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#where can i sign up to become a full time fanfic writer
steelthroat · 3 months
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Can you write a funny little TFA MegOP thing where they're already together. Lets say cuddling in their berth, and suddenly Optimus has a thought.
"How did we even get together?"
"Hm?"
"No, I'm being serious. How did it happen? You are.. were? A war criminal. I put you in jail. How are we together right now?"
"..."
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LIKE. IDK IT WAS FUNNIER IN MY HEAD. SO EITHER 1. Some otherworldly being (a fanfic writer) manipulated them and the world around them. Making them be together. But now the writer is gone after giving them their happily ever after.. But the characters revert back to how they were in cannon. Vaigely knowing what allowed them to get to this point, but not really understanding anymore how or why?
Or 2. Optimus forgot and wants Megatron's pov on how they got together. Either way, I know that even if you write little for this, it will still be hella entertaining :3
Ooooooh that's such a nice and cool idea tho! sadly, I'm not taking requests since I'm an INCREDIBLY slow writer, and life is also getting in the way ahahahah
Believe me, I would have done in other circumstances, and this idea has a LOT of potential! I am a sucker for the "how did we even end up here???" trope too, but you would either have to wait a long(immense) amount of time ahahah.
Hey if you want to write it yourself I could give you a couple ideas or advice if you'd like :3, otherwise I'd say see if there are other writers who take requests or commissions, I could redirect you to a couple of them :)
For now I can at best give you this little drabble for the second idea since it's really cute:
~~~~~~~~~~
"It just happened"
"Wake up" Megatron felt someone flicking at his nose and then shaking him when the action gave no response.
"Wake up!" This time that someone went for the helm, the bang of the collision rang in the otherwise quiet room.
"What?" Megatron opened one optic and glared at his disturber, Optimus Prime.
"How did we end up together?" He asked with an almost accusing expression
"Huh?" What did he even mean by that
"You heard me" Optimus scoffed
"What like... you don't remember?" He started going back with his own memory banks and backups, He would have been more worried about Optimus apparent amnesia if he weren't struggling to find an answer to that absurd question.
"Do you?" Optimus crossed his arms
Megatron stayed silent for a while... he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment they had become a thing. Centuries, no, millennia of circling around one another after signing the peace treaty, spending more and more time together, fighting, bantering, provoking each other, speaking about personal topics, binding while annoying each other to death had, at some point, led them to fall in berth together.
They had kept falling into each other's berth since then... and now they were here.
So there wasn't really an answer to that question, not a typical one at least.
Megatron cleared his vocalizer "I... I guess it just happened" he answered at last.
Optimus seemed to reflect on this answer before humming "are you happy with this?"
Megatron though about it, he really was, sure there were invisible limits they never actually crossed but at this point they lived like a conjunx couple, minus the status and the spark merging... but Meagtron found the though of Sharing his spark with Optimus not to be as dreaded as he anticipated... he almost- longed for it.
"Yeah..." he said smiling softly and bringing the smaller mech closer to him "a lot" and his servos started shifting over his lover's frame delicately almost in worship.
"Do you want more?" The question could be interpreted in two different ways and Megatron wanted to answer yes to both.
"When it comes to you I always want more" he answered looking at Optimus, his lover's gaze was so bright and full of love he felt like it would melt the metal of his frame.
"I... also want more. Everything." he whispered with his lips ghosting over Megatron's.
Megatron closed the distance between them and kissed him. "And you will receive it"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you like it, it's incredibly short :)
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savage-rhi · 11 months
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Reverse Uno: now you do Karl and Ardyn >:3
I'VE WAITED ALL DAY TO COME HOME FROM A 10 HR SHIFT TO DO THIS SO DON'T MIND IF I FUCKING DO @seradyn
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Karl Heisenberg
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First impression: I thought he was going to play a significant role in RE8, perhaps even fall into the trope where he's truly the Big Bad (TM) versus Mother Miranda. I think I got that impression because Karl always came across as smarter than he lets on. Either way, I knew I was gonna fucking love this dude. Does he look like trash? Yep. Does he hold a grudge? Yep. Sign me up! 
Impression now: CAPCOM YOU FUCKED UP. WHY DIDN'T YOU UTILIZE THIS GUY FURTHER IN THE DAMN PLOT?! WHY DIDN'T HE AND ETHAN PARTNER UP?!
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That's seriously my biggest gripe when it comes to Karl, he's a great character that didn't get used to his full potential. I mean, sure that gives fanfic writers such as myself a lot to play with and makeup, but he deserved better. Karl's character was fucking fun. I could tell his motion capture and VO artist had a great time playing hobo metal man (Neil Newbon you sold it, mother fucker).
Seriously, Karl is hot trash but he's my hot trash. I'll defend him all the way.
Favorite Moment: In every scene Karl is in, he just steals the damn show. I always enjoy the scene where he confronts Ethan with partnering up (Ethan, you should've taken the hobo's hand) and goes on a verbal rampage about the other lords and how much he despises Miranda. You can feel his passion and hate for what's become of his life, and even sense how desperate he is to get out of it by any means necessary.
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Idea for a story: I've been working on a story with Karl called The Sacrifice that takes place years before the events of RE8. Karl falls in love with a gal named Sonja Ainsley, and this pushes him to wanting to break free from the village and Miranda's clutches.
The story is on hiatus, but I intend to finish it when I get the motivation again. I love him and Sonja very much.
Unpopular Opinion: For all his bravado, Karl is sensitive and cautious deep down. I’ve read many stories where is unyielding and very sexual (ngl I indulge in that cause I’m nasty like everyone else on here lol) but given the abuses he has endured, I think he would be quite reluctant to indulge himself with someone until several layers were peeled back and his partner gained his trust. 
Favorite Relationship: I ship Karl with happiness. I don’t care if it’s an OC, Reader, Canon, etc. etc. etc. I just want this fucking hob goblin to feel like he’s on top of the world and has support. I love reading material where he gets to just fucking live and be happy. 
Favorite headcanon: Karl is quite good at making jewelry pieces. 
Karl is artistically inclined and enjoys sketching, and doodling. He keeps most of his pieces to himself since he considers having a hobby like that could lead him to being taken advantage of (he’s kind of a victim of toxic masculinity there in that regard, where “men can’t like things like the arts without being seen as less than”). 
Karl struggled with reading well into his early 20s, but he taught himself and is quite fond of novels (Sonja helps him there in The Sacrifice, and he likes Pride and Predjudice). 
Moreau and he watch TV together, and they get invested and I do mean invested to the point where they both yell and scream at the characters on TV for fucking up. 
Ardyn Izunia/Lucis Caelum
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First Impression: I want to preface by saying that my late grandmother bestowed upon me the knowledge to protect myself from peculiar people. She told me to never trust a man who has shaved off his eyebrows and never trust a man that wears a tunic. All her wisdom couldn’t prepare me for what the fuck to do about a man who wears over 5 layers of clothing, and looks like a homeless guy who walked into a thrift shop and picked out every item that screamed, “Hi there, I’m Johnny Depp.” I’m frightened, but I gotta follow my principles: does he look like trash? Check. Does he hold a grudge? Check. Okay everyone…let’s pray….
Impression now: Your honor, I love him. I love his quirkiness. I love his humor. I love his mannerisms. I love his darkness. I love his imperfections. I love his humanity and lack thereof. I love his daemon form. I love his charisma. I love how he carries himself. I love his ambition. I love how unsettling he can be. I love his wild hair. I love his piercing eyes. I love how he used to love and care for others. I love how he tried to hold onto himself despite failing. I love how he’s unapologetic. I love his faults. I love his flaws. I love that I see bits of myself in him. I love his bloodlust. I love his taunts. I love his sarcasm. I love how tragic his story is. I love how unyielding he can be. I love him. Break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar.
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Favorite Moment: Pretty much everything he is in. However I adore his entire appearance in the Lestallum chapter. You can tell he’s clearly up to shit, but can’t necessarily prove it. Hell, I even felt bad for judging him after he goes through the trouble of saving everyone’s ass in a later part of that section. I even had a moment of second guessing. 
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Idea for a story: I already wrote an Ardyn x OC (Caelan) story called Immortal Shield. I wanted to give Ardyn a happier ending, and explore his character if he were resurrected years after the final battle with Noctis (went with the Dawn of the Future ending). I think it turned out okay.
Cause I am not over him by any means, I’m working on a Ardyn x Reader story. It takes place two years before the events of the game. I’m 10 chapters in thus far. 
Unpopular Opinion: Ardyn is one of the best FF villains in the franchise. I’ve seen people complain about him being lackluster as a character (from his quirks/backstory, to the final battle cause he didn’t have a ‘final form’). Then there’s the camp that sees the adoration fans have for him and go, “tragic guy does tragic and terrible things and people make excuses for him”. I mean…yeah, to a degree? But what makes me still stand by my statement is the fact that unlike most FF villains: the guy actually fucking wins. We are talking about a man who spent YEARS and I mean fucking YEARS plotting, wearing various masks, and lining up pieces to ensure he would FINALLY get to rest in peace after all the shit he had been forced to endure. That is dedication and shows how he’s so damn dangerous and intelligent. A man that can bide his time for thousands of years isn’t someone to fuck around with. 
Favorite Relationship: Ardyn x Aera. Those two deserved happiness and peace. I also ship him with OCs, other canon characters, and readers/inserts. I love stories where no matter who it’s with, he is appreciated and cherished. 
Favorite headcanon: Ardyn’s love language is gift-giving. If he sees something that reminds him of someone, he’ll get it for them or even try his hand at making the thing himself if he wants to go the extra mile. Getting a gift from him says A LOT, and the people around him know it’s kind of a big fucking deal. 
Being a former healer, he’s very much in tune with people’s emotions that it’s almost like a 6th sense. Even being corrupted by the star scourge, he can never truly tune that part of himself out. He uses this natural gift to manipulate others to get ahead. 
Since sweets like chocolate and other delicacies were rare and quite expensive 2,000 years ago, Ardyn takes full advantage of modern decadence. The man’s got candy everywhere. 
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kitkatt0430 · 1 year
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🧍‍♀️😨 👁
🧍‍♀️what fic is begging for your attention right now but you refuse to give it?
Timeless Nonesense. And I might just wind up giving in a bit so that I can get the part of it nagging me out of the way.
It's the story where Barry wakes up in the pilot episode, but with memories from multiple timelines and realities due to how the Speed Force sent him back in time to prevent a future disaster in the Speed Force's personal timeline. It's intended to be a crack fic, at times parodying the show and at times taking the premise seriously.
I've got three story arcs lined up in my head thus far. The first is where Barry wakes up and is very much not the Barry that Eobard was expecting. Despite himself, Eobard comes to trust that this version of Barry really is telling the truth and genuinely wants to be allies with him.
The second arc is set in the future where Eobard is from where Barry proves Eobard is actually Malcolm Thawne's descendant, not Eddie Thawne (reusing an explanation I've used/am using in other places) and convinces him to destroy the Negative Speed Force before it can become a threat to the real Speed Force. It's not what Barry came back in time to do, but not having to worry about the NSF is one less problem to deal with later.
Third arc is when the Eobarry finally starts. They return to the past to start setting up the reputation of the Flash in order to start attracting more Speedsters notice as part of the long game to protect the Speed Force. They take advantage of events Barry knows are coming to plausibly 'pass' on Barry's abilities to Eobard to make it look like Harrison Wells is now a Speedster too.
It's the first arc that's nagging at me. And I do see this as being a really fun series to work on. But of my Eobarry fic ideas, the one with Herobard is the one I like better. So I'm determined to get part 3 done before I start posting this series. (We'll see how that goes, though.)
😨 describe in FULL detail the first fic you wrote (yes I'm talking the wattpad shit we all did it).
Well, if we're talking the first ever fanfic I wrote, not the first I posted, then... I was... ten? maybe? And my parents had just okayed putting the old Windows 3.1 computer in my room as long as I was responsible and didn't stay up late playing The Black Cauldron or the Kings Quest games.
I started writing Star Trek Voyager fanfic pretty much immediately. I don't remember the plot details, but I know it was about Seven of Nine and Captain Janeway because they were my favorites and Seven in particular was just so cool.
TBH, I basically wanted to be Naomi Wildman. (Captain's Assistant and friends with Seven of Nine? Sign me up, please.)
It was not a self-insert or use an OC for the main character - though I did toy around with those later on. I do remember that much. It was something of a bad things happen and the crew reacts to save the day type plot.
Much as I wish I still had the story I was working on back then just for nostalgia reasons, the computer crashed after only a few months and my parents decided it wasn't worth the price to repair. My fanfic was lost and I started using the hall computer for games instead. I was a bit devastated by the loss of my fanfic, so I didn't start over in a notebook and instead tried my hand at an original mystery that was very Nancy Drew and A Wrinkle in Time inspired, though I don't think that made it past the first chapter. It was a few years later when i was... fourteen? that I was introduced to fanfiction.net, however, and my fanfic obsession truly began.
👁 have you ever accidentally foreshadowed something you fully didn't intend to happen?
I'm pretty sure I did that in an old Harry Potter fic I wrote back in high school. It was a Draco/Harry fic that I took down when I got concerned by the idea of my parents looking up my ffnet account and finding it... and it's since been lost entirely. It was a pretty innocent fic, but between some of the nastier comments that had started heading my way (ffnet was going through a wave of people leaving flames, or very rude reviews) and not really knowing how my mom in particular would react to me writing two boys kissing and holding hands... *shrugs* it was easier to just take down the fic entirely.
It was among the first fics I'd ever posted and my first attempt at a long fic. So it's not really surprising that sometimes I'd write things intending to indicate the fic was going in one direction without realizing that it was actually meandering into the weeds in a different direction. The whole thing was a fun learning experience and ffnet had a very critique friendly atmosphere at the time, so getting feedback was helpful in fixing some of the more egregious errors and foreshadowing failures. I do wish I could have finished it, but... I don't regret losing it the way I do the Voyager fic because stopping work on it was my choice. And I think it helps that while Star Trek continues to grow in new directions and promote inclusive narratives, JKR has since gone off the terf deep end. So losing a fanfic based off her writing is more relief than bother at this point.
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jazzywazzy89 · 1 year
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9, 52, and 100 will you be updating your amazing stories anytime soon?
Hey! Thanks for sending these! Sorry it took so long to respond.
9. in an ideal world where you’re already super successful and published, would you want to see a tv or movie adaptation of your work? why or why not?
I would say in a ideal world I would love a tv or movie adaptation of my work because it'd be fun and a lot of the time my scenes play out that way in my head as I write or think about them on the page so it'd be cool to see that in really time. But I'd only want it to happen if I were directly involved in the process from casting to the screenplay to the marketing. I feel like with adaptations I'd be open to changes only to a point and I have seen too many bad adaptations to not want to be involved in the process. While I wouldn't expect an exact replications I wouldn't allow it to go off the rails to where the story was completely lost.
52. how many unfinished ideas/stories are you working on at the same time?
There's honestly a ton work currently unfinished that I am trying to complete including fanfic I already have posted and some ideas I have in the works and some original work I am trying to revise for publication. In any case in terms of fanfic I try to update thematically and no work on everything at once. So, if I am working on an All Human AU I'll focus on those that are unfinished and not look at anything else, same with time travel, or crossover, or something of that nature. In terms of updating I focus on one fic at at time but also as I said I look at it thematically. So for instance, I'll work on a chapter of a time travel fic like 1922 and only after that chapter is complete I'll move on to a story that's maybe similar thematically like or time travel wise like Lettered. Or it might be pairing instead of theme. This helps me focus on one thing at a time because of having so many WIPs and so the plots don't run together in my head. It also helps because a lot of times I end up having to go a reread before I work on a new chapter so it keeps things a bit more organized and less chaotic when I have time to go back and update. I've been trying to update in batches as well but that's not always possible.
In terms of ideas, I have a ton that will likely never become stories in terms of both fanfic and original ideas.
100. open question to the writer.
will you be updating your amazing stories anytime soon?
First thanks for reading. I do plan on updating eventually but it likely won't be any time soon. I don't have a timeline because real life doesn't really give me the luxury of putting time aside to write when it comes to fanfic or my original work. I just end up doing what I can when I can. Sometimes it's weeks between updates, sometimes months, and sometimes years. But I hope to finish these stories at some point. In a ideal world I would write full time and not need to do anything else but I got to pay bills so I have a more than one day job (am still looking to just find one that is enough to get me financially stable so I am not working full time, part time, and freelance and is not as stressful) and real life is chaotic. But when I get a chance to update I always announce it here first. The best thing to do is to follow me here and on my fanfic platforms and sign up for alerts. Like I said, the updates are far and few in between but they do come.
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thewatercolours · 2 years
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Fanfic Writer Emoji Ask Game! 🥺🛒🧐🤗 And ofc ✨
Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?
It's cliche, but characters choosing vulnerability, especially in small ways. While a full on baring your soul and getting it all off your chest scene is wonderful, those kinds of scenes tend to advance the plot and reveal information, and that tends to take my focus. But a tiny little vulnerable moment is so focused on character and emotion. Even better if something much bigger can be inferred from the little vulnerability, but the scope stays small. And not just "I did a terrible thing or have a tragic backstory" vulnerability. "I want to share a thought with you but I won't seem as cool and confident if I say it." "I'm going to try to wake up a side of you I haven't seen in a while, even though this might backfire." "I care about this thing more than I'd like to admit, but I'm going to let you see that."
Also, if a character is introspecting too much, it's usually a sign that I've hit on something that making me feel and I'm indulging it.
What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.
Framing device scenes composed of just dialogue.
The scope of what has gone wrong is too big for me, the character, to look at as a whole, but I'm gonna take the next step anyway.
Characters reflecting on where Daventry's at in its slow transformation from washed up nation to something full of life.
We started this conversation talking about something innocuous, but one of us has unexpectedly got a little abrupt or strange about it, and then the conversation shifts to something associated but more impactful.
Warm scene that only exists Siena gets so thoroughly invested in reading other people's angst that she has to turn out a warm fluffy scene just to keep her own equilibrium. (Actually, reading angst always puts me in the mood to write angst too, but my instincts know what I need better than my imagination does.)
Look! Graham's still green and has ears!
Do you spend much time researching for your stories?
Not much for fic. If I do, it's because I'm looking for a word. e.g. "Is there a specific name for the railing of a ship, or do I just call it a railing? Is it really a railing if its solid with no open space?" Research is something I had to train myself to avoid while drafting, because I'm susceptible to rabbit trails, and also to my academic brain hog-tying my imagination.
What advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?
Write what you find enjoyable. Let your first drafts be clumsy and meandering and self-indulgent and fun - they are supposed to be! It's okay if your abilities haven't caught up with your taste yet - it'll come. Don't limit yourself. Play around with different writing and brainstorming techniques. Don't let your confidence become conditional. It's good to want validation and community, but check in with yourself now and then about how that side of it's going- if you're feeling anything unhealthy, there are ways to get yourself to a better place. Be reciprocally kind to other people's work, but if you're tired/busy/just can't, don't put pressure on yourself.
Give you and your writing a compliment. Go on now. You know you deserve it. 😉
I've been told a few times that I'm good at writing character voices true to canon - that's something I find a fun challenge.
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sparklingchim · 2 years
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me: revising for my exams like a good student should 👩🏻‍🏫
my brain: all empty except the new fic ideas that somehow always materialse whenever i have important stuff to do 💆🏻‍♀️
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blackkatmagic · 3 years
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Quick vibe check on a head canon I came up with in the pre-lunch hunger crunch: Mandalorian Tattoo Culture
Tattoos are an Extremely Adult thing, and possibly taboo to discuss because you have to take your armor and clothing off to see or get them. Might be a sign of a chaavla, even. The reason it’s not outright forbidden is because one of the Mand’alor’s definitely had full body tats and was known for walking around completely shirtless/bare but for the undies which they wore to not get arrested immediately; there’s deep rooted religion still somewhere in that culture, even if it’s no longer explicit, and glorifying the gods/god kings/filial piety on your literal skin and then that skin is a layer of armor you cannot remove without dying (I’ll get to where I think the name ‘Sundari’ came from another time) has some Mando Zing to it I tell you what, you could fit so many traditions into something like that; and, most importantly, imagine if Sundari has an extensive tattoo culture because you have to square that Mando circle somehow, and making Sundari verd’goten ‘go get a tattoo from an artist you picked and pay for it yourself’ seems… right.
And of course it’s traditional tap-tap tattooing, they’re still Mandalorian, with the youth interested in newfangled tattooing machines; interestingly, scarification as beautification is seen as a combo of hopelessly outdated fashion and a sign of a deeply unhinged mind. You get judged on how cleanly your tattoos healed up, especially if they’re somewhere visible in kute. There’s less judgement on the actual styling of the tattoo itself, but you will get Judged for the obvious location of where you got the tattoo/who did it. Lots of ‘your tattoo is APPRENTICE WORK’ in certain trashy daytime holo drama/jerry springer type shows, lots of dramatic tattoo reveals, etc. Fake tattoos being something your parents get you right around the time you’d be taken to a bra store for the first time, or given the sex talk. (Children of the Galaxy agree: Mandalorian Fake Tattoos are Top Shelf, no exceptions.) Mandalorian Teens buying their own fake tattoos for the first time at like, Mandalorian Spencers/Hot Topic/Pharmacy. Very Special Episode where Teen Mandalorian gets in a tricky situation due to their Very Nicely Applied Fake Tattoo.
Yes, that does mean Satine Kryze and Bo-Katan Kryze have tramp stamps/underboob tattoos/something else slightly trashy, Sundari is still a big party town. Satine, who has more idle money laying around what with not actively soldiering, has the more extensive/expensive/beautiful tattoos of the two of them. Bo-Katan has had to get her monochrome tattoos redone several times due to injury; and every time she goes to her artist, she gets a little more skin coverage. When Satine dies, Bo-Katan gets colors added (for the first and last time) as a living memory of her sister.
Jaster Mereel got a tattoo when he became part of the Journeyman Protectors; and he got another tattoo to cover the first one when he quit/got fired/left in a towering rage; and his third one when he adopted Jango.
Tor Vizla has a full chest Celtic knot style Vizla Clan Signet. Pre Vizla has the same but it’s scarification, not tattoo.
Jango Fett with that good good Maori representation.
The Clones become even more heartbreaking.
Boba Fett with no tattoos at all because he doesn’t remember what his buir’s were and never met the artist and—
Mandalorians with a Tattoo Culture. Thoughts?
(Love you, love your work, goddamn you to writer’s hell for convincing me writing a Star Wars fanfic would somehow be fun. Idk how you managed this while also demonstrating that, uh, nnno, it’s really not AND YET—)(I can also link you my fic if you want to see it?)
I think that's a very interesting take on it!
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princesssarcastia · 3 years
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2021 Harry Potter Fanfic Primer
im here to point fingers at the incredible authors that have enabled my new interest in HP content.  im still conflicted and upset about it, tbh, but for now we’re leaning into the curve.  we’re getting out our shovel and finding out just how deep we can make the hole we’re in.  hand in unlovable hand my beloved <3.  anyway, these fics are wonderful, their authors are wonderful, and you should go read their stuff. if there’s a star next to it that means im losing my mind over it and always will be.
Creatively Maladjusted, by elumish on AO3, 101k  (they also have a wonderful writing advice blog on tumblr, @elumish, which I recommend following if you are a writer) 
A very excellent re-telling of harry’s first year at hogwarts if he were sorted into Slytherin, plus some more not!fic or piecemeal re-tellings of his second and part of his third year.  Harry, in this, has a slightly different trauma response to growing up with the Dursley’s.  He’s a bit quieter, and the signs are a bit more obvious to the people around him, and I enjoyed that immensely. 
Honestly, if you’re going to get sucked into something you have absolutely no business getting sucked into, elumish is the way to go, their fic is incredible. their teen wolf fic is also immaculate, if you’re so inclined. 
Dissonance, by ImpishTubist on AO3, 2.5k (@impishtubist on tumblr)
Set during fifth year.  Oblivious!Harry has always been a delightful trope when well executed, and this is well executed.  Plus, some angst between Remus and Harry over what Umbridge has been doing to him.
I would certainly recommend a lot of ImpishTubist’s other hp work on AO3, like Lacuna.
blow us all away, by rexcorvidae on AO3, 23k (@rexcorvidae on tumblr)
In progress (like, updated last week in progress).  Currently in the beginning of Harry’s first year.  Fem!Harry, Indian!Harry.  Hagrid puts Harry in touch with Remus when she has questions about her parents, and they become reluctant, traumatized, angst-ridden pen pals who keep missing each other’s true intentions like ships in the night.  hot DAMN do I love this fic.  there’s hints of the way the dursley’s treat Harry peaking through in her letters, and I appreciated the attention to “hmm, her experience as a girl of indian descent in britain under the thumb of a bunch of white people who like being Normal may not have been gucci”
Definitely comb through the rest of their HP fic, too, I may or may not have gone feral over it.
Where the Heart is, by silver_fish on AO3, 15k (@kohakhearts on tumblr)
Woof.  This one said, “hey, harry was probably SUPER depressed in the summer after fifth year.  like, clinically.  maybe someone should do something about that.”  Fuck yeah.  Then this one said, “that someone was Snape.”  You all know my opinions on Snape; generally, Bad.  But damn if this fic didn’t wholly convince me by the end of it.  I thought it was a very realistic way for Snape to start seeing Harry as a person all on his own, and not a proxy for Snape’s angst over James and Lily, respectively.  The angst is wonderful, the ending is even more so.
*bernie sanders voice* I am once again asking you to read through the rest of the author’s HP fic.  a lot of them have similar themes; there’s actually a great one with Molly that i’m not reccing here, Wonder.
☆Bindings, Bindings, by Quietlemonhush on AO3, 60k (@quietlemonhush on tumblr)
WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOYED/AM ENJOYING THIS.  If I had to pick a single fic and say “you, it’s your fault I’m stuck here,” it would be this one.  Anyway Lily in the afterlife is So Very Angry about how Petunia is treating Harry, and how Sirius is rotting in Azkaban, and how Remus is alone, that she literally brings herself back to life and drags James and Regulus with her.  All three of them are there to chew bubblegum and fix everything that went wrong after they died—and would you look at that, they’re all out of bubblegum!  There’s only Fury left.  That inciting premise is very crack, but every moment after that is very much not crack.  Lily and James love harry more than anything, the way a child should be loved; James and Sirius have the epic friendship of a lifetime; Sirius and Remus have staggering amounts of resolved sexual tension and take turns keeping each other in check; Regulus, though he realized that Voldemort and his family were shit before he died, is still unlearning all his racist bullshit and, also, years of trauma.  Actually, they’re all traumatized, but hey: now they have one another again and not a damn one of them seems inclined to let go anytime soon.  Quietlemonhush went, “hey, HP has a lot of Awful people in it, and a lot of Righteous people in it, and many of them are Very, Very Powerful; also, love is the most powerful force in the universe” and i said “hell yes tell me more right now.”  And then they did!
Quietlemonhush writes Sirius/Remus in a way that makes it sooo much fun to devour, so the rest of their HP fic is most certainly worth a look, if that’s your thing.
Rebuilding, by Colubrina on AO3, 113k (@colubrina on tumblr)
Hermione/Draco (*shrug emojis into the abyss* yeah, yeah, like none of us have ever been there before).  Takes place during Hogwarts 8th year, and while the beginning is, IMO, a little unfair to Ron, it gets much better.  Tells the story of Hermione and Draco clearing the air, learning to like each other, having some hormones over each other, and then falling in love.  Also tells the story of Hermione and Theo Nott becoming friends; the story of how every single 7th and 8th year student is fucked to hell by the war and the Carrows; the story of how they start an emotional support group about it and all become friends; and the story of, what the hell do you do with yourself after that kind of trauma?
I’ve been dipping in and out of Colubrina’s HP since before I was even on tumblr; I actually found them in those dark yesteryears when the only fandom interactions I had were on fanfiction.net.  Of such fame as Green Girl, which is an HP fic staple, and has also written a lot of wackier, crackier, and darker things than that.  If you don’t take yourself too seriously, I highly recommend many of their big HP works, though I imagine it’ll press some people’s buttons.  Colubrina’s work really does take up a corner of my mind whenever I’m in an HP mood, and will take up yours if you let it.
☆ all waiting is long, by shuofthewind on AO3, 149k ( @shu-of-the-wind on tumblr)
This is so well written that I can’t stop thinking about it.  It is occupying my mind when I lie awake at night, you know?  It’s one of those.  Hermione messes with something she probably shouldn’t have in Grimmauld Place, so when Sirius is sent through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, she gets thrust into an alternate universe...in 1975.  Instead of handwaving it away, shuofthewind actually gets into the mechanics of it in a way that makes sense, to emphasize that hermione is never going home.  ever. The world she finds herself is shifted slightly to the left, quite a bit darker, but in a “the author is treating the idea of a society-wide conflict over blood purity much more seriously than JKR ever did” way, not a sensationalist way.  Now, Hermione has to grapple with all her grief at losing everyone she’s ever loved or known, the moral/ethical/magical implications of sharing what she knows about her future in an alternate world, and, you know, a goddamn war with people who want to murder her for being who she is.  This Hermione is smart, and she’s kind, and she’s powerful, and she’s making real friends.  If you hate JKR’s guts I’d go read this right now, because it delivers in all the ways she failed us.  It’s plotty, its got great world-building, and it pulls back the white curtain on the wizarding world to show you that, like real life, it’s multicultural and full of queer people...and the discrimination that comes with both.
shuofthewind write epics, mainly for the MCU, and I’ve read some of them a looooong time ago, so this fic kinda seemed out of left field for me but im SOOOO GLAD it exists.  If you want MCU fic you can sink your teeth into, go for it, but alas, they do not have any more HP fic (.......yet?)
Speak Now [+] Listen Now, by mrsfrizzle on AO3, 33k altogether
Harry reaches out to Remus for support because Umbridge is getting to him with her literal torture.  Remus, being a former professor, former mandatory reporter, person who loves Harry and has since he was born, and all around good man, tells Harry he has to tell someone, or Remus will.  It’s everything any adult looking back on that time in HP canon ever wanted, which is for an actual adult to say “what the fuck, those are literal chidlren” and then do something about it.  Then, a far more dangerous task: Harry trusts Remus enough to go to him about the Dursleys.  Harry and Remus’ relationship develops SO WELL, and there’s a bit of exploration about how Sirius may not exactly be guardian material, because he did in fact spend 12 years of his life getting tortured instead of growing up.  I think I’m actually going to go reread this right now, because it speaks to my id.
they do have some other HP fic which did not appeal to my hyperspecific wants, but may appeal to some of yours.  I think they’re also a published author, there should be a link on their profile page.
chase the stars, by Duskglass on AO3, 101k (@felix-duskglass on tumblr)
When Harry is five years old, a picture of him ends up in the Daily Prophet, and Sirius Black, Terror of Ministry Officials Touring Azkaban everywhere, gets a hold of that issue.  He then, in order: breaks out of Azkaban; crosses the countryside to Surrey; Finds Harry: Kidnaps Harry; Breaks Into Remus’ Apartment; starts processing (or maybe just acknowledging) his trauma from Azkaban, the war, and his childhood; and pines after Remus.  It’s a little plotty, and deals a lot (sometimes through flashbacks) with the specific awful things that happened to Sirius—largely because, after years in the constant presence of Dementors, those are nearly literally the only memories he has left.  It’s a wonder he’s got the strength to love Harry and Remus at all.  But then, maybe it isn’t.
This is a Very Serious Fic, but the rest of Duskglass’s HP work is actually just cracky enough to tickle your funny-bone, while still making you think “okay but why couldn’t we have done that in the first place.”
So!  That’s it for recs, for now.  These are all things I’ve found and read in the last month; if any of y’all are interested in my old HP recs, let me know and I can make a post for that, too.  While I’m still very conflicted about my choice of current fandom, I am not in ANY way conflicted about my taste in fic and authors.  Send these guys some love, read their fic if you’re so inclined, and leave some nice comments at the end of it.
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adorethedistance · 3 years
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Doomsayers - Owen Joyner x Artist!Reader
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JATP masterlist
Warnings: Swearing, existential dread, pretty mild content overall.
Words: 1110
Summary: Owen had to practically harass you to get you to relax on your mutual day off, but the quality time together takes an unexpected turn when you exhibit a small sense of self-doubt.
A/N: I’m sorry I’ve sort of disappeared but I’ll offer an explanation in the footnote. Other than that, requests are still being filled right now. Let this self-indulgent piece hold you over in the meantime. I wanted to get something out and due to how the process went with finishing this one, I think I’m slowly easing back into a writing spell after such a long period of writer’s block.
“Y/N!” Owen yells, dragging out my name despite being a mere ten feet away.
“Oweennnnn,” I whine back in an insincerely mocking tone. My almost too loving boyfriend is lying in the unmade sheets of my bed, groaning at me from a supine position. I’m switching in between sitting and standing as I work on a new painting for a client. It’s a magical realist take on an Italian cobblestone street view, and I’ve spent so much time on the painting this week that I’m way ahead of schedule. Owen knows this and is consequently moaning at me from his spot where he’s nestled on my bed.
A lazy Saturday is exactly what we both needed, but when I decided I had a little time the morning before he showed up, I’d gotten so invested in my workflow that I didn’t even break to answer the door. This isn’t the first time Owen’s had to let himself into my place with the key I gave him for our one-year anniversary. Essentially: when I have a warm drink in one hand and a paintbrush in the other, there’s no telling when I’ll break next.
“We’re supposed to be relaxing. Why are you working on our lazy Saturday?”
“I’m not working.” I brush a loose strand of hair out of my face, careful not to dab a glob of yellow oil paint across my cheek.
“You are painting a commission. It’s literally work, babe.”
“Hush. I’ve got a good workflow going.”
“If you don’t put that brush down in the next 10 seconds… I’ll… I’ll break up with you!”
“No, you won’t.”
“No, I won’t,” he sighs defeatedly. “But I will start crying.”
“Owen-” I stand up straight after being hunched over the canvas for so long.
“Please?” When I look at my boyfriend he’s giving me the most pitiful pout in the world and I can’t help but smile. His pout morphs into a full grin when I set my paintbrush into a plastic cup of water and oil solution.
“I hate you, you know that?”
“I love you!”
“You’re lucky you’re cute.”
“You think I’m cute?”
“Hush.”
I crawl up the length of my bed to join Owen who awaits my arrival with open arms. He’s resting on all my different pillows which are strewn about the bed via his nesting tendency. Once I’m laying down, Owen wraps both arms around my waist and rests his face on the nape of my neck. He presses a kiss to the bottom-most cervical vertebrae and inhales my scent delightedly.
“You enjoying yourself back there?”
“You smell good,” he mumbles shyly. Hugging his arms around me tighter, he traces soothing circles on my hip bone with his right index finger. His head comes to a static position as he’s finally comfortable, and slings his left leg over the side of my left thigh. I can’t help but laugh at the assumed position, and pull out my phone to entertain myself, knowing damn well that Owen will be asleep in a matter of minutes.
When I open instagram my face falters a little bit. The most recent post is from my coworker Kelly, and it’s a video of her 6 month old baby. In the video, her husband is holding the baby, making funny faces at her to get her to laugh. The sight is adorable and kind of saddening all at once. They seem like such a happy family and I’m sharply reminded by a thump in my chest of how Kelly got the promotion we were both up for last week. Her life seems magnificent, and mine feels like it hasn’t started yet. I know she’s three years older than me, but still. Three years isn’t that much. I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, or going to do.
“Owen?” I don’t trust my voice to lift over a whisper.
“Yeah?”
“Are you happy?”
“I am now that you’re finally relaxing with me-”
“No,” I cut off his pointed comment with a breathy laugh, “I mean with life in general.” Owen’s finger stops tracing circles, and there’s no more movement of him making small adjustments. The only proof I have of him being alive is the faint tickle of his breath across the exposed skin of my neck.
“I mean, not everything is fantastic per se, but I’m content with the balance of good and bad.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well… I still get in my own head with auditions a bit, but I have acting and a new pad and you,” Owen emphasizes his statement by hugging onto my waist a bit tighter. “Why? What’s up?”
“I don’t know. I just get consumed by the thought that--yes, everyone wants to be happy--but it just doesn’t happen for some people. Everyone has dreams and goals and aspirations, but how many people can actually say that they have their dream career or dream life?” I let out an involuntary sigh from subconsciously holding my breath. “What if I’m not one of the people who gets to be happy?”
“Woah… where is this coming from?” Owen holds onto me tighter at the lack of a response. He presses a lingering kiss to my back and doesn’t move away until he feels my shoulders physically relax in his grasp.
“You deserve to be happy. And you will be even if you aren’t right now. Even if the bad outweighs the good right now, you have me. I’m here for you… I love you, Y/n.”
“I know. I love you.”
“Besides, aren’t you a little young to be having so much existential dread?”
“Oh, that is so rich coming from you.”
“And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Owen scoffs in defense of his honor.
“You are the biggest doomsayer I have ever met.”
“It could be worse. I could be this existential and look like you.” It’s my turn to play up defensive with an exaggerated gasp.
“You can cuddle with yourself then while I-”
“No! I’m sorry, please don’t leave!” His hold on my body grows impossibly tighter as he pulls me into his broad chest. I give in and stop struggling against him. Owen peppers the bare skin of my neck in staccato kisses to restore my tranquility. It’s not long until the two of us settle into a comfortable silence, simply desiring to be enveloped in one another’s presence. The syncopation of our breathing is the only sign of life in the room, and I’m consumed by a moment's clarity: as long as I have Owen, the good will always outweigh the bad.
***
A/n: Okay so for you nosy fuckers who care to read this: the reason I kinda disappeared... is so fuckin dumb. Idk how I got here but atm I’m #obsessed with Mat Barzal. Yeah. The hockey player. I don’t want to become a hockey blog tho so I figured I’d just go through this on my own and then resurface once I’m back on my JATP headassery. Slowly but surely, I can get through it. I go through periods of time where I exclusively read fics and then exclusively write fics. This has been a time of reading recently as I’ve purged the majority of Barzal content on here.
Taglist: @caitsymichelle13​ @kaitlyn2907​ @itz-jas​ @crybabyddl​ @kcd15​ @kinda-really-lost​ @calamitykaty​ @morganayennefertyrell​ @n0wornever​ @dream-a-little-bigger-x​ @mrstodorooki @vicesvsvirturesfanfic @curlybrownhairedboys​ @amazinggracy​ @kaitieskidmore1​ @asdfghjkl-fanfics​ @ghostlygreenbean​ @juliefromaustralia @merceret​ @jemimah-b99​ @ifilwtmfc​ @thesweetestsinner​ @imsydneywalker​ @lovesanimals​ @thebloodthirstyvampress​ @bumbleberry-pie​ @losers-club6​ @tefilovesreading​ @dmcfarland1​@joynerxmercer @kexrtiz​ @talk-on-the-street​ @phantompogues​ @konciousdreamer​ @sunsetcurvej​ @warmnesss0ul​ @celestialmolina​ @lilyjoyner​ 
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arabian-bloodstream · 3 years
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Why in Angela Kang I Trust
Maybe because I've been bruised and battered by showrunners and exec producers when it comes to couples and have also been rewarded (very, very, VERY rarely -- OK, like once), that is why I'm feeling positive about Caryl with regards to the spoilers.
Lemme give a bit of my history.  I've had sooooo many couples, it's not even funny. I'm beyond a couple-girl.  I've been involved in Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, The 100, Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandoms (and many more). Yeah, so I've been through some ups and downs in the fandoms themselves and with the end result of the product/my couple preference.
Two of the things that these fandoms taught me were (a) critical analysis of the product taking *everything* into account and not just my couple, and (b) how to deal with spoilers to keep myself sane.
NOTE: This is how I deal. I'm not telling anyone else how to feel or deal. This is my bag and what works for me and why I'm personally totally, 100% positive about Caryl despite the recent spoilers.
In one of my fandoms, I was heartbroken by how an episode played out. It made no sense to me. I had analyzed everything, paid attention to all the road signs... how could I have been so wrong? How could she choose the other guy??! It took a few weeks, but I re-thought everything and realized that I had been so focused on analyzing MY couple that I had ignored the OTHER couple. I had ignored the other aspects of the show and that other aspect mattered. It was like a bomb went off in my head. Suddenly something so obvious was now so clear to me.  
From that moment on when I analyzed the show, I analyzed every character, every aspect of it and I gotta tell you all I just about nailed every character plot point. Not the twists/turns, but the emotional, character beats? I was right as rain on those. Because here's the obvious thing, no showrunner/headwriter is ever going to write for ONE character, ONE couple. They are going to write for every single character, every single couple.  And if they are good writers they aren't going to take fanfic-like shortcuts to get them where we would like them to be, they are going to dig deep and explore who they are as characters to bring them organically to where they belong.
So... The Walking Dead. Angela Kang. Daryl Dixon. Carol Peletier. Caryl. (FINALLY! Ya'll say.) Angela Kang is a GOOD showrunner/headwriter. She brought TWD back from the disaster that Scott Gimple had made of the show. Seriously, I think 3-4 seasons went by and only 2 months had passed in that time. It was mostly a slow-moving morass of nothing happening with most characters doing nothing, barely connecting. Blech! It was mostly just not good. She whipped this show into shape.
Kang also took a long look at Carol, Daryl and Caryl and realized that in order to get them where they needed to be... which was TOGETHER ROMANTICALLY, they needed a helluva lot of work because Gimple had done ABSOLUTE SHIT with them for about 4 years. They had barely a handful of scenes over that time period, had been mostly separated and both characters had been decimated in completely different ways.
Carol's grief, guilt and horrendous actions had been completely and utterly sublimated. She told no one (including Daryl) about what happened with all of the children she had lost by her hand or through she felt because of her.  So what did Kang do? She used the relationship that Gimple had begun with Ezekiel to create this fairytale fantasy that Carol could escape to since she couldn't be with her Alexandria family anymore because of that grief and guilt. She gave her that respite and escape until she was ready to live with the reality of all she'd done.
And then she opened the door to that grief and guilt with Henry's death, destroying that fairytale/fantasy so that she could finally begin to heal. And that is what we are finally getting now, a healing Carol. She's not whole yet, but she's stronger and she is healing. She's no longer hiding in some fantasy, she's no longer drowning in grief. And she's with her family again. She's come home.
I'm sure just as Kang looked at Carol, she also looked at Daryl and saw how Gimple had turned him into a monosyllablic follower. So, through the last two seasons, she's been building him up as the leader who's stepping up and also... HE SPEAKS! That's really the big thing, but it's such, such a big thing.
Finally, Caryl. To begin with, Kang's first episode made it perfectly obvious that it was a Zeke/Carol/Daryl triangle. However, because it's been sooooooooooooo long and the Caryl crowd has been battered for so long and the ABC crowd is so loud and even the media doesn't immediately jump to it despite the popularity of Caryl the obviousness of it just wasn't obvious. But the way Zeke proposed to Carol to which she did not say yes, his undying declaration of love to which she did not respond in kind to the way she curled up (yes, curled up!) against Daryl to tell him about said proposal and his response, clearly not happy about it, but willing to give her the go-ahead if she was happy was so obvious. I mean, DUDE! Yeah, that was textbook triangle material with the guy proposing being the clear loser in the equation in the long run. And that was Angela Kang's first episode as showrunner!
Everything that followed--the secret visits to him, her cutting his hair, her trust in him and vice-versa--to her leaving Zeke behind in Hilltop and going with Daryl to Alexandria, yeah, all of that was clearly going to be how that "triangle" ended based on that first episode.  But so many Caryl fans were heartbroken, upset, furious about the Carol/Zeke spoilers. Of course, they were. We had no idea what Kang had in store. We'd been burned and battered and used and ignored by TWD, AMC, Gimple, et al. How could we possibly know that Kang had a plan all along and that the Carol/Zeke relationship was about paying time and attention to Carol's character and establishing a subtle triangle with Daryl in which he would emerge the victor?
But that's exactly what Angela Kang did. And then in season 10 she made it clear numerous times that it--only her second as showrunner--would feature the relationship of Carol and Daryl at the heart of it. So I have a few points I want to make regarding the upcoming spoilers taking ALL of the above that I've written into account:
1. Spoilers are tricky things. You simply can not know what is what until you actually watch the episode and even see the full arc play out. When you have a good showrunner/headwriter who has a plan and knows the path planned for the characters--one who has proven they know what they're doing--wait until you see what they are actually doing before assuming the roof is falling in. At least that's my philosophy.
2. I mentioned how the obviousness of the triangle aspect set-up in Kang's first episode as showrunner was so missed and a part of that is because of the fact that there is too much ambiguity in how Caryl and Daryl see one another. Is it friendship? Is it a mother/son (pfft! So fucking ridiculous!) relationship? Is it a sibling-like relationship? Or is it romantic/sexual? (YES, IT IS!) This very well may be what answers that question. (It’s the last one. It’s definitely the last one.)
3. 10x18 is STILL a part of season 10. According to Angela Kang, the heart of season 10 is the relationship of Carol and Daryl.
Finally, there are two characters left from the first season of this ten (of eleven) season show. Carol and Daryl. There is going to be a spin-off featuring Carol and Daryl. A character that Daryl has some sort of history with when he thought he lost Carol when she was married to someone else (after he had lost Rick) is NOT going to suddenly, randomly become the ONE to come between Carol and Daryl.
It doesn’t matter that this character is coming back in the final season. Sorry, not sorry, but it just does not. Carol and Daryl are the ONE for each other. This character is just another Ezekiel, a part of their story. Angela Kang has been organically, effortlessly rebuilding Carol and Daryl, and Caryl back up from the neglect and abuse that they suffered (especially Carol and Caryl) under Scott Gimple.
This is why I trust in Angela Kang.
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faakeid · 3 years
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fab nygmobblepot moments that remind you of kd uwu
OMGGGG AHDAHDUIADHAD
I want to use this moment to be sorry to everyone that follows me but keeps seeing my blog full of Nygmobs/Smaylor instead of kaisoo. I usually don’t get attached to otps like this and it happened in an unexpected way for me. But it’s here and I need to compensate for all the years I didn’t watch Gotham and had no idea about Nygmobs spamming everyone and making my heart warm.
But in general, nygmobblepot isn’t a vision of ideal relationship. Both Edward and Oswald (their surnames Cobblepot and Nygma were the ones who originated this name) are stupid and do stupid shit to each other during most of the series. So, a lot of moments related with the actors counterpart (Robin is the actor who plays Oswald and Cory who plays Ed) reminds me of kaisoo more. But a warning here! Although they have a HUGE chemistry on and off screen, they’re mostly friends. Robin is married for almost ten years so it doesn’t mean their closeness is romantic or sexual. But still, some details remind me of kd.
Similarities with nygmobs:
Height difference: it applies to Smaylor as well because it’s their height but it’s really visible in the series. Cory is a bit taller than JI I think and Robin is like 1.65 but KS is not that taller (I can’t believe he’s 1.73 at all, sorry). But, again, this factor is evident during the series and in some moments and it’s cute.
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(the way he moves his feet to reach Ed’s head ;_;)
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(when they hug, Oswald barely reaches his shoulders [their hugs are the equivalent to kisses in Gotham])
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the closest gif I could find where we can see kd’s height difference without me stealing other people’s gifs.
Penguin reference? That’s pretty obvious. Of course I didn’t start shipping nygmobs because one of them is small and has the Penguin nickname but it made so much easier for me to read some of their fics with kd as characters because they fit the profile so much! And also, I believe KD would totally fit the “murder husbands” couple if someone did a fanfic where they just kill everyone. The closest I remember of a fanfic with this criteria is Juice Pouche where Kyungsoo is a vampire and he protects Jongin and Jongin is kind of badass as well. But the kd fandom needs more fics like this. There’s also “(Before the night is over) come see me” where KS is also a vampire and JI a young werewolf but it focuses more on their relationship than a murder husbands idea Gotham shows so well. 
How they met: Gotham’s history has a lot of differences if you compare with other universes, so keep that in mind. In Gotham, Ed works with GCPD but doesn’t feel like himself with the good side. Oswald is the character that spices things up and is a rage of death and destruction and manipulation. But Oswald is infatuated with Jim Gordon (so isn’t the first time it’s implied Penguin is gay) but he goes to the police department to see him. Ed sees him and wants to talk to him no matter the cost. And he does that... And things don’t end that friendly for him because Oswald thinks he’s a weirdo and asks him to fuck off, basically. It reminded me of kd’s first meeting where KS was the one admiring JI all along but JI get frightned. But, during their second meeting, they bond and become friends. For Nygmobs it takes more time for their second meeting but they end up developing and being in good terms :’)
Their personas, sort of: Ed is the tall one, younger and logic. Oswald is the oldest, smaller and that thinks with his heart. I love how JI could show the more logic side of himself during the last few years and, again, while reading Nygmobs fics using kd names, it was easy to fit the profile for me (that was during the time I wasn’t too deep into nygmobs and I didn’t knok them that well. KS looks cold and deatached and that’s why many people got impressed when he said, during Knowing Bros that he would choose love over friendship. He doesn’t play the part but, considering all the context, it fits him pretty well and reading this description of Oswald made me so familiar because it fits KD well. Ofc I don’t know their private lives and whatever but it’s just the impression I had as a viewer and random person;
Drama issue: when I say drama here, it’s related with how people percieve the two OTPs and how different people visualize LGBT relationship in media. Nygmobblepot had a lot of drama involved because they’re the fucking Riddler and Penguin, two of the most famous Batman villains. People saw them in different sorts of media before and others idolize those characters because of videogames and comics. So, when Oswald mentioned expressedly that he was in love with Edward, it caused an uproar in the fandom. People accused the producers and Robin of messing with the comic canon because the fucking Penguin became gay??? Robin was outspoken about the homophobia behind those statements since he’s a gay man himself but yeah, the drama existed. Part of the people invovled with the series rooted for Nygmobblepot, including some writers and the actors (Cory was the one with ambiguous messages about the nature of their relationship but it’s not even close what happened with other series like Supergirl, Supernatural and Sherlock). But it was aired by FOX, a right wing channel and, as you may imagine, they didn’t become canon per se. Actually, after Oswald said he was in love with Ed and planned on confessing to him, the writers presented a clone of Ed’s ex girlfriend with no explanation and purpose, only to separate them for most part of the series future. After that, some people seemed to have FORGOTTEN Oswald was once in love with Edward, rationalizing many things that are hard to explain with a “bro explanation”, they had a scene where the characters would have evolved even more but it was CUTTED and CHANGED and execs added the sentence “we’re brothers” to make EXPLICIT that Nygmobblepot’s relationship wouldn’t be interpreted as a romance at the end of the series (but, honestly, the actors went for the romance path anyway, the deleted scenes and the final episode can’t convince me otherwise).
What’s related with KD, may you ask? I think you’re familiar with all the drama KD faced since 2016 and how many stuff exploded during that time. How many parts are involved into creating a certain image and shifting it to be appealing and “friendly” is similar with what happens with idols. It’s no secret now about many scandals of bullying and other issues that are considered problematic and how they need to be pushed under the rug for companies so idols can make money and be profitable. Especially for male idols, it’s important that they are viewed as desirable and an object of the fans affections. That’s why he needs to be handsome and kind and look like a person that doesn’t exist. If an idol is openly gay, this person isn’t viewed by the major public with the same interest because they can’t fit the fantasy. That’s why scandals involving idols being gay need to be forgotten and deleted from people’s minds, otherwise that celebrity is ostracized. Although we tend to see the Ocident as “progressive”, there’s similar things happening in that industry. If a celebrity is openly LGBT, they don’t receive certain roles or opportunities because of it. There’s still a huge stigma that needs to be broken and we, as a society, are so far way from it. But recognizing those differences exist it’s a step forward.
Similarities with Smaylor
For me, one of the reasons Nygmobblepot works so well is because of the actors. They portrait a good chemistry because of their friendship off screen and some non verbal signs they display around each other are amazing. Those are things that remind me more of KD as we see them in a lot of moments. So, I wanted space to show those comparisons below:
Mutual admiration: it’s something both Smaylor and KD display a LOT and is extrememly outspoken. I really love watching their old interviews because the affection and admiration is so genuine it makes me drawn to them despite not being romantically involved.
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(full gifset)
(there are more moments than these but I don’t want to steal gifs and there’s not much on the gif research and that sucks. Same with KD’s).
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Stares and touches: Robin was the responsible for the deep stares and Cory for the random touches. There’s so many gifs of it that is hilarious. It’s like JI divided himself in two cells because we know he’s more known for both >.<
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(Cory was touching Robin all the way during this interview rip)
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(the gifset!!!)
You’re pretty moment: Robin, like KS, is the one that mentions about Cory/JI’s physical attributes. They have a moment pretty similar and, for KD its famous among shippers:
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(gif link)
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(actually, Robin called Cory dashingly handsome but its okay)
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Cory lost it
There’s another series of gifsets with Robin calling Cory handsome LMAOO
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:))))
Synchronization: for specialists in body language, it’s a factor that shows two people are close. That’s because of the mirror neurons we have that makes us copy movements, actions or words that someone we have empathy/we are close with do or say. Both kd and smaylor do this and it’s really soft.
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(one of the classics)
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(classic 2)
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whole gifset (i love this interview so much)
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(gif)
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The fact the actors came up with their OTP names: people tend to forget that KD’s real otp name (according with Jongin) is dika. Cory also came up with Nygmobblepot name and Smaylor too <3
So, meanwhile Nygmobs has thropies that work a lot with KD AUs, Smaylor has healthy dynamics seen in public appearances KD made. Like I said above, there’s a huge polemic about shipping Smaylor romantically because Robin is married. On social media, is visible he loves his husband and it’s pretty cute to see. Cory himself mentioned that their relationship was sort of a platonic friendship (whatever that means) but it’s really genuine in terms of affections and display of admiration, something KD has as well.
Probably someone will question that it may changed the way I see KD or if now I ship them as bros. Nothing about that changed. With KD, although there are some similar details, there are internal AND external factors that made me support them in a romantic perspective in the first place. And it didn’t change. 
But both of them (Nygmobs too) make me feel that I’m testimoning something genuine, which is really hard in both kpop and media universes. In one side, we have a LOT of fanservice. And, in the other, it’s mostly a work interaction with lots of queerbating. Yes, Gotham has queerbating aspects in it but it’s not full of queerbating, if it makes sense. The message the actors and some writers wanted to convey are there and really display a romantic direction with character evolution and growth. And, considering the way media is nowadays, it’s nice to see.
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Witcher of the Night (Chapter 18)
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THIS IS MODERN ERA READER WHO WOKE UP IN THE DIMENSION OF THE WITCHER.
UPDATES FOR WITCHER OF THE NIGHT WILL BE PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY NOW IN MY TIME (GMT +8)
CHAPTER 17
WOTN MASTERLIST
Characters: Geralt of Rivia x small!Naive!Reader
Summary: The Djinn effects had reasons. A miracle for the Witcher but a threat for everyone in the Continent and this mystery had you placed under a curse that will give you bad fortune for you future and a child that he sorceress plans on ruining. 
Warnings: Mention of MCU. Iron man too. Blood. Witcher monster and sign. Curse words and degrading ones. Corporal punishment said and involved. 
Words: 8.4k+
A/N: Ghost readers, please do reblog my fic if you’re reading this so others can see it as well. Also people who are in my taglist, I hope you leave even just an emoji of feedback or reblog if you’re done reading. I appreciate the tiniest dot of comment ISTG. I’ve been in a writer’s block (and also mentally exhausted from writing too) but I’m trying my best to give y’all content or an update for WOTN. My mind has been jumping from one character over another so feedback will be nice to receive. Thank you and stay safe.
TAGLIST IS STILL OPEN FOR THIS ONE! Heehee! Don’t forget to REBLOG, COMMENT OR GIVE FEEDBACK IF YOU DID LOVE THIS CHAPTER! IT’LL MAKE ME SMILE! Sorry for the grammatical errors and such because English isn’t my mother tongue! PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK AFTER READING, BB! This is kinda a rough draft. I apologize for many errors, this has been a result of fast editing.
Disclaimer: PNG’s and pictures used in edits are not mine even the GIF’s too. However, the edits and this fanfic is definitely from moi. 
MY WORKS ARE NOT NOT NOT NOT NOOOOOOT TO BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER WEBSITES. My official username in Wattpad is “TATATHEPOTATO” and that’s the only other site I have for writing aside from Tumblr. Thank you, Tater tots!
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The Kaedwenians had the last laugh.
Jaskier couldn't keep you safe from anyone, not even a tiny fly. All he could do was be a distraction and be the special wingman for a witcher. But, when it's about protecting the ones he takes care of, Geralt has always been the answer to keep one safe---that he couldn't even take care of himself when he's caught in his shenanigans and monkey businesses.
His mutant friend could always be counted on, by hook or by crook.
Yet, he certainly will disappoint him when he knows what threat and problems happened after a day; only a darn day that he was away and kidnapping arose and hindered everything that the witcher wanted to avoid.
How did they know where his family even were?
Jaskier was limping alongside with Cirilla who has hauled him on her side, an arm slithering over his waist to drag him to where the dining chairs where. One out of ten? hence, this particular sunflower surrounded by a bunch of poison Ivy has been a bard all along.
Sunflowers don't have thorns nor poison. They were harmless. Soft. Bright. Just like him. But, the bees surely did its attack considering how he'd sliced two men on their necks. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough to keep you out of harm.
"Those bloody knights did a number on me!" he suddenly exclaimed out of nowhere; wincing and grumbling out profanities from his wounds as Cirilla went around to grab onto an empty pail, sprinting straight out to quickly come back with her bucket full of water for the bard.
Dried up blood designed his busted lip; plump and ruptured from the constant clouts he'd received. His lower lip were out in a pout, frowning his way from lightly tapping his wounds with a clean cloth; holding up a small mirror to his face. Disheveled doublet untied, the collar of his inner white tunic being a sketchpad of a kid who loved his red paint. Another nasty curse accidentally slipped out of his broken lip when Cirilla loudly dropped the bucket on the table with an obvious sight of panic, fright and anger written on her face.
Her thin, candle-like fingers slightly trembled from the handle and Jaskier had gotten a glimpse out of her fear, terrified for an important person in her life to be in the brink of death. Again. She didn't want it to happen especially when the princess has finally found comfort and light from you; like how her heart hoped to meet a woman who she could treat as her rightful mother.
She didn't want you to die; not like this, never. If only you could live long enough, longer than a normal human then it would be a part of her wishes.
"W-Will she be okay, Jaskier?"
Jaskier was hissing as he tried to take off his doublet. In his unfortunate case, he'd probably earned a fracture or two over his ribs and arm. But, it was far from any organ that will give him demise. He'd thought about it again before deliberating on leaving it on to continue patting the blood off his face, "No. I swear to the death of Valdomarx that the rat will not be fine in their hands, Princess Cirilla."
The bard went on in jawing away over his thoughts with some painful complaining here and there as he tried to wipe the blood off his face with a heavy amount of strength used because of how his arms were sore and aching, "Ow-ow-ow! Geralt needs to give what they want. However, going to the south swamps will be the only solution to alert the witcher,"
Jaskier tutted in exasperation when his dampened cloth grazed through the wound, making him sigh and close his eyes to calm down. The child has done the same, copying his reaction before reaching out to grab onto the cloth and tried cleaning his wounds for herself. He bellyached away over how she's been cleaning the wrong places but a simple sharp, warning of her blue eyes kept the toubadour fidgeting from the child care.
"It's been how many hours already since she was taken?" he sounded incoherent from trying to talk with his mouth never closing as Cirilla tried to pat over the pillows of his lips. She made him repeat his question, moving away from him to dip the cloth inside the bucket and squeezing the excess water out.
When she'd heard him repeat it much clearer this time, she thought for a second before turning her heel to face him again, raising a finger to show him the time it took.
"An hour or two."
He weakly nodded more to himself. The accident was utterly fresh inside their minds and Jaskier couldn't help but worry as the clock ticks by because he knew and understood that the people in their world were more cruel and grating to be with than in your kingdom that you have lived in for years, the bard was anxiously bouncing his leg up and down with his thoughts and solutions going in places.
"We can't go to where Geralt is tomorrow," he noted as a matter of fact, pausing to glare at Cirilla who leaned close and started caring for his wounds with heavy hands, "---all we can ever hope for is wait for the gods plan. Hush now, princess."
In Cirilla's point of view, hearing his response drove her bananas. They just couldn't wait for Geralt to arrive when he'll be taking up three days before telling him what has happened. What if you were already being punished because of their false accusations about you? Geralt's child of surprise has heard everything. Even from the time that the troopers has been kicking up a fuss over the woman named Savia that looked entirely like you.
She'd even saw the fight between Kolby; seeing him run away so suddenly broke her heart as much as yours did. Will he ever come back? the princess thought at the back of her mind from overrating. Will you ever come back to their lives again or will Geralt be too late to save you from their dirty hands?
The lion cub of Cintra has pulled away from treating Jaskier's wounds, straightening her back when she began to let the negative thoughts go to her head.
"How about Kolby? I---I've seen him run away!"  
Jaskier grabbed the cloth out of her hands, trying to sanitize his wounds instead. He'd tightly blinked his eyes, the left side utterly benumbed from their sucker-punches and he knew a black eye would come forth soon whether he likes it or not. The bard wasn't even on an adventure with the witcher, yet why has there been an incident where he'd been belaboured till he was bleeding with a hobble.
"He'll come back, dearest Cirilla. We can only hope for the best and also for Geralt to do his witchering---the heightened senses, I mean. Do you think his hearing can reach from here?"
They've been surrounded by silence after that. It was already morning by the time that Cirilla has successfully helped the bard to his feet, earning minutes of pure inveighs against what they've done and why Geralt decided to leave earlier than they have arrived. Their house was left as it is and it seemed like the only job that they needed to do was hold you ransom for what they wanted from the witcher because they knew what was happening beyond the four corners of their house.
The Kaedwednians have acted like they knew you were important to their family; beneficial to be taken for hostage and a crucial person for Geralt that would make him cave in to their desires.
Hence, they probably were right when Jaskier and Cirilla has heard the fast, pitter-patters of a horse from a distance; riding towards the house in a canter. Geralt's family looked at each other with knowing faces before Cirilla's face fell from thinking about the pessimist side of her head.
"I--I hear galloping!" she exclaimed before Jaskier noted the pale look of her lips like she has been thrown a bucket of ice on her head, "---What if its them again?" her lips began to tremble this time with a high pitch tone that says she was nervous and scared because she wasn't ready yet.
"What if they're back to capture me this time?"
They have been living in a world that scares her and when the right time comes, Geralt promised to take her where she'll be trained better to become like him for when danger and chaos tries to make them stay, the princess will know how to defend herself from the risks and threats. But, the witcher would still protect her no matter what happens because it is his duty and also because she has already been an adopted daughter to him. A daughter that he cherishes despite acting cold and dispassionate about the idea.
You knew she was important to him, a daughter that he somehow cared for from the moment they met. Geralt has told you this in the middle of the night, trying to tell you stories as he slept, managing to ask him about Cirilla and how she was involved in his life. The witcher never did plan it along but their destiny has made it happen for them to meet. She was the girl in the woods that people have been telling him about and the law of surprise that he has given voice that had you in awe because their world consists of beliefs and preternatural principles that never existed on earth.
Jaskier felt like his whole body grow numb and forgotten what the pain that the cavaliers has inflicted upon him when he suddenly stood up, apprehensively grabbing onto Cirilla's shoulders and looking around to find her somewhere to hide.
The heavy set of footfall started to tread near, out of the threshold of their front entry. With a swollen face and bloody clothes, he grabbed onto her wrist and tried to pull her out of the kitchen and onto the back door of their house with a need to keep another person safe and away from danger. They've already taken you and Cirilla was out of bounds.
"No. No. That can't happen. They have no idea who you are. Run in the woods. Away from here, alright? Don't worry, I'll get to find you---Geralt will find you again, I promise you---has he taught you little tricks here and there? If not---"
The loud crash of a door opening has got Jaskier in full-protective mode; pulling along Cirilla to stand behind him with a hand outstretched open in front of him to tell this person to stop from their attacks. Until they've seen a person whom they were praying to the gods appear before them utterly shambolic to their shock.
"Geralt?! Oh dear, gods! What happened?!" Jaskier yelled out loud, their breaths hitching from the picture that stood before them.
Geralt's ruined armor was off; keeping the black under tunic on that has been torn with holes. The openings held blood under the apertures of his ravaged shirt. His face seeming to be the only one left untouched from the burns and wounds. His hair was dirty from soot and darkened, moist like sand but his breeches has been surprisingly free from the scratches that his upper clothing has received from.
Cirilla couldn't help but feel the warm, hazy moisture of her eyes fill her vision from seeing him stand in the middle of their hatch, the fish bones that stuck inside her chest finally breaking free from Geralt's appearance because hope has arrived for them.
"Geralt! You're here!"
The latter couldn't believe his eyes. They were safe. His family was safe from the show that the Kaedwenians tried to scurry them off with.
Relief washed through Geralt, his Aureate peepers widened from being stunned at seeing them both.
"Jaskier. Cirilla. You're both okay." he stated in a monotone manner, his gaze examining their forms when he'd realized Jaskier has been beaten to pulp.
The hold on his sword that rested on his palms tightened from seeing red. If there was blood involved, then something bad has happened especially when he'd lately realized that his family was missing one special person that came with the ménage he had.
You. There was no midget. Were you just hiding in a corner? Trying to be playful like the person you are? Where you hiding upstairs and planning to surprise him?
Jaskier paid heed to his sudden silence, the peeved look within his eyes that held a flicker of catastrophe because he couldn't see his midget with them.
He didn't know nor realize that seeing you gone like you never existed felt like an Nightwraith has tried to rip his heart open and eat it to their satiation.
Cirilla sprinted to where Geralt stood, immediately wrapping her arms around her step-father that she also holds dearly till the moment; she'd hug him, the embrace simply an allegation of fear, telling him that it was the right thing to come back earlier than they expected him to.
"I'm so glad you're here!"
The witcher wholeheartedly accepted the embrace, patting her head that was shoved to his chest despite of the wounds he has; just thoroughly relieved that she wasn't taken. His sword fell on the side with a loud thud as he'd look away from Jaskier, his eyes shifting from high and low, finding the Hirikka not in his place under the dining table as well.
"The midget? where is she?"
Howbeit, knowing the answer. He still wanted to hear what happened from the poor bard.
Jaskier subtly coughed, alerting that his tale was ready to be told. But, Cirilla has cut him off with her voice bawling out to Geralt, frowning against his chest as she loudly sniffed. The tears in her eyes dripping down as she couldn't help but keep the emotions balled up inside her chest anymore. Shock. Fear. Worry. Care. All together, it was brought and made with tears.
"Th-they've...they've taken her away from us! She saved my life for the second time, Geralt! You owe her everything!"
Geralt didn't answer at that and just patted her braided hair to soothe her worries---her braided hair that you have fixed before being taken. He was already too maddened on the inside to even hear that Jaskier began to start his story.
"So, do you want a simplified version or the dramatic one? I hear you choose the second option, so here it is!"
Cirilla sobbed against his chest when Jaskier started. His thoughts was filled with you. He was angry, irritated and dumbfounded that you've been offering your life in exchange for Cirilla to be safe. You always did. Hence, he didn't know if he was thankful of your selflessness or utterly vexed from how kind you were at heart.
"Fuck." he whispered to himself, Jaskier's voice going on and on in the background as if it was their music, his next words sounding exasperated as he simply sighed out of his nose and closed his eyes in frustration.
"---Midget..."
Jaskier was unaware that Geralt wasn't listening to his nonsense blabbers until he got straight to the point. He'd even told him how he rearranged and hid the bowls where you couldn't find it which made the witcher give him a simple raise of his brow.
Cirilla cut the hug when she was feeling dandy enough. Geralt gave her one final reassuring and affectionate pat on the head before grabbing on his fallen sword with a scowl on his face as he listened to Jaskier run his mouth.
"---So, I've been punched in the gut from different kind of Cavaliers. The Kingdom of Kaedwen can suck my arse---I've learned that from the rat by the way---and I've bled to the end of my second life. Hence now, this is my third---Hallelujah!---Kolby listens and follows every command but he's gone now and we don't know where he is---even tried to save me and her but the vampire is too strong---not that it isn't surprising,"
The simple action of grabbing onto his sword inflicted pain onto the fairly large wound on his lower rib which made him hiss. It was from the burning blood of the Bloedzuiger that he somehow managed to not shield himself with; forgetting to use Quen in the midst of battling.
"Tybalt." he understood completely, knowing exactly who tried and planned to get you from him for their use. They still haven't found the witch and needed to find her as soon as possible. Geralt wandered over the kitchen, closing the door behind him as he lowly grumbled to no one in particular.
"---They still want me to lift the curse. They want me to kill their monster,"
Their ears perk from the admission; watching the witcher peel his damaged under tunic off with an aggravated sigh as he stood in front of the dining table. He'd taken a lot more injuries than he most likely does; even had his energy spike to its lowest due to wanting to get the job done in less than half an hour. Hence, this resulted in accepting more wounds and detriments by rushing the whole task.
Geralt has already taken potions for him to heal on the way. Some of the smallest wounds has been healed. Though, the deepest wounds did not yet. It would certainly earn him a scar or two from it but he never cared.
"You're bleeding, Geralt. Where are you going?" Jaskier sauntered to his side with a wince from seeing more blood than what he normally sees, Cirilla also pulled a face and watched the witcher heavily sigh from examining his opened wounds. He deeply had a grimace on his face as he does when he tried to explain.
"It's from the Bloedzuiger's blood," he gruffly muttered, only answering the troubadour's first question.
His talkative friend circled around him to be met with the nastiest laceration that he has seen. Jaskier's nose scrunched in repugnance from what stood before him for the first time in years, "You've never taken enough damage like this before," he claimed as a matter of fact; in deep conjecture as to why he seemed to be in adrift prior to his hunt.
Geralt's attention was solely on the gash that could make him lowly groan in the back of his throat; rough and sounding uncomfortable from the pain it was giving.
"Jaskier, stay with Cirilla. Keep hidden and never go out until I come back with the midget," he gruffly started when the princess has rushed upstairs to find gauze to help with his lesions.
The Weccan leaned over the table, his palms on either side; flat on their wooden dining table with his ruffled hair framing his features and his head bowed down as he deeply pondered, his worries all about you because they've kept you ensnared. They knew he would come for you. They knew they will be expecting a witcher to welcome and they were right.
"---we can't leave the midget within their reach. They'll know her existence---Ingrith of Helmfirth already knows her existence,"
The bard's eyebrows were knitted tightly together in confusion for what he has heard, stammering from all the questions inside his head that kept on bothering him. He leaned on the table beside Geralt, bright blue eyes inquisitive and confused, "What? how---how did you even know she was gone? I thought you didn't know the sorceress?"
"The Djinn placed the midget and I in a spell where I can feel what she feels and I knew she was in danger,"
Jaskier gave a hesitant nod, deliberating over what he's trying to figure out from all the phenomenon that he has encountered, "Like some curse?"
Geralt shot his head up to nonchalantly give him a glimpse of his convinced golden peepers, pursing his lips, looking away to stand straight and lean away from the table.
"If you put it that way, we can call it a curse then."
The white wolf left Jaskier in the kitchen and drifted towards the stairs, making him trail behind; walking with a phrase of protests over the half naked witcher taking his flight.
"We need to treat those wounds before you step foot in the castle, Geralt."
There was no need to beat behind the bushes in Geralt's protective instincts. Specifically when you were in a risk to be hurt by their filthy hands. He took the staircases with his heavy footfall, roughly reassuring the bard from his worries.
"Already did. I'll be fine, bard."
Once they've reached the second floors, all wounded and bloody; both Geralt and Jaskier, they stood in the middle of the wooden hallways. Eye to eye as they were having a serious talk. Their voices echoing all over the place, "She saved Cirilla's life for the second time around," Geralt huffed and gave one seething sigh when the pain on his lower rib was burning. He certainly needed them to gauze his wounds before leaving.
"---even helped you forget about that knight you were fond with. I need to save her,"
Jaskier's mouth fell open from his bluntness, believing that you have been used as a person to forget his previous ones. He'd wiggled those slim shoulders of his, hands on his hips and keeping his head held high. A fake cough left his lips, thinking of ways to get back from being attacked figuratively by Geralt for a lot of times already.
"I won't let another slip away again, Jaskier."
Jaskier raised a knowing brow, sharing a bloody compact with the witcher as they stood against each other dripping with their own wounds and blood; an understanding that they both could only comprehend and would silently agree to, "I understood Durriken now," he gave a firm nod, convincing himself for his sentences.
Geralt squinted his eyes back at the bard, judging him from the back of his head and reading between his lines.
Jaskier talked to Durriken when they've left the other day. He tried to know what they've talked about because the bard was full aware of how the switch has turned inside Geralt's peculiar, introverted mind from that moment in the marketplace.
Durriken knew before everything could even happen---perks of being a fortune teller, believing that you had a reason why you've arrived.
Jaskier raised a finger to his front, a sassy brow raised as he firmly claimed, "She's the witcher's destiny. The reason she's here is because..." pause. "---of you, Geralt."
Julian just couldn't keep still and watch everything unfold. He knew Geralt and what ticks him, understood the simplest gestures that had a whole lot of meaning behind it. Jaskier can't help but pry around when it involved the white wolf.
This was why he was the bard who stood by his side because he tried to understand him for who and what he was. A person who truly cared, a friend who truly accepted him; though, most of the times, he was there to annoy the shite out of him.
"And that's why she needs to be saved. I can't let her die, Bard." Geralt honestly spoke, the truth being said rather than staying silent like how he would usually do.
The bard has given him a satisfied smile, his beam widening once he jested, "Oooooooh! I've waited for this moment to come so I can finally say it after decades---In other words," he playfully bantered, finding the right words to get back for receiving his bluntness, "---you love her, Witcher. Don't you?"
Cirilla held the ripped, long, white clothing to her chest. The door to her room slightly opened as she tried to listen onto what they were arguing about, they weren't. The word 'love' peaking her attention when Jaskier lightly tried to poke on Geralt's honesty, irking him to the bones and hoping to get something out of his sudden uprightness.
Lo and behold, as soon as the witcher opened his pretty mouth, they were left disappointed from a hum that he'd habitually does everyday when he wanted to stay silent.
"Hmm."
Retrieving no answer from such an important, scandalous question that would be a fact once it was positively answer; a simple 'yes' would've been evidence that the white haired witcher was actually capable to experience a certain feeling that would make him more human than he can ever be.
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All you could see was darkness. No visions nor imagery of where you were going as an empty sack has been forcefully placed around your head. Tybalt has kept you immobilized within his arms that surrounded you. The sack was needed so there was no risk of escaping which can happen if you knew your ways just like their previous capture who happened to be a thief that knew the directions of the kingdom.
The sack was tightened around your neck, making you choke once they roughly shoved your shoulders to move as you were curtly placed down by the vampire. Pavement. Rock pavement. You silently thought as you felt rough hands grip your arms so tight. On either side, they were controlling you and assuming who they were; you knew it was cavaliers.
The gates seem to open as you've heard the loud screeching of a sound. A couple of harsh tugs; here and there. Some offending remarks you've received when you tried to thrash against their holds. They were calling you 'the witcher's whore' or his tramp that made you frown behind the empty sack of potatoes used for your head.
Footfalls can be heard all around you. They were everywhere and all heavy, marching as if they have a purpose as to why they were there. There was no idea as to where they tried to confine you; in a large cage? a building where all their prisoners are there in jail? or were you in a castle? their palace?
The men on either side of you dragged you strengthfully towards where they wanted; making you bark back despite of being temporarily blind for their purpose.
"I know how to walk, okay?! Stop dragging me around like I'm your rag doll!"
Tybalt loudly scoffed from behind, walking through the stoned hallway that directed straight towards the hoosegow where an Elven has been kept for a month, "Prisoners shan't be complaining, ye' know?"
A loud thump and squeaking of a door made you hastily look around in panic; thinking that you might be thrown in a huge fireplace so your body can be burnt to dust because they knew your existence here didn't actually existed and if you do get to be cremated, nobody would even care.
Will Geralt try and save you for the third time?
From the day that you have been taken and cared for in their home, it was already an act of protection. He didn't think twice to adopt and let you have a part of their house; saving you from an Alghoul who was hunting you down and planning to make you its meal. But, Geralt killed it for you.
The white wolf has even killed men for you to feel sympathy for. When Geralt of Rivia protects one person, he would surely not think twice but to put an end towards their life; as long as they were evil or hurting another.
He was one of a kind and the affection you have for him needed label. You were understanding everything now; the care and worry you feel whenever he goes for his hunt, how the sting feels inside your heart whenever he tends to become a lot more quieter rather than usual, thinking that he was avoiding you because he'd realize how much of a burden you are in his life.
Also considering the feeling of happiness whenever he sweetly touches you, feeling his skin on yours like it was destined for sensations to occur. Sensations that only he can transpire out the the earth's perimeters.
You comprehended it very patently. It was love that you had for him. You hoped it was because lust or infatuation never has given the effects like what you've been interpreting from the witcher.
No secrets can't be revealed as long as it was true especially with undisclosed matters. Hence, you planned to tell Geralt as soon as you get to see him again.
That is, if your future around the Kaedwenians won't involve you and death rolled together as one.
Their tight grip has made your arms sore. You were flailing your arms away from their grasp and the violent reaction that they have gotten from resulted in you being pushed to the ground, creating your healing gash with another deep wound that made you yelp. They've quickly yanked the sack off your head; all unkempt from being cramped, hurriedly keeping you inside the slammer as they marched away to lock up the thick, metal railings like you've committed such a harsh crime.
You've held onto your scrapped knee, seeing blood on the pads of your finger and it made you aggressively scream from where you've laid hunched over the cold stones beneath you; igniting the tiny, surprised jump from the knights who were guarding your cell.
The tight coil on the top of your stomach was starting to move; meaning to say, another panic-attack was starting to give rise because of how uncomfortable and eerie does it felt to be in jail from the past era. It was more ominous and uncanny rather than what jail looked like in the modern period.
You were heaving breaths, turning around and staying flat on your bottom to see the armored men squinting their eyes back like you were some weird creature, the notion of being Geralt's lover sickening their bones as if they were much of a better man than he is. They weren't. Geralt was better than them---soul-wise. Their gauging eyes made you giggle aloud in a sarcastic tone.
"I can't believe you are all actually humans---"
The lock of the door jiggled, people behind the entrance loudly pushing it open; in which Tybalt and a lady with glowing purple eyes emerged from the hatch.
"My lady," Tybalt started with a sultry tone dripping on his tongue, subtly nodding his head off to where you were hunched over.
This woman in front of you didn't look entirely human after all, you mentally thought. Glowing purple eyes; with her shoulders rolled back with a head held up high, such stance that made her look powerful. It was enough to make you cower.
She was a beauty even. Utterly bewitching from a woman's perspective. A high bridged nose, glassy dark skinned complexion that came with a pouty lip. The grotesque woman was enchanting in the eyes of men if her physical aspects could make you dumbfounded.
"Incredible." the latter spoke in fascination, taking heedful steps close amongst the lines of metal hinges. The luminescence of a torch has caught her purple eyes, glowing against the light as if magic was flowing through her veins; utterly strange because no normal human had eyes like hers, nor have you seen one in Geralt's dimension up until today.
"Another...you," she continued, her eyes cast upon you when she took heed of your familiar face.
"---It's true. There has always been another dimension,"
You've looked around, avoiding her discretionary gaze, a gaze that held corruption or malign beneath the colorful hue of her beautiful colored irises. They were winsome; however, her allurement came with a thorn that would surely make you bleed when touched.
"I'm..I'm not---"
Straightforwardly, she pointed out with a silent and warning tut, "There is no use of lying, little one. You are talking to a sorceress,"
As that has been mentioned, you couldn't help but snap your head and turn to look at her. Your eyebrows knitted together with eyes scrutinizing her features. Was she the sorceress that Geralt has been in love with? you questioned mutely to your alter ego. Ingrith was hasty enough to know that judging look in your eyes because of how your witcher has been involved with sorceresses after sorceresses or mutant and mystical beings.
He was known for it and based on how you were judging her, your mind was also well aware of how infamous he had been with women.
Geralt of Rivia was given a lot to choose. Yet, he has chosen a powerless, vulnerable, less of a beaut than what he would've picked and Ingrith wanted to laugh for his choices---what he planned to be destined with a dangerous life ahead.
"You're the Yennefer one?"
"How do you know her, thief?"
An obvious shake of your head was given; shaking the worry away from seeing Geralt's long lost love working in a castle and also for the queen and king. That wasn't just the reason why you didn't want to see Yennefer anymore, another justification as to why you didn't want to was because of the bigger chances that you would be going home in one way or another when the white wolf wanted to because there was no proof or evidence that he wouldn't send you home. Sure, he has said several times already that you were his home---however, what if his feelings changes especially that his relationship with the sorceress has been ruined from a certain fight you didn't know about?
Did Geralt feel the same way about you? Was it love or merely just infatuation?
"Nevermind. You're not her." pause. "---also, why are you calling me a thief, lady?!"
Your eyebrows knotted closer than ever from her assumptions. It wasn't just Tybalt or his goons calling you a thief, even the sorceress too. Ingrith pulled away from the bars, dusting her gloved hands from the dust that was transferred to her leather mittens like the people sitting behind closed bars were infectious. She'd given Tybalt a look, her face indistinct of what she wanted to feel for seeing the real you.
She ignored your yapping as she asked the vampire beside her, "Are you sure she's destined with the witcher as a lover?"
Tybalt gave her a small nod, arms crossed in front of his chest as he watched you give him a glare back, "Yes, my lady. Last time I stabbed the little woman, the witcher was all feral, ye' know? It was quite fun to watch, nevertheless. This whore seems to be very important for him,"
"He'll be coming then."
Your knotted eyebrows suddenly went up your hairline at that. She sounded too enthusiastic for Geralt to come by; her voice masking a mixture of anticipation for seeing him and also hoping for something else when he arrives. It was a tone that only women could understand in their own language and you couldn't help but go livid.
She wanted something from your witcher and it doesn't look nor does it feel right because you could sense your eye twitch.
"Hey, sorceress of doom. I'm not a child. My womanhood is fully developed if you wanna know because you sound like you're insulting my height---thank you very much because that wasn't a first---Also, you sound like you want to fuck my witcher!---My witcher!" you bluntly stated, the tip of your tongue feeling vile and bitter from the truthfulness of your words. Jealousy being the root of it all and probably intimidation over this sorceress.
She wasn't that Yennefer yet. What if it was her already?
"---Find your own witcher! He's coming to save me, not give you a rumpy pumpy while you are all keeping me in prison!"
Ingrith could feel her temples have gotten flicked from that. Your attitude was making her blood boil---a know-it-all in a world you hardly knew about. She was beginning to come to a realization that your mouth needed barricade, it needed to know where you stood because apparently, she was having the upper hand and you were munching on her toe figuratively.
"Are you sure about that?" Ingrith spoke as a matter of fact; her lips curling into a sinister grin and this is what gets her going, "---you sound like you don't know your witcher too well, child."
"---You haven't heard the truest tales of him then. Your witcher loves to bed women in all brothels---Witchers leave all the time because that's what they do. They travel anywhere to hunt monsters,"
Your mouth was ready to throw curses after curses. A few steps close toward the bars made her grin wider to see your tough facade falter in the tiniest, seeing it from behind those confused eyes of yours. A mixture of fighting for what you had with a self destructing insecurity that makes you overthink of the future despite not talking it through with your mutant of a lover.
Ingrith didn't back down to that fight you have been mentally trying to assault as she was wiser to knowing your existence had a count down with them around.
She only needed to know where the portal was; options would be a sorceress back in your world which transported you to the continent. Second is a physical egress that has been never found nor discovered by anyone yet. From your kingdom to theirs. It wouldn't just be a theory because when the conjunction of spheres started, all hell broke lose in the continent. So, the idea wasn't completely a hypothesis that didn't hold zero percent chances of it.
All Ingrith needed was evidence and she will surely get the answers out of you even if she'll be using corporal punishments---even to the point of drawing blood until you say words she wanted to hear.
The sorceress began to wind you up a lot more, finding amusement from the reactions and tiny twitches of your face which tells how upset you are as she ran her mouth with endless gibes, "---your beloved Witcher can't be satisfied with one woman in all his life especially with a human like you because one ages slower over the other."
She crouched before you behind bars, gritting her teeth together like a feral hound trying to mark up his or her prey.
"You don't have magic. You aren't mutated and you die like normal men," Ingrith seethed, her eyes piercing and full of hatred towards you.
---Or maybe from mankind itself. You tried to understand where she was coming from or what she was taking a stand to. The sorceress in front of you thinks of herself as if she is higher than most human alive and probably a power-hungry feline where she would take revenge on whoever has hurt her.
It was that, or she just thinks she's above all because of the power and magic that she has been lucky to have.
"They have no capacity for emotion because of the combination of their hard training, genetic modifications, and seclusion from society. I suppose love is important and heartfelt in your world, correct?" the sorceress articulated with a scorn, "---Not to Witchers, my dear. I doubt he would love you as you expect him to. You'll only be the woman who tried to substitute over Yennefer of Vengerberg's position,"
You've given her a petulant expression and a moue that could make plants wither from the hate of seeing the sorceress. She couldn't help but send a ridicule as Ingrith also feels the same, "You are not special. The Witcher needs a person who does not give him more weight on his back---he needs a strong, independent woman who can save herself from being locked inside a cage and not screaming help for him,"
Ingrith of Helmfirth brought to a stand, her eyes throwing daggers over your kneeling form. You were easy to intimidate and certainly effortless to scare away just by the height differences. She simply chuckled when all you've ever done was give her a purse of your lips and a death stare that has probably killed her inside your head for a lot of times already; yet, you were helpless, inundated and incapable of doing such from a mortal.
She knew it; sensed that you held no magic.
"I didn't need you attacking me this way," you quipped with a shake of your head, sighing from the tiring conversation that was taking a toll on you no matter how unaffected you try to appear. But, you were futile to their world and even to a government that was quite unfamiliar to you, authorities that didn't care about the welfare and lives of people.
Sitting back on your derriere with your legs in a criss-cross position, you've held your guard down and went on with the flow. Suddenly, on the midst of prompting down in a comfortable position, you've heard the metal door swinging open and saw the sorceress holding up a hand to you like she had some repulsor; thinking she was Iron Man from how she pointed her palm at your face.
Your face was warped in irritation and ambiguity. You knew what she was doing; her magic is what it is. With a slap of her hand away from your face, barks of remarks has been said out in the open, "What? you need a high five after insulting me like that? even had to pry over what relationship I have with Geralt?---or are you Iron Man dressed as a lady? am I in the MCU?"
The vicious sorceress had a nonplussed look on her face, analyzing what was wrong with the spell she tried to cast upon you, but it seems like her runes has been blocked by someone or something she couldn't understand. Ingrith knelt before you and quickly grabbed onto your throat, her fingers roughly wresting along the line of your jaw as she made you look into her eyes.
None. You had no magic; really knew no witchcraft.
"You should be fainting right now," she lowly mumbled to herself, her gaze intently examining your face while you spat out dry cough from being choked alive, gagging in the process of being pounced on.
"Excuse---E-Excuse me, I'm not. You---You suck! You're not a real sorceress then!"
Until such time, she'd realize the light, chain of metal attached to your neck. Ingrith has straightaway pulled the collar of your sweater down until it has been slightly ripped off. You yelped and resisted to comply from her wishes. However, she'd slapped you hard enough on the same spot as Tybalt did which has made you cease from shrieking as the ache in your jaw started to double up more than ever.
They were literally treating you like a doll that they could hurt or ignite pain and you want nothing more than to see Geralt and lull you to sleep, being taken care of by your own witcher as he tells stories about his adventures with Jaskier or Cirilla, appreciating the difference of being in his family's arms and the people whom they've warned you about.
They have been right all along.
Ingrith pulled the collar down until she'd seen such Cicatrix engraved in between the valley of your chest; the medallion of the Witcher and his school, you were destined to be with him and to create a progeny---his progeny in this world you were in. The lesion now looked like a birthmark, turning darker against your skin and it was enough to presume that the process has finally began.
Along came with an ornament; specifically, the fae necklace that had enchantments to rebound ill-fate has turned from coral green to black like her incantations have been reversed.
"Impossible!" she exclaimed in the middle of the slammer, the Elven who was in the same stockade you were in has given her a look from her loud guffaws, "---you're under a curse---the Warp of the souls. Who'd curse you?"
The sorceress urgently demanded, her fingers tugging your arm as she pulled you closer to her face; seeing the beauty you once saw turn monstrous over the hate that was controlling her to live.
You shook your head, eyes all wide from the frustration, anger and hopelessness being confined inside a dungeon, "I don't know! I haven't met any mages except for you, bitch!"
Ingrith pushed you off to the side, making you stumble on your back flat that has made you groan.
"You're being protected," she stood up on her feet and dusted off her hands straight to your face; all feral with barred teeth, you've given her the stink eye and a nasty scowl, wanting to spit of her foot for her malign, "---Did the witcher find you a Djinn and planned to throw you off back to where you came from?"
"I'm not fucking answering you!" you loudly yelled, voice echoing inside the stoned slammer.
"It is a yes, then."
The sorceress turned away at that, paving her way to the entrance of your spectral, cold cage. She stepped out of the hatch with a lour and most likely with such ire, the curse being a stronger fuel to the fire as she scanned you from head to foot, her gaze lingering longer on your stomach.
Her glowing purple eyes that was quite difficult to decipher when she'd step out of the cage has made you hold a hand on your belly. Why was she staring at you in a way as if she was planning something? did she wanted to eat your intestines?
"---It's that...kind of wish, Tybalt."
Her right hand man has been silent all through out your conversation with the sorceress. The vampire kept his mouth shut, listening to what information they could earn from Ingrith's interrogation. He immediately understood what she meant about 'that kind of wish,' and it was confusing him because of the Witcher's inability to conceive such children.
Tybalt was thinking that your existence never had any reason as to why you've stumbled across the continent. Unless, you've been brought by destiny to produce and make miracles for Geralt's life?
The sorceress leaned closer, her mouth near to his ear as she quietly spoke; not risking for you to hear, "Starve her. Leave her alone with the Elf until The Witcher arrives---or better yet, cudgel her until she speaks answers." she huffed a breath, full of detest over what powerful being was protecting you from her---your curse making her loathe you even more as you were fertile enough to give Geralt an offspring. He shouldn't have been given that luck because he was destined to be completely barren. But, here you were being a complete wonder as to why the curse was a success.
Ingrith hated the concept of an offspring especially that she was also an infertile woman and she couldn't risk the likelihood of a child and its genesis of being a successful heir of a djinn's given malediction; a byproduct of the spirit's potentials in one human to be protected by a witcher.
It could be a threat to her and you were certainly a hazard that she needed to control.
The sorceress speedily left the cell with Tybalt following suit. Her palms itching to go berserk over being futile to your existence, "---She must not produce an heir with the witcher," she sauntered through the path with raging blood. The higher vampire swiftly tugging onto her wrist with his agility.
"But, witchers are infertile, my lady. I doubt they may produce a child,"
"She's made a wish. She has never been infertile from the start nor is she mutated. This thief does not possess such magic but she can give the witcher a child as long as she's protected by the Djinn. The Djinn would give their heir his own magic to create madness in this world which is why she's under a curse. Their child will hold power that no one can ever understand with the help of it,"
"---To make sure of it, we shan't walk around bushes. Spells or maybe poison shall do the trick. We don't need another damned prodigy in this world!"
Tybalt has given her a look, puffing out his frustrations for how she was a foot farther away from the future. The sorceress and her intentions was thoroughly getting out of hand from the moment the prince has been cursed for years. They were present when the curse for the prince has started; more so, Ingrith lasted longer than him in the castle from the moment he was seized by her when she was younger and he respected her for it, even thankful for abducting her when he was a vagrant.
"Ingrith, this is beyond the plan," he spoke through gritted teeth; tightly clutching onto her arm. She raise a brow back at him with a sarcastic reply.
"Do you want the witcher to have a child who may possess black magic then?" Tybalt shut his mouth at that, listening to her reasons and opinion about the whole tragedy that was about to happen in the future, "---you don't even know who that child with Ashen hair is. She can't be his child---he's protecting her from someone---even the thief because she is having his child,"
Ingrith forcefully yanked his hold away from her arm, giving him a sharp look of warning as she continued her gaslighting, "I remembered saving you when you were down and dirty, covered in grime in the caves because you have been abandoned as a higher vampire from your guild,"
The higher vampire's features turned adamantine; features withdrawn and never believing what words he was receiving as it felt like she was making him feel the indeptedness for taking him in.
Ingrith couldn't help but give him a mordant smile of her lips, tilting her head back at him as they stood in front of each other; eye to eye as they both had the same height. She'd seen and read the look within his eyes, conceding to her request of assenting over what side she was trying to fight as her own opinions is what matters and has always been right.
"You're strong, Tybalt. Stronger than the witcher. His sword is no match for you. You're smarter, agile and inevitable. Though, you have a weakness and I suggest you fight that vulnerability of yours---that foolish sympathy for humanity because pity for others isn't what this world needs,"
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Taglist for WOTN: (Strikethrough means you couldn’t be tagged, Bb. Please check your settings) @alyxkbrl​ @himarisolace​ @barkingbullfrog​ @ayamenimthiriel​ @hellodevilslittlesister​ @turkish276​ @spookypeachx @grungelovebug @fangirl-inthe-us​ @nympeth​ @amirahiddleston​ @gabethelobster​ @dreaming-about-starfleet @uncoolcloudyhead​ @melaninstylezz​ @psychosupernaturalhero​ @missjenniferb @dance-dreamer @marvelousell​ @kingniazx​ @angelias134​ @tapismyforte​ @chook007​ @covid-donotenter​ @deadlydemon​ @cheesecakeisapie​ @angelofthor​ @carrieannewaywardson, @plantingmum @stuckupstucky​, @shesthelastjedi​, @a–1–1–3, @gutfucks​, @raynosaurus-rex​​, @britty443​,  @suhke3​, @shadowclawstudio88​
Overall witcher taglist: @pizza-eater-i-ate-the-pizza​, @crazybutconfidentaf​​ 
General taglist for Henry Cavill: @agniavateira​​, @iloveyouyen​​, @rahdaleigh​​, @silverkitten547​ @henrythickcavill​ @kaatelyyynn​
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punz4lyfe · 3 years
Note
Now you've been asked what you do like about him what about the opposite what don't you like about goh?
Aw man, this is gonna hurt.
TL;DR - Goh’s a completely lovable character, but I have three particular issues with him that I feel could become worse if not taken care of properly.
First off, DISCLAIMERS!! To all my fellow Goh fans, please know that writing this, I do not mean any hatred to Goh in anyway. I LOVE Goh, and if you’ve seen literally ANY of my past anipoke posts, you would already know that. These are just issues I find with his character that I want to be changed for the best.
Now with that outta the way, here’s what I don’t like about Goh:
1. His iffy character development. While he’s doing fine in becoming more open to people and more willing to help Pokemon, his fighting skills are what I have trouble with it. Let’s go back to his first ever official battle.
It was at Hoenn’s Frontier Cup where he used Scorbunny and Scyther against a trainer’s Mightyena. Despite having a type advantage with Scyther, he lost horribly, which is completely understandable. He’s a beginner and doesn’t possess the same kind of street smarts and experience Ash and many other trainers have. Alright then, so maybe this will lead to a change in character of wanting to become better in battles by getting some training with Ash, who made quick work of that Mightyena trainer. Surely we’ll get some development over this topic after this episode!
He beats Saffron City’s Karate Master and scores a free Hitmonchan.
...Okaaaay, I mean, we’ve never seen the Karate Master in battle before, so perhaps it was just another fodder trainer the anime is filled of. I sure we’ll get some more Goh development after thi-
He easily defeats and captures a powerful Flygon.
.....Alright, alright, it was only a wild Pokemon. Everyone can beat those, right? Heck, in the next episode, he technically suffers a curbstomp loss against Kiawe and admits he only battles Ash every so often. Perhaps this loss will encourage Goh to train more with Ash so he could become a stronger trainer. I mean, despite his good luck with Pokeballs, he’s gonna need to be as strong as he can be for tougher mons, like Legendaries. I’m 100% sure we’ll get something out of thi-
He takes down a wild Zapdos and NEARLY captures it.
.........Uh, okie dokes, it wasn’t a successful capture, and who knows? Even though we have not seen him battle/train that much on-screen, maybe he just got a little lucky. Even in the games, it happens to the best of us. Perhaps this barely missed victory will finally give Goh the time to actually development more on-screen so that he could have a better chance agai-
He defeats Oleana’s Milotic, using his fire-type Raboot who only wanted to use a weak fire-type move.
..............Allllriiiiight, maybe Oleana just got a little cocky later on. Plus, Raboot finished Milotic by evolving in Cinderace and finishing it off with Pyro Ball. With this powerful evolution in hand, maybe Goh will finally realize that, in order for Cinderace to reach its greatest potential, he must start training for once and obtain some proper development for a chance against stronger threa-
Cinderace fights decently well against Mewtwo, even lasting longer than Pikachu and being on-par with the more trained Lucario.
....................At this point, I’m all out of excuses for him. Overall, Goh’s development as a trainer is very rushed to the point seeing him achieve numerous victories despite all odds being against his favor to be iffy.
2. Slightly touchy topic, but there are some negatives with his whole catching all Pokemon goal. So Goh wants to catch every single mon he can in order to reach up to Mew, as he said to Mewtwo in episode 46. And yes, this includes Legendaries as well. Unfortunately, this is where my issues with his goal starts. First off, where in the world will Goh keep any Legendary he encounters? Cerise’s glorified garden dome? Yeah, keep Dialga and Palkia, literal beings of space and time, inside a glass dome with a bunch of weaker mons. And speaking of which, wouldn’t catching mons like the Creation Trio or the Island Guardians cause quite the upset in, well, y’know, the natural balance of things? Sure, Goh technically hasn’t caught a single Legendary yet (Eternatus doesn’t count because it had to be sealed away), with how the anime is playing out, issues like this will surely rise throughout the series.
And yes, the anime is playing it out for Goh to indeed catch every single mon before reaching Mew. If you pay attention to the openings as well as many of Goh’s own character moments, such as episode 46, then you can easily see the signs telling us that Goh is bound to catch them all, just as Ash is bound on defeating Leon. In the past, pretty much all of Ash’s traveling companions had their own goals as well, but it’s usually because of those goals is why they leave Ash by the end of their journeys, like May and Dawn pursuing contests in other regions, Brock wanting to become a doctor, Iris wanting to find more Dragon types, Kiawe wanting to become an Island Kahuna etc. Because of that, it becomes up to the audience’s interpretation (and fanfics) on how they achieve their dreams and what challenges they could face throughout the way. With Goh, there will a lot more focus and emphasis placed on his goal, and while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s too bad there aren’t really any stakes or obstacles in Goh’s journey!
Really now, another glaring issue with Goh’s goal is that he has NO trouble going through with it at all. From his very first fodder capture, all he has to do is get a good throw and then PING! Pokemon caught. Guess the thing of having to weaken a Pokemon first before capturing it has been retconned out of the anime forever. With that said, there’s absolutely no struggle for Goh to overcome in his journey, which kinda makes things boring. Where’s the challenge? Where are his rivals? Are there any doubts? Does he have any issue of having to catch and connect every single mon in existence? No, well then good for him I guess! Sad thing too is that he catches so many Pokemon with so much potential, but they then disappear completely after their debut.
Remember that free Hitmonchan he scored from Saffron’s Fighting Dojo who seemed completely willing to train with Riolu and Farfetch’d? Never seen again. That female Raichu who loves giving berries? Completely forgotten about. That Aerodactyl Goh resurrected and bonded with before catching? Thanos snapped. The Heracross Goh obtained from a trade at the cost of a second Pinsir he worked hard to find? Literally who?
3. And my biggest issue with Goh. The fact he’s somehow on the same scale as Ash.
Don’t believe me? Well, let’s go back to the ending of episode 46. After Mewtwo teleported him, Ash, Pikachu, Lucario, and Cinderace back home, Goh said this: “We’ve still got a long way to go.”
Excuse me, but WHAT?!?!?!
You BOTH got a long way to go, even though you both suffered a complete curbstomp from a mon that would probably even make the likes of Lance, Cynthia, and Leon comparable to Youngster Joey?!?! What the Distortion World?!?! Why is Goh and, by extension, the writers implying he and Ash are on even terms when it comes to being a trainer? Goh, as a reminder, you literally only began your trainer career 45 episodes ago!!
Alright, let’s talk about Ash for a second and what he’s been through since he started his trainer career. Ash started in Kanto, and while he really only fairly achieved three out of his eight badges (Brock and Misty’s were givens, Erika’s was a thank-you gift, Sabrina’s was all Haunter’s doing, and Jessie and James are complete jokes that no one should take seriously), he still partook in as many battles as he could against tough trainers while getting some pointers from the much more experienced Misty and Brock. After that, he went on to become a much more impressive trainer in later journeys. Instead of a full recap, I’ll just list two impressive things Ash has done in each region he’s journeyed through after losing in the Kanto League.
Orange Islands: Won his first official double battle with Pikachu and Charizard despite neither initially getting along at first and then defeated the Orange League champ, Drake.
Johto: Survived an entire forest of bloodthirsty Ursaring with his friends and defeated Gary’s Blastoise with his Charizard.
Hoenn: Helped stopped both Team Magma and Team Aqua’s elemental threats and reached Top 8 in the Hoenn League despite only two of his mons being fully evolved with one being a glass cannon bird.
Kanto again: Conquered the Battle Frontier and tied with May in his first ever contest.
Sinnoh: Helped protect a Riolu from the famed Hunter J and knocked out two of Tobias’ Legendary Pokemon.
Unova: Defeated Iris’ Dragonite twice (Charizard pretty much had the high ground in their fight) and helped protect Meloetta.
Kalos: Defeated four Mega Evolutions (Lucario, Abomasnow, Absol, and Sceptile) and was one of the main heroes against Lysandre.
Alola: Became an Ultra Guardian and conquered the Alola League.
And right now as of Journeys: Defeated Korinna’s Mienfoo and Mega Lucario with only Dragonite right after the two curbstomped Gengar and defeated Chairman Rose.
And this isn’t even scratching the surface, and yet, somehow, Ash is still on the same scale of Goh. This doesn’t make any logical sense, it completely negates Ash’s experience while over-wanking Goh’s, and it ruins any semblance of power scaling between the two. Logically, Ash should be leagues above Goh and the latter should always confide to Ash whenever he needs assistance or pointers, not “Oh, we both lost to a powerful legendary, guess that means we both have stuff to learn and we’re both beginners lul”. It’s like Deku and All Might both losing a villain that’s beyond both of their capabilities, and then Deku saying that they BOTH have much to learn afterwards! Does it make sense? HECK NO.
If they had to have Goh comment about their loss, why couldn’t he say something that would’ve made more sense? Maybe say something like “Wow, I can’t believe I lasted that long, honestly.” And then Ash would say, “Hey, you’re only getting better. And me and my team will always be there in case you need more training.” Have the two acknowledge the fact that even trainers like Leon wouldn’t fare any better than them against Mewtwo. Just absolutely anything that doesn’t completely ruin what we know of these characters to the point the two are considered equals, despite all the evidence saying otherwise.
I’m getting a little exhausted now, so I’m done, but thanks for asking, anon!
And for anyone reading, please feel free to agree or disagree. I’m completely acceptable to anyone else’s thoughts/opinions over Goh and would love to hear them.
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casuallyimagining · 4 years
Text
Not All Sunshine & Rainbows
Okay, so I’ve been thinking. We’ve (the fanfic writers of the world) been kind of beating the dead horse that is Percy’s trauma related to Tartarus and the nightmares and PTSD he has from that. But this poor kid has had a hell of a life, and I’m in a weird mood, so I have some headcanons about other things that aren’t all sunshine and rainbows in Percy’s life. 
Sorry if these headcanons are a little long. I have thoughts. (also if you would like to see some of these expanded into more fleshed out headcanons or a fic, I would be happy to oblige. I know how much y’all love angst)
He doesn’t like to talk about his life before coming to Camp Half Blood. It takes him a very long time to open up to any significant other about Gabe and his mom and the trauma he has about going to school after being kicked out of so many. Sure, he’ll make a snide joke about Smelly Gabe once in a great while, but he doesn’t tell you the full story until much, much later into your relationship. And even when he does begin to open up, it’s never all at once. I’ll go more into the Gabe thing here in a minute, but just take a second to think how utterly alone Percy must have felt. He didn’t have any friends in school, and the ones he did have, he never saw again after getting expelled. He went from ages six through 12 not having a routine he could count on, not having any significant friends, barely seeing his mother. And then an abusive step-father on top of that? He never explicitly says it, but I think Percy has a fairly deep fear of being unwanted. And it takes a lot of reassurances and non-verbal signs of love to prove to him that you actually do love him and want him around. He may not ever 100% believe you, either. 
As well-meaning as Sally’s intentions were for staying with Gabe, I think he fucked Percy up a lot. He was abusive, sure, and that alone can cause a lot of childhood trauma. But I think it goes deeper than that. Until Paul Blofis, Percy had no concept of what a loving relationship actually looks like. So when he finds himself in a position where he actually wants to enter a serious relationship, he struggles. He has no idea how to express love, he doesn’t really understand that people express love in different ways, and he especially doesn’t know what it’s like to be loved in a romantic way (nor does he feel that he’s necessarily worthy because of all the “bad” things he’s done). So much so that once you see that your relationship is something more than just a passing infatuation, it takes a lot of time and discussion with Percy trying to figure out what he’s comfortable with and showing him that he’s worthy of love and affection.
Continuing off that, I don’t think he really knows or understands that relationships can be boring? Like, it’s not all date nights and sexy times and whirlwind events and parties and hanging out. And being in a relationship doesn’t mean sitting together in silence for 60 years until one of you dies of age. Sometimes, a date is eating cold pizza and watching three hours of '90s improv comedy before falling asleep together on the couch. You can joke and laugh and pick on your significant others. It takes a while for him to realize that a romantic relationship is just like a friendship but with extra intimacy.
Money is a huge stressor for Percy. Obviously financial insecurity was a huge reason for Sally not being able to escape Gabe, even if she wanted to, and Percy saw a lot of that, even if he was away at school for most of the year. And once he gets an apartment with you and he’s out on his own, it becomes immensely stressful trying to manage money. Part of him wants to spend it all on lavish things because for the first time in his life, he actually has money to spare at the end of the month; but the other part of him wants to squirrel it away in a bank account never to be touched, because you never know when a medical bill will come up, or one of you might lose your job. It gets to the point where you have to convince him that it’s okay to spoil yourself once in a while.
Moving in together sounds like a great idea at first, but for the first year or so it goes horribly wrong. Not to the extent that it’s bad every single day and you question why you moved in together in the first place, but I think it’s hard for Percy being really truly alone with you for the first time ever, and coupling that with the fact that he really has no idea what he’s doing and the fact that he’s seen how badly a romantic partnership can go when two people are left alone, he kind of shuts down. Getting used to each other again takes a lot of time. But Percy is willing to put in the work. It’s just that he’s never had to come to terms with the violence he and Sally experienced in this way before, and it’s hard. 
Percy doesn’t like being cornered. We know this from the books. And when he is cornered, he gets angry. And while his anger is never directed at you--it’s never directly your fault that he’s upset--he has a lot of bad experiences surrounding men getting angry with their partners for no real reason. So there’s a lot of him grabbing the keys and leaving in a panic, or him locking himself in the spare room alone in silence for hours. And when you try to ask him what’s wrong, when you try to get to the root of the problem because maybe you can help, or at least you can understand him better, he starts to feel needled and cornered again, and the cycle begins anew. This is probably the biggest road block in your relationship because how can you move forward when he freaks out and runs from the smallest problems (and it’s always the smallest problems--you know he’s willing to fight the big, monstrous problems). It takes you a long time to realize that it’s not you he’s running away from--it’s that he’s terrified to his core of turning into Gabe. It comes to a head one day when you drop a coffee mug and it shatters on the kitchen floor. You hear him get up to leave before you see it, and you’re frustrated and before you can stop yourself, you mutter something like “here we go again” and it stops him in his tracks. You can see the expression on his face change from anger, to rage, and then, almost immediately, to regret and sadness, before his eyes start to well up and he crumbles to the floor beside your couch. You hold him while he cries, and he does nothing but apologize to you. After that, you suggest gently that maybe he should talk to someone--a therapist or Chiron or someone, you don’t really care who, you just want him to be happy again.
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hetacakes · 4 years
Text
hitchhiking.
miya twins x fem! reader
snow white au, aka me making fanfics about my own fanfic
in which reader leaves her home in the big apple, the busy city, the whatever you'd like to call it, and takes a trip to a forest, the literal opposite of home. in fact, the two places are so different that in order to get there, a plane ride is preferable over a road trip. after a week, it's time to go home, with souvenirs, of course. leaving with a heavier bag is to be expected, but the empty backpack meant for said souvenirs was a bit too heavy, suspiciously heavy
aka reader just wants to relax and ends up bringing two hitchhiker foxes home
the others aren't included in this one, sorry :( one certain bluebird will make a guest appearance but other than that the storyline is in no way connected to snow white (though i made a few ~allusions~ for the Drama) anyway, i hope you love these annoying foxes as much as i do <3
also this is borderline abo but in my defense i wanted to make them seem more animal-like since they're technically wild animals
warning for cussing because life is hard and osamu hates atsumu
word count: 9,505
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   You grew up in the suburbs, always just a half hour away from the big, bustling city, where everything is fast paced with streams of people working and struggling to make their dreams come true. So it was no surprise that when you were old enough to move out, you immediately made a home in a rundown, shitty apartment, taking the typical "small apartment, big dreams" approach to life. And it was true, you did have a dream, a big dream. While you could have been anything else: a doctor, a lawyer, a profession that would make your parents happy and keep you reliably comfortable your whole life, you could never picture forcing yourself to work through something that made you unhappy, and so you decided to take the writer path.
   It was as if you were meant to be part of the busy metropolis, meant to be the same as everyone else in the crowd: broke, fresh out of uni, and barely paying the rent for a small, crappy apartment. You soon learned that dreaming to reach your dream job, a job where working hours weren't physically and mentally draining but were rather hours of doing what you loved, would only become more than just a dream at the price of your blood, sweat, and tears, just like it did for everyone else.
   But after working your ass off and putting two books on store shelves, you were able to end your contract with the sketchy landlord in the shady part of town and move into a nicer, actually livable apartment in a better building with a better landlord in a better neighborhood.
   Now when you stepped out of your complex, you were greeted with the refreshing sight of people passing by, the sky a clear blue, with a soft breeze you could feel underneath your windbreaker as it ruffled your hair and rustled your sleeves, the bright red, blue, and yellow fabric almost as bright as the sun overhead. Birds chirped in nearby trees, and if you walked around and looked for a while, you could find a few cats hanging around the sidewalk or hiding behind dumpsters.
   It was all you could have ever asked for and more.
   But sometimes, city life can be a distraction, and sometimes, you really, really need a change of pace and scenery.
   Which brought you to the present, sitting with your legs underneath you on your soft couch, squishing the plush grey throw pillows and balancing your laptop on your thighs. The money you got from your newest releases was in no means enough to call you rich, but it was comfortable enough that costs weren't one of your concerns as you typed a quick Google search. An airline website was open on your screen, and you were browsing through the available tickets, looking for one that would take you to a nice getaway, a small break from the nonstop chaos of your city, which had finally begun to wear you out from the endless stress and sleepless nights.
   "Seven day long camp resort in one of the country's most beautiful and idyllic forests," said the advertisement that popped up on the side of your browser. Clicking on it, it took you to a pretty convincing website about Inari Lodge, a tourist attraction in the middle of a forest you had never heard of before. Lists upon lists of hiking trails, forest tours, and crafted souvenir shops caught your eye, and before you knew it you were booking a week's stay in one of their cabins. Sealing the deal and buying your ticket, you sat back and sighed, ready for a vacation.
   Two weeks later, it was a few hours before your flight, so obviously you had already packed. Not. You called a friend over to help and keep you company while you packed, and ten minutes later, a familiar brunet walked through the door, ruffling his chocolate brown locks.
   "It's nice to see you, Tooru," you greeted, padding closer to him as he opened his arms for a hug. "Your hugs are the best, as always," you smiled up at him, before taking a step back.
   "You would have seen me either way; I was just on my way to bother you," he said. "You're taking a trip without me? How will I survive without you?"
   "Don't be dramatic, Ruru," you chided, pulling your suitcase onto your bed. "I know for a fact that the week I'm gone is the same week the team you're coaching has tournaments."
   "Ugh, don't remind me. They're good kids, but they suck ass," Tooru groaned, flopping next to your suitcase. "Do you have everything you need?"
   "You tell me. Check things off," you answered while looking through your closet.
   "Oooh, do I get to see your clothes?" Tooru asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.
   You rolled your eyes at him. "My shirts and pants, yeah. Everything under that has been packed into this," you said, holding up a medium sized makeup pouch. 
   "Bummer. Oh well, there's always next time."
   "Ruru, stop being dirty."
   He grumbled something underneath his breath, low enough that you missed it. "Well, how long is the stay?"
   "A week."
   "So you need seven sets of clothes?"
   "Yeah, assuming I don't pee my pants," you smiled over your shoulder, watching as Oikawa held back a laugh with his hand, a wide smile spread across his face.
   "Haha, you got the whole squad laughing. How cold is it there?"
   "It's pretty cold, apparently. I'm not surprised, it's farther north than where we live, and it gets pretty chilly here sometimes," you answered, pulling a few sweaters out of your closet, pairing it with random pairs of jeans you grabbed, and passed them to Tooru, who folded and put them in your suitcase.
   "Aww, aren't I such husband material? Wait here wifey, I'm gonna get your stuff from the bath," Oikawa winked, throwing up a peace sign at you before he turned and disappeared behind the white door.
   "Can you get my toothbrush stuff too? Thank you~," you called after him in a sweet singsong voice. 
   You glanced at your bookbag, still on your couch, just where you left it. You looked at the scarf in your hands, a large white scarf too bulky to wear, and decided to throw it in there, along with your laptop and charger. You put an extra pair of comfortable boots in a reusable bag, neatly settling it between your clothes. Tooru handed you another bag, and a peek inside showed you your bath and bathroom essentials. You flashed a grateful smile at him, before turning and grabbing the last few items to throw in your bookbag-turned-carry-on, which included your notebook full of your messy brainstorming, a pack of pens, and your phone charger. Zipping your suitcase closed, you pulled up the handle and hung your bag around it.
   "Okay, I'm ready. I've got everything, except you," you winked mischievously at Tooru.
   "You're flirting! It's not fair," he complained, hand grabbing at his heart, the other draped dramatically over his forehead.
   "Guilty as charged," you winked, throwing up a finger heart. "Drive me to the airport?"
   "Of course, babe."
   You had already checked in your suitcase, got your ticket safely in your hand, and all that was left for you to do was wait an hour or so until boarding. You turned to Tooru, giving him one last hug. "I'm gonna miss you and the others, Ruru," you whispered softly, even though you were only leaving for a week.
   Tooru hugged you back, holding you tightly against his chest. He let you go, before taking a step back and pulling his hoodie over his head, his shirt riding up a bit, showing some skin for a split second. "Here, wear this," he said, handing it over to you.
   You brightened, smiling like a thousand suns before slipping it on. It was huge on you, and you were almost drowning in the soft, teal blue fabric. He gave you a fond look, his eyes shining in such pure, unadulterated love that it took your breath away for a moment.
   "Thank you, Tooru."
   "Keep it warm for me, okay?"
   "I know, I know, I promise you'll see it when I come back."
   He gave you one last hug, short and sweet, before walking away, turning to look back at you one last time. You stood there until the doors slid closed behind his back, a soft smile on your face, before you turned away and walked to your terminal, hoping to kill time either shopping, eating, or sleeping.
  You could finally lean back and relax once you were secured in your seat, miles in the air. Boarding and finding your aisle wasn't much of a hassle, thank the gods, and the glass of the plane window was refreshingly cool against the tip of your nose as you peered down at the clouds passing by. You held your bookbag against your chest, looking inside at the empty space in between the few items you did pack into it. Your laptop was safely zipped up in its designated pouch, along with its charger and your notebook, and the pack of pens that had somehow opened inside the pocket, which you had found out earlier as you tried to fish one out but instead pulled the empty cardboard packaging. Your phone charger was the only thing laying on the scarf you threw in there, a makeshift nest for nothing. Well, nothing yet.
   You were excited to spend a week in a completely different environment, surrounded by lush forestry and the coos and calls of whatever animals lived there, a place where you're never truly alone, but in a good way. It was a stark contrast from the car fumes in the city air, with the only plant life in a park square and the only sounds are the constant chatter and hum of people and cars finding their destinations. There never once was an hour of silence, and while you had been able to enjoy it as your background noise while writing, it wasn't long until you finally got tired of it. You could've sworn that the city had gotten louder on purpose just to exhaust and stress you out every night, so you were more than ready to finally be able to clear your head and maybe even flesh out an idea or two.
   The sound of the intercoms crackling to life made you jolt, holding a hand to the cold imprint on your cheek left from sleeping against the window. The pilot announced that the plane was descending, and you gathered your bag and Tooru's hoodie, bundling them both in your arms.
   Truth be told, you were glad to step off the plane. You felt the chill of the outside while walking off the plane through the passenger boarding bridge and stood for a second to put the hoodie back on, humming slightly at Tooru's smell still on the cloth, a nice, sweet but not too sweet scent that made you smile to yourself.
   You got lost in thought, so your body was on autopilot when you went to pick up your luggage and almost picked up the wrong suitcase, until the actual owner picked it up first, eyeing you weirdly. With guilty, heated cheeks, you grabbed your suitcase, checked it once, then twice, then three times, and finally hopped into an Uber as fast as you could, hoping that you wouldn't be starting your first day on vacation dying of embarrassment.
   You hurriedly thanked the driver for dropping you off, then made your way into a wooden building, the wood a warm oak with a little golden bell that chimed as you walked in. A woman behind the desk smiled at you, and you sighed, happy to have nothing to worry about, now that you were finally there.
   "Hello, welcome to Inari Lodge! Is there something I can help you with?"
   "Yes, please," you said, pulling your luggage close to you. "I reserved a cabin, and I need the keys, right?"
   "Of course," she smiled at you, and for a quick second, you thought that she resembled a cat, with black hair and upturned eyes.
   "Um, I'm sorry if I'm being intrusive, but are you a mom?"
   "Haha, don't worry, you're fine! Yes I am, my name is Kozume Sakura, and I have a son," she answered kindly, and you couldn't help but feel relieved to finally have a good thing to improve your currently-going-badly day.
   "Ah, it's just that you seemed familiar to someone I've seen around campus."
   "Ah, that would most likely be my son," she said, a sweet smile spreading across her face. "Anyway, here are your keys, and I've written the directions to your cabin right here. Don't hesitate to come and ask me for anything, okay?"
   "Yeah, okay," you nodded gratefully, making sure to wave goodbye as you walked out the doors, looking at the map in your hands.
   "I can not believe how hard it was to find you," you said to the cabin as you flopped on the bed, tired of having such a conflicting day. You sat up quickly, slapping your cheeks, "No, I won't let a few fuck ups ruin everything for me."
   Grabbing your phone, you slipped it into your hoodie pocket as you walked out the door, set on exploring the area.
   You decided not to take an official trail, preferring to save them for later, which brought you to an ordinary worn dirt path as you walked aimlessly, taking rights and lefts as you pleased.
   A rustling in the bushes lining the trail caught your attention. Just as you walked closer to separate the branches and peek through, a fox fell out of the leaves, as if something had pushed it out. The fox seemed to scowl at whatever had shoved it, before it turned its attention to you.
   Before you could think better, you crouched on the ground as you cooed, resting your cheek in your palm. "Hello, cutie fox, how are you?"
   The fox stared at you, which was good, because if it started speaking you would've booked it right then and there, but also bad, because you didn't know if it was irritated by your presence. It seemed to look warily at you, not ready to attack, but not fully trusting either.
   "Come here, I want to pet you," you crooned, holding out the end of your sentence as you leaned forward against your better judgement, shifting your legs from against your chest to underneath you. Before it could make a decision, however, another fox jumped out of the bushes and straight into your arms, settling happily in your lap. Caught by surprise, you stared, while the first fox yipped at it, jumping forward and pushing it out of your lap. You watched as they tumbled to the ground, rolling as they fought and wrestled.
   "Um, okay… I think I'll just go now, bye!" You quipped before turning around and walking steadily back to where you came from, not wanting to get caught up in a wild animal fight.
   "Look at what ya did 'Tsumu, why do ya always mess everything up?"
   "Me? Me?! You were the one that jumped me!"
   "'Cause I didn't recall inviting you to our conversation, dumbass!"
   "Yer a fuckin' fox, you can't talk! You're just jealous!"
   "So are you! We're twins, shithead!"
   And they kept arguing, voices carrying throughout the forest, even as they walked along the path the pretty, perfect, kind, and amazing love of their li— , ahem, the completely normal girl from earlier took, leading to the all too familiar lodge situated at the edge of their forest.
   "That was close," you whispered to yourself as you leaned against the door, as if the foxes would be strong enough to bust it open. They hadn't even followed you, as you didn't hear them, and when you glanced behind you, nobody was there.
   "Anyway, I guess I should plan out what I'm gonna do here, I don't want this trip to be a waste," you said, opening your suitcase and putting your clothes in the drawers, setting your bathroom essentials on top of it. You grabbed your bookbag from where you had thrown it on the bed and set it on a glass table. You pulled out your notebook and flipped to a blank page, cringing as you passed by page after page of chicken scratch.
   "The only reason I can read my own handwriting is because I'm there when it's written," you muttered to yourself as you rummaged for a pen, finding one out of the set of five. You wrote down the days of the week you'd be staying there, with your first official day starting tomorrow, on Tuesday. Your flight back was scheduled for a week later, on Monday. You hummed happily, glad that your timetable worked out so neatly as you wrote down the days of the week, leaving enough space for a bullet list underneath.
   On your last day at the lodge, you made sure to make a note to leave at noon at the latest, since your flight was at six in the afternoon, and you wanted to be extra, extra, extra sure that you would not miss it. Ideally, you would be all packed up Sunday night, but knowing you and your procrastinating self, you wrote it down for the day before, even though you knew you would probably be packing the day of, just as you did before.
   You made sure to set Saturday as souvenir hunting day, hoping to bring back something for Tooru, a thank you for the help and hoodie.
   The foxes you met earlier crossed your mind, but the grumbling of your stomach reminded you to get some dinner and wrap up your day. Holding the map out in front of you, you memorized the directions to a cafe not too far from your cabin, and went on your way.
   "Hello, can I get the sandwich of the day with a cinnamon hot chocolate and a slice of pumpkin bread?"
   "Of course! Here's your total."
   The worker you were pleasantly talking to gave you a small smile before glancing to the side, as if something caught his eye. He pulled a face at whatever he was looking at, and you followed his annoyed gaze to the two foxes you met earlier, playing next to one of the bean bag chairs next to the door, near the window wall of the cafe.
   You laughed awkwardly, "Haha, um, is there something wrong?"
   He seemed to snap out of giving them the stink eye, profusely apologizing to you as he provided an explanation, "No, no, it's fine, it's just that those two foxes are some of the forest animals that walk around the lodge, except they're the only ones that are more annoying than cute. Some cats and birds and such come by and usually will just sit next to the register, you know, like nice and normal animals, but these foxes seem hellbent on walking around and biting at people's ankles and fighting and making huge messes that they can't clean up because they're damn foxes."
   You laughed again, though this time it was genuine. "You seem to have very strong feelings about their mischief," you joked, watching as he relaxed.
   "Yeah, but at the end of the day, they're still just foxes, and we make sure all the animals of the forest are safe and sound."
   And if the foxes decided to cause more trouble than usual, that was their business, their decision, and not in any way related to the slight dislike of the barista, which was in turn totally not because you got along well with him.
   After paying, you made your way to a table in the corner of the windows where the glass met the wall, looking absentmindedly at the visitors and workers walking past, occasionally with a rabbit or bird or other critter.
   "I have your hot chocolate and sandwich, and your bread will be in just a moment. Unfortunately, I also brought these two," the barista you were talking to said as he set your food and drink on the table, before glancing at the floor. Just as you were about to lean over and see, two foxes jumped up on the seat across from you, settling themselves on the table, curled up like cats.
   You waved him off with a grin, "Oh it's fine, I have a feeling they'll behave."
   You took a sip out of your hot chocolate, savoring the warmth it gave you after being in the outside chill. You picked up your sandwich and took a bite, before speaking, "Are you done fighting?"
   Both foxes stared at you, and if they were people, you were sure their mouths would be hanging open, dumbfounded and mildly offended as you nonchalantly took another bite, not waiting for them to respond or react.
   You reached a hand out while they were frozen and pet the head of the fox nearest to you. It lowered its head slightly, shyly accepting your affection.
   "Aww, you're so cute. What's your name?"
   Of course, it couldn't speak, but it batted your hand with its left paw. "So cute," you crooned, "Come here?"
   Just like before, when the fox was about to walk towards you, the other one jumped at you, and you hurried to wrap your arms around it. You stared at it in your arms, tummy up like a baby.
   You rubbed its stomach. "What about you? What's your name?"
   He happily raised his right paw, and you held it gently before putting him back on the table, which was good, because the left paw fox was a second away from pouncing on it again. The fox you set down scrambled onto the tabletop, and watched with what you would call betrayed eyes as you carried the other fox into your lap, petting its head lightly.
   "It's not your turn," you quipped, focusing your attention on the fox in your lap. "You're so cute, so cute, please be my baby~."
   The fox you dumped on the table yipped indignantly at you, and you decided to mess with him. "Oh, you're still here? Well, I guess you're okay…" you trailed off, struggling to keep a poker face as he looked at you with puppy eyes, while the other fox barked out high pitched laughs, which made him get up and get ready to jump.
   You pet him between his ears. "I'm just joking. Jeez, you're always at each other's necks," you complained, sitting back and continuing to eat your sandwich.
   As if to prove you wrong, the fox in your lap jumped on the table and curled up with the other fox, both of them leaning against each other like close brothers. Coincidentally, the waiter walked by with your pumpkin bread, watching in amazement.
   "How did you do that?" he asked, and you just shrugged in response, your attention mostly on your sandwich.
   When you finished it, you took another sip of your drink before you tore off two pieces of your bread. You offered it to them as a reward, for finally behaving themselves. They yipped happily in response, content with spending the rest of your time together eating in comfortable silence.
   You pulled yourself out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. Embarrassingly, jet lag made you sleep in on Tuesday, your first official day at the lodge, and by the time you woke up, you had nothing to do but eat and jot down some story ideas, none of which stuck to you.
   So you made sure to wake up nice and early the next day, dead set on going on at least one trail. You showered and changed into a new pair of jeans and a knit grey sweater. You stood for a moment, debating if you should wear a jacket or Tooru's hoodie over it, but decided against it and deemed the sweater good enough.
   Thankfully, it was one of the warmer, sunnier days. You looked down at your map, making your way towards the open lodge outlet, taking note of the small clusters of people milling about, a familiar sight, albeit on a smaller, calmer scale. You looked up at the wooden signs pointing towards various shops, restaurants, and forest attractions. You finally found the one you were looking for, pointing to your right with the word "birdwatch" carved across. When you followed its directions, you came to a small gift shop at the start of a wide, dirt path, imprints of boots and footsteps all over the light brown ground. Walking inside, a small wind chime announced your arrival, twinkling like bird chirps, and the person behind the counter looked up.
   "Oh, it's you!" she exclaimed, recognizing your face.
   "Hello again! I thought you worked at the reception desk?"
   "I'm covering for someone's shift right now, they had finals to take. Are you here for a birdwatch?"
   "Spot on," you answered, bringing a hand up to rub the back of your head with a meek smile. Kozume winked at you, before taking out two binoculars from under the desk.
   "Well then, let's go!"
   "You know, some of these birds remind me of the ones that live near my apartment building," you mentioned, picturing the large cherry blossom tree that stretched its branches past your window. "The birds here are so much more interesting though," you lamented. "The city just has crows and small birds, but here there's robins and warblers and so many more species, with great diversity. It's like the bird version of the people back home."
   "I can imagine not many birds want to live near so many humans, but these have all of the forest to themselves. Look, the bird over there, with the blue mohawk, is called an Asian Paradise Flycatcher, and…" she trailed off, continuing your tour of one of the forest trails, before whipping an arm in front of you, exclaiming, "Watch your step!"
   You froze with your foot still in the air, watching as the fox you narrowly missed stepping on darted in front of you.
   "I'm sorry, he's not really supposed to be here, he has his own trail," Kozume frantically apologized while glaring at the fox, before sighing in relief when you responded with a small laugh.
   "It's fine, I've met him before," you reassured while looking around, searching for a certain somebody. "And I learned that he never walks alone…"
   To prove your point, the other fox you were well acquainted with joined his brother, running around in front of you.
   "Well, the next part of our trail is basically a circle back, so hopefully they run off to where they belong, I don't want you to get in trouble for messing with the animals because of them," Kozume said as you made a left, walking back to the start of the trail.
   When you opened the door to the gift shop, two furry animals zipped past your feet, and you already knew who they were before you even saw them.
   "Kozume, is it normal for these guys to always hang around here?" you asked, picking up both foxes in your arms, resting them comfortably in your arms.
   Kozume turned around to look at you, her hands still in midair, putting away your binoculars. "Actually, no, they do come by once or twice but they never hang around, and we just assumed they don't like people very much since they really only hang out with each other. They've never let anyone pet them…" she stopped mid-sentence as she watched you pet their heads and stomachs with no resistance from the two.
   You glanced up. "Huh? Oh, I don't really have a lot of experience with animals, but they're just so cute," you said, before snapping your head up, eyes wide in realization. "Hey, do you have some ribbon or something?"
   "Yes! We use them to identify specific birds we keep tabs on, especially ones we just recently nursed back to health," she explained, pulling out a box of ribbons, offering it to you. You set the foxes on the counter, watching Kozume hesitantly reach a hand out to them from the corner of your eye. They protested, but allowed her to pet them when you eyed them. Looking into the box, you fished out two ribbons, one a golden yellow, and the other a nice warm grey.
   "May I?" you asked, directing the question to Kozume. The foxes, however, decided you were talking to them and excitedly sat in front of you, pulling each ribbon towards them with their paw.
   "I think they said yes," Kozume chuckled, and you took that as your permission to put ribbons on their, er, the forest's foxes. You cooed at them, asking which one would go first. The fox with the yellow ribbon in his mouth nudged your hand with his face, making you smile.
   "Which are you, left or right?"
   The fox raised its right paw and rubbed his face as your answer, and you kept that in mind while you tied the ribbon around his neck, finishing it off with a nice bow. You did the same to the other fox, who voluntarily shook your hand with his left paw, just in case you forgot. By the time you were done, both foxes were playing on the counter, ribboned bows securely on their necks.
   "What if you started working here? The way you can interact with the animals so easily is honestly amazing," Kozume asked, springing the question on you out of the blue.
   You jumped, before you began rubbing the back of your head sheepishly, "Ah, I would love to, honestly, but I work as an author, and it's best if I stay relatively close to my publishing company."
   Kozume smiled understandingly, "Yeah, I figured. Well, just know that me and the foxes will be missing you hundreds of miles away." Then she brightened, pulling out her phone, "Put your number in, so we can stay in touch, and so I can keep an eye on my son," she winked cheekily as you accepted her offer.
   While the two of you were occupied, focused on your conversation, the two foxes stopped playing, standing abruptly and whipping their faces towards you.
   Loud crying made you turn away from Kozume and look for the source of the high-pitched whining, popping the question "who's making those crying puppy sounds?" into the air.
   Your eyes landed on the foxes, both of which were crying and walking towards you, tugging at your sleeve and rubbing their heads against your arms. Your heart melted, and you turned to Kozume, pity written across your face.
   "When I said they would miss you, I didn't think it would be this much…"
   "No, you can't come in here! I'll be kicked out if I let you guys in!"
   The foxes, still with the ribbons tied perfectly and safely around their necks, were looping around your legs, blocking your entrance to the cabin you've rented. They both looked up at you and cried, their whines catching the attention of some workers and visitors nearby.
   "Okay, fine! If I get in trouble, it's your fault," you relented, turning the knob and carefully opening the door, watching as they slipped in, leaving you to shut the smooth oak door quietly behind you as you flipped on the light switch.
   The second you let electric light flood the cabin, you realized the foxes were nowhere to be seen. Only mildly worried, since you knew they were at least somewhere inside, you shrugged it off and walked to the dresser, pulling out Tooru's hoodie and some sweatpants, before making your way to the bathroom.
   Out of nowhere, a fox came zooming at your feet, eager to come inside with you. This time, you were firm as you said, "I'm going to shower, so you can back off and play around while I'm in the bathroom, alone, with no perverts!"
   The grey fox started laughing at the peeping fox, which you realized was the yellow ribboned one. As expected, he launched at his brother, and you took the distraction as an opportunity to step inside the bathroom and shut the door behind you, locking it just to make sure.
   Freshly showered, with your comfortable, warm clothes on, you shuffled out of the bathroom, already expecting the foxes right there, having to step over them to make your way to the bed. They jumped up with you, but once the grey fox came close enough to sniff your hoodie, it barked indignantly, biting at the hoodie.
   "Hey! This isn't mine, it's Tooru's, so I can't let you destroy it!" you chided, pulling your sleeve away. Apparently you had said the wrong thing, because both foxes started pulling your sleeves together, before you yanked your arms out of their grips.
   "Tooru doesn't even smell bad, he smells nice," you said, pulling the hoodie up to smell the familiar scent, the aromas of chocolates and sweets in fresh air, reminding you of the skies back at the city: the smells of bakeries and cafes wafting through the air and birds chirping above you every time you walked down a street. Still, when the foxes continued growling, you reluctantly tugged the sweater off and stayed in just a white t-shirt, an old, stretched out shirt with the print on the front long since faded and gone.
   When you plopped back on the bed, the foxes crowded towards you, close enough that if you didn't know better, you'd think that they were trying to get you to forget about Tooru and focus on them. Subconsciously taking a breath, you caught the smell of a forest clearing or meadow, a smell of fresh grass and fresh air and petrichor, which you would expect from foxes that were supposed to stay and play in the forest, but you also noticed slight variations in the scent, obviously coming from either fox.
   Yellow ribbon had a scent like honey, with a strong undertone of a woodsy musk, which made you picture drinking tea sweetened with the golden syrup right outside your cabin. 
   Grey ribbon had a strong campfire scent, the smell of crackling wood and fire and melting chocolate. A scene under a clear night sky surrounding a fire with the aroma of cinnamon in the air came to mind, and you let yourself get lost in thought, your senses being occupied with new scents, sights, and imagery.
   If the foxes were human, their faces would surely have the widest, shit-eating grins, smug and satisfied at having you distracted from the minor annoyance from earlier and focused on them, just as they wanted.
   You snapped out of it. "You little—, you just want me to give you attention and affection and baby you," you accused, pushing them away from your face. They didn't protest or bark at you, and you figured it was because they knew they were guilty as charged. "Jeez, you're acting like Tooru is a threat or something…"
   You heard two big sighs, and blinked in surprise at the foxes as they settled onto the plush white covers. Maybe it was because they were so human-like and made you honestly contemplate whether they could understand you or not, or maybe it was because the only animal you've heard sigh is your mom's dog back at your family home, but whatever it was, it made you think, for a split second, that the foxes were humans turned animals, kind of like the frog prince. But that was stupid, so you shook your head, got up and turned off the lights, opening the curtains but keeping the blinds closed, and settled back into bed as slats of moonlight came from the spaces between the blinds.
   The foxes climbed into your arms, and you held them close to you as you fell asleep, telling yourself it was only because you had crossed the line earlier, even though deep down you knew that wasn't the real reason.
   You pulled the two fluffy sources of heat closer to you, unwilling to open your eyes and start the day. It's only when the heaters started licking your face that you panicked and freaked out.
   High pitched yips made the events of yesterday evening rush back to you, and you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes tiredly, surprised that you had a good night's sleep with two, technically, wild animals.
   You scooped the drowsy foxes into your arms before making your way to the big wooden door and pushing it open, setting the foxes on the ground.
   "You weren't even supposed to be in there, you know," you said as the foxes tried to get back in, pawing at the door. You shivered, the chill in the air numbing your exposed skin and wrapping around your bare arms, and you hurriedly shooed them away before retreating back inside the warmth of the cabin.
   Safely bundled in a sweater from your university under a hoodie, one of your own this time, you joined a group going for the fox trail, wondering if you'd see yours.
   Pointedly ignoring how you immediately thought of them as "your" foxes, you listened to the tour guide, an employee you hadn't met yet, talk about how the foxes don't always show on the trail.
   "That's a shame, let's just hope for the best," other visitors and families whispered around you, with some of them saying they didn't see that many foxes yesterday, only a few odd ones out here and there. Knowing where they actually were the day before, you stifled a laugh, even as your ears turned red with guilt and embarrassment, before following at the back of the group as they started the trail.
   Luckily, you saw a few grey and brown foxes, who seemed like actual normal foxes and not borderline sentient, but around the middle of the trail it was basically deserted.
   "Let me try to call them," the guide offered, bringing his hands up to cup his mouth and whistle loudly.
   Silence answered, with no signs of anything coming to visit. 
   The tour guide encouraged the group to call out and whistle, and various whistles and voices rose from the group.
   Not wanting to draw attention to yourself, you crouched low, at eye-level with the bushes, and softly called out for two specific foxes, your hello muffled by the rest of the crowd.
   You gave up, feeling stupid and unconvinced that your almost-whisper would carry over the noise of the crowd, and sat on the ground, legs folded under you, deciding to wait until the group either got tired or another fox actually showed up for them. Just then, the bushes in front of you started to rustle, and your lovely grey ribboned fox jumped out, immediately crawling into your lap to nuzzle your face.
   The people closest to you turned at the noise and noticed you cuddling with him on the ground, and word started spreading throughout the group that someone had successfully lured out a fox.
   "Look! There's one running this way!" the ones at the front of the group called, and you looked just in time to see your other fox running towards you, straight past the tour guide and the rest of the group. You smiled fondly at them, before lowering your face to let both of them rub their cheeks against yours.
   "Ma'am, could you please not touch the animals?" the tour guide told you timidly, obviously not wanting to reprimand you for being able to actually call out foxes on the designated fox trail, but you understood it was mostly so others didn't start getting any ideas, thinking they had permission.
   You nodded sheepishly, lightly putting them on the floor before standing up, wiping the dust off your knees. However, the whole group watched as the foxes looped around your feet, even going so far as to jump up and paw at your thighs.
   "Do you work here? You're so good with animals!" a mom in the crowd asked, and you looked at the actual worker, unsure of what to say. He stared back at you with just as much confusion, before shrugging, leaving you to make up a convincing story on the spot.
   "Actually, these foxes used to live near me, but I live in a city, so I brought them here so they'd be safer than on the streets," you fibbed, though you gave yourself a pat on the back for how reliable the story was. If anyone really did have to ask, yes, you did live in a city, and yes, you would one hundred percent bring foxes and other animals to a forest or wildlife lodge. Did that really happen? No, but could it? The answer was yes, and you sighed in relief when the mom turned, accepting your answer. You giggled when the tour guide released a breath he didn't even know he was holding, and he continued the trail, sending a discreet wink your way.
   You didn't notice the way your foxes growled at that, and if someone had asked you why you had two foxes right at your heels, walking next to you protectively like a pair of guard dogs, you'd blink in confusion, oblivious to the reality of their words.
   Before you knew it, it was Saturday, souvenir shopping day. You slung on your bookbag, ready to put some weight in it.
   At the lodge's shopping centre, you saw gift shops, clothing shops, and random trinket shops alike. In the gift shop, you found crystal figurines of animals in and around the lodge, and a cute little bird the color of a clear sky caught your eye. For some reason, it reminded you of Tooru, and you couldn't stop yourself from buying it and watching as the cashier wrapped it in paper before setting it in a white velvet box, cushioned and safe. Huh, crystal bird, blue, bluebird. You may have found another nickname for Ruru. You absentmindedly slipped it into your bag, happy to have found what you were looking for so fast and a new nickname.
   But stores weren't anything if not eye-catching, and the shelf of plush animals distracted you. The fox plushies, specifically, were so similar to actual foxes that they'd be perfect replacement cuddle buddies for when you went back home to your big city.
   But then you felt incredibly embarrassed and childish for that, so you shook your head as you walked out of the shop, ignoring the way that thought stuck in your head like a moth to a lamp.
   Still, you found yourself walking through store after store after store. Once you finally snapped out of it, you had just stepped out of the birdwatching souvenir store, all too aware of the set of postcards themed after the various birds you could spot on the trail. You told yourself that the blue mohawk bird on the front was a great reminder of both the trail and Kozume, and made a mental note to get her to write something before you left, lessening your guilt over having bought something almost useless.
   By the time you came back to the cabin, your wallet felt significantly lighter while your bookbag was very obviously heavier. You had stuffed the velvet box, postcard deck, two maroon sweaters with "Inari Lodge" printed across the front with the forest's logo, and a large and heavy book about spirits and legendary deities that guard and dwell in the forest. According to the summary on the back, the book was basically a collection of the myths and legends surrounding the forest, including one about people that could transform from animal to person and back again. The cover of the book immediately made you think "grimoire", and you were set on buying it, if not for the stories, then for the aesthetic.
   You wondered briefly if it was real as you unclasped the leather string binding the book shut and flipped through yellowed pages with torn edges, looking at all the pictures that looked believable hand drawn and writing in a language you could only understand when you squinted your eyes.
   You had wrapped everything in the two sweaters, and then in the white scarf, making sure they were safe and at no risk of being crushed or damaged, especially the crystalline figure.
   "Are ya sure she isn't coming back?"
   "Yes, 'Tsumu, last I checked she was dropping off her keys to Kozume."
   "But she'll be back soon?"
   "Yeah no shit, genius, that's why you either get in here with me or stay behind."
   "Hey, I'm just makin' sure you're prepared for this y'know, in case you start crying for momma or somethin'."
   "Shut yer face and die."
   "What do we do now?"
   "I don't wanna pay for a ticket, 'Samu."
   "Me neither, but we can't hitch a ride in her carry-on anymore, it's going through TSA."
   They both leaned against the wall, realizing that they were both stupid and their plan was stupid squared.
   Atsumu looked up, the ribbon around his neck moving with him, and he watched you walk into the bathroom, leaving your luggage outside the door. He nudged Osamu, pointing at the bathroom door.
   "Nice," he praised.
   And if people saw two foxes crawling into a bookbag? It's the airport at three in the alternate airport timeline, who cares.
   "My bag is so heavy," you complained, flopping into your assigned seat. It was another window seat, and the view of the land underneath becoming smaller and smaller until it was covered by a sea of clouds made you feel a little better. Still, how did your bag get that heavy? When it was empty, it was literally lightweight, and when you were still shopping, it wasn't that hard to carry it as you went from store to store. You groaned, rolling your shoulder from the pain of carrying the boulder of a bag.
   "That's what I get for buying so much," you berated yourself, opening the flap and looking inside. Surprisingly, two fluffy foxes were curled up in there, resting comfortably on your white scarf. For a moment, you thought your foxes had hitched a ride and were coming home with you, but you'd obviously notice that, right? And besides, you did see the stuffed animals in the gift shop.
   "I can't believe I actually bought the stuffed foxes just because I'll miss the real ones," you huffed, blushing slightly, as if the foxes were there and could hear you. But the foxes were not there, you had left them at the lodge, so you settled for stroking the faux fur of the stuffed foxes, the silky smooth strands so lifelike that if you didn't know better, you'd think it was real.
   "Finally," you gasped, face planting into the soft fluffy white of your blanket. You tugged off Tooru's sweater and folded it neatly, walking out and placing it on your counter, ready to return. You rummaged through your bag, that you had dropped to the floor as soon as you opened the door to your room, and tugged out the scarf from underneath your very suspiciously heavy fox plushies. 
   You unwrapped the bundle, pulling all your souvenirs out before bunching up the scarf and throwing it into your laundry basket. You set the book and postcard deck on your bookshelf, next to other various books and collectibles you've found over the years, and grabbed the velvet box, feeling its smooth texture against the palm of your hand. You set it on top of the teal hoodie, before changing out of your jeans and shirt into shorts and an oversized tee, boyfriend style.
   Ugh, a boyfriend. You've been single for way too long.
   "Please let me wake up to a miracle," you prayed, closing your eyes and pulling a serene face, before immediately flopping over and falling asleep.
   Of course, you do not expect to wake up cuddled up to a warm chest while listening to someone messing around in your bathroom, the shutting of cupboards and a phone call drifting from the white door.
   You laid there, relishing the comfort that came from being flush against someone's side, tucked under their arm.
   That's when it hit you that strangers were in your house.
   You bolted up, using your hand to choke back the scream bubbling from your throat, not wanting to let either person know you were awake.
   You looked down, realizing that you had just left the side of a very handsome and very shirtless man, his eyes slowly opening when he felt the absence of your warmth, showing you his beautiful light brown eyes, getting lost in the gold specs like stars.
   You ripped your gaze away from him and moved to swing your legs over the edge of the bed. Unfortunately for you, the mystery man reached up and tugged you back down to him, holding a finger up to his very pink and very kissable and very attract— , wait, no. He held his finger against his lips, shushing you.
   "Wait, he's coming out. Stay beside me."
   Just as you opened your mouth to retaliate, he had already thrown your white covers over the both of you and looped an arm around you, his hand resting at your waist.
   The door to the bathroom opened, and yet another stranger walked out, though it was only him, making the total number of intruders two. He had the same eyes and lips, which were the definition of picture perfect, and he was also lacking in the shirt department. His brows furrowed, and you could already feel the argument starting.
   "What the hell do ya think yer doin'?!"
   "She prefers me."
   "No she doesn't!"
   "It's true, right doll?"
   Both pairs of identical eyes stared at you, and you started panicking under the pressure.
   "I don't even know you! This is literally stranger danger!" you yelled, jumping out of the warmth of both the blanket and the guy in your bed, dodging as his hand reached out to pull you back in.
   You pressed your back against the wall, staying as far away from them as possible. You then realized what you were wearing, and tugged your shirt down even further, mentally slapping yourself for wearing shorts that left almost nothing to imagination with a shirt that reached your thighs, which would put you at a disadvantage if you had to fight or flight.
   The stranger finally got out of your bed and walked next to the other, but it was only once they were next to each other that you realized they were twins, identical twins. Both had dyed hair, but one was blond while the other had grey hair. Their bangs were parted to opposite sides, so they kind of mirrored each other, which made you shiver.
   "Don't ya remember us?"
   "Yeah, you liked me better."
   As they started bickering, as almost all siblings do, you noticed the two sweaters you bought sitting on the edge of the bed. Snatching them and balling them up in either fist, you threw them at them.
   "At least wear these!"
   "Those sweaters would eat me alive, but they fit you so well," you sighed, sitting on your legs on your bed, the two still standing in front of you.
   As they pulled the cloth over their head, you noticed the ribbons tied around their neck as they popped free from the neckline. You felt your heart sink to your stomach when you realized they were grey and yellow ribbons.
   "'s not like we've never slept with you before," yellow ribbon said.
   "You even asked me to be your baby," grey ribbon added, catching his twin's elbow in his hand.
   "I haven't even been in the city for the past week! I was at the lodge forest thing."
   "So were we."
   "Yeah, we came from there."
   "Then how did you end up here?!"
   "We came with ya," yellow ribbon said matter-of-factly while the other shrugged in agreement.
   Your breath got caught in your throat as you flipped the flap of your bookbag over, looking at the empty space in dismay.
   "Where are my foxes?"
   "That's us!" they chorused, identical smirks of pride on their faces, as if being yours was something to show off or brag about. 
   "They were plushies! People cannot be plushies!"
   "No, they were real foxes, and we're real foxes, 'cause they were us."
   "Where the hell would I get real foxes?!"
   They saw the moment you pieced two and two together, your face turning from one of anxious anger to acceptance as you realized what they were trying to say.
   The ribbons. Their colors. The plushies that felt a little too real. That one night in your cabin. The day you fed them in that one cafe.
   They were your foxes.
   "Yup," grey ribbon nodded his head, and you shut your mouth, not wanting to accidentally say what you were thinking again.
   "Why did you come here? You belong in the forest!"
   "No, we're your foxes," they said in unison.
   "No you aren't," you groaned, covering your face with both your hands.
   The two of them had attached themselves to your side, and when you said that, they seemed to get even more annoyed, and so they snuggled even closer to you, an arm slung around your shoulders and around your waist.
   "What are your names?" you finally relented, relaxing in their grip.
   "Miya Osamu," the one with the grey ribbon said, pulling you closer from the waist.
   "Miya Atsumu, the better twin," the one with the yellow ribbon retorted, tugging you back with the arm around your shoulder.
   "Stop pushing me around! We barely know each other!"
   "Can you stop with that already?" Osamu said, though he had no actual anger or malice behind his words.
   "Or do we have to remind you who you belong to?" Atsumu said suggestively, and you braced yourself for whatever mischief he had planned.
   In one moment, you were sitting normally in the middle of your bed. In the next, you were back against your headboard, your head on your pillows. And you became a pillow, as Osamu tucked his face in your neck and Atsumu rested his head on your chest.
   "We're taking a nap together again whether you like it or not," Osamu said decisively, and you could tell that was that, no arguing.
   "At least let me pull those off, it's embarrassing," you complained, your hand drifting up to Atsumu's ribbons.
   "No," he said, catching your hand warningly. Something in his voice made you obey immediately. "That's mine."
   "Well this is mine too!" you replied heatedly, bringing a hand up and cradling Osamu's head against you. But instead of doing anything or acting out like any normal person would, Osamu started purring, a satisfied grin on his face while you had a look of dismay, your cheeks reddening. 
   Atsumu glared at him, moving your hand so your arm was wrapped around him, pulling him closer as well. You got the hint and raised your other hand to run your fingers through his hair, leaving you to deal with two purring fox-shifting idiots.
   "Fine, you're both mine, I guess," you gave up, fighting back a blush and pretending that statement didn't warm your heart as much as it did.
   "And your ours," they chorused happily, and you didn't even try to hide the pink spreading across your cheeks when they rubbed their faces against yours.
   "Okay," you said quietly, accepting the fact that them being yours and you being theirs made you feel something happy and content in your chest, something that was dangerously close to love. If you were like them, you were one hundred percent sure you'd start purring, too.
   I mean, you did say you wanted a boyfriend, and the universe was kind enough to give you more than what you bargained for.
   The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with yellow and red while the blues and purples of night crept closer. The clouds were fluffy and lined with silver, their normal white reflecting pink hues.
   The last rays of sunlight filtered through a sheer peach curtain, coating everything in gold lighting.
   Three people were sleeping soundly on a bed, the white blanket thrown over their tangled legs, breaths even and in sync. Dyed grey hair peeked out from under a chin, and blond hair tickled a collarbone. Natural hair was sprawled out on the white stuffed pillows.
   Osamu opened an eye, before raising his head and pressing a soft kiss to the sleeping beauty's lips.
   And if he raised a finger to his lips? Well, I can't say what happened next, because my lips are sealed.
oh my GOD did this take forever between writing this and school and the fanart of this (which i’ll post later) i took way longer than i normally would
that being said, i hope you still like it <3
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the1918 · 4 years
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idk if it's something you've experienced, but I was wondering if you had any advice on how to get over feeling like I'll never be as good as other writers. I'm okay, I'm not great, and sometimes reading really good fics and books makes me want to get better! and do it more! but most of the time I get really discouraged because how will I ever put words together like that, you know? idk. anyway thanks for reading this, hope your day is swell
What you’re feeling is a 100% universal experience for all writers. It’s tough. It can feel disheartening at times. There are some writers and artists that will tell you to not focus on what other people are doing and writing, to look inward at yourself only and to write your truth and blah blah blah. In my opinion, that’s bullshit. 
Anon, you’re stopping one step short of success when you look at other works and get discouraged about your own. Steal from those works until your own product is something you’re proud of!
“Wait-- what? What does she mean by ‘steal’? That’s plagiarism!” -- No. 
“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent.” - Jim Jarmusch 
As a writer, I write what I want to read and what I like to read. There is not a single thing I can do (plot-wise, character-wise, prose-wise) that will be truly original. What I CAN do is steal the ideas of other authors and bunch them together until I come up with something that’s uniquely my own.
If it still sounds like I’m telling you to rip off other works, keep reading. Let’s work through an example in an actual fic I’m writing.
My biggest struggle is that my writing and language is repetitive, most days. I use the same words and the same sentence structure over and over when left to my own devices. I don’t like that about my first-draft writing. So what do I do to overcome that? I steal the ideas of others and patchwork my stolen goods until I have something I like that is mine and mine alone.
Here is the first draft of a short paragraph from Bespoke. This draft was written solely to get action down on paper:
Steve pushed his forearms under Bucky’s knees, and he lifted his legs and body off the bed in an almost gratuitous display of super soldier strength. He pulled the legs back tightly, and Bucky was left bent in half with his back pressed into Steve’s front.
Now I go back and re-read it, and I identify things I don’t like. 
First, I’ve used the same compound sentence structure twice in a row. I know I want to try and avoid this because the tempo will become repetitive to the reader (I’m trying to write prose, not poetry.) So what do I do? I open up my copy of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451...
“Once the bomb release was yanked, it was over. Now, a full three seconds, all of the time in history, before the bombs struck, the enemy ships themselves were gone half around the visible world, like bullets in which a savage islander might not believe because they were invisible.”
... and I start by stealing his syntax (second draft):
Steve pushed his forearms under Bucky’s knees, pulling them apart. With an almost gratuitous display of power, of super-soldier strength, Steve lifted him off the bed, pulling Bucky’s thighs back, stopping when Bucky was bent in half with his back pressed into Steve’s front.
I like that a lot better but there’s too many commas for my taste. I look to one of my many browser tabs, where I happen to have The Sex Therapist by @whendoestheshipsail​​ open on Ao3 (a syntactical masterpiece). I read one paragraph and am immediately reminded of the power of short, stabbing sentences. So I steal that idea and add variety (third draft):
Steve pushed his forearms under Bucky’s knees, pulling them apart. With an almost gratuitous display of power, of super-soldier strength, Steve lifted Bucky off the bed and pulled his thighs back. He stopped when Bucky was bent in half. His back was pressed into Steve’s front. 
Almost there! I’m feeling that my diction is repetitive and boring, and maybe a little cold. Good thing I was reading some older works by @howdoyousleep3​​ earlier, who is the Queen of writing closecloseclose smut, so I’m feeling inspired to add/change things to communicate the intimacy of the position (final draft):
Steve roughly pushed his forearms under Bucky’s knees, pulling them apart. With an almost gratuitous display of power, of super-soldier strength, Steve lifted Bucky off the bed and held his thighs back tight. He stopped when Bucky was bent in half. His back was plastered to Steve’s sweaty chest.
And voila-- I start with something I don’t love and-- after creative thievery of three separate writers-- I end up with something that I like and that feels authentic to my story and my writing style. I don’t feel like someone other than me could have written this. Along the way, I have left love and comments on the fanfics that inspired me, and have let those authors know many times over how much I love their work. Art inspires art; let it.
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