (permalink)

The Trump administration has offered "large sums" to a German manufacturer for US-only access to a potential covid-19 vaccine

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/15/trump-offers-large-sums-for-exclusive-access-to-coronavirus-vaccine

According to Die Welt, Curevac has made progress on the vaccine, and the Trump admin is seeking access "but for the US only."

The company's recently departed CEO, Daniel Menichella, is a US citizen who recently visited the White House.

The Trump administration's failure to understand our shared collective microbial destiny is emblematic. Trump epitomizes the neoliberal sociopathy of "enlightened self-interest" and "meritocracy" and the belief that "there is no such thing as society." It's a pathology as dangerous as any virus, and could yet kill us all. Immunizing America against coronavirus only works if

The vaccine is perfect (they never are) and

The US blocks all entry into the country by unvaccinated people (which it cannot do).

Instead of figuring out how to orient 100% of US capacity to producing enough vaccine to eliminate the virus worldwide, Trump is engaged in isolationist, superstitious fantasies.

https://twitter.com/doctorow/status/1238180609899429889

Within hours, Curvac had told Trump to go fuck himself and announced that any vaccine they produce will be available worldwide.

https://twitter.com/SWRAktuellBW/status/1239225432739844097

Folding@Home to beat covid (permalink)

Since the year 2000 (!), Folding@Home has been harnessing the power of idle personal computers to do scientific work on protein folding, using donated cycles to improve science. Now they're running 23 (!!) projects to help improve our scientific understanding of covid-19.

"We're simulating the dynamics of COVID-19 proteins to hunt for new therapeutic opportunities."

They've already used this to locate sites in the Ebola protein that can be targeted by therapeutics.

https://foldingathome.org/2020/03/15/coronavirus-what-were-doing-and-how-you-can-help-in-simple-terms/

Download your Folding@Home client here (Mac/Win/Lin)

https://foldingathome.org/start-folding/

Then choose your simulation from here. Be prepared to wait for your computer to be given work – they're overwhelmed with cycles at the moment.

https://apps.foldingathome.org/psummary

Italian hospitals fix their ventilators with 3D printed parts (permalink)

A Brescia hospital urgenty needed valves for their ventilators. A journalist contacted the local Fablab, who contacted a local 3D printing expert who came to the hospital, redesigned the part, and printed a replacement on the spot.

https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/covid-19-3d-printed-valve-for-reanimation-device/

Within a day, 10 patients were breathing with respirators incorporating 3D printed parts.

How to prepare for coming layoffs (permalink)

It's not outlandish to prepare for a recession (and hence layoffs) as a result of Covid-19. And while techies have a robust labor-market relative to other sectors, tech-workers are not immune from mass layoffs when their employers contract sharply or shut down altogether.

Jacob Kaplan-Moss has been here before and has some tips for techies to prepare for unemployment. He points out that the highest layoff risk comes to juniors (unprotected and easy to jettison), seniors (highest paid), and prickly people (politically easier to lay off) and underperformers (obvs).

https://jacobian.org/2020/mar/13/layoffs-are-coming/

How do you prep for layoffs? First, try to have 1 year's savings in the bank (advice from the 2000 dotcom crash). You probably can't do this, but start saving now. Cancel all nonessential expenses.

Next, update your resume. When layoffs start cascading, being ready to start applying for jobs can give you a head-start over your competition.

Kaplan-Moss suggests setting aside an hour every quarter to update your CV – this is good advice generally, as you never know when someone will ask for your resume (periodically I have to produce one for a visa or a grant, for example).

Practice interviews, using online resources, like this one:

https://eng-hiring.18f.gov/

In addition, contact your "professional network" and start feeling them out;Tb and brush up on your tech skills.

Leaked Tiktok moderation guidelines are a censoring mess (permalink)

There's a lot going on in The Intercept's deep dive into two leaked set of moderation guidelines from Bytedance, parent company of Tiktok, ably reported (as ever) by Sam Biddle.

https://theintercept.com/2020/03/16/tiktok-app-moderators-users-discrimination/

First is a confirmaton of Tiktok's policy of telling moderators to downrank videos from unattractive, fat, old or poor people, and signs of poverty. Homes need to have "no obvious slummy charactor" (sic), without a "crack on the wall" or "old and disreputable decorations."

The reasoning is clear "This kind of environment is not that suitable for new users for being less fancy and appealing" (overweight, poor, old or unattractive users lower the tone). Tiktok spox Josh Gartner said these were to prevent bullying, (but they don't mention bullying).

The leaks are pretty frank about their ableism and lookism, banning "low quality" traits including "abnormal body shape," "ugly facial looks," dwarfism, "obvious beer belly," "too many wrinkles," and "eye disorders."

They also ban "slums, rural fields" and "dilapidated housing."

The flipside of this is that Tiktok mods secretly contacting influencers to clue them in on secret moderation criteria that might get them downranked or banned, creating a group of insiders who are protected from the arbitrary, shadow regulation regime other Tiktokers never see.

That shadow regime is documented in a second set of leaks, which details the subjects and views that can get you kicked, suspended or downranked from the platform. Anything that embarrasses or upsets China is obviously out, like Falun Gong or Tiananmen.

Beyond that, livestreams of encounters with cops, videos that criticize the military, or criticism Tiktok itself are all lifetime bannable offenses – while racism and hate speech get you a one-month suspension.

Also revealed: Tiktok has a bunch of fake accounts maintained by its own staff, who gank influencer videos from Instagram that look classy and fun, as a way of shifting the content mix on the platform.

But even as these accounts were focusing on tags like "#BeachGirl," actual Tiktok users who posted pictures of themselves in swimwear faced temporary or permanent bans.

(You can get a permanent ban for wearing a garment that reveals "outline of female nipples").

There's also a "voice vulgarity" category of guidelines, including bans for "Singing or playing music pornography contents, sexual cues, etc," or "discussing the topic of sexual reproduction." You can also get banned for flipping the bird – but only if you do it more than twice.

Tiktok's appeal is that they use secret sauce to elevate accounts with few followers and share them with millions of viewers. The legend is that this is a way to rocket the humble but meretricious to fame, but the leaks reveal that no olds, fats, or poors need apply.

Canceled Bar Mitzvah is still a mitzvah (permalink)

A heartwarming story of "Covered Dish" behavior in the time of coronavirus! "Friends canceled their son's Bar Mitzvah this weekend but decided to keep the contract with their caterer, a tiny Hmong-owned business. They delivered the food to friends in quarantine & sent pans home with others."

https://twitter.com/mrotzie/status/1239249970458484736

(Image: Eli, CC BY)

Shmoocon 2020 videos online (permalink)

It's been years since I last attended a Shmoocon, but holy moly, is it ever a great annual infosec con. They've just put the 2020 videos online, which affords you plenty of viewing for your lockdown pleasure.

You might have already heard about Samantha Mosely's presentation about how she and her teen friends defeat Instagram's privacy invasions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTCBEimhXMM

Here's some gnarly stuff: securing satellites and space-base comms, presented by three researchers styling themselves Yakko, Wakko and Dot (swoon!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR_H9_pnyDc

Feed your inner technothriller writer with this one, on "anti-forensics" ("the practice of modifying or removing data so that others cannot find it later during an investigation").

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSmsiSvvAQs

How NGOs – and you at home – can use "open source intelligence" to help support human rights and survivors of human rights abuses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRzGiR4DS7w

A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure guide to surviving ransomware attacks, using data gleaned from real attacks and recoveries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkNFUQrg_GA

Analyzing the effects of 200 data-breaches on public companies' share prices (shareholder capitalism won't save us from overcollection, overretention and bad security).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdxiwpACwYc

This day in history (permalink)

#15yrsago Apple steals iTunes customers' paid-for rights to stream https://web.archive.org/web/20050405225837/http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=21866

#15yrago My talk from ETECH: All Complex Ecosystems Have Parasites https://craphound.com/complexecosystems.txt

#15yrsago ETECH Notes: Folksonomy, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Mess (Schachter, Wales, Shirky and Butterfield) https://craphound.com/etech2005-folksonomy.txt

#15yrsago ETECH Notes: Feral Robotics and Some Other Quacking, Shaking, Bubbling Robots (Natalie Jeremijenko) https://craphound.com/etech05-feral.txt

#10yrsago Downloadable 3D cover for MAKERS is now also an article of commerce https://www.shapeways.com/product/Z55YYHW5P/cory-doctorow-makers-cover-3d-print

Colophon (permalink)

Today's top sources: Geoff MacDougall (https://twitter.com/taliesan), Bleeping Computer (https://www.bleepingcomputer.com), Javier Candiera (https://twitter.com/candeira), Four Short Links (https://www.oreilly.com/feed/four-short-links), Naked Capitalism (https://nakedcapitalism.com/).

Currently writing: I've just finished rewrites on a short story, "The Canadian Miracle," for MIT Tech Review. It's a story set in the world of my next novel, "The Lost Cause," a post-GND novel about truth and reconciliation. I've also just completed "Baby Twitter," a piece of design fiction also set in The Lost Cause's prehistory, for a British think-tank. I'm getting geared up to start work on the novel next.

Currently reading: Just started Lauren Beukes's forthcoming Afterland: it's Y the Last Man plus plus, and two chapters in, it's amazeballs. Last month, I finished Andrea Bernstein's "American Oligarchs"; it's a magnificent history of the Kushner and Trump families, showing how they cheated, stole and lied their way into power. I'm getting really into Anna Weiner's memoir about tech, "Uncanny Valley." I just loaded Matt Stoller's "Goliath" onto my underwater MP3 player and I'm listening to it as I swim laps.

Latest podcast: When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth https://craphound.com/podcast/2020/03/13/when-sysadmins-ruled-the-earth-2/

Upcoming books: "Poesy the Monster Slayer" (Jul 2020), a picture book about monsters, bedtime, gender, and kicking ass. Pre-order here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_medium=socialpost&utm_term=na-poesycorypreorder&utm_content=na-preorder-buynow&utm_campaign=9781626723627

(we're having a launch for it in Burbank on July 11 at Dark Delicacies and you can get me AND Poesy to sign it and Dark Del will ship it to the monster kids in your life in time for the release date).

"Attack Surface": The third Little Brother book, Oct 20, 2020. https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250757531

"Little Brother/Homeland": A reissue omnibus edition with a new introduction by Edward Snowden: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250774583

#pluralistic

[kwanisms]

(I’ve been seeing people having problems with their inbox so I’m just doing this as a precaution)

OOOOH!! Well, I’m not sure what groups you like to read for but here are some of my favorite writers and my favorite pieces by them. ~K♡✿

BTS

@ellieljade

↳ Mr. Min | [M] | CEO!Yoongi | Series || This is hands down one of my FAVORITE series on tumblr. It was one of the first series I ever read on here and I love it. Nicole is an amazing writer and I love her with all my heart, even if she did kick me into NCT hell and tortures me on Twitter sliding Yuta and Johnny content in my DMs.

↳ Five Months | [M] | Namjoon | Oneshot || This hurts so good and honestly what really made me see Namjoon in a new light. I’ve always seen him as a goofy tall dork but this oneshot? W O W. Nicole back at it again. (ilysm♡)

@dark-muse-iris

↳ Transference | [M] | Therapist!Hoseok | Series || This is another one of my favorite series on this site. Iris is an extremely talented writer. She is part of the reason I wanted to get into writing fanfiction and post it. I love Iris dearly and she is a huge influence for me. She’s shown me things I never thought I would be into but here I am, a shibari enthusiast. (thanks Iris)

↳ Working Man Bangtan | [M] | OT7 | Series of oneshots || I love this series. I love it as a whole, I love the pieces as individuals and if I had to choose a favorite among this series it would have to be Tasty Tryst or Seaside Sabbatical. Tasty Tryst is strawberry farmer Taehyung (it’s canon now!) and Seaside Sabbatical is fisherman Seokjin. Both of these pieces are incredibly well written and honestly, they’re so vivid. The attention to detail is incredible. A lot of time and thought was put into them. That goes for the rest of the series!

@btssmutgalore

↳ Zaddy | [M] | CEO!Taehyung | Series || Dee is wonderful. Not only as a writer but as a person. I love her so much. This was the first series I ever read from her. It’s amazing and the ANGST. Just, if you want to stew in your feels, this is for you. Also, imagining Taehyung in a suit is just pure artistry.

↳ Sin City | [M] | Stripper! Jimin | Series || This is one of those fics that you just have to sit back and appreciate every time you finish reading a chapter. The story is so captivating and it makes me FEEL things. Dammit it, Dee. Damn you for making me FEEL like the emotional burrito I am. (i love you)

@kookingtae

↳ Falling into You | [M] | Jungkook college AU | Series || JORDAN. YOU PRECIOUS BEAN I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU LITTLE GOOBER. So, I think FIY was the third BTS fic I ever read on tumblr. [And Jordan’s oneshot, The Switch was the first BTS smut I ever read. So thank you for introducing me into this world. Jordan has this way of writing and setting a scene and it’s so perfect and it flows so naturally for her. I’m jealous. Everything from the slow burn angst, to the witty remarks, to the tension you can almost feel between the reader and Jungkook, it all feels so natural.

Seventeen

@17mounteens ​

↳ This Jihoon with Noona smut | [M] | Jihoon | oneshot || What I love about this so much is that I am older than Jihoon, so this definitely fit more on my level and I enjoyed reading it so much. Admin Scooter is AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Seriously, everything 17mounteens writes is amazing and top quality. And it’s not all just smut. They write a fair bit of fluff and angst too, so please check them out if you love SVT!

@cheoliday / @cheolkwan ​

Ri is a wonderful human being and she is so so talented and lovely and just a gem to interact with and I love her so much. A pure human being. She’s another person who inspired me to write and post my own fics on tumblr so thank you Ri. I love everything she’s done and if I had to pick a favorite thing she’s written, it would be this Thigh Riding piece with Seungcheol (cause let’s be honest, who would want to ride Daddy Coups’ thigh?) or this piece from @svthateblog​ with Seungkwan: until you burn: figment.

@candiedmingyu ​

Please read everything. The headcanons on this blog are fucking POETRY. I get so much inspiration from this blog and I just love everything on here.

@blushnote ​

↳ At the Altar | [M] | Joshua | Oneshot || WHOOOOOOO BOY. This was some of the best SVT smut I have ever come across and I am IN LOVE with this writer. Everything was so perfect. Even like a week after reading it, I am still speechless. Please read this. It’s so good. Words have failed me.

@cupidhaos ​

↳ Newsflash! | [M/A/F] | OT13 | Social media AU | Series || YO, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS SERIES. DON’T PLAY WITH MY EMOTIONS AND PLEASE LET JOSH END UP WITH Y/N. No but really. This series gave me so many ups and downs I don’t even know where to begin like ASJHDAJDKAJ. Please read this. I love it so much TT

#answered #asks #anon #anon ask #anonymous #fic reccs #bangteenx7 #bangteenposts #k reccs

[twentyonepilotsficlibrary]

What are some of your guys’s favourite fics?

we have a tag for the admin fav fics and here’s the ones from our new admins!

ana - 

hi! my all time favorite writer is edy, and i love each and every one of their fics. you can find my AO3 bookmark here: flattop and i’ll list my top three 

Best Served Cold by headfirstfrhalos (4/5 | 33805 | Mature)

Josh drives an ice cream truck. Tyler is a serial killer. Both are, in their opinion, working for a good cause.

////graphic depictions of violence, pedophilia, suicide attempt, cannibalism, gore, corpse desecration, child abuse, childhood trauma, implied/referenced rape/non-con, serial killers.

teethmarks by peterandhispirate (1/1 | 8958 | Mature)

Tyler is on house arrest.

//animal death, graphic depictions of violence

Under a Cherry Tree by edy (5/5 | 57112 | Explicit) 

They meet at a New Year’s Eve party.

//self-harm, suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts

charlie - 

i have quite a few but they’re all worth it

show me yours (i’ll show you mine) by consulted_moriarity (12244 | 4/4 | Mature)

//violence, stockholm syndrome, drug use, self harm, torture

A Moment Holding Everything by Summertime_Poet (2798 | 1/1 | General Audiences)

In the in-between, the concept of time does not exist.In the in-between, colors surround both Life and Death, but behind the other they can always only see an impenetrable grey.

Tyler and Josh meet in the middle every time a person crosses over, ever since the beginning of time itself.There is no beginning to their uncommon relationship, and it seems unlikely there will ever be an end to it.

But then the dance of Life and Death comes to an abrupt halt.

boss battle (win the war) by orphan_account

in which josh dun must go on an adventure to retrieve parts of tyler joseph’s soul

Long Way Down by orphan_account (26013 | 1/1 | Explicit)

He never thought he’d see this this again. His seemingly whole past standing in front of him in the form of a ha/8rsh stare and balled up fists, but he can see the tears welling up in Josh’s eyes, and hands held so tight that they’re turning white. But Josh is still beautiful like this, and God, does it make Tyler mad. He’s not supposed to be here for this, but he can’t find it in him to run out. That’s always how it’s been though, because Josh never made anything that easy.

Or, a knock at the door leads to more than what Tyler was expecting, and it ends up being the one thing that saves him.

//implied drug use, homophobia

our brains are sick (but that’s okay) by andybrnards (9112 | 1/1 | Mature)

Josh answers a craigslist ad looking for a drummer, at the whims of his therapist. He wasn’t expecting much to come out of it (in fact he was pretty sure he was going to be murdered). But, he meets Tyler and obviously gets more than what he bargained for.

In which an anxiety ridden Josh does not get murdered, but instead, becomes part of a band, makes a new best friend, and falls in love.

How to Train Your Dragon by summerdownturn (4/? | 33533 | General Audiences) 

- (this is a series but im recommending all of them lmao)

through the holes in his eyes by CoLUMBINE ( 6808 | 1/1 | Explicit) 

Josh does not understand. But Tyler thinks, hopes he does. Among the trees, where nature allowed some free space, stands a trailer, old, beaten up and covered with moss. Josh can hear screeching coming from the inside and it only gets louder when Tyler opens the door with the help of his foot.

“It’s not that he doesn’t want you here, he’s just hungry. Come in,” Tyler nods towards the door.

* * *

Josh catches Tyler stealing from his bird feeder and wants to know why.

//animal abuse

#twenty one pilots #josh dun #tyler joseph #joshler #admin favorites #admin faves