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mejomonster · 25 days

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I finished final fantasy vii rebirth and. Some mixed opinions.

The main good points: as a Sequel to original FF7? Its good. The women are all written well (which was a concern considering Kairi and Lunafreya in past games), and everyone was in character just fleshed out more (with 2 slight exceptions). What the game did best was accomplish an open world game, world spanning adventure, stick fairly well to some main highlights from original ff7 (which is what people wanted for ages) and with new stuff thats fun if you like the world, very little wasting of player time (so much better than ff7 remake). It did open world well, pacing well, side quests and mini games well, characters well, combat well, and overall gave the feel of what square enix was maybe Hoping and Wishing to successfully accomplish in a mainline game for years but either hasnt been able to achieve on a technical level or fumbled in the past. (So no time wasting dungeons like ff7 remake, fleshed out open world with stuff you enjoy doing so more than ff15, open world so more than ff13, and combat that feels like things theyve learned and improved on well). How it feels to play? Great, fast paced, no dead time, all enjoyable game you came to play. (With the exception maybe of Cait Siths box mandatory mini game and the aerith in ancient temple magic platforms thing but they both werent too difficult to push through if you dont enjoy them).

The bad? Mostly... if you treat Rebirth as a SEQUEL to original ff7, these arent major issues. They just annoy me as a player of the original ff7 game. Because i know plenty of people will ONLY play ff7 Remake and Rebirth etc, and never know the original characterizations. So 2 characters were slightly unlike their original ff7 selves, and instead more like their Advent Children (and general non ff7 appearances) selves: aerith and sephiroth. Sephiroth's character being NOT like ff7 originals is more irritating personally. Because yeah... i get it. As a sequel to original ff7, this Remake/Rebirth Sephiroth might be from the future (so he is Advent Children esque version of himself), hes had time post losing his way to really get all mysterious and hyperfocus on cloud and be a looming vague pest. But the thing is... in the original ff7 the reason we learn hes used to be a SOLDIER war hero, is so the cast and you are confused why he kills Shinra people. Then you and the casy figure: well cloud remembers sephiroth finding out hes a monster cause of shinra, justifiable for sephiroth to hate shinra. Unflrtunately Sephiroth also decided to hate ALL HUMANS. Then you later find out maybe Jenovas controlling Sephiroth/one with him etc. But the key here is you find out at some point in original ff7 that sephiroths goal is mainly Destroy World because Hes not Human. Rebirth... does not clarify this very important and very BASIC point ever. Maybe it assumes its so basic that as a ff7 fan you should know.. but plenty of new players wont. Rebirth clarifies yes sephiroth may be Jenovas kid... but the whole MOM, im an ancient like Jenova! Oh Jenova isnt an ancient oh well fuck humans anyway! Either way fuck humans ill kill them all! None of those Very basic sephiroth motives are clarified much. I felt Rebirth did good explaining the Gi and the black materia. But to make Sephiroths motives so vague, why he wants to end the world SO VAGUE, why hes in clouds head (the black robes are everywhere but the game HINTS theure sephiroth clones but never actually spells it out eevn though its a BASIC KEY DETAIL). Now... because Rebirth is a sequel, it makes sense... if hes Advent Children Sephiroth he already knows he isnt an ancient, knows hes Jenovas kid, knows he wants to fuck with Cloud specifically now and the world generally but not necessarily so singlemindedly desperate to just kill all humans. So yes, Sephiroth is in character for his future self... but i feel like even with him less SINGLE MINDED and freshly with Jenova, clarifying some basics of his Original old timeline motives... would be helpful to new fans. So it annoyed me. I think the biggest Not Good writing decision in Rebirth was to never fucking clarify Sephiroths original basic goal: im not human like mom, hate humans, kill world. I suspect the writers either thought players KNEW so hinted instead of being on the nose (but to new players theyll just be CONFUSED), or they plan to explain those basic things in game 3. Which seems stupid to me and shouldve been explained earlier.

And Aerith. As a sequel? She remembered the other timeline which explained some moments she was calmer than original ff7. She forgot, then toward the end of Rebirth she seems to have remembered the other timeline again and that she needs to die and X happens etc. So her being calmer based on the plot they wrote for Rebirth? Makes sense. However... i deeply miss her Original FF7 personality where as an Ancient she freaks out a bit LIKE sephiroth, paralleling him, that shes not human, a freak, that it all rests on her as only one ancient left. Their overwhelm parallels each other. Aerith is more scared in original ff7 of being the only ancient, of what it means, of finding out more. That fear is slightly there in Rebirth but WAY LESS. its only a little in cosmo canyon and almost gone in the Ancient Temple. In ff7 expanded universe theyve changed her character over time to a calmer wiser goddess type like in Advent Children, and so yes in Rebirth when she remembers the alrernate timeline it makes sense she'd be calmer like her future self. However... i miss original ff7 aerith. I miss her initial shock, loneliness, fear of the weight on her shoulders, not being sure what to do. Her and Sephiroth, because of Rebirth writing them to know more, act more like their future selves and so. While it is in character and logical to the Rebirth plot. Its also sad to me that anyone who only plays Remake and Rebirth simply wont see what they were like WHEN these revelations were brand new shocks to them, forcing them to react and grow and fear. I dont think Aerith is written bad, i just think because this game is in reality is a Sequel im just personally mourning that it didnt have that as much of the original Aerith's personality who was afraid and discovering. Mostly her Rebirth personality is similar to original ff7s. But in some high tension moments shes way calmer and wiser than in the original. I miss getting to see some of that before to after character growth.

Oh and. The aerith dies scene. Does it make sense in context of Rebirth written as a sequel? Sure. Is it impactful? Not as much as the original. In Rebirth, theres a scene where Cloud is losing control and listening to Sephiroth and attacks Tifa, causing Tifa to fall into mako. That scene is high stakes and emotional and lands WELL. Later in Rebirth, when Aerith actually dies, Cloud has not lost control and isnt the one who killed her. Its fine, as a sequel to ff7 i get the choice to make him able to stop himself from hurting her. But it does make the scene less impactful: now cloud will NOT be blaming himself for her death, will not be struggling with the guilt and fear, and will not be as terrified of losing control again. Since he wasnt the one who attacked her. And since he saw her ghost/something post death, hes not even sad or grieving her. He thinks shes fine. These 2 things will result in a WILDLY DIFFERENT cloud moving forward than the original ff7 one who very much was distraught and horrified he did that. So like... as a sequel its fine these changes were made. But death wise... i wouldve prefered like, cloud drops her from up high qhile struggling with whispers, or doesnt get to her in time and sephiroth stabs her when shes too far away. The way Rebirth did it, cloud was near her, she gets stabbed anyway. It seemed to me almost like the writing was trying to vaguely or softly kill her, like somehow making it vague would make it hurt less. Yeah it did hurt less... but id rather if a character i love dies that its a Worthy Scene for them to die in. A strong meaningful scene that makes me cry, that felt like the loss it is. The Rebirth scene... couldve done its plot as intended and just make Cloud farther away or something and it wouldve been better to me. Maybe the writing point was Cloud thinks its fine, and its still not, and he cant even feel distaught because he cant tell if she died or if things are fine? Thats the only angle i can see where maybe the death scene did what the writers wanted? Anyway. Aeriths moms death made me sob, Aeriths death did not. It is what it is. I feel like Tifa, crying in my heart off screen, the game acting like Cloud like its fine and it looks fine to him but im confused like Tifa aa to why hes (the game) treating it that way. Lol.

Overall? Um 4/5. 8/10? Really solid square enix game, Amazing as far as final fantasy 7 SEQUELS go. It has one main weak spot in treating Sephiroth fully mysterious when a few clarifying details could help the game stand on its own Better (and make Sephiroth a stronger enemy character instead of a vaguer one). The other weak spots are more my personal preference and mourning the parts of ff7 original i miss and had wished were in this, but as this is a Sequel in a parallel timeline i dont feel the parts effect Rebirth on its own merit. It IS the best Square Enix game ive played in ages, at least since Final Fantasy X or XII. I thought it was better than FF13, FF15, definitely better than ff7 remake (i hate time wasting dungeons and bad pacing its a dealbreaker), and than kh3 (although kh3 was quite good for a kh sequel). I get to play FF16 next, which will hopefully be as good as Rebirth or better! Since its also on the PS5 and clearly from Rebirth, the square enix main team can do excellent combat, open world, level design, mini games, side quests, and good pacing now. So i'll just have to see if ff16's story is better. And i am guessing it hopefully will be, since Rebirth as an ff7 sequel has some weirdness to its plot quite typical of ff7 extended universe stories like Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus. Whereas ff16 is a brand new plot, so they have nothing preventing them from a tight excellent written story except themselves. I am curious how BIG ff16s world will be though. Because ff7 Rebirths world was MASSIVE and very full of stuff, tons of mini games, cool stuff to find or do or little character side quests. If ff16 also takes me 60 hours to beat the main story its gonna be thw longest final fantasy main title ive ever played.

Rebirth is very replayable if you enjoyed it. I will probably replay ff7 original soon.

#final fantasy vii rebirth #ff7r #lb #rant #oh and shipping discourse lol: if you ship tifa x aerith? GREAT TIME #tifa mourns aerith more than cloud does. tifa aerith ARE IN LOVE. great time for me as an aerti fan and ot4 fan #i do think in theory the writers had aerith x cloud scenes more in Rebirth since aerith dies at the end. and predict game 3 will have #more tifa x cloud scenes. so itll be even by the end. i think everything was in character tho tbh #(in my opinion anyway)#like. aerith x tifa x cloud x zack i ship and they clearly all CARE for each other. zack loves aerith but also saved cloud #when aerith likes cloud. zack is big enough to be happy for aerith and want her to have what SHE wants.#cloud loved zack and was so fucked emotionally when zack died he convinced himself he WAS zack. tifas his childhood crush. aerith likes him #and he gradually does like her back too. (clouds very not interested in crushes tho tbh. hed happilt be in ot3 with #tifa and aerith or ot4 with zack or ot3 with barret too if they just told him to be)#and tifa loves cloud but wisely isnt sure how he feels OR whats going on mentally with him. and is focusing on building trust #that cloud will communicate with her BEFORE getting romantic (shes wise we should all copy her). and she loves aerith. which is goof #cause cloud isnt giving aerith some care she Needs. but Tifa always does give aerith that support.#tifa knows aerith likes cloud. so tifa simply is likinv her 2 crushes (happy to be in an ot3 if aerith and cloud would start it)#but tifas shy and slow going ans values friends MORE so shes not making any major moves until she knows the other 2 aerith and cloud #are emotionally stable (and theyre lol not)#and now shes grieving aerith so :/. my point is: all the romance is written very in character #very similar to original ff7. and if ur a tifa AND aerith as characters fan like me?#its really NICE to have 2 main woman leads in a game (with romance even) who are full characters ON THEIR OWN #and really well written and with relationships outside of cloud. (again... after lunafreya and kairi #i was worried tifa or aerith as love interests might get written BAD or flat or destroyed writing wise #by some shitty square enix writer *cough* who tends to butcher woman characters if theyre love interests)#so im super glad i could just enjoy tifa and aerith #also as a Non romance lover. i enjoyed that Rebirth focused HEAVY on friends but had very little actual romance #flirting yeah sure. but aerith and tifa never even kissed cloud in my playthrough (yay for me)#their crushes are just side details they mention to be direct and communicate (wise of them) but the romance isnt the main point

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theinfinitedivides · 8 months

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i seem to be among the minority of people who actually like the official Young Joo/Young Woon pairing that they're attempting to set up here

#tv: longing for you #longing for you #ena longing for you #오랫동안 당신을 기다렸습니다 #na in woo #kim ji eun #kwon yool #kdrama #local gay watches k-dramas.txt #would i like a OT3? yes. is that becoming basically impossible bc of the very obvious foreshadowing that Jin Woo's heart #is most likely in his half-brother's chest rn and said half-brother is attempting to marry his adoptive sister while his #adoptive older brother is still looking into the case? also yes #by extension the minute Jin Sang finds out they're going to have a very hard time facing each other #if we get to see Young Woon unravel tho. dear God i need to see that happen. i need to see him get what Ki Young was trying #to tell him and then turn on the entire lot. let the man go feral

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connorsbonez · 8 months

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Stalkers and Cryptids: Incorrect Quotes #2

Danny, Bernard, and Wes are sitting on a bench

Tim: Why do you guys look so sad?

Danny: Sit down with us so we can tell you.

*Tim sits down*

Bernard: The bench is freshly painted :)

0000000000

Dick comes to visit

Danny, setting down a card: Ace of spades

Bernard, pulling out an Uno card: +4

Wes, pulling out a Pokémon card: Jolteon, I choose you

Dick, trembling: What the fuck are we playing??

Tim, placing down a card: Go fish.

00000000000

Danny: *Screams*

Wes: *Screams louder to establish dominance*

Bernard: Should we do something?

Tim: No, I want to see who wins.

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The Monopoly Game

Danny: Tonight, one of you will betray us.

Bernard: Is it me, Danny?

Danny: No, it’s not you.

Wes: Is it me, Danny?

Danny: It’s not you either.

Tim: ...Is it me, Danny?

Danny:

Danny, mockingly: Is IT mE DaNnY?

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Wes: I think we're missing something.

Bernard: Teamwork?

Tim: Cohesion?

Danny: A general sense of what we’re doing?

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Bernard, tilting his head: Why are your tongues purple?

Wes: We had slushies. I had a blue one.

Tim: I had a red one.

Bernard: oh

Bernard:

Bernard: OH

Danny:

Danny, the dense king: You drank each other's slushies??

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The Sleep Deprived Slumber Party

Bernard, laying flat on his back: Can I be frank with you guys?

Danny: Sure, but I don’t see how changing your name is gonna help.

Tim: Can I still be Tim?

Wes, setting his hand over Tim's mouth: Shh, let Frank speak.

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Cop: You’re receiving a ticket for having three people on one motorcycle.

Tim: Shit.

Danny: Wait, three?

Cop: ...Yeah?

Bernard: OH MY GOD WES FELL OFF!!!

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Wes: Dammit, Danny!

Danny: What?! It wasn’t me!

Wes: Sorry, force of habit. Dammit, Tim!

Tim: Not me either.

Wes: Oh...Then who set the house on fire?

Bernard: *whistles*

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Danny: ARE YOU-

Wes: Fucking.

Danny: KIDDING ME?! YOU-

Wes: Fucking.

Danny: IDIOT!

Bernard: …What was that?

Wes: Danny's mom's swearing senses have been going off, so I’m helping him out.

0000000000000000

Rom-Coms

Bernard, gesturing towards the love interests: They make a cute couple, huh?

Wes: They certainly are standing next to each other.

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Pre-OT4, Beginning Stages of the OT3

Danny: I'm so happy, I could kiss you!

Tim: Um...Neat.

*Later*

Tim, lying face down on his bed: I said "Neat," Wes. Who the fuck says neat these days? It's not neat to say neat but I said it anyways because I'm fucking stupid.

Wes, reading a book: Don't beat yourself up too much, Tim. Everyone gets nervous sometimes. Remember what I told you I did when Danny confessed his love for me?

Tim, slowly lifting his head: ...Didn't you thank him?

Wes: *closes the book and looks at the ceiling* I fucking thanked him.

#dp x dc #dc x dp #danny phantom #danny fenton #wes weston #timothy drake #tim drake #bernard dowd #stalkers and cryptids

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idiopath-fic-smile · 6 months

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more Singin' in the Rain ot3, now on the honeymoon boat

part one

part two

The ship was a grand one. Cosmo, whose nautical knowledge began and ended with that Douglas Fairbanks picture about pirates, could tell that much. There was a majestic dining room and a wide, clean promenade and state-of-the-art engines that would get them to Europe in just a few days. The dining room even featured a four-piece band, who were a little stiff but not half bad.

His room, his island of privacy away from Don and Kathy and their combined magnetic pull, was bigger than he expected, well-appointed. It went a little overboard embracing an Egyptian theme, although the decorators had tastefully stopped short of including an actual mummy in a giant stone sarcophagus. He was grateful for that. The piano, as promised, sat in the place of where a desk might normally be, keys gleaming invitingly.

There was just one problem.

“How,” said Cosmo, dropping onto the bed, “did you manage to accidentally book us two adjoining rooms?”

“I’m sorry,” said Don, crossing his arms. “There must’ve been a mix-up at the offices.”

“Maybe the travel agent heard wrong on the telephone,” said Kathy. She rubbed Don’s back consolingly. Don shot her a grateful look. It was all very sweet, probably.

“How?” said Cosmo again. “Nothing sounds like ‘adjoining.’ It doesn’t even have a rhyme.”

“Are you certain?” said Kathy.

Cosmo nodded; he’d already run through the alphabet, twice. “The closest I can get to is ‘disappointing.’” Don was leaning into Kathy’s back rub like a cat, but his face was full of uncatlike guilt. “Don,” said Cosmo, “look, pal, I appreciate the free ticket, but please tell me you’ll fix this.”

“I already talked to the cruise director and there aren’t other rooms,” said Don. “We’re out in the ocean, what do you want me to do, alert the coast guard?”

“Alert the coast guard,” said Cosmo, “flag down a passing mermaid, strike a bargain with Poseidon himself!”

“Who?” said Don.

“The Greek god of the sea,” said Kathy, like that was the important part.

“I don’t speak any Greek,” Don replied, “do you?”

“I will swim to shore,” Cosmo said, to nobody in particular.

“We can swap over to a different ship when we get to port if we need to,” said Don, shoulders slumping uncharacteristically. He must’ve felt worse about his screw-up than he let on. “In the meantime, the door locks from both sides, so—”

“I’m not—worried that you’ll barge in at all hours pestering me for a cup of sugar,” Cosmo broke in.

Don blinked. Kathy went very still beside him.

Out loud, it sounded more suggestive than he’d meant. Why had he picked sugar, the sauciest ingredient of the baking world?

“Or flour,” he amended.

“Then what’s the trouble?”

“I.” Cosmo sighed. “Why am I the only person in this room who seems to know what a honeymoon is for?”

“Why,” said Don, wide-eyed, “what’s it for?”

“D’you think, if I jumped in the sea and started paddling now—” said Cosmo.

“Don’t worry,” said Kathy. “Don and I can be very quiet.”

And the trouble was, this was worse. The prospect of hearing them from the other side of a single thin door was one thing, and honestly it was plenty bad—Cosmo had played a role during several key moments of their courtship but at least he could say he didn’t know what they sounded like in the throes of passion—but for reasons that Cosmo did not feel like examining, the thought of them stifling themselves in the act, the thought of them naked in bed together, touching each other, biting down on a giggle or a moan, and whispering, ‘Shh, don’t wake Cosmo,’ made him feel like his whole stomach was a sore tooth.

“Don’t put yourselves out on my account,” he told them. Belatedly, he realized that was maybe the worst thing he could’ve said. He blushed, and then he stood, face still flaming—Damn his Irish complexion—nodded to them both, and fled to the promenade.

The ocean stretched in all directions as far as Cosmo could see. It was dizzying, and also strangely calming. He stared out at the waves and reminded himself, hardly for the first time, that it wasn’t Don’s fault how Cosmo felt about him. It wasn’t Don’s fault, and it wasn’t Kathy’s fault that she was maybe the most charming woman he’d ever met. You could certainly blame Don for booking the rooms, for not double-checking over the telephone, but there was no malice to it. They were both, at the end of the day, wonderful people who had decided to open this trip up to him for whatever reason, and besides, his bed was piled with any number of pillows he could jam over his head if they did make noise at night.

He stood there holding onto the railing for a long time. Eventually, he heard footsteps behind him.

“Feeling better?” said Don quietly, almost lost under the roar of the water. Without really trying to, Cosmo turned to look at him. Under his coat, Don was wearing a nicer suit than before, and the color had returned to his face. He looked—well, he looked like a handsome movie star married to a gorgeous starlet. Don took a few steps and rested his hands next to Cosmo’s on the rail.

“It’s the salt air, I think,” said Cosmo, nodding. “Feels like I could do anything. Why, I might write another musical, wear my trousers baggy, become a pirate.”

“Your trousers are fine as is,” said Don.

Cosmo shrugged. “A little change can be good.”

“Sure, unless it isn’t.” Don sighed. It was an awfully sad sigh to be having about the fit of a guy’s pants, Cosmo thought, but then Don turned to him and added, “You know, we really have missed you.”

“Don,” said Cosmo patiently. “I was at your house this Thursday. I stayed for three hours. I drank all your gin.”

Don didn’t make a crack about the gin, which was probably a bad sign. “And before that?”

Before that, it had been a while. Cosmo winced inwardly. “I’ve been busy,” he said, “you’ve been busy, Kathy’s been busy—”

“We invited you over, four different times,” Don interjected. “If I’ve done something, if we’ve done something, I wish you would just tell us.”

In front of them, the sea rolled and rolled. Cosmo thought about deflection, about twisting the moment into a joke, a sword duel where cold steel met only an outstretched rubber chicken: squeak.

He let out a long breath. “Why the Hell did you bring me along on your honeymoon?”

“We brought you along because we wanted you along,” said Don. “Whenever you’re not there, we wish you were. It doesn’t need to be any harder than that.”

“So it isn’t…” Cosmo started.

“What?” “You and Kathy aren’t having problems? Hoping for a buffer, or a distraction?” It was a very new theory on Cosmo’s part, and once the words had left his mouth, he realized how badly they fit the facts at hand.

Don smiled a private little smile. “Me and Kathy are doing just marvelously.”

“That’s splendid,” said Cosmo, because he had to say something, apparently. Marvelous didn’t bode well for Cosmo’s sanity at night, but it beat his friends being sad. “Lovely.” He let his cadences drift into a so-so British accent. “Capital show, old sport. Tip-top. Simpy spiffing.” Not his best work.

Don lay a hand on Cosmo’s coat sleeve, at the elbow. “Do you want to come to dinner with us?” he said. “It’s meant to be a formal affair but you’ve still got time to change.”

Whenever you’re not here, we wish you were. Obviously, Don didn’t mean “whenever” in the strictest sense—Cosmo got the feeling he was not present in Don’s mind, say, when Don was in bed with his beautiful wife—but the thought now made him feel warmer than the gin had. It would be enough. It had to be.

“Sure,” said Cosmo, “why not,” and Don thumped him encouragingly on the back.

“Cosmo,” said Don as they headed back into the body of the boat, “piracy, really?” Cosmo grinned. “Don’t blame me, blame that salt air. Makes a man feel like anything’s possible.”

Kathy and Don looked enchanting at dinner, and Cosmo cleaned up alright too, if he didn’t say so himself.

The food was good—salmon with hollandaise sauce and French beans, braised duckling with apple sauce, some fancy beef thing, salad Dumas and ice cream for dessert—and the band had relaxed a smidge and was playing something from this century, which was nice.

Over dessert, Kathy told them about how, one night several months before meeting Don, she’d been at a speakeasy during what turned out to be a police raid.

“What were you doing in a speakeasy?” Cosmo asked before he could stop to think about it.

“Why, drinking milk and reading Austen, of course,” she replied, a picture of guilelessness. Don snickered, and she grinned.

“I walked full-speed into that one,” said Cosmo.

“Buddy, you ran,” said Don.

“I was drinking,” Kathy acknowledged, nodding, “but really that’s where the best dancing is. The best music, too.”

Cosmo, who lately only drank at parties or at home because it was easier and safer, nodded thoughtfully.

“Hot jazz?”

“The hottest, at least in Los Angeles. Once we’re back, we should all go!”

“I could always stand to take in more culture,” said Cosmo.

“Oh no,” said Don, “don’t let her pull you into her sordid past. Did you forget the end of the story is ‘and then the police came?’”

“That’s more the middle,” said Kathy. “Well, middle-end.”

“So how’d you escape the reaching arm of the law?” Cosmo asked.

Kathy swallowed her ice cream. “I saw the police were all rushing in through the front door, and I dashed to the back and through the performers’ dressing room. I’d done makeup for some of my school plays, so I fought my way up to the mirror, grabbed a grease pencil—a few lines here, a few lines there—borrowed an old coat of the back of a chair, ran maybe half a block, and pretended to be an old lady.”

“Really,” said Cosmo.

“It’s mostly in the walk and the posture,” she said. “And it helps that a few of the street lights were out.”

“And the cops were fooled?”

“One of them asked me if I’d seen any young people running that way,” said Kathy.

Cosmo clapped his hands together with glee. “Don, you married a criminal mastermind! Never make her angry.”

Don wrapped an arm around her shoulders and flashed her a besotted look. “I don’t intend to.”

Kathy nestled into the half-embrace. “Tell me more about—was it Coyoteville? With the ventriloquist.”

“Dead Man’s Fang,” said Cosmo. “And your wish is my command, but I don’t know what else there is to say. We came, we saw, we lost our sleeping arrangements to a puppet.”

“He tucked it in that night, remember?” said Don suddenly.

“He did!” said Cosmo, delighted.

Sometimes when Don started in on the official line about how they’d studied at the conservatory and the rest of that baloney, Cosmo worried that some part of Don believed it, that it was Cosmo’s job alone to remember how long they’d traveled that strange, bumpy, often farcical road together towards some measure of success and respectability in Hollywood. But Cosmo had completely forgotten that particular detail. He had burned it from his mind.

“After he fell asleep, one of you might have moved the dummy and claimed that bed,” Kathy pointed out.

“He left it with the head turned facing us, eyes open,” said Don. “Neither of us were touching that thing.”

“So instead, Cosmo had to put up with Don all night,” said Kathy solemnly.

“So instead, I had to put up with Don all night.”

He could still recall the potent mix of resignation, terror, and guilty excitement he’d felt, huddling up on that mattress together. Their act at the time had involved being in close quarters a lot—at one point, the choreography had Cosmo leap onto Don’s back and then immediately continue playing the fiddle—so it wasn’t like touching Don was a novelty, back then. But doing it offstage, out of costume, away from any onlookers except for Esther Quill the ventriloquist dummy, it had felt like an entirely different proposition.

Don had been a real champ about it, though. When Cosmo had started shaking with withheld hilarity that this was his life, the punchline of all punchlines and nobody to share it with, not just Don’s best friend but his literal bedwarmer, Don had clearly assumed it was a simple case of the shivers, and so he’d bundled Cosmo close, tucked Cosmo’s head under his chin, and wrapped his arms around him, muttering warm in his ear about how if Cosmo dropped dead, Don was out a dance partner “and that whole routine wouldn’t work as a solo number, it’d go over like a brick.”

“Just imagine what barnyard animal they’d have you opening for then,” Cosmo had whispered back, because Oatmeal, Nebraska had already happened to them. “A pig who juggles. A cow acrobat. A chicken magician. Just a little sleight of wing, folks, nothing up my feathers.”

And Don had laughed, and held Cosmo tighter, and the ventriloquist had shushed them, which had made them both crack up again. It had been a long night, and not one Cosmo would forget in a hurry.

“Who runs hot as a Holland furnace, let me tell you,” he added now, in case his tone had shifted a few shades too close to dreamy.

“Oh, I know,” said Kathy, smiling.

Don raised an accusing finger at him. “Well, you were shaking like a leaf! You’re lucky I was there, especially when we didn’t have so much as a sheet of our own!”

“Wait, why didn’t you have any blankets?” asked Kathy.

“The blankets,” said Don airily, “were for the puppet.”

And so dinner had been a joy, and after that, Don and Kathy invited him back to their room for a drink or two, because they’d had the common sense to bring alcohol, which was of course not offered by the cruise. The three of them sat on Don and Kathy’s bed (much bigger than Cosmo’s—not that he was jealous, he didn’t need the space, but the sheer expanse of mattress really did rival a small country, and Cosmo was determined not to picture in any detail how the two newlyweds might make use of that) and passed a flask around and had some more laughs and when Cosmo next got a glimpse of his watch, it was three in the morning.

“I should go,” he said.

“You don’t have to,” said Kathy. She’d shucked off her heels at some point and now her stocking feet were in Cosmo’s lap. Don sat on her other side, head on her shoulder. He’d loosened his tie early on, and his suitcoat was draped over one of the bedposts. While they were drinking, it had all felt very natural. Looking at them now, Cosmo had the sense he was intruding on something private, something intimate.

Granted, they weren’t exactly trying to kick him out, but Kathy was drunk, or tired, or else she was both drunk and tired, and it was up to Cosmo not to outstay his welcome. They had a whole two weeks together, after all, and their rooms were barely a wall apart.

“My regrets, Cinderella,” said Cosmo, “but I can feel myself turning back into a pumpkin.”

He made as if to stand, but her feet were in the way. Very gently, he picked up her ankles, lifted them off his legs, stood, turned her like they were doing some sort of a dance move, and deposited her feet in Don’s lap instead.

“There,” he said to no one.

A long pause followed. Don and Kathy blinked up at him. He sorely regretted moving her. It had seemed like the most elegant solution. Probably he should’ve found one that didn’t involve taking hold of her legs, skin warm through the thin layer of nylon–

Kathy’s brow furrowed. “What makes you the carriage?” she said at last.

“What?” said Cosmo, who really did need to make an exit.

“Cinderella,” said Don, apparently reading her mind, which was swell for them.

“Better that than the mouse footman,” Cosmo told her. “Or the lizard coachman. Or the horse.” Or—who else? There were a lot of characters in Cinderella, he realized.

“There’s a prince in that story, Cosmo,” said Kathy. “A human prince.”

“Yes,” said Cosmo, patiently, “and you’re married to him, your highness,” He sketched a little bow but Don and Kathy weren’t looking at him. They were having one of those silent couple conversations, with mostly their eyes and eyebrows. A career in movies before the advent of sound had probably given Don a real advantage in that department, Cosmo thought, although Kathy seemed to be holding her own.

“It’s a made-up fairytale,” Kathy said at last. “Why, it can go any way you want it to.”

“The lady’s got a point,” said Don.

Cosmo blinked. He knew how it sounded, knew that to the untrained ear, it certainly—there were overtones, or undertones, or just plain tones that vibrated with suggestion. Cosmo had grown up in Vaudeville and now he lived in Hollywood; these things happened every now and then. These things did not happen to Cosmo. He was good for a dance or a laugh, and nine times out of ten, that was enough for him, but he wasn’t exactly fending off amorous advances—not like Don, and probably not like Kathy, either.

Also, Don liked women. Don only liked women, as far as Cosmo knew, and they had lived out of each other’s pockets for years.

The fact that a late-night ménage à trois rendezvous was increasingly the only explanation that held water in his head—it said more about Cosmo’s fragile mental state than it did about Don and Kathy’s true motives, he decided.

Don and Kathy who were still sitting on the bed, waiting for some sort of response.

“I wouldn’t, uh,” Cosmo started, and then realized with a stab of panic that for once, he didn’t have a joke in the wings, waiting to go. “I wouldn’t know where to start,” he said.

“You said earlier today you might become a pirate,” Don offered. Kathy cuddled up close against his side, watching with bright, intent eyes. He wrapped an arm around her waist. “Enter pirate, stage left.”

“I said I was thinking about it,” said Cosmo, trying not to sound affected and missing by a mile. “A fella can think about all kinds of things he wouldn’t do.”

Case in point: Cosmo was not about to climb back into bed with them, no matter how cozy that bed was, no matter how warm and inviting and beautiful the two of them looked together.

His hands were starting to shake, he realized, and if Don saw that, and past experience was any judge, Cosmo might spend the night being cuddled for warmth again. What was Cosmo’s life? He didn’t go in for horoscopes, but maybe he should’ve, maybe that was the key to understanding the whole puzzle: Cosmo Brown, born under the one constellation that resembled clown shoes. He swallowed back a hysterical laugh and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Why not?” said Kathy quietly.

Because he didn’t want to ruin his oldest friendship and his most promising new one, all in a single go. Because he hated rejection, and the thought of two no’s that close together made his head spin unpleasantly. Because then there would be no more innocent touches and smiles and nightcaps in Don and Kathy’s room.

That wasn’t what she’d asked, though. Mentally, he shook himself.

“If everyone who thought about being a pirate became one, the whole US of A would fall apart,” Cosmo informed them. “Nobody would work, or pay taxes, or go to see films. Not to mention the national parrot shortage—just try to get ahold of birdseed anymore! There’d be a run on eyepatches and tri-corner hats, and the price of a simple pirate earring would shoot through the roof, in fact—”

“It’d cost a buccaneer,” Don filled in. He sounded almost sad, which was a mystery because that bit was evergreen.

“That’s right,” said Cosmo. He rocked back onto his heels, at a loss for a moment. He’d really been counting on that joke to clear the air.

“Cosmo,” said Kathy. “Do you want to go, or do you want to want to go?”

Cosmo struggled to make sense of that. He struggled to parse it in a way that worked outside his own feverish imagination. His entire mind came up short. That was where it got you, going on the road with only an eighth grade education, he thought. His was a cautionary tale.

Maybe ninth grade was where they taught you how not to twist a moment in your head to the point where it really did seem like maybe Cosmo could’ve kissed either of them, could’ve kissed both of them, and it would’ve been fine, or even more than fine. Maybe it was that, and Dickens, and Geography; Cosmo still could not locate Siam on a map. Or Paris. Come to think of it, ménage à trois and rendezvous were the only French he knew besides bonjour. This time, he did laugh. It was that or scream.

“I am both too drunk, and not drunk enough for this talk,” he said, turning for the door that led directly back to his room.

“If you’d rather stay—” said Don.

“Of course I’d rather stay, Don,” Cosmo snapped, sharper than he’d meant to. “But leave me enough dignity to fill half a shotglass, at least.” Don and Kathy said nothing. When he got to the door, he sighed. “Sorry, that was—I’m sorry. See you at breakfast.” “Goodnight,” said Kathy.

Alone in his room, Cosmo closed the door and ran his hands through his hair. Pirates in Cinderella, he thought. Offers to stay, with his room not 30 paces away, at three hours past midnight. Maybe it would all make sense in the morning.

#singin in the rain ot3

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thepromptfoundry · 3 months

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The prompt theme for February 2024 is a Fannish Fest February!

Come, join in the party, celebrate your fandoms, fandom history, and community!

If you use this list, please tag me here @thepromptfoundry, I’d love to see your writing and art!

Feel free to combine different days' prompts with each other, or combine them with other seasonal events. Respond to as many prompts as you want or as interest you, don’t worry about missing or skipping any. Remember, this is supposed to be fun!

If you have any questions or musings, check our FAQ, and if you don't find your answer, shoot me an ask.

Plain text list below the cut:

1 Your First Fandom 2 Your Current Blorbo 3 A Character Who Deserves More Love 4 Your Favorite Bit Of Fannish History 5 Characters Swapping Clothes 6 A Fannish OC (yours or someone else's) 7 Patching A Plot Hole 8 A Fanfic Trope You Always Love 9 A headcanon with canon support 10 A headcanon with no canon support 11 Cosplay 12 A Character Who's Totally Not Dead 13 If The Characters Found The Fanworks 14 Your OTP (or OT3+) 15 A Crossover 16 A Fanfic Trope You're Very Picky About 17 A Ship You Don't Ship, But Do Respect 18 The Sequel We Deserve But Never Got 19 Different Versions Of The Same Character 20 A Friend's Blorbo 21 A Fandom You Didn't Expect To Get Into 22 A Non-Human Character Made Human 23 A Human Character Made Non-Human 24 A Rarepair 25 How You Would Do A Gritty Reboot 26 A Villain Who's So Good At Being Bad 27 Your Smallest/Least Active Fandom 28 A Bit Of Backstory 29 What The Future Holds (Post-Canon)

#prompt list #the prompt foundry #fannish fest february 2024 #art prompt #art challenge #writing prompt #writing challenge #fandom #monthly challenge

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ziorite · 2 months

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crying laughing (mostly just crying) over the long goodbye job rn because what the fuck guys. what the FUCK.

(spoilers for the last episode of leverage season 5)

i still had so much hope for them even after hardison fell and parker got shot. i was crossing my fingers because eliot will be there and they’ll get away because they always get away ?? right ?? but then they make it the van and eliot gets shot. right in the fucking chest.

THE VAN SCENE. I WAS DISTRAUGHT. DISTRAUGHT Y’ALL. AND THEN HARDISON’S LAST WORDS ARE TO WONDER IF ELIOT IS OKAY ??? “HERE I AM”??? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT. AND THE THREE OF THEM FUCKING DIE HOLDING EACH OTHER’S HANDS WHAT DID THEY DO THAT TO US FOR. (something something parker dying alone when she’s finally learned what it means to have a family something something eliot dies first because to watch the people he’s dedicated his life to protecting die in front of him is to die a second and third time something something)

and then the cherry on top when nate and sophie look back and the three of them are dead and bleeding out and clutching on to each other in death what do they do ??? they don’t even consider giving themselves up they drive that van up the bridge and into the damn river.

nate’s enraged yelling at the agent had me wide eyed with my hand over my mouth. fucking STUNNED yall. nate is really no one’s favorite but my god the fucking pain in his voice. 10/10. BUT THEN of course that’s not all there is to it. the switch from grieving fury to composed nonchalance was both peak comedy and absolute whiplash.

AND HERE’S STERLING !! everyone’s favorite slime ball <3 and ho ho ? he’s mad at nate for killing the rest of the team ?? they grew on him didn’t they— like clumps of adorable mold that just keep coming back <3

and finally. the master plan is revealed. sterling did scare the living shit out of me shooting “hardison” like that but of course nate had a better plan than what they believed. crazy to think that the whole damn emotional rollercoaster was really just set up for the actual break in. (eliot’s exasperated eye roll and fall at nate’s “bang !” was everything.) starring sterling as the trojan horse! an amazing choice all around.

AND !! we have a proposal !! proposals plural actually because no way in fucking hell was that not a confession from eliot. that scene was the height of romance and i will be DAMNED if someone tries to tell me that was just normal best friend shit. OT3 IS REAL !!!

in conclusion: love leverage, they have the amazingest show to ever show and a finale better than any other out there. 200/10 would watch again and i am currently penning a love letter to john rogers and dean devlin.

#leverage #the long goodbye job #nate ford #nathan ford #sophie devereaux #eliot spencer #parker #parker leverage #alec hardison #leverage ot3 #thiefsome

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mxanigel · 4 months

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WIP Wednesday

Thank you for the tag, @socially-awkward-skeleton! No-pressure tagging @mxkelsifer @poetikat @arendaes @valiantvillain @captastra @outpost51 @lazyadmiral @saraptor @judithmactir @marythegizka @anderstrevelyan @effelants @spindleweedss @blightcaller and anyone else who might like to share any sort of WIP in the near future 💜

So these WIP words are a bit different. Because they won't end up in Shion's fic. Why not? Said fic is being told (almost) entirely from her point of view. And she isn't present for this scene. But I wanted to draft something to help clarify in my own head how events might unfold toward the eventual Hange/Levi/Shion OT3.

-----

“You’ve kept Shion away from me.”

Hange laughs softly. Then chest pain brings their amusement to an abrupt halt. “You noticed.”

Levi’s glare intensifies.

“I don’t know what’s going on between you two. But she’s hurting. I don’t want her to hurt.” They tilt their head. “I don’t want you to hurt, either.”

“Hilarious coming from the idiot in a hospital bed. Again.” He huffs. “Ever think about how we feel seeing you injured all the time?”

“Hoh, I didn’t think you cared.”

His withering expression could melt steel. “I’m shit at showing it. And you know that.”

“I imagine that’s why you’ve hurt Shion. She hasn’t known you as long as I have, remember?”

Levi rolls his eyes. “Shut up.”

“No. She’s alone right now. She hates being alone.”

He shivers.

Hmmm. That reaction confirms Hange's suspicion. “I’m getting the treatment I need here. But what Shion needs right now, a hospital can’t provide.” They start to cross their arms before thinking better of it. “I can’t leave this room. You can.”

“You said I hurt her. Now you’re sending me to her. Make it make sense.”

“You’re in love with her.”

He flinches.

“Ha. So you have admitted it to yourself.”

“Fucking four-eyes.”

“I think you should tell her. But I’d prefer it to be your choice. She deserves that.”

“Oi, Hange, why do you care about this?”

They don’t respond.

“You’re sure you want me to go to her.”

“I am.”

“Then you’ll be alone.”

Hange forces a smile. “I’m used to that.”

“Dammit.” He pushes himself away from the wall. “Last chance to change your mind.”

“Just fucking go already.”

So he leaves.

They sink into their pillows once he’s gone, a long sigh slowly escaping their lungs. Look at me of all people playing matchmaker because they’re both fucking terrible at this. If only it didn’t ache so damn much.

#WIP Wednesday #angst central #fic: Cut to the Feeling #aot fanfic #OT3: what we have is each other #Hange POV Hange POV <3

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creativepromptsforwriting · 1 year

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I love your blog! These prompts are so creative. Do you have any OT3 prompts where an established couple is gently wooing a third person who thinks they're just FWB/going to ruin the actual relationship?

Thank you! That is actually something I've recently read a few fics about, so I'll try my best.

OT3 Prompts - Wooing third person

"You want to leave already? We had hoped you would stay."

"Well, it was a one time thing, wasn't it?" "It wasn't for us. Not if you would like it to be more."

"Thanks, I guess. For like... letting me stay. In your bed. I mean, it was fun, thanks."

"We would be happy to explore this thing between us. If you want to."

"You're just saying said to be nice. No need to pity me." "What we feel for you is definitely not pity."

"I think there is some miscommunication here. We definitely need to work on that in the future."

"Our two months anniversary is coming up!" "But you've been together for much longer." "Our anniversary. For the three of us."

"You want me to stay? With you? For... for how long?" "We take whatever you give us, but forever is a good start, I think."

"We would like to take you on dates. Separately and together."

"I can't believe that you want me. Both of you. Actually wanting me, not just my body." "Well, you're good company. You and your body."

"It will take some time to figure all of this out. But I think we already established how well we work together."

"No choosing involved. I like you. You like me. He likes you. You like him. We like each other. I'm awful at math, but that looks like an easy equation to solve."

"All the best things come in three."

"We two work well together. But there is always room for improvement and we want that to be you."

"Oh, silly you. It was never just a one time thing for us."

"Would you like to join us?" "But you're on a date. I don't want to ruin that."

"You don't have to worry about our relationship. You're not breaking us up, you're completing us."

More: OT3 Prompts | OT3 Ideas | How to write a polyamorous relationship

Really hope you like these prompts!

- Jana

#anon ask #ask #creativepromptsforwriting #writing ideas #writing prompts #writing inspiration #ot3 prompts #polyam relationships #prompt list

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mimi123meg · 1 year

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Something about how the emotional moments of each of the ot3 are so different yet they all hit so hard like Eliot and hardison emotional moments are built around Eliot instilling confidence into hardison and Eliot learning to trust other people (hardison). Hardison and Parker's most emotional moments are built around they assuring each other of the others presence and emotional hit you in almost a wholesome way. Parker is learning how to be in a relationship and is coming to terms with not being alone while hardison grew up surrounded by family and is happy to guide someone in that journey. Parker and Eliot's moments are admittedly my favorite but they emotional hit you in a way that makes me feel like I've been punched in the stomach ("we do the things they can't...won't"). Eliot has done terrible things and though he doesnt hide that, he also doesn't talk about it. But with Parker, he doesn't really have that same barrier, there still is one but she doesn't have the same outlook on morality as the others and she doesn't really put weight on Eliot's past because she knows him now and what else matters right?

Anyways I just love themmm

#meg rambles #leverage ot3 #eliot spencer #parker leverage #alec hardison #leverage #I just love them a lot

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hanafubukki · 6 months

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Twst Playful Land Scenarios with OT3 [Knight of Dawn x Reader x Lilia Vanrouge]:

Dawn and Lilia being controlled and forced to fight.

No, this wasn’t supposed to happen. Not this, not again.

You watched as Lilia and Dawn clashed swords. They weren’t in their right minds.

Like marionettes, their actions weren’t their own.

As if possessed, their eyes reflected none of the emotions you adored.

“No! Please!”

Your scream was met with laughter as the sound of swords continued to clash.

“Poor thing, you should have just played along. But you didn’t, did you? Had to stick your nose in where it wasn’t supposed to, now look what you’ve done. Watching those you Iove fight each other.”

You saw red.

It was all a game to him.

You took a deep breath.

I’ve stopped this once before. I’ll do it again.

And then…

Then you’re going after Honest Fellow.

YN being controlled and forced to fight them.

Lilia jumped away, missing the sword aimed at his head.

“YN, stop!”

You blankly stare back at them. Your body controlled like a puppet.

The NRC students were restricted in how they could free you.

If they tried using magic against you or Fellow, he would have you pointing your sword at your throat.

“Look at your faces! You all are weak when it comes to this one huh? How revolting. Allowing one person such power over you.”

Fellow gestured and you moved.

Dawn blocked the blow aimed at Ace, “YN! Beloved! Snap out of it!”

YN jumped back swiftly, like a lifeless doll pulled back but it’s owner.

“Ah ah ah, it’s not that easy. You should worry about yourself. You never know when you might end up at the end of their blade. Just like Mr. Asim right here.”

YN flew towards Kalim, easily bypassing Cater, sword aimed at his chest.

Kalim froze, closing his eyes, waiting for the pain.

“YN! Kalim!”

Kalim opened his eyes, only to see you.

You had grabbed the blade with your other hand, blood dripping to the floor.

“Please…stop…me…”

There was light in your eyes before the magic binds pulled you back.

“Hm~ Seems my toy needs some tinkering~”

Lilia and Dawn watched as your fearful eyes became clouded once again, watched as blood dripped from your hand.

Blood had been spilt, your blood.

Fellow tilted your head towards him.

“Though I’m starting to see why you all care so much for this one, their-”

“SHAAAAA!”

Most of the room jumped as the foreign sound bounced off the walls, heads swerving towards its’ origins.

The aura Lilia gave off had all but Dawn stepping back from him, even the look on Dawn’s face sent feelings of terror to the rooms’ inhabitants.

“Everyone stand back.”

“We will handle this.”

Everyone watched as the General and Knight walked towards Fellow, their steps that of predators.

Ready to maul and protect what is theirs.

YN bound and hanging by ribbons:

Dawn couldn’t help but wonder, was it the peace and happiness he felt that led to this?

You hung high above them, delicate ribbons keeping you from falling.

He had let his guard down, and you suffered for it.

You were taken from them.

How could he let someone he loved so dearly come into danger?

“Dawn.”

The hand at his shoulder startled him out of his thoughts.

He turned to see Lilia, whose eyes reflected the same emotions his held: worry, frustration, and anger.

“Let’s rescue YN, we can deal with him after.”

Dawn clasped the hand on his shoulder, nodded, before turning back to you.

They would rescue you, and then Honest Fellow would wish he never incurred the wrath of the Sun and Moon.

It’s done 🥳💞 I’m so happy I could finish these scenarios before the next twst playful land update.

I wanted to play around with perspective a bit so that was really fun to do with the various scenarios. ☺️💚

#twst knight of dawn x reader x lilia vanrouge #twst playful land #fellow honest #twst fellow honest #twst ferro honest #twst the stage in playful land the dancing puppets and the fabled amusement park #other twst characters mentioned #twst knight of dawn x reader #lilia vanrouge x reader

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fierymiasma · 1 year

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➷ Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon ➷ // ominis x sebastian x f!mc

Summary: Ominis catches Sebastian and f!MC sneaking out of their shared house again, off on another dangerous adventure without him. Luckily, they know just how to make it up to him.

Tags: Fluff, Domestic Bliss, OT3, Silver Ttrio, Making Out, Aged Up! characters, Living Together

Word Count: 3.8k 🍃

|| My Other Work || AO3 ||

Ominis tapped his foot against the rug impatiently. He'd been sitting in their living room, tea now cold at the side table, awaiting the other two's return. He checked his magical watch again, only two minutes since the last time he'd check.

The nerve of those two. Sneaking out in the dead of the night while he was asleep. Doing Merlin knows what, going Merlin knows where. Ever since the three of them decided to move in together, to make things official, he made them promise him that all of those unsanctioned not work-related adventures would come to an end. He never wanted to be a widower at age 20 for Merlin's sake. And yet, somehow, despite all their vows, he's been up since midnight impatiently waiting for their arrival back home.

At last, their front door open, creaking quite loudly despite their best efforts. His two lovers had arrived back home, unaware that the real danger had just begun.

"Shhhh, sweetheart, you're going to wake him up. Ominis will be livid if he knew what we'd been up to." Sebastian whispered rather loudly all the way across the house. They all were really getting older if Sebastian thought he was being sneaky.

He heard the front door gently click closed. One of them locked it quietly. A feminine voice whisper-retorted, "Well, we would have cleared out those dungeons much sooner if someone didn't wake up the sleeping dragon."

Ominis could feel his heart in his throat. A dragon? Were they hurt? If they weren't injured already, Ominis was going to make sure they were.

There was the sound of shuffling. They were trying to take off their adventuring gear that they thought Ominis didn't know they had. Sebastian teased. "In all fairness, I thought our Hogwarts motto about tickling sleeping dragons was a small suggestion at best, or a defiant dare at the most."

One of them must have knocked over the umbrella stand loudly, making a rather loud crashing sound. There was a sound of agony and swearing.

"Shhhhhhh. You'll wake him up!" She scolded Sebastian. "If Ominis finds out where we've been, then we'd really be dead."

Ominis sighed, finishing the rest of his tea. Well, it seems like that was his cue. Quietly getting out of his comfortable armchair, he strolled into the entrance room, his wand lighting his way.

"If Ominis finds out what?" Ominis drawled announcing his dramatic entrance.

"Oh, bollocks!" Sebastian swore, knocking over the umbrella stand once again, causing a cacophony of tumbling knickknacks and overturned shoes.

"Ominis!" She yelped. Her voice had a nervous tone. "Oh, darling, did we wake you up?" She kissed him on both cheeks in greeting. "Why don't we all go back to bed?"

Ominis has been with the pair of them too long to be distracted by placating kisses, no matter how sweet. "And where are you two coming from?"

"-Taking out the rubbish-" Sebastian answered way too quickly.

"-Letting out the cat-" She blurted out at the same time.

The guilty duo stared at each other, now caught.

Sebastian scowled. Hands on his hips, he turned to their female partner. "We don't even have a cat, sweetheart."

She frantically worried at her hands. "You know I'm not very good at lying."

Ominis was furious. "I wake up, in the middle of the night, to find that our bed is once again empty. No note, no sign of any of you two in the house." The rid tip of his wand made angry sparks. "You went off on one of your ridiculously dangerous, stupidly reckless adventures, didn't you? You made a promise to me the last time this happened that you won't go gallivanting off to any more abandoned castles."

"Technically," Sebastian murmured under his breath as his girlfriend desperately jabbed him in the stomach to get him to shut up. "No promises were broken. I did swear, no more crumbling castles this time, Ominis. We were in an abandoned dungeon this time. Quite different scenarios really."

"Shut up, Sebastian!" She whispered through gritted teeth. "The second he finds out we had to duel a dragon; we're going to be in real trouble."

"Oh, I already know." Ominis declared. "I can't believe the two of you. Fighting dragons? Fighting trolls? This isn't Hogwarts anymore! You can't just floo powder your way back to the infirmary and expect everything to work itself out!"

She nodded rapidly, falling to pieces under Ominis interrogation. "Ominis, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." Sebastian rolled his eyes. She always folded so easily for Ominis. "I really mean it. I didn't want to make you upset. I know we promised. But this time-"

Sebastian covered her mouth with his hands before she could spout out any more damning evidence. "Ominis, it was just an errand run. Nothing more than that, I swear, on Salazar Slytherin himself."

Ominis narrowed his eyes not fooled by Sebastian's lies. He could smell burnt fabric, as if someone's sleeve had been a bit too close to the dragon's breath. The air smelled ferric, as if there was blood spilt, either theirs or their enemies. He sighed. "I don't even want to know what you two were up to. Merlin knows if I knew half of the stuff the two of you did, I'd be sent to an early grave." He walked up to Sebastian. Ominis ran gentle fingers over Sebastian's face, trying to map out any new cuts or bruises. Sebastian chased his fingers with butterfly kisses as if trying to apologize for scaring him.

"Are you two hurt?" he asked.

"No."

"Never, not even a scratch on her."

Ominis nodded, stiffly. "Good, I’m glad to see you both in one piece."

Ominis let the false sense of security wash over them. The relief was palpable as they relaxed their tense shoulders, seemingly having weathered the storm of one of Ominis' infamous lectures.

Now that he knew they were safe, unharmed, and uninjured. Ominis could finally give them a piece of his mind. He exploded.

"Again! The two of you! Why, I've had it up to here with the two of you. Making me worried sick. Look at me, I'm losing my hair, sick with worried. I stayed up all night worried that one of you will come back in a coffin. When we decided to be together, to properly be together, we all swore an oath to keep each other safe. And here you are again, constantly breaking our vow to me, sneaking out in the dead of the night, not knowing if you'll ever come back in one piece. Why, I'm so crossed I'm at a loss for words."

Despite claiming to be speechless, the guilty duo had to sit and listen to Ominis' tirade for the better parts of an hour. As Ominis stopped to catch his breath, and calm his nerves, Sebastian decided now was the best time to chime in.

"Well, I've certainly learned my lesson." Sebastian interrupted rather boldly despite his girlfriend's increasingly panicked expression. "I'm glad we were able to come to another agreement, love. But really, Ominis you needn't needlessly worry. We're the two best duelists in all of England." He bragged. "Even the ministry's hitwizards have nothing on us. All of your worrying is just going to give your wrinkles."

Ominis whipped around to face him. "You are not to speak for the rest of the night. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Sebastian gulped.

"And you," The tides of Ominis' wrath turned to his girlfriend. "Again, and again, time after time, you let Sebastian and the whole population in London talk you into doing these insanely reckless activities. Fetching dragons' eggs, fighting a whole horde of inferi, Merlin, when will you finally learn to say no?" She looked down at her feet. It felt eerily similar to their first meeting together. "I don't know what's worse Sebastian's defiance of my direct orders or your constant need to please people at the expense of your own health."

The people-pleasing Hufflepuff in question could feel the tears threatening to make their appearance. She wrapped her arms around Ominis, paradoxically wanting to seek comfort from the very man that was angry at her. She buried her face in Ominis' chest, trying to hide herself away from his painful words. "I'm so sorry, Ominis." Her words were mumbled into his soon-to-be-wet sweater. "Please don't be angry at me….or Sebastian."

Ominis sighed. Dating two such different people was thrilling in its own right but also quite difficult at times. Where Sebastian has not been immune to his moments of explosive emotions, their girlfriend lived and died by Ominis praises and words of affection. Ominis tried his best, never to raise his voice at her. But he was only human, and in moments like these where Ominis wasn't sure if they were safe or even alive at all…it was hard. He did feel slightly bad. It was just like their first meeting together, when he hear the new girl with the beautiful voice step out of Sebastian and his Undercroft. The Gaunt family's wrath was perhaps one of the only things he did inherit from them.

It was always too hard to be angry at his lovers for any amount of time. Hugging her back, he rested his cheek on the top of her head. He ran his delicate hands through her hand, soothing her despite still being quite cross with her.

"Darling, I'm not angry anymore. Just disappointed in you. I expect much better from someone as extraordinary as you."

She hated it when Ominis yelled at her. Somehow it was much different compared to her screaming matches that she would have with Sebastian. When the usual level-headed, calm Ominis yelled at her, he was most definitely in the right. Now, the quiet disappointment? This was much much worse than Ominis being angry at her. Sebastian came closer to the pair, rubbing her lower back in support.

It was always the same pattern time after time. Ominis would get furious at the two of them for something that Sebastian would convince their girlfriend to do. A very stern talking to and lecture would be had. It always ended up in one of two ways. Sebastian would sweet talk his way back into Ominis' good graces (and back into their shared bed), or she would unintentionally be her charming, selfless, kind-hearted self and just evaporate any of Ominis' anger.

"So!" Sebastian clapped his hands cheerily. "It's been quite a long day. I'm knackered and would love a good sleep in between the most handsome wizard in London and the most gorgeous witch in all of England. Let's put this poor girl to bed, shall we Ominis? I think she's quite learned her lesson."

"Oh, don't you think you can get away so easily, Sebastian."

Drat. He really did hope that would work this time around.

Perhaps it was time for a different approach. He moved behind the hugging couple snaking his arms in between the others' embrace, standing on the tips of his feet to rest his jaw on the taller man's shoulder. Embracing Ominis from behind, he used his signature Sebastian Sallow voice that would have had schoolboy Ominis wrapped entirely around his finger. "C'mon Ominis. We've already apologized. It's been a tiring evening." Sebastian's lips tickled Ominis' ears, sending shivers down the man's spine. "Please, let the both of us make it up to you." He playfully nipped Ominis' ears before dropping his voice down an octave. "I can promise you that our apologies are best heard in the bedroom."

Sandwiched between his girlfriend's kraken like embrace in the front, and Sebastian's seductive voice from behind, Ominis knew where this was going. He extricated himself from the two of them, drying his tear-stained shirt with a quick flick of his wand.

"Don't even think about it, Sallow. In no way, am I rewarding your bad behavior tonight. You can start by making it up to me by doing the dishes for a week."

Sebastian shrugged. Well, all things concerned, that could have gone a lot worse.

"Without magic."

"What! Come off it. What's the point in that?!" Sebastian protested. He shot a look at his girlfriend. "Hang on, why do I have to the do the dishes while she gets no punishment."

She sniffed, drying her eyes with the back of her hands. "Yes, please, let me make it up to you. I feel so awful for letting you worry about us. I had no idea how much our nighttime outings affected you." Ominis could feel his shoulders soften. "You always cook us the most amazing dinners, Ominis. And we immediately betray your love by sneaking behind your back the moment you go to sleep. Let me at least prepare our meals for the rest of the week. It's the least I can do."

Ominis sighed, running his hand through his hair. "No, darling, that's quite all right. You don't have to do that for me."

"What!" Sebastian sputtered. "Oh, come on, Ominis. Are you favoring her over me?" Sebastian's jealousy couldn't help but rear its ugly head once again. He couldn't help but worry, once again, if he was being left behind.

The blond man scoffed. "Hardly. Different people need to be punished differently. Our girl thrives off of helping other people, getting praise, and being a little bit of a doormat." He turned to her, hands on his hips, about to deliver the final devastating blow. "There's nothing that you could do that would make me feel better. You've really betrayed my trust today,"

Her expression was crushed. Tears spilled over onto her cheeks. "Merlin, this is ten times worse than any punishment at Azkaban."

Sebastian gaped at her. Unbelievable. "You are such a Hufflepuff sometimes."

She wiped her eyes before sticking her tongue out at him. "Ominis tells me you're a bad influence, and I should stop listening to you."

Sebastian pinched her bum in retaliation, delighting in the squeal of surprise she made.

"Enough," Ominis said before this would get out of hand. If he didn't stop this now, sooner or later clothes would start going missing. "You both are sleeping on the couch together."

"There's only one couch!" Sebastian protested.

"Then I suppose you'll have to figure out a solution. Good night, the both of you."

For the rest of the week, Ominis gave them the cold shoulder. He did a stunning rendition of the Bloody Baron, drifting about their shared home with an aristocratic disdain for the other two. ("Do you think he's still mad at us" he heard her whispering in the garden. Sebastian snorted. "Hardly. Ominis is just being dramatic as usual. You'll see. He'll come around.")

Ominis sighed, pinching his nose. It was hard enough trying to juggle…whatever it was that the three of them had with his job at the Ministry. Over the past week, his paperwork as an Unspeakable had piled up on his desk. He was lucky that he was able to finish the majority of it today. Returning back home, he couldn't wait to make a nice quick meal, something comforting and warm. Opening the front gate of their house, he mused over which book he was going to choose to read by the fire. As he walked to the front of the door, his cheery mood started to dissipate. Loud clanging and clashing sounds were coming from their kitchen. Ominis could hear Sebastian yelling something. Oh Salazar, what were those two up to now?

"Sebastian, the stove is way too hot! You're burning it! Let me cook. I actually know what I'm doing."

"Says the one who managed to injury herself twice within 5 minutes of this whole mess. You know, for being the best duelist of the three of us, you're awfully talented at getting yourself hurt."

"That's not what happened, and you know it, Slytherin. Oh Merlin, why on earth does it look like that? Is it supposed to be grey?"

"You think he would notice?"

There was a hacking coughing sound. As if someone had taste tested their food and found it rather wanting.

"Oh, Merlin's beard, he's definitely going to think we're trying to poison him. What on earth did you put in that, Sebastian?"

"Frankly, I haven't had the foggiest clue. Can we call Deek for help, now? We tried your way, being all cute and romantic, and look where that got us. We should have done it my way from the start and just taken him to bed."

"Sebastian, not every relationship problem can be solved by a romp in the sheets."

Sebastian made a noise of disagreement. "Hasn't stopped working for me yet."

Ominis hovered in front of their front door. Reluctant to open it and learn of the true extent of whatever damage they did to his poor house. Maybe it was better if he just walked away and let this one play out. Who knows? Maybe they could pull through and not destroy the house he worked very hard to decorate and make a home. Maybe if he came back an hour later, his girlfriend and boyfriend would be appropriately behaved, good, model-citizens.

"Maybe try incendio." Sebastian suggested. "If you burn the evidence, it's like it never existed."

"Hmmm….unfortunately, you might be right. I'm running out of ideas on how to salvage this."

Oh, Merlin's beard.

The front door banged open, interrupting any more awful suggestions. Ominis strolled in, wand out, ready to put a stop to whatever mayhem was happening in his kitchen.

The pair of them frozen, like two Nifflers robbing a bank. For once in her life, she was glad Ominis was blind. Maybe, he wouldn't notice the dough that had somehow stuck itself to the tiled ceiling. Or how one of the freshly painted cabinet doors was hanging off by only one of its two hinges. Or how her and Sebastian were both covered in questionable liquids. Maybe, he wouldn't smell the burnt food or notice how one of his favorite tea towels that they bought for his birthday had been completely vanished (along with a few more traces of their culinary sins).

"Ominis!" Sebastian greeted brightly. "Just in time, we've almost finished with making you supper!"

"Is that what we're calling this fiasco?" Ominis asked drily. Merlin, he didn't want to even use his wand as a guide to "see" his way around the kitchen. Maybe it was better that he didn't know the full extent of the damage.

His girlfriend approached him, gently taking his outer coat, scarf, and hat from his hands to hang it up in its proper places with the flick of her wand. Her hands found his as she rubbed soothing circles on his cold skin. "Ominis, Sebastian and I, well, we feel downright rotten for last week." Sebastian snorted in the background. "We can see how much our adventures affect you. I can't make any promises that it won't happen again. Or that Sebastian won't convince me to do something stupid again."

"Oi!" The offended man said in the background, throwing his hands in the air.

She ignored him. "But what I can promise you is that we'll communicate better with you. We'll tell you well in advance. We'll tell you where we go, what we're expecting, and what time we'll be home by. No more of this sneaking around in the dead of the night. No more lies or hiding things from you."

Ominis could feel the tension in his stomach relax a bit. "Well, I suppose it's unfair for me to demand you stop something that brings you two so much joy." He chewed on his tongue thoughtfully. "I'm amendable to this new arrangement. I only ask that I not be left in the dark. You have no idea how awful it is waking up in the middle of the night not knowing if you'll be left alone for the rest of your life."

Sebastian was behind to them, snaking his hand around Ominis thin waist and peppering kisses on the side of his pale neck. "You shan't be alone. We'll always be here." His mouth was dangerously close to Ominis's pulse. "From now on, you have an indefinite invitation to come to any one of our outings. Merlin knows someone needs to witness the majesty that is Sebastian Sallow." The other two snickered. "Now come on Ominis,” Sebastian hands made their journey towards Ominis's belt. "Let us make it up to you."

Ominis could feel how weak he was to Sebastian's tactics. With their sweetheart in front, now pressing soft kisses on Ominis's hands, and Sebastian behind him, chin tucked on Ominis's shoulder, Ominis could feel his will waver. Sebastian angled Ominis's chin towards him, eyes flickering to the other man's kips. Whatever protests Ominis had in his mind were now entirely forgotten, too busy being kissed by his boyfriend.

They kiss for what feels like an entirety until Ominis has to pull back for air. Then, their lover kissed Ominis, hard, before he could catch his breath. Ominis ran his long fingers through her hair. Her hands have worked their way up to Ominis's chest and finding Sebastian's tie. Her hands were wrapped tightly around the necktie pulling him in, refusing to let him go. Sebastian couldn't stop grinning marveling at his own luck having successfully wooed the two most beautiful people on earth.

When she broke apart from poor Ominis, who was entirely winded, she tugged on the green tie, pulling Sebastian forward. He gladly met her half-way, arms curling around her waist.

Ominis supposed one week of giving them the cold shoulder was punishment enough. Except-

"What about the kitchen? Weren't you two trying to make something?"

The other two separated from their kiss, arms still around each other. The mischievous pair blinked owlishly, their eyes too innocent and too childlike.

"What are you talking about, Ominis? I haven't had the foggiest idea what you mean." Sebastian tried.

"We made…a small mess." she confessed. "I think Sebastian was trying to poison you to steal your family fortune."

Sebastian laughed, before reaching around to Ominis to kiss him on the cheek.

"Don't get too cocky," Ominis warned without any real heat. It was hard to be intimidating when his boyfriend was kissing the edge of his lips, and his girlfriend was leaving bruising marks on Ominis's neck. "Just because you two try to do something cute. My mood can change at any time."

"Mmhmm." Sebastian agreed, before teasingly nipping at Ominis's lips.

Ominis sighed, fully relenting to the fact that he was too easy on them. His pants were getting tighter, and his heartbeat quicken. "I believe, there was something you two were meaning to show me upstairs?"

He could feel the other man's grin on his cheek. Sebastian purred. "Now, that's the spirit."

Their girlfriend guided his hand towards the staircase, "Come on, Ominis. Sebastian and I have something in store for you in the bedroom." Sebastian laughed, young and carefree.

Ominis shook his head with a smile on his face. The two of them, incorrigible. "Lead the way." Ominis answered.

#sebastian sallow #ominis gaunt #hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis gaunt x mc #sebastian sallow fanfiction #sebastian sallow fic #sebastian sallow x reader #ominis gaunt x sebastian sallow #ominis x reader #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis x you #ot3 #silver trio #hogwarts legacy mc #hphl #hogwarts legacy fanfic #harry potter hogwarts game #fierymiasmawork

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verycharismaticdragon · 11 months

Text

Currently reading a Korean webnovel instead of Chinese ones and this is making me conceptualize something, let’s see if I can put it in words…

My musings started with realizing that I’ve become very used to this cnovels thing where the main pairing is literally stated in the summary. Not the case for the k-novel I’m reading, and therefore I’m experiencing Pain and Suffering, — torn between my every instinct screaming that the author is setting up the OT3 endgame, and trying to lower my expectations to avoid disappointment. (And the novel is ongoing so I can’t even get spoilers for the ending :) girl help.)

As you may’ve guessed, I found myself strongly preferring the Chinese variant; but as to why exactly it was so important for my enjoyment to know the main couple… it took me a bit to figure out.

I mean, it’s not like I’m reading exclusively for romance, okay? Fannish activity-wise, sure, I tend to get fixated on ships (though even then, not all the time), but when it comes to reading (or any media intake, really), it’s not necessarily what I’m most interested in. Among my beloved titles, there are many where there’s no canon or fanon couple I'm attached to — and more than a few where there’s a canon couple that I neither love nor hate, just accept. So why did I get so attached to the concept of being, essentially, spoiled the endgame couple beforehand?

The key word that made it click was: promise. After all, it’s not like knowing the names of the characters that get together tells me anything about if they will be interesting or boring together, if they will be good for each other or make me scream “break up!” a million times. But it is a solid promise that these two people ARE gonna be a couple.

And thinking about the word promise reminded me of discussions on plot twists that I’ve seen on here, about what makes a good plot twist and what makes a bad one — specifically, the phrase “narrative promise” that someone came up with. Basically, narrative promise is in the set up and the build up. If the plot twist betrays the narrative promise, it will not work, and it will be hated by the audience, who’ll feel like their emotional investment into the story was mocked.

The thing about the narrative promise, and why this term stuck with me, is that it’s actually applicable more broadly than just for shock-factor plot twists. For example: what is queerbaiting, if not betraying the narrative promise that the two characters are gonna be together? The fans see the narrative promise — the set up and the build up that would be unequivocally romantic for a het couple — and expect it to be fulfilled; only to be called delusional by the very creators that gave them this expectation.

And this brings me to the next point: the catch of the “narrative promise” is that it’s never a guarantee. You can be completely sure the author is setting up X, only for them to turn around and do something completely different. (Possibly while calling you a little bitch for having the stupidity to invest your feelings into their creation, too.) After a while, a fan learns to manage their expectations. To not bet too much on anything, even if it feels like there’s no other way it can go. To wait until the end of the season or the last chapter before allowing themselves to get attached; to hold back on deciding whether something is good or not, lest they hype up something they will want to bury and forget later.

And this is where we circle back to c-novels, and to spoiling the main couple in the summary. Except I hesitate to call it “spoiling” because, as discussed, it actually heightens my enjoyment. For a simple reason: this practice takes the narrative promise from its nebulous, uncertain status to something concrete and real. Only for this one aspect and with the minimal-est amount of information possible, but still. That’s one thing I don’t have to guess about or doubt myself on (am I seeing things? is there a heterosexual explanation another way to read this? will the author simply kill off one of the characters before the end so that they don’t have to decide whether to make them explicitly queer?), and one thing I can count on (whatever else happens in the plot, I’ll still have this). It’s easy to invest emotionally into those characters and their relationship, when you have an assurance of their happy ending.

Ofc, I’m not saying that I don’t invest emotionally into relationships or characters other than the main CP — just that it is easier. And I would even say having this one(1) hard promise makes it easier to invest into other elements of the work, too, as it makes for a sort of safety net even if something else is disappointing or painful.

Like, say you are invested in one couple with great chemistry and one side character. In case of a pre-stated ship, even if the side character dies, at least you still have the canon couple. So it’s not like all of your emotional connection to the book is lost, and you can probably bear with the loss of that character by writing everybody lives AU or something. But if the side character dies AND the couple you were invested in gets broken up or killed off or straight-married with other ppl… then doesn’t that make the entire thing into one massive disappointment? to the point that you might even regret picking up the book that made you care only to slap you in the face?..

So yeah, having even just one ship guaranteed is very comforting. And then I thought, well, doesn’t this apply to another type of fiction that I’m very familiar with?

Fanfiction?

Which, since very early on, has adopted the practice of putting the endgame ship in the header of the fic. And which, probably not coincidentally, is often a response to a broken (or at the very least not brought to its logical conclusion) narrative promise. And which always felt uniquely easy to read for me…

See, prior to getting on this little thought train, I always assumed the ease was due to pre-existing familiarity with canon. You know, not having to learn the entire new setting, already having attachment to the characters… But now that I’ve connected these dots, I thought about times I read fics for fandoms I wasn’t familiar with, and originals formatted as fics — and really, wasn’t it always about the narrative promise made solid?

Esp with how fics make it even broader than cnovels, by having extensive tags and ratings and such. Getting into a fic, you have a pretty clear idea of what may or may not happen in the story, even if you don’t know what exactly will happen or how. And a fic can fail to live up to the premise set up by ship/rating/tags — but not completely turn its back on it.

(Well, normally. But in those exceptional cases where tags are misleading, at least you have something to point to when saying, “this is not what I was promised”. The ficwriter can hardly claim they don't understand why you expected [ship] to happen when they personally tagged their work as containing that ship — unlike the traditional media creators, who can always play the "you were totally misunderstanding my intentions the entire time" card.)

And having a solid promise like this, it turns out, takes lotsa pressure off starting a New Unfamiliar thing. I do, in fact, trust like that! So it’s no wonder that there were periods in my life when I would only consume fanfiction, because it was so much easier than extending trust to new titles. And it’s no wonder that what brought me back to being an avid reader were Chinese webnovels that use a practice very similar to what we have in fandoms.

I guess I understand myself better now! Still wish I knew if that k-novel's author is /j or /srs about the ot3 though.

#fandom #fanfiction #cnovels #danmei novels #idk just a lot of musings that i wanted to organize a bit. and since i already typed it all might as well set it free here

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