#This is something that has been canon in my mind since I started developing a spirit animal au literally half a year ago

[lostbookwyrm]

Richie Tozier has a pet mouse called Noodle, by the way.

[scribeofmorpheus]

Why Dragon Age Veilguard isn't a "Cathedral"

Concept art by Matt Rhodes

"To disinherit the storylines of past games goes directly against the notion of building cathedrals."

What is inherent with Veilguard that keeps bothering me is the fact that the world's choices truly didn't matter--and it doesn't simply bother me from a player perspective, it's not simply a grievance borne of frustration to what I (as a longtime fan) have lost. It's about the very culture of the arts under capitalism's new media habituation cycle [x][x].

Yes, I spent hours of my life playing and replaying each instalment of Dragon Age. Yes, I painstakingly curated a 'canon' world state by replaying what came before in preparation for Veilguard. Yes, I am even more unsatisfied with the end product--time hasn't helped, it's just widened the divide. But, and I can't stress this enough, these very personal gripes aren't what hit home the most. It's the inherent disregard of legacy. A legacy that the previous writers and game developers were building towards.

In the DAV artbook, "cathedral" is the word used to describe the process of making a game. Matt Rhodes' exact words are: "One artist can make a painting, but it takes a team to build a cathedral." Cathedrals took centuries to build. The architect who drafted the first blueprints would likely never see his work realised, he had to rely on those who came after him, like-minded and passionate, to see it through--for the culture, for the future, for legacy. Painters took on several apprentices for this reason too--giant frescoes were not completed by one man's hand, even if it is one man's name that immortalises them. Similarly, if you weave a narrative around choice, what good does it do to take it away at the final act if not to fall to caricature?

To disinherit the storylines of past games goes directly against the notion of building cathedrals.

Late-stage capitalism and profit-margin-obsessed game producers forcing developers to churn out meager content, to make a known brand into something it's not, to chase a fad or a popular trend... o, how reductive and cliche you've been forced to become Bioware. We have lost the cultural thought patterns relative to Cathedrals. We know only of barn-raised churches--done in a day but unlikely to last the turn of the seasons.

And don't even get me started on the music of Veilguard either. From Origins to World of Warcraft to Everquest to Baldur's Gate to Dungeon Siege, you can hear the intricate interconnected weave of sounds inspired by the Dungeons and Dragons-esque fantasy genre. You hear it in the repeated use of certain instruments, in the harmonic weeping notes of a bard-like singer or the foreboding echoes of drums as if of war. In tavern songs. But then, rather than hire someone who loves these worlds and this genre, who is a hungry artist looking to make a name, a legacy if you will, for themselves with a spectacular score, you hire any already sated composer, one well-into the encroaching years of career fatigue, whose notes repeat in countless projects, who feels less concise and more uninterested with each new project. One who has long since cemented his legacy. Someone in it for a paycheck and nothing else! And, to top it off, you let him compose something so minimalist? I am offended actually.

Cathedrals! We should have witnessed the final tile being placed on the Dragon Age cathedral. Instead, some architects walked up, tore down the interior and installed IKEA furniture and called it authentic before having to call the previous architects to come and fix the "load-bearing issues", forcing them to rush and add a coat of varnish and a few 'aged' details for authenticity.

[permanentmess]

bob reynolds headcanons (including romantic x reader !)

GIF NOT MINE

a/n: i have completely let this hyperfixation consume me to the point where i quite literally think of bob or the thunderbolts most of the day. it's debilitating, but that means you will get some very passionate fics from me (literally have been in the middle of writing one thats why this took so long)

this is written with a female reader in mind, although could be easily read as otherwise :)

also let me address a common worry: absolutely NONE of this is meant to infantilize or baby this character in any way. anything i wrote was with a lot of consideration and i was using my logical thought processes to develop these. i recognize that this is a major issue already and i am not attempting to contribute to it

warnings: mentions of sex/sex life and activities so MINORS DNI 18+ ONLY, mental illness (obviously), food/lack of eating, SPOILERS FOR THE THUNDERBOLTS* FILM INCLUDING POST CREDIT SCENE

like i said in the thunderbolts one, its practically canon/accepted fanon that bob loves to read

i also feel like he might just...forget to eat (this basically comes from the bag of food and full shake he had in the post credit scene too lmao)

is trying to learn to cook but can really only cook like mac and cheese or scrambled eggs

but since he has a lot more free time, i can imagine after a bit he'd get pretty good at it (can you imagine ben grimm teaching him how to cook oml)

relationship wise, i think he's not exactly inexperienced, but he doesn't really remember anything

it says in his file his drug addiction and juvenile record started in middle school

so any romantic relationship or anything in that realm is just like...not familiar to him at all. or he just simply doesn't remember, like i said

i feel like he really likes physical touch but due to his past + the void, he's just a bit scared to touch anyone at first

but once he trusts himself and others more its easier (like towards the end of the movie/with yelena)

i think he likes the comfort of the baggy clothes that cover most of him, and thats why he wears them even though he "runs hot" (totally not projecting here) ((also its like teenagers w their hoodies -- weighted blanket style))

something tells me he likes arcades, specifically claw machines. idk why

also stuffed animals. yelena and ava definitely bought him one of those weighted ones

he seems like he would want to sleep with a nightlight at least, if not one of those aurora borealis light thingys (i have one 10/10 very calming)

i know everyone writes him as stuttering a lot, but i think he really only does it when he's anxious (i think im an expert, ive seen this movie 5 times don't come for me 🤚🏼)

like he can get really confident, especially on his better days

other than reading, i feel like he'd get into drawing or photography. something creative that can distract him but provide an outlet

(also this is actually canon but) he does the chores and dishes because he wants to feel like he's contributing to the team since he can't control his powers :(

this is maybe me projecting a little, but i feel like he ends up finding a lot of solace in nature. he went to malaysia to try and figure stuff out, so i have no doubts that he likes to get out of the city

more x reader based [romantic, some could be platonic]:

he loves his hair being played with. like you want him to pass out easy? let him stick his head in your lap, run your hands through it, massage his scalp. he'll be OUT in like 5 minutes

washing his hair? oh my god he is literally in heaven

your relationship is very slow but honestly both of you are okay with that

you two are also that couple that doesn't argue. you may disagree or want to talk to each other about stuff, but you never raise your voices [think: holt and kevin in B99 "arguing"]

he kinda does seem like the jealous type to me, but not in the toxic way. he'll just squeeze your hand extra tight or do that behind hug where he puts his head on yours or your shoulder and you immediately know

(its very hot when he gets possessive)

other than physical touch, i think he's an acts of service man. anything he can do to share his love, he wants to. and he likes little things you do for him

when i think of being with bob i just think of that quiet relationship where you're really in sync, soft mornings with the sun streaming in through the window, cute candid photos on each others phones

but i could also see one with like a slightly more talkative/expressive reader who really brings out bob's confidence. i don't doubt that he loves to yap too (some/most days at least)

he will try to cook for you but it might not turn out well (he's banned from the kitchen one week for burning water. he got distracted cause you were so pretty)

on a bit more of the sexual side, i feel like he has a praise kink. like he likes being told how he's doing, if he's treating you well, etc.

i feel like your guys' sex life starts really slow. just kissing, then moving up, until one day something in you both just kinda snaps and you can't keep your hands off each other

and maybe when its like very passionate or maybe he's a bit jealous that day, sentry comes out a little 🤭

despite being a god, sentry will straight worship you, idc, its canon

not that bob wouldn't

but sentry does on another level

at the end of the day, bob wants what you want, and you want what he wants, so it all works out well

bob is the type to have a note on his notes app of just your favorite things (all your typical orders, favorite books/movies/music, etc.). like its not that he doesn't remember (he has it memorized) but you know just in case Void takes a lot more of his memory

he'll bring a jacket with just in case you forget, he'll open doors for you, pull out your chair, he just gives off pure sweetheart and gentleman energy (not in the infantilization way)

just imagine a really peaceful relationship all around with such a genuine, sweet guy (i need him so bad)

as with the thunderbolts one, let me know about your own! kinda short but i hope they are enjoyable

[whateveriwant]

I don’t know if I’ve ever really mentioned it before, but one of my favorite AUs to see Simon in is a butcher AU – especially one where he completely forgoes the military route and instead stays with his butcher’s apprenticeship until he has his own shop one day.

At the same time, one of my favorite ways to see Simon depicted is when he’s really really awkward (which, let’s be real, is basically canon lol). Like where he’s super embarrassing, totally incapable of reading social cues, borderline “Is this your first day interacting with another human being?” levels of awkward.

And so when I mash those two ideas together, it creates this whole new beast that I can’t get enough of.

Just the thought of Simon running his little neighborhood butcher shop like any other day, simply minding his business, when in walks one of the prettiest things he’s ever had the honor of laying eyes on. Instantly, there’s a voice in Simon’s head screaming, ‘Them! That one! Where’s the nearest jewelers so I can put a ring on it ASAP?!’, but the second he opens his mouth to try to lock it down, he’s making the interaction painful.

Like Reader will be asking him what product he has in stock, and in response Simon will say something like, “Got some fresh lamb in the back. It sort of… reminds me of you 😏.” This, of course, will immediately set off alarm bells in the reader’s head like, ‘Does this guy want to disembowel me and hang me from a hook in his freezer?!?!’ Meanwhile, Simon meant it in a ‘you have soft, gentle eyes’ kind of way.

Or maybe something happens where Simon gets close enough to the reader that he’s able to smell the fragrance they’re wearing. Completely unprompted, he would smile and go, “You smell like my mum,” which to him is just about the highest compliment he can pay someone, saying they remind him of his late mother, but to the reader it’s like okay can you relax, Norman Bates? At least ask for my name first before going all Oedipal on me 😭

But imagine if somehow, by some miracle, Simon is able to charm the reader to the point that they start developing a little crush on him. Any attempts to flirt back would be met with an ice cold reception because Simon wouldn’t know the signs of a reciprocated attraction if they slapped him across the face.

Like maybe one day something breaks or gets spilled all over the floor of the shop and Simon has to swoop in and lift the reader off their feet (swoon!) before dropping them somewhere safer. Reader would try to gas him up by saying how impressive it was the way he lifted them, how he must work out a lot since he’s so strong, etc etc. In response, Simon would just shrug and go, “‘S nothin’. ‘M used to handlin’ big carcasses,” like he didn’t just unintentionally deliver the insult to end all insults.

Or maybe the reader comes in one day with a plate of homemade muffins or something as a thank you for all the great cuts of meat Simon’s been giving them lately. Simon would take one look at the thoughtful gift, go, “Mmm, don’t really like walnuts,” and hand the plate back without an ounce of hesitation or realization of what he’s just done.

Yeahhh awkward!butcher!Simon who is totally clueless about the art of seduction has been living rent-free in my head, and now I’m making him your problem too 😌

[rr-after-dark]

windows (part 2 of 4)

part one | part two | part three | part four

PART TWO: Sweetheart

Series Summary: You’re a traveling nurse on rotation at the Pitt. Dr. Robby lives across the alley, watching you from his window. What starts as tension builds into something neither of you can ignore, even when it hurts.

Chapter Summary: You save a life, feeling like a goddamn superhero, and finally get kissed by the man you’ve been falling for since day one. For just one second, it feels like everything’s falling into place.

Tags/Notes: dr robby x reader, afab & fem reader, traveling nurse reader, neighbors, slow burn, voyeurism, mutual pining, teasing/flirting, slightly possessive robby, you're highkey a baddie, rejection, like robby highkey fumbles you, fighting

Content Warnings: canon-typical hospital stuff, blood/trauma

A/N: congrats on being a bad bitch in this fic babe

Word Count: 4.2k of 16.6k

Over the course of the next week, the tension becomes unbearable. Robby intentionally lets your fingers brush when you go over charts at the beginning of his shift. At one point, as your index finger traces over a summary, he takes your hand in his for a moment, admiring the way your hand looks so delicate next to his larger and more calloused one, and says almost absently, unaware of the way your heart’s pounding from his touch, “New nail color. Pretty.”

“Thanks, doctor.” Emboldened by the compliment that was clearly an excuse to stay close a second longer, you give him a wicked little smile, lean up close to his ear, and whisper, “It matches my thong.”

The quiet groan from low in his throat is all the reward you need. The rest of the day, in the moments between the chaos, his mind drifts back to figuring out a way to see if you were telling the truth.

Another day, just to drive him even more nuts, you add an extra spritz of perfume in the morning, right at the back of your neck, because Dr. Robby’s developed a habit of being the person to lace up your trauma gown, somehow always right there when you ask for a hand. And he notices, lingering especially close when he finishes tying the top loop. You can feel his breath hot on your neck as he asks, “What is that – citrus or something?”

“It’s bergamot,” you reply with a knowing smile. “Do you like it?”

“Yeah, it’s nice.” No, that’s an understatement. Actually, he has to fight to resist burying his nose in your hair and breathing deeply, hands working their way around your stomach, holding you close and never letting go. As the ambulance rolls in and the two of you have to refocus, he amends, “I love it. You should wear it more often.”

You nudge him in the arm with your shoulder. “Anything for you.”

On the last night of your seven on/seven off, looking forward to the long stretch of sleep and takeout ahead, you spend your first ten-minute break in the locker room. Robby pretends he’s not following you as he goes to his own locker, seeing you with one of his more handsome and capable interns – Evans – with his hand on your arm and a big dopey smile on his lips. He listens in for a minute, morbidly curious.

Evans is pouting. “I honestly think it’s starting to get unfair.”

You raise an eyebrow as you crack open a gatorade. “What is?”

“I’ve been so good this week, barely even flirted with you, exercised total restraint, and you still don’t ask for my number.”

You snort out a pity laugh. Evans has a totally hopeless, desperate crush on you, and he’s made you painfully aware of it throughout your weeks at the Pitt. “This is your version of restraint?”

“Yeah, absolutely. I should get a medal.” He leans in closer and your cheeks turn pink. He is cute, after all. And a doctor. And, god, he’s tall enough to cage you between his arms easily, but he doesn’t. Even with his thick flirting, he’s polite. His fingers occasionally tuck hair behind your ear or graze your forearm, but it’s nothing with pressure or expectation. “Barring an award, how about dinner? Or coffee? Or anything as long as you’re there.”

You finish off your drink and stand. With a touch to his shoulder, you tell him, “Evans, you’re cute, really, but I don’t date anyone who can’t place an IV on the first stick.”

That only makes his smile wider. “So our first date’ll have to be in the skills lab, just you and me. You can stand behind me and guide my hands to do it just right.”

You chuckle; you have to admit you don’t mind the attention. Still, with a quick glance in Robby’s direction, you offer up, “I don’t date interns or med students.”

“I’ll quit right now.”

“And give up your promising medical career for a near stranger?”

“One as hot as you? Maybe.” As you head back to your own locker, he calls after you, “And it’s not that promising, remember? Can’t even place an IV properly!”

You roll your eyes and open up your locker, tugging off your scrub top to put on a long-sleeve shirt underneath; the hospital gets crazy cold in the middle of the night. “Try again tomorrow, Evans.”

“I always do.”

As soon as you’re changed, Robby’s invading Evans’ personal space, lording over him. “You were supposed to be back from your ten six minutes ago. You’re not being paid to linger in locker rooms; you’re here to learn not to kill someone.”

“Right, yeah, I know.” Evans tries to stand up straight, but it’s hard not to fold under Robby’s serious teacher glare. “Just catching my breath for a minute.”

“Six minutes,” Robby corrects. “You can breathe during rounds or on your feet. If you want to stay in this program, I suggest you find a way to breathe and work at the same time, if you can manage that.”

Evans hurriedly collects himself and scampers out of the room back to the floor.

You fall into step next to Robby when it’s time for the two of you to head out again. “Michael,” you chastise lightly, “don’t be such a child.”

“It’s not childish to make sure my interns do their work.”

“It is when you’re basically threatening to write someone up for flirting with me.” You bump him with your hip, thoroughly enjoying yourself. “He’s harmless.”

Robby grunts in a way that makes your thighs shake. The sound is jealous. Possessive. “Does his flirting make you uncomfortable?”

“No, actually,” you tell him with a teasing smirk. “He’s…nice.”

“I’m not nice?”

That makes you laugh out loud. “Were you going for ‘nice’? If that’s your goal, you could definitely use some lessons.”

“Maybe you could give them to me,” he says, doing an impression of Evans’ baby-faced adoration. “You and me in the skills lab. Teach me to be nice, sweetheart.”

You chuckle and murmur, “Asshole.”

Then Dana announces an incoming trauma and the moment's over.

You and Robby are a unit. The night starts with an unspecified chest trauma. You cut away clothing as Robby checks for entry/exit wounds. You’re starting a large-bore IV while he confirms your suspicion of a hemothorax. The patient decompensates while you move him to the trauma bay together.

You call out, “Tracheal deviation.”

Robby nods once. “Needle decompression. Second intercostal. You got it?”

“On it.” The soft hiss of air starts improvement in the patient as you puncture through the ribs. “Slight positive change.”

“I need to place a chest tube,” Robby says, barely audible to the medical students observing, and you’re already handing off the capped scalpel, having known the next step in his routine. You swab and retract a millisecond before he inserts. The rush of blood confirms your suspicion and you’re clamping down before Robby even has to instruct you, adding suction and making sure Robby can finish.

The monitors stabilize. Robby cuts you an appreciative look. His eyes are softer than they should be. “Good call on the hemo.”

“Thank you, Dr. Robby.”

As he launches into explaining the process to his ducklings and giving them follow-up orders, you smile to yourself the whole way over to changing out your gown and gloves. It’s one of those rare moments when being covered in blood feels more like a badge of honor.

Your dance with Robby continues when you’re almost finished with your last round. A middle-aged woman with a supposedly controlled post-operative infection. The moment you look at her arm, you know something’s seriously wrong. You tap Robby on the shoulder while he’s downing half his coffee over by Dana, in a brief moment of peace that you wish you didn’t have to disturb. He follows like he’s attached to you. “Take a look at her IV site. Purpura, petechiae.”

Robby only needs a glance before he says, “Let’s repeat CBC, coags, blood cultures. Could be approaching DIC.”

And then she’s crashing. Her blood pressure goes first and suddenly you’re dealing with uncontrolled bleeding from the IV and her surgical sites. You curse under your breath as you start on a clamp. At the same time, Robby orders for transfusions. The two of you get the bleeding under control so easily it could’ve been a movie scene, your hands and thoughts overlapping. You’ve never felt this kind of flow with a doctor or their team before, everything falling into place.

You only speak to read back his order for a cocktail of cryoprecipitate, platelets, and vitamin k. When one of his students tries to step in to administer it, Robby practically bites his head off. He spits, “You want to assist? Notice the problems before they’re life-threatening. Watch and learn.” Then he focuses all of his attention on you, eyes steady and confident, as you take a deep breath, still your hands, and begin to push the plasma. “Easy, now, her heart’s fragile.”

You nod and reply, laser focused. “I’ve got her.”

“I know you do, sweetheart.”

If anybody notices the slip, they don’t say anything.

When she’s on her way back to the ICU, everything under control for now, you take your last break of the shift, grabbing a snack and your bottle of water before heading into the brisk night air to get a little peace and quiet.

That doesn’t last long, though.

You feel a tug on the hem of your scrub top and look down to find a kid, maybe five or six, with blood on his shoes. As you snap to attention, the kid asks, “Are you a doctor? I need help.”

You drop down to your knees and begin to assess to the degree possible in the ever-changing light of the ambulance bay, trying to stay calm and locate the source of the blood. “Are you hurt or is somebody else?”

“My brother,” the boy tells you quickly, his tiny hand still wrapped up in your top. “He fell over and he won’t get back up.”

“I need you to take me to him, alright?”

He nods and runs in the other direction. Shit. You follow at a jog right behind until you reach the collapsed boy – maybe fifteen at most – near the hospital entrance. Clearly, he’d been trying to get inside but had fallen in the worst spot possible, in the dark, behind a column, where nobody could see him. And he’s in a pool of blood.

As you check his pulse – rapid, thready, but definitely present and fighting – you find a deep laceration on his inner thigh. Femoral hit. You rip off your scrub top to get at the long-sleeve shirt you’d worn underneath. You wrap it and tie it tight, tighter, tighter around his thigh and apply the hardest pressure you can, centering your entire body weight over the wound. His lips are going blue and you know it’s only a matter of time before he starts coding out.

You turn toward the younger brother, who’s been watching nearby, frozen, having never seen so much blood at once. Knowing that you’re in the middle of a moment he’s going to replay a million times over and over no matter what happens from here, you calmly ask, “What’s your name, kiddo? Can you tell me that?”

Through tears, he asks, “Is my brother going to die?”

Steeling yourself, you put on the most maternally stern voice you can manage and say, “Honey, I know it’s scary right now, but I need your help if we’re going to keep your brother safe. Can you tell me your name?”

After a beat, he meets your eyes for the first time and says, “Jaime. And my brother’s name is Aaron.”

“Good.” You introduce yourself, too, and then instruct, “Jaime, I need you to go through those big glass doors right there, walk right up to the nice blonde lady behind the desk, use your biggest voice and ask for Dr. Robby, okay? Say that back to me. Tell me what you’re going to do.”

In a surprisingly steady voice, he repeats it.

“Good job. Go ahead. They’ll know what to do from there. I’ll take care of Aaron while you’re gone; I promise.”

He nods and then sprints inside. Alone again, you check Aaron’s pulse and it’s barely there. Barely. This isn’t about stopping the blood loss anymore. Maintaining as much pressure as you can by sitting on the wrapped up thigh, you contort yourself forward into a position where you can start chest compressions at the same time. That’s all you can do until you have help.

You’ve done three sets of thirty compressions when you’re swarmed by your coworkers, led by Robby a few steps ahead. God knows what that poor little boy said; Robby’s face is contorted in fear. He must’ve thought you were in danger. He’s almost relieved to realize that all the blood you’re covered in belongs to someone else.

Robby kneels next to you. “What have you got?”

Your voice hiccups with every compression you give. “Femoral bleed. I’ve got pressure. He coded just under two minutes ago. Compressions ongoing.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” he chuckles, keeping a cool head as he watches you in complete control. You really are a vision there in just your ugly old sports bra, smeared with blood, sweat on your brow, determination written across your every feature. Robby touches your lower back and says, “I need you to stop sitting on the wound so we can expose it and pack it. Need to get that stabilized before we can move the kid.”

“Aaron,” you tell him breathlessly as you readjust your weight forward, never losing the beat of your compressions. “His name’s Aaron.”

Robby nods. “Let’s get Aaron taken care of, then.”

As Robby works right behind you to secure the wound, you bark out orders to the med students to prepare for transport inside. Nobody questions your place as you direct them through transfusions and pushing stimulants, never missing the pulses to his chest that keep him alive while his heart tries to figure out how to kick back into gear.

Once the wound is closed and new blood is pushed, Aaron regains a pulse. You notice it first because his lashes flutter. Your eyes have been trained on his pale face for what feels like hours and this is the first real, conscious movement you’ve seen.

You only stop the rhythmic pushes to his chest when Robby touches your face with his bare hand. The skin-to-skin contact yanks you from first responder mode into something else. You drown in Robby’s eyes. “Hey, sweetheart, you can stop now. He’s back. You did it.”

At last, you roll off of Aaron’s no longer lifeless body and fall to your back on the cold concrete sidewalk. Adrenaline has your hands shaking and your chest heaving and your mind spinning with stars. You fight to catch your breath as they move Aaron to a gurney and bring him inside.

Dana crouches next to you. She’s holding out your water bottle when you finally manage to look at her. “That was incredible.”

She helps you sit up. Your muscles are all twitching from the exertion of maintaing compressions for minutes on end. After sucking down half your water in one long drag, you let out a sigh. “All in a night’s work.”

“Don’t downplay it. You’re a badass.”

A flicker of pride ignites in your ribcage. “Thank you.”

Then she gives you a knowing smile. “Ready to get back in there?”

With a shaky breath, you laugh, “Always.”

By the time you head home two hours later, you’re walking on air. Aaron’s stable and his parents insist on thanking you profusely. On your way out of the locker room, everyone pauses to clap for you. A save like that lifts everyone’s spirits. You’re exhausted and sore, but you’ve never felt better. Your eyes are instinctively scanning for Robby since his shift ends the same time as yours, but he’s off being a hero somewhere else.

So you head home and straight into the shower, unaware that Robby gets back only a few minutes after you and does the same thing. You’re not even thinking as you cross the apartment wrapped in a towel and pick out a pair of pajamas.

Across the alley, Robby, half-dressed after his own quick rinse, tries so hard not to watch you change. The moral part of his brain itches to close his own blinds to remove temptation. But he seems to have left that part behind at the hospital – because you’re facing away from him and dropping your towel and your music is on full blast and you’re swaying to it and you’re carefree and beautiful and addictive. The very dominant section of his brain that watched you single-handedly save a life, glorious as your body moved and tensed and sweated, singularly focused, takes control. 

He watches your strong and soft back stretching as you bend over to pick something up. At this angle, he can’t see your ass and, frankly, he’s thankful. He’d be rock hard and unable to resist wrapping his fingers around himself in full view of you. The arch of your lower back alone is enough to drive him wild. Even the way you towel off your hair has him daydreaming about being there with you, reclining on your bed, fisting his cock and waiting for you to join him.

He traces your path to the kitchen, where you take a bottle of white wine out of the fridge and pour yourself a heavy, celebratory glass. Only then is he willing to interrupt your peace.

Robby’s teasing, now-familiar voice calls across the alley after he slides open his window. “Hey, sweetheart.”

You appear in the frame, wet hair dripping onto your shirt, and grin. “Hi, Michael.”

Something in him loosens every time you use his first name. “I didn’t get a chance to see you again before your shift ended. Just wanted to say that you were incredible back there. Everyone’s going to be talking about that at the Pitt for months. I mean, come on, clamping a bleeder and keeping compressions by yourself without a shirt on? That’s the stuff of legends.”

“I know; it was pretty badass.” With a giggle, you lift up the glass of wine, on the last sip and working toward tipsy, and ask, “Wanna come by to shower me in more praise?”

Robby smirks. “Yeah, I think I could do that.”

Barely two minutes pass and Robby’s knocking at your door. He’s in gray sweats and a navy tee so old it very well might be from his undergrad, a few holes worn around the seams. You’re not much better, though, in a pair of tiny cozy sleep shorts and a white tank top that’s pretty frumpy hanging from your form.

You’re a little breathless as you open the door, the day’s confidence fizzling out as soon as you see those gray sweats. The outline of his cock is completely visible and, even soft, it’s admittedly mouthwatering. With a hard swallow, you offer, “Wine? I have beer, too.”

He smiles, eyes unabashedly roving over your miles of exposed legs like he never lets himself when you work together. “I could go for a beer.”

You grab him a beer and settle at the corner of the couch. To your surprise, he sits right in the middle, your legs touching, and sets a hand on your thigh. A big, rough hand. Jesus. Stupidly, mesmerized, you say, “Dr. Robby, you’re touching my thigh.”

His eyes flick from his hand on your skin to your face, his expression challenging. “Is that a problem?”

As your cheeks flame pink, you reply, “Definitely not a problem.”

“Good.” His voice takes on a timbre almost like a growl when he sets his beer down on the table, turns to you, and takes your wine from your hand. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

He’s moving to lean in, but you’re too hungry for him. You press your hand to the center of his chest and straddle him. There’s a single breath of hesitation – a moment when you’re both acknowledging that this is a point of no return – and then he’s closing the gap. The thing that surprises you most isn’t how soft his lips are or how tender his hands. It’s the fact that he makes a sound in the base of his throat that’s high-pitched and needy, like a release of tension. Like he’s shocked you’re kissing him back.

After that, his hands splay over your back and he tugs you close and the next noise he makes is low and dark and masculine. Your lips part in a gasp and he’s claiming the space between them with his tongue. He tugs your lower lip between his sharp teeth and your eyes roll back. Robby’s so strong and sturdy beneath you, a solid foundation you can rely on to hold your weight.

You sink into the feeling of kissing him for hours. Your hands rove over his chest and he palms the top of your ass and eventually you’ve so thoroughly explored each other’s clothed bodies that you can’t take anymore. Your fingers go to the hem of your shirt and you pull it over your head, casting it aside before going in for another taste of his lips. The moment he sees your bare chest, Robby’s expression becomes an unreadable cocktail of lust and so much more.

“Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck,” Robby hisses under his breath. His cock is definitely hard and definitely pressing directly against the heat at the center of your body and his hands are gripping your hips like they’re the only thing tethering him to the earth and he has to lean his head back and groan to calm himself down. “We can’t do this.” He pulls for the only excuse he can think of because he’s too afraid of telling you the truth. “I’m an attending.”

You study his expression, confused. “So? I’m not a student.”

His response is quick. “You might as well be.”

Your eyes narrow into pinpricks as a flash of anger flickers over your features and he knows he’s in for it. You slip off his lap to the couch next to him, snatch your shirt back up, and give him a look that cuts. “I’m sorry; is that a dig at nurses, doctor, or are you just saying I’m particularly incompetent? Because I’m pretty sure you would’ve lost half your patients tonight if I hadn’t been there.”

Robby stumbles over his own words, a rare occurrence. “No, fuck, no. You know nobody respects nurses more than I do and that goes double for you. I just meant that, no matter what, I’m still your boss.”

“Dana’s my boss; you’re the guy I hand tools to,” you clarify, tone becoming more annoyed as you cross your arms over your chest, suddenly feeling stupidly exposed in the sting of his rejection. “Are you her boss suddenly? Because I don’t think she’d like hearing that.”

“Sweetheart, don’t be-”

“Don’t call me that right now.” You cut him off and stand abruptly. “Where’s this actually coming from, Robby? Because last week, the only thing stopping you from shoving your tongue down my throat was that you were a dick to me. Now we’re here, celebrating something for once, and I’m asking for you, practically fucking begging because I feel so pathetic around you, and you stop yourself. Why?”

“It’s just-” He pinches the bridge of his nose, wishing he could go back in time and unfuck the situation. “Look, it would just be too complicated. We work together and I’m, what, fifteen years older than you? And you travel for a living and I’m here for good and- You understand what I’m trying to say, don’t you?”

For a beat, your eyes leave his. He hates how sad they look, but he hates it even more when they turn dark and angry. The tears in your eyes when you look back up at him aren’t heartbroken; they’re pissed. Your voice is small but venomous. “Yeah, I knew it would be complicated, Michael, but I actually believed it would be worth it. Good to know you don’t. Thanks for ruining a perfect day.” You stand up, cross your apartment, and open the front door, an obvious order. “And I’d appreciate it if you stopped looking in my window.”

Robby’s too stunned to say anything but, “Okay. I won’t.”

He hadn’t expected you to be so angry; he thought you’d reluctantly agree and you’d go back to bantering and working together after maybe a couple of awkward shifts. Instead, you draw your blinds and shut your windows. The only thing he can ever see is your silhouette, a shade of you, never quite enough. Your seven off overlaps with his by six days and he wants nothing more than to march over and make things right.

But he doesn’t.

And neither do you.

[house-of-angst]

Y'all mind if I talk about Present Mic's quirk for a second? Great.

So, my partner and I have been having Erasermic brainrot lately, and while we were binging content with them, I became interested in Hizashi's voice quirk. I began searching stuff about how sound/volume works, and linking it to his canon stuff.

I'll just say, the info I found makes him a pretty scary guy. It's a shame he's so underused in both canon and fanon.

Frequency

First of all, I want to talk about something everyone knows about him: his quirk is potent enough to shatter glass. Now, when it comes to decibels, it's always important to consider the time and distance a certain note is held for, since these can impact the "hit" a certain sound wave can have when influenced by effects such as the air or vibrations.

(Please keep this in mind for the reminder of this post)

When it comes to glass, however, it breaks almost instantly under the pressure of his voice. Our most constant example of this is the man's poor lenses, but there is a scene I'd like to talk about the most, it being he one where he completely shatters Shigaraki's tank.

One might argue that the glass was already weakened from Mirko's kicks, but that's honestly part of something that makes this so impressive to me; Mirko's legs are strong enough to straight-up rip a high-end Nomu's head clean off, yet this tank was tough enough to withstand two attacks from her - including her ultimate move - before starting to leak; and the fact she was heavily injured doesn't fly here, as we very clearly could see she wasn't holding back one bit.

Now, let's get technical.

According to Google, a normal tone of voice would be around 50 decibels, while the required to shatter glass would be a minimum of 105. For comparison, that's roughly the same volume as a jackhammer. Now, you might be thinking, "Oh, that's not so bad! Some singers can do that!" and you'd be right, but there's also some other things to consider. Allow me to explain.

Some singers can reach a pitch that can make glass vibrate enough for it to break, but I've personally only heard of this happening if the person has their mouth close to a smaller, empty cup, and even then the volume would be distributed around. Hizashi, on the other hand, was standing several feet away from this reinforced tank and was able to shatter it immediately, using the directional speaker around his neck to aim the volume. This would naturally require for him to hit even higher decibels, specially when you take into consideration that one's frequency must match the glass' for it to vibrate, which drastically increases when it's dampened. (Read next topic for more info on this)

And then there's his glasses which, like I've stated before, are the most common thing he breaks with his voice. Obviously, this is not directed and it's not a total shatter, but there is something to be observed; say, did you know the necessary volume for lenses to crack, when not being directly aimed at, would be that of a nearby shot from a highcaliber gun? That's roughly 140-170 decibels.

Harm factor

Boy, oh boy! I'm betting most of you were looking for this part when you clicked the read more, right? Look no further, I've got you covered, you just better remember what I mentioned before about distance and duration.

Hizashi's parents were unfortunate enough to have a mutant child that was born with his quirk already active, and I'm willing to bet a newborn doesn't have the slightest bit of control over a power as destructive as a sonic-powered voice, which immediately resulted in everyone in the room bleeding from the ears.

Sound-related ear bleeding is most commonly associated with a ruptured eardrum, which can happen at around 150 decibels and is about the same as a jet engine taking off. While a baby most likely unleashed his maximum voice power on the first breath, I believe something like that would, thankfully, only develop fully after puberty, just like with non-powered people like us, since his quirk is a drastic intensification of a common function and not a new ability altogether.

With that being said... The Finals Exam.

In this, Hizashi was standing very far and, even with the directional speakers, there were many obstacles in the way that kept him from landing direct soundwaves on the students. Regardless, Jirou's ears bled in less than 30 minutes being exposed to this.

This could have happened due to the fact that she has a hearing quirk, which would make hers much more sensitive, but let's study this, shall we? We don't have the exacts of what happened there, but the students are visibly uncomfortable upon the first soundwave, which would suggest it was at about 120 decibels upon impact (with 85 already being enough to cause damage to your ears) and being emitted even higher by him, considering distance muffles volume. Still, I think all that would be nothing compared to the scream he let out after those bugs started crawling on him, with how unfiltered that was.

With Jirou, it comes to no surprise this volume at this distance and time almost rendered her deaf, and realistically would take several months of healing time. How much do you want to bet Hizashi got a solid scolding from Shouta? I mean, it was supposed to be a challenge, but homeboy came this close to breaking her quirk.

Another thing I want to point out is that his voice is powerful enough to actually fucking launch people, and this only happens due to an event called acoustic trauma, basically meaning Hizashi can surpass supersonic levels. Although, it's important to note that this effect is caused mostly due to pressure and not so much as sound, so while it's not freakishly loud (about the same as thunder), it can still cause hearing and psychological damage.

! WARNING !

The following part contains graphic mentions of injury, and death. Do not proceed if these are sensitive topics for you.

Now, we look at the disturbing side of Hizashi's quirk. Buckle in, because it's a wild ride.

Remember what I commented earlier, about him having to hit even higher frequencies to be able to shatter Shigaraki's tank? First of all, as the doctor was sent flying, this qualifies as supersonic, but that's not all. To shatter such a protected tank, with liquid inside increasing the density, he'd have to hit over 200 decibels; which is considered extremely dangerous and most definitely fatal, as the threshold of pain is of 115-140 - this can cause damage such as crushed ear bones, ruptured lungs, or embolism. For comparison, this would come close to standing right next to a Saturn V Moon Rocket during launch, and is no longer considered a "sound" due to the vacuum.

With that being said, the man came very close to dying by Hizashi's hands (voice?) twice. Not only was he so close during the lens incident, literally being inches away from his face and in risk of getting his eardrums ruptured already, but if Mic had decided to raise his voice even more during his rage, it'd be possible for the frequency to make the doctor's inner organs malfunction, or straight-up burst from the pressure.

But that's not the worst part.

After establishing that the lethal amount of over 200 decibels would be necessary to shatter the tank given the circumstances, if he exceeded 240 and the doctor happened to be in the way of this, it would be enough to cause his head to explode upon impact. That old man better be grateful that he was standing a feet few away, and that the supersonic blast blew him away a bit more, or it'd be an immediate game over.

With all this being said, how devastating would it be for this guy to scream his rage out?

(Please keep in mind that many of the extreme cases in this are actually impossible to happen in a real-life scenario and are purely speculation!)

[nekovale]

hii! I'm really enjoying your interpretation of soukoku and fanfics that you made fanart/illustrations of on here, so I thought I'd ask, could you show us your favourite skk fanfics? only If you want to, of course!!

Of course! I'd love to ramble about my fav fics ahah (and thank you So much for the kind words!) Just a couple heads up:

-I'm relatively new to bsd and the amount of fics in this fandom is IMMENSE, so there's still a lot I need (and want) to tackle. this list refers to what I've read so far

-many of these are going to be nsfw, or with heavy tags. PLEASE always check the tags to be sure you're ok with what you're going to read

-this is gonna be long lol let's go

BAD DECISIONS by gluetrap Literally canon episodes except there's sex. If you want something that feels extremely close to canon adventures but with the addendum of skk exploring their relationship this is IT

Tenfold by @dgalerab Maaaybe my fav bsd fic to this day. It just fucked me up really good and made me feel things I'd pay to experience again. The fic is part of a series but can be read as standalone. I do recommend reading the whole series (even if you're not convinced at first) because it sets up concepts and situations that hit harder in Tenfold if you know about them first, but if you're not up to it it's not necessary. DO READ THE TAGS ON THIS ONE they're not fucking around. I'm serious.

keep you alive, set you on fire by @orbitalflyby Case fic where Dazai and Chuuya are on opposite sides, and Dazai is in a dress. Nsfw. It has slow dancing, flirting, much sexual tension!! Definitely a fic I'd love to draw for if god assists me

Everything or Nothing by @cataclysmicevie If you've been following me for a while you know about this one lol. College au, Really good humour but deals with heavy topics as well. College aus are not the first thing I look for in bsd but I could Not put this down once I started

Head Full of Lies by AbsoluteNegation This one deals with heavy topics, so heads up. Aside from that, it has gorgeous writing and exploration of complicated feelings and situations. It also singlehandedly opened my mind about Dazai wearing Chuuya's collar and I haven't been the same since then

Bottom of The Deep Blue Sea by @arkastadt Almost 12k of Dazai getting wrecked. That's it that's the fic If you like bottomzai you HAVE to check this one out (and I also recommend checking this author's other works, tho I'm sure I'm the last one to the party hdfhf)

it's not for your sake (the lie's for mine) by paranoid_fridge Hurt/comfort, skk developing through the years. Lots of boxes checked and one scene in particular that stuck with me to this day

on cliff's edge by writingfromtheshadows Read this some time ago actually but I loved the dynamic in here and it flows very pleasantly

The Art of Wanting by writingfromtheshadows Nsfw! This one is just......... bites fist

seconds from my heart by @orbitalflyby Chuuya activates Corruption and Dazai has to catch him in time. THIS ONE IS JUST. OOOOOOOF

start over by @sickficideas Dazai being hurt and heading to Chuuya's my BELOVED...... this one's really good and again checks many boxes

red (and a little more red) by rustingroses Read The Tags but aside from that this is such a good mix of canon-ish action and feelings! I'd have a lot to say about this one but I feel like it's better if you go in blind. Top notch tho

chasing daybreak by lunarumbra Dazai taking care of injured Chuuya in their safe house After Dazai has already defected.... needless to say there's a lot of pent up feelings and melancholy and it's good!!

honorable author mentions:

cyndaquils (everything I've read so far of them has been a delight and I think more people should read their stuff)

run_mello (they just Get It, their Dazai is immaculate and I can't choose just one favorite fic of theirs)

calmlb (Damsel in Which Dress Might be my fav of hers but honestly you can just go through anything; she's my trusted person for hurt/comfort)

feralrookie (VERY prolific, when going through my saved fics so many were from them lol... needless to say I'll get to the rest soon)

[rotomartsblog]

I’ve been thinking about my version/rewrite whatever of Ever After High so I’m just gonna list a few lore tidbits about the world and some of the characters

So first things first I want to say that my version of the EAH school is more based on European secondary education than American (since I’ve decided that EAH should logically take place in Europe). Mostly N. Ireland’s secondary school system since that’s what I’m most familiar with. Anyway- EAH students go through seven years of school from around age 11 to age 18 (give or take a bit). EAH officially has two stages of education; the Freedom stage and the Legacy stage. The Freedom stage is the first three years of school and the Legacy stage is the remaining four years. The Legacy stage itself is split into two sub-stages, Pre-Signing and Post-Signing. The story begins in the second year of the Pre-Signing Legacy stage, where Legacy Day will take place at the end of the year. Students also can only room with people from their year.

I wanted to actually establish what the Curse on Wonderland actually is since that never actually gets explained in canon. Basically, the Curse takes the form of an erupting black fountain in the centre of Wonderland that leads up to the sky, “polluting” the atmosphere. It has both a physical and mental effect on the people of Wonderland, making them physically weaker while also “corrupting” their minds I guess? While the people of Wonderland have developed medicine and treatment for the curse, it’s more effective against the physical symptoms than the mental ones and it isn’t widely distributed.

Speaking of Wonderland, the Alice of the story is the only “character” that follows the Legacy system, because the rest of the characters are from Wonderland and don’t follow the same rules as Ever Afterlings. This doesn’t mean that the characters don’t have family legacies and traditions but they operate separately from Ever After’s.

Speaking of Alice, Alistair has been trapped in Wonderland since he was 10 years old. He isn’t as fond of Wonderland as his canon counterpart. Also his last name isn’t Wonderland it’s Adventures. I know that’s sounds equally stupid but it’s makes more sense to me based on the lore I’ve established.

Card people have the ability to go “flat” like a card. Also, they’re made of the same material of a playing card (specifically card stock), and they feel like such whether they’re flat or not.

Card people are limited to only two colours in their designs; white and the second colour depending on what suit they’re from (Clubs are green, Diamonds are blue, Hearts are red, and Spades are purple), except their eyes, which can be any colour. The exception to this is royal cards, which have three colours; white, black, and their suit colours (also their eye colours of course, which in Lizzie’s case is green). The outlier to this entirely is the Joker cards, which have no set rules for how they’re coloured.

There’s never a set number of Jokers for each generation of card people. In the previous generation, the parents generation, there were two: the red joker and the black joker, but in the current generation Courtly is the only Joker card.

Chess people are living chess pieces so they are made of wood.

Card and Chess people aren’t ‘born’, they’re literally made.

Lizzie, Kitty, and Maddie are the first Wonderlandians to attend Ever After High.

When the Evil Queen was imprisoned, all known entrances to Wonderland were closed off. However, new ones can be made either on purpose or accidentally. This is how Darling ends up in Wonderland.

When Ever Afterlings go to Wonderland their colour palette changes because idk I think it looks neat.

Also the Evil Queen cursing Wonderland and being imprisoned would’ve taken place like right before Raven started EAH.

Okay done talking about Wonderland onto something else. King Charming is a piece of shit human being. He’s a bad dad and an unfaithful husband who has a whole lot of illegitimate kids. Blondie is one of them.

Raven ended up rooming with Maddie in their first year at EAH because over half of the students in their year requested to specifically not be roomed with Raven.

Briar’s mum was asleep for 100 years because I don’t want to work out how it’d make sense if she was from the previous generation. Rosabella’s mum is Briar’s mum’s great-niece. Briar and Rosabella call each other cousin because it’s simpler.

Rosabella, despite what is believed, is actually the Beast in the story. The reason it’s believed she’s the Beauty is because the society of EAH is #sexist and #homophobic so the idea of the Beast in BATB being a girl or a boy being the Beauty is unbelievable. Rosabella suspects she’s the Beast because when she was younger she grew horns, though she’s forbidden from telling people this.

Briar and Rosabella’s parents are not on speaking terms because of a situation revolving around Rosabella’s horns. When they grew in, Briar’s parents had offered to babysit Rosabella while her parents were busy. Briar’s dad then dehorned Rosabella (and he wasn’t trained for it so it wasn’t a pleasant experience for Rosabella). Rosabella’s parents were obviously upset about this so they cut ties with Briar’s parents.

By the time the story begins Ashlynn’s mum is dead so she’s kind of going through it. Her dad hasn’t remarried yet.

I’ve messed around with the ages of some characters so while most of the main cast is the second year of the Pre-Signing Legacy stage, some are in different years. I haven’t worked out everyone but the important ones right now are that Dexter and Darling are in the first year of the Pre-Signing Legacy stage and Ramona is in the first year of the Post-Signing Legacy stage (and Justine I guess since they’re roommates).

Also most roommates will probably be the same as in canon since I can’t be bothered to change those.

Despite Legacy Day being when you pledge to follow your destiny, there are expectations on people whose stories typically happen when they’re young (case in point: Alistair being in Wonderland when he’s 10). Cedar often deals with people prodding and asking questions since she’s still a puppet as a teenager, though her dad also started his story late so it isn’t unique to her.

Raven doesn’t listen to Tailor Quick in my version. Sorry to swifties but sometimes you write a character and realise some things don’t work with their personality. Raven listens to goth music and dad rock. Dexter still listens to Tailor Quick though.

Speaking of music tastes, Poppy listens to Ska punk and Holly hates it so much.

Cupid was told to hide her monstrous features when going to EAH, so she’s masquerading as a Cherub. Also for a majority of her first year at EAH she’s faking her personality.

EAH’s school is specifically for European stories and there are different school in other regions for their stories.

Idk how yet but I’m planning on including references to other fairy tale authors and collectors like Andrew Lang.

I’ve planned a few arcs and mini stories for my version, some of them replace canon arcs. A few of these are a story based on A Wonderlandiful World, a rewrite of Way to Wonderland, a rewrite of Dragon Games that features two of the mention regional schools, a story I can only describe as “Cedar gets psychologically tormented by an arm puppet”, the Blood Knight story, and a story that replaces Epic Winter.

While EAH is typically only open for people with legacies to follow, there is a course available for people without legacies. However, it’s incredibly expensive and the course is kept entirely separated from the main course. Non-legacy students aren’t even allowed to be roommates with legacy students and there’s few opportunities for the two courses to interact. Poppy was originally in this course before Holly managed to get Headmaster Grimm to transfer her to the main course and the Charming family have a deal with the school so that none of their children go to the non-legacy course.

That’s all for now I think.

[rassicas]

hello!! lately i've been thinking about houses/interiors in splatoon as i've been pondering some up for my ocs, & i was wondering if there's any info on them in canon? so far the best that comes to mind is the splat 1 loading screen & that new art of acht, but I was curious on if there's anything about apartments & interiors specifically... tysm! :-]

Unfortunately we don't have much, and considering how much living spaces vary in real life even within the same culture, it's hard to say x thing applies to all splatoon households. the game developers are japanese, the game takes place in japan, and takes inspiration from japanese culture and daily life. taking that into consideration, where canon fails, i use modern japanese living spaces as a reference for imagining what an interior may look like in inkadia. headcanon aside. time to dig up what canon info i've found regarding homes and living spaces

In the Octotune album booklet we get one of the few examples of an inkling home interior, the Houzuki mansion. though pearl, as well all know, is Insanely Fucking Rich and our average inkling is NOT going to be living this luxuriously. one useful tidbit we can get from the text is this:

Q5: Wow! Is this the garage? Pearl: That's just the shoe storage, man.

the word she's using for shoe storage is ゲタばこ which is a cubby you're meant to put your shoes in before entering a house, located in an entryway. in other words, implying a cultural norm of taking your shoes off before entering (something adhered to more strictly in japan vs america). not like this is really followed in official art showing inkfish at home (except for this s1 era piece of an inkling watching tv) probs because shoes are cooler lol

let's see what else ummm bedding.

s1 and s3 dialogue for flounder heights mention futons. traditional japanese bedding typically laid out on the floor when in use, and folded up and put away in a big cubby during the day. its a common sight to see them hung out in the sun on the balcony to not get moldy. some of those things draped over the railings in flounder heights are futons.

not everyone in japan does this though- youll still see western style beds or even futons on bed frames since taking it out and putting it away is a pain in the ass. also not every apartment has a built in proper futon storage space. (...mine does, but i repurposed it into another closet and just use western style bedding lol)

same is true for inkadians too -the bed in the s1 splashscreen doesnt look like a futon to me. point is there's options for what do with the bed situation.

speaking of the apartment splashscreen for s1, there is a blurb in the artbook about it and how inklings are typically pretty tidy with their living spaces.

im sure there's plenty of messy inklings too. anyway there's just a few tidbits about living spaces in relation to canon info. unfortunately there's Nothing about the bathroom or how they bathe, though previously i shared my headcanons about how i think that could work. for the kitchen i think all we can do is assume. Acht has a fridge how surprising /s at the start i mentioned that i take inspo from japanese life where canon fails. ive spent a few years in japan so this works conveniently for me LOL but i assume most people following me do not have that experience. so for those who wanna take that japan inspo too, here's a few small things that are different in japanese living spaces that ive thought may be true for inkopolis? -living spaces are so much smaller on average (of course) -washing machines do not use heated water and like Nobody has a drier in their house. laundry is hung on the balcony, or by the window if there is none, to dry. you want a drying machine? go to the laundromat. -big ovens? like for baking? casseroles? this is Rare in japanese homes. more likely youll see like a little toaster oven. microwaves with an oven setting. i have a gas stove with a fish grill drawer like this. ive never seen this in america but i KNOW in my heart inklings would have this -tiniest fucking kitchens sometimes. a pattern ive often seen for little one room apartments is a pathetic kitchen space in the hall between the entrance and bedtoom where its like. one sink. and space for an electric burner. you want counter space go fuck yourself. if youre a broke inkling who doesnt cook much this may be the option for you. -i think every house ive been in has had a genkan in some form.

[givekennyabreak]

You got a friend in me. (Platonic!Victor Kavanaugh x gn!reader)

Summary: Victor had no one to count on, but then - you arrived in town.

Word count: 1.39k (oops again)

Request: "Fantastic! Okay, in that case: maybe something with a twentysomething female reader (maybe someone who’s been there for a while with him to look out for her/vice-versa). I don’t really have any specific prompt in mind, but I do remember that when I saw the scene where Julie calls out Jade for the way he speaks to Jim for the first time, I immediately thought “I’d love to see something like that, but with someone standing up for Victor.” I dunno—it’d just be nice to see someone really caring about him. Most of the others all have their little pockets of found family, and he’s pretty much by himself."

Rating: T

Warnings: canon compliant cursing, mentions of death, spoilers from s1 and s2 (up to episode 3), jade calls reader "mama bear" but there's no use of pronouns or anything defining gender, 2nd person pov ig

Note: I ended up making this gender neutral without noticing lmaooo, this gif of victor is everything. give my dude a break pls

Victor was your friend.

Ever since you got in this nightmare-like town, in your mid-twenties, fresh outta university, after a trip to a new city with better job offers in your area of study, Victor has been a breath of fresh air.

Everyone had a role in town – be it to feed everyone, like Tian-Chen, or be a leader like Boyd and Donna (in Colony House, at least); everyone had a little part to play, usually worrying about whether you’d get home safely before nightfall, or if the crops were healthy, if the animals were fed.

But Victor didn’t.

He did worry, but his brain wasn’t the same as everyone else’s; he stayed alone for far too long, way too young – call it a self-defense mechanism, but his mind stayed in a perpetual child-like state, as innocent as possible in a place like this personal hell. He had a good heart, was a little awkward (again, stayed alone for too long. That’s understandable) and cared about his friends, even though they were few – you, Fatima and Ethan included.

So new people tended to look at him a little weird.

Jim Matthews was one of them, but he quickly noticed Victor wasn’t a bad person.

(You had just eaten a couple of fluffy pancakes, sitting at the counter of the diner; Victor came in and started talking to the kid who arrived with the new family. It was nice seeing him make more friends, even if it was a kid – they had similar ways of thinking, anyway.

Then, his dad stormed out of the bathroom, nearly shouting at Victor; rightfully so, it was understandable he’d find it weird an unknown middle-aged man sitting and talking to his son, but this – it was too much. You stood up, walking up to the commotion; Jim was red in the face, threatening Victor.

“You don't come near him. You don't talk to him. Do you understand me? Stay the fuck away from him.”

“Hey.” You interrupted, staying beside Victor. “Hi. I know you’re new here and all, but you don’t know us, any of us. So maybe don’t be too quick to judge others based on what you know – which is nothing.”

You smiled down at the kid, who looked so fucking lost.

“Victor is a good person, and I’m pretty sure your dad is too, right?” You looked back up at the man, who had become silent. “Set a good example for your kid – don’t threaten people.”

Jim scowled. “Come on, time to go.”)

It was good to see his development (even though it was minimal).

And then, Victor didn’t come home. And that other new guy invaded his room while you were in town – this batch of newbies wasn’t so great -, ignoring Ethan’s pleading (which he told you about later that day, cheeks red with anger. He is a good kid.), so the next morning you went down the road towards the place he was staying at.

And saw Victor right outside his door.

Relief flooded your mind and body at that; he was alive, of course he was – he was smart, he figured out a way. As you got near the house, you could hear their conversation; Jade sighed out a breath, somehow also relieved.

“Oh, you're back. Holy shit. This is great. This is great.”

“That's mine.” Victor pointed at the violin, reaching out to the wooden instrument. “Give it back to me.”

 “Yeah. Uh...”

“Give it back to me.”

“I'm sorry, alright.”

“Give it back to me.”

Jade looked down at it, blinking.  “I was just thinking I could just play it for a little bit...”

“Give it back to me!” He shouted, startling the younger man.

“Okay! Alright. Calm down, man. Here.”

The violin was handed back to Victor, who turned around on the porch. “That's my room! You don't go in my room!” He shouted and walked away, leaving a baffled Jade on the doorway. You stood still, waiting for him to come up the dirt road.

“Okay. Wait! Oh, hold on. Hey!” Jade ran out of the house, flipping through the pages on the notebook. “Slow down! I'm sorry, Okay? I shouldn't have gone in your room. I thought you were fucking dead. I've been looking everywhere for you.” He ranted.

“There's this symbol that I keep seeing. I mean, I keep seeing things that aren't actually there, but every time I do, there's this symbol, and there's this book that Kenny's mom gave me. Some guy kept drawing the same symbol and there's a picture- would you please just fucking stop!” Jade shouted, and Victor stopped in his tracks, hesitant.

 “Look at this. Look at this.” Jade displayed the drawing in the little notebook. “There's gotta be a reason I'm seeing this everywhere.”

He held up a polaroid. “This guy. He must've been seeing it too. Right? And look, right there. Right in the back.” His index finger pointed at a small boy in the back of the picture, right in front of the diner. “That's you, right? Maybe in some fucked-up way, this could be the key to getting the hell out of here. I mean, Jesus, all this time. Don't you wanna go home?”

Your heart squeezed at his words - that wasn’t fair.

Victor frowned. “You shouldn't have touched this. It's not yours. Stay away from me!”

“Well, fuck you too! Wait, uh... Fuck.”

Your friend walked right past you, still frowning, and you let him go back to colony house – you’d have the whole afternoon and night to talk with him. Right now, your attention was settled on the curly-haired man a few meters away from you, wide-eyed as he noticed your form approaching.

“Oh fuck, it's mama bear- wait-”

“Do you have any fucking idea,” You walked up to him, poking him on the chest – he walked back a few steps, wincing. “how long he stayed here? Alone, scared, as a fucking kid?”

“I’m-”

You interrupted him again. “No, you don’t. You DON’T. Because we all got to grow up in a world that isn’t so much as a sliver of the shit we see here. We want to go home, I want to go home, but this place is ALL he got to know. As heartbreaking as it is,” You closed your hands into fists, jaw set so tight your teeth might snap. “this is the home he knows. This is what he knows as normal.”

Jade went silent. He didn’t think about it this way – it didn’t even cross his mind.

“So think hard before you talk to him again.” You turned around, brows furrowed. “And fucking apologize, you asshole.”

 When you got home, the first thing you did was go up to Victor’s room; you knocked on the door, four slow raps so he’d know it was you. And so, slowly, the door opened, and you invited yourself in.

Victor sat on his bed, head hanging low and violin on his desk.

“Hey, bud.” You sat down beside him, and he threw his arms around your shoulders almost instantly. Your own arms circled his chest, and your head placed itself on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay. I got really worried.”

“’m sorry. It took me a while.” He mumbled, cheek resting on your head.

“I know. It’s not your fault, I’m really happy you’re back in one piece.” You said, patting his back the way you knew would calm him down. “And don’t mind what Jade said, okay? He’s stupid.”

Victor nodded. “Yes, he makes me angry.”

“He makes most of us angry, don’t worry.” You finally let go of him, and he drew back from the hug as well; he looked tired. “I know what’s going to make us feel better.”

You stood up, pointing at your own room. “I’m gonna get some blankets.”

He brightened up. “Blanket fort?”

You nodded your head in affirmation. “Blanket fort.”

He smiled. “I’ll help.”

Victor was a good friend.

Sometimes he made you worry; most newbies looked at him weird, some people didn’t like him – but he was your friend, he was your little found family in this nightmare town.

And, even if you never got out of here, it was okay – because you had a good friend by your side, and Victor would never let you down.

[chugging-antiseptic-dye]

love in a bottle ⛫💨

pairing: perfumologist! joshua hong x reader contains: friends (idiots) to lovers, too many descriptions of perfume, swearing, fake dating out of spite, the perfumologist job as a plot device, etc. a/n: requested by @studioeisa, my loml <3 official playlist of love in a bottle can be found here.

Liked by yourusername, xinganhao, booseungseung, and others

love-in-a-bottle Jo Malone's Mimosa and Cardamom cologne sprays mists of honeyed, golden mimosa float above the spiciness of freshly crushed cardamom. Creamy tonka and smooth sandalwood woven under powdery heliotrope and Damask rose picked at dawn. Warm, ethereal, mesmerising. On top, cardamom spice has hints of lemon and adds an effervescent contrast to the warm floral heart. However, Powdery mimosa adds a honeyed and warm floral character illuminating the heart of the fragrance.

View all comments user1 great recommendation as always! user2 adding this to my wishlist rn! yourusername it's not bad. but, you should not wear it if you are going to a wedding. no matter how nice it smells, it can't fix your bad mood when people start flirting with their plus ones 🙃 ⤷ love-in-a-bottle hello! please don't blame it on the cologne if you can't tell your date when something bothers you. user3 i smell drama ⤷ user5 don't bother. this is their usual flirting. i WISH there was drama. at least then there would have been some progress ⤷ user6 i think this time it's more serious?? booseungseung i am never sitting at the same table as you guys ever again. ugh oblivious idiots make me so angry ⤷ nonver 👍

Liked by yourusername, studioeisa, scoookcoups, jeonghaniyoo, and others

love-in-a-bottle Santal 33, developed by perfumer Frank Voelk, opens with leather, wood notes (some entangled cedar and sandalwood with a dash of turpentine) and a creamy accord (smelling a bit like mixed coconut and tonka bean). Then, after about three hours of wear, Santal 33’s leather, sandalwood and most of its cedar disappears (along with its early promise) and an inexpensive-smelling, candied, slightly floral musk aroma appears.  The sandalwood might seem overpowering to some at first however, I recommend that you give it a chance. Like love it needs time to grow and after a few hours, you will see the iris and violet notes shine.

View all comments yourusername i love it!! especially recommend it if you are a couple ⤷ love-in-a-bottle Since it's unisex, it can be a couple's item too. A special thing connecting them 👀 user1 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA user2 CHAT ARE YOU SEEING THIS ⤷ user3 god me when 😭 user4 can someone tell me why are people losing their minds in the comment section????? ⤷ user5 the admin of this page and @_yourusername know each other irl and had been flirting-teasing-bantering for almost a year. and they finally got together. hope this helps! ⤷ user6 dude i was this close to banging their heads together and just KISS ALREADY user7 pls pls pls pls pls i need to know who confessed first? ⤷ yourusername he did 🙊 ⤷ user7 HELP I AM GOING TO CRASH OUT user8 MY SHAYLAAAA user9 omgomgomgomg my parasocial relationship is canon dsdaskjdks

dividers from @thekagemusha and @firefly-graphics

[fallencrowkarma]

Lucifer redesign!! The first page has been done since last year but i decided to be extra and do a second page;;; Pretty sure there was blue Lucifer merch announced after i finished that first page and i was both mad and elated lol

Anyway, redesign thoughts under the cut if anyone is curious!

- First of all, this man is blue. If the game is going color coded sins for the characters, then give him the pride color!!!!!

- He carries himself more calmly and gracefully in public. The red made him too aggressive in my opinion, and i feel he should be exuding grace and unquestionable, calm confidence. That’s what i think his pride should be about. He is intimidating, but in an untouchable way. In a way, still angelic/divine.

- Speaking of colors, he gets slight green/teal gradients, both for the peacock motif and also for Satan.

- Gold is a huge part of his design because of his connections to Diavolo (who, in my mind, is very Red&Gold coded). Lucifer himself however prefers silver jewelry, so there are a couple of silver things. He feels like he is forced to choose gold colored things.

- I gave him more peacock imagery. Earrings, other accessories, the inside of his coattail and the embroidery.

- The Pride symbol glows on the base of his throat/collarbones. something something symbolism with the throat there.

- (After his character development) He starts wearing the accessories his brothers gifted him. His pride extends to the people close to him as well. He is proud of his brothers, and proud of the relationship they share, so he shows off the accessories regardless of if they fits with his outfit or vibe or not!!! They are his most precious people!!! His family!!! It doesn’t matter if the gifts were well thought out or not!!! Before his character development, it was all stored away in his desk :)

- Smaller changes i made are giving him messier hair and eyebags, as well as giving him more defining facial features and fangs. He has long lashes and long legs. Also half-gloves and long boots. also also long ears :)

- I got rid of the awful fur and the ugly brown shoes. They were fashion crimes that neither he nor Asmo would let slide.

- I wanted to highlight the fact that he needs reading glasses so those now hang around his neck!!

- The little hoops inside his coat are for when he needs to confiscate stuff from his brothers. I just thought it was funny.

- He still always covers his scars. They’re a very vulnerable point for him, especially since he can’t hide them with his powers.

- He gets slight wrinkles. It’s hot. I should’ve drawn them more prominent methinks.

I think that’s all i remember. Lucifer deserves better tbh. all of them do.

On another note, there’s two accessories given to him by characters called Alex and Teal, who are my friend’s OCs. @murkyteas is writing a fic with them called Solvitur Ambulando. It is incredible and i think people should read it!! The relationships are canon in my heart <3

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

Jan 10th

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1. Hi! Happy New Year! I hope 2025 is a blessed year for you all!

For FF: I read a LJY/LSZ fic a couple years back and I thought i bookmarked it but can’t find it now. It’s where LJY developed a voice cultivation(?). He was not vibing with any instruments so he used his voice. He also almost die saving LSZ on a night hunt. Both became quite a legend themselves among the juniors and guest disciples.

Thank you for all your hard work! @bitemepotter

FOUND! anyway, here’s wuji by kakikaeru (T, 18k, ZhuiYi, WangXian, Post-Canon, Canon-Typical Violence)

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2. Heya, looking for a fic but only remember one little thing about it. It had a scene where Jiang Yanli and Jin Guangyao had tea and JYL ended up poisoning JGY. I think she might have been testing him but he failed it but I'm not sure if it was this one or some other fic :')

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3. Happy new year! Thank you for all your help. I have a fic finder request, please! The story was a long canon au with red-string-of-fate soulmate mechanics. Lan Zhan and Wei Ying followed their string to meet during the Cloud Recesses lectures, but Wei Ying cut it during the golden core transfer (or maybe the transfer... withered it? blackened it? I can’t remember). The fic then picks up when Wei Ying is brought back to life and the red thread forms between them again, allowing Lan Zhan to find Wei Ying again. I would love to read this story again! If anyone has any clues, please share. Thank you!

FOUND? the heartlines on our hands by occultings (microcomets) (E, 47k, wangxian, Soulmates AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, Mutual Pining, First Time, Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death)

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4. HI! For the FF: I saved a great line from a fic but *didn't* save the title, so now that I want to re-read the fic, I'm stumped. Thank you and the Hive Mind for any help. The line is: A-Ran had flung himself at A-Yuan like he was a landslide and A-Yuan was a badly built village. @songscloset

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5. Hey yall! I hate to add to your load, especially when I know it’s a fic you’ve found before, but scrolling through I can’t seem to find that silly fic where lxc was in denial about wangxian’s marriage and kept giving lwj marriage offerings. Hopefully it’ll be easy for you to find since I know I saw it on this blog

FOUND? happy not knowing by plonk (Not Rated, 16k, WangXian, Canon Era, Canon Divergence, Established Relationship)

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6. Hello lovely mods, I think I'm losing my mind. I saw two wangxian fics on ao3 recently that I planned to come back to but then couldn't find again with (various permutations of) the same tags. Did I dream them? Halp!

A) First fic: it was a modern au, something about fashionista LWJ, and WWX in a dress or feminized in some way. I think it was a PWP where it starts with them going out to dinner but may be mistaken on that point.

B) Second fic: time travel fix it but it's jin guangyao traveling back. There's something about how he'll do anything to make lan xichen smile, and that's how wwx becomes his problem. In the notes it mentions how jin guangyao remains as morally grey as ever, or something like that.

Do these stories exist outside of my head??!

TIA ❤️ @themoonmothwrites

6A)

FOUND? Cute Femboy Gets ~*HUGE SURPRISE!!!*~ by ScarlettStorm (E, 32k, WangXian, Modern AU, onlyfans au, Porn, sex worker wwx, Adhd wwx, autistic lz, Fashionista lz, Nonbinary NHS, genderfluid WWX, Feminization, (absolutely not forced and in fact very desired feminization), Date Night, Fluff and Smut, Established Relationship, Gender Exploration)

6B)

FOUND? Shards of Hope by Dreaming_Days (T, 89k, XiYao, WangXian, Time Travel Fix-It, Redemption, Character Study)

FOUND? I Have Been Selfish, Too by osiesaur (M, 176k, 3zun, background wangxian, Canon Divergence, Time Travel Fix-It, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, POV Outsider, Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, JGY's Customer Service Smile, JGY Scheming is Used for Good, Scheming NHS, Protective NHS, 3zun | Venerated Triad Dynamics, Anxiety, PTSD, Mental Health Issues, Chronic Pain, Chronic Illness, canon typical abuse and bigotry, rated M for violence, The Kissing is Rated T) If the one alreasy recced for 6b isn't it and the person is going based just on a recall of summary+tags rather than having read the fic, 6b sounds like it could also be I have been selfish too. It's jgy pov + time travel + save wwx to make lxc happy. jgy just isn't the one time traveling.

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7. Hello. I search a fic but i just remember a moment of the fic + some infos: Wei Wuxian is taken in by the clan Lan after have been too much punished by Madam Yu. He's betrothed to Lan Zhan, adopted by the Lan Clan and at a point adopt baby Yuan. The scene that i remember is when Madam Yu visits Guzu and sees Wei Wuxian (with A-Yuan in his arms) and she uses Zadian at him. Huaisang, who was there, protect Wei Wuxian and is hurt by the whip. After that, both Madam Ju and Jiang Cheng have problem with both the clans Nie and the Lan. Thank you for you help.

FOUND? Consequences by Remma3760 (Not Rated, 58k, WangXian, XiSu, XuanLi, Canonical Child Abuse, Abusive YZY, Good Uncle LQR, WWX is a Lan, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Bad Parents JFM and YZY)

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8. Hi, I'm looking for a fic where gusu lan elders mind control WWX or smth into following all the rules when LWJ wasn't around.

I think it was a rec on wangxianficrecs but I can't find it anymore. It had an excerpt like, Sizhui was leading LWJ into the Jingshi and WWX was sitting at the table with perfect posture and stuff. Sizhui said smth like, " He's not hurt but acting weird." @shylurker111

FOUND! Perfect to Me by theearlymorningmist (T, 12k, WangXian, Protective LWJ, Good Uncle LQR, Yunmeng Siblings Feels, JC & WWX Reconciliation, Gusu Lan Elders Bashing, Curses, WWX is Loved, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Good Nephew JL, Protective JL)

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9. Hi so I'm trying to find a podfic that I have no idea what the name is and I really want to listen to it so here's what I remember lwj's big brother was awake and doing some stuff in the kitchen or whatever and wondering why his little brother is not awake yet so he goes to his baby brother's room trying not to feel guilty about it because he knows that his brother wakes up at the same time as him 5:00 a.m. you know at the jazz and so when he opens his door he sees his brother and wwx in this bed curled up together I was like very confused until later where they explained that wwx got kicked out by madam yu for something or another and that I don't remember and so wwx stays with them until they go to college it's a modern au @constancebloodstone

FOUND? Found Family by fyredancer (T, 10k, WangXian, Modern AU, Fluff, Getting Together, POV Outsider, Dysfunctional Family, Coming Out, Bad Parenting, Protective Older Brothers, Protective Siblings, [Podfic of] Found Family by Fyredancer by AuntieIroh)

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10. Hi! I want to find ff which is about wwx being traumatized because of zidian and he is also scared of storms/lighting (?). there was some kind of scene after he punched peacock in face that madam yu was about to punish him however lan wangji protected him. thanks a lot!

FOUND! Thunderstorm in the Library Pavilion by ZamaShines (M, 22k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Hurt/Comfort, Bad Parent YZY, Abusive YZY, Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Whipping, Astraphobia, phobia - thunder, Thunderstorms, Panic Attacks, WWX Has Self-Esteem Issues, WWX Needs a Hug, and gets the hug, Good Sibling JC, Good Uncle LQR, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts)

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11. Hello! For Fic Finder please: I am looking for a fic (possibly two) where Wei Wuxian played GusuLan music during the Phoenix Mountain hunt, which other disciples recognized and they all clamored "why do you know Gusu folk music?" I think I might be confusing two fics though, and if either or both could be found that would be great! In my first thought WWX used Lan musical cultivation songs to help on the hunt (maybe to calm down crazed disciples?) and the Lan disciples got angry that an outsider knew Lan sect secret music. The other thought is that it was when WWX was blindfolded and resting in the tree he played Lan folk music, and I think a commotion was caused by disciples thinking he was trying to seduce Jiang Yanli but Madame Jin defends him saying she recognized the songs and that they were harmless. I can't remember if these two scenes came from the same fic or from two separate fics. Any help would be much appreciated, thank you! @gloriousclotpole

FOUND? Until The End by abCEE (M, 365k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, war changes people, no pinning, LWJ learns how to speak, WWX is not oblivious, Established Relationship, wangxian are married and have a son, Mpreg, Good Uncle LQR, a little grey LWJ, a bit of JC bashing from LWJ, BAMF JYL, 16 years of yearning, Canon-Typical Violence, LSZ is LWJ & WWX's Child, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Canonical Character Death - WWX, Canon Rewrite, Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts) WWX is playing Yunmeng folk songs, not Gusu ones, but the latter do come up in discussion after he finishes playing; the scene is about two thirds into the first chapter

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12. it's a fic where WWx, JC, and JFM are on a night hunt and everything goes wrong, JFM dies and JC's golden core is destroyed, YYZ has WQ do a golden core transfer, and after WQ takes WWX back with her against YYZ will. Meanwhile WN steals WWX body camera which recorded the whole process

FOUND? 🧡🔒 Truth Will Out (when caught on video) - End_OTW_Racism! by KizuKatana (E, 178k, WangXian, WN & WWX & WQ, graphic depictions of violence, modern cultivation, canon divergence, YZY abuses WWX, caught on camera, partial core removal, WWX kicked out of Jiang sect, livestreamer WWX, meet ugly, dual cultivation, smut, no war)

~*~

13. For ff please! I am looking for a canon-divergent au where Wei Wuxian was some kind of creature shapeshifter, and his animal instincts gave him pack instincts which in turn caused him to fuss over and mother many of his same-age companions (like Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli, Nie Huaisang, Wen Ning, I think Jin Zixuan and a few others). I feel like this kept cropping up at the Gusu Lectures because the other sects didn’t know Wei Wuxian was a shapeshifter so everyone thought he was just a mother hen-type friend. At some point he whipped out some territorial/protective mothering and protected the students against … someone? Maybe on a night hunt? I can’t remember. Any thoughts? Thank you!

FOUND? 🔒 flame and rust by Reverie (cl410) (M, 34k, WangXian, Dragon WWX, The BSSR lineage are dragons, Canon Divergence, Happy Ending, BAMF WWX, Child Abuse, via Madam Yu, Fluff and Humor, Protective Siblings, Time Skips, Supportive LQR, Angst, Golden Core Reveal, Good Uncle LQR)

~*~

14. I am looking for a fic where Wei Wuxian hid in Lotus Pier after the Sunshot Campaign. With Jiang Cheng's help he disguised himself as a frail woman and the cover story was that "she" was a Jiang cousin or something, come to take refuge. I think Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng even pretended to get engaged to further the disguise. Everything was revealed comedically at a Jin conference where *shock and awe* Wei Wuxian couldn't help himself from flirting with Lan Wangji. Would love to read this again!

FOUND? By Any Other Name by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 31k, Wangxian, Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, Misunderstandings, Identity Porn, Identity reveal) this one is similar, except it's not after the Sunshot Campaign, it's when WWX wakes up in MXYs body, except MXY did the ritual a bit too early and as a result, WWXs soul isn't properly seated in the body so he's frail / though wwx & jc are assumed to be engaged, rather than pretending to be

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15. Hello, I am looking for a fic where LZ and WY first meet at some kind of music summer camp as teenagers. LZ quickly decides that they are dating, while WY is under the impression that they’re a camp-only couple. Every year, LZ also has a detailed schedule of things to do together since they can’t see each other for long. They eventually clear up their relationship status misunderstanding and go to college together. Thanks!

FOUND! I think 15 is Chapter 3 in this threadfic/chat fic collection by x_los

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16. Okay, I've been looking for this fic for the last few days, but I really need some help. So WangXian are arranged married, I'm very sertain it's canon divergent and the war doesn't/hasn't happened yet. WWX tries very much to become a productive member of the Lan clan, but his efforts are unappreciated, and the only thing he's allowed to help with is some basic talisman that any junior can do. He can't leave because he doesn't want to shame the Jiangs and also doesn't have any money because Madame Yu negotiated his marriage contract to put him at a disadvantage. LWJ doesn't yet know how to defend WWX and doesn't go against his family, but he eventually realizes that he hasn't been a good husband and cries about it to LXC because he doesn't know what to do. In the end, WWX secretly tries to destroy Lan Yi's Yin metal and wad willing to sacrifice himself because it's the only thing he believes he is useful for, LWJ stops him and it ends about there.

FOUND? Concord by Deastar (T, 41k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Gūsū Lán Sect Rules, Depression, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending)

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17. Hiyaaaa I am back with another request hehe. It's where Wei Ying thinks that Lan Zhan is dead and then he dreams about Lan Zhan a lot during the 16 years of his punishment (because he turns himself in to the sects). But then he was invited to the Nie sect by Nie Huaisang and he actually meets Lan Zhan who is alive and he still thinks that he is dreaming and breaks down in front of Lan Zhan, Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue and Lan Zhan looks at his brother with betrayed eyes because Lan Xichen hid the fact that Lan Zhan is alive from Wei Ying deliberately. Thanks!!!! @yilinglaobunny

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18. Not sure if it was on AO3 or here on tumblr (although I have a feeling that the latter is more likely), but I'd love to re-read this fic where WWX (I think in MXY's body) staged Qin Su's death and got her safely out of KT and into CR. He then of course got blamed for murder before things were revealed. Thank you! 🖤🐇 @linderel

Yes, I think that's it! I may have been partially mixing up two fics in my mind but this is the predominant one. Even got lucky and hit the correct chapter on the first try, heh.

FOUND! Love Song In Reverse by timetoboldlygo (T, 237k, WangXian, Amnesia, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Falling In Love, Slow Burn, agressively mixing and matching novel and cql canon, No Homophobia, Mentions of Starvation, Parental WWX) I think that's one of the later plot points in Love Song in Reverse, by timetoboldlygo.

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19. Fic Finder request please!

WWX dies via being thrown into a pit with some awful entity and comes back all wrong. I only remember this scene where he threw up Wen Chao’s sword or skull in the middle of a meeting? Idk which one and LWJ is just being super horny for him even though it’s clear that something is very wrong with WWX. I tried searching tags and I can’t find this. Plz help!! 😭😭😭

FOUND! You are what you eat by deliciousblizzardshark (E, 17k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Eldritch WWX, Horny LWJ, Body Horror, Possession, of a sort, Cannibalism, kind of, Mild Gore, Teeth, Fluff and Humor, Smut, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Monster sex, Switching, Light BDSM, Rimming, Self-Lubrication, Seriousness treated Crackily, Implied/Referenced Torture, Dead WWX, 🔒[Podfic] You are what you eat by irrationalpie) One of the best 3H - horny, humor, horror - in Fandom, a yummy 🤣treat😍

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20.I’m looking for a wangxian fic where they are both ballet dancers and they are doing Matthew bourne’s all-male version of swan lake, and lwj and wwx dance it while having a debate about whether or not it is a gay romance. Thank you!

FOUND? space, skin, muscle, bone by tombenough_and_continent (T, 23k, WangXian, Modern AU, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Non-Linear Narrative, Dance, Background SongXiao, background NieLan, a surprising amount of texting, gratuitous use of ballet terminology)

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[alexanderlightweight]

Writing wednesday's are back babyyyyyy!!!

Honestly it's just a great relief to see you writing again 🥰.

If this verse still sparks something in you, could we have some more unicorn!Alec? NSFW/SFW is writer's choice. I ain't bothered either way.

they are back!!!!!! <3

okay so I love this verse and always will (I mean this because I’ve loved both unicorns and phoenix since I was a child) the mood does have to be right but that's more because the world building takes effort (I know I say that a lot but for about maybe a dozen or so verse the worldbuild is super complicated. a lot of others are canon adjacent or sideways so it's easier to build off). and so does developing and deciding where to go with the relationship. I don't want it always the same but also I don't want to write slowburn. but also why do I always complicate things for myself by trying to make each verse a little different to show a similar but slightly different flavor of Malec? I love my tropes and my niches but I also like exploring the various possibilities and it murders my brain. I want to be clear I do this to myself. every damn time.

and also that fucking gif sparked something in me. I was like, well shit the verse needs to come back with a bang like Kuzco... though maybe with Magnus' elegance for malec's own sanity. (and yay because despite my research binges into other verses details, I had the spoons to actually map out how some of the stuff works in this verse).

i hope you enjoy

<3 lumine

flames of triump

Alec really doesn’t know why he has to wait here, for Magnus.

He could be anywhere else and yet he’s here.

Waiting in some obscure and well-warded fae valley for Magnus to finish his meeting.  His mate is currently dining with both the unseelie king and the seelie queen.  There’s a problem between the two factions that’s big enough it requires the presence of both a phoenix and his mate.

Even if Alec isn’t actually needed or wanted at the meeting itself. Which is a relief because Alec doesn’t think the meeting would have lasted nearly as long as it has if he’d attended.

Another distraction breaks him from his thoughts. Another faerie arrives, the eleventh to show up and try to join him since Magnus left. She starts by waiting a little while away as she calls out to him.  Her form is half-hidden in the trees as she tries to coax him with a basket of apples, her hand even daring to hold one out in offering.

Apples.

As if Alec is some common horse or mule.

He snorts angrily, tossing his head back and pawing at the ground, breaking it under his hooves in fury.  When he’s done, the fae is gone; her frightened scent vanishes with her and only a fallen basket with a trail of apples remains.

Alec approaches it with fierce, quick steps but only so that he can crush each individual fruit beneath his hoofs before making quick work of the basket with his horn.

The smell of the fruit is fresh and sweet,  tantalizing considering how long he’s been waiting here and food — fae or not — holds no power over Alec in this form. However that doesn’t mean he’s a simple beast or so easily coaxed.  If anything it infuriates him, stoking the murderous rage in his belly that never quite settles unless Magnus is there with him.

The others that approach him as the hours pass are like minded. 

Some offer him lumps of candied honey, fresh vegetation or rare fruits and some offer the choice bits of meat or organs for those who remember that a unicorn is not a beast of pasture.

Each is offered from a distance whether from respect or fear Alec isn’t sure.

Yet each gift is a trap.

They want to touch him.

Touching a unicorn is thought to give luck and strength and being blessed by one is a coveted boon. The hair of his mane and tail are worth as much as Magnus’ feathers and tears and just as rare and Alec knows exactly how much he’s worth and so does Magnus.

Everyone that passes the ward Magnus put up isn’t a danger, or in danger.  

Because Alec has enough self-control that he won’t kill someone out of irritation, no matter how much he wants to.

—-

Magnus’ feet hasten, his steps lengthening without thought as if his very legs are yearning to make up for his lack of wings in this form.

Alexander is waiting for him. 

Proud head tilted up towards the sun and the breeze playfully tugging his mane into a dance with the wind.  He’s ethereal and gorgeous, glowing like obsidian under the sky and pure power to look at. At the sight of him Alexander rears in greeting, hoofs striking air in silent applause and the silver tip of his horn gleaming gold as it catches the sun.

Magnus feels the weight of his mate’s gaze and sighs, letting himself finally calm down.  The gold and red feathers that twine with his dark hair flutter as the same wind playing with Alexander teases Magnus’ face, the scent of him carried in a kiss of air.

As beautiful as the sight of his Alexander is, the evidence of unwanted guests and gawkers is littered across the valley.  There’s ruined gems and food and even clothes scattered across the once pristine land, though thankfully for the fae, no blood.

A pity for Magnus, however. 

A single drop of blood sterilized by a phoenix tear and he could have used fyre flight to find and incinerate the interlopers rather than let them go free.

“If only we’d known the Trueblood line carried unicorn souls.” Arawn murmurs from where he’s deigned to act as Magnus’ escort.  The unseelkie king’s gaze is unsettling and greedy as he looks at Alexander. “He could have been ours, then.”

Magnus knows exactly what Arawn means, considering the young blonde woman who had been the scribe during the meeting.  She’d had pointed ears and fangs yet also dark, stark and nephil runes on her skin.

Fae folk mixing with nephilim isn’t unheard of and Magnus isn’t surprised that Arawn specifically keeps track of nephil bloodlines to see which one he wants his people to seduce.  However that doesn’t mean Magnus will allow another to covet his mate, even if there’s nothing lustful about Arawn’s covetous gaze.

“And yet, he’s mine.” 

Arawn’s unnaturally green eyes meet Magnus’ gold and Magnus lets a hint of power bleed into his voice when he speaks.

“Even if he had been yours in another life. Or another time, in the end he’d still be mine.”

Arawn tilts his head, the smile on his maw decidedly unfriendly but not yet dangerous.  There is respect in his gaze and amusement as well.

“I have many sons—” and Magnus bristles even though he knows Arawn wouldn’t actually dare offer them to him or Alexander. “And your mate has a sister, does he not?”

The verbal assurance that Arawn recognizes Magnus’ claim on Alexander calms him enough that he nods.  Isabelle Lightwood does carry the blood and she mingles with fae so it’s not truly far fetched.  He summons a card, not with Isabelle’s name but the name of her most recent paramour. That is the best he’ll give Arawn, the fae king will have to do his own work from here.

Arawn understands and smirks, shallowly nodding his head in the closest to a bow the unseelie will ever lower himself to.

“I’ll leave you to your mate,” Arawn pauses and the card disappears from betwixt his fingers, “and I’ll remember a favor owed.”

He stays quiet then and Magnus is glad of it.  

Alexander wouldn’t ever be receptive to Arawn’s plot.

Yet Magnus knows that if he were any less powerful than he is, Arawn would happily use one of his sons to try and steal Magnus’ mate

Magnus summons an apple, golden and glowing and perhaps to the rest of the world, it will look normal.  Golden apples exist in the shadowworld aplenty, both in myth and reality.

Alexander neighs angrily, hoof stamping down so hard he cracks a boulder but then he’s trotting over, mane and head shaking as he passes the unseelie king.  Fingers reach out, hovering over Alexander’s coat for a moment before it’s swiftly pulled back, the tips nearly bitten off from Alexander’s lunge.  

The white of Alexander’s eyes are wide and wild as he bugles, teeth clacking together with unfettered viciousness and he doesn’t need the canines of a predator to be dangerous.  His back legs kick out and Arawn retreat without a word.

Alexander could take off an arm at the elbow without even trying with his teeth, dull though they may seem.

Magnus tsks, clicking his tongue several times in a mocking noise that has Alexander’s attention back on him instantly. 

His sweet boy isn’t actually angry, but he’s going to act like he is as he lunges forward.  His muzzle knocks against Magnus’ shoulder with enough force to rock him, but not drop him and his deadly horn passes harmlessly past Magnus’ jaw.  Alexander’s forelock brushes against his cheek then Magnus steps back, offering the apple with a smirk.

There’s a moment where Magnus just knows that Alexander is considering whether or not goring Magnus’ hand will actually hurt him considering his instant regeneration.  Magnus can also see the moment where he decides — as always — that even the possibility of causing a whisper of pain to Magnus outweighs any vindictive pleasure gained.

Especially when they both know his boy will eat the apple either way.

With a knicker of defeat Alexander lowers his head, whuffling at Magnus palm and then the apple with a snort of disdain.

Alexander eats it despite the irritation he’s radiating.

Whiskers brush Magnus’ palm and Alexander’s eyes glitter with malice even as he chews and swallows every bite of the juicy fruit.  It doesn’t matter that Magnus is teasing him and his boy could just refuse. Alexander’s too territorial to even pretend not to take something Magnus offers, especially when it’s formed from Magnus’ magic rather than by nature’s touch. He's also too proud of their relationship and of Magnus himself to refuse anything Magnus offers him.

Alexander would consider it an insult to Magnus which in his lovely boy's mind, is somehow worse than an insult to Alexander himself.

The only reason he's dragging his hooves or fussing at all is simply the principle of the matter... and the fact that Magnus made it look like an apple.

-

AN:

Arawn is aromantic though he’s hyper-sexual. He’s genuinely just a collector of unique things/people/powers etc and also why he has so many kids though he really does love his kids and family, in a bit of an admittedly obsessive way. He never keeps a paramour and doesn’t have a position for one.. I know i have two fics where he’s alec’s tad  (father) but he is not interested in adopting or suddenly fond of alec in this fic. He just collects unique things and is regretting he didn’t seduce maryse lightwood to get unicorn fae babies or send someone else to seduce her to get unicorn fae subjects. He seriously won’t really think of Alec again other than in context to Magnus. His goal is trying to get one of sons to seduce izzy. Arawn fully believes at least one of his sons can figure out a longterm relationship with isabelle lightwood and give him the possibility of unicorn grandchildren. He’s normally even more extra and intense but he’s appropriately wary of magnus who is powerful and also a phoenix. This is him being tame.

Also Helen is implied/mentioned by appearance and while she isn’t one of Arawn’s kids, she is like... distantly related. In this, Helen’s seelie mother fled to the unseelie court using the blood ties her relative who is Arawn’s like... who knows removed cousin as a voucher because she knew the king liked unique beings (he’s arrogant enough he doesn’t need to use them if its objectionable. he just likes that they’re his subjects) so her kids would be safer under Arawn than under the seelie queen who would manipulate them far more).

Please remember this is my fanon verse building and even here Arawn is not a nice or good person, i write him favorably because there’s also a god named that and because i hate the seelie queen. Very much. Dislike. Dont like. Will rip apart 10/10 would write again.

Alec is instinctually very violent and so is Magnus. They sometimes in their own heads when annoyed/overly happy/excited/upset/mad/jealous/tired/just large emotions envision setting each other on fire or goring each other before going like ‘okay but that might actually hurt them and they’re not allowed to get hurt. ever. so i guess i’ll settle for making it very clear that i’m upset and i’m going to continue to be upset’. 

So they work really well together despite the fact that they’re brat tamer/brat.

Yes. magnus uses the noises people use to signal with horses to get their attention and soothe them. Because he likes riling alec up and he likes it when Alec brats back.

Also i’m going to be real. Alec should be grateful magnus didn’t make it look like a carrot. Because that would have made alec even more indignant and he would have considered it more insulting and magnus would have done it gleefully (kink dynamics. You dont need sex to have dynamics or scenes going on especially since i write magnus and alec pretty much in a 24/7 dom/sub dynamic. No it’s not explicitly talked out, this is primal instincts and fanfic and i’m already doing research binges for billiard innuendos and how to write mermaid sex. I’m not adding researching how to write a fantasy 24/7 kink contract when it’s all based on instinct. The thought makes me want to cry.

Also this isn’t humiliation because Alec’s not humiliated, he’s outraged but he’s also like territorial so like magnus isn’t forcing him to eat the apple. Despite how huffy he is, alec would snap at Magnus’ fingers if he tried to take the apple away. Just because he’s annoyed by the fact that Magnus likes to make horse jokes doesn’t mean a small part of him doesn’t see the humor. Alec is in fact annoyed by the fact that he finds it funny because he knows he only finds it funny because Magnus finds it funny.

it’s the principle of the matter.

Alec’s literally just angry on principle and that’s part of why magnus finds it so funny.

Alec wouldn’t normally be so sensitive about people giving him apples btw except Magnus keeps giving him magical apples and so it’s become a ‘them’ thing and so not only is it insulting but its encroaching because HOW DARE YOU. ONLY MY MATE IS ALLOWED TO GIVE ME APPLES. Because instead of thinking, ‘no one is allowed to give me apples’ alec’s brain makes allowances for Magnus on instinct alone.

...about the emotional aspect of the jokes, its characterized because saeth has jokes that i’m annoyed by (not ones that actually upset me, saeth is very careful to try and not make jokes that might upset me or repeat them if one is made by accident). And part of the reason i get so annoyed is because its something i find funny, but its always something i wouldn’t find funny if saeth didn’t find it so funny or present it in such an obnoxiously on point manner. and i can’t get actually mad because its not harmful and it doesn’t actually upset me but the fact that i see where the joke is and i get the joke is infuriating. 

Often times its sort of like the ‘i’m in this picture and i don’t like it’ kind of unwillingly amused feeling too.

Fuck i hope this isn’t too confusion. I have to be up in four hours so i’m giving up for the morning <3

[castlebyersthoughts]

Okay, I heard there's a new Finn interview and both sides are celebrating, so I'm gonna give my two cents about Finn's answer.

I'm linking the full video, question is at 2:39. On a related note, please, guys, before you make up your mind about something and start to relay it, go check the source for yourselves. It's easy for people to cut something out of their posts and reactions, and this is how misinformation gets spread.

So, the question was: "What are your thoughts about the Eleven storyline?", which is such a vague question, what does it even mean? What Eleven storyline? I believe they meant the Mike and Eleven romance storyline, but it would've been interesting to see how they worded this question to Finn directly. Instead we'll just have to assume he's talking about Mike and El's romantic relationship.

I'll try to be objective first, then I'll give my opinion. In the first part of the answer, Finn's talking about how their relationship started as an "ET kind of thing" but then it "turns out to be a young girl that (Mike) ends up having feelings for". Once again, Finn doesn't seem to believe it was love at first sight for Mike. To be completely fair, this doesn't have to mean anything about season 5, it could be a difference of opinion between Finn and the writers, which is a thing that happens. Sometimes actors interprets their character's feelings differently.

So here Finn is re affirming the canon: Mike saw El as "creature" he had to protect, then ended up developping feelings for her and they got into a relationship. He could be saying the truth or he could lying here, in order not to spoil a certain season 5 twist, there's really no way to know. As a bi Mike truther though, I think that part was true. Notice how he never talked about Mike's current feelings for El though, he only said that the relationship evolved.

Then it becomes more interesting, as once again, Finn shifts the focus from Mike and El as a couple to instead talk about "having close relationships with people that are outsiders", which is something that he thinks "a lot of people identify with". If he was still talking about Mike and El, why did he say it like that? It would've been so easy to say "I think people see themselves in Mike and El because they're both outsiders and that's why they identify with this relationship". Simple and to the point. But he didn't, instead he kept it vague, not directly saying who he was talking about. So, definitely eyebrow-rising.

Then we get to the last part of the answer: "It's a storyline that I really liked doing and I think fans will be happy with in the fifth season". Knowing that the question was initially about Mike and El's relationship, I'll admit it would be a bit weird for Finn to say that fans would be happy with this relationship ending (even though we know most will). But there's also the possibility that he's talking about the whole Mike storyline of season 5, which includes the love triangle, and Mike eventually ending up with Will. If that's what he's thinking of here, it makes perfect sense to say that the people who identify with a relationship between outsiders will be happy with the resolution of this storyline, especially when we know that Finn is aware of how big the Byler fanbase is (I'm referring to his comment at the Paris Con). But we have no way of knowing for sure what he's talking about here, and he could still be talking about Mike and El, although I personally don't believe he is, mainly because of his use of "people".

So, my conclusion is: it's not exactly a clear win for us, but it's definitely a loss for M*leven, since Finn is still incapable of talking about their love and always has to shift the focus away from them, saying vague stuff and basically word soups instead. It's night and day compared to how Caleb talks about Lumax and how unconditional and forever their love is. I've seen this since the season 4 promo, every time Finn has to answer a M*leven question he searches his words and stutters and starts being super vague, it's so different from how he answers other questions. I also remember he already said the "relationships with people" thing during the season 4 press tour, it was basically: "Mike learns a lot about how he sees himself and his relationships with people", and we ended up getting a love triangle between Mike, El and Will. So I guess it's safe to say that the love triangle is continuing in season 5 (not that we needed confirmation).

Ultimately I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't rely on interviews because actors can say anything and lie and they have to come up with something on the spot that they may regret later when they think about it. Interviews should never be used as a way to prove or confirm something about a future season, instead it should be a fun little thing to analyze!

[ceoandslutler]

sebaciel nation: tips on how to write fics if you don't want to be ooc - mainly for first time writers

so i dropped the sequel to sws from last year and i thought, why not make a list of my best tips for writing the characters? clearly i did something right since people seem to think i write in character.

read the source material. i swear to god, it sounds simple but you can't know the canon intricacies of their relationship if you're anime-only. the anime doesn't show their relationship now (blue cult arc) and it doesn't show their development as smoothly. also reference their scenes in the manga in your fic. it will help, i promise. contextualise their actions by comparing it to their canon behaviours or at least make parallels. also read literature or even fanfics you like and try to see which writing style you want to write in- i don't read a lot of fanfic but i do read books (it helps).

research research research. the characters need to be in a lively world if they're going to be themselves. an underdeveloped world makes an underdeveloped character. even if you're writing canon divergence or an AU and want them to still be themselves, please go ham on research and incorporate the things you learn into your writing. if it's not possible to add it into the work smoothly, keep it in your mind and use it for a different fic. that way, you'll never run out of ideas. just make sure the world affects them. as character-driven kuro is, yana has been putting a lot more effort into the historical accuracy of kuro. doing the same will help.

this is the opposite of what everyone tells you but for kuro fic, get that thesaurus. learn as many new words as you can, use them in various contexts and figure out what sounds right. it can be difficult if english isn't your first language but practice makes perfect. the more flowery your language, the more you can layer and sophisticate your dialogue and symbolism. both ciel and sebastian are highly intelligent and in order to write their banter, you also need to have a healthy sense of wit.

follow this thought process: what is the action? who is doing the action (and if applicable, to whom)? where/when (in what context) is he doing the action? why is he doing the action? would/has he done this action in canon? if not, will it be acknowledged that he did something uncharacteristic? e.g. an example from my fic: dancing, sebastian dancing with ciel, in private before ciel's wedding, to teach him how to dance with elizabeth, yes he would do this in canon, no since it's not ooc. now imagine in the action was kissing or saying something romantic. neither of them would do this in canon; so your fic should acknowledge that it's something it an action they do not understand the reason for. you also have to keep this in mind for everyone who isn't sebaciel too if you want the fic to be cohesive.

it's ok to be ooc. sometimes you just wanna write characters the way you like. don't force them into canon if you're writing them how you like; that's just gonna make it awkward. if they're ooc half the time and their canon selves the other half, you're just gonna make the readers confused.

it's also ok to ignore all the advice i just gave you and do whatever you want. nobody should tell you what to write. i'm just giving these tips because i want everyone who wants to write but is scared of being ooc to have somewhere to start.