gosh darn it both my vatican trio fics are like. 90% done with maybe 200 words left, but for some bloody reason i cant manage to write the last 5 or so sentences necessary
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about to read wanna be yours by @mdawritings just to feel something again :,)
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kiwi's fic recs - volume one!
Hi, friends!! It's been a few months now since I came to tumblr, and in that time, I have read a lot of fics. Like, a lot. So, I thought it was about time I compiled some of my faves into some appreciation posts in order to show all of these amazing authors some much-deserved love!!!
This volume consists of all my October reads, to maintain some semblance of timeliness (and to give myself less of a headache!). I will be creating subsequent volumes, so this functions as a kind of trial run - for now, I hope you'll find something below that you enjoy. I can pretty much guarantee that you will!
You'll find my scrambly thots listed next to the -> under each fic. For instalments of series I've read in the past month, I've linked the masterlist, so you can find all the chapters in one spot!
Please see individual fics for tags and warnings. Not every work is going to work for everyone, and that's okay! A large proportion of these fics are 18+ only. Thank you kindly xoxo
JOEL MILLER
Thirsty --- @chloeangelic
-> stepdad!joel fucks me in the kitchen?? oops i'm signing up
-> this is quick and dirty and really fucking hot
-> joel's characterisation and the writing in this fic is unbelievably sexy, what a fic omg!!!
punishment --- @joelsgreys
-> beast!joel didn't work out, so we're getting fucked by lumberjack!joel (i am not complaining)
-> i know you said you wrote this in one night but baby it does not come across that way like.. this is delectable
-> i'm dressing as belle next year
strawberry --- @joelsgreys
-> self-indulgent fics are what we need more of in this economy!!!
-> such a perfect one-shot injected with so much obvious love and care that you have no choice but to become obsessed
Divine Dynasty [series masterlist] --- @cavillscurls
-> i'm obsessed with this series and with the new prequel, i'm in much deeper now
-> you can tell mya cares so deeply about these characters and this world and every single sentence puts that across
-> the writing in this series is so good and the dynamic between joel and reader is really special, everyone read this now pls
Eyes On Me [joel x reader x tommy] --- @cavillscurls
-> it's hard to sum up my thots when i've already annoyed mya with a huge reblog but this is so. hot.
-> gorgeous gorgeous communication in this relationship and the aftercare is everything
-> tommy can watch anytime i stg
Someone to Lean On --- @cavillscurls
-> joel miller braids your hair and eats you out
-> need i say more??
Sugar & Spice [sequel to Soft & Sweet] --- @cavillscurls
-> some of the best joel characterisation i've seen on this godforsaken site and i mean it!!
-> just discovered i'm saving myself for joel miller
-> such an entrancing read and with mya's writing that is no surprise
creep it real! --- @swiftispunk
-> halloween specials will always have me kicking my feet but this is on a new level han
-> my reblog was a little unhinged but i will be more composed here
-> the dialogue is genuine perfection, the backstory we get on reader is so entrenched in the story (esp. for a one-shot!!), and the smut sent me to mars
-> joel opens a beer with his belt buckle. will you read it now?? yeah, that's what i thought.
your summer dream [series masterlist] --- @swiftispunk
-> han already knows how much i love this series but i'll scream abt it here too
-> this series lives in my head rent-free
-> if you haven't read it, literally what else are you doing??
-> i've reread this a million times and it will never be enough
trick or treat --- @tieronecrush
-> halloween!joel
-> woody!joel
-> me and sam screaming at each other in DMs about those huge shoulders in that cow-print vest
-> a seriously gorgeous rumination on being a dad to two girls and the insecurities that come with getting older
-> sarah and ellie being adorable, reader and joel being adorable, everyone being adorable
hot & heavy [series masterlist] --- @tieronecrush
-> can you tell i love sam??
-> she put out the bangers this month fr
-> one of my favourite series ever
to freeze or to thaw --- @joelscruff
-> absolutely stunning writing
-> such a short and captivating fic with some seriously filthy smut (in the snow!!)
-> made me feel like i needed to run away into the woods and find a slightly evil man to keep me warm
-> this scratches every itch just right and in so little time.. i'm blown away
YOU'RE POISON, BUT A GOOD KIND --- @northernbluess
-> i screamed about this fic in my reblog and in my DMs with el but this is SO FUCKING GOOD Y'ALL
-> the desperation, the imagery, the smut??? screaming and shaking
-> i am a sex pollen lover and i am not ashamed to admit it
Watch Party --- @sweetercalypso
-> literally such a fun and creative idea!! and so hot too oh my god
-> sign me up for a railing by poltergeist!joel
Texas Hold 'Em --- @sweetercalypso
-> strip poker babyyy
-> bold!reader and bold!joel while we're at it!!
quit it --- @iamasaddie
-> dear god the oral fixation
-> psychological freudian smut is not what i expected this month but it is what i received and it is what i now crave
a lover's pinch [series masterlist] --- @hier--soir
-> some of the most stunning writing i've seen on here
-> so many references to academia and literature that simultaneously trigger me and make me horny
-> the writing will fling you into the sun i promise
-> an absolute must-read, perfect in every way
Something Bad --- @fettuccin-e
-> kinktober: corruption
-> i'll s*** his d*** anytime anywhere anyhow
made by hand --- @tinycozycomfort
-> alex. writes. poetry. bitches.
-> copying the comment i left in my reblog bc it sums up my thoughts about this fic
-> this fic is a masterclass in brevity, emotion, smut—it's so good. everyone please read it immediately
flowering --- @tinycozycomfort
-> sub!joel yes please??
-> my first fic of alex's and i fell in love
-> baby... the dialogue.... i was shocked. i was in tears almost
go ahead and cry, little girl --- @party-hearses
-> actual poetry here folks
-> ridiculously sexy but also ridiculously gorgeous writing like??? HELLO?
-> so real about needing to have the feelings fucked out of you
never enough --- @amanitacowboy
-> the dirty talk in this fic.....
-> holy shit
-> filthy and nasty and hot and perfect yupyupyup
a matter of time --- @cupofjoel
-> made me cry
-> absolutely stunning writing (but it's bea, what you u expect)
-> a vulnerable and emotional joel is something we rarely see but is such a treat
-> the ending!!!! i read this on the train so the ppl behind me got a good show
body language --- @cupofjoel
-> the first fic i ever read by bea and i never looked back!!
-> so fucking HOT
-> cameras? cameras.
love me better, kiss me back --- @bastardmandennis
-> snowball kiss!!!
-> i thought about this for so long after i finished it
be my daddy --- @bastardmandennis
-> my first introduction to lexi, and fuck what an impression
-> huge huge fan of the writing style and the obvious care and dedication that went into this fic
-> it's all perfect just read it
-> dad!joel hehehe
Old Habits --- @wheresarizona
-> such a palpable and genuinely sweet dynamic between joel and reader, plus fantastic smut!!
Sins of My Father [series masterlist] --- @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin
-> angela indulging my sugar daddy fantasies tbh...
-> *in stefon from snl voice* this fic has everything, protective!joel, sugar daddy!joel, infidelity
grab the bull by the horns --- @proxima-writes
-> save a bull ride a miller!!
-> i am SAT for male whimpering
-> such a fun fic to read and the writing is so dynamic
my special toy --- @millerscoffee
-> turned me into a rabid animal that needed to be put down
-> the amount of daddy!joel i've read this month has changed me as a person
JAVIER PEÑA
When You Wish on a Shooting Star --- @mandoisapunk
-> husband!javi will forever occupy my mind [pussy] and soul
-> wedding anniversary antics!!!
ONLY ANGEL [series masterlist] --- @tieronecrush
-> ch. 6 just came out and i did scream actually!!!
-> such a sweet and sexy and sad rollercoaster of emotions and with such beautiful writing because... it's sam... so obviously
-> javi and bebita are so beautiful and i need them to be happy pls and thank you (looking directly at you bestie)
FRANKIE MORALES
The First Time --- @fettuccin-e
-> frankie has a big dick pass it on
-> size. kink.
i only have eyes for you --- @tieronecrush
-> this one is pure fluff, like so fucking sweet
-> frankie gets glasses babyyy
-> really just a heartwarming fic & a total pick-me-up
-> frankie getting the love he deserves
Tag-Teaming [frankie x reader x santi] --- @fettuccin-e
-> kinktober: threesome
-> dizzy and throwing up and crying
DIN DJARIN
Just This Once --- @fettuccin-e
-> bestie is making the rounds in this wrap-up
-> din cannot physically control himself he is down horrendous and it's super hot
-> for such a quick turnaround for all of your kinktober fics your writing literally never disappoints omfg.
DAVE YORK
Obsession --- @tropes-and-tales
-> kinktober: voyeurism
-> SUCH an underrated dave fic!!! oh my god!!
-> the writing has so much personality and i loved every single sentence!
Whew, that took just about forever. I hope I didn't fuck anything up lol. If you've made it this far, congratulations!! I sincerely hope you'll check out some of these amazing works because I really love and admire every one of these authors.
If you have any recs of your own that you would like to send me, my inbox and DMs are always open! Until the next volume, besties!!
xoxo kiwi 🥝
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2023 fic reader highlights
thanks to mostlymaudlin for putting together this template. i'm going to enjoy rereading all of these over the next few days and using the floating ao3 comment box, which has significantly improved my life, and increased the unhinged nature of my comments.
Fic that made me laugh
Cool Things to Say to Your Soulmate by @powerful-owl & @love-leah • daniel ricciardo/max verstappen • a collection of soulmate AUs
(everything em writes is hilarious, and this is full of heartache, miscommunication, and so many fun takes on the soulmate trope. delightful. haven't looked at geese the same way since.)
2. Fic that made me cry
one step closer and i'm real by @officialmood • daniel ricciardo/max verstappen • time travel, alternate universes
(this fic is exquisite, every version of daniel that max meets is distinctly different and broke my heart in a multitude of ways. made my heart twist in the best way.)
3. Fic that gave me a story hangover
all this happened, more or less by multi21 • charles leclerc/max verstappen • social media, canon divergence
(so much fun and so inspired! charles is a secret singer-songwriter, told through social media posts and devastating lyrics, le castellet is in my head at any given moment. went with this for story hangover because i thought about it for Days afterwards and then charles literally put his music on spotify. drop the escalier des fleurs content charles!!)
4. Fic I want to discuss book club style
playboy in the grotto by @freeuselandonorris • lando norris/oscar piastri • watersports
(the pinnacle of horny romance: gross, filthy, desperate, fond. had to pause reading several times to rant about my favourite bits. need a book club to discuss the wider cinematic universe where they explore more kinks in the most tender way.)
5. Fic that got me a lil flustered
the fire is slowly dying by @strawberry-daiquiris • oscar piastri/mark webber • age difference, mentor/protégé
(this is one of the most unhinged fics i've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. oscar is a total menace. scenes in this fic will stay with me Forever. i urge anyone to take a chance on the pairing if you're intrigued and FEAST.)
6. Fic by one of my favourite authors
jump right in by @strawberry-daiquiris • lando norris/oscar piastri • rule 63
(imagine your fiancée muses, 'what if lando was a girl and she'd never had an orgasm?' one day and then a couple of months later she's still working on a 100k+ masterpiece following the 2023 season where a third of the grid are women? i'm the luckiest. this fic is everything and i'm going to be LOST without it when it's finished.)
7. Fic I reread more than once
screen glows in a dark room by @hollywoodsargeant • oscar piastri/logan sargeant • phone sex, sex toys
(steaming hot phone sex, not a single word wasted. the first fic i read for this pairing and i keep coming back to it and also the whole apex predator series. HIGHLY recommend checking these out for the Dynamics.)
8. Fic I sent to everyone I know
side by side in orbit by @glasscushion • lando norris/oscar piastri, max fewtrell/lando norris • cuckolding, voyeurism, open relationships
(the concept is rancid and the vibes are UNMATCHED. this was delicious. as i said in my comment: when max feels spit pool beneath his tongue, when he forgets to breathe because he's so into what's happening in front of him. i felt that!!!!! immediate rec.)
9. Fic that made me fall in love with an author
i'll kiss you first by venerat • lando norris/oscar piastri • a/b/o
(my first fic for this pairing, i read it on a Very Early train and my brain never recovered. you might be able to tell from my tumblr. me reading this fic over and over like: 😅. still can't see the word 'ripe' and not think about lando being a grotty omega. every fic by venerat is an absolute BANGER. hit that subscribe button, my friends!!)
thank you to all of the wonderful authors and creators who have shared their work in fandom this year. 2023 has been a feast <3
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I'm rereading gallagher girls and can I just say I'd Tell You I'd Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You is so funny if you think about it from Josh's perspective.
Like you're just vibing at a fair and then all the sudden you see a girl reaching her hand into a trashcan to grab a soda bottle, you make eye contact and the first thing she says is "I have a cat." You have a silly little conversation about her cat who loves bottles, and learn she is homeschooled for religious reasons and then you leave thinking she's cute.
Then you run into her a few more times including at outside your neighbors surprise party, that she claims she was going to but then never enters. You ask this girl how to keep in touch because you like her, and she says no phone or email, leave notes in this wall instead???? You try to figure out what church this "homeschooled for religious reasons and doesn't have a phone" girl goes to and you have no idea.
You start dating her-still messaging through the wall- she never lets you take her home, she gets really confused when you give her a present on her birthday, almost like she forgot it was her birthday?
Then your friend claims that your girlfriend isn't actually homeschooled, she actually goes to the super exclusive boarding school for rich girls in your home town. When you catch her outside the school, she breaks up with you, claiming she was bored and that's why she dated you and then she IMMEDIATELY GETS KIDNAPPED.
So you do what any normal person would do, you call the cops. you try and rescue her and she's mad about it??? Claims it was a school thing??? And now she's fighting people off and ziplinning away while saying she never had a cat???
So your next rational move is to steal a forklift and drive it through the wall to save your girlfriend from whatever craziness she's involved in.
Then you're taken back to the boarding school, learn its actually a school for spies, your girlfriend is a spy and has lied to you about every single detail about herself, even down to her birthday and her dad being dead. Literally nothing you know about this girl except for her first name is true, and you've been dating for months.
And then her mom gives you special tea that makes you forget everything since she dumped you and you immediately start dating your girl best friend.
Like this poor man lmao
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GOLD RUSH | daniel ricciardo
PART 2/4 OF BROKEN GLASS AND HONEY SERIES.
CAN ALSO BE READ AS A ONE-SHOT.
PAIRINGS: daniel ricciardo x fem!reader, ex!max verstappen x fem!reader
WORD COUNT: 4.9k
SUMMARY: you don't like a gold rush, but you're attracted to someone everyone admires. when he stares at you with eyes like sinking ships on waters so inviting, will you jump in or not?
WARNINGS: cursing/swearing, people not giving a single fuck about the 3-month rule, mention of a hand injury, and allusions to a past unhealthy relationship. as i said, this can be read as a one-shot but there are references in this about the previous part of the series. so… you might want to read that. let me know if i missed any warnings. [⚠︎︎RATING: 16+]
AUTHOR’S NOTE: inspired by taylor swift’s song with the same title. also, based on my research, driver rooms are either located in a team motorhome or a floor in the driver’s garage. i literally watched paddock tours, garage tours, driver’s room tours BUT i still cannot find where in the japanese gp are the driver rooms located. so in this fic the driver’s room is a part of the garage, i imagined it on the 2nd floor. if you are reading the series i suggest rereading the last part because i changed some important details there like the timeline and stuff. again, huge thanks to my bestie @writingstoraes for helping me with the social media parts included here.
DESTINATION: Angst Avenue | GO TO SERIES MASTERLIST or GO BACK TO THE STATION.
All you did was accept his follow request on Instagram.
Then happened the small talks, the exchanging of numbers, the constant messages, and the little secret meetups.
And now here you were, meeting with his family as he introduced you to them.
What Max couldn’t do in almost 2 years, Daniel did in 2 months.
You remembered the date you accepted his follow request, July 19th. Only a few days before he would drive for AlphaTauri after Nyck de Vries got sacked. He then spent most of his summer break getting to know you. And when he sustained a break to a metacarpal on his left hand during the free practice 2 session at the Dutch Grand Prix, you stayed with him and it brought you even closer.
Today was September 19th. Exactly 2 months after you accepted his follow request and 2 days after the race in Singapore ended—the race where he returned after his injury. You were having dinner with his family. His mother told you stories about Daniel’s childhood. He was embarrassed at some of them, but you assured him that you thought the stories were cute. You smiled all throughout the meal. This was a new experience for you, getting introduced to someone’s family and getting treated like you were already one of their own.
You were used to being hidden. Things never used to be like this. For the longest time, it was always secret glances, touching behind closed doors, and kissing behind closed curtains. It was never talking, laughing, and getting along with his family.
He joined you when you took the initiative to wash the dishes. His mother didn’t want you to, but you insisted because it was all you could do in return for their warm welcome.
You worked as a team. You washed the plates with the dishwashing soap while Daniel rinsed them with water, silence never surrounding you for even a moment because he had so many stories to tell and you loved hearing every single one of them.
You weren’t even in a relationship yet. Sure, you went on a few dates, but there was still no label put on it. There were no kisses, no making out—just the occasional holding hands and Daniel never complained. He understood that you still weren’t prepared for another relationship and he was ready to wait.
“It’s late. We should probably rest,” he spoke up after you both washed your hands and dried them using a paper towel. You followed him into his childhood room.
“You take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor,” he said.
“You don’t need to do that. This is your room.”
“No, please. I insist,” he smiled.
You took the bed, immediately smelling his scent on the sheets. From the paint to the posters and the pillows, everything about this room screamed Daniel Ricciardo and it gave you so much comfort.
But even with all the comfort his bed provided, you still couldn’t sleep. “Daniel?” you called his name.
“Hmm?” he replied, he couldn’t sleep as well.
“What were you thinking that day?” you asked quietly.
“What day?”
“When you requested to follow me on Instagram. You knew I was dating Max, right?”
“You already broke up that night.”
“Well, yeah. But you didn’t know that.”
“I actually did. Max told me when he was drunk and crying. I don’t think he remembers telling me, though.”
“Why did you want to follow me?”
“I was curious, I guess. I wanted to see who made Max cry. He’s one of my closest friends so I wanted to know who was this girl he was crying about. Your account was private but I was really curious about you, so I requested to follow you and…”
“And?” you urged him to continue.
“And I loved what I saw. You’re really beautiful.”
You blushed, covering your face with your hands even though he couldn’t see them anyway. You changed the topic. “You said Max was crying?”
“Yeah. But then he also drunkenly told me the reason why. And for what it’s worth, I’m on your side. You did the right thing. You deserve someone better.”
No one spoke for a moment. Your mind suddenly lingered on Max. He would never cry in public, not even in front of a friend. You knew that if he was sober, he would’ve never cried in front of Daniel. Max always said that he was raised to not show any sign of weakness to anyone, and he thought that crying was one of them. You were the only exception. With you, he wasn’t afraid of crying. Hell, he had broken down in front of you countless times and you were always there for him. And he loved that you were always there for him.
You pushed any further thought of him away from your head. He wasn’t yours anymore. You shouldn’t think about him. He wasn’t the one lying on the floor next to the bed you laid on now, it was Daniel.
“Dan?” you softly called his name.
He smiled at the new nickname. “Yeah?”
“Can you sleep next to me?”
“Are you sure?” he asked. From the way his voice sounded, you knew he was smiling.
“Please?” you said, moving yourself to make a space for him on the bed.
He immediately stood up to lie beside you. None of you felt any awkwardness, it was almost like it was always meant to be like this—you and him, beside each other.
You stared at the ceiling, not really feeling any sleepiness. How could you? When there were about a thousand thoughts circling themselves in your head?
Thoughts about your future, about Daniel, and about Max. You were just thankful you were privileged to be born into a family that owns a successful company in Monaco. And although you stayed in Menton, you still worked for your family business. At least, if the public discovered your possible future relationship with Daniel, you knew they couldn’t call you a gold digger because you already have plenty of gold just by yourself. That was one less thing to worry about.
Daniel couldn’t sleep either, knowing that you were still awake. He looked at you, following your line of vision until he stared at the ceiling as well.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
“A lot,” you chuckled.
“Do you want to talk about them?”
“No,” you shook your head. “At least not yet.”
“That’s okay. You wanna talk about something else?”
You thought for a moment before a sudden question entered your mind. “What’s your favorite memory that happened here in your room?”
“Well, I had my first make-out session here,” he laughed.
You playfully hit his shoulder. “Really?” you laughed. “That’s your favorite memory?”
“Why? Are you jealous because it wasn’t you?” he teased.
“I-”
“Just kidding,” he laughed again. “My favorite memory in this room was when my dad and I sat on this bed and had a deep talk about life. I still l remember every piece of advice he told me that day and I try my best to follow them.”
“Care to tell me one advice?” you said. “Who knows, maybe it’ll help me out at some point.”
“There was one he told me that really stuck to me the most,” he responded.
“What is it about?”
“About love.”
You glanced at him before looking back up again at the ceiling. “Tell me.”
“Give love time to flourish, but never time what flourishes the love.”
You let the words sink in. You turned to your side so you could face him, urging him to elaborate.
“You can fall in love with someone years after meeting them, at the same time, you can fall in love with someone after hours of meeting them. The length doesn’t matter if the trust is strong and the love is already stronger.
“You can get engaged after being with someone for 6 years, at the same time, you can get engaged after being with someone for 6 months.
“Time matters, yes. But the length is subjective. Love is not supposed to be a competition where time is the sole judge. Sometimes, longer doesn’t mean healthier, and shorter doesn’t make it insincere or artificial.”
He turned to his side so he could face you as well. You didn’t know what to reply and he didn’t expect you to. You just stared at each other’s eyes.
You had never paid attention to his eyes more than what you were doing now.
They were gleaming.
Twinkling.
Those eyes…
They were like sinking ships on waters so inviting.
You almost jumped in.
You cleared your throat, pulling away from his face that was just an inch away from yours. Funny, you didn’t even notice your faces were moving closer to each other.
“W-we should-uhh n-not,” you suggested.
“Y-yeah, we should not,” he agreed, smiling sheepishly.
The next race was not far ahead. You actually thought that after the race in Singapore, he would fly straight to Japan to get ready for the next grand prix. Instead, he took 3 days off just to set up a dinner with you and his family.
You didn’t know why he did it, because if you were him, you wouldn’t want to stress yourself this much just for you to meet his family. You weren’t demanding anything right now. If Max made you wait for almost 2 years, you could wait a couple more months for Daniel. After all, waiting was your game—and an expert at that.
It wasn’t a coincidence that Daniel introduced you to his family exactly 2 months after your first interaction. He knew about the waiting game Max made you play for almost 2 years. The number ‘2’ always being the highlight. So, he did what Max couldn’t do in just 2 months. He wanted to prove something. And from the look on your face the moment his parents hugged you, he knew his little plan worked.
It also wasn’t a coincidence that out of all the advice his father gave him, what he told you was the one about love and time being subjective. It was his sly way of saying that it didn’t matter how long you two have known each other. He was basically saying that Max may have had you longer but you should pick him. He had feelings for you, he wanted you to see that, and hopefully, return them.
Tomorrow, he needed to travel. Reality would return again, and the track needed him. As much as he wanted to spend more time with you, his car won’t drive itself. He had a thought.
“Do you want to go with me?” he asked suddenly. “To Suzuka.”
There was something in you that screamed to go back to your Menton apartment. Were you ready to go to a Grand Prix supporting a different driver than who you were used to supporting?
This was a second chance at everything, though. A chance to move on and a chance to have something new and someone new to look forward to.
“Okay,” you finally answered. “I’ll just have to do some work online for our family business. But as soon as I’m done, I’ll be in the stands cheering for you.”
He looked at you like you said some forbidden language. “The stands?” he asked you.
“Yeah, like with the other fans,” you shrugged.
“You know you’re not like the other fans, right? You can watch in the garage. If you’re not comfortable with other people seeing you, you can stay in my driver’s room and watch there. I’m sure there’s a monitor there.”
Again, this was a new experience for you. You didn’t know what to say.
“It would make me really happy knowing you’re in my room rather than in the stands. I could also show you the car and some stuff,” he continued.
Max never even invited you to walk the pitlane with him. And now here was Daniel, all ready and prepared to tour the entire paddock with you if you asked him to.
“That would be great,” you smiled.
“We better rest then, we have to travel tomorrow.”
JAPAN. SEPTEMBER 24, 2023.
The race was happening today.
For the last few days since you got here, you chose to stay at a hotel near where the circuit was. Daniel was staying at the same hotel just 2 floors above yours. He invited you to stay in his room but you refused because it would raise a lot of suspicion. You were still figuring out what you had with Daniel and staying in the same room as him would paint a picture that you were already in a relationship. You knew just how F1 fans could become detectives if they wanted to. They already knew your name when Daniel decided to follow you on Instagram. A lot of them tried to follow you, but you chose not to accept their follow requests.
You stayed in your hotel room on Friday and Saturday, watching the practice sessions and the qualifying in your room. You didn’t really have a choice, you had online work to do. You watched while you worked.
But not today.
Today, you were free. Today, you’d watch the Grand Prix in person.
Daniel visited you quite often in your room. He took advantage of you being in the same hotel as him. He always tried to convince you to get out, but you always said that you were busy finishing some work in advance so you could attend the Grand Prix with no worries about work. He stayed beside you while you worked until his duties called him and he needed to get to work as well.
But not today.
Today, he didn’t have to convince you anymore because you wouldn’t stay in your room. Today, you’d join him.
The plan was to walk behind him through the paddock with an AlphaTauri staff until you reached his garage where he would tour you and get you to meet the people working there. After that, he would lead you to his driver’s room where you would stay.
If it was entirely up to him, he wanted you to walk beside him instead of behind. But you refused again, because you knew walking beside him would launch something that you weren’t sure of yet.
You didn’t understand yourself. You broke up with Max because he kept you hidden. And now that you were with someone who wanted to show you off to the world, you’d rather stay hidden. You told yourself it was just because you and Daniel did not have a label in your relationship yet. You convinced him it was just because you were still figuring everything out.
And those reasons were reasonable and true.
But you missed one little fact.
There was something about being hidden that excited you.
Maybe being Max’s secret for a long time had convinced you that being hidden was an exciting thrill.
A knock on your door interrupted your thoughts. You finished fixing your hair immediately to open it. On the other side was a staff from AlphaTauri you had gotten close to for the past couple of days. You followed her downstairs where you met up with Daniel.
As soon as Daniel entered the paddock, all eyes were on him. The cameras turned and snapped pictures, your white cap barely hiding your face so you looked down and focused on the road most of the time. You should’ve brought sunglasses.
You heard people calling his name. Photographers, fans, people from the other teams—everyone. He displayed a huge smile on his face that everyone returned as soon as they got a sight of him. He waved at everyone, because let’s be honest, everyone knew him.
You saw everything as you walked behind him.
You saw how everyone admired him.
How everyone glorified everything he did.
Not everyone knew him personally, but everyone felt close to him. That was how admirable Daniel Ricciardo was. He leaves a mark on everyone. A mark so indelible and so perfect that no one could ever forget. No one would dare to forget.
It started to make you insecure.
It ached to even think of how perfect he was, of how peaceful he was. Like sunshine, he was a need for everyone. He presented a light that everyone would kill for just to have a taste of.
It started to make you jealous.
It was like he floated as he walked because everyone cheered on him. Like a rush of gold, he was a desire—a temptation.
And you didn’t like a gold rush.
You didn’t like anticipating your face in a red flush.
You didn’t like that anyone would die to feel his touch.
Everybody wanted him.
Halfway through your destination, the AlphaTauri staff you were walking with behind Daniel suddenly realized she left something important in her room. She had to go back to the hotel, leaving you no choice but to stand and walk beside Daniel.
And he loved it. He glanced at you every now and then, smiling and checking if you were alright. He brought his camera with him, he took some pictures of the surroundings while he walked. You didn’t know that most of those pictures were you looking around the place. You’ve been to multiple F1 races in your life, but this was your first time in a Grand Prix in Japan.
You entered the pitlane with him. And once again, photographers snapped pictures of him. You slowed down a bit, letting Daniel be on the front again and the only focus of the cameras. He instantly noticed the lack of your presence beside him, looking at you and smiling, telling you it was alright and that you could walk beside him again. You eyed the cameras, observing that their focus was not on Daniel anymore as another driver was walking towards your way. So, you went back beside him, smiling softly at him. He placed a hand on your back guiding you through the large amount of people coming and leaving the pitlane.
For a slight moment, you wondered how someone so perfect would want to be with someone so imperfect. How could someone as desired as gold would want to love someone who was the complete opposite?
You were nearing his garage, but before you could reach it, a pair of familiar eyes caught yours. You swore you felt your heart jump and the world stop for a second but you shook it off.
As it turned out, the other driver that was walking towards your way was none other than Max Verstappen.
He froze for a second but he looked away from you. He continued walking, pretending that nothing ever happened but you noticed that his jaw was clenched when he walked past you.
When you reached Daniel’s garage, he introduced you to his race engineer and mechanics. You exchanged greetings. Yuki Tsunoda joined the conversation as well when he took notice of the new addition that Daniel brought.
“So, what are you two?” Yuki asked. The other people in the garage were listening intently, curious as to what the answer was.
“Umm, we’re not really sure yet,” you answered honestly. “We’re still figuring it out.”
You looked at Daniel and he grinned, agreeing with your answer. Most of them shrugged at your response but they couldn’t hide the smirks they were showing when they each looked at Daniel.
Daniel led the way to his driver’s room, making sure you were settled in there before he eventually had to leave to do some things he needed to do.
You heard the sound of your phone notifying you that someone sent you a message. You checked it.
You rolled your eyes as you stared at your phone, slightly cursing at yourself because you swore not to reply to any of his texts anymore. His last texts were from the night he tried to convince you to stay with him—the last time you talked to him in person. You didn’t even notice yourself typing a reply until you already sent it.
You knew nothing would stop Max from doing what he wanted to do. What Max Verstappen wants, Max Verstappen gets.
You just placed your phone in your pocket and hoped that whatever kind of talk they would have would not affect the race later.
The race would start at 1:00 p.m., and even at 9:17 a.m., you could already feel how busy everyone was. Daniel entered the room, immediately sitting next to you on the couch and hugging you close. He rested his head on your lap and you played with his hair, twirling his already curly hair with your fingers. You stayed like that for a while, you were sure Daniel had already fallen asleep. You chuckled, pulling your phone from your pocket and snapping a cute picture of him.
You weren’t sure how many minutes had passed. You tried taking a nap but your excitement for today was too much for even a minute of sleep to consume you. So, you just stared at Daniel and resumed playing with his hair with one hand, while the other scrolled through Twitter on your phone.
And there it was. The speculations were already starting. You had no idea how they even knew it was you from just a side view of your body.
But for the first time, you didn’t care.
You scrolled even more, reading almost every comment about the picture of you and Daniel.
Every comment and reply you saw was positive, not even one negative comment about him. People loved him and you understood them. What’s there not to love about him?
Even you were not an exception. You cared for him. You were attracted to someone everyone admired.
Everybody wondered what it would be like to love him.
And you wondered the same.
Daniel’s phone that was atop the coffee table made a noise, informing him that someone had texted. He was still lying on the couch with his head on your lap when he got woken up by the notification and took his phone from the table. He immediately sat up when he saw who it was.
You sneaked a glance and saw that it was Max.
They were texting back and forth and since Daniel’s phone was not on silent, you heard every tap he made on his keyboard. He was typing roughly, his phone shaking just by the force of his typing. His jaw was clenched and his eyebrows were knitted.
He was angry.
And you knew why. You wanted the couch you were sitting on right now to eat you alive.
Minutes later, someone knocked on the door, saying something about a meeting he needed to present for. You knew he wasn’t talking to Max anymore because he had stopped typing. But still, he stared at the phone with so much hatred.
You had never seen Daniel this angry before. You couldn’t help but ask Max what he said.
But of course, Max told you nothing.
Daniel stood up suddenly, his stance telling you he was still pissed off. But before he could fully leave the room, he looked at you as if he was asking for your permission if he could leave. You nodded in response, smiling to assure him that you were going to be fine.
You didn’t dare to know how their conversation went anymore.
“It’s lights out and away we go!” you heard Crofty announce. And as soon as he said it, 20 sensational drivers in their cars fought for positions.
You actually left Daniel's room before the race started, deciding to watch from the back of the main garage with the other AlphaTauri guests. You didn’t need to hide anyway because people already knew you. And besides, the cameras were focused on the race.
53 laps later, Daniel finished P9 which was astonishing given that he was driving an AlphaTauri. Because let’s be honest, the team and their cars aren't exactly built to win a championship.
You knew he had media duties to do after the race so you didn’t expect him to go back immediately. You returned to his room, watching the post-race interviews while waiting for him. You immediately focused on the screen as soon as it was his turn.
“P9, huh? What an astonishing drive,” a Sky reporter praised him.
“Well, yeah,” he chuckled. “Thank you. I had a lot more motivation today and I made sure to project it on track.”
You blushed.
The reporter asked him questions about the pace, what he felt about the race and the usual stuff. All of them he answered with a smile on his face. Even in his sweaty conditions, he looked gorgeous.
What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?
His hair was falling into place like dominoes.
And once again you questioned just how on earth this man was a real person.
Back in the hotel, with your phone in your pocket, you were helping Daniel pack his suitcases in his room after you already packed yours.
He was taking a much-needed shower while you insisted on packing his belongings for him. God knew how tired he was after the race and you had a lot of free time on your hands. Even if he didn’t want you to do it for him, you still did it.
Daniel came out of the bathroom already dressed and immediately proceeded to help you pack. “Have you seen my headphones?” he asked.
“No, and I haven’t packed it yet,” you answered. “Where did you last remember using it?”
“I think it’s in your room.”
“Okay, I’ll check it,” you got ready to leave before he stopped you.
“You want me to come with you?” he asked.
“No, but thanks,” you smiled. “Just continue packing so we’ll finish faster.”
Moments later, you discovered that his headphones were indeed in your room. You quickly retrieved it and made your way back to his.
As you were about to open Daniel’s door, the room beside him opened and someone entered the hallway. You made the mistake of looking at the person because it was Max. You made eye contact for the second time that day and he seemed stuck on the floor.
He frowned, eyeing you and the room you were about to enter. You saw his confusion turn into realization when he remembered who the person staying in that room was. And then, he scoffed. He walked past you again, brushing his shoulder with yours as he went straight to the elevator.
You sighed, opening the door and seeing how Daniel already finished packing most of his belongings.
“I found it,” you said, handing him the headphones. He stood up from his position, getting the item from your hand before tossing it on the bed and caging you with his arms.
“My God, what would I do without you?” he said, rocking you back and forth as he hugged you.
You looked up to meet his eyes. “I don’t know, probably lose half of your things,” you laughed as he released you from his arms. “Now, where were we?” you asked, looking over all the suitcases on the floor.
“I finished most of it, I’m sure it’ll take me only 5 minutes to finish the rest.”
“Okay, you do that. I’ll check the other bags if you’ve forgotten something again.”
Daniel did in fact finish the rest in only 5 minutes. He stood up, stretching his body after the crouching he had to do while he was packing.
You couldn’t help but look at him. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and his back was facing you. You saw how the muscles on his arms and back flexed while he stretched.
Suddenly, everything was in slow motion.
You didn't like slow motion double vision in rose blush.
You didn’t like that falling felt like flying 'til the bone crush.
Everybody wanted him.
And you didn’t like that you didn’t wonder the same anymore.
Because unlike them, you didn’t need to wonder. You already loved him.
You didn’t like a gold rush.
But for him, you would.
You stood up, walking towards him until you were in front of him. He faced you, confused as to what you had to say.
But you didn’t say anything.
Instead, you placed your hands on his cheeks and you caressed them gently.
His eyes started doing the same thing they did back when you spent the night in his childhood room and your heart started beating faster than ever.
They were gleaming.
Twinkling.
Those eyes…
They were like sinking ships on waters so inviting.
So, you jumped in.
You pulled his face close to you, closing the distance with a passionate kiss. He was shocked at first, not because he didn’t want it but because he didn’t expect it. He was ready for you anytime, he was just waiting for the time you would tell him that you felt the same.
And instead of telling him, you showed him.
With a kiss, you made him feel.
Daniel reciprocated the kiss and held you closer.
From that moment on, he won.
Or at least he thought he did.
We all know Max Verstappen was a fierce competitor.
He kissed your forehead when he pulled away. Then, he placed a soft peck on both sides of your cheeks before pressing his hands softly on them. You looked at him lovingly.
Your phone in your pocket buzzed from someone messaging you but you were too busy admiring Daniel that you didn’t even pay attention to it.
Only time would tell how those two sets of three little words would affect you.
SLYTHERHEIGN TAGLIST: @writingstoraes @joshiiieeenesx
FORMULA ONE TAGLIST: @dreamingofautopia @lpab @matildrry
message me or comment down below if you want to be added to my taglist! specify if you want to be added to my main (slytherheign) taglist where i’ll tag you in everything i publish in the future or just the formula one taglist.
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Van Helsing Venting (Vent Helsing)
Requisite apology goes here: I am sorry in advance to everyone with a soft spot for the funky old man.
But the reread combined with the podcast has helped put into focus an aggravation that has been nettling me forever without quite knowing how to articulate it.
I’ve brushed the edges of it more than once in several rants about how the Harkers are so constantly given the short stick in every single adaptation of Dracula for a hundred and a quarter years.
Jonathan is either erased, made into a bore, a brute, or unceremoniously killed off while all the amazing character traits and actions he’s responsible for in the story get stolen away and parsed out to others in the cast, often Dracula, Van Helsing, or [INSERT FEMALE THROWN INTO THE CASTLE TO BE BRIDAL CARRIED TO BED HERE].
Mina is alternately a feeble damsel who’s only there to be the pure maiden who gets to live through her seduction*** by Dracula (versus the suddenly scandalous-and-salacious Lucy), or a hashtag girlboss (reincarnated wife syndrome applied as desired) who divorces or otherwise abandons her milksop husband to hook up with a REAL MAN like DRACULA who sexily sex-liberates her. With sex. That she totally for sure wanted along with the bloodsucking.
But on one thing, the Harkers are equal—they never. Ever. Ever. Get to be the true protagonists of any Dracula adaptation, or spinoff, or offshoot, or revamp, et cetera.
This, despite Jonathan being the one to spend the most time with Dracula, alone, in his gothic horror novella of an opening, for Two Months, in which he got the most interaction and dialogue with the Count out of anyone else in the book.
This, despite him and his diary and his love to the point of blasphemy and his nerve and his kukri all being instrumental for the novel to work.
This, despite Mina being the one to literally compile the entire novel out of the transcripts it’s stitched from.
This, despite her connecting the dots to oust the bastard and showing immense courage all on her lonesome in confronting the Count for others’ sake more than once.
But why?
For the longest time, I was ready to grind my teeth and grouse over the obvious reasons of Jonathan and Mina Harker being so gloriously subversive then—and now!—that writers and directors of a certain sneering bent refused to acknowledge anything of their characters beyond the names when slathering their latest cookie cutter vampire bodice ripper with Stoker’s cast titles. The Harkers’ approaches to gender, to heroism, to defeating a villain whose entire role is being the worst of the Gothic Masculine Monster who bullies and preys upon pretty victims to collect for himself (hello harem and power fantasy combo, let’s make THIS guy the ultra-cool totally misunderstood sexypire star of the show!) all chafe against the mental rewrites too many filmmakers and writers make to turn the novel more palatable to their tastes. Assuming they read the book at all.
And that’s all its own pile of rants. But I’ve realized, only now, that this is just part of the problem. The other issue stems from Bram Stoker himself.
That issue being the conversion of an otherwise tight narrative and set of primed protagonist characters into the Abraham van Helsing Show.
I don’t know what it was about today’s entry specifically that made it all click home. Maybe it was already percolating since yesterday, or the day before. But somewhere in Van Helsing’s latest filibuster of dialogue—‘We must share everything! No, wait, tell her nothing! We must make all haste and not lose a moment! Let me turn five minutes’ worth of information into a monologue about bloom and blood and then suggest we all take a siesta on our laurels since we definitely have time to beat the Czarina Catherine! Jonathan, you stay at home with Mina while me and my non-questioning ducklings/the others who don’t really need lines anyway take care of the problem, doctor’s orders! And all my orders are followed, unquestionably, every time, despite them very clearly having only a 50/50 success rate, as is right!’—it all really hit me.
The moment Van Helsing turned into the never-doubted, never-need-apologize, yes, do kiss his hands like a fucking mafia godfather in gratitude for Doing the Things He Should Have Known to Do in the First Place After Lucy, ‘leader’ rather than ‘the lore collector/mentor’ is when the novel turns on its heel and starts breaking its back to accommodate him at the expense of everyone else.
The Harkers get it the worst, naturally.
Once they arrive in Purfleet and the documents are handed over, Van Helsing leads the pack in peer pressuring them into sequestering Mina away as their cheerleader who Need Not Suffer the Icky Horror of -checks notes- finding boxes. Not sent away anyplace safe and guarded by home rules and garlic and crosses; just left to Yellow Wallpaper her days away in the asylum suite.
Meanwhile, Jonathan proves to be literally the only useful member of this group project via hauling ass all over London to gather information to bring back to the table…which Van Helsing then oh-so-helpfully disseminates on top of the obvious point that, hey, yeah, there’s probably boxes there. We should do Wafers about it.
Now, in fairness, Van Helsing was a vital character up to a certain point. Jack called him in for his broader expertise, for how open his mind was as far as what he was willing to investigate or believe as a threat. Without him and his lore collection in Amsterdam, a lot of the details regarding anti-vampire tactics and Dracula’s history lesson wouldn’t have come into play. All this, plus providing the hideous proof of the Bloofer Lady’s reality, making the last three nonbelievers into members of the Drac Attack Pack. Last but far from least, he helps reassure Jonathan to free him from his crushing self-doubt, and then brings in both of the Harkers to create the full group. Fuck yeah!
All that considered, it does make some sense for him alone to give his little seminar on the Dracula Issue…
…except for the fact that Mina has absorbed and transcribed all the info herself. Literally all of it. And the fact that Jonathan personally knows the fucker. All three of these characters should have been at the head of the table, sharing what they know.
But they weren’t. It’s starting to become all about Dr. Abe—because that’s how Stoker keeps his OC self insert in the lion’s share of the spotlight.
This is also when Van Helsing is fresh off the nightmare with Lucy, fresh off of acknowledging that there is literally no reason at all to keep vampire secrets from anybody in this room, fresh off of being oh so thrilled with Mina’s helpfulness and canniness, fresh off of what should have been him learning his lesson and—in open-minded fashion—cutting off any benignly sexist chivalry at the knees to keep Mina in the loop and share the mastermind role.
And what does he decide?
Off to the tower, princess. It’s man work time! Man work here meaning: Investigate some scary dirt. Some rats are there. Everyone break up some Christ crackers, men. Thank God Mina isn’t here to suffer this, amirite? Oh, and Jonathan, be a dear and gather all the information on Dracula’s locations and properties while me and the others…do whatever. Read? Smoke? Something. Anyway, attaboy, such a good hard worker you are, Only Non-Titled Fresh-From-the-Lower-Class Man in the Group!
And then, after October 3rd?
He’s horrified. He’s upset. He’s King Laughing about Dracula’s good meal and within inches of being kukri’d. But you know what he isn’t?
Apologetic.
Oh, he says sorry for the crack about Dracula eating well—but all the actions that led up to the attack? Not a peep.
And when he falls right back into the ‘withhold as much information as possible until it’s time for a Big Specialboy Meeting and my Big Specialboy Corn-flavored Monologue of the Day, in which I’ll give more orders with full expectation that everyone here will hop to it like good little student-soldiers because the author says we can only follow me me me?’
The only saving grace is that Jonathan—not even Mina! JONATHAN!—finally puts his foot down and refuses to chase the stick without conferring with Mina first. Mina, who has always taken precedent to him, period, but also Mina, who has proven herself to be the soundest mind in the entire group and already well aware of the dangers Dr. Abe has been rambling about and trying to be oh-so-covert and sneaky about with Jack.
On that subject? Van Helsing is STILL living a fantasy world where he, and occasionally Jack, are the only ones who can put 2 and 2 together and consider taking anti-vampire measures against Mina.
When everyone has already read everything.
When Mina knows exactly what the risks and measures are.
When Jonathan ‘Would Sell His Soul for His Love and to Slaughter Dracula’ Harker knows all of this.
WHEN EVERYONE HAS EYES THAT CAN ALSO SEE MINA’S TEETH.
Brammy Pajamas. Bramothy Stokerton. Bramward Stokerbroker. My guy.
Your OC, by your own text’s rules, is not special here. He is not the protagonist. He is not the extra-clever center of the narrative’s universe, per your own fucking writing. Stop forcing this man and his refusal to evolve from his preconceptions and his main character pedestal-theft and his goddamn corncobs down our throats.*
*Note: This will not happen.
The one silver lining yet to come will be that Jonathan and Mina get to roughly shoulder their way back into the story’s forefront by the book’s climax. In a huge way. Jonathan even gets an upcoming scene in which he gets to finally, rightfully, chew Van Helsing to ribbons for casually declaring a Certain Horrifying Action has to be taken (Again! No questions asked! No explanation offered until after said chewing-out!) and the narrative treats this as the right move!
But still. Still. Van Helsing is showered with Stoker’s overblown attention to a character that should have had his influence and dialogue whittled down to a supporting role rather than crowding out the Harkers for two whole thirds of the book, complete with them batting their eyes at how brilliant~ he is for much of it.
Despite.
The facts.
In The Text.
That Mina and Jonathan could have led the the whole fucking thing themselves.
We’ll see in later chapters that Mina is ONCE AGAIN the one to figure out Dracula’s plans ahead of time and set everyone on the right course. Jonathan is ONCE AGAIN the one laser-focused on seeking and slaying the Count almost on a supernatural level. On top of all that? What galls me almost as much as the Harkers being robbed of their story spotlight IN THEIR OWN FUCKING STORY?
If Van Helsing hadn’t been one-man-showing the bulk of the dialogue to make sure Brammington got to wave his self-insert around as much as possible?
We could have let Jack, Arthur, and Quincey be actual presences in the book. Jack has a big role! Absolutely! But even he gets relegated to an orbiting figure rather than an active one once Van Helsing starts hogging the pages. Arthur is practically reduced to a mutely mourning money machine. Quincey gets a few moments to remind everyone Hi, Yes, I am a Cowboy. And that’s it.
THAT’S. IT. FOR ALL OF THEM.
Hell, even Lucy and Renfield get whittled down to wisps of dialogue compared to the whole trees’ worth of lines Van Helsing rattles off.
All because Stoker couldn’t bear to let Van Helsing be the character he should have been.
The support. The guide rather than the commander.
Star Wars isn’t about Yoda, but it wouldn’t be the same without the wise little weirdo! That’s what Van Helsing would and should have been great for! But no!
I see now that I owe at least one small retroactive apology to those movie makers and spinoff writers who try to spin Van Helsing as the very real definite archnemesis of Dracula despite the fact that they have exactly two (2) scenes together and no dialogue. It’s not just the cool name. It’s not just because all of the (frequently male and/or Dracula-crushing) directors and writers refuse to acknowledge Jonathan Harker’s existence or importance.
It's because Stoker himself damn near choked his own book to death with the old man’s screentime, backed up by an utter refusal to let the narrative or the characters acknowledge when he’s fucked up. He always has to be the wise scholar. He always has to command the room and the story when neither of them belong to him.
I’d genuinely like to see one of two adaptations in the future.
In one, we could see a Van Helsing who, following October 3rd, chooses to step back. One where he and others logically point out that he has misled everyone with forced unnecessary ignorance and following stodgy hindering social rules, again, and it has doomed someone precious to them, again. One where the Harkers finally get proper center stage, likewise for the Suitor Squad—the latter of whom are written in canon as having a legit history of dangerous adventures undertaken together. Flesh those out, writers! Let these characters be present in their own fucking story! It’d be a golden opportunity to highlight a point Stoker fumbles even as he champions so many other forward-thinking notions:
Sometimes the older generation has to let go of the reins. Sometimes progress doesn’t come just from following and nodding along, but from forging ahead with new concepts and fresher minds. Case in point, Mina and Jonathan, who are apparently still too radically-written to be bothered with depicting accurately in the 21st century apart from a podcast that is literally just reading their lines verbatim.
The other option an adaptation could take? Supposing it really wanted to lean into the horror and heartbreak and forcing the ducklings to stop grasping at the Dutchman’s coattails?
Kill Van Helsing.
Dracula would absolutely think to target him, assuming that he, the elder with his acquired lore and scholarly nuisance, must surely be the keystone keeping his young enemies together. Given the chance, he’d follow that assumption to its conclusion and, on top of burning what he assumes is all the documentation on him, murdering his fellow clever old man in cold blood, ala Renfield. Bonus points if this comes at a bittersweet cost of Van Helsing landing a parting blow on the Count as thematic penance for ‘failing’ Mina, the second young girl who trusted him and paid for it, giving the bastard his second scar to match the shovel blow on his brow. Double bonus if the mark comes from a Wafer burn.
“Any last words, old man?”
“God bless you.”
Cue him slapping the Son right in the fucker’s face. He doesn’t last long after that, but it’s still a good view to go out on as the Vampire curses and sizzles.
And, natch, he will have been wise enough to leave another memorandum for Jack and the others just in case this very thing should happen. A rousing farewell speech, some parting intel, some apologies made. Perhaps a more personal goodbye to his pupil; complete with Jack’s professional mien cracking like glass and the long-put-off tears finally pouring. Then, finally, the crew move forward as one; no longer leaning on or chafing against Van Helsing’s assumed lead, but using the exact same tools they’d always had at their disposal, along with their own wits that the narrative forced them into ignoring in favor of the Professor’s lectures.
Anyway.
Van Helsing is not a bad character. He’s richly made and interesting, as any worthwhile member of a cast should be! But Stoker crammed him into the wrong role and spread him far too thin across the whole book. Doing so has been detrimental not only to all the media which followed it, but to the actual leads of the novel.
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I've been real absent online the last couple of months, but I can't miss out on @iwtvfanevents 'a meal to remember' because we are so incredibly blessed with beautifully creative and talented people in this fandom who constantly inspire and allow me to forever-wander in the world of Louis de Pointe du Lac, my most darling and favorite character ❤️ this won't be nearly as organized as I'd like it to be, won't say all I want to say, and I will inevitably miss somebody and/or some fic, but just know that there is so much wonderful content out there, especially by so many of the people on this list that anyone can check out at any point:
twelve days/nine months by @devotiondroid & @weather-mood
daniel/louis/armand modern human au
quite literally the fic that saved the holiday season for me. when new chapters of 'twelve days' would post, I would drop everything to go read it and would count down the days until the next update was set to happen. 'nine months' is a wip in the same verse and just as stunning. it's no surprise it's amazing; it's toni and it's bri, two people shining with so much talent it's blinding. and their powers combined?? oh my god.
(there's also a one-shot in this verse called 'saint valentine' and my brain broke reading it, idk)
now, just a list of @devotiondroid fics that changed me as a person:
daniel/louis (and a little louis/armand as of now) human au
quicksilver/mercury
a danlou noir au that I reread a couple of weeks ago just to feel something again and then toni up and posted its prequel 'mercury' and I simply couldn't cope. the noir vibes paired with the gorgeously yearning story is just !!! everything.
daniel/louis modern human au
baby, I'm your man
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WOULD READ 1000000k of this world. the idea of it, the complete ache of this story, has stuck with me, buried somewhere between my ribs, and I'll forget about it for a second then remember and it'll hit me like truck how wonderful it is. toni................m o r e
lestat/louis human au
my neck, her rope
solar plexus hit of a fic. oh, oh the loustat dynamics....it's gorgeous and the concept is !!!!!!!!!! everything to me
and now, my list of @weather-mood fics that, when posted, I quite literally become/became a dragon needing to hoard the newfound treasure immediately:
armand/louis (armand/louis/REAL RASHID) canon-verse
instruction
real rashid, my beloved ;;;; no but, honestly, bri has made real rashid so important to me and to loumand, she's why he exists in my first (unfinished) loumand fic 'facio ut facias' because he's just that important. but bri also just always puts into her fics the gorgeous way that loumand are so perfect together, the way they are consumed with one another's existence.
armand/louis canon-verse-esque
rumpelstiltskin
FAIRY TALE AU. bri is also the inspiration behind my unposted and ongoing fairy tale au because no one does it like her and this one is......oh god, the way armand is the only character that could have ever been in this, the way he fits into louis' life to be this exact character.......don't talk to me
lestat/louis; armand/louis; armand/louis/daniel siren au
THE ENTIRE PART OF YOUR WORLD (ONCE UPON A WINE DARK SEA) VERSE
y'all don't need me to tell you how perfect it all is. I think about it constantly, I've told real life friends about it, it's everything, every single fic of it is everything.
lily/lestat
pirouette by @weather-mood and @nlbv/@ouizaya
it's so interesting thinking about lestat in those weeks and months of hunting louis, of how he found out things about him from others, how he got lily so involved, how she died because of it all, and the way bri and zaya took all of that and then showed the mental state of lily throughout it all, how much lestat's vampiric control ruined her....................amazing. it's everything.
lestat/louis canon-verse
tides by @nlbv/@ouizaya
zaya, my love, she takes some of the sexiest loustat scenes and makes them even sexier before gut-punching you with something insane and devastating and it reminds me so much of the show's writing, the way you'll be like 'look at my family <3' and then suddenly their conversation has gotten dark, the room looks cold, and you wonder how they'll ever truly come back from it......... god
shallows by @nlbv/@ouizaya
REPEAT ALL THAT I SAID ABOVE AND THEN SOME. like???? the episode 6 elaboration???????????? oh my god. it's real. it's what happened. we all know it.
roadkill by @nlbv/@ouizaya and baberainbow
I think about this fic so often. the car wreck, lestat and claudia being so in-tune with one another hunting because they're the same, the way they're both aware of louis, the way the family works and fits in, the gore and beauty of it. obsessed.
TIME TO TALK ABOUT BABE.
lestat/louis canon-verse
glass
the capturing of louis during those earliest vampiric days, paired with lestat's doting as he tried to solidify his wooing, and then just -- everything else, it's all so good.
disruptions
that scene in ep 7 where the entire family teams up on that poor man at their door is crazy and this fic takes that concept and just runs with it in the best way
lestat/louis non-traditional a/b/o verse
lioness
listen.............i'm such a sucker for a good a/b/o fic and we have a severe lack of them in iwtv, thank you, babe, for writing a beautiful one
armand/louis canon-verse
luna
the way that loumand have been together through some of the most insane historical events will haunt me and also I'm in love with the idea of it, thank you, babe, I want every single year and something they experienced together
armand/louis; lestat/louis; louis/others canon-verse
catacomb
a required read leading into season 2. that's all you need to know.
armand/louis/lestat cannibalistic modern au
cleave/tie by @kittyldpdl
a couple of years ago, I went through this obsessive body horror phase where all I watched and read was something that had some kind of body horror and it would make me nauseous but also I was so intrigued, so fascinated, I couldn't stop. this is that. oh my god.
armand/louis; lestat/louis modern au
capillary by @kittyldpdl and @salmoncakepls
WIP. I think about it once a week. falling in love with louis while dressing him??????????? oh my god, the concept, the idea, I want to drown in it
armand/louis; lestat/louis robot&android au
design; intricate by @salmoncakepls
every time I see concepts for this fic my brain short circuits and every time I read it I just !!!!!!!!!!!!! the brain behind this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the most brilliant
goat goat goat time <3 <3 <3
armand/louis
prey drive by @iwtvdramacd18
HI I THINK ABOUT PREY DRIVE EVERY TWO DAYS AND FEEL FAINT. like idk what else to say, it just sticks with you and you're like 'wow they're just like that and it's insane and beautiful and raw' and goat just writes it perfectly, always
lestat/louis
exposure by @iwtvdramacd18
I've never actually heard of this fic, but if I had, I would assume it was the most batshit crazy thing I'd ever read......full compliments
lestat/louis WIP
lunacy by @iwtvdramacd18
I seriously always admire people who can write the 'monster' so well. I struggle so much with actual horror/monsters/suspense and so to read it so well done always makes me a little crazy
armand/louis/daniel canon-verse after s1
gathering dust by @knifeeater
non-linear narrative !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
armand/louis canon-verse esque
alluvium by @knifeeater
I see the tag service dom armand and my brain blacks out, comes back, and is forever changed. that's all.
armand/louis/lestat
perpetuum mobile by @knifeeater
sometimes you read a fic and the opening is the most insane thing you've ever read that you're like 'how can they keep this up?' and then they do and you're like 'oh so you're that kind of talented....okay' that's this fic.
armand/louis canon-verse
dirges by @dictee
'He had told Louis once, a lifetime ago, as a kind of bedtime story, about his work with cadavers in the nineteenth century, in the catacombs under the Parisian graveyards. Louis, half asleep, made some comment about Mary Shelley, but in his mind it was his skin under Armand’s scalpel, as loving a part of Armand as any. Shuddering and offering up the red jewels of his insides. ' please read it. oh my god.
MORE DANLOU NOIR THAT IS JUST
i'll let you win by @diasdelfuego
danlou prophet. daniel just being so overcome by louis...........daniel just being so enraptured, so in love. the noIR. ily. need to reread asap actually oh my god.
daniel/louis post s1
nothing left to give you now by @diasdelfuego
'When he turns back around, Louis is still facing away from him, eyeing the coffee table as he shrugs off his coat. It slides gracefully off Louis' elegant frame to reveal a deep burgundy button-down underneath. In Daniel's mind, he thinks as he takes in the sight, Louis is always wearing black —mourning black, the writer in his brain supplies. Daniel takes stock of him while Louis stands at the edge of the carpet and looks over Daniel's apartment. The vampire is just as preternaturally young as he was half a century ago, just as beautiful, looking entirely out of place in Daniel's mundane, chaotic environment.' like imagine the whole fic being this beautifully written................................w h a t
lestat/louis; armand/louis murdery mystery au WIP
overlords by @diasdelfuego and @shewhomustbecalledking
I'm behind on this (work is the worst, let's all quit our jobs) but what I've read is just !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO INSANE. cannot wait to catch up, I have spring break in three weeks and honestly just want to read the entire time, catching up on this and drowning in its beauty
lestat/louis a/b/o verse WIP
house of gold by @shewhomustbecalledking
I think this was the first a/b/o fic I read for this fandom and it's the blueprint, it's the reason, it's everything. the way lestat is so perfectly lestat in this is everything to me. I love an in-character lestat so much.
armand/louis; lestat/louis AU gothic horror WIP
rhodedendron by @blueiight
'Let the Devil tempt me not, Louis thought, as he crawled to the mirror. Hollowed out eyes stared back at him, light-brown mawkish physique barely visible, swallowed up by loose pajamas, twists slightly askew but still meticulously sectioned off.
You look a fucking mess, bruh. Hardly fit to carry on the Du Lac name, what lady would want troubles such as yours? His Mother’s voice blended in with his own. But alas he could not be, could not sit in his sorrow and forever laud the man he was not.' true southern gothic horror. the last two chapters changed everything for me.
lestat/louis modern human au
dreaming put to shame by @downstairsbar
I read this every single weekend. the beginning??? louis classing lestat?????????????? louis knowing lestat's eyes are on him but not understanding it???????????? the way I'd give anything for a million more words about how they got to the last part, about what all follows.
lestat/louis canon-verse modern era WIP
murmur by proval
the way these are still our louis and our lestat, reunited after everything, still so the same, still so not..............this author seems to have such a good hold of these characters, I can't wait to see where this fic goes
armand/louis; lestat/antoinette; lestat/louis modern succession inspired au WIP
dirty, sexy money by thevintage
I've never seen succession but I love a business au and these first three chapters are so good. lestat and louis are divorced, they have claudia to tie them together, lestat is marrying his mistress, and louis has just met armand who is business rival of lestat's and the sparks are already flying and ohmygodohmygodohmygod
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recommended works
⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹
these are the folks who have written or drawn something (specifically within the rocket raccoon fan community) that either murdered me, resurrected me, or both.
(i am always open to recs so if you wanna link me to your fave i will be so happy to check them out)
⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎ fanfiction ☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹
The All of You (ao3)
i fuckin love this story so hard. i love the OC. i love the writing. i love the set up. i reread this probably every month or so and pine for more. it's so fuckin good. @lazarel-3000 is a double-threat (at least) who is also on my recced artist list, which means (obviously) they are a recced creator as well.
Casino Royale (ao3)
this fic by @hibatasblog (see also: Entanglement, below) is so fucking delightful. petra quill is so hot i want to date her myself, and the tension between her and rocket is through the roof. loving the angst, loving the little ways that heartbreak seeps through every new paragraph, loving the mystery of trying to figure out what happened to petra and rocket to set them on their separate paths and now bring them back together. always waiting anxiously for the next chapter.
Entanglement (ao3)
this fic by @hibataao3 has me rationing my consumption in a way i have not done in a long time. i'm like "i only read one chapter a week to pace myself, as a little treat for surviving another seven days." beautiful writing and intricate storytelling, the metaphors and analogies are so good i almost wish i was back in undergrad writing a thesis on it.
Friends (tumblr)
@nyxivy is making their way through the rocketober 2023 prompts and the first fic of the series is. so drool-worthy. i've probably read it fifty times since it came out. short and so hot i could die (much like rocket himself), and somehow incredibly sweet in just the span of a few paragraphs? i will continue coming back to this fic and look forward to more from them at every chance i get.
Get Up (tumblr)@caesarhamato22 is another person on my recced creator list because trying to find just one fic to call my "favorite" is a challenge (obviously i was unsuccessful because there are two on this list). anyway this is lovely and fluffy. i die.
last (friday) night (ao3)
nsfw. trying to pick a "favorite" of @aliasrocket's work is like trying to choose a favorite incarnation of rocket (i cannot). guess who is also on my recced creators list.
more than seven (tumblr)
second @caesarhamato22 fic on this list and another recced creator. this one is one of my favorite comfort fics (i mean it's still sexy as hell) that i come back to very often. like it's just so wonderful and sweet and perfect and atmospheric and vibes
stars. (tumblr) ☕︎ stars. (ao3)
sexual tension & some of the loveliest atmospheric writing i've ever consumed. another @aliasrocket fic that lives in my head.
A Very Basic Instinct (tumblr) ☕︎ A Very Basic Instinct (ao3)
nsfw. when i tell you this fic did things to me. it is probably one of the fics i reread most. like, all the time jkjk only semiregularly. check out the author @elegant-fleuret for other equally brainrot-inducing smut (also mentioned in my recced creators).
⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎ art ☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹
@bathmob i wish. i could draw rocket. like this. the vibes are so good. the style. is perfect. i thank the universe whenever i see new art from them.
@glow-autumz is absolutely going to be a published comic artist some day and i will buy anything she works on ever. literally everything she creates has a story behind it, which i love. like, not only are her illustrations gorgeous (and like…often very hot) but every single one is (at least) a single-panel narrative. plus her OC is also cool as hell and i love her interpretations of rocket.
@lazarel-3000 creates the most toe-curlingly delicious art i've seen in a long time. i am seduced by pretty much everything they create. even their rough drafts have me panting. (i also have a crush on their OC and as a bi-lady i look at their art and am often like oh shit this is a fuckin feast). as mentioned before, this artist is also the author of one of my favorite fics and is a recommended creator in general.
@uglly-rodent posts always make me want to pinch the babby raccoom's cheeks and/or cry.
⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎ creators ☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹
@aliasrocket writes such beautiful things it is impossible to pick a favorite (i got two of their fics in the fic section and it was difficult to narrow it down that far and even now, i'm not certain). their tumblr has the added advantage of a ton of drabbles, every single one of which is perfection.
@caesarhamato22 read everything. like everything. great smut but i am a sucker for the slice of life shit and it's so fuckin good here. i just wanna be a nail tech on knowhere/locked in a closet with rocket/have him steal my t-shirt/whatever. it's like all my most domestic desires got turned into little fanfiction dreams. so much wish fulfillment i could die
@elegant-fleuret has great fanfiction (more than just the one on my fic list - i just felt like i had to narrow it down and A Very Basic Instinct literally gives me a a fresh hit of dopamine every time i reread it, which is a lot). plus also art. double-threat.
@evolvingchaoswitch writes with a ton of vulnerability and rawness and angst. i am also in love with the shorter pieces they've been putting out for rocketober 2023 (some really great poetry, some really emotional oneshots, some really hot oneshots). plus their OCs always fuckin rock
@lazarel-3000 look. look. i cannot say this enough. please go check them out they are hope in a hopeless place. some of the sexiest art + one of my very favorite fanfictions + one of my very favorite OCs have come out of this flawless individual. (full disclosure they also did some nsfw art of my OC jolie and rocket that has me crying and dying and hyperventilating on a daily basis)
@love-for-faeries-go-burrrr has another one of my favorite OCs and i am always hungry for their little storylines whenever they post.
@mrwolfhare is one of my favorite sources of gotg food-for-thought. just some of the most thoughtful explorations of the details of both the mcu and comic canon, excellent headcanons, beautiful screenshot sets, and really solid art. the drawtober art and ficlets have been highlights in my days this month and i'm told there may be a rad fanfiction on the horizon so keep your eyes on this! (rad fanfiction is here now! read Subject 880HR on ao3)
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I’m in a reading slump, do you have any good fics that you can recommend me?
Hi, thanks for asking lovely anon! I've thought about this and I have several different approaches on how to answer your ask, so this'll be a longer list, I hope you find something you like!
First category: Texting Fics!
I love text fics because they're usually very fast-paced and easy to read, so I think they might be a good way to combat a reading slump!
You could either go with the iconic Text Talk by merlywhirls (141.250 words), a boarding school AU with a home-schooled, chronically ill Remus, a true classic and the fic that started the whole wolfstar texting fic trend back in the day!
Or, one of my personal favorites from the same era for purely nostalgic reasons, aesthetic: trash boys by Emaly/merlywhirls (89.473 words, everyone is super queer, strong chosen family vibes, with an HIV positive Remus and genderqueer Sirius).
Or if you want a modern text fic classic, there's always Staying Strangers by 3amAndCounting (319.368 words, university AU, this is one of those fics I've reread a couple of times already, just because I love it so much, especially the texting in the beginning).
Snow In June by BrigidFaye (25.561 words) is a magical AU set in the US that also has some texting elements, even though it's not as text-heavy as the fics mentioned above, but the worldbuilding and the setting is wonderful, and lumberjack Remus is everything I ever needed in my life!
Dear Your Holiness by @mollymarymarie (142.264 words) is a priest AU and band AU, with a bit of texting, though this one is also already kind of moving into the next category of fics mentioned below. Obviously the whole catholic priest theme is not going to be for everybody, but if you think you might enjoy that, I highly recommend it, it's so, so good! And if you don't think you'll enjoy the themes of this fic, check out literally any other fic by mollymarymarie, I think at this point I've read almost all of them and enjoyed every single one I read immensely!!
Alright, so now the next category is fics with plots that will get you out of any reading slump:
I've recently become obsessed with @lynxindisguise's fics, so I'd also recommend checking out all of them, but since I've mostly recommended longer fics on this list so far, I'll go with a shorter one: in the dark, there is discovery (11.796 words) is a wonderful pirate AU that you can easily read in one evening, and it has beautiful world building, Remus Lupin as a seamonster and my new favorite trope - there was only one hammock.
Let Me Get What I Want (This Time) by Sierra_Sitruc (69.878 words) is a plot-driven and amazing fix-it-fic, that I keep thinking about even months after I've read it, and that had me stay awake at ungodly hours just because I couldn't put it down and wanted to know how it ended!
The Bent by @ebp-brain (40.257 words) is an incredible fic about queer lives, politics and art, oppression and resistance, so if any of those things sound like something you'd enjoy I highly recommend reading it, I always love earlybloomingparentheses' writing, it's so, so beautiful and powerful!
take me as i am (48.494 words) has one of the most unique settings I've ever read - it features Sirius as an (adorable) sleep demon, who is supposed to give Remus nightmares, and I also love the way this fic depicts various mental illnesses.
In saccharine by moonymoment (26.447 words) Sirius is a ghost haunting Remus's apartment, and this is another one of those fics I keep thinking about because it was just so so good.
full moon twofold by renaissance (12,031 words) is a Gothic-romance style AU and an incredible take on the question "what if Remus never went to Hogwarts?".
And now maybe a few shorter fics:
The first rec in this category is not even a specific fic but just a tumblr account: @wolfstarmicrofic, if you scroll through their blog you'll find lots and lots of really short fics which might just be what you need to get back into reading!
In You, I Count Stars by @wolfpants (1.540 words) is a wonderful hogwarts-era oneshot set in the Astronomy Tower with a pining Sirius.
It's Cold Outside by Remustrash (1.788 words) is a very fluffy and cosy there-was-only-one-bed fic, featuring the most oblivious of all oblivious puppies!
June, and Other Natural Disasters by montparnasse (5.524 words) is a beautifully written fic that made me feel all the feels and has great summer vibes!
Okay and the last category is fics with A+ vibes that'll make you forget all about your reading slump:
The Long Way Home by @hollyivydruzy (177.337 words) is a university AU and the kind of fic I didn't want to ever end, because the characters felt so incredibly real, and it's so easy to get completely immersed and lost in their wonderful, chaotic world and follow along on all their university adventures.
this desperate in love by drowsyanddazed (20.776 words) is a very cute high school AU, and reading it felt like watching a coming of age / teen movie in the best kind of way!
wading in waist-high water by @colgatebluemintygel (82.060 words) is a Great British Bake-Off AU that features Remus as a contestant and and Sirius as a host who's thirsting after Remus, and I just love the whole setting and atmosphere of the fic, as well as the writing! And this fic's Arthur Weasley needs to be protected at all costs, I love him a lot!
A Brief History of Dragons by @eyra (23.488 words) is an incredibly cosy and wonderful modern AU set in Cornwall, I absolutely ADORE Remus in this fic and love the way his and Sirius's relationship slowly develops, this fic has such a special place in my heart.
Alright I think I could keep going and add to this list forever but I'll stop now, let me know if you read any of these, and I hope they'll end your reading slump! x
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hi!! i love everything you write and im sure you probably have amazing taste given your work is literally the best so i wanted to ask if you have any fic recs?
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHATS CRAZY! i don't actually read that many fics, despite how often i'm on this damn website. i have the urge to read fics maybe once every few months and binge a whole bunch in one sitting, but because of a whole bunch of factors (like how awfully picky i am with tropes, word count, writing style, etc) i actually just reread the same 'perfect' fics over and over again because i know they're going to do it for me every single time
with that said!!!! here are a few recommendations i have for my insanely arduous and specific taste in fanfiction↓↓↓↓↓↓↓ if you've already read all of these, ask me again and i'll do a deeper dive!!!
the perks of having a hot best friend - by @jaeyunverse
jeno x fem!reader, friends 2 lovers, the writing style/humor in this is top tier!!! just some good ol' friendship, which i always love, especially when the romance doesn't even kick in until like halfway through <3
summer hair, forever young - by @setsugekka
YES! YES! YES! jeno x fem!reader, strangers 2 lovers, one of my favorite jeno fics of all! the writing, again, is perfect to me; post break-up mc meets lifeguard(?) jeno at an amusement park pool on vacation. this one felt really... real? like there were no tropes or cliches or miracles (not that those dont have their on this list lmao, winky winky), just a cute meeting, a cute relationship, and a hopeful ending. also the steamy scenes, if you're into that, are some of the best 👍
i would redo it all if i could - by @dkfile
jaem x gn!reader, jaem essentially groveling for a few thousand words because he made a mistake and mc isn't having it, very very cute :3 shorter than i usually gravitate to but that just means i like it so much that it's in my likes anyway! has a writing style that i really like too <3 jaemin's characterization in this is one of my favorite ever btw, love a slightly pathetic pretty boy
love bites - by (ao3 author) kanacchi
vampire!haechan x fem!reader, roommates/they move in together, I LOVE THE DIALOGUE IN THIS!!!!!! i am a huge sucker (haha, get it??) for subtly funny dialogue + mc's that are kind of snarky, and this fic delivers that <3 hae is the perfect amount of annoying and attractive in this
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hello i am new to your blog but your art is astonishing amazing always a pleasure for my eyes ‼️ the tlt comics are so freaking good ‼️ what r some of your art tips 4 ppl who wanna make art/comics ⁉️
HIII i just woke up! thank you for the lovely message
hmm some tips for comic making. as someone who has a. 1.5 month experience in that. i would say planning it.. the first thing i do is go back and reread whatever scene i want to make into a comic and zone out and try to imagine every page in my head.. my mind palace. if the image is clear and i can physically write down every single panel and every page in a little outline then i can probably do it! if the plot gets lost in my head and i lose track of the flow of it all then it will be a struggle.. it's not going to be fun if it's a struggle!
start out with a few pages! i started out with doing just 4.. and then started doing longer stuff!
if you're having fun you will find that everything will turn out good! but it's nice to try out new techniques and stuff out of the comfort zone, i think colors and lighting are very important and i spend the most time on it, the entire thing looks so plain uncolored but literally transforms with the right colors and lighting
i kinda suck at giving out general tips but i'm better at answering specific questions! if anyone has that feel free to drop 🫶🫶🫶🫶
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What it’s like living with Autism and ADHD as an Adult;
Surfaces? Cluttered with random shit, literally no organization anywhere ever
Able to watch an entire series, not remember a damn thing. Don’t even bother to remember names of the characters either
Speaking of names? What’s your name again? I know you told me 50 times already I’m sorry.
I collect Accents in my brain like they are fucking Pokémon cards
Books, movies, albums, games everywhere. Never read, watched, maybe listened to a single song, played that game for 20 minutes and never played it again. More decorations I guess.
Wait, y’all have consistent diets and workout plans? I could never.
Did I pay that bill? *checks my reminders, forgot to set the reminder*
Sorry I didn’t reply to your text, I read it and replied in my head but forgot to type and send it
Rereading an entire chapter cause while reading a certain passage my mind wandered again
I absolutely hate a lot of those “ADHD Lifehack” videos. They don’t work lol
Annoyed by basic human interaction while craving it at the same exact time
Know what a Social Meter is? I memorized mine
Phone calls are terrifying unless I’m 100% comfortable with you. Even then it sometimes can be overstimulating
RIP to all my plants I got when I was hyperfixating on them and forgot about them
I can determine if I want to be friends with you based on a small conversation when we meet. Majority of people I don’t consider friends and will only talk to them to pass time.
A part of my body has to constantly be moving or I get anxiety, fuckin weird amirite
When I’m hyperfixated on a certain hobby, I go hard until I literally burn myself out. I know I do it but I physically can’t stop myself until I’m burnt out. Will probably resume it in a few months though.
Self care means nothing to me
Watching a show that’s more than two seasons is very difficult
I’m able to completely forget about people for months. No I don’t do this on purpose. Lost a lot of friends this way. It hurts to be honest but I understand.
My aesthetic can change QUICK. For example: I can have a 80s style phase, punk or alternative phase, responsible adult phase, outdoorsman phase, and pretty much every style you can think of in the course of a week.
People think I’m fake because I can relate to most things and interests
I can stare off and think of something in depth, forget about it as soon as become aware of my surroundings. (Intense daydreams)
I was labeled as lazy growing up. I literally tried to be the best I could but I mentally couldn’t do anything after school no matter how much I tried.
The fear of never knowing what I want career wise cause my wants change frequently
I have a talent of figuring out other people are autistic based if they are like me in the slightest way. I’m right about 60 to 70% of the time. I don’t tell them though.
I’m easily overwhelmed by basic adult tasks. Can be as simple as dishes or laundry. Bills are debt are a nightmare
The future honestly terrifies me. Good or bad, I naturally stress about everything. No idea why. Planning with me is a nightmare
When I say I don’t care, I genuinely don’t care. I’m not being mean, I’m just passive cause options overwhelm me.
There’s a ton more but if I keep going I’ll get off track more than I already have.
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Avery's TopGun:Maverick recs pt.2
alrighty, almost 3 months later, here is my list of favourite TopGun: Maverick fics that no one asked for. like last time, it's mostly hangman, rooster and a bit of bobby boy. but i am slowly starting to fall for mickey and coyote.
please make sure to follow the age limit set by the writers!
jake "hangman" seresin
Fuck: The Universe (mini-series) by @roosterbruiser
okay maybe this is recency bias, because i did read this whole mini series yesterday and today, but still. it checks all the boxes, and of course i love the trope of jake is an ass to everyone but his girl, who also happens to be way better than him. also part 7 cracked me up.
real friends (series) by @starlightstories
i read real friends then found fuck: the universe, and i realized i really really really like the loverboy jake grumpy reader trope. i have no shame.
hey stupid, i love you (one shot) by @callsignseagull
okay this fic is very personal to me. i genuinely felt like the reader in this fic because i'm going through a very similar thing right now, and it tamed so many of my insecurities. i can't wait to reread soon!
loving you is... (series) by @demxters
guys frat hangman. that's all.
sleepy baby (series) by @discount-shades
the lengths at which this man goes just to find his princess, goals.
Where I'm From (one-shot) by @sometimes-i-write-good
sweet man jake, back at it again stealing hearts
Minimal Losses (series) by @ohtobeleah
this series and the rooster prequel NCIS ARE SO GOOD. im a sucker for this shit.
Sweet Nothings (series) by @sweetlittlegingy
yup! yup! yup! make sure you get your blood sugar checked before reading this because it's so damn sweeeeeet
Seeing Red (series) by @call-sign-jinx
picture this: its 2015, you're on wattpad and every single fic is a social media fic. but THIS? this is everything. the amount of work that goes into making a single text screenshot, not to mention the plot! its truly incredible and had be crying, laughing and sitting on the edge of my seat. i can't praise this series, and the other fics in this universe, enough.
yours (one-shot) by @theharddeck
this one... yeah its cute. but its down right sinful as well
bradley "rooster" bradshaw
I Will Always Love You (one-shot) by @amysteryspot
this one is short and sweet and honestly made me cry while eating my blt quarter pounder.
Pamper Night (on-shot) by @dagger-wren
okay this fic started as a cute little date night/self care night fic. BUT THEN, the ending had me falling in love with this dysfunctional squad. of course rooster and his girl are mom and dad, like who else.
Eat It, Twilight (one-shot) by @fandomxpreferences
okay i know this is a hangman fic, but i dont care. the rooster bff part was what i loved the most. also the plot is highlarious, and its probably because i was high when i read it, but still. chefs kiss.
Terms of Endearment (series) by @ohtobeleah
this series will be the death of me. each time a new chapter gets released im holding my breath on whether its gonna be all angst or all fluff. but either way i know its beautifully written.
And They Were Roommates (series) by @starryeyedstories
this. its hilarious and i cannot wait for more!
robert "bob" floyd
Christmas Gift (on-shot) by @call-sign-jinx
one of the most common bob fics i see is him with a teacher, and honestly i love it. who else would be as sweet and as patient as this man. i have the utmost respect for anyone who works in education, ESPECIALLY those who work with kids under 13. anyways, love this fic.
King of My Heart (one-shot) by @croimilis
dunk bob is the sweetest person ever!
Apple pie (mini-series) by @andorskenobi
the warning is very real, pls take it seriously <3
honorable mentions:
@sunlightmurdock @callsignvalley @toms-gf @make-me-imagine @callsignsaturn @madsnowstorm @jupitercomet @katsu28 @sehnsuchts-trunken @roosterforme (literally anything emily writes will be on a rec list i make)
i just wanna send my love to all the writers on this platform. whether you're just posting your first fic, or just finishing your 5th series, i appreciate you so much. i don't always have the time to comment and i'm dumb and don't understand how to reblog efficiently (working on it), but please know that all the effort and time you put in to making these works is truly admirable and i wish i was as talented as any of you.
okay thats all for now. i need to start making these more often cause theres so many i left out, i was just too lazy to scroll and find them.
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i just reread the lost hero so this is another jason grace appreciation post for all those who say percy is automatically better bc he took way less time to become praetor:
leo and piper were both made head campers of their respective cabins in the same amount of time and neither cabin was missing a leader at the time the way camp jupiter was when percy arrived. this is because they clearly showed that they were part of a bigger prophesy and had more experience. percy clearly showed himself to have that same level of power and influence on the world when he was part of the quest at new rome so of course they’d make him a leader.
jason led camp against krios at the battle of mount othrys and reyna said he had only had the praetorship a few months before being taken by hera, meaning he was made a praetor at the feast of fortuna in june before the battle. he was already a praetor before any major battles or prophecies and he earned it entirely on his merits and not just on the fact that he was a child of a great prophecy. of course it took way longer; he had to earn everyone’s respect without any major victories (also remember it took him years but he is fifteen years old of course they wouldn’t make a two year old praetor but he was respected enough to get the job at age fourteen!!).
he gained admiration and respect for the fifth cohort without battling giants or defeating titans. he did it all by being a great guy. he single-handedly toppled the black throne without having invincibility plus a full army who would risk their life to keep him alive like percy had in new york. percy was a leader of the army because the prophesy was about him, but jason was a leader because he earned the title. every single time i say how much i love jason, someone comes out of the woodwork to say “percy is more powerful!” i don’t care. i love percy but not everything about jason is a reflection on percy. the only reason you don’t like jason is because you formed your opinions of him in the lost hero when he literally had zero memories and if you allowed yourself to actually read anything he says or does beyond that you’ll see why he’s awesome.
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♡ AUBURN'S MUTUALS !! (there's more of you than i thought HELP)
@tinyletterz / 🍙 — my friend since forever ago, genuinely one of the kindest people i have ever met. she's so cute and she writes beautifully!!!! i highly HIGHLY recommend her flower language series GFGRGRGRGRFRFR
@identity-theft-101 / 🪓 — bonded over mushroom stayed for the eels tbh!! chaos incarnate BUT he has a cute bird named asa that said she loves me so i'm winning
@names-are-dumb / 🐚 — i'm so glad i got to introduce them to twisted wonderland. i am reliving my own experience through him rn. IM SO GLAD YOU LIKE OCTAVINELLE GRAHHH!!!!! one month later and we're married he's my husband and my angelfish that i write cringe ass sonnets too and i adore him <33 muah muah
@merotwst / 🧶 — LITERALLY SO SWEET OMG. she's so warm and welcoming its no wonder people just gravitate to her :C i adore her tbh she made me feel so welcomed even though i'm still scared of most twst writers LMAO
@shkrmpp / 🦐 — one of my first moots!!! personally i really love their hair dye headcanons GRAH they're so cute BUT!! they also draw C:< AND ITS A CUTE STYLE. plus their blog always looks MUAH
@siren-serenity / 🌙 — YOU'RE EVIL I STILL THINK ABOUT "i need you" WHY DID YOU WRITE THAT /lh no but actually you're so good at writing angst that rips my heart out like. if i want to sob i'm going for your azul angst (ITS A GOOD THING PROMISE)
@siphoklansan / ☔ — BEAUTIFUL ART. STUNNING. i love love love how much detail she puts into her pieces (yes i am thinking abt the floyd piece for the lipstick challenge ITS SO CUTE) AND SHE DREW STUFF BASED ON THE SONG HEART ATTACK AND I THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY.
@fukashiin / 💌 — silly little goofy deuce rambles and omg the leech twins. I REREAD THE STARING THINGY SHE WROTE OVER AND OVER AZULLLL AZUL'S PART IS SO %@$!%##@%!$#$%@!$#%@$!#%!@%#$!@#$%
@ryuubff / 🪼 — omg there is literally so much i could say about them. my first obey me mutual. the first person who was alike "omg let's create solomon content together." i love talking to them sm and honestly they deserves the best because they're so kind and creative C: WAHHHH
@hisui-dreamer / 🌟 — SO SWEET. i know i'm saying a lot but i have so many mutuals that made me feel so welcomed and rinna was one of them. every single piece of work you'll find on that blog is brewing with emotions and gentle care I LOVE.,,.., I LOVE!!!!!!
@officialdaydreamer00 / 🌠 — ?!?!?!?! ALSO INCREDIBLY KIND AND SO SO CREATIVE!!!! they draw me things all the time and it literally melts my heart :((( i love lov love talking to them about octavinelle and they're super easy to connect with :(((
@the-v-lociraptor / 💙 — we literally just became moots a little bit ago BUT i find a lot of good fanart through her!! she reblogs a lot of cool stuff :D !!!!!
@ceruleancattail / 🔷 — I FORGOT TOW RITE SMTH HELP EM anyways <33 ceru writes some cute ass shit that makes me kick my feet and squeal (AND ALL THE AZUL CONTENT I HAVENT BINGED YET....UGH IM SO EXCITED)
@i-like-forgs / 💪 — appreciator of sand cats and draws a lot!! the creator of my wedding venue with azul and enabler of so many of my ramble i am clinging to his ankle as he drags me around
@valerie-leech / 💚 — we just started talking but they're part of the auburn azul wedding squad!! :D im excited to interact with them <3
@twst-beam / 🎉 — we also haven't talked a lot yet but i can't wait to get to know her better C: !!
@iseethatimicy / 💎 — a fellow azul kisser!! i finally found another one!! :D has an unholy amount of azul memes i do not know where they come from (probably pinterest) but they are Fascinating
@acornwinter / 💫 — sends random shit in my inbox because they started talking about their dreams once and i decided Yes!! and now they draw my ocs and its super cute and i love their little tiny ppl drawings C:
@totallymem3 / 🥀 — we just started talking but!! very sweet <33 her art style is just MMMMUAH CHEFS KISS!!!!!!!!! i love it. it reminds me of spring.
@z3llous / 🐸 — draws azul SOOOOO good i love lovelovlevoevloev his art!!! its so scrumptious i eat it all up for breakfast lunch dinner ON NOMNOM
@cecilebutcher / 🪩 — has a bunch of really cool ocs!!! igor my belobed /p they have such a creative mind and its a pleasure to listen to them ramble about the characters they created!!! :D
@ang33333333l / 🙏 — another azul kisser!! we haven't talked much but i can tell doll is a very sweet person <33
@axvwriter / 👻 — SHE HAS AZUL'S DORM UNIFORM AND IM SO JEALOUS. LITERALLY SO UNFAIR.
@soru-ya / 🍞 — THEY WROTE AROACE CONTENT FOR ME :((((( CRYING RN they're such a good writer please go check them out PLEASE im begging you
@rains-asleep / 🐝 — ANOTHE RGOOD WRITER WHAWHWAHWHAHWA <33333 we had such a deep conversation about caramel once it was enlightening.
@shinysparklesapphires / 🎀 — floods my inbox with precure stuff and now its next on my watch list. started the laura and azul siblings conspiracy :O !!!!!
@twistedchatterboxed / 🌊 — The jade kisser ever. we have a lot of mutual moots (hehe say that ten times fast) so i'm excited to get to know her better!! :D
@keii01 / 🍡 — she's so sweet i want to put her in my pocket and carry her around everywhere i go!! she draws a lot of cute stuff too (there is no such thing as too many ribbons <3)
@tsun0tar0u / 🐉 — showed me a genshin glitch once and i have never been the same. also i would die for kafka btw. normal about rollo btw. So Normal.
@non-binary-lil-shit / 🍄 — enables my marine bio and mycology rambling!! also i am very concerned for you C:
@queen-shiba / 🦁 — your profile theme is literally so pretty i am eating it right now (IDK I JUST LOVE ORANGE) also the leona blender post made me so confused but also i laughed really hard HELP
@vioisgoinginsane / 💜 — she likes some vampire game i think LMAO but the twst content? YUMMY. a writer once in a blue moon and apparently best known for the BITING ROOK HUNT post. GET IT!!!
@moonlit-midnight / 🌸 — hannah is such a good writer :(( WRITES PLATONIC FICS DID YOU HEAR THAT EVERYONE!!! PLATONIC FICS!!!!!!! they're all so adorable and make me want to curl up under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate <3
@ryker-writes / 🦚 — asked about to deep sea and LET ME TELL YOU i got so excited about it and im still writing it hehe. ryker writes a lot of familial angst so its that your thing go for it!!
@datboredpencil / 💀♦️ — GORGEUYS ART ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS YUMY UMY UM AN ENTIRE BUFFET!!!! theres a lot of idia x cater content too if thats youre thing!!! :D
@twistwonderlanddevotee / 🪷 — we havent talked a lot but im still happy to have you here!! :D
@beeirdos-buzzing-bogaloo / 🐥 — apparently very normal about sebek. the Most normal. we havent talked a lot but hes silly :D
@dove-da-birb / 🪿 — literally so funny. putting you in my pocket right now!! ALSO I LOVE YOUR BRAINROTTING HELP
@loser-jpg / 😬 — YOUR BEWILDERMENT AT MY DASH SPAMMING WAS REALLY FUNNY i hope you get used to it </3
@ashipiko / 🌺 — THE #1 ACE KISSER EVER???? her art is so munchy and yummy i want to eat it :(( HER STYLE IS SO CUTE SRSLY IF YOU HAVENT SEEN HER ART YET PLEASE CHECK IT OUT
@shyhaya / you should pick an emoji!! — wrote the most fantastic delicious delightful heart wrenching thing for azul and tagged ME in it :(((( AAAAAA IM SO SORRY I DIDNT SEE IT SOONER. IF YOU EVER WRITE FOR AZUL AGAIN PLEASE TAG ME I'D LOVE TO SEE IT.
@musicalhistorical / 👹 — omg hi quotev person you've been putting up w my bullshit since forever ITS SO FUNNY TO SEE YOU HERE LMAO
@thehollowwriter / 🎶 — ITS LITERALLY A CRIME I HAVENT FOUND YORU WRITING SOONER??? WHY HAVENT I SEEN IT??? IM GOING TO BINGE YOUR AZUL FICS RIGHT NOW EVERYONE SHUT UP I AM SHAKING YOU AROUND QUINN
♡ AUBURN'S ANONS!!
magical girl anon
seahorse anon
❤️ anon
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