#There was no need for me to make a whole fandom history in my verse... and yet...

[the0maski]

Not necessarily LU based, but in the overall “canon” -verse the Hero of Time doesn’t exist in two timelines, right? He died in the Downfall Timeline and never came to be a hero in the Child Timeline.

Legend and Hyrule probably only heard about the title Fallen Hero, never his true title. Same goes for Twilight, only knowing Time as the Hero’s Shade or Cursed Swordsman. Which means, only Wind knows about Time, and he is the only one with a legend about him.

Funny detail, if Hyrule Warriors would fall under the Child Timeline that would mean that Time was present during the whole timeline, it gets better if Mask was only dragged into the war, because the goddesses pulled a: You broke it, you fix it! Making it more fun, Time becomes just history’s biggest mystery and meme under historians. To the point where there are huge debates about him, because some records say that he lived after the Hyrulean civil war, but at the same time he is mention being at the War of Ages which was two whole Eras later! Was he ever a hero? Why are they no family records about him? Was he really just a forest spirit, was he even hylian?

Flora would absolutely have a field day, if the chain ever stepped only a foot in Wild’s Hyrule. Seeing how she is extremely interested in history.

For real: there is to little mention, in the fandom, that the Hero of Time is only known to one person (Or two if Mask had been in the war). Everyone else had never heard of him, less knew that there was a hero that came after Four. How had they all found each other? I know that, there is a fanfic troupe of the chain slowly forming, while hopping through portals ending in a new Link’s Hyrule. But in comic, the first time they all walked through a portal together, was after visiting Malon. Meaning they all met in Time’s Hyrule, in the Timeline were he is no “hero”. How did they find Time, since asking for a hero would not worked? What makes me also believe, that Time is only leader of the group, because he is the oldest and apparently has a high rank among Hyrule’s military. Maybe he showed the Triforce mark on his hand? But less likely since he hides it most times.

My money goes to Wind or Twilight. Wind talking randomly to this soldier, about the legend of his time, not knowing he is speaking directly to said person of the legend. The rancher only because, he got flashbacks of Shade, and he needed to find out more. Bonus would be Warriors lost at words, because that one deity that sometimes possessed his little brother, became the Milkman!

#the only reason Time can be cryptic is literally only because NO ONE knows his story #except Wind but than he just pulls Termina out of his leaves #hyrule historians hate him so much for time traveling #linked universe #lu time #lu thoughts #lu chain #linkeduniverse #lu four #lu wild #lu legend #lu theory #lu wind #lu mask #lu headcanons

[tortoisesshells]

23. Is writing the beginning, middle, or end of the story easiest? Hardest? 38. What is your most self-indulgent posted story? 80. Free space! Okay, be honest. What's your writing ego like? How does it manifest?

23. Is writing the beginning, middle, or end of the story easiest? Hardest?

Despite my scrap file for Customs having about 10,000 words of trash from the first 5,000 word chapter, I really do find the beginning the easiest part of writing: you already know what the plot is going to be, you know what characters are involved, you just need to get it all on the board. It's like a tableaux vivant. It's when stuff starts moving that it gets hard. Endings are impossible, for me. I don't do a very good job tidying up the loose ends, and my preferred method for finishing out a story, either of 100 words or 100K+ is "and the adventure continues!" more-or-less. I've been stuck on Chapter 31 of Customs because we're very much getting into the last quarter of the game and I really have no faith that I can stick the landing, and Chapter 31 really is, if I may mix my sport metaphors, the gymnast running down the balance beam towards the dismount. I'm spooked.

38. What is your most self-indulgent posted story?

Answered here, but I should also plug yet apt the verse, a slice of life drama which contains 100% more doggerel poetry, as well as general naval history, compared to Mercy Street's baseline. Given that it's a show about a Union Army hospital in the American Civil War, the baseline of naval history is nil, for reference. I just like boats.

80. Free space! Okay, be honest. What's your writing ego like? How does it manifest?

I've been sitting with this (and talked to you briefly!) and it's been a little mortifying to reflect on. It's easier to admit to my insecurities as a writer than it is to admit to what I'm perhaps too proud of - admitting to the latter really does feel like taping a "Kick Me!" sign over my kidneys - that I'm inviting people to think, either to themselves or out loud, "christ, she's not that good." And, in a way, I feel particularly goofy for having an opinion about my ability to write fanfic - and goofy for saying I feel goofy, because at the end of the day, it's just a hobby like cross-stitching or running. I'm allowed to be proud of my stitch work, even if it's not to everyone's taste. The obvious answer is I'm a little prideful about research. I can be a little (a lot) self indulgent about it, but generally speaking, I think I do a good job of navigating incorporating historical detail as a part of the plot and characterization without totally overwhelming the whole. I'm sure the fact that of the fandoms I've written the most for (Mercy Street, PotC, and 1899) the fact that two of them are only loosely period dramas actually makes this look like a stupid hill to die on. Yeah, I wrote a neat little tidbit about Edward J. Smith's career at the White Star Line into the endnotes, but considering 1899's strained relationship with reality ... like. What have I accomplished other than preening about my ability to disappear down rabbitholes? It's self-congratulatory. And yet. The other thing is that I can be immensely convinced that I have the right of it, especially in terms of characterization. I can tell myself that it's a preference, that all characters have a little leeway for interpretation in some way or another, but there's certainly some pride in my own judgment being the correct one, and the one I'm the most interested in humoring as a writer. I was writing about my favorite parts of the writing process being the parts with the greatest chance of socialization (brainstorming and outlining with friends/co-conspirators, responding to comments) and there's something sort of ... striking? in how one's writer's ego - my writer's ego - tends to be the least sociable part of me. I know what I'm doing - I'm such a clever little retriever of facts - it's all about me.

Fanfiction Writing Asks!

#thank you for the ask kind friend!! #ask meme #polkaknox talks #I'm still thinking about writers' egos - and mine. It's hard to admit to and like. I'm so inclined to shame personally that this is like; #pulling teeth because I'm inured to feeling ashamed of myself but shame is not the absence of ego; just a different manifestation; #in a way. i think. #anyway. hopefully this goes a way towards thinking about ego and the fandom writer.

[siphonophive]

I've been desperate for a space to write more freely, so apologies in advance if I go a little nuts. Don't feel obligated to read any of my mess; it's really more for me to write things out.

I think part of the reason I have felt so weird, disconnected, and anxious the past several years (besides you know... everything) is that being on twitter only for social interaction really does not serve me well. I'm too wordy; I miss writing long blog posts about my feelings and thoughts and I miss getting to know people in that way (in the absence of being able to meet organically irl). I have this fear meeting people on twitter that they make assumptions about me, my life, and experiences, because it only enables a view of such a thin slice of who I am as a person, and doesn't convey the way I talk and am in real life. I fear that when people DO actually get to know me better, they find out that I am boring. More reserved. More internal. Not worldly. Not exciting. Not well-versed in art history or culture. I know the way I express myself isn't as outspoken or succinct, and without back and forth of spoken conversation, I feel I come off flat. If I'm not observed and interacted with, do I exist? I dunno. I'll get back to you on that.

I'm going to jump around a bit.

It's tempting to say that my anxiety around sharing art and being seen as an Artist online is a more recent thing, because when I fall apart now it's seen by so many more people than before, but it's not new at all. I think it's definitely more pronounced though. The expectation and passive pressure to be Professional and a Brand and constantly hustling is something I know every artist has been feeling lately. It's absurd that I feel it even though I've made barely any money doing art (maybe like $1k over my entire lifetime?). I want to share my art and connect with people, but it feels increasingly harder to do so the more eyes that are on me. I even used to do this with fandom accounts back in the day: once enough people started following me that I felt like people were interacting with my art as products, I deleted. It's gotten to the point where I can't make art without gauging my worth on it–and frankly I haven't been making much good art recently. So. Been feeling pretty useless.

And this doesn't even factor in the whole "hand being fucked up since I was 18 years old" thing, which is... very hard. It's very hard. It's made making art feel like a privilege, and like a precious thing I need to take seriously because I can physically only draw so much. Every minute drawing has to count. It's crushing to get excited about a project every so often, only to quickly realize it's way more work than I can handle (despite being something entirely doable for most people), and end it crying and in pain. Over and over.

And art's been my life despite this. It's how I think, how I communicate, how I want to spend my time. I spend the majority of most days thinking about art I want to make or stressing about how I can't make it. That is legitimately how I spend most of my time. Sitting in my room alone thinking about how I can't do the thing I want to do. I want to get past this somehow. To make the worst fucking art I can that even my friends think is terrible and not worry that it is a reflection of me, or worse, the only value I have. I guess circling back to the beginning- I worry that people approach me because they connect through my art, then get to know me as a person, and find me lacking. Or find that my spring is usually dry. The art is inside my head, and in my body, but I can only speak with it on occasion. And sometimes–probably more often lately–all the art I can bear to make is so self-serving and really just for myself. I worry friends and peers see this and think it must be a reflection of my shallowness. Maybe it is. I don't think so, but I'm also the only one aware of all the art unrealized that is inside of me.

I think of the snarky posts that go around every couple years like "if you call yourself a writer but you don't write, you're not a writer." I get what that's aimed at. But I do think to myself sometimes: you call yourself an artist, but you barely make art.

Boy, I didn't even hit on how mental illness plays into and affects all of this, but it's really all intertwined and a self-perpetuating cycle once that comes into it. Or about how drawing is the only real skill I have and since I am unsure I could actually hold down a day job again, I feel like I should try to make art a job. But every time I try this I fall apart. And the state of the world, and hyper-capitalist interests above all else, even above keeping the Earth livable for our species, and of living as a disabled and trans person in the US makes me feel...

Hmm.

It's weird, none of this is new, but each wave of it crests and crashes at different points in my life, and this one is happening at a time when I feel like I'm old enough I don't have a lot of my youthful hope, but being past the point of caring does offer some freedom of its own. I know this is a total downer to read probably (or fun and relatable), but it helps me to think about it and verbalize it instead of keeping it in my head. I never really know how to talk about this stuff casually with friends, but I want to. And I want to make something work, cause that's the only real option besides giving up, and I hope I'm not quite there yet.

#this is the way my brain works and it is insane that I have been keeping to fucking 280 characters for years

[acacia-may]

Oh hi!!? It’s always a bit of a surprise to get any likes on my Horrible Histories movie posts, I sorta send them into the void for self satisfaction😆, but it was even more surprising when your username popped up! I hope you’re feeling better. For the playlist ask game, obviously I’m asking if you’ve got any songs for Atti and Orla.

Hi friend!! What a pleasant surprise! 🥰 I got such a good laugh out of your Horrible Histories movie post, and it made my whole day so thank you so much for that! 😊 It really is a small fandom world, isn't it? Thank you so much for the well wishes and for the ask! 🥰 I have to admit that I am positively giddy to have an excuse to think about Horrible Histories: The Movie! 😁

To tell you the truth, I actually have a whole playlist of songs for Atti and Orla [I call it "Of Love and Sundials" because I amuse myself 😅]. Of course, they have a lot of wonderful canonical songs already (including a (sort of?) love song. That second verse and also the Latin translation makes me think it's a love song, but I suppose it's up to interpretation). Anyway... unfortunately those songs are not available to listen to in my country or to purchase internationally (believe me I've looked into it) which has been such a frustration when the songs get stuck in my head. (True pain is running around humming "something something sharing" for two weeks at time with no respite 😂). My sister and I actually once physically typed out all the lyrics to one of the songs by pausing the actual movie over and over with subtitles, and I also translated part of Atti's part of "Orla Alone" into the original Latin when I super bored once (my teachers would be so thrilled to know how I was utilizing my many years of "serious" Latin knowledge 😂). But mostly, I just made a playlist of non-Horrible Histories songs (and I got really, really attached to song "Lost in The Woods" from Frozen 2) as a way to fill the void. Here are a few of my favorites:

This Land Is Mine by Dido (YouTube Link)

Home by Heron Valley (YouTube Link)

Don't Mention The War by The Divine Comedy (YouTube Link)

Vagabond by WILD (YouTube Link)

We Go Well Together by Goldheart (YouTube Link)

Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos (YouTube Link)

Skyway Avenue -- We The Kings (YouTube Link) [A/N and brief warnings: this song mentions falling to one's death and (vaguely?/possibly?) suicide (though I don't think it needs to be taken that way. I've always taken it in a more metaphorical sense), but the line "I would die for you on Skyway Avenue" is too fitting for this ship to leave this song off of the list (and the song isn't really that dark)]

Bonus Fun, Silly and Cheeky Songs:

What A Man Gotta Do -- Jonas Brothers (YouTube Link) [A/N: Spoiler Alert: The answer is apparently just stop to tie your sandals, so it's not that hard...]

Lost in the Woods -- Jonathan Groff (From Frozen 2) (YouTube Link) [A/N: I got really attached to this song sort of in lieu of "Orla Alone" since it's a similar sentiment/vibe (in my head anyway. This song is also a bop in its own right!). Also, Atti does tend to get lost in the woods in a literal and metaphorical sense so I think it kind of works 😅]

I've included links to both Spotify and YouTube (I tried to pick the most official links I could find), and I'm crossing my fingers that you won't run into any international streaming problems similar to the ones I've been having with the movie's songs. When I get to feeling better, perhaps I'll try to make a proper post with actual discussion about these songs, but it'll just have to be the songs and links for now I'm afraid. I hope you'll still like them though! Thanks again for the ask! It was lots of fun! 🥰

Thank you for playing my Mini-Playlist Ask Game! 😊

#horrible histories the movie #atti/orla horrible histories #i love them so much your honor #thank you so much for asking about one of my favorite ships of all time #and giving me an excuse to think about these two and this fantastic film again #transitofmercury 🎵 #thanks for the ask please feel free to drop by any time 🥰 #playlist ask game

[dutyworn]

plotting (and also a meme) call! hit the heart for me to message you about plotting or if that’s too much right now, send the word “memes” as a reply to this post (along with whom for if you run a multimuse blog) and i will send you memes instead!

— you don’t need to have any idea what you want, but if you do, don’t be shy to share. just please have a muse in mind if you run a multi (or even several, i will gladly plot multiple things). we can simply think of a vague trope, a muse dynamic, a random single happening, to work towards, or get into the details, either works — i do have a wishlist tag for inspo if we're stuck but it’s not very many posts at the moment — all verses available; i have verses for all throughout the trilogy, pre-game, post-game, no reapers au, squadmate au, and a “wrong universe” kinda crossover verse for inserting shepard into other fandoms — i will gladly help you insert your muse into mass effect if you want. i will gladly have your muse tossed in mass effect in a “wrong universe they know nothing” kind of a crossover if you want. i will also gladly throw wren into your muse’s universe if you’re ok with her keeping her background and it being a “wrong universe” type of a thing, as i am not open to developing full au verses for her (she needs to at the very least keep her generic military history in the alliance for me to know how to write her but canon offers multiple plot points to potentially cause a tear in space-time for plopping her to your verses; be that the first prothean beacon for something relatively spoiler free or preferably the crucible at the end of the trilogy for if you don’t mind spoilers in my narrative) — i am open to plotting with any type of dynamic (friendly, hostile, eventually romantic, anything) in mind, if you want, please feel free to ask — we’ve never talked before? hit the heart anyway. we have 897987634 plots going on already? hit the heart anyway. — i can’t stress enough how much i don’t care if you know nothing about mass effect. i am happy to explain things, or play in a setting where your muse doesn’t need to know this stuff, either — as a general reminder, i can take my time responding to ooc messages and i rarely chat totally “real time” even if i am online. please don’t take this as a lack of interest. no need for you to make yourself not respond immediately if you prefer that, or ramble while i’m doing something else or offline, you are not overwhelming me; or, ofc, it's ok also if you take long times responding — i prefer discord and my handle is waywarded#6194 but if you prefer tumblr ims i can do that too

LONG POST IS LONG but i wanted to like. put guidelines to make it... less intimidating than just a simple “heart to plot”? but like also feel free to just not read any of the above and hit the heart to plot! i'm autistic and tend to forget most people don't need a whole guidebook on how to do a basic social interaction, sorry

#this got away from me #BASICALLY HEART TO PLOT FEEL FREE TO IGNORE THE WHOLE LIST LOLOLOLOL #; outofarmour #havu be normal for 5 minutes #...nO

[smokedanced]

tentative mass effect verse ideas for my ocs that i hopefully someday will properly think through,

iris: definitely working for cerberus. if her default doctor who verse she is thoroughly manipulated by ex-torchwood one after she lost her brother in the battle of canary wharf, and ends up on opposing sides from the doctor, in mass effect? she’s not important enough to be hugely paid attention to, but her recruitment for cerberus is definitely something to do with someone using her brother’s death to coax her there (potentially will’s death is some petty crime casualty people refuse to look into, cerberus spots someone easy to recruit with “we will bring you justice”). probably doing some low priority intel since years before me1.

ever: works as an independent professional dominatrix on illium - wanted to be where her being human would cater to more specific tastes, probably does have a base on the citadel as well for travel, connected with a trusted colleague - decently wealthy, has big name customers = may have information that the normandy crew would need/that ends up being war assets, etc.

ella: i did have the very vague thought that her empath/being moderately psychic in the “catch people’s emotions/touch an object and see its history through different emotions that have been around it” could be some biotic freak accident somehow tracing back to the prothean ability to sense things, only of course her being human it’s much, much less, and also i have a total 0 of ideas of how to justify this XD

i don’t make au verses for jillian because her mainverse by nature can have her in any universe at all as the whole character concept is that she glitches through universes and could therefore end up anytime, anywhere, but also i know this is off-putting to a lot of people and it’s entirely cool with me if people aren’t interested in her randomly being in a universe she’s not originally from/supposed to be in. but jillian mixes with literally any fandom by default.

#; ella finnegan ❪ muse. ❫ #; ever hayes ❪ muse. ❫ #; iris hunt ❪ muse. ❫ #; jillian marks ❪ muse. ❫

[bigmouthgenius]

Rules

(((copied from my other blog because it's pretty much the same here)))

Adults only. No exceptions. I’m old, tired and done filtering myself. 

Memes welcome.

No god modding.

Plot with me before big starters.

Multiships can and will happen here. Each ship has its own verse. My muses aren't cheaters.

This is not my main blog so I’ll be following you from a different name.

It costs nothing dollars to be as nice as you want to be treated. 

Following me just for smut will land you in horny jail 4eva. Don’t do that.

Smut is extremely exclusive. I don’t want the headache of only getting smut interactions, for this I won’t post open smut memes or starters. But well written threads could have moments of smut occur.

Fades, morning after, mentions and the like are okay.

Hard no's for me include forced/non con, self/incest, ABO/breeding, underage/barely legal, beast/fury/animal play, brainwashing, foot play, bodily waste, torture, mpreg. I most likely will not follow back or respond to DMs from blogs that write these things and will just block immediately if it's the first thing I see when I look at the blog.

Fluff, angst, action, thriller, horror, suspense, all welcome.

I like interactions OOC, and I will bombard you with weird anons. Prepare yourself.

Semi selective. Canon interactions ADORED but not required. GoW is a rarely rp'ed fandom. Bring me your other muses.

OC’s must get established through first time interaction RP’s. I can’t write things I know nothing about.

I won't do threads where there is preestablished history between my muses and OC's no matter how many drabbles and backstories are written. I'm not changing my canons and backstories to do that.

Anyone can answer my opens without having met the muses first, OC’s too. Please be sure to include exposition to get our muses acquainted if you're an OC

Replies under 10 words long will get dropped because I need MEAT to eat.

I don't expect length to be matched but please don't reply to a whole paragraph or more with only one or two lines. It makes me not want to continue the thread.

Dark RP’s for anything non sexual. Gears is considered a horror sci-fi shooter inspired by Resident Evil. I won't tone down the theme of the swarm looking grotesque and leaving trails of blood in their wake. The game is full of lifeless bodies left in the places where they died, demolished buildings, dirty makeshift encampments and political unrest. If any of this bothers you, please keep yourself safe and sane and don't role play here. Try my other blogs for a tamer RP experience.

The way I play might change over time as I read the novels, if i ever do lol.

I’m busy most days, but I still like being here to flex my imagination and have fun.

Please peek at my opens tag for OC friendly stuff.

If you’re not a role-player or a fic writer, please do not comment on or reblog my rp posts. ANY OF THEM.

If you see an image set you like on my blog, share from the original poster. The ONLY exception is when I post my own original image set.

A post about my day, or my mood accompanied by an icon is NOT a photoset. Don’t reblog my personal notes. I’ll soft block you. Those are for my friends/followers that want an update on me as a human. Not for your themed aesthetics blog. 

I’m a single parent. I play the role of mom and dad everyday. It’s my job to discipline and nurture. Because of this I’m not very excited about the idea of roleplaying dad verses. Sorry. I know a lot of people want parent verses, but like I said my energy for that goes towards being an actual parent.

I will however interact with JD as Marcus because when we meet him he's grown and takes care of himself. Bring on the Fenix men kicking ass together.

#rules

[dxnisheatingdetective]

Pinned Post

RP Quick Guide - Rules/Muse/Mun/Links

Post Updated: 01/09/2023

I've made this quick guide for the RP blog @dxnisheatingdetective so that you can have a brief introduction to both Harvey and my RP Rules and decide if you’d like to investigate further. This is a sideblog, followbacks come from tealeavesandthorns

I RPed as Harvey previously on tumblr (with me taking a break/deleting for a while and returning now) - previous handles have included - askthedanisheatingdetective, dxnisheatingdetective, whodxntiowe, doomedanyhxw and possible variations of those.

Below is a brief bio, brief rules and a brief look at mun with important links for you at the bottom of the post.

Dropping below a read more so as not to clutter!

Harvey Bullock - About / Opens

BASICS Name: Harvey Bullock Nicknames/Alias: Bullock, The Bull, Fat ass, Face Claim: Donal Logue Age: late 40’s - late 50’s Gender: Male Sexuality: Heterosexual Date/Place of Birth: September 11th Currently: Gotham City Nationality/Species: American - Human Occupation: Detective Marriage Status: Single

HISTORY Harvey is a detective at the GCPD and it’s safe to say his life hasn’t exactly gone the way he thought it might.

Harvey yearned to be a detective from an early age and he applied to Police Academies outside of Gotham but just didn’t quite make the grade. Harvey made his peace with this early on and started at the GCPD as a uniformed officer working his way up the ranks.

Eventually Harvey would be paired with Dix and though Harvey tried to keep his white knight optimism, tried to keep his head above the criminality, tried to mostly do the right thing he realised that in the end he had to go along to get along and so Harvey was shaped by Gotham, he moulded to fit her form. He was been broken down by her and rebuilt so many times that he lost count. Harvey found he couldn’t fight Gotham entirely and that eventually like Dix he was probably going to end up swallowed whole by her.

The good intentions of a detective wanting to make a stand are still there, still in his heart but they have been mostly ground out of him.

Rules - Quick Look - Full Rules

Mun and Muses are 18+ and would prefer to write with those 18+ (Muses can be any age though)

Unlike Muses, Mun is a serious introvert. That being said I'm friendly enough.

GIFs more than likely aren't mine.

Asks are always open

Hate isn't tolerated.

Keep it fun!

Mun is open to most ships and most subject topics when it comes to threads. If you'd like to develop a plot don't hesitate to message me but also feel free to interact via fluffy asks and memes.

Please read the full rules, or have any questions drop me an ask.

A Bit About Mun:

Mun is 30+ female, pronouns are she/they/that thing over there.

Mun has been writing for 15+ Years and first rp'd on Tumblr in 2009/2010

Mun is open to most fandoms and of course open to OCs!

Mun has Autism and potentially ADHD (a post about how this affects rping is here)

These are the important links you might need if you wish to investigate Harvey further: 

| About | Rules | Verses | Headcanons | Opens | Open Memes |

#;pinned post

[gentrychild]

so! while you are the first result for "anyone ao3" you are not the only result, and i saw that ao3 has a tag for 'reader/anyone' which i'm sure is for a perfectly logical reason, but now i'm just picturing poor anyone!izuku coming across x reader fic with the 'leader of anyone'. how weird do you think the public's headcanons are?

Congratulations, Anon! I had never considered it so you're now responsible for putting Izuku through pain.

I don't read character/reader fics so if I get something wrong, I apologize.

Izuku is a hero fan so he knows the sacro-saint rule of "NEVER READ FICS ABOUT YOURSELF". However, it's harder to avoid fanarts and even if Anyone doesn't show their face, people have headcanons until the most common design is someone blond, with piercing blue eyes, gender ambiguous and very tall.

So yes, they basically see him as a Young All Might. But there is a reason for that! It's because the first person to use their design were vaguely aware that there was someone in Anyone who beat several villains and even heroes and it was clear that said agent has a power-type quirk so people kinda subconsciously assimilated them to All Might.

But after some time (when the Anyone Might was pretty settled to make things awkward), people started to inform every Anyone/readers writer or readers that they might not be sure about the gender (because I learned during Halloween that the Anyone hoodie is very good at hiding gender) but they are definitely a teenager.

Some people kept the Anyone with a power-type quirk because it's fiction inspired by RL and other orphaned their fics and started writing a new Anyone character with another type of quirks. The Anyone Might designed was often kept though tweaked depending on the writer/artist and the most popular quirk for this fictional Anyone 2.0 was technopathy for reasons I will explain later. As for the Hosu vigilante, when he appeared, they were an impulsive sibling type of character.

So, I said that Izuku wouldn't even make eye contact with fics involving Anyone or the Hosu vigilante.

But Dabi and Hawks would. Because they're assholes. They would read it out loud in the bar just to mess with Izuku. And Izuku will probably change the locks of Dabi's apartment and leave him homeless for it. But because of that, Izuku and the rest of the inner circle would learn about the characterization of Fandom!Anyone. Which would be... A villain with dark grey morality, will do things because he gets bored easily so they run after thrills, manipulative, magnificent bastard, but fiercely protective of the reader.

So basically, AFO.

There is also a reason for that. Villain/reader are a popular thing and in the last decade, a writer has flooded the tag with their OC (and for some reason, the reader was often a scientist helping the villain) so the characterization marked the fandom and it was recycled several times.

But some readers aren't a fan of a near-villainous vigilante so there is another characterization. A no-nonsense, sarcastic, blasé Fanon!Anyone. And this fanon!Anyone always have a quirk aligned with technology.

Basically, they transplanted the personality of my favorite hacker and very known mod for the Anyone server, aka Gwen, aka Nagisa, to their OC. And sometimes, they use quotes on what she said on the server.

So many people in the Anyone inner circle are just... suffering.

#There was no need for me to make a whole fandom history in my verse... and yet... #This is the consequence of fic writer AFO #anyone fic

[educatedinyellow]

Rec list: Only One

The other day I was thinking about some stories I’ve loved over the years that represent their author’s only fic within a particular fandom. Specifically, I was thinking how happy I am that these writers stopped by and made something wonderful on their way, and I wanted to celebrate that!

Fandom: BBC Sherlock

Make Whole What Has Been Smashed by gigantic. This is such a moving and beautiful magical realism fic, one of my favorites. "Don't look at me that way, John. Blank stares are already a dreadful reminder of how hopeless other people are," Sherlock said. "Since most people aren't maintaining a home with Merlin living backwards, I think I'm doing alright at going with it so far," John said.

Space Travel by candle_beck. This author has written a number of Holmes fics in the Ritchie!verse, but this was their only Sherlock fic. Their use of extended metaphor and lyrical imagery is breathtaking. I would literally cross light-years for you, if someone would only give me a spaceship.

Wait by roseselavy. This is the author’s one and only fic on AO3. I enjoy its complexity of characterization and its nuanced exploration of Sherlock’s addiction and its impact on his ambiguous understanding of his own sexuality. The writing style captures me every time, so sharply observant and insightful. Liberal arts AU. Sherlock Holmes is a reclusive literary writer in need of a flatmate after burning through his latest book advance, John Watson is midway through a PhD in art history.

Wherein There Is a Case, Several Mysteries, John Coming to the Rescue, and an Old Folk Saying by parsnips (trifles). A wonderful fic in which Sherlock is kidnapped and John has to rise to the occasion and solve the case. Whimsically funny, cleverly plotted, and joyfully romantic -- it’s a winner. There are three mysteries to living with Sherlock Holmes. 

Almost Normal by Jackson_Rayne. One of those ‘from sex to love’ fics that excels in poker-faced romance. John is inscrutable, Sherlock is out of his depth, everything is done in the wrong order, and yet somehow they end up with something almost normal.

Honorable Mentions: BBC Sherlock Authors With Only Two Fics

The Strait of Juan de Fuca by mightypog. This take on a Johnlock post-Reichenbach reunion is one of my favorites in that crowded genre. Sherlock is back and all seems forgiven, but something is missing between him and John. Their friendship initially appears intact, but Sherlock doesn't understand why John seems to be slipping away. Finally, in terror, he tries to reconnect with John by taking him to the one place that seems to inspire any emotional interest in John any more: the Canadian wilderness. While there, Sherlock faces his greatest fear.

that thing you like by misspamela. A sparkling fic that deftly juggles a lot of tropes -- meet the parents, first time, holiday fic -- to create a well-characterized delight. Written way back in the mists of time, by which I mean 2010. "Happy Christmas, etc. etc." 

There Is No Death by lyricalprose (fairylights). A wonderful Star Wars AU that knocked my socks off when I first read it. "He's a freak, you know." Donovan's sneer bleeds into her voice. "A Jedi washout. Such a nutter that even the damn mystics didn't want him." John and Sherlock - a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

Suite for Violin and Clarinet by AwkwardAnnie. This writer has also dipped into a more obscure Holmesian fandom -- Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century! -- but in the realm of BBC Sherlock, she has posted this oneshot and a drabble collection. I’ve always been fond of this one, where Sherlock and John work out their feelings through shared music. John finds a clarinet in a charity shop and discovers that some things are better said with music. Eventual Sherlock/John.

Other Holmesian Fandoms

A Study in Midnight by M_Leigh. Set in Neil Gaiman’s Emerald ‘verse. It is compulsively well-written with rug-pull plot twists that literally made me scream, and it features what is quite possibly my favorite Watson narrative voice of all time. An irresistible story. In a world dominated by an alien monarchy, criminals Sherlock Holmes and John Watson work to take down the royal establishment while detective James Moriarty and his associate Sebastian Moran try to track them down. Also featuring by Irene Adler and Roderick Maclean, who did in fact exist. AU based on Neil Gaiman's phenomenal short story "A Study in Emerald."

The Seventeenth Page Affliction by EmmyAngua. This author has written many Sherlock fics, but only ventured once into ACD Holmes fic, and the result was amazing. Of particular note is the unique antagonist of this tale, who shows what great damage can be done even completely without malice. I was ever curious as to the thoughts of my friend, and in the years that followed I puzzled over that moment. His face was so severe, so preoccupied that I knew at once that this case would be either a most intriguing story for my readers or one I never dared to retell.

SPN

There’s Only One Sure Thing That I Know by blinkiesays. The perfect domesticity fic, with a premise so brilliantly simple and funny. Dean doesn't even get halfway through explaining before Bobby starts laughing. When he lets himself think about it for more than five seconds, Dean can almost see Bobby's point: he's faced down demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, angels, and Satan himself and now he's been defeated by the God damn Midwest.

The Last Moonlight Serenade by gankyourdarlings. A *fantastic* WWII AU, where somehow pilot!Cas and submarine!captain!Dean keep on meeting in the middle. It's the night before 1945 and Honolulu is celebrating like flipping the calendar is all it'll take to end this thing and send everybody home. Makes for one hell of a party. But it's been a long war, getting longer, and Dean Winchester stopped pinning his hopes on anything a long time ago. Then, as the clock ticks down to the new year, he finds himself in the company of a grounded fighter pilot. All of a sudden, maybe there's something to look forward to.

The Chain by EquestrianStatue. A wonderful Endverse fic, heart-breaking and hopelessly devoted just as these two should be. “Me and you,” Dean blurts out. “We’re— we… ” When Dean doesn’t finish the question, Cas gives him a long, level look, and then he says, “Not in a while.”

devotional by carverism. A worshipful glimpse of early-seasons Castiel falling in love. I’m not here to perch, Castiel had said, once upon a time. Laughable, now.

Miscellaneous Fandoms

Gentle Antidote by x_los. My personal favorite Wimsey fic, a wonderful re-imagining of Peter and Harriet’s first meeting in a world where society is organized around the prospect of soulmates. Harriet’s narrative voice is superb. At twenty-one, Harriet Vane gets her Name. It's rather longer than she expected.

Five Times Barbara Grahame Smiled (And One Time She Didn’t) by goshemily. This is the rarest of gems: a fic for Barbara/Peaceable from my beloved Sherwood Ring! (a novel for which the total number of fanworks on AO3 is less than 10). How extraordinarily lucky, then, to have this one, which flits through a collection of alternate universes with concise and dazzling imagination. Truly excellent writing for a couple who will forever be close to my heart. “I imagine you often get away with things.” The quirk of his lips, too familiar already. She smiles, brief. “I do.”

Window by katyabaturinsky. A quietly joyful Man From UNCLE fic in which we get to know Illya through the eyes of his aging Franco-Russian neighbor in New York. It was the hair that first attracted her attention. She supposed he heard that often.

Ladies Who Organise by reckonedrightly. An excellent Discworld AU with a genderswapped Vetinari. Bonus points for very interesting characterization of Sybil, plus glimpses of Rosie Palm and Lady Margolotta. “A woman,” Roberta Meserole had said once, lighting a long black cigarette with a silver lighter, “hides in plain sight. Visibility, Haveline, is our most important asset—” She looked up. Around. “Haveline,” she said, “that is not funny.”  Or, how Ankh-Morpork acquired its first female Patrician very, very quietly.

#fic recs #multifandom

[likesrandomstuff]

Avalance Fic Recommendations Part 1

After answering @puppetavasharpe's callout last week, here, about Avalance fic recommendations, I realised that I hadn’t seen a master list in quite a while (please let me know if there is another one around). With encouragement from @heywhereisperry, I decided to compile one myself. I took a deep dive through my 107 pages of relevant AO3 history, to get this list together.

This is Part 1 of 4

Each part has ten stories and are sorted by size. This post has what I’m calling the Bite Sized Fics, which are under 5,000 words. I’ll be posting each list over the course of the next week. For each story I’ve tried to write a summary of what to expect from that fic, as the descriptions on AO3 may mask the true gem that is inside. I did stick to completed works, with exceptions as mentioned.

I’d love for these posts to become a resource for the whole fandom, and obviously this is not every good fic out there, so please reblog and add anything you thinks deserves a shout out. I can only read English, so if there are any fics in other languages, that would be cool to find out about. My one request is that you wait for the appropriate post to add to. You can just list the name if you’d like.

If anyone would like more details on any stories, or specific recommendations such as top Soulmates AU/ Canon fics / College AU, feel free to send me a message. Without further ado

Bite sized (Under 5,000 words)

When you’re looking for something short and sweet

The Bet by fvandomtrvsh

My tags: it’s a competition of who can get the number of the cute girl at the coffee shop, Sara has a head start the boys don’t know about, Ava is not amused

It’s stupid, but so fun. Nate has a crush on someone he runs into each morning and reckons he can ger her number. Constantine and Jax think they’ll have more luck. Sara is tired of their antics. Ava is questioning what she did to deserve this.

Paper Hearts by KatrinaKenyon

My tags: High school AU, Sara has a crush on Ava, tries to be anonymous but fails

An author who has written so many great Avalance fics, and I almost forgot to include on here. This is super cute. Sara tries to be Ava’s secret admirer, but Ava’s too smart for that. It works out in the end after some embarrassment.

painted me golden by lucylikestowrite

My tags: Avalance meet at Ava’s sister’s wedding, basically everything you need

Lucy’s stuff is great, I think she’ll be getting a shout out in each section. I can just see this fic so clearly in my head. Sara’s there when Ava would rather be anywhere else. The characterisations are just, so great.

those unexpected worries come at inconvenient times by Notabeautifullittlefool

My tags: Avalance bedroom fluff, they’re getting ready for bed and talk, would guess Season 5 in the timeline

They are just so soft. Sara has thoughts about them moving in together, Ava has a concern that no one else would ever have. Like putting on a cosy jumper. The whole fic takes place in their bedroom, and mostly in bed itself.

make me forget that I'm not ready for love by pirateygoodness

My tags: Set between season 3 and 4, their second first date, aka the plans Sara mentioned in Aruba.

Author is a titian of the fandom. This is very soft. I remember when the Season 4 trailer dropped, and the surprise to see Avalance in bed together. And everyone expecting them to have a slow build-up back together, then first episode Ava’s asking Sara to move in. This fic fills in the gap between seasons, and how they got from sort-of back together to being partially kept.

forever with your hands in my pockets by plinys

My tags: Sara’s goal to avoid studying actually makes her study, College AU where Ava is the TA, Sara's a dance major

College AU where Sara chose a hard subject because the class times were good and decides that she’ll sleep with Ava instead of studying; that doesn’t go to plan. As someone who was required to attend lecturer contact hours after failing my capstone maths subject twice, know that very few people do go to those sessions.

she loves me, she hates me, she's my kind of crazy by SJAandDWfan

My tags: Sara is getting a bit obsessed with Ava, the Legends are confused to why, we know why

I would just like to take a moment to appreciate this October 2017 fic that gets their dynamic so on point. Canon light. Sara is keeping track of how many times she saves Ava, and Ava saves her, and trying desperately to have a higher score. The train together, which we needed to see in canon 4 years ago.

a ring (to remember you by) by softiesharpie

My tags: Ava starts stealing Sara’s rings, canon verse, set before or in Season 4

I might be the only one to notice, but Sara always wore a bunch of rings up to her kidnapping, but since she’s been back it’s just been the one thick one. Ava, on the other hand, normally has a bunch on now. Anyway, Ava starts wearing Sara’s rings. It’s cute.

Make the Yuletide Gay by swanqueenismagic

My tags: Doctor Sara, Christmas fic, the hospital is a great place to meet someone Ava

Nothing like seeing a title and being like “oh, I remember that”, and the AO3 stats saying you read it once in 2018. Make that twice now. Ava’s twin is having her baby, Sara delivers it, it’s cute, there’s cookies involved.

Sleeveless by the_nvisiblegirl

My tags: Arms, Ava loves Sara’s arms, we all love Sara’s arms

Set in season 5 when Sara is blind. Ava starts picking out her outfits. They all have something in common. No sleeves. Again, arms.

Click here to see all the parts

#Avalance fic rec #Avalance #Sara Lance #Ava Sharpe #fanfiction

[organabanana]

What spring does to cherry trees || Supercorp

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Supergirl (TV 2015)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: None

Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Characters: Kara Danvers, Lena Luthor

Additional Tags: mostly fluff, with some porn for flair, pre-canon, but also, post-canon, tooth-rotting fluff.

Summary: I want to do with you what spring does to cherry trees. What does that even mean? It's taking a simple I love you and putting lead-lined glasses on it to keep its power contained. No offense, Mr. Neruda, but that's just weak. Kara doesn't like poetry. Until she does.

Notes: Written for a very patient anon who prompted me with “Seeing the cherry blossoms in Washington DC” but I got sidetracked by Neruda and my favorite of his poems and it turned into This.  It's poem number fourteen, found in "Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada" (Twenty love poems and a song of despair) by Pablo Neruda, which you can read here (Spanish) or here (English). I mostly translated the lines I needed myself, so I can't guarantee they'll match the official translation (I'm also not sure there is such a thing as an official translation, so there's that). With special thanks to the most patient anon in history for the prompt, to @lavenderrry for praising my vibes, and to @emiltons for the gorgeous graphic.

[ao3 link]

The first time Kara encounters Neruda's poetry she's nineteen and bored. In her defense, she thought taking a poetry class would make her feel sophisticated and cultured, but all she feels is annoyed at the insistence of using language to obscure your message rather than share it.

And yes, yes, she gets it. It all sounds very pretty and evocative. It's just Kara has been hiding her true self in plain sight for the last six years, and she can't understand why anyone would willingly and needlessly do that to themselves. To their feelings. She may never have been in love, but Kara is pretty sure if she ever is -- if her heart ever feels full to the brim with the kind of big feelings her professor keeps making them read in metaphors and symbolism -- she'll want to make them clear as day.

I want to do with you what spring does to cherry trees.

What does that even mean?

It's taking a simple I love you and putting lead-lined glasses on it to keep its power contained.

No offense, Mr. Neruda, but that's just weak.

***

Kara doesn't take any more poetry classes, and she doesn't think of Neruda (or any other poet, for that matter) for years. She has so many other things to think about. She moves to National City and starts working for Ms. Grant. She grows into herself, she thinks. She becomes Supergirl and feels more like herself than she has since her pod left Krypton. She dates, a little bit. Dips her toe in the dating pool, if you will. She meets Lena Luthor.

And that's the second time she runs into Neruda. Right there on a shelf in Lena's living room, on a book that looks well loved and well read, spine full of small cracks and lines from being opened over and over again. Kara has always thought you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their shelves.  

"Pablo Neruda," Kara says, one finger tracing a line down the spine of the book like she's trying to read something in the pattern of the cracks, "I didn't know you liked poetry."

"I don't dislike it." Lena's heels click-clack on the hardwood floor before she sets the bottle of wine and two glasses on the coffee table and sits on the couch. "Have you made up your mind on what we're going to watch?"

Kara can hear the faint electrical hum of the TV being turned on, but she's a bit too distracted by the book to focus on deciding whether tonight is a night for a romantic comedy or an epic drama. She couldn't say exactly why this book feels important. It just does. Maybe it's because Lena keeps so much of herself hidden somewhere not even Kara's X-Ray vision can reach, and finding little clues about her thoughts and feelings feels a lot like she's struck gold.

Yeah. Maybe that's why.

Her fascination with the book only grows when she pulls it out of the shelf only to find the title written in Spanish. "Veinte poemas de amor--"

"And a song of despair," Lena finishes in English. "Atonement? I've heard good things about it."

"No way. I said I could be persuaded to watch a tear jerker, but I did not sign up for actual depression." Kara brings the book along when she walks over to sit down next to Lena. She's so focused on the book, still, that she miscalculates her landing just by an inch or so and her thigh bumps against Lena's as she settles on the couch. But Lena doesn't move away, and Kara figures there's no reason why she should. They're friends, after all. Close friends. Figuratively and now very, very literally close.

"I didn't know you spoke Spanish." Kara speaks again, breaking the silence before it solidifies into something potentially awkward.

"I don't. It's a bilingual edition. Can we please pick a movie?"

Kara would love to do exactly what Lena wants. In fact, giving Lena everything she wants has become sort of a constant in this fledgling friendship between them. It just feels nice, you know? Giving her what she wants and making her smile. But this book. It's all so very distracting.

"So. Do you prefer the twenty love poems, or the song of despair?"

Lena rolls her eyes, but she can't quite hide the amused smirk behind the glass when she sips her wine, so Kara knows she's not nearly as annoyed as she's trying to appear.

"What is it with you and Neruda? I didn't know you were a poetry fan."

Kara scoffs. "I'm not." She still remembers the feeling of relief washing over her when she saw her passing grade on that stupid course and realized she'd never have to read another line of poetry in her life. "I don't even like poetry. I'm just curious, that's all."

Lena cocks one eyebrow at her. Studies her, in a way that makes color rise to Kara's cheeks and has her wondering if Lena can see through people, too. 

"Anyway!" Kara shakes her head like she's hoping that'll make the blush fade. "The love poems, or the song of despair?"

"The poems," Lena finally concedes, "and I'm very surprised you don't like poetry. You seem the type."

"What?" Kara is already thumbing through the edge of the book, trying to find the place where it'll open naturally and hopefully show her which of the twenty love poems Lena happens to like the most. "What does that even mean?"

"Well, you have a big heart. Big feelings." Lena looks into Kara's eyes like she's trying to read all those feelings right there in shades of blue, and Kara finds herself looking down at the book just in case. Just in case all those big feelings she can't even name herself are there for Lena to read. "Seems like a recipe for liking poetry."

Kara shakes her head and pushes her glasses up, just in case. Just in case the lead in them can shield more than just her powers. And just as she's about to argue -- just as she's about to tell Lena precisely why she doesn't like poetry -- she opens her book and her gaze lands on a familiar phrase.

"Quiero hacer contigo," she reads out loud from the page on the left, and her fingertip is already finding the next verse on the right when Lena finishes for her.

"What spring does to cherry trees."

If Kara was just Kara Danvers, she'd have missed it all. She'd have just heard her best friend speak a line from a poem that -- much like most poems -- means very little to her. But she's not just Kara Danvers. So Kara hears the way Lena's heart beats just a little bit faster. The way her breath catches just so. The exact fraction of a tone her voice drops when she speaks. The faintest hint of a sigh.

"See? This is why I don't like poetry." Kara chances a look into green eyes, and she's so very grateful Lena has no superhearing to tip her off to the way Kara's heart seems to trip all over itself.  "'I want to do with you what spring does to cherry trees'. What does that mean?"

Kara swears -- she swears -- she catches Lena's pupils dilating just enough to make her think she knows exactly what the poem means. 

"It's not about what it means, Kara. It's about what it makes you feel." Lena lets out a soft chuckle, something light and airy like this is just a silly little conversation with no weight to it at all. Like she can't feel the way the air itself seems to have changed into something new. 

"Is it your favorite line?" Kara pretends she can't hear the way her own voice has changed, too.

Lena shakes her head. "No. My favorite is actually--"

Kara hears the DEO alarm before Lena's fingertip can make contact with the paper, and she almost considers ignoring it. She almost considers letting whatever danger is looming over this whole city have at it because finding out what's Lena's favorite line in her favorite poem seems far more important right now.

But of course, that would be crazy. Crazy! Kara would never.

"I'm so sorry, Lena, I--" Kara stands up, already hearing Alex's voice telling her where she's needed as she pulls her phone out of her pocket and pretends to read a text, "I have to go. I forgot I had this thing with--"

"Go." Lena's smile is just small enough to make Kara's heart twist in an uncomfortable way that's become familiar since she started lying to her friend. "Sounds important. I understand."

Kara nods, just once. "Tomorrow?"

Lena's smile doesn't grow, but it suddenly reaches her eyes, and something settles in Kara's chest. "Of course. Tomorrow."

Five hours later, foe defeated and safely locked away at the DEO, Supergirl touches down on Lena's balcony. There isn't a single light on inside the apartment, and Kara hesitates for a second by the sliding glass door. She shouldn't sneak into Lena's apartment in the middle of the night. That's a little creepy, right? Even if she knows Lena's said over and over again Kara's welcome any time.

It's just.

That book.

Lena's favorite line.

Kara may never be able to sleep again if she doesn't find out what it is.

So with a non-zero amount of shame at her own choice, Kara ends up sliding the door open and slipping into Lena's living space. She listens for Lena's breathing to make sure she's asleep, and once she's satisfied that's the case she makes a beeline for the shelf and the now-familiar book. It doesn't take her long to find the page she'd been reading before, and soon enough she's reading the lines Lena had been pointing to.

How you must have hurt getting used to me, to my savage, solitary soul, to my name that sends everyone running.

The words wrap around Kara's heart like a vice. If she could do it without blowing her cover and putting Lena in danger, she'd go in her room right now just to wake her up and tell her what Kara thinks about her soul. About her name, too, while she's at it. She'd tell her everyone else is free to run if they want, but Kara isn't going anywhere. 

But she can't do any of those things. 

***

The two lines stay with Kara, sort of swirling under the surface of her thoughts. She never actively thinks about them -- about poetry in general, for that matter -- but they're there. 

She remembers them sometimes. When their friendship grows and strengthens and one day Kara realizes Lena may be the person she loves the most in the world (tied with Alex). When the secrets and lies catch up with her and she thinks she may have lost Lena for good. When she finally gets Lena back.

It's been five years since she snuck into Lena's apartment that one night to find out about her favorite line in her favorite poem. Five years since she's actively thought about Neruda and the book and the words inside it. But for some reason, when Kara wakes up a couple hours earlier than she needs to and finds herself unable to sleep, she feels like that's precisely what she needs to read to soothe her brain. Maybe poetry will have the same sedative effect it used to have in college.

Wearing only an old t-shirt, Kara walks out of the bedroom and into the living area, scanning the shelves where she thinks she last saw that book. It's hard to keep track when your book collection has multiplied and turned into more of a home library situation than anything else, but she eventually finds it -- spine still cracked and pages still well-loved and well-read -- and settles down on the couch.

Kara flips from poem to poem, not really paying attention to any of them. A line from the third and then two from the eighteenth and a word or two from the seventh, eyes flicking between the Spanish lines and their English counterparts on the other side of the page. It's soothing, in a strange way. Like white noise, she figures. Nonsensical but calming. Until she lands on the fourteenth. 

"Oh, those cherry trees," Kara half-groans in a whisper. The cherry trees and the spring and the convoluted way to say I love you. And Lena's favorite lines. 

Kara feels it all over again. The pang of pain at the sight of that line.

My name that sends everyone running.

It lands different this time, five years into a friendship that turned out to be so much more and nearly went up in flames at one point. Because of names and lies and... well. Everything else. Lena was right after all, wasn't she? It's not about what the poem means. It's about what it makes you feel. And right now Kara feels a lot more than she'd be able to put in words if she had to.

Maybe Mr. Neruda was on to something after all.

"Hey," Lena's voice is laced with sleep, and Kara smiles as she listens to her footsteps bringing her closer, "what are you doing? It's the middle of the night."

Kara wouldn't call it the middle of the night -- more like a very early morning, really -- but she's not about to argue. "Reading. I couldn't sleep."

"Everything all right?" Lena reaches the back of the couch and makes the most of the rare height advantage over her girlfriend to press a kiss to the top of blond hair. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

Kara opens her arms before Lena can even think about sitting next to her instead, and smiles at the familiar weight of Lena sliding onto her lap. Even as she shrugs off Lena's question, Kara is already burying her face against the soft skin of her girlfriend's neck, breathing her in and letting the familiar scent filling her lungs soothe her like no amount of poetry ever could.

"Kara," Lena's fingers slide into blond hair, blunt fingernails scratching at Kara's scalp and making her hum in delight, "that's not an answer."

"No reason. I'm just not tired anymore I guess." A deep, content sigh. "Baby, you're so good at that."

There's still a slight crease between Lena's eyebrows, but that doesn't stop the smile Kara's praise brings to her face. "You'd tell me if I had to worry?"

Reluctantly, Kara pulls away from the warmth of Lena's neck. Her arms wrap around Lena's waist as she looks into green eyes. "You know I would."

And Kara watches Lena let the words sink in. They've had this conversation before, and Kara knows they'll have it again. They both have sore spots that need special care from time to time. And just to keep Lena's mind from going down any sort of rabbit hole, Kara decides it's time to continue a conversation they left unfinished five years ago.

"It didn't hurt at all, you know. Getting used to you." Kara shows Lena the book she's been holding, and grins when Lena smirks as the reference clicks.

"I thought you didn't like poetry," Lena chides, taking the book and flipping through the pages until she lands -- unsurprisingly, if you ask Kara -- back on poem fourteen.

"I don't. It's like... giving feelings a secret identity."

Lena arches one eyebrow, looking somewhere between amused and curious. "Care to explain?"

"Well, you know," Kara leans in to steal a quick, soft kiss, "say I want to kiss you. I can just say it. That's better than hiding it behind some kind of... flowery metaphor that'll make you wonder if I'm even saying that in the first place. Right?"

There's this look on Lena's face. Kara knows it well. It's like a challenge. Like she's playing chess and she's already thinking six moves ahead and knows you're toast whatever you do from that point on. Kara finds it nothing short of delicious.

"So you're saying," Lena says, and there's victory right there simmering under the surface of her words because she knows -- she knows -- she's won, "you'd rather I say 'this is a lovely sunrise we get to see together'," Lena's gaze drops to the open book in her hand to refresh her memory on the line she's about to quote, but she makes sure she's looking into blue eyes once again when she speaks, "than 'so many times we've watched the morning star burn, kissing our eyes, and over our heads the grey light unwind in turning fans', right?"

Kara swallows, hard. Her cheeks burn with a blush that will simply not be contained, no matter how hard she tries to keep some semblance of dignity. Her mouth feels dry all of a sudden, heart beating just fast enough -- hard enough -- that she's sure even Lena's plain human hearing can pick it up. And the look on her girlfriend's face lets Kara know she knows exactly what's currently happening to her.

"W-- well." Kara blinks, shaking her head like she's trying to physically clear the fog inside. To her credit, she thinks she manages to sound more indignant than turned on. "I mean that's unfair. You made it hot."

Lena lets out a delighted chuckle that hits Kara right in her heart, like a little pinball ball making it ding with the knowledge that Lena Luthor is happy enough to laugh. Really, truly laugh. 

"What?" Lena asks, still grinning, fingertips teasing the soft hairs at the back of Kara's neck like it's nothing -- like she doesn't know what she's doing to her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ohh no, ma'am," Kara grins, cheeks still burning with the feeling simmering down low in her belly but too charmed by her girlfriend's teasing smile to stop, "you don't get to pretend you didn't do that on purpose."

"Kara," Lena says, in that way, because she knows, she knows, she knows Kara's weaknesses so perfectly well, and Kara wouldn't have it any other way, "I was just quoting Neruda, I didn't do anything."

"You did the voice thing!" 

"What voice th-- Kara, if you can't just admit plain language and poetic language are simply not on the same level I--"

"You purred the words! How is that fair!?"

Kara presses her lips together like she can retroactively keep the words from exiting her mouth. Too late, though. Lena looks positively delighted.

"I purred the words?" Lena echoes, barely able to keep a straight face. Actually, you know what? Scratch that. She's openly pleased with herself. Smug, even.

"I mean. I mean," Kara says, and she touches the bridge of her nose with one fingertip because for a moment she's forgotten there are no glasses to push up at all, "obviously it's not the same. Poetry and prose, they're inherently--"

"Different, right," Lena finishes Kara's thought, "so you see how you'd use one or the other depending on how emotionally charged--"

Kara shakes her head. "But you don't need flowery metaphors to convey emotion! You can just say what you mean and mean what you say."

"But you just said it yourself. It felt different when I just said it's a sunset, and when I quoted--"

"You purred poetry at me, Lena, of course I'm going to feel a certain kind of way!"

And there it is. Kara feels it in her bones. The checkmate Lena had seen coming a mile away. She sees it right there in the smirk on her girlfriend's face. In the way Lena's pupils dilate just so. The way her tongue peeks out to lick her lips as she looks at Kara like she's lunch.

Or, you know. Breakfast, as the case may be.

"You feel a certain kind of way?" Lena shifts on Kara's lap and they've been together for long enough that Kara absolutely knows there's nothing innocent or coincidental in the way Lena's night shirt (Kara's high school gym t-shirt, mind you) rides up to expose Lena's lace-covered ass. "What kind of way is that, Supergirl?"

Kara perks up at the sound of her name. Her other name. Because maybe it wasn't checkmate after all. Maybe it was just check. Because the thing is, it's not just Lena knowing all of Kara's weaknesses. That knowledge very much goes both ways. And Lena calling her Supergirl? 

Oh, Kara is absolutely not the only one who's feeling a certain way.

"You know." Kara shrugs slightly, pretending to still be the mouse in this little game. She rests one hand on Lena's knee and lets her palm slide up her thigh, slowly, listening to Lena's heartbeat speeding up with each inch of skin Kara explores. "You know the way I mean."

Lena's breath hitches just so when Kara's hand slides further up, and Kara savors the sound of Lena's heart tripping over itself when her fingertips drag along damp lace.

"You're listening, aren't you?" Lena cocks her eyebrow, but her lips stay parted and her breathing comes in short, warm puffs so the whole thing really doesn't come off as stern as Kara is sure Lena would like. 

"Hmm?" Kara knows she's probably pushing her luck, but she bats her eyelashes anyway, her face the very picture of innocence as if her fingertips weren't tracing the very edge of Lena's panties, hinting at what they could (will) do if she just happened to push that fabric aside. "Listening to what, baby?"

Lena tries not to -- Kara can see the struggle right there in her eyes -- but she whimpers anyway, quiet and just barely audible to the human ear. 

"Kara." It tries to sound like a warning, but it falls just this side of pleading instead. Lena blushes so very pretty when she's feeling a certain kind of way.

"Yes, Lena?" 

"You're listening," a breath, slow and measured like she wishes she could take in a deep one but her lungs can't quite cope with that right now, "to me."

"Well, I mean," Kara shrugs slightly, like she can't feel the warmth of Lena's pussy against her fingertips, "I try to. I feel like it's good girlfriend etiquette."

Lena is trying so hard to look at least moderately annoyed. It's not working at all, but Kara can see that's her intent. She also knows exactly what Lena means, too. She means Kara is listening to her. To the beat of her heart and the air in her lungs and all the tiny, inaudible (for everyone else) sounds that tell her exactly how much Lena wants her. 

"You're listening to what you're doing to me." Lena drops the book on the floor to wrap both hands around Kara's neck, hips shifting forward just enough to get more contact with Kara's hand between her legs. Kara knows Lena doesn't need superhearing to notice the way Kara's breath catches in her throat. 

"And what am I doing to you, baby?" Kara won't cross the barrier of Lena's panties just yet, but her fingers becomes more purposeful, less teasing as two fingertips press against Lena's clit through damp lace. Lena's eyes flutter closed and she takes in a sharp breath that sounds almost like a gasp, and Kara rewards such a gorgeous sound with a kiss to Lena's jaw. "What Spring does to cherry trees?"

Lena must feel Kara's teasing grin even if she can't see it, because she lets out a breathless chuckle even as her hips start rocking to meet the movements of Kara's fingers. "Just admit poetry can express richer emotions than prose ever cou--"

Kara's mouth is on Lena's before she can finish her thought, and Kara would maybe feel a bit guilty for interrupting, but Lena's fingers fist in blond hair and pull her close and there's no way someone who's offended would kiss her like that. And Kara isn't even listening anymore, because Lena's tongue is in her mouth and all she can hear is her own heart thumping along anyway.

When she breaks the kiss, Lena keeps Kara close. She's panting slightly, breath hot and wet against Kara's lips and pupils so dilated Kara wonders if she can see her at all. A quiet, hitched moan escapes parted lips, and Kara swears there's nothing in the world -- in the universe, really -- more beautiful than Lena when she's like this. Like putty in her hands. And Kara just can't resist. 

"Admit you purred," she whispers against kiss-swollen lips, knowing if there's one chance for her to win an argument with her girlfriend this must be it. When she has Lena rocking against her fingers, wet and wanting and just the right amount of needy to get her to give in, for once. 

"Kara." It's practically a whine, and Kara swears it sounds like victory. Until she sees the glint in her girlfriend's eyes, and Lena gets her checkmate move after all. "Shut up and fuck me."

Kara feels the words rather than hears them. They hit right between her legs and spread all over her body, and you know what? Kara really is okay with losing under these particular circumstances.

Two fingers hook under the crotch of Lena's panties and Kara tugs lightly, almost like she's testing the strength of the lacy fabric. "Do you really like the..." Kara's voice trails off as Lena pulls the t-shirt up and over her head, blue eyes staring unabashedly at her girlfriends breasts as she struggles to finish her thought, "...these?"

It's just polite to ask before tearing someone's panties to shreds, if you ask her, even if you're currently transfixed at the sight of her breasts.

"I don't care." Lena's voice is doing that thing again, except this time Kara is pretty sure she's not doing it on purpose at all, it's just that's what Lena sounds like when she needs Kara now and isn't that just the best thing ever? "Baby, please, I don't care."

Kara doesn't know if she rips the panties off first and then leans in to catch Lena's left nipple with her mouth or if it happens the other way around, but she honestly doesn't care either, as it turns out. All she knows is two fingers slip inside Lena in one smooth, firm thrust, and her free hand grabs Lena's right breast, and then--

"More," Lena moans, breathy and greedy, but when Kara starts thrusting harder into her Lena shakes her head, "no, no-- more fingers," and Kara lets out a quiet whimper around the stiff nipple between her teeth. 

Kara pulls her fingers out of Lena and stretches her ring finger to join the first two before sliding them back inside. Her movements are slow and careful, all of her senses focused on detecting even the slightest hint of discomfort in her girlfriend until her three fingers are fully inside Lena. 

"Go on, Supergirl." 

Lena's tone is just the right amount of teasing to make Kara chuckle lightly, mouth leaving Lena's breast to trail kisses up her sternum and to the freckles on her neck as her arm starts pumping once again. She's so very close, Kara can tell, and even more so when she turns her wrist just so to press the pad of her thumb against Lena's clit.

Lena's fingers dig into Kara's scalp, into the strong muscle at her shoulder as Lena holds on and rides Kara's hand, hips rocking hard and fast in time with Kara's thrusts. Kara couldn't listen to any one thing if she tried. It's a symphony of sighs and moans, whimpers and ragged breaths and stuttering heartbeats that nearly overwhelms her senses until she feels Lena clench around her fingers, hips losing their rhythm as Lena comes with Kara's name on her lips.

Kara pulls her face away from Lena's neck just so she can look at her. Watch her come around her fingers and then relax, chest heaving with the effort of trying to catch her breath. Kara swears there can't be a more beautiful sight in the universe, especially not now, with the sun rising and bathing Lena's damp skin in early morning light. And as much as Kara tries to suppress it, there's a thought running through her head. A line from that stupid poem with its stupid cherry trees.

A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body... 

"You're thinking very loudly," Lena whispers, already resting her head on Kara's shoulder as her fingertips play with the hem of Kara's shirt, "what are you thinking?"

For a second, Kara considers telling her, but Neruda's words aren't what comes out when she opens her mouth. "Just how beautiful you look," she says, which is in fact the truth. Kind of. She can't let Lena win every single time, right?

***

"Apparently the first cherry trees got here in 1910, but they had to burn them all because of a bunch of insects." Kara holds the little guide book in her hand as she reads, her other hand safely in Lena's as they walk along the Tidal Basin. "These ones are newer, from 1912."

 "Oh, like the Titanic!" Lena looks delighted with the coincidence, and the bright smile on her face makes Kara lean in to steal a kiss from her lips. Her fiancée is super cute when she lets her inner dork show, if you ask Kara.

"See? I told you buying an actual guide book would be worth it!" Kara holds the small book in her hand with the pride of someone who's just won an argument (for once). "Where else are you going to get that kind of high quality trivia?"

"You do know the prototype L-Corp keychain I gave you last week can access Google, yes?"

"Not the same."

"Not to mention the actual supercomputers we all carry around in our pockets. Or the high-tech communicator in your wat--"

"Lena!" Kara groans. "Look around! The cherry blossoms! The quaintness of springtime! A romantic stroll along the river! Where's your sense of romance?"

Lena chuckles lightly, her free hand sliding up Kara's arm to wrap around her bicep. And Kara would complain about the obvious use of one of her many Lena-related weaknesses, but you know what? It works.

"Kara Danvers," Lena says, voice low and teasing, "that's all very poetic."

Kara rolls her eyes, but she can't quite stop the bright smile that's already appearing on her face. "Don't you start with me," she warns, not very convincingly. 

Lena presses a kiss to Kara's shoulder, and it makes color rise to Kara's cheeks even through the soft fabric of her cardigan. Even after all these years. But she figures if there's one day to be particularly enamored with one's fiancée, that's the day she's scheduled to receive a Presidential Award for her contributions to science and the betterment of humanity.

Not to brag. But Kara is proud.

"I love you," Kara says, because she can't not, "and I'm just so proud, I--"

Lena presses a finger to Kara's lips, stopping what was potentially about to turn into a whole speech about the many ways in which Lena Luthor could not possibly be any more perfect if she tried. 

"Kara," Lena warns, all cocked eyebrow and slightly pursed lips, "you promised. You promised you wouldn't cry before the actual ceremony."

And Kara would argue. She'd argue that she's perfectly capable of going on about Lena's many virtues without actually crying, but you know what? Her eyes are feeling just a tiny bit misty already so she's just gonna go ahead and trust Lena on this one.

"You know what I also love?" Kara presses a kiss to the pad of Lena's finger and obediently changes subjects. "Sushi. Let's go get some." Kara starts walking away from the beautiful soft pink trees and in the general direction of the street festival, tugging Lena along. She's all for the romance of blossom-watching, but she'd be lying if she said hearing about the culinary side of this whole festival hadn't excited her a bit more than that.

It's only when she hears a sigh coming from Lena that Kara's focus shifts from food to the woman next to her. That wasn't a happy sigh. 

"Are you okay, baby?"

Lena smiles. It's not a fake smile, but there's a hint of something in it that isn't fully happy, either. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. It's just... between the cherry blossoms and all this talk of sushi, I guess it made me a bit nostalgic for Sendai." 

"Sendai?" Kara looks at Lena with curiosity written all over her face. "What's Sendai?"

"Oh, it's a city in Japan. I lived there for a few months for an exchange when I was in college. Did I never tell you?" Kara shakes her head, her face the picture of delight at getting to learn something new about Lena. "There was this little restaurant near Tohokudai, I swear they had the best sushi in the world." Lena hums, letting her eyes flutter closed for a second like she's trying to imagine the taste. "I'd do anything for some negitoro maki from that place right about now."

Kara listens intently to her fiancée's words. She knows it's just a silly little comment. She knows Lena will be perfectly happy eating the undoubtedly delicious sushi currently being sold at the street festival. And yet.

She can't resist a chance to make Lena just that little bit happier, can she? 

So Kara looks around to make sure they're not being watched, and lets go of Lena's hand. "Be right back."

"Where are you--?"

But all Lena gets is a quick kiss and a gust of wind on her face before Kara disappears.

She's only gone for a couple of minutes -- just enough for Lena to wander back towards the cherry trees -- and when she comes back she's holding a small box which she immediately presents to Lena.

"Sushi for my... sushi," Kara lets out a chuckle, her now-free hand coming up to scratch at the back of her head like she's aware she may have gone just a little bit overboard but she's hoping it won't be too much, "Sendai's beautiful, by the way."

Lena's smile is soft, and Kara has a feeling -- not to toot her own horn -- if she'd been listening she would've heard Lena's heart skip a beat. 

"Kara Danvers," Lena sighs, shaking her head like that'll do anything to hide just how charmed she is right now, "you're something el-- what's that?"

"Nothing," Kara shifts slightly and puts her hand -- and the little carton box it's holding -- behind her back, fully intending on letting the focus of this moment be on her romantic gesture, but Lena raises one eyebrow and Kara loses her resolve. "Potstickers." Kara's voice is quiet as she shows Lena the box. "What? I was in the neighborhood!"

"In the neighborhood of," Lena squints slightly as she reads the words on the box, "Shanghai?"

"Well, China is next door to Japan, if you think about it."

Lena chuckles, clearly too charmed by this whole thing to even continue teasing Kara about it. "Thank you. For this. You didn't actually have to fly all the way to Japan to get my favorite sushi, but I appreciate it."

Kara shrugs, chopsticks already grabbing the first potsticker in the box. "I'd go way farther than Japan to make you happy. You know that."

"I do know," Lena nods, looking just a little thoughtful, like she's just now realizing she fully believes Kara would stop at nothing to make her happy, "you even promised when you proposed."

Lena wiggles her finger, flashing the kryptium ring that's been there for a few weeks now along with a teasing smile, and Kara can only shrug. "Well, I meant it," she says, popping the potsticker in her mouth and leaning against the trunk of a nearby cherry tree.

"I know," Lena says again, but this time she's smiling, amusement shining in her eyes, "if only Lex had figured out the one true way to have the world in the palm of your hand is to make a Kryptonian fall in love with you."

"To be fair, I really don't think your brother is Kal's type."

***

Eight hours later, they're seeing the Tidal Basin from above, the cherry blossoms looking nearly white in the moonlight. They could be in National City already, but Kara figures there's no reason why she can't take the scenic route with Lena in her arms and enjoy the view without the crowds and the bustle they experienced earlier today. Perks of being your own private jet.

"Go a bit lower, baby," Lena's voice is soft against Kara's ear, like she's afraid if she speaks too loud she'll break the spell and they won't feel like the only two people in the world anymore, "I want to see the flowers."

Kara doesn't make her wait. Lena's just been awarded an actual medal by the President, and spoiling her a little is the least Kara can do. So she dips until they're hovering just above the soft pink blossoms and then a little lower still, close enough that Lena can smell the sweet, fresh scent of Spring.

The night is clear and quiet, just cool enough for Lena to reach for Kara's cape and pull it forward to wrap it around herself. Kara holds her a little closer, just enough to hopefully provide a bit of extra warmth, and she figures it was the right move when Lena slips one arm from under Kara's cape to reach for the tree and pick a particularly pretty blossom from one of the branches that's closer to them.

Lena looks at it for a moment, twirling the little stem between her fingers like she's pondering what to do with it. And then she turns and tucks Kara's hair behind her ear, sliding the small flower between soft blond strands and smiling when she's satisfied it'll stay exactly where she wants it.

"Happy?" Kara chuckles, something soft and quiet and a little teasing because there's something equal parts amusing and endearing about Lena's perfectionism when it comes to silly little things like putting a flower in Kara's hair.

"Very."

And there's something about the way Lena smiles, more with her eyes than with her mouth, that makes Kara see, clear as day, just how serious Lena is. How sincere, when she says she's very happy. 

Maybe that's why Kara gets a little transfixed just looking at her, suddenly aware of just how different this Lena -- the Lena wrapped in her arms and her cape, wearing her ring and smiling with a smile that's just Kara's -- is from the Lena she first met all those years ago.

"Kara Zor-El," Lena's voice is soft just like the sound of Kara's true name on her lips, "what are you thinking about?"

And Kara wishes she had the words to tell her. But how does she even begin to explain what she's feeling right now? How she's still the same Lena that made Kara's heart trip all over itself the first time she saw her, but she's so very different all the same time. Brighter. Lighter. Loved. God, she's so loved, and Lena knows it, finally, and that's what's different, maybe. Not just Kara's love, because Lena's had that from the very first day, probably, but the fact that Lena can feel it now. 

How do you put that in words? I love you just doesn't feel like enough. 

And then it hits her.

"I'm thinking," Kara smiles, cheeks pink with the knowledge that she's just been proven wrong, "about what Spring does to cherry trees."

#fic #fanfiction #supercorp fanfic #supercorp fanfiction #supercorp

[ichayalovesyou]

Why Bones & Spock NEED Each Other (Grief)

So over my tenure in this fandom I’ve seen some one sided stuff about Bones being mean to Spock, and vice versa and I’m like

Thing is y’all: You’re both right, but you’re also both wrong!

Bones is mean to Spock you’re right! But you know what? That’s a good thing!

Spock is mean to Bones because of course he is! And guess what? That’s also a good thing!

They both need it, and they can only get it (safely) from each other! What they have is (in a weird way) healthy! But it’s only healthy for these two specifically because they understand each other so well!

Prime examples? Somebody has died or gone missing (usually Jim)!

Let’s talk about how Spock & Bones grieve!

Let’s address how each character (generally) moves through the 5 stages of grief

Bones: Anger, Denial, Depression, Bargaining, Acceptance

Spock: Bargaining, Denial, Depression, Anger, Acceptance

They are each individually perfectly equipped to handle each other’s grief (or refusal to grieve)!

Bones initial reaction to death is usually Anger, he blames himself and anyone in proximity. Quickly followed by a weird form of denial, in which he doesn’t deny someone is dead, but he denies that other people think the person is gone and that they felt it when it happened because he’s dunked so hard under his own grief his usually high empathy has switched off.

Now, Bones is highly familiar with grief as a medical professional (and having lost his father). He establishes how important and deeply believes in that process in And The Children Shall Lead.

I think Bones is acutely aware of how he grieves, and is equally aware that throwing these feelings out at just anybody could really hurt them.

But Spock isn’t just anybody, he’s a (half) Vulcan, it’s like shouting at a brick wall, Bones knows Spock can take it. I also believe Spock understands that this state is temporary, which is why he handles it with such grace.

What happens when Bones isn’t able to go off at (not truly “on”) Spock is that Bones keeps that anger to himself and gets bordering-on-suicidal (Depression phase of grief). It happens in Miri (self injection), For The World is Hollow & I Have Touched The Sky (trying to stay behind), and The Empath (the whole freakin episode). Jim is good for comfort, but Spock is good for a slap in the face reality check.

They both know that. It’s why they’re still friends despite how much shit they throw at each other

Not only that, but Bones (almost) ALWAYS apologizes, from their worst fights I can rattle off:

“They were wrong, and I was wrong I’m sorry” (Paradise Syndrome)

“Pawns huh? Well if it makes any difference, this pawn is extremely sorry.” (Day of The Dove)

“Spock I- I’m sorry, it does hurt doesn’t it?” (The Tholian Web)

And that’s not including implied/non-verbal apologies.

Bones needs Spock to help him grieve because otherwise he’s gonna take an emotional nosedive toward attempted Martyrdom. Spock’s stoicism punctured by occasional genuiness helps Bones move to the Bargaining stage (making peace with Spock and everything that’s happened) and later Acceptance.

The inverse of this is also true so let’s address how Bones uses his belligerent nature to jump start Spock’s healthy grieving process!

Bones grieving style (and his confrontational nature in general) is uniquely suited to make Spock honor his Human side, his emotions in the matter. Because we know a softer touch (like Jim’s) while more comfortable for Spock, seldom cracks open that wall of emotional repression unless Jim’s in danger.

Bones doesn’t give a shit, and that ultimately a good thing! Both he and Spock constantly need to be directly shoved against their default reactions to interpret things in a balanced way, which is why they’re perfect for each other.

Without Bones, Spock would never let himself grieve, ever. We also know that, more deeply than Spock, Bones understands grief and how to move through it, he’s familiar with loss (which is why I think he’s so quick to accept someone is dead whenever it happens, it’s the reaction of someone whose had to lose a lot of people and is more comfortable grieving than hoping). There’s a lot of evidence for this in Gamesters of Triskellion & Return To Tomorrow.

He also honors Spock’s human half a lot more than Spock does, it’s one of the fundamental power sources for Bones & Spock’s “the racism’s mutual” banter. And it is mutual, I feel like people forget how often Spock compares modern humans to the worst examples of their/his ancestors and treats them as inferior out of internalized hatred and the general xenophobic attitudes of Vulcan culture. Bones of course responds in kind, usually in cockamamy insults, he’s not as well versed in Vulcan history as Spock is in Human. Although I admit Bones does start it a lot, I think arguing accounts as a love language for him lmao.

So when Bones sees Spock trying to stunt and stifle his grieving process, especially since Bones knows he’s at least partly human and it is affecting Spock’s judgement, it hits literally ALL of Bones nerves.

Bones uses reverse psychology to get Spock to admit he is human and he has feelings ALL THE TIME especially where Jim is concerned. Bread & Circuses, The Immunity Syndrome, The Tholian Web & Requiem for Methuselah!

Spock will absolutely refuse to grieve or at least move on from the self-destructive bargaining/denial loop he gets trapped in unless Bones smacks him around a little. Just like how Bones will get self-destructive unless Spock recenters him via logic.

Again, I think on a subconscious level they both know that, and it’s why they never take each other’s smack downs to heart.

An excellent example, Chekov’s “death” in Spectre of The Gun:

Spock isn’t grieving, but everyone else is, Spock was close to Pavel but isn’t letting himself feel it, which could later backfire. Bones is currently grieving, but there’s no time to grieve because they’re all gonna die in 20 minutes if they don’t find a solution to their dilemma.

Transcript & Breakdown:

Bones: You talk about another man’s [Jim’s] feelings? What do you feel Spock?!

Are you grieving? He was like son to you you’re not acknowledging it, again.

Spock: My feelings are not subject for discussion Doctor.

No, and I’m not going to, leave me alone.

Bones: Because there are are no feelings to discuss!

Well I’m grieving! And I’m gonna reverse psychology your Vulcan ass until you start your grieving process so that I can move on!

Scotty: Mr. Spock Chekov is dead! I say it now and I can hardly believe it, but you worked closely with him! That deserves some memorial!

Bones: Spock will have no truck with grief Scotty, it’s human.

Alright, that first comment didn’t work, maybe “insulting” him will get that thick head of his to acknowledge his feelings.

Jim: Bones! Scotty!

Spock: It’s quite alright Captain, they forget I am half human.

Fine, yes I am grieving for Pavel in my own way. Are you satisfied Dr. McCoy?

Bones: [looks surprised and thoughtful, satisfied with Spock’s answer]

Wow, you said you were human without any disgust this time... huh... good job.

Scotty:[looks ashamed]

The 5 o’clock duel bell rings.

#star trek #star trek tos #spock #bones #spones #grief #tw suicidal thoughts #tos #the tholian web #spectre of the gun #the Empath #Miri #for the world is hollow and i have touched the sky #bread and circuses #the paradise syndrome #day of the dove #meta thoughts #meta #meta analysis

[ilikekidsshows]

I know you're probably busy with the she-ra live blog but after I saw your analysis on Ladybug!Alya, I'm really curious about what do you think of Black Cat!Alya. Of course you're free to ignore this, no pressure!

I am still answering asks, it just takes me longer to get to each one, since I have less fandom hours in a day to dedicate to them with the liveblog taking up some time.

Okay, so, looking at Marinette in 'Origins' and then in the rest of the series, it's obvious that a combination of being a superhero and getting to know Alya is what gave Marinette all that confidence and snark. I fully believe she was capable of it before too, but needed the positive enforcement and feeling of empowerment to bring that part of herself out. Most likely before the series Marinette only snarked at people in her head after the situation was already over, in a: "I should have said X that wouldn't have showed them," type of way. Where am I going with this? I'm saying Alya wouldn't need to learn to match Plagg, she could do so from the get-go.

Judging from her early interactions with Trixx at the end of 'Sapotis', where Trixx managed some smooth reverse psychology on her, only Plagg's lying might catch her off guard. Alya is so fundamentally honest that she can't immediately tell when someone's being deceitful. However, Alya is a middle child with some pretty rowdy siblings on both ends, so I think she'd catch onto Plagg being a prankster soon enough, especially after the newness of the whole "this being lets me be a superhero" thing wears off and she'll be less starstruck towards him.

I said in my Ladybug!Alya analysis that you can give Alya any Miraculous and she will make it work for her because she wants to be a hero so badly. This is a factor even when you give her the Black Cat. As someone well-versed in superhero tropes, I see Alya being worried over ending up with such a villainous power, but we've already seen how imaginative Alya can be, so she'd realize the true versatility of her power pretty quickly. I've already brought up in my comparison post about Adrien and Alya that Alya is capable of being the same level of nurturing as Adrien, and she exhibits a strong sense of justice. Alya could definitely be trusted to use Cataclysm responsibly.

I see Alya and Plagg as capable of working out any interpersonal issues between them pretty quickly. This is mostly because, like Adrien, Alya has people in her life who care about her but will do things that anger, annoy or even upset her, albeit to a lesser degree, since Alya's family is just a normal bigger family instead of abusive and manipulative like Adrien's. As such, Alya’s family members would only upset her by accident instead of not caring about her being upset. Regardless, Alya could easily spot Plagg's nonmalicious intentions even when he acts up.

Something that I see as actually affecting Plagg and Alya's relationship is how intellectually (and otherwise) lazy Plagg can be. He completely overlooked the Peacock brooch and the grimoire in 'Volpina' in favor of raving about wanting cheese, and he only gave Adrien the cliffnotes on his powers in 'Origins'. Plagg would not want to answer Alya's endless stream of questions concerning her powers and the history of the Miraculous. He would definitely play up the effect of the gag order to ward her off, which would most likely feed into that distrust towards the Guardians I mentioned Alya might develop in my Ladybug!Alya analysis.

We also know of Master Fu's reluctance to share what he knows in fear of any information leaking out. Fu's paranoia in the series has progressed to the level where secrecy is a way of life to him and he doesn't even question whether or not some bit of information would be useful for his chosen before he decides to keep it to himself. Combine this extremely dodgy behavior from their "assigned Guardian" with Alya's curiosity and suspicion, and an Alya guided by Plagg definitely has a chance of developing into a bit of a "Rogue Miraculous Holder". This Alya would eventually aim to find her own path of being a hero, letting go of those training wheels of modeling herself after others and the idea of following rules set by other people.

Of course, depending on Alya's potential Ladybug partner, they might be able to mitigate these trust issues.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #alya cesaire #plagg #kwami swap #ml meta #kwami compatibility

[purplesugarygirl]

Still into You by stablebiscuit20

Hey everyone! First of all, thanks for your support on my first post-review-recommendation fics :) It means a lot. So, here's the second one!

If I'm being honest with you, this Spotify playlist made me choose, so let us begin.

I'll give you a bit of context.

The fic name is "Still into You" by stablebiscuit20 on AO3.

Oh, and yeah, it's bakudeku bitches. From Boku No Hero Academia (or My Hero Academia, that one works too)

By the way, I'll try to not put many spoilers into this, but beware, mild spoilers of, I don't know, the fic and probably from both the anime and the manga.

Another warning: this fic is rated Mature, and yeah, I'm not you mother or whatever but don't go reading stuff you're not supposed to.

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku; Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku Tags: Fluff; Pining; Eventual Romance; Eventual Smut; Eventual Relationships; Eventual Sex; Fluff and Smut; Fluff and Humor; Bakugou Katsuki is Bad at Feelings; Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot; Top Bakugou Katsuki; Power Bottom Midoriya Izuku; Pro Hero Midoriya Izuku; Pro Hero Bakugou Katsuki; Characters Are Pro Heroes (My Hero Academia); Aged-Up Character(s); So they're more mature Stats: Published: 2020-03-18 Completed: 2020-03-23 Words: 20743 Chapters: 10/10 Summary: "Midoriya and Bakugou haven’t seen each other since they left UA and graduated, both going their separate ways and becoming pro heroes. One night, Bakugou hears his neighbor singing loudly in the shower at 1 AM and goes over and pounds on the door. Golden God Midoriya opens the door. The rest, my dear, is history."

Yeah, I know exactly what you're thinking. 'Why is this 22-year-old-idiot recommending a fic that sounds like your typical cliché?'

Well, it is not.

Let's come back to the title of the fic: Still into You, in case you don't know, this is a Paramore song (and if you didn't know, then you live under a rock or you're really young, 'cause this song is from 2013, like-- holy shit it's 8 years old ._.) anyways, doesn't matter if you're or not a fan (for the record, I am) the thing here is about what the song talks about.

The song itself talks about someone who stills have a crush on a person, of being in love with that someone, even after knowing each other for years. It talks about a romantic relationship, about the process of not only falling in love with someone, but on being with that s/o, and also on how they go together through the process of a relationship itself. Something that my single ass won't know.

Anyways, here's the first part.

Can't count the years on one hand That we've been together I need the other one to hold you Make you feel, make you feel better It's not a walk in the park to love each other But when our fingers interlock Can't deny, can't deny you're worth it ‘Cause after all this time, I'm still into you

If you want me to analized the whole song, verse by verse, I could but it would take us hours, but I think this first part is enough to explain. If we translate this into the bakudeku-verse, then you can see the whole childhood friends to lovers, which is very implicit the whole fic, mostly because they're grown up, already Pro Heroes. So, in a way, Still into You gives you an idea of someone's feelings, it could be Katsuki or Izuku.

Along the fic each chapter is named after a Paramore song, and like the title, the song (if you know about what the song is about) gives you an idea of what is going on.

Chapter 1: Rose-Colored Boy Chapter 2: When It Rains Chapter 3: Caught in the Middle Chapter 4: Hard Times Chapter 5: Where the Lines Overlap Chapter 6: Grudges Chapter 7: Tell Me How Chapter 8: Misery Business Chapter 9: All I Wanted Chapter 10: Let The Flames Begin

In my honest and humble opinion, while in some chapters the song's lyrics explain it completely, in others it's the music that makes the work. Probably I'm wrong and the author (if they read this) will want to behead me😂😂😂😂 but still, the choosing of each song it's what makes this fanfic one of my favorites regarding this couple.

Now, let's talk about the fic itself. As I said at the beginning, Still into You (the song) explains the feelings, either Katsuki or Izuku, during the whole story. It begins with Grumpy Bakugou, the guy can't sleep because his fucking neighbor is singing in the shower at 1 AM. I'm very conflicted here, I know the feeling of that, so like every normal person who wants to sleep after a hard work day, Bakugou wants to beat the crap out of his neighbor and goes to knock his door.

Only to discover that, the guy who has been ghosting (at that point it's mutual ghosting) him for 5 years and that he was masturbating to, was his neighbor. And I mean he was Midoriya Izuku.

Poor Katsuki, and you know what he does? Ogle the broccoli man🥦, yeah, no shame. But in Bakugou's defense, Izuku just came out of the shower, so yeah. Shame on me.

Katsuki was having a mental breakdown in front of Izuku (who wouldn't?), blonde couldn't handle the sexyness so of course he forgot what he was doing there. And yet, Izuku not only had it in him to mention the fact that 'he has a different schedule than Kacchan' BUT HE SAYS "And by the way, you got hot, too."

HOW. DARE. YOU. MIDORIYA. IZUKU.

Broccoli man has some balls. Literally.

Anyways, after that point, everything is Drama. You know, the usual.

And we have some issues to mention:

They try to mend, sort-of, their relationship. But their issues is what stop them.

Bakugou sleeps around, being openly gay, while Midoriya has the "perfect boy" image to the public, and you know homophobic shit, so only his closest friends know that he's bisexual and into Katsuki. And at some point, blonde makes the mistake of sleeping with Candy Man, or you know him as Todoroki Shouto.

They play this very bad version of Cat-and-Mouse, except that neither of them is the Cat and are being coward for not affronting their problems.

So, we know that the fic begins with blonde having a mental breakdown and sort-of-sexual crisis over his old high school crush. By the way, a big portion of the fic is under Katsuki's POV so you kinda know he's feeling like shit after seeing the guy who broke his heart on Graduation Day. At next morning, he found Deku and learn from him that he usually talks with Bakugou's friends (and actually he keeps in contact with all of his old classmates EXCEPT Katsuki) and he feels a rollercoaster of angst, kinda like "my friends have been talking with the guy and never told me" and a bruised ego, and while Kirishima explains that it's just the typical stuff (getting together to have lunch, or saving the day, AS FRIENDS), Katsuki has issues with that. In a way, he's angry (what a surprise) and jealous. And hurt.

That takes us to n°2. That's a crime. Kirishima warns him and yet blonde just goes yeet to fuck Todoroki. I mean, in my eyes for a single moment, blonde boy become an asshole. Yes, I said it. You don't fuck with your best friend's crush, it's a big NO-NO in the book of 'Rules in Friendship for dummies'. But only for that moment, because karma kicks him in the balls and Bakugou finds Midoriya the next morning at the email post in their building. Poor broccoli has red and puffy eyes, and blonde boy has a Todoroki shirt on him with the sticky-whity-thingy in it. It's like the meme 'It was in that moment that he knew he fuck up'. The worst thing is that when Bakugou goes back to his apartment, he sees all of the messages that Izuku sent him (so they could go on a date). That was kinda the top of the cherry.

So after that, they had this Cat-and-Mouse thing going, except both of them are the mouse and none of them wants to talk about the elephant in the room. Until Ground Zero (by the way, I have SO many issues regarding Bakugou's hero name) goes reckless being a Hero, gets injured and Deku saves him and tfswhe day.

The thing I love about the 'bakudeku' theme for fics it's not only the 'childhood-friends-to-bully/victim-to-rivals-to-friends-to-lovers' but also the idea of giving a second chance when they finally fix their issues. If you're reading the manga, then you know about how Bakugou apologized to Midoriya after he saved him from that people who was under the control of some villain, and while we haven't seen them interact much after that (mainly fanfics has been feeding me with that), you can clearly see that for Bakugou, his time in UA, has been the beginning for the redemption path and the eye-opening he need it, to finally realize who was Izuku. It's pretty evident that he's finally fixing his own issues regarding Izuku. In a way, we see that in the fic, but before they had this sentimental talk about feelings and stuff, they beat the shit out of each other. At this point, it's part of their thematic.

They're idiots. We love them. But still idiots.

Then we see the other side of the POV, which is Midoriya Izuku. While we see Bakugou struggling with how to approach Deku to realized he really fuck-up and then mourning the what-we-could-have-been, with Izuku is different, he's not only dealing with a heartbreak on Katsuki's part, but the betrayal on Shouto's part.

I mean, of course he's hurting. Who wouldn't? You heard your best friend fuck with the guy you've been in love for years. If that ever happens to me, been angry wouldn't cover how I feel. Not even heartbroken. But after weeks, he, being the impulsive shit he is, takes his phone and message Todoroki. So basically Broccoli man decides to take the step on the road of healing and fixing this mess. And while, IN MY OPINION, the excuse Todoroki gives him on why he did what he did is completely BULLSHIT, it's what Izuku need it to open his eyes and realized that Katsuki won't be always there with his feelings waiting for Izuku to decide what he wanted.

So Izuku goes to find Katsuki, and discovers that the blonde is long gone, in like, took all of his stuff and decide to disappear from the face of earth, broccoli is hurting again and decided to go home with his mom. Midoriya Inko is the saint we all know. But apparently that's what Izuku need it, go home, affront everything he feels from the beginning. In the end, that's how he finds Katsuki.

Under the beautiful moonlight. I fell in love 5 times, people.

I want to add that after a voting with some people (me because none of my friends read fanfics), we decided to name Kirishima Eijirou as the MVP of this fic. Just read it, and you'll probably agree with me.

I won't tell you how this end, or this won't be a review but a resume of the fic😂😂😂😂😂, but I totally love it. The thing with the music and the story is that while you read it, and you listen the music, everything sorta makes sense.

So 100% recommended ✨✨✨✨✨.

Anyways, if you reached here, thanks for reading me ranting about this.

And if you want, please share, give your love, reblog and recommend your fic (or a fic you read) for me to praise them in very constructive ways. And of course, to give me your critics✨.

Hope you’re safe and healthy🙏✨

I think that’s all, ✨Purple Girl out✨💜💜💜

#my hero academia #bakugou katsuki #midoriya izuku #bakudeku #fan fiction #fic rec #fiction #todoroki shouto #ao3fic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 bakudeku #paramore #still into you #song #kirishima eijirou #ground zero #ao3 bakugou #bakugou x midoriya #kirishima #bakugou fluff #katsuki #denki #todoroki #denki kaminari #ua students #ua academy #pro heroes #pro hero izuku #pro hero kirishima #pro hero ground zero

[bluefirewrites]

i gotta Juke AU story

————

this is inspired by this one filipino movie i watched “para sa hopeless romantic” but julie and luke go to the same uni and julie writes a random line of lyrics on a schools desk and luke writes the next lines when he’s in his class. the next day julie sees someone finished her lyrics and they end up having a finished song throughout the week. they obviously end up falling in love with each other’s words but one day the desks in that classroom were thrown out so julie and luke try and find the desk and run into each other only for Luke to find out it’s Julie, his crush since the beginning of school, and Julie finds out it’s Luke, they boy who she’s been eyeing ever since she’s first seen him. honestly this is all over the place. this is just another random college au. tehe

I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS FROM A FILIPINO MOVIE!

I have much more pride in my culture now you have no idea haha! But no really,  Filipino movies can be the cheesiest, silliest, most cliche things I’ve ever seen. And I mean that endearingly. 

So it makes total sense that this super cute trope that I see popping up in different fandoms came from a Filipino movie. 

I think I’ve seen an iteration of this on AO3 and it was super cute! (But I think it was more like leaving a piece of paper on a desk). 

But yes, yes , YES. 

Juke is the perfect ship for this. 

Hmm... I think it would be an interesting take, because my mind went to Luke first, if it was Julie who would start it- yes I agree with you. 

It is canon that Luke helped Julie finish the song that she had been working on with her mom (’Stand Tall’), so might as well run with it. 

Maybe during her quiet year, where she didn’t sing or play piano, she often found herself doodling a lot. She kinda threw herself into drawing. It was her creative outlet that brought her comfort during these rough times. 

She’d have trouble paying attention in class sometimes, and so she would end up doodling. 

Now, I used to have a history class that frowned upon doodling in notebooks. The notebooks would be graded, and if there is a non-history, non-relevant doodle in the margins or anything- you get points docked off. 

So Julie, like me, tried remedying this by doodling on post it notes to avoid getting in trouble. 

But one day, Julie forgets or runs out of post it notes, and she’s only got her history notebook and textbook with her. And since she has no qualms marking up her jeans and shoes, she thought she’d be discrete and doodle on the desks.

Not like anyone would have a problem with that anyway. These desks are old af and scratched up and had doodles on them already. 

She would start drawing her usual stuff- funky creatures, bubble letter-ed profanities, etc. 

But then she starts thinking about her mom, she starts doodling dahlias and even a rose in one corner. Memories start flooding back and she starts absentmindedly writing down a lyric of a song they never finished, just bits of pieces figured out: 

‘Don’t blink...no, I don’t want to miss it’ 

She didn’t think to erase it. Just grabbed her stuff and went to her next class. 

The following day however, she pulls out her post-notes (after getting more) and is about to doodle when she sees a new scribble on the corner of the desk where she wrote her lyrics. 

Squinting, she realizes those are words (geez, the penmanship sucks). But she was able to make it out: 

‘One thing, and it's back to the beginning’

It’s written right under her line. And she reads them together- 

Wow. This sounds... pretty good. 

She quickly jots this mysterious new addition to the song in her post-notes, but not before giving writing another shot and provide another line. Curious, if she would get another response. 

She does. 

And it’s perfect. 

It’s been a year, a year since she felt the urge to write, to think about music- but, when all the lyrics fall into place, Julie is suddenly inspired to continue. 

She spends the entire class thinking about how to reply, how to keep the momentum of this song going. 

When she gets it, she writes it down underneath the new line. And waits. 

And like clockwork, next day she sits down and there’s a new addition. 

First verse done- Julie couldn’t believe it. 

Smiling, she records it all and had to erase everything from before to make more room. 

‘Thanks’ she writes ‘Keep going?’ 

The reply the next day has her grinning from ear to ear: 

‘I’m game :)’

And that’s how it goes: Another day, Another killer line. 

Julie would rush from her next class, confusing Flynn who did not think she would be so excited going to history, smile on her face, anticipating another message from this mystery writing partner. 

Sometimes, she gets too caught up in her head, eagerly thinking up new lines that she often doesn’t watch where she’s going. One time, she pretty much embarrassed herself while bumping into the cute Luke Patterson in her rush to History. 

(She practically fell on him and he tried to talk to her after, but she jumped out of his arms before whatever awkward conversation that was bound to happen if she stayed). 

Julie and her pen pal would keep working on the song, even came up with a system to let each other know if they’ve finished a verse. 

And sometimes it’s not just lyrics. Julie draws her normal doodles next to her lines, and she’s delighted to find even more ridiculous ones waiting for her when she gets back. 

There was one time when she’s had to stifle a laugh because a crude caricature of their History teacher in their corner, yelling out the next lyric: 

‘I'm goin’ out of my mind!’

(Glad to know someone else shares the same sentiments about their strict history teacher.)

They finish her mom’s song and Julie’s glad... grateful even. But she couldn’t help but feel disappointed... assuming it’s over. 

But come Monday the following weekend, her pen pal decided to leave another line- 

‘Running from the past... Tripping on the now’ 

and a new comment: 

‘My turn now?’

A new song, and Julie grins, already coming up with ideas... 

She loves writing again, especially music. Sparked by this exchange, she eases herself back into listening to music again, looking for inspiration to use for the song she and her mysterious partner are working on. 

And writing with this person... is really something else. 

But Julie’s favorite part of the whole experience really is the comments written on the upper corner. Stuff like: 

‘This part is killer!’

‘Mindreader, much? :P’

‘Wrecking ball at it again. So talented :)’

and her favorite:

‘You make me a better writer...’

She ducks down so no one can see her blush as she writes back: 

‘I think we make each other better...’ 

Flynn one day tells her straight up she’s got a crush on her pen pal, to which Julie denies because how could she have a crush on someone she doesn’t even know. 

But as she thinks about it.. she feels like she does. Or at least know enough to establish this sort of connection that feels like they’re in each other’s heads, know how the other person thinks, inspiring the other. 

It was... special. 

Flynn suggests that she needs to figure out who is leaving these notes. But it’s hard seeing as though Julie has the class in an earlier period, a bunch of other classes are held in the same room after she leaves. 

(Flynn tries a sting operation, but ends up getting caught ditching class before she could solve the mystery). 

Julie’s worried though. As much as she wants to figure out who this great pen pal is, she wonders if they would be disappointed to find out they’ve been writing her. And not someone as cool and as pretty as Carrie Wilson or her friend Kayla. It’s hard to live up to those expectations. 

In the end, she wants to know. At least so she could maybe thank them in person, for helping bring music back into her life and for making history class the highlight of her day. 

She decides this right before they break for Thanksgiving. She writes down: 

‘I wanna meet you. Can we talk?’ 

And she’s on pins and needles the entire break, just wondering what her pen pal would say back. ‘Yes’, ‘no?’. 

But what she finds when she comes back from break is so much worse than the fear of rejection. 

They got new desks. 

Their school finally got their shit together and replaced their old, worn down desks. 

‘No, no, no, no, no’. 

That means she’ll never know what her penpal end up replying... 

She runs out of class and finds Flynn, panicked, she tells her what happened. And Flynn does some digging, and she’s able to find out where the janitors dumped the old desks. 

Julie totally underestimates just how desperate she is in finding out the identity of her pen pal because she finds herself sneaking back to school at night with Flynn, seeking out the lot behind school where the dumpsters were piled high with the old desks. 

Flynn, the ride or die she is, armed with a flashlight, starts taking out the desks along with Julie, and there are... a lot of desks. 

They go at it for an hour, and the situation starts to look hopeless, especially when Flynn discovers a whole new set of dumpsters with desks that they haven’t even checked yet. 

They’re about to throw in the towel- 

But then they hear voices. 

Quickly, they hide behind a dumpster right when three guys, with flashlights, come onto the scene. 

“Dude, I can’t believe we’re here at this hour-” 

“Oh my god. There’s like a boatload of stuff here-” 

“Guys. Can you not? And please help me? It’s gotta be here somewhere”. 

They sound... familiar. They were definitely not the custodians. 

Risking it, Julie leaves her hiding spot- 

“Luke?” 

Luke Patterson jumps and whips around to face her, “Julie?” 

Behind him are his bandmates, Alex and Reggie. Everyone looks at each other confused. 

“What are you doing here?” he asks. 

“I...uh, I’m-” Julie stammers, “Well-” 

Flynn cuts in, “She’s looking for something,” 

Luke nods, “Really? So are we.” 

Alex scoffs, “Nope. Just you, dude. But we’re helping.” 

“Maybe we can help you too?” Reggie offers, “What are you looking for?” 

Julie sighs, “... a desk?” 

“Well... you came to the right place...” Luke laughs, shining his flashlight on the dumpsters, “Funny enough that’s what we’re looking for too.” 

“One in particular?” 

Then the guy gets all clammed up, “Uh... yeah. I think... I might have... left something... in it. Something important.” 

“How about we all look together?” suggests Flynn, “Help each other out?” 

And so they exchange the descriptions on the desk, with Julie leaving out the glaring obvious detail of the note. 

They’re surprised to find out that they’re looking for the same kind of desk. The ones they used in a particular building at school, the same one her history class is in. 

So they break off and search. And she ends up in the same dumpster as Luke. 

“So what’s in your desk?” he ends up asking. 

“Huh?” 

“You know... that’s so important that you’re here on a Friday night, digging through a dumpster,” 

“Right... uh,” Julie scrambles for an answer, “There’s something on- I mean, in the desk... that really helped me. I was going through a hard time. Lost my mom last year-” 

Luke stops his search, “Oh, I’m so sorry-” 

“It’s okay. I just...” she sighs, finding another desk that looks like hers but not quite, “I just want to find it...” 

“I get it. Hopefully we can find your desk.” 

“Hopefully we’ll find yours too,” 

After another 20 minutes searching, Julie finds it. At the very bottom of the dumpster. Luke’s face lights up once she brings it out. 

“Oh my god, you found it!” He exclaims, hands gripping the edge to take it off her hands. 

She tugs it back, “Yeah... I found it... my desk,” 

“Your desk? But this is my-” he breaks off, eyes widening, “Wait. Are you...?” 

“Am I what?” 

Luke drops the desk, clears his throat, and starts reciting: 

‘I believe... I believe that we're just one dream...’

Julie gasps, then continues: 

“Away from who we're meant to be...”

Then together: “That we're standing on the edge of...”

“...great.” Luke finishes, in awe, “You! You’re ‘Lyric Girl’!”

“You’re my pen pal?” Julie says in disbelief. 

Luke Patterson has been her pen pal this entire time? The cutie with the cutoffs? It makes total sense. He’s in a rock band and the songs she’s heard from them have amazing lyrics. 

Wait... she has been lowkey crushing on Luke Patterson through his words... 

“Wow, it’s you! Luke... wow...” she honestly has no words. They used to come easy to her when she talks to him via the desk, but now, after finding out that the local heartthrob is her writing partner, she’s super nervous. 

“Look... if you’re disappointed that it’s me... I get it. I’ll give you an out, and you won’t ever have to talk to me again-” 

“Julie-” 

“-like this is weird- this is weird right? But I mean what we had was nice and all-” 

“Julie, can you-?” 

“-we don’t ever have to talk about this if you don’t-” 

“Julie!” He reaches for her hands and intertwines their fingers, shutting her up. 

“Yeah...?” 

He takes a deep breath before saying: “Why would I ever be disappointed that it’s you? I’ve... got like a mad crush on you since freshman year...” 

Julie choked, “Wait, what?” 

“Voice of an angel and wicked beauty to boot? How could I not?” he smiles, “And... finding out that you’re my mystery muse is just... you don’t know how happy that makes me.” 

His smile drops and he’s all the sudden bashful, “Wait... are you disappointed that it’s me?” 

She shakes her head, “No, no! That’s not why! It’s just... you’re this rockstar in the making! I didn’t think- I didn’t think you’d ever pay attention to me.” 

“I do... I do pay attention,” he looks down at their desk, “Well... maybe not enough attention, otherwise we would have met sooner.” 

She laughs, “Totally,” 

They stand there for a while, grinning at each other like idiots. 

“So...” Julie decides to jump the gun, “Do you... maybe wanna grab something to eat?” 

Luke raises an eyebrow, “Are you asking me out, Julie?” 

She blushes, “Maybe,” 

“Interesting,” 

“So what’s your answer?” 

He leans in, “Might wanna look down,” he whispers. 

She does, right on their desk and finally reads the reply she’s spent weeks thinking about. 

‘Tell me where and when...

I’ll be there...’

Needless to say, but that from that day on- they don’t need to use their desk to talk anymore... 

#this... has been sitting in my inbox #and finally I have answered! #I LOVE THIS CONCEPT #giving me the same vibes as my imaginary friends penpal juke idea #i guess this means i just... love Dash & Lily #julie and the phantoms #jatp #julie and the himbos #juke #palina #juke-box #julie x luke #luke x julie #julie molina #luke patterson #how many times am i gonna sneak in 'wicked beauty' in whatever I write?