#haven't used those tags in a log time

[luna-loveboop]

Wait...

It's November. It's November first. Yesterday was October 31st, so October is over. ...it's over. Is it over?

Inktober, artober, whumptober, flufftober, linktober, every tag ending with -tober that's been circulating for the past month... is it over? I don't know why it's just hit me but...

This matters. So I will try to get the message across, even though I'm not the best at it sometimes

Fanartists, fan writers, artists, fic writers, people making comics, every single one of you that has created art for the past month...

Thank you

This is my first October on tumblr. When I started seeing the "tober" tags, seeing the posts from artists with wips, saying they were going to make something every day to a prompt, making masterposts to update with each day, I thought "cool"

But every day this month, I have gotten on here and smiled.

And I don't mean smiled. I mean I smiled at least 20 times every time I got on the app because I saw all the art and fics. I got to see artists/writers connect stories through different day prompts. I saw people having the most brilliant ideas and creativity, flowing from their hands into their posts. I saw artists responding to continuous asks, telling them how amazing they are. I saw artists getting behind, and keeping going.

I saw Free. Beautiful. Emotional. Amazing. Original. Creative. Art.

Every day

I haven't committed to anything of this before, so I can't directly relate to what you guys were thinking and feeling. But I'm willing to guess; I think you probably enjoyed it, because most won't do such a huge project unless they enjoy it. I think you probably saw it as a challenge you were willing to fulfill, and an opportunity to grow and develop your skills.

... but I'm also willing to bet you did it for us. For people like me, who love art, but don't do this specific type, who are in fandoms, who love tracking and watching you art and sending you compliments, who take joy in your work. For the other artists (and writers!) who admire each others styles and love to learn from each other.

If anyone ever tries to tell me that humans are inherently evil again, I will strap them to a chair, pull up these posts and say look. Look at what these people did. Look me in the eyes and tell me these sorts of actions don't come from the most loving hearts. Tell me these people don't want to make others happy, that they aren't inherently good. And I will tell you you're wrong.

I have so much going on, yet somehow it slipped into my life that I was constantly looking at your art for the joy of it without me even noticing.

And how is it possible. That we have such a beautiful community of people here that we will share. And communicate. And exchange compliments. And literally do things and send asks solely for the purpose of making someone smile.

I'm almost crying by now. God I can't express it well enough! But I am so. So. Grateful

You guys brought me a month of joy! You gave headcanons, and art, and stories!

Even yesterday, Halloween, I was blown away. Because I had expected... I didn't expect anything. And then I log on and see people sending happy halloween asks, exchanging doodles of candy, and headcanons and gifs.

And some are still catching up to the schedule or whatever, and that's ok! But at the beginning of this post, when I was simply realizing it was November, I asked myself "is it over?"

Is it over?

... I don't think so. I've seen artists say they're going to continue and expand on a piece they made and especially liked this month. Some people are still continuing, catching up to a voluntary deadline. All those masterposts with your whump/fluff/link/ink tober art? I know many as well as myself will be going through, looking over your posts with smiles, catching up on some things they missed this month... it will continue in the people and artists I didn't know existed before, but now follow. In the skills and growth in creativity! In the community we've grown, and art you've made, and the art to come, at a normal rate like every other month, even if it's not October anymore!

But my artists, writers... thank you so much. I don't know if you guys know how valuable and amazing you are. How incredible it is that you exist! People say it's amazing we exist under a sky of such stars, but how incredible is it that you made a stranger on the internet smile every day! Your life is so. So. Valuable. I can't even express how grateful I am that you exist, that you somehow are selfless enough to share the most beautiful parts of yourself simply to create, and to create joy. Thank you so so much.

(And this applies to all artists, in any fandoms, not just mine. And I'm just as grateful to people who couldn't do something every day, or only one day! You still share your art, you're just as... incredible. You are incredible.)

Okay.

So I'm gonna do this, and if others want to do it in the reblogs that's great! I do not care at all about reblogging or likes, but I want to make the people that have brought me such joy some appreciation- I hope I can bring you even a smidgen of the light you have brought into my life. So I'm gonna tag all the artists/writers I know of/can think of that have done any sort of October challenge, all of you creators that have made me smile. If people wanna want to tag others in the reblogs or replies to spread love that's cool.

(Basically I don't know social customs or anything at all, so if you don't want me to tag or if I was supposed to do something different or something let me know I have no idea what I'm supposed to do)(if I like accidentally tagged someone who isn't an artist/writer or forgot someone I follow... sorry)

@skyward-floored @kikker-oma @adrift-in-thyme @blueskittlesart @zeldaseyebrows @smilesrobotlover @bahbahhh @soso-dedeck @lennsart @arecaceae175 @illcamp @breannasfluff @solarfire-art @26kabeuchi @cathianemelian @truffeart @scribbly-z-raid @uniquevoidflowers

To all the artists and writers out there: thank you so much!!! You are amazing and I'm glad you exist. Your life is precious, and you matter. Thank you so much for sharing your beauty with us, we love you too!!!!!

... yeah. Just want yall to feel loved... because you are. Again, thank you. Thank you so so much to my beautiful creators who create joy as well as art, who keep storytelling alive. Just... thank you.

:)

[kpeanuts]

@tadc-funfair-au's Pomctober/Pomni Inktober Day 5 - @sm-baby's Carnival AU

WALL OF TEXT INCOMING

Hands down, no competition, my favorite AU to read and learn about as it unfolds. On the other hand, this might be the one that I am least proud of after drawing. I know I said that I'd come out swinging for Day 5, but I legitimately couldn't find the vision. I feel like I made so, so many mistakes just on this one alone. Ignoring the practical mistakes for a second, for some reason, I had such a hard time thinking on what I wanted to have as the setting. I thought of using Pomni's tent with her on the dive-board or on a pedestal you see the ringmaster standing on, then I thought in the bedroom hallway, and even after sleeping on it I still couldn't get it right. Eventually I just decided to draw sentient Pomni outside of Kinger's throne room (at least I'm pretty sure Kinger would have an ornate entryway to his room, idk). I'm absolutely terrible at drawing environments, interior or otherwise, only reason why I thought Day 3's background looked remotely good was because I was able to use the horror aspect of it to cover it up, but Carnival doesn't have the same attributes to use as a veil. But it's whatever, I can't bring myself to touch the file further since I know that it's just going to get worse.

I'm going to skip over Day 6 completely for two reasons: One, refresh my mind in terms of drawing TADC and do research for Day 7. Two, I don't feel like logging into Instagram (or twitter, which means that I'm going to skip over Day 10 as well).

Now, while I am going to stop drawing TADC and Pomctober for tomorrow, I've found another Inktober prompt list, Goretober. So I'm going to just do a few drawings for that one and warning people in advance that do not wish to see that kind of stuff: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, GO SET YOUR FILTERED TAGS TO INCLUDE "cw: guro", "cw: blood", "cw: death" AND/OR "cw: gore"! I'll be including the Violence content label but this is just for good measure.

With that, finally, I'm done with the usual ranting. Again, I'm going to be posting a few very violent and bloody sketches for Goretober later on, so go filter out the tags I listed above by going to "Settings" > "Account" > "Content you see" > "Filtered Tags". Those posts won't be showing up often, and I might make an entirely separate blog in the future just to make sure that my usual content isn't mixed in with the mature. I shall leave you with that warning, and safe travels!

[biznichwrites]

After a few years - I live. Just graduated and got back from my post-grad trip.

Feels and dump sesh below. Forgive my typos, I'm not used to typing with nails.

Anyway, I wanted to thank my readers that stuck through the bs (including the fact I haven't written in a couple of years and I privated literally everything recently). I started writing in a period where I didn't know where my life was going. Writing was a way to remove myself from my life and my problems. I had no hopes of returning to any form of formal education and had no plan beyond working to survive.

Through this whole mess I've had @dudeandduchess loyally by my side and a handful of others (I'm so sorry, I'm an asshole and didn't remember everyone's Tumblr names since we use discord) that have listened to me bitch into the void. I've had a few irl friends stick by me (one of which knows about this blog, but I won't tag them for their sanity). Life has changed a lot and I'm glad for it.

So like... I'm sure there's been some questions. So uhh here's the FAQ from what I've had in my ask box over the years. Feel free to ask if there's anything else you want to know.

Why did I go back to college as an adult past the age others graduate? I dated a chemical engineer that made good money and was a complete idiot. If you want the whole story, just ask. But anyway, I figured if he could do it, so could I. Dated in fall of 2020, returned to college in 2021.

Will we see any writing come back? Right now I'm debating on going back through the old posts and fixing them. Maybe the true writing posts, but probably not the countless head cannon posts. Those were... So bad. For now there are 3 posted on AO3 for those who are logged in.

Will there be more writing? I'm planning on it. Honestly it's probably going to still be Giyuu centric. I'm a loyal bitch, if nothing, and I had this fic idea in my head for literal years but no time to write it until now. I'm no longer going to write head cannons in any official way.

Do you know the fandom is basically dead? Yeaaahhh... Such is life. It's only holding on because modern anime take years to finish. My irl friend joked that my graduation present was the Giyuu vs Akaza scene (iykyk) getting animated.

Any cool life events? I almost died of organ failure in 2023 and my house flooded in 2024. I just graduated and went on a trip out of the country (outside the US), which are my biggest highlights.

Any tips for someone looking to go to college? Honestly... In this economy, you have to go for what makes good money that doesn't make you miserable. Do not wrack up student debt to get a degree that doesn't pay for itself, and don't go if you're not sure what you want to do yet. If you're in the US and you don't have the means to go, wait until you're 26 as your parents income will stop affecting your FASFA then. Go to community colleges and places you have in state tuition to minimize cost. Double check all accreditation for the college/university to make sure they're in good standing (like ABET for STEM degrees).

Is the love of Giyuu still strong? Absolutely. I have a plush of him given to me by a classmate in the back of my car. He's slowly getting sun bleached, but I rep for my bottom bitch.

[joffyworld]

Whats you favorite au of anything

My AU :3

Lmaoo no, hmmmm it's hard to say. I have a few I can't super well, like, rank them. I WILL however, use this as a chance to shout-out my current obsessions

@twooftheluckyones's AU is DELICIOUSLY fluffy and also makes me cry sometimes, especially the main storyline of the betrayal. Those two are way too powerful. Also their recent foray into more OC content with Baal and Oko has literally ruined my life and inspired me to write several poems. I will forever adore these two, go read their stuff I beg you.

@aychama's Royal AU dude I cannot even with that au. I am feral for anything medieval and Ayça has just made the sweetest lemonade out of those gay lemons. ough, so good. Plus the way it's like a mutual slowburn, but you only ever see Lambert's side of it all? AUGH so tragically well done, I can't wait for each new page. You NEED to see it if you somehow haven't yet.

@bamsara's TROD is the reason I ever got into this fandom, and it remains the only fandom I've ever been in. I've been here 4 months and met so many beautiful people, so if I had to designate a "favourite" I guess it would be theirs? But like, I love so many it's hard to choose anymore

@bloos-bloo's Toybox AU because I'm feral over Emery and also Kallamar and Nari and it's just so deliciously evil and omfg so good. It's like, sinister as hell and I can't really recommend it because it deals with some heavy concepts but omg it's good. Read it when you're older xD

@kiko---random-stuff-probably's Jewel Box AU. We talk in DM's about it allllll the time it's so good I wish I had the power to just let people log into my account and see it all xD. It's really good and the way Kiko writes tragic gays is just magnificent. I can't help it, I'm so invested into them it's tragic.

@the-artist-grimm's Crimson Angel AU has, on several occasions, had me FUCKED UP in the club. That awkward co-parenting but still angry at eachother phase? The betrayal as a whole? THE PARENTING????????????? It's so beautifully written, please go read it.

@ro-bee's Goat AU has me feral because like, Kiran is literally me. No but seriously it's so cute and fluffy and the dog is so pathetic I just need it in my veins.

@aniimoni's mythology AU. It's only had a few pieces made for it at this point, but omg the concept has me crying in the club. Anii is the master of "Here's a cute concept. Now I'm going to tear your heart out" and it tricks me into feeling safe and warm and fuzzy every time until that bastard steals my soul again /pos. Go check Anii out in general if you somehow haven't yet, very cool artist and person in general.

I'll stop gushing over my favourite shit now. There's SO many more I could rant all day. Sorry for the tags guys if you want me to remove them please tell me 😭

[tired-truffle]

Something's Gotta Give

A CullenxLavellan fic

Chapter Word Count: 5.6k

Part 54: A Pocket Full of Sorrow

"My little sister is small and silly. I'll always hold the umbrella more over her head even if my shoulder gets soaked. In other words, I'd carry her up to heaven on my back, or hold her hand all the way down to hell." - Unknown

Tag list: @thomrainierapologist (If you'd like to be added to the tag list, let me know!)

Masterlist

Similarly to Adamant, Cullen was kept occupied with his troops and preparations for the impending battle in the Arbor Wilds. However, unlike the events at Adamant, there would be no spirit possession revealed, and journeys through the Fade. Hopefully. Months had elapsed since they’d confronted the Grey Wardens, since Ash and Cullen had parted ways only to find themselves irresistibly drawn back together once more. Now, their relationship stood on solid ground, feelings laid bare in honesty.

But the war wouldn’t simply cease to allow them some time to be together. They had to make their relationship work through hardship and pain, coupled with the looming terror of the inevitable carnage that lay ahead. She caught fleeting glimpses of him as they rode from Skyhold, and late at night, usually long after she’d fallen asleep, he would slip into her tent and curl himself around her - gone before daybreak.

Sweetpea had been left behind for her safety, but Ash was rarely alone. Dorian rode with her most often, more than happy to chat - or rather complain - about any topic he could pull from his arsenal.

So," Dorian drawled, sidling his mount closer to hers as they traversed a particularly muddy stretch of forest path. "I couldn't help but notice Cullen slipping from your tent this morning. His hair was particularly dishevelled. Most becoming, actually."

Ash rolled her eyes. "Do you ever sleep, or do you just lie in wait for gossip opportunities?"

"Sleep is for those without ambition, my dear." Dorian had a wicked gleam in his eyes that made Ash wary. “Now tell me, has our handsome Commander taught you any new sword techniques lately?"

Ash shot him a withering look. "Really? That's the best innuendo you could come up with?"

"It's early, and I haven't had nearly enough wine." Dorian adjusted his riding gloves with a smirk. "You haven't answered the question, though."

"And I won't be," Ash replied, though she couldn't quite suppress the smile tugging at her lips. The memory of Cullen's arms around her the night before, his breath warm against her neck, was still fresh in her mind.

Varric urged his pony forward to join them, a good few feet lower than where Dorian and Ash sat. "You know, Sparkler, you're approaching this all wrong. Subtlety is key."

"There's nothing subtle about those two," Dorian scoffed. "Have you seen the way he looks at her when he thinks no one's watching? It's positively indecent."

Ash lifted her nose indignantly. “Like you and Bull are any better. You can hardly go a few seconds without eye fucking each other.”

“Such is romance, darling.” Dorian shrugged, unperturbed.

Varric chuckled, shaking his head. "At least Tiny and Sparkler are honest about it. You and Curly, though - there's a story there I haven't quite figured out yet."

"There's no story," Ash insisted, guiding her horse around a fallen log. "We're together. End of tale."

"See, that's where you're wrong," Varric said. "The best stories are never that simple. The Commander of the Inquisition falling for the Inquisitor's older sister? There's depth there."

Ash was relatively certain they’d been over this, and Varric had promised he wouldn’t write about them. But perhaps he’d changed his mind. "What's your angle, Varric?"

"No angle," he replied, and she almost believed him. "I just want to see you happy, Frosty. You've changed him, there’s something lighter about Curly than there used to be."

Something in his tone made Ash pause. This wasn't just idle curiosity or material for his next book. There was genuine concern there.

"There's nothing to tell. We're…happy. That's all."

"Happy?" Dorian scoffed. "I don’t believe 'happy' begins to cover it."

"And what about the way you look at him?" Varric added, leaning forward. "Like he hung the moon and stars just for you. It's all very romantic, especially in war times."

"I do not—" Ash began, then stopped herself. What was the point in denying it? "Fine. Yes. I love him. Deeply. Are you satisfied?"

"Not remotely," Dorian replied. "But it's a start."

The conversation only deteriorated from there.

The night before they were set to arrive in the Arbor Wilds, Ash had practically carried Cullen away from his reports and battle plans, insisting he would be doing everyone a favour by getting a proper night's sleep before the gruelling days of combat that lay ahead. Cullen, like a stubborn old bear, had initially bristled at her suggestion, muttering about the crucial need to be thoroughly prepared for any ambush the enemy might devise. But in the end, he’d been unable to resist her pout and large, watery eyes. He didn’t need to know that her eyes glistened only because she had intentionally avoided blinking. The lengths she went to for him were boundless.

They lay down together on his cot, her leg slung over his, her head resting on his chest as she dragged her fingers through the coarse hair that was scattered down his abdomen.

His hand covered hers as a puff of laughter blew against the top of her head. “That tickles,” he said, moving her hand to his shoulder. As much as she loved his shoulders - broad and muscular - they weren’t quite as entertaining in texture.

Propping herself up on her elbows, she stared down at him. She’d debated when would be the best time to reveal the surprise she had for him. And before she could second guess herself, she said, “I have something for you.”

Ash needed to do it now before she chickened out.

Cullen tilted his head to the side, a crease forming between his brows. “You do?”

“Mhm.” Ash picked up the belt she’d left beside the cot, within arms reach - she was reticent to leave his side, even for a second. Opening a pouch she’d kept securely with her every second since leaving Skyhold, she removed the tiny vial attached to the leather strand of a necklace. Bright red liquid shimmered inside, and she placed it on his chest, unsure what else to do.

For a change that Ash was not keen on, a warm, rosy blush spread from her cheeks and crept over her ears. His eyes widened, and his lips parted slightly as he picked up the item, the realization of its significance dawning on him with startling clarity.

“Ash, you…this is…”He held it so carefully, the vial cradled in his palm and he glanced back and forth between her and the vial. “Is this your phylactery? How…?”

Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, Ash nodded. “Basically. Cassandra helped me make it.”

Cullen exhaled a shaky breath, opening and closing his mouth as he struggled to find the right words to express his thoughts. Had she gone too far, crossed an unseen line? Pushed a boundary she hadn't realized was there, acting impulsively without considering the consequences? He was no longer a Templar, and she was uncertain if he still had the ability to track her using the phylactery, but he could still hold it and feel that it was warm and pulsed with life. But maybe he didn’t want any reminders of his time with the Order, or that…she was a mage. Possessed. He loved her undeniably, but did he want to?

“Sorry, I should have asked first. You don’t have to keep it if you don’t want to. I can destroy it and we never have to think about this again.” She made to reach for it - to hide it away where it could never be found, unwilling to find the answers to the questions that stuck on the tip of her tongue - but Cullen jerked it out of her grasp.

“Wait,” he intercepted her hand with his free one as she made to grab it again. Bringing her fingers to his mouth, he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. “I am not rejecting your gift, I’m merely surprised. I only wish to understand.”

Her ears tilted down, but she ceased her attempts to reclaim the phylactery. His lips brushed against her knuckles once more, and he swiped his thumb over the thin bones on the back of her hand. “Why make this?”

“For you,” she replied simply. His eyebrows raised with incredulity.

“You created a phylactery for me? Ash, this is…you've bound yourself to this, and if it were to end up in the wrong hands…you didn’t have to do that for me.”

“I wanted to. And it’s in your hands.” She brushed her fingers over his cheek, his rough stubble scratching her skin. “When I follow Rae out on missions and I…leave you behind, I don’t want you to stew in your worry for me and get distracted. Especially not tomorrow when you need to be focusing on keeping yourself alive. I thought that maybe with this, you can feel that I’m alright and find some reassurance.”

For a few long seconds, he said nothing, his eyes roaming her face, searching for clarity that could part the clouds of his disbelief.

Ash kissed the indent of his chin. “I trust you,” she whispered. “I know you’ll keep it safe.”

Cullen opened his mouth, stunned beyond words, and closed it again. He cleared his throat, curling his fingers around the little vial and holding it to his chest.

“Thank you, my love. I hardly know what to say.”

Ash folded herself against his side, the lucky coin he’d given her at the lake lay safely tucked in her belt - with plans to turn it into a necklace when they returned home. They would both carry a piece of each other, a token of affection. Never again would she be entirely without him, nor he without her.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

He placed a kiss on the top of her head, and no words followed. It was simply the two of them, content to bask in each other’s arms before the battle descended upon them and they were once more torn apart by duty. If anything happened to him…Creators, she couldn’t think about it. They would both survive. They had to.

To lose him now would destroy a part of herself she would never regain.

“How was the farewell lovemaking? Did your Commander get on his knees and beg you to come back in one piece before showing you all the reasons why you should?” Dorian tossed her a shiny red apple, and Ash caught it with a roll of her eyes. Breakfast hadn’t been her priority, but the mage had taken it upon himself to ensure she was fed.

Ash took a bite, speaking around the apple piece in her cheek. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Yes, dear,” Dorian drawled. “That's why I’m asking.”

“She’s walking alright,” Sera interjected, poking Ash in the hip and earning herself a scowl. “Maybe Cully-Wully has lost his touch. He was all growly when I offered to show him the best techniques on a peach. Must have something against peaches.”

Choking on the bite of apple she’d inhaled, Ash smacked her chest to dislodge the fruit from her airway.

Dorian barked a laugh, patting Sera on the back approvingly. “I would have paid good money to see the look on his face!”

Sera grinned, already scheming. “Yeah? How much?”

Before Dorian could respond, Cassandra cut in, striding up to their little group with a stern look permanently etched onto her face. She addressed Ash without acknowledging the two mischief makers.

“The Inquisitor is ready to depart if you are finished with your…” She glanced at Dorian and Sera with an exasperated curl of her lips. “gossip.”

“Spoiling all our fun, Seeker,” Dorian tutted, though he was already steering Sera away before the rogue could say something scandalous to truly piss Cassandra off. “Make sure our Ashvalla returns in one piece so we may finish our gossip, as you put it.”

Cassandra sucked her teeth in and returned her attention to Ash, her eyes sparking with a knowing look. Though the Seeker was a stern woman, Ash had learned of her hidden romantic side, one that Varric loved to tease her about. Cassandra waited until Dorian and Sera were out of earshot before speaking up.

“Did you give it to him?” She kept her voice low, though even if she hadn’t, no one would have known what she was asking except for her. And Cullen most likely.

“Yes, I did. Thank you for your help, Cassandra.”

The Seeker nodded, a silent acknowledgment. Just as swiftly as their conversation had started, it came to an abrupt halt when Rae approached. Her gait was confident, her steps smooth and unhurried, as if she were merely taking a leisurely stroll rather, far too casual given the impending battle.

“You ready to go?” Rae asked, her lips curling into a wide grin that revealed her sharp canines a grin on her face, bloodlust in her eyes. Ash gave her a matching grin.

“Let’s go kill some red templars.”

Corypheus couldn’t be killed, an ancient and supposedly powerful well in the ancient temple guarded by even more ancient elves, Morrigan had flown off and abandoned them, and red templars crawled through the bowels of the temple, void-bent on annihilating Rae’s party at any cost. Ash was frankly sick of it. Her muscles ached, her magic dwindled, and she was exhausted.

At least Rae had listened to Solas’s counsel and solved the puzzles to allow them peaceful entry. Based on Abelas’s cryptic statements - the leader of the ancient elves - the only reason they hadn’t fought the Inquisitor’s party upon entry had been their respect for their customs. Ash dutifully pretended like she hadn’t suggested charging ahead and ignoring the puzzles.

Abelas’ people led them to the Well of Sorrows - an ominous name, but if it could help them defeat Corypheus, Ash didn’t care what it was called. Nor did she have the energy to.

They arrived in a large room, moss and vegetation growing over broken stone stairs. A fight had already broken out further down, red templars slaughtering the elven protectors. And behind them, stood the Well they were all after.

“So, Mythal endures.” Solas stared out at the large, crumbling room, a far-away look in his eyes. Rae squeezed his arm, bringing him back to her, and he offered her a small smile.

Rae continued on.

“Andraste guide us,” Cassandra said under her breath as they descended the stairs. Ash wasn’t sure if Andraste would be able to help them now - did human and elven gods get along?

They reached the bottom of the long stairs, and a templar - one of the only without the spikes of red lyrium growing from his body - caught sight of their party.

“Sampson! Ser—watch out!”

Sampson’s bulky armour glinted in the low light, the jagged spikes of red lyrium jutting from the metal as he turned to face them. Ash stood at Rae’s shoulder as she came to a halt, Cassandra at her other side, and Solas taking up the rear.

“Inquisitor,” he spat her title like a curse. “You and those elf-things don’t know when to stop. You’ve hunted us half across Thedas. I should’ve guessed you’d follow us into this hole.”

Rae’s lips curved into a ruthless grin. “Leading the Inquisition takes me to all sorts of interesting places. Including old, dusty holes. Just like yours, I’d imagine.”

“You came too far this time.” Sampson gripped the pommel of his sword, his eyes darkening in a warning that Rae ignored. “Corypheus chose me twice. First as his general, now as the Vessel for the Well of Sorrows. You know what’s inside the Well? Wisdom. The kind of wisdom that can scour a world. I give it to Corypheus, and he can walk into the Fade without your precious Anchor.”

Ash didn’t like the sound of that at all. If he could walk the Fade, there was no predicting where he’d go or what kind of havoc he’d unleash. They would be powerless against him.

Rae’s hands tightened around her blood-soaked daggers. “I’ll see Corypheus dead before I let him wield that power.”

“How are you going to stop him?” A baiting taunt. Ash shook her head, signalling for Rae to disengage as her sister’s short-tempered fury growled in her throat. Rae’s muscles tensed, but she swallowed her sharp retort.

Sampson's eyes darted to Ash, racking up and down her body. “Will you use your sister to secure power like you have already? The Knight-Captain’s whore. He didn’t seem like the elf-fucker type when I knew him in Kirkwall, but I suppose everyone has their secrets.”

Before Rae could explode in a murderous rage, Ash took matters into her own hands. “Sounds like someone’s jealous. Does Corypheus not appreciate it when you suck his mangled cock?”

Sampson’s teeth barred in a snarl, and for a moment, Ash thought he might attack outright, but he managed to real himself in. “You’ll pay for your insolence, and I will enjoy gloating in Rutherford’s face as I parade your dead body through the remnants of his precious Inquisition’s ranks.” Ash wouldn’t let that happen. If she was going out, she would ensure she took that asshole with her. “You’re no match for Corypheus. Even if you drink from the Well, you’ll never master its wisdom as he could. This is the strength the Chantry tried to bind. But it’s a new world now. With a new god.”

Red shimmering lights built around his armour, his face twisted in a smug grin. “So, Inquisitor.” He pointed at Rae, a challenge. “How will this go?”

Sheathing a dagger, Rae buried her anger beneath a mask of smug indifference. “Power’s all well and good.” With her free hand, Rae fished Dayna’s rune from her pocket, holding it up and letting its powers grow. “Until it’s taken away.”

Ash watched with sick satisfaction as his armour was drained of energy, dimming until snuffed out completely, his cries of pain and horror music to her ears. He fell to his knees. That sad, pathetic man grasping for power was who Cullen was so afraid he could have become. For the life of her, she couldn’t fathom a single similarity in their personhoods. Sampson was contorted by his seething hatred, transforming into a creature almost beyond recognition. Whereas Cullen had resolved to confront and unravel his hate, to free himself from the burden and work to better the world. “What did you do? What did you do?” Sampson roared as he struggled to his feet. “My armour. It's gone. The lyrium—I need it! Kill them all!”

The remaining templars charged forward, their movements jerky and uncoordinated as the red lyrium consumed them from within.

A fireball to the chest took one out as it ran towards Ash. Cassandra pressed forward, shield out to block Rae from harm as she darted out to stab their enemies.

"I'll take Sampson," Ash called to her sister.

Rae didn't spare her a glance. "Be careful!"

Sampson's eyes locked on Ash, hatred burning in them like the lyrium that had once powered his armour. "Rutherford's pet mage," he sneered, advancing towards her. "Let's see if you're as special as he thinks you are."

Ash rolled her shoulders, her flames begging to be released.

"Come and find out," she taunted, planting her feet firmly on the ancient stone.

Sampson charged, sword raised. Even without his enchanted armour, he was formidable - a templar trained to kill mages just like her. Ash sidestepped his first swing, sending a bolt of fire that clipped his shoulder.

"Is that all?" he laughed, recovering quickly. "No wonder Rutherford keeps you around. It certainly isn't for your magic."

Ash gritted her teeth, her jaw clenching as she forced herself to focus. He was trying to provoke her anger, to stir her emotions and make her lose her edge, but she refused to give him the satisfaction.

Sampson lunged, assaults growing more frenzied and uncontrolled as his withdrawal from the red lyrium intensified. But Ash fought back, dodging and blocking blow after blow. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, mixing with the grime and dirt, while his movements became more erratic, like a puppet with its strings tangled. "When I'm done with you, I'll make sure he watches as Corypheus tears those pretty little eyes from your skull."

"You talk too much," she hissed, slamming her staff into the ground.

A ring of fire erupted around them, cutting them off from the rest of the fight. Sampson faltered, momentarily startled by the sudden blaze.

That moment was all she needed.

Ash thrust her hands forward, and flames shot from her palms, hitting Sampson square in the chest. He stumbled backward, the smell of burning leather and flesh hitting her nose. It was pungent, but it was necessary.

"Not so confident now, are you?" Ash advanced, each step she took, the fire around them grew higher, hotter.

Sampson's eyes bulged with rage. He charged again, but his movements were growing increasingly sluggish. The tremor in his hands, the way his skin had gone sallow and slick with sweat. He wasn’t well. Like a sick dog, she would put him down.

The ground beneath him erupted in a geyser of flame. Sampson howled, stumbling backward into the ring of fire she'd created. The heat singed his hair and blistered his skin, but he fought through it, lunging at her like a wild animal.

His sword caught her sleeve, slicing through fabric and grazing her arm. She hissed in pain but didn't falter, channelling the sharp sting into her magic. The fire around them pulsed in response to her anger.

A witty retort was poised on his tongue, but Ash did not allow it to come to fruition. She drove the bladed end of her staff into his knee - the crack of bone shattering sounding above the roar of the fire.

Sampson collapsed with a cry of agony, his sword clattering against the stone floor.

"You bitch!" he snarled, clutching at his ruined knee. "You'll pay for—"

Ash silenced him with a boot to his chest, knocking him flat on his back and pinning him to the ground. She placed the sharp end of her staff against his throat, just hard enough to break the skin.

"I could end you right now," she said, voice eerily calm even as her heart raced. "Save everyone the trouble of dragging your sorry carcass back to Skyhold for judgment."

His eyes widened, a flicker of genuine fear breaking through his mask of hatred. Good. Let him know what it felt like.

"Do it then," he challenged, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

She scoffed, easing the pressure slightly. “And give you the easy way out? I don’t think so.”

Picking her boot up from his chest, she stepped back. His head fell back against the stone floor, utterly spent.

The ring of fire around them guttered out as she released her hold. Beyond it, the other templars lay dead, Rae wiping blood from her daggers while Cassandra helped Solas to his feet.

"Finished showing off?" Rae asked as she arrived at her sister’s side.

Ash shrugged, wincing as the movement pulled at her wounded arm. "He had opinions about my relationship."

"So naturally, you set him on fire."

"Naturally."

Sampson lay sprawled on the ground, armourless and defeated. “Not the Well, you wretch. You can’t take it from Corypheus. You mustn’t…” A final grunt, and he went limp.

Cassandra took his pulse. “He’s still breathing.” She sounded mildly disappointed, and Ash couldn’t blame her.

Rae nodded. “We can take him back to Skyhold for judgment.”

Tact had never been Ash’s strong suit, but even she had better timing than Abelas as he sprinted into the room, Morrigan giving chase in her raven form. Seconds after Sampson’s defeat, leaving them no time to process their victory, Rae had another squabble to solve.

“Abelas!” Rae called, already starting towards him as he raced for the Well.

The transformation from bird to human shouldn’t have been as smooth as it was, but Morrigan wasn’t the type to do anything without class. She darted ahead of the elf, positioning herself between him and the Well, her face set in an impassive glare.

Her eyes darted to Rae. “You heard his parting words, Inquisitor. The elf seeks to destroy the Well of Sorrows!”

Abelas was quick with a retort, scowling at the witch. “So the sanctum is despoiled at last.”

“You would have destroyed the Well yourself, given the chance.”

Ash had been exhausted and drained even before the fight with Sampson, but after the battle and all the shit they'd slogged through to reach that point, her remaining shreds of patience were rapidly unravelling as they bickered like children with overly large vocabularies.

“To keep it from your grasping fingers! Better it be lost than bestowed upon the undeserving!”

“Fool!” Morrigan spat. “You’d let your people’s legacy rot in the shadows!”

Rae, similarly to her sister, was seconds away from losing her composure. “Enough!” she barked, sounding more like the Commander than ever.

Morrigan turned her glare on Rae. “You cannot honestly—“

But Rae was not one to wither under a hard stare. “I said, enough.”

Morrigan sucked her teeth. “The Well clearly offers power, Inquisitor. If that power can be turned against Corypheus, can you afford not to use it?”

Hesitation flashed across Rae’s face, and Abelas caught it, his brow furrowing and his canines glinting in the reflected light from the Well as he sneered in disgust.

“Do you even know what you ask? As each servant of Mythal reached the end of their years, they would pass their knowledge on…through this. All that we were. All that we knew. It would be lost forever.”

Ash had observed Rae over the years, witnessing her gradual shunning from their clan. Rae was reluctantly kept around, her presence tolerated only because of Ash’s influential position. Perhaps they should have departed long ago, to spare Rae the burden of isolation she must have felt. Yet, Ash had believed it was safest to stay. Then, tragedy struck, and the clan was wiped out before Ash could complete her training as First. The stories she’d hoped to share with Rae on her own had gone with their people. Rae had already endured the fate that Abelas feared.

“Look around you.” Rae swept her arm out, gesturing to the crumbling ruins of the once mighty temple. “Everything your people were…it’s already gone.”

Abelas nodded, a deep sorrow carved into his features by years of hardship. “It is.”

Stepping forward from the small group of companions, Solas took his spot at Rae’s back. “There are other places, friend.” Solas addressed the other elf softly. “Other duties. Your people yet linger.”

Abelas tilted his head to the side. “Elvhen such as you?”

Ash didn’t fully understand the question, there were three elves in their party. Why had he specifically singled out Solas? Was it because he’d posed the question? Or perhaps his study of their history and knowledge of the Fade.

“Yes. Such as I.”

Whatever significance that exchange held for Abelas softened the ridged line of his shoulders. He regarded Rae once more, tired and weary. “You have shown respect to Mythal, and there is a righteousness in you I cannot deny. Is that your desire? To partake of the vir’abelasan as best you can, to fight your enemy?”

Ever suspicious, Rae said, “Gifts like this don’t come freely.”

“No boon of Mythal was ever granted without cost.”

A sinking feeling took up residence in her gut, a stone of foreboding swallowed and stuck. When would the world stop demanding sacrifices of her sister?

“The vir’abelasan may be too much for a mortal to comprehend. Brave it if you must, but know you this: you shall be bound forever to the will of Mythal.”

“Bound?” Morrigan inquired. “To a goddess who no longer exists, if she ever did?”

Abelas kept his gaze on Rae, unmoving and solemn. “Bound, as we are bound. The choice is yours.”

Another leash, another self-proclaimed god to take what little autonomy Rae had left. But Rae had always taken whatever mantle was thrown at her and done her utmost to accomplish her goals.

“You could come with us.” The offer that left Rae’s lips surprised Ash, but she couldn’t deny that they would benefit from allies as strong as him. “Fight Corypheus. He killed your people.”

But Abelas shook his head. “We killed ourselves, long ago.”

As the elf took his leave, Solas spoke up. “Malas amelin ne halam, Abelas.”

Abelas looked up, a flicker of hope in his eyes, before he continued, the remaining elves trailing after him.

It was kind of Solas, to offer them hope when she wasn’t sure they still knew what that words meant. Ash hoped he found a new name as well, to let him remove the mantle of sorrow.

Morrigan turned towards the Well, walking along the edge, and Rae’s hands clenched at her sides, quick to follow the witch.

“Don’t go any closer Morrigan!” Rae warned before she lowered her voice to a conversational volume, pulling up beside Morrigan.

Ash exchanged a glance with Solas as he turned to her, a deep concern weighing down his face. Ash stepped to his side.

“It is imperative that Rae does not drink from the Well,” Solas said lowly. “It…she has already lost too much of herself. I fear what this will do.”

“You don’t have to tell me that. I heard what Abelas said about price. But there's no way she’s going to let Morrigan be the one.” Ash narrowed her eyes. “Would you take the burden for the woman you claim to care for?”

His lips twisted in a frown and he shook his head with what looked suspiciously like shame. “I cannot. Do not ask me this again.”

Cassandra wasn’t likely to be willing to subject herself to ancient Elvhen magic - if she was even able to - which only left…Creators, Cullen was going to be so pissed.

Ash stepped around Solas, exchanging a look of understanding. They both knew what she must do.

“I’ll do it,” Rae said as Ash approached, and her heart leaped into her throat.

Morrigan beat her to a rebuttal. “You lead the Inquisition. This is not a risk you can take. I have the best chance of making use of the Well…for everyone. Let me drink.”

“Fen—Rae, please, listen to her.” Rae whirled around as Ash spoke, gentle and beseeching. “You’ve taken on far more than one person should and you’ve done beautifully. But you don’t have to bear this burden as well.”

Through gritted teeth, ears tilted down and pressed tight to her head, Rae pointed at Morrigan. “I’m not letting her take it. She’s proven herself to be untrustworthy and I can’t afford the risk.”

Morrigan rolled her eyes, which Ash would have pointed out wasn’t helpful had she not been so focused on her sister.

“You have other options than just you and Morrigan.”

Rae’s face slackened, taking a step back from Ash in horror. “No. I won’t risk you like that.”

“If something happens to you, we’re all dead.” Ash wanted nothing more than to be gentle, but Corypheus was hot on their tail, and Rae wouldn’t have listened to softness either way. Love, having been eerily silent throughout the entire conversation, swept her presence over Ash like a wave. Soft yet insistent, granting her approval. “Love can help guide me, and it was my job as First to ensure the safety of our people’s history. Allow me to complete my role.”

Rae’s shoulders curled inward, seeing her sister’s reasoning and hating it all the same. “Fine. But know that I don’t like this, and you have to deal with Cullen’s temper tantrum when he finds out.”

Nervousness plucked at her ribcage, and she rubbed the heel of her palm against her sternum. “He’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Lips puckered in a sour grimace, Morrigan waved her hand in distaste. “I am forever balked by those who believe they know better than I. Drink if you will, for the sake of us all. But steel your will to do it.”

Not a problem. Ash had enough stubbornness to feed a small village, lack of willpower wouldn’t hold her back.

She stepped towards the Well but paused when Rae grabbed her arm.

“Be safe and come back to me.” Rae squeezed lightly. “That’s an order.”

Smiling, Ash placed her hand over Rae’s. “Yes, Inquisitor.”

Rae reluctantly released her, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Ash waded into the cool waters of the cool Well, soaking through her robes and tingling at her skin.

She scooped a handful of water, bringing it to her lips.

This had to be the most ill-conceived plan she had ever concocted. She was meddling with ancient Elvhen deities whose existence she didn't fully believe in. She’d been so confident that they didn’t linger in their world; if they had, why hadn’t they helped their people when they were mercilessly slaughtered?

Thoughts of Cullen came to her mind. If it killed her…the anguish he would feel if her phylactery went dim and cold would destroy him - another poorly thought-out idea. She loved him, cherished him, longed to share her life with him. But Rae had drank from the well and it had taken it, there wouldn’t be anything left of Ash for him to love in return.

It was undoubtedly the best course of action, yet that realization did little to diminish the heart-pounding fear that accompanied it.

She tilted her hands, the water slipping past her lips, and a bright flash of light obscured her vision. Agony, pure, unadulterated agony wracked her body and she cried out.

The light vanished, and her vision went black. 

Next Chapter

A/N: Bringing the stakes back up! I couldn't let them be happy forever...yet.

[undertale-fic-librarby]

A Quick Guide to Ao3 Searches! (Part 1)

From someone who searches for fics frequently!

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

So, you've decided to make the switch to Ao3! Or maybe it's your first time diving into the world of fanfiction! Either way, welcome!

Why am I making this guide? I feel like a lot of people can be overwhelmed when they first begin to use Ao3, so I'm here to try & help alleviate any confusion!

This guide assumes that you have made an account! Some authors choose to hide their work from those who don't have an account, including me! If you haven't yet, I suggest making one as soon as possible & coming back to this later!

With all of that said, let's get on with it!

Home Page

The first page that you see when you open up a tab with Ao3 should be the home page! From here, you can see tags that you've saved as a favorite, works you've marked for later, & news from Ao3, as well as links to both the Twitter & Tumblr status accounts!

Also on the home page is an empty search bar with a button next to it that says Search in the upper right corner! Above this is where you can access your account, the button to post a new work, & the button to log out of your account!

What we want to focus on is the empty search bar! Here, you can input what you want to look for, & it will show you the works that best match what you put!

Search Results

Now that we have our results, what next? Well, you could always stop here & look through the works manually, but that's generally not a great method, especially since some searches can have thousands of results to sort through! Thankfully, there's a solution!

Towards the right of your screen, a little below where you entered your search, there's a button that says Edit Your Search. If you click on this, it will lead you to a separate page where you can narrow down the works that you're shown, ranging from the title to the amount of bookmarks a work has! I'll briefly go through each filter as I understand it!

Work Search

Work Info

Any Field - Where you can find what you searched for!

Title - Where you can input a work's name if you know it!

Author/Artist - Where you can put the username of the author of the work if you know it!

Date - Where you can input a range of time that fics were posted/updated!

Completion status - Where you can choose from seeing all works, works that have been completed, or works that are still in progress!

Crossovers - Where you can choose to include crossovers, exclude crossovers, or see only crossovers!

Single Chapter - Checking this box will show you works with only one chapter!

Word Count - Where you can specify the word count you're looking for, from exact amount to broad range!

Language - A drop down menu where you can select from a wide range of different languages!

Work Tags

Fandoms - Where you can put what fandoms you're searching for!

Rating - A drop down menu where you can choose what rating you wish to be shown works from, ranging from any to explicit!

Warnings - Checkboxes you can mark to indicate that you want to be shown works with that warning!

Categories - Checkboxes you can mark to indicate that you want to be shown works with that category!

Characters - Where you can put specific character tags!

Relationships - Where you can put specific relationship tags!

Additional Tags - Where you can put tags that are neither characters nor relationships!

Work Stats

Hits - Where you can specify an exact amount to search for, or a broad range!

Kudos - Where you can specify an exact amount to search for, or a broad range!

Comments - Where you can specify an exact amount to search for, or a broad range!

Bookmarks - Where you can specify an exact amount to search for, or a broad range!

Search

Sort by - A drop down menu where you can select how you wish to be shown works in the results!

Sort direction - A drop down menu where you can select which direction you would like to see results sorted by!

Most of these options are pretty self-explanatory, but if you're still unsure of how some of these work, try clicking on the question marks next to certain filters! These should help you understand some things a bit better!

By default, you are shown all works, including ones you might not be interested in! In order to narrow down the results, it's best to use work tags that match what you're looking for! Excluding results will be explained in the second part to this guide.

There are also different searches you can choose from on this page, those being People Search, Bookmark Search, & Tag Search! You can find the buttons for these below the empty search bar! I don't use these often myself, so I'm not confident in explaining how to use them, thus they are not included in this guide!

Search Works

Now that you've filtered what you want to be shown, you can hit the Search button near the top or bottom of the filter list! Don't click the one next to the empty search bar, but if you do, hitting the back arrow should take you back to the filter list!

For a more comprehensive guide with better explanations, I recommend checking out Ao3's official Tags FAQ, which includes what types of tags there are, how to tag your own works, & the process that goes into making tags, among other things!

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Congratulations! You've successfully searched for fics on Ao3! But, wait! This is not the only way to search on Ao3! However, this has gotten very long & so I have decided to make a second part, which you can find here!

[the-fab-fox]

Okay. So Imma just come out and say it.

Y'all who read fanfic. You. Need. To. Start. Commenting. On. Fics.

I have been told I'm a great writer. I've been told I'm spot-on with characterization. I've been told I'm great at making readers feel and experience what the characters are feeling and experiencing. Been told it's like the reader is in the room as everything plays out.

However, when I see that my fics have upwards of 1K hits and maybe 100-300 comments and maybe 40-100 kudos and not even hitting triple digits in the bookmarks/subscriptions to a fic... Well, what would you think in my shoes?

Most likely, if you're like me, you're thinking all kinds of negative things (especially if you have mental illness/ADHD/neurodivergency of some kind). Stuff like... Oh, those other people are just being nice (not fair to them so I try not to think this way but negative self talk doesn't play nice with me).

Or I think... Okay so they checked it out. They had to click on the fic for it to even register the hit, right? So why don't I at the very least have more kudos? That's the easiest option on there (though it's like a like on here; if you are gonna leave kudos please also leave a comment), right? So what was wrong with my fic that I don't have more kudos at least.

But then I get on here and see so many comments and reblogs on FANART (still not enough for them either though lbr). THE POINT IS... If you read a fic. If you read it and liked it, you all really need to start commenting.

It doesn't even have to be long paragraphs or quoting or any of the ✨ big comments ✨ stuff. You could leave an emoji that be showing me what my fic or update got you feeling. You can do keyboard smash. If the author asks for it, you can leave constructive criticism (but only if the author has actively asked for it; if they haven't or given you permission, then don't). You can absolutely do big comment things too.

One of my favorite type of comments to get are the quoting ones. You just copy/paste and then say what you liked about it or what it made you feel or your reaction to it. Things like that. I love when my readers tell me their fave parts in an update. Or quote a line and tell me their thoughts and feels. Just yes.

We are far too advanced in this day and age and fanfiction and fandom are wholly more accepting than it used to be but for some reason, comments and reactions have become almost non-existent compared to when I was 15. And I was... Pretty cringy in my writing back then but I can admit that. But every chapter I'd get at least 8-10 comments. A chapter!

Even earlier in my Twst series I was getting A LOT more comments and with every fic it seems to have dropped significantly.

To me, to my brain, that tells me that my writing is suddenly sucky or I lost my talent or I'm not actually as great a writer as I was told because then why aren't more people commenting.

You might try to argue and say you're shy. Do you comment on order things? Do you tack onto a reblog to put out some addition to the original post? Do you chat with people in the fandom? Do you comment on fanart?

Then what makes a fanfic any different? (This is not including smut fics because I get but necessarily wanting it tied back to you. But if you open ao3 in a browser you aren't logged into ao3 on, you can (as long as the author has allowed it) post a comment anonymously. Yeah!)

You might say oh well I don't have time to comment right now. But you had time to read the fic? You had time to reblog that shit post? You had time to comment on the tags on a fanart you really loved? Thing is, unless you want to write a long one, comments do not take that long to leave. They really don't.

If you're worried the author doesn't want to hear from you—I'll stop you right there. The author ABSOLUTELY wants to hear from you.

So now is the time to stop making excuses to be lazy. You are reading really great fan literature for free. The least you can do as a thank you and to show support is to COMMENT. ON. THE. FIC.

And if you wanna really make an author's day and help support them and their work, REC the fic. REC the Author's work list. You can do that to friends you know would like it or even better, make a post about the fics and link your recs.

It's really not that hard and we should not have to beg. Realize the blessing you have that fics you would enjoy exist for free and do your part. COMMENT.

[pforestsims]

Tag search:

# Buymode stuff 

# Lights

# Plants

# Decor items

# Defaults

# Defaults - TS2 Clothing Tweaks

# Custom TS2 Clothing Tweaks

# Bodyshop stuff

# Tutorials

My SFS Folders :

🪴 Decor 🪑 Furniture 💡 Lights ‍🎨 Recolours

Other:  ⚙️ TS2 Defaults 👚CAS Defaults CAS stuff 👱🏽 Just hair | creator resources

All my old MTS2 uploads (if something's not there, it's on SFS already)

Popular WCIF & FAQ

👾 If you’re curious what other games I’m playing here's this almost empty blog.

❕ I create CC for The Sims 2 only. I don't do requests but I'm ok with receiving CC suggestions / ideas (for TS2).

📣 Updates:

06.02.2025 - Fixed issues with Move In and First Kiss scenes in my 'Less effects in cutscenes' mod. If you still have issues with some cutscenes please let me know.

30.01.2025 - I've added alternative download links to all my last year's posts.

07.01.2025

Photo frame overlay replacement now includes caption UI resources so there's no green. Added Box link.

14.11.2024

Alternative version of my Atomic Fireplace Default is available - I've added emissive map to make the burning logs more realistic - Download (SFS) (Standard Material Shader Edit is required). Corrected fireplace height so it doesn't bleed through the floor above.

04.11.2024

Edited Round Wall Lamp from G&B set, light settings switched from white to yellowish.

01.11.2024 05.11.2024 11.11.2024

Updated my edit of Trait Chemistry Mod, fixed Lua script issues so Alien TO, Facial hair TO work. A few more things fixed in upd. 2 & 3

Download (SFS) , (BOX)

03.10.2024

My ko-fi account's up.

30.06.2024

I've shared updated versions of ceiling lamps from my Lamp Collection - lamp canopies are not hidden in the ceiling anymore /Note to ppl playing on Mac: most of these edits are not mac-compatible.

25.06.2024

Fixed outdoor square shadows for my Wicker Lantern Set . Download (SFS)

21.05.2024

Fixed missing texture in 'TightDressMidiSlit' repo recolor number 10. Download (SFS)

07.05.2024

Finally fixed the Bar Surface OMSP I shared along Wedding Bar Default. Please note it's basically a new object but with the same GUID so if you have old version in the game, the objects placed on that one will disappear Download (SFS)

Updated NonSlip Bar Mat mesh included with Bar Decor Set, now it can be placed on all surfaces. Download (SFS)

08.04.2024 - Bar worktop OMSP was edited and now it doesn't block bar functions, I also added second (1 slot) bar OMSP for the lower shelf.

07.04.2024 - Edited Deco guitar floor stand - now it can be placed on surfaces without moveObjects cheat.

26.03.24 - Updated Toast Flute Default - now glasses are already half-full when Sims toast at the table.

11.03.24 - Fixed EM grey repo recolor 01 for 4t2 Dogsill Amari hair. Here's only the fixed file: (SFS), and here's all of it (SFS)

10.03.24 - Night time Decorative fireflies effect is now available - fireflies only show up at night.

09.03.24 - RDN Sleeping bag edit was made compatible with ACR.

27.02.24 - Another update of Bamboo Sconce (Tropical Lamp add-on). When I fixed the shadow I shared some half-assed version of it ?? Now it has warm light color, correct price and description. Download HERE (SFS)

30.11.23 - Updated LL Billie hair recolors, these are now enabled for all clothing categories

12.11.23 - I've updated witch hat & LL Luanne hair combo recolors so those should be now flagged as hats and disabled for Townies

11.11.23 - Updated Restored Car Paint Colors default, Added Finnish, Norwegian and Portuguese/ Brasilian-Portuguese translations

31.10.23 - Updated Bowling Alley defaults, all files are now separate. Added smoother bowling ball

14.07.23 - corrected shoe sound effects for my Long Dress recolours - changed it from heels to normal shoes

10.08.23 - Fixed blue shadow in Bamboo Sconce (Tropical Lamp add-on.

*If you use RPC you probably haven't experienced the blue shadow flashing but I recommend you update the sconce package anyway.

Old updates list is HERE<<

[olderthannetfic]

anon who asked how to make ao3 stats into charts here. i figured doing it all by hand was the case haha. i just wanted to know if there's any more convenient way to go about it, since i'm not exactly good with numbers

i'm mostly interested in how the number of works in other languages are broken down after reading the first paragraph of the anniversary post on ao3's front page (what are the other most used languages, how many works do they have and how are they distributed across different types of fandoms, that kind of thing)

--

Works search can find some of these things, but it won't show you sidebars.

One easy way to get a sense of how things look is to pick a big tag like M/M or Explicit and then filter by language. Sadly, languages themselves are not tags in terms of how AO3 handles them (boo!), but many other metadata categories are. Ratings are particularly useful because all works have one and only one.

Grabbing the numbers, by hand or not, is secondary to defining what you're asking and figuring out which numbers would even be relevant.

"How many works are currently up in which languages?" is one of the easiest questions to answer. I haven't gotten those numbers in a while, and I'm supposed to be doing other work, so now's the perfect time to procrastinate by doing this instead:

When gathering data, you'll need to be logged in and not muting anybody.

There are a bunch of other ones with 0-50, but even by the ones with a few hundred, you're seeing lots of false positives from people trying to hide their Minecraft RPF.

Getting a good breakdown is harder, but for Chinese, at least, nearly 80% of the works are M/M, so you can get a sense by just filtering M/M for Chinese. Out of that 700k, here are some sidebar numbers:

Men's Football RPF (18570)

声入人心 | Super-Vocal (TV) (17894)

Slam Dunk (Anime & Manga) (14232)

全职高手 - 蝴蝶蓝 | Quánzhí Gāoshǒu - Húdié Lán (12760)

Haikyuu!! (12566)

Table Tennis RPF (10715)

ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (9858)

呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga) (9813)

原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) (8890)

Hetalia (Anime & Manga) (8730)

[soratonin]

inbox rules !! ‧₊˚

well hello there! ฅ^¬⩊¬^ฅ

❥ before you send asks in my inbox with thirsting and such, here's just some stuff to be aware of that i am chill with vs. what i'm not chill with ^_^ <3 !!

❥ always feel free to ask me if i am comfortable with something you do not see listed on here :> i promise i will not bite LMFAO

HARD NO'S

please do not send any of this stuff to my inbox!

❥ degradation, objectification

❥ mommy kink (reader receiving)

❥ pregnancy, reader being a parent/having kids

❥ psychedelics / drugs usage (regular smoking and drinking is completely fine, nothing else though)

❥ mom/son or mom/daughter incest (reader as a mom, not character)

❥ bimbo reader / dumbification / etc

❥ reader getting 0 pleasure/getting used ; getting cheated on by character

❥ cannibalism ; vore ; etc along these lines.

STUFF I PERSONALLY LOVE POSTING ABOUT

you will very likely see me post this stuff a lot!

❥ ISAGI YOICHI <3 <3 <3 THIS MAN IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE YOU WILL SEE ME POST ABOUT HIM 40 TIMES A DAY I DON'T PLAY ABOUT HIM. and (currently) he is what occupies my mind palace at 90%. i log on to talk about him and leave type shit. 10% is everyone else at like 1% tbh. 2% is iron fist. almost anything i wanna talk about is so eh and i'm relatively normal about compared to isagi because that is my bf my husband my prince my princess my babygirl my creature my love my pookie wookie shnukums wukums bear my honey bun HABIBI. THAT IS MY BLORBO OF ALL TIME. MY BOAT. MY GOAT. easily dropping any other character idgaf he's HIM. HIMSAGI!!!!!!!!!!!

like look at what i made i am serious i love him. my creature

okay now onto other stuff. that ALSO happen to include isagi if you are enlightened. because i'm that isagipilled. call it isagimaxxing.

❥ pussy eating <3 <3 <3 (in missionary, prone bone, facesitting, ETC) ❤︎_❤︎

❥ reader's pleasure always coming first <3 (no pun intended)

❥ character worshipping reader / possessive about reader / obsessed with reader / lovesick over reader <3 etc

❥ extremely fond of tsundere / mean / bratty / kitty-coded / maneater / hater reader <3 (also extemely fond of a sexually confident, hypersexual/nympho reader ehe)

❥ soft doms v_v <3 (character OR reader); lovesick soft sex

❥ brat taming <3 (reader never gets declawed tho ehe)

❥ free use: reader using character for their pleasure OR character making reader cum for characters pleasure (not character using reader to cum and it's just him lol. not for me! apolocheese)

❥ daddy kink v_v #daddy cw

❥ isagi cucking (and just isagi tbh LMFAO) other blue lock men and stealing you from them c: main victims are usually rin, kaiser, and oliver because i'm messy like that (i really am the fuck you guy for this because i actually also selfship with them. but as soon as isagi enters the equation it's gojover for them muehehehe).

❥ general non-sexual content warnings: blood, violence, gore, torture, murder, death, etc can be present in what i write. all of it will be tagged. + NONE OF IT ON READER.

❥ monsters/supernatural stuff: monsterfucking, omegaverse; werewolves, vampires, hybrids <3 all tagged, definitely stuff i post about

DARK / TABOO CONTENT YOU MIGHT SEE

i might write / definitely reblog this stuff. all tagged!

#dark content cw #yandere cw #noncon cw #dubcon cw #incest cw #age gap cw

❥ yandere character

❥ incest / stepcest (usually just dad/daughter or brother/sister)

❥ noncon / dubcon

❥ age gaps

to see which characters i post about, feel free to check my about + my tags !! i currently don't really have a masterlist, but you can check those out for the time being <3

ADDITIONAL INBOX RULES

❥ please don't trauma dump in my inbox because i don't know how to handle and respond to these things. i'm also not your therapist and Just Some Guy TM online, apolocheese

❥ if i don't answer an ask it can mean: i haven't had time to answer it, wanting to expand on it so it's taking a while, or it was something i was uncomfortable with!

❥ either way, please don't think i'm ignoring you! sometimes i get overwhelmed with asks, and i promise it's not personal. i'm just a deadbeat pretty often to my notifs lmao (i try not to be but i get burnout QUICK lol) or i truly forget to answer. and sometimes i just wanna be on the dash and don't have the energy to answer my inbox; i'm allowed to do that ^_^

❥ please know i love you and appreciate you more than you know for sending me asks, even if i don't get to them (right away or forget to) ;v; <3

[panelshowsource]

masterpost update... 🥹

hi guys it's been a minute 🥹 as i mentioned, i was working on updating the masterpost this past week, moving a large bulk of content onto my panelshowsource googledrive account, because i think everything stored there will be easily accessible and safe long term :)

the masterpost is the same original link it's been since it was established over 5 years ago! always bookmark the original post, not a reblog and not this post, so you have access to the most updated version & its links!

—

i had to do some reorganising of the post because of tumblr's latest round of post restrictions:

i'm not able to provide many alternative links because i'm nearly at the link limit as it is, but i think what's provided is reliable and you can always send an ask if a link needs updating!

since i can no longer give every series its own photo header, everything is organised by bolded text and bullet points, which will look and read best on desktop opposed to mobile (mobile seems to despise indentation)

—

a few notes regarding specific titles:

i did add all of taskmaster to my drive due to overwhelming requests, but only s1–4+15 are in 1080p, so i will begin updating the 720p files to 1080p over the next couple of weeks. thanks for your patience! in the meantime, you can watch them in hd on youtube ofc! i'll also update hypothetical as i get those locked down

i...i wanna say something so honest... i really don't care about a league of their own and most of you don't seem to either. it's a huge hassle organising the episodes because — not to say this for the third time in two sentences — but most people don't care much about it and haven't made the effort to keep it archived. we haven't seen a source for a complete series 6 in, like, 8 years. i'm not going to be making an effort to log that title for the time being. sorry if that's an inconvenience, but feel free to use the resources linked in my faq for your own research!

i added all of travel man (720p) and bridget christie's the change (1080p) to the misc watch links post (link below). i'll work on finishing upstart crow and then adding the rest of as yet untitled, game face, man down, and the cleaner!

i will continue uploading as-hd-as-possible versions of cats does countdown to my youtube channel and will eventually get them all on drive, but that's a slow process; i don't spend much time on youtube because half the commenters are tossers and deleting their negativity to keep it a fun space doesn't always leave me in a good mood 😡😡😡

i know a ton of celeb juice is on youtube but i haven't gotten around to organising it into a playlist (at least), but it's on my to-do list!

—

if you want to contribute to the post, i'm currently seeking these!

ask rhod gilbert

breaking the news (mostly looking for the tv version)

the news quiz (s97–current...i might have a source but it's a slow wip...)

there's something about movies

mel giedroyc unforgivable s03

—

➭ PANEL SHOW MASTERPOST

woooooooo

➭ ADDITIONAL WATCH LINKS

more wooooooooo

—

i'm going to tentatively open my requests (for watch links & gifs) so feel free to send a polite ask for something you may be seeking. it's much easier for me to keep track of asks than dms, if you don't mind sending there :)

okay friends enjoy! ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ

—

WATCH LINKS MASTERPOST / FAQ / TAGS / ASK

[luvwich]

OC Interview: Vania

[camera template] ❧ tagged by @tarmac-rat — thanks choom! see the adorable interview with their Riley here

Name?

V: Vania Perez. Tiny Mike: Yo. Mike Kowalski. Interviewer: We've run a profile on you already, Tiny. Just getting to know Vania, here. Mike: Well it'll have to be a twofer, because I'm taking her to dinner in an hour and I ain't just gonna putz around Kabuki the whole time like a fuckin' delivery drone. Interviewer (to V): We'll run this by you before it's published. V: Whatever.

Nickname?

V: Started going by "V" at Arasaka, but I'm looser about it these days. I like my given name. If someone wants to give me a different nickname, they are free to do so. Mike: You tell 'em, hotshot.

Gender?

V: I don't think this is an interesting question.

Star sign?

V: Taurus, though I'm not sure what it means. Mike: Far's I understand, it means she loves dick and gets croissant crumbs all over the bed.

Height?

V: 160cm. Mike: I dunno how to do the centimeters to feet an' inches, but she's definitely lying. Subtract four or ten or something. [Interviewee's height was confirmed to be 157cm --ed.]

Orientation?

V: Big, strong arms and uncomplicated psyches. Mike: Aw, you like my arms?

Nationality/ethnicity?

V: Have a U.K. passport, as much as that's worth these days. My mother's parents were Puerto Rican, and I'm not sure where the sperm came from. Interviewer: You're not close with your father, I take it? V: No, I mean, my mum simply went to a sperm bank. She's old-fashioned like that. But I think she would have used that service that's just cloning plus gene editing if it were legal back then. (glancing at Mike) By the way, d'you know how much that costs? Interviewer: Uh, no.

Favorite fruit?

V: Mum used to acquire a pineapple for my birthday every year, but the last time I had one was at an Arasaka company party. Mike (looking up from a search for BEST PINEAPPLES NIGHT CITY): Wait, did you just say "acquire"? What is this, the Night City Literary Review? Interviewer: I'm from the Watson Weekly Mirror. Mike (muttering, returning to search results): Oh, those fuckin' hacks.

Favorite season?

V: Suppose it's autumn, but there don't seem to be seasons in Night City. Or else there are about forty of them and they are all slight variations on "filthy rain" and "heat stroke."

Favorite flower?

V: I don't think this is an interesting question. Mike: Answer it, sweetie. V: Jasmine, I suppose.

Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

V: I like black tea with a bit of sugar and some cream. Mike: She likes a lot of cream. V: Are you writing down the things he says too? Interviewer: Yes. V: Do you accept bribes? Look, just give me a call before this runs, please. [Interviewee was unavailable for follow-up questions at the time this piece was published. --ed.]

Average hours of sleep?

V: Back when Arasaka was logging my biometrics and pumping me with all the good drugs, it was a consistent 6.25. I couldn't tell you now, though it's surely not enough. I haven't figured out how to use my new interface to start tracking it. Mike: Psh. Some "hacker." V: I'm trained in network security and combat quickhacking, love. That doesn't mean I know how to navigate neuralink menus or program your VCR.

Dog or cat person?

V: Mm, suppose I identify with cats more, but dogs and dog people are fascinating to me. Where do they find the energy to be like that? Mike: Damnit, gettin' hungry. Gonna run to the store for a snack. You need anything, babe? Tiancha? Locust jerky? Holobites? Foot rub? Anything?

Dream trip?

V: Okay, now that he's gone.. well, I really want to make it back home to London, but that's mostly to see my mother. I don't miss the town all that much. Been fucked for decades. But Mike's got this idea for a camping trip down the coast, and I have to admit I'm intrigued. I mean, it sounds dangerous and frankly a bit filthy, but I've never seen the rest of California, and I've heard it's still quite beautiful in parts.

Favorite fictional character?

V: So Jake, the protagonist of Bushido X, is really quite interesting because— Mike: I'm back. You talkinbout those frickin' Bushido flicks again? Goddamn, when's this thing gonna wrap up?

Number of blankets you sleep with?

V: I don't think this is an interesting question and I'm starving.

Fun fact?

V: In physics, a "jiffy" is a unit of time measuring 3 × 10^−24 seconds. Also, we're late to dinner. Mike: Ciao.

[📸 by breezypunk]

tagging @another-corpo-rat @aggravateddurian @fly-amanitaa @leota-nexus if you wanna interview your blorbos (if you did this already and i missed it, drop a link! 💖)

[warcats-cat]

Not Far Away

Read on A03!

Read the Original: Long Road Home (also on A03!)

A/N: It's been so long! I'm so sorry! I've been stewing on this for literally months and I just haven't been able to actually *post* it, so I'm cutting it off now and just sending it out into the world. This one is a one-shot that's pretty long, but I do have a multi-chapter sequel also in the works! I just decided I wanted this out first. Special thanks to @thecrowslullaby and @lickoutyourbrains on tumblr for beta'ing this and many other wips for me. Please let me know if I need to add any more tags!

(Takes place after Long Road Home but before Wide Eyed In Wonder.)

-----

Of all the things that would take time to adjust to, Patton wouldn’t have considered the amount of time spent doing nothing, just sitting in the carriage as it drove. Roman wanted to hold the reins almost constantly, and the other three would shuffle between sitting inside and sitting on top of the carriage itself.

The first few days, Patton had found himself fascinated by how spacious the little room was; it looked nowhere near as sizable from the outside. The inside benches were lightly cushioned, so one could stretch and lay down for a nap, and they were long enough to fit two people sitting comfortably. Logan spent a lot of time reading and taking notes, pulling a long desk-tablet down from the wall to keep his writing steady.

Virgil had spent several days trying to teach Patton some dice and card games, using the tablets, to mixed success.

The roof of the carriage was carefully guarded with a railing and gate that had to be hooked into place or Roman would refuse to drive. There was a bench up there, as well, although this one had no padding. (That didn’t stop Patton from sleeping on it occasionally; the steady motion was relaxing enough to ignore the hard surface. And certainly, it was more or less as comfortable as anything he had slept on at Wardenthall Manor.)

But outside of losing games of chance, watching the various roads and woods pass by, or borrowing Logan’s books, there was nothing to do. Patton wasn’t used to being so bored.

He wouldn’t go back to Wardenthall Manor for all the money in the world, but at least when he was there he’d been busy. There were letters to run into town, packages to collect, trinkets to dust and polish and all manner of things to keep clean. He took kitchen duty every other day. And several of the other staff often took advantage of the knowledge that if something wasn’t done, Patton would be blamed for it.

Even when he wasn’t doing chores, he took a lot of time to fix his clothes and blankets, knead used lumps of wax back into some semblance of candles, keep lists of what the manor and his own supplies were low on. Very rarely, when he’d been younger, he would sneak into His Grace’s library to find something to read.

He loved the opportunity to travel, but there was no real busywork until they stopped to make camp, and even then, the others only gave him the lightest share.

He was laying down now, on his side, trying (and probably failing) to discreetly watch Logan as the other man was reading. He could just barely see around the edge of the book from this angle, and looking up, the scholar’s face was lit beautifully by the mid-afternoon light. He looked like a warm painting, almost. His eyes flicked around the pages while his face twitched with the thoughts of whatever he was reading; small smiles or frowns, his lips pressing together as he made a note of something he disagreed with.

That was one of Patton's favorite things about Logan; he annotated all of his books.

It was really helpful for Patton to catch up on history and events; he hadn’t exactly had the best continued education at Wardenthall Manor, not that he’d bring that up to his companions. It was embarrassing enough to be caught not understanding things; he didn’t want to bother Logan with having to tutor him too.

Besides, Patton looked forward to those annotations. They were Logan’s voice, guiding him along the pages and pointing out what was important, what needed to be given more thought. There were also occasionally translations; Logan could read and write in Runic, the written language of spells and magic, and he spent at least part of his time during stops in the various cities and towns they happened upon cross-referencing other languages that may be available for translation. His newest books would have thin strips of ribbon throughout, marking pages that needed further research.

Patton thought he was brilliant.

Virgil would be up on top of the carriage right now; playing with his strings or sketching patterns, ‘keeping an eye out for assailants’. Bandits were apparently a rare but unfortunate hazard of traveling via the main roadways, and though the carriage had some form of magical protection, and all three of his companions were well-seasoned fighters, they tried to avoid violence as much as possible. Incapacitate instead of kill, trap instead of wound; that sort of thing.

Patton was so lost in his own thoughts, he barely noticed Logan’s gaze flicking up and catching him staring. The scholar smiled, although he continued to peruse his pages, and cleared his throat. Patton’s attention snapped right to him.

“Either you find something fascinating in my face, or you are daydreaming,” Logan said, his tone even but with a hint of mirth. Patton felt his face flush, and he stammered.

“Well – I – I mean, I didn’t mean to be staring –“ he jumped to cover his face with his hands, and struggled to get his words in order; almost missing Logan setting his book down and leaning over, gently ruffling his hair.

“It’s all right, Patton. I’m not upset.” Logan’s voice was soft, and although the fairy was still embarrassed, he felt himself calm a little further. Patton shimmied into a more comfortable position, lying on his back, and Logan leaned back onto his own bench. “We should be stopping soon, anyway; I’m at as good a passage as any to pause for the evening.” With that, the scholar folded the tablet back up and set his current book aside.

They were quiet once more, Patton watching the shadows on the ceiling and listening to the sounds of the woods around them. They would have to set up camp for the night, which would finally give Patton something to do. It was his turn to make dinner: and though all they really had was a fire, a spit, a cauldron, and a heavy cooking plate of some sort, Patton found he still enjoyed the activity. His time in the kitchens was probably the most positive memories he had from the past twelve years.

They had some oil left over from some meals in the last town; somehow, unbeknownst to the other three, Patton had ended up wandering into the inn’s back kitchen and been seen by the Innkeeper’s wife. And since he had so much trouble saying no, and his clothes were his typical worn out traveling shirt and pants, she simply assumed he was a new hire her husband forgot to mention, and put him to work.

He was back there three hours before the others found him. Poor Virgil was on the edge of a frenzy, and had little crackles of lightning running through his hair.

The Innkeepers had been grateful, though, and the people staying there quite liked Patton’s cooking, so he offered to keep cooking the second day they stayed over, to give Logan more time in the local library.

At the end of their stay, he outright refused payment, so the group was sent on their way with things Patton considered more valuable than gold - well-rendered cooking oil, fresh vegetables, and a small jar of local wild spices. Really, nothing tasted better than the things clever people could gather from the world around them. All four travelers savored every bite.

They still had a few vegetable scraps; Patton was good at rationing, and had been put in charge of food supplies by Virgil so Roman didn't cook everything in one go and waste all of their good food. The vegetables and some dried venison over a hot cooking plate with the rest of the oil would do for a good, hearty meal for them.

Finally, Patton heard Roman’s high whistle, breaking him out of his thoughts, and he felt the carriage slow to a stop. He sat up a little too suddenly, and shook his head to clear the head rush. Logan was halfway out the door already, and tried to pause to check on him, but Patton pushed himself to his feet and gestured for Logan to go ahead.

Patton wanted out.

Setting up camp was hard work, but at least it was work, and Patton set right to it before Virgil had the time to climb down or Roman could dismount.

The storage box fixed to the back of the carriage was also enchanted; Patton knew there was no way a normal luggage box could hold as much as this one did. He’d packed enough boxes for travelling nobility to know.

Opening the box, the first thing to appear was the tent itself, sturdy canvas rubbed down with wax, wrapped around the poles and nails that would support the fabric and stretch it tight. It was a fairly heavy and ungainly bundle, but Patton managed. He heard Roman say something as he hefted the supplies, but wasn’t quite certain of the words until the Prince appeared behind him, easily swiping the bundle from his arms.

“Hey!” Patton whined, “I was carrying it just fine!”

“Yes, but it’s also your turn to cook tonight,” the Prince said with a sly smile on his face, “I don’t want your arms to get tired.” Patton felt a little petulant, and grumbled wordlessly as he pulled out other supplies for Virgil and Logan to spread out and set up. Virgil took their bedrolls, giving Patton a little kiss on the cheek as he did so, and strolled off to help Roman pitch the tent.

Well, maybe it wasn’t all bad…

Logan was dutifully laying carved stones around the camp; some kind of protection circle that they used every night to ward off anything with bad intentions. Even if this was the first time he was traveling, Patton knew how dangerous the woods could be without protection. He really wished he had the nerve to ask Logan what the runes meant though, since they seemed to somehow ward off regular animals as easily as the supernatural.

Sometime later, the camp was set and protected, dinner cooking slowly over their little fire, and the sun was almost gone completely for the night. Roman was singing some traveling song with a steady rhythm; following the bouncing tune of a music box sat somewhere near the tent. He danced around the fire and occasionally pulled Logan or Virgil in for a few steps. The pair pretended to only tolerate the Prince, but Patton could see the little sparks of joy in their eyes when Roman dipped them or set them in a spin. The three were so sweet together.

Turning back to their meal, the fairy wondered once again just how they had met; how had Virgil gone from the shy orphan boy Patton remembered, to a fierce and protective fighter, and the companion of a Prince. Where had Logan come from, and how had Roman singled him out to be an advisor? When had the three agreed to become romantically involved?

What made them want him to butt in?

Patton frowned, and shook his head again, trying to clear the negative thought. They want me here, he told himself. They asked me to come. They’re my friends.

It was hard to remember, sometimes. Hard to remind himself that, despite everything, he was allowed to travel with them. More than allowed, they often said. And yet, it was hard to take Virgil’s hand carefully when they decided to walk instead of ride, and not think of Logan’s sharp eyes watching from the carriage window. It was hard to feel Virgil’s strong arms around his waist or the mage’s lips on his forehead, and not worry that the Prince was glaring at him for daring to tempt Virgil away.

It was all in his head, but that was the problem. It wouldn’t go away.

“Is the grass around here really so fascinating?” Roman’s voice was suddenly significantly closer.

Patton spluttered and looked up, right into the warm, brown, teasing eyes of the Prince himself, and felt his cheeks turn scarlet.

“I - I wasn't distracted!” He said in a rush, the only thing he could think of in the moment. Roman’s smile only widened, as he leaned in and took Patton’s hand from the stirring spoon.

“Well, then, I'll have to try harder!” The Prince declared, pulling the fairy to his feet. Patton was a little dizzy from the change, and wholly confused; even more so when he felt Roman’s hand ghost lightly over the back of his waist.

Impossibly darker red, Patton stammered and looked away, “I d- I don't know how to dance, Your Highness…” and yet, Roman laughed, and said in a conspiratorial faux whisper,

“Don't worry, neither does Logan.”

The royal advisor let out an indignant ‘hey!’, but Patton couldn't say any more before Roman had begun leading Patton in a slow, repetitive series of steps; softly murmuring praises in Patton’s ear while the fairy stared resolutely at his shoes, cheeks burning.

Roman’s hands were soft, and princely, but he had calluses at his fingertips and on his palms from driving the reins and all the finer work of travel. He swayed with Patton in rhythm as the pair circled the fire, uncaring when the fairy accidentally stepped on his feet or stumbled. Thankfully, dancing was just patterns of steps, and Patton was able to build a little confidence with it as they went.

It was certainly longer than Roman had danced with Logan or Virgil.

They carried on like that for a while, the time becoming a lazy blur; before suddenly Roman let go of his waist a moment and twirled him, guiding him back into a low dip. Patton was dizzy with the low light and flickering fire, the enchanting eyes of the Prince holding his gaze; and he squeaked in surprise, grabbing at His Highness’s shoulder for balance. The Prince was breathing heavily, his eyes sparkling and his smile wide and radiant.

Virgil’s voice came from behind him, breaking Patton's trance;

“Gentle, Princy…” the young mage warned. His voice was playful but protective, and Patton couldn't help but giggle from the ridiculousness of it all. Him, an orphaned half-blood fairy nobody, dancing in the woods with a Prince. And then behind them, his lost childhood friend and semi-romantic partner threatening said Prince, as if Patton was delicate.

As if he was a treasure.

“W-well, he is a gentleman after all!” Patton declared, at the edge of hysterics. His Highness laughed, and pulled Patton back upright; this time grabbing the fairy’s waist firmly and lifting him, spinning around carelessly.

“That was brilliant!” Roman laughed.

Now Patton really was dizzy, and he stumbled when the Prince placed him back on the ground. Another pair of firm arms snaked around his chest, keeping him from falling flat onto his face.

“Gotcha.” Virgil's voice was now low in Patton's ear, the mage’s arms holding him steady as the fairy caught his breath. The closeness and the whisper of Virgil's voice made Patton involuntarily shiver. Virgil held him close, his chest against Patton’s back, and seemed uninterested in letting go as he tucked his chin over the Fairy's shoulder and leveled his even gaze at the Prince.

“I thought I told you to be gentle.” Virgil chided the Prince, but without any real malice to it. His hold loosened, just slightly; a lazy hug that still kept Patton from falling.

Or walking away to tend dinner, like he was supposed to be doing…

Roman stuck out his tongue playfully, teasing Virgil, who huffed. The mage gently pressed the side of his face to Patton’s, knocking their temples together and smooshing Patton’s cheek. A soft gesture, a reminder of when they were little. They’d both tried to explain the action to Logan and Roman, but it simply didn't have words. It was just comfort.

With that, he squeezed Patton’s sides mischievously, making the fairy “eep!” as his most ticklish spots were attacked, and the mage slunk back towards the prince for another dance.

The fairy turned back to his cooking, finding that Logan had, thankfully, taken over so the meal didn't burn. He took the spoon back with a soft “thanks”, and Logan leaned in to kiss his forehead before going back to the carriage for his books.

Patton watched the meat and vegetables sizzle, the fire licking at the edges of the plate. In the dusk, the dancing light was almost hypnotic. He poked and stirred the food, letting the smells wrap around him like warm cloth. His mind wandered back to Wardenthall Manor, to the mornings that were almost peaceful; before His Grace had been awoken and the other servants stirred from their apartments. Roasting slim slices of turkey or wild pheasant, carefully brewing the perfect amount of fancy coffee that was ordered from another kingdom, a whole world away.

His Grace had always been particular about each meal; feasts and parties were another matter entirely, but for his own food he picked careful quantities and ingredients, and had a strict schedule of when each type of meat could be served. His god was a ruler of Order and Purity, and His Grace was firm in the belief of caring for his body and mind, so that he remained in his favor.

Patton wasn't allowed to speak the god’s name on His Grace’s order; he was only half human, his Purity was sullied with the wild blood of Faerie. He didn't know much about the other gods.

A piece of venison popped, spitting a tiny bit of hot oil at Patton’s fingers, and he blinked, landing rather roughly back in the present after tumbling out of the memory.

Patton suddenly realized that the music had stopped, and now his companions were standing next to the tent, Virgil and Roman apparently playfully arguing about something. Logan had wandered off somewhere, perhaps to study nearby flora. 

“Guys?” the fairy called hesitantly, looking over his shoulder “Is something wrong?”

Roman huffed, not meanly, and shook his head. “Someone over here has decided to be a Sensitive Storm Cloud about where he sleeps.”

“That nickname was pitiful,” Virgil smiled and gave the prince a playful shove, before turning his attention to Patton in full. “I told Roman I wanted to sleep on the outside tonight instead of the middle, and now he’s throwing a royal fit.” The mage’s smile grew with the verbal dig, and Roman crossed his arms in mock offense. "Roman always takes the outside position in bed, or wherever is closest to the door. He acts like it's to keep guard of us. It's not."

Roman threw his hands up in frustration. "I like being the big spoon ok? I like to hold you both! Slap me, why don't you?"

Logan appeared just then, and with a mischievous smile that was rarely seen, he reached up and smacked the back of the Prince's head as he walked past.

"Hey!!" Roman spluttered, this time with real shock and indignance.

Logan smugly returned his arms to their neutral position clasped behind his back, smirking to Virgil and Patton as he walked back to them.

“I was only following your express orders, your Highness.” he said, teasing heavily apparent in his voice.

Virgil was laughing heartily at this exchange, and Roman continued to splutter, before his face changed to rigid frustration and determination. He grunted, and Patton had a few moments of panic wondering what the Prince would do about this offense. Logan was still walking away, and before Patton or even Virgil could say anything, he charged at the scholar.

Patton would have screamed if he wasn't choking on his own tongue.

Roman deftly grabbed Logan's sides, and there was a short cry of surprise as Roman lifted the scholar up over his shoulder; acting as if the other man was a particularly ungainly log. Logan squawked, and swatted at the arms holding him.

“Put me down, you brute!” he thundered, but there was a smile breaking out on his face, and Roman was laughing too, and Virgil was recovering from his own mirthful fit. They’re fine. Everything is fine. Patton tried to take in a few steady breaths as he turned back to the stewpot, although he felt his face heating once more from embarrassment.

They loved each other. They were playing. No one was mad and everything was ok.

His Grace had never been one to act in violence, preferring others administer the lessons Patton was to learn. But the set of his jaw, the darkness in his eyes, were always the first sign that Patton had screwed up. There had only ever been one time His Grace had handled the situation himself - an important business discussion over dinner, when Patton had inadvertently insulted another Lord and cost His Grace a vital land contract.

He’d backhanded the fairy so hard the bumps of his knuckles left bruises that were tender for almost a month. Patton learned better than to speak unprompted after that.

He had no idea how much time had passed before Patton felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see the Prince watching him with soft, concerned eyes. The fairy was suddenly aware that all three men were staring at him, and that his whole body was shaking.

“Are you alright?” His Highness asked, keeping his voice low. Patton nodded stiffly and fixed his attention back on their dinner. It was almost ready.

“Just – J-just – ah… Startled, I guess.” He stirred the pot mechanically; three times clockwise, three times counter-clockwise, and over and over again; internally begging his hands to stop shaking, and swallowed the lump in his throat harshly. “Worried Your Highness was offended…”

Even coming out of his mouth, the word sounded silly. Felt silly, even.

The Prince sat rather ungracefully on the rock next to him, the hand on Patton’s back moving to wrap around his shoulder. The contact was warm and steadying, despite a few minutes ago. Roman was a Prince, yes, but Roman would not hurt him.

“Were you worried I would hurt Logan?” Roman asked. His voice was still ever so soft, and there wasn't a hint of accusation to it, just concern. Patton shrugged, looking back down into the stewpot.

“I don't know…” he replied after a few beats of silence. “I don't think you ever would; I know you wouldn't! But you looked angry, and your eyes changed, and… I…” he huffed, frustrated and unable to string his thoughts together. He felt his face heat up, and his shoulders hunched slightly.

“I’m sorry I worried you, dove,” Roman murmured, and Patton’s heart beat just slightly faster at the nickname, although his cheeks still burned with shame. “I’m sure it’s hard to go against the instincts that protected you for so long.”

Patton shrugged at this, staring down into the pot and quietly continuing his stirring, feeling the Prince’s thumb rub over the curve of his shoulder, as their sides were pressed together, just slightly.

“It’s stupid,” he whispered finally.

“Not really,” Logan’s gentle voice floated around them as the scholar sat on Patton's other side. “The fears you have now are what kept you safe for twelve years of your life. The way that you watch others and keep notice of their faces and body language gave you a keen intuition of each situation you were in. You are a survivor.” Patton didn’t know what to say, effectively surrounded with comfort and still trying to stop his quivering. He shrugged again.

Logan’s slender fingers brushed Patton’s jaw, and gently took his chin to make Patton turn, locking eyes with the scholar. Crisp, midnight blue eyes fixed into his own.

“You. Are. A survivor.” The scholar repeated, softly spoken and yet the tone firm.

Patton felt tears rising up, but he was hesitantly smiling all the same. Still, he sniffled, and the smile wobbled.

“I just… I thought I was getting better…” his voice was watery, holding back tears. He gently pulled away from Logan’s hold to wipe at his eyes.

“You are.” Virgil's voice murmured in his ear, taking a place standing behind them and once again wrapping his arms around Patton.

And a blanket that he had apparently pulled from the carriage or the tent at some point.

“It’s only been three months. You were under that prick’s thumb for twelve years.” Virgil spoke quietly, and nuzzled his cheek against Patton’s, mirroring the soft way they had snuggled together as children. “You're allowed to still feel afraid. We’re here to support you, however you need, okay?”

While he calmed down, it seemed Roman had taken over their dinner; serving out portions and pulling apart a loaf of bread to compliment the meal. Logan had gone to fetch water for them all. The forest was growing dark around them, the crackling campfire casting its flickering glow around the four.

They ate, and chatted idly, as Patton watched the sunset shrink lower and fireflies flicker higher. The world grew softer, and warmer, somehow, as it became dark. Once again, Patton found himself enjoying the other three’s easy camaraderie; listening to them laugh and tell stories, watching them slowly slide closer and closer together.

It wasn't that Patton wasn't interested in a relationship, and they had certainly offered, many times, for him to join them at night. He knew it was largely just to sleep, as well. But he still felt a bit… bashful. Even though they'd seen every scar a hundred times over, he still hesitated when it came time to change for the evenings, or when Roman wanted to go swimming if they passed a river or lake. He felt the scars creeping up his back like fresh little snakes, imagining them shiny red and tender like the first day Virgil had changed his bandages.

And that didn't even begin to account for nightmares. They were more and more rare, as he moved farther and farther from Wardenthall Manor, but still there. And the risk was too high; waking one or all three in the middle of the night because he’d bitten Logan’s hand while holding it instead of his own to muffle a cry. It was easier to keep it all inside his own tent; his own bedroll, and his own mind.

Still, it didn't stop him from watching, and wanting, just a little. The light gentleness the three of them seemed to have; they way they fit together like pieces of a well-oiled puzzle box. He wondered if there was a space there; a place where they said he would fit just fine, but he wasn't certain. He had to keep looking; afraid the box would break if he wiggled it wrong.

He would figure it out. He just needed more time.

[jennawynn]

I was tagged by @progwords and... idk if I actually have answers for all of this! I feel like my only _real_ fic was Fieldwork 😂

How many works do you have on AO3?

If you just asked me, I'd probably say 1, maybe I'd remember like 3. Apparently the real answer is 11.

What's your total AO3 word count?

245,856.

Top 5 stories by Kudos?

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I think my default answer is yes- if you write a thoughtful comment, I'd like to write back. If you ask me questions, I'd like to answer them. When I first started writing Fieldwork and it got popular, I was Too Concerned with where it was compared to other works and where it was when sorting by various metrics and I remember being annoyed that a particular author's 'sort by comments' was skewed because they responded to every comment, so their comments were twice as many as they 'should' have been... but thankfully I grew out of that lol. That said, I've kind of gotten back into not responding because for a while, they were almost always about the end of Fieldwork and I felt guilty for n ot finishing it for so long and I didn't want to get people's hopes up, and now that I've finished it, I have several emails hanging out in my folder of comments I meant to reply to after the final chapter was posted that I just keep putting off.

Do you write crossovers?

No. I don't really get into crossover ships?

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I used to? When I was a virgin lol. I have since realized that I am very ace and idk, there's something about reading my old smut and realizing all the stupid things I put in there that makes me nervous about 'getting it wrong'? I would certainly need to have lots of plot and character development AROUND the smut if I were to write it again at all. I'd much rather go the fade to black route. idk, something about other people knowing what goes on in my head when it comes to sex is uncomfortable.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't know! Not to my knowledge.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

So the official answer here is kinda? Some of the fics on my list are actually novelizations or logs of our D&D games, some of which actually HAVE 'coauthors' credited on the fic itself. I don't know if those actually count... but @rhapsody0607 and I have been slowly working on some original fiction that has not (and might not ever) been posted on AO3.

What's your all time favorite ship?

From a Known Media Property? Korrasami's the only one I've ever really been invested in.

But my actual favorite is probably Ryfika- my NPC and @rhapsody0607's paladin from our D&D game. Sun and moon, soft and tough, we even accidentally made them red and blue lol

What's a WIP you'd like to finish but probably never will?

I guess the only one that really qualifies is Don't You (Forget About Me). I did finally finish Fieldwork. I'm still slowly adding to IDoD Begins and IDoD Returns (those are the logs from our D&D game). Fieldwork Unlocked, Korra Don't Be A Hero, Against the Dying Light, and I Can't Make You Love Me are all (I think) as done as they were ever going to be and Secret is never going to be updated (I actually forgot it existed). DYFAM is the only one that is unfinished that I might want to continue.

What are your writing strengths?

I think world building is one. I'd like to think dialogue is another, but I don't know if anyone who read my work would agree lol

What are your writing weaknesses?

I wish I wrote more often. I wish I were more descriptive and evocative with my writing. I have to make a conscious effort to include descriptions and movements within long dialogue-heavy scenes and to beef up my descriptions with emotional connections.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet, but want to?

idk? I think if I wanted to, I just would? Nothing has really drawn me in the way Korrasami did and I'm not sure it wasn't just a one-off thing for me because I was working through my own shit through the fic.

What's your favorite fic you've written?

Fieldwork. (Was there any doubt?)

Tagging.... oh man, I haven't even read fic in so long, I don't know who still writes anymore 😭: ummmm... @sniperct (though I bet you've already done it lol) and anyone else who wants to share. feel free to tag me back so i can read it!

[haila-wetyios]

WIP Wednesday

HAA HAAAA, so tagged by @alexissero to post whatever WIP I got cooking.

It's been... a few years since I've had this in the backburner. But there's a long term RP arc I've wanted to run for friends that I ended up dubbing Project Crystarium. Which is a project Haila leads using her experiments and research on the soul to pretty much create a digital database recreation of the Crystarium itself (reasons why she knows this are some pretty nifty lore I've done through the years). Which is just an excuse for scholars to document memories/lifestyle of a whole city.

But of course, people are needed for stress tests, and the most unlikely of individuals involved in it will take this theoretical chess table and flip it upside down, forcing Haila's hand into dragging more people into it.

My WIP for it is sadly a beautiful empty blank doc outside of XIVWrite snippets or recent RP logs. But I've accumulated art commissions from some sneak peaks I wanted to have at the ready for the future. So VAGUE ART GALORE IT IS WITH NO CONTEXT (and because due to not starting this arc, I haven't been able to share this the entire time):

I really wish I could continue with this and also work on some brief trailer/cinematics for it. But unfortunately the last long arc I ran during the beginning of Endwalker had a very sour end due to someone deciding to be a dipshit personally to me the moment I posted a conclusion and thanked everyone. Which was a bit discouraging but also brings the worry of how open the arc should be and who and who not to involve in it

Added to this, as of right now, a few friends and also OC's that were very important and brought the beginnings of this are currently retired from RP. Which would make this a bit less fun if those instrumental aren't much around or just mentioned and I don't want to force people to come back just for this

MAYBE someday it'll come to pass, I keep telling myself to just organize small scale events for a buildup but boy do games take my attention from that away

[gemmahale]

Stashdown 2025 Update - May!

Rules and Monthly Updates

Tag: #Gemma Stashdown 2025

There's a FINISH on this update!!!! Holy beans. It took way less time than I expected, but I haven't blocked it (though the ends are all woven in and yarn remaining has been tabulated). I'm itching to make another, but I need to get through some more planned WIPs.

Otherwise, pretty quiet month on the yarn front. A rebound from April, I suppose.

Total Yarn Used: 2038 yds/948g

2038 yds/33.18 oz/948 g - 9.48 Skeins Brown Sheep Yarn Co Cotton Fleece - Green Apple, Jaded Mermaid, Limelight, Mink Brown, Olive Burst, Oriental Jade, Peridot, Linen, Spryte, Spanish Olive - #Nimue Forest WIP

It's worth noting here that since this is a finished project, this leaves me with partial skeins that have been returned to stash. Those are not added to stash because the full skeins were already accounted for.

Total Yarn Added: 18312 yds/6508 g

688 yds/5.5 oz/156 g (100g skein + 2 20g mini skeins) - Monthly Sock Club

4230yd/900 g - (9 Skeins) of Tomatoes (3 colors, 3 of each)

1692yd/360 g Tomato Sock Sets (3 pairs; 100g skein + 1 20g mini)

Net Yarn Change: 16274 yd/5560g/14 Skein Increase

I was going to argue that I had more net skeins out, but now that I count, it is apparent I cannot do math. 🤦‍♀️

The 14 skeins does include one "skein" of the mini skeins, using 100g as the standard size.

Beans. The tomatoes really threw off my numbers this month. Curse you pre-order timelines!

Project Update:

#Prairie Battenburg WIP - Picked back up for a change of pace.

#Nimue Forest WIP - FINISHED!!!!! (Might have a part 2 coming though. TBD.) I need to wash, block, and photograph.

Database Update:

Worked out what to do with stash remnants - I now have an "original" count, a "used" count, and a "remaining" count. Still have to do unit conversions though, which is kind of a pain. Sucks to suck, interface.

I have a solid 90% of my yarn stored away in bins now; the partial bit is because I got tired and sorting got weird with partial bins. 😬 But just about everything is logged in my database. 👍

No decision yet on patterns. Leaning toward only having patterns I own in there though. (Ugh trying to not cry over the hours I slaved starting to put things in. This is better though, I think.)

Courage Update:

Other than my Tomato yarns getting here and me cooing over a bunch of colors being released, I haven't been significantly tempted? I really think that the combination of logging my stash and the slow set-up of my office (which will be my craft room too) has helped tremendously.

Though, Dye Mad Yarns has kept up with their Tarot monthly series and launched a Wildflower series, which if you know me....you know that I am *drooling* over them. They did have an anniversary release, but at the end of the day, I have enough yarn for now. (WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT???)

Other Projects:

....we aren't touching those yet. That's for future Gemma. And a different challenge. 😅