#Code to Learn contest

[draconicsplendor]

I love you indie web I love you Neocities I love you hobby sites held together with duct tape I love you passion I love you whimsy I love you joy

And I am killing SEO with hammers. It’s for the greater good >:3

[mariasont]

JUST THE TIP(S) - A.H

aaron learns the hard way that upping your maintenance allowance has unexpected, explicit perks. especially when you insist on showcasing your newest investment while he's stuck miles away.

pairings: aaron hotchner x bimbo!assistant!reader warnings: 18+ MDNI, sexting, nsfw imagery, exhibitionism? (in the form of pictures), references to masturbation, workplace inappropriateness, power dyanmics (boss/employee), dirty talk, sugar daddy hotch vibes wc: 1.7k request: here!

Hotch attempts to read the file in front of him again, just to keep himself busy, but it starts to resemble gibberish somewhere between the countless victim timelines and his unwavering staring contest with the phone screen. 

Nothing. Still nothing. 

It’s been, he glances down for confirmation, thirty-nine minutes since he hit send. Not exactly long enough to panic. Yet here he is, panicking, because your replies normally land instantly, punctuated with frantic emojis, a parade of exclamation points, and nonsensical crises like:

i just made toast and almost caught my sleeve on fire but it’s ok now !!!! 🤭

So, yeah. Thirty-nine minutes feels like a small eternity.

Last week, he had upped your spending limit. You murmured something vague about having a bad day. You didn’t supply any specifics, no dramatics, just an innocent observation that he instantly took as an urgent call to action.

He logged into your account and adjusted your monthly extras, expanding that little safety net you didn’t even know he color-coded as you-time on his accounting spreadsheet. 

It wasn’t even remotely about the actual money. How could it be, when you were always giving pieces of yourself away — filling his silence with your easy chatter, kissing his frown lines, leaving perfume on his pillow (and everywhere else). So if a few extra hundred dollars meant more wellness appointments or a couple frivolous purchases that could help you feel more like yourself, it was the easiest, most obvious choice in the world. 

This is what he attributed your lack of response to. You’re probably out using that buffer right now.

He doesn’t need to spiral.

But he does anyway. Because when he’s not around, you have a tendency to forget to hydrate, to neglect to eat anything remotely nutritious, to lose yourself in shiny distractions, and his mind, unfortunately, never seems to shut off where you’re concerned.

He digs the heel of his hand into his forehead, trying not to jump to worst-case scenarios. He’s not clingy. Definitely not the kind of boyfriend who sends another text after less than an hour. 

Still, he nudges his phone a bit closer, strictly precautionary.

It takes exactly fifteen more agonizing, anxiety-inducing minutes — minutes shaped like big neon question marks — before the phone finally buzzes.

You: hi bossman !! miss ur grumpy face sooooo bad it’s criminal (arrest me??) how’s the case?

He exhales through his nose. His first thought is to correct you, to say that he’s definitely not grumpy, but his fingers pause, and he erases it instead. 

He is grumpy, though he’s fairly certain it’s directly correlated with how long it’s been since he’s since your face.

Hotch: Miss you too. Case is fine. Hopefully wrapping soon. Should be home late tomorrow. What did you do today? Everything okay?

You: yay !! can’t wait to see u ! got my nails done 🩷 they’re sparkly pink and sooo cute wanna see?

He snorts once, rubbing his thumb over the edge of his phone.

Hotch: Somehow I already know exactly what they look like.

He pauses, considers, then quickly adds,

Hotch: Send them anyway.

Hotch expects something wholesome, mundane even, manicure displayed prettily around a cup of overpriced coffee (a staple for you) or maybe the steering wheel of your car. 

What he receives instead is categorically, devastatingly the antithesis of wholesome. Completely unfit for polite company. His phone nearly plummets to the floor accordingly, eyebrows already halfway to his hairline.

Your new nails, as glittery as you advertised and innocent enough in isolation, become fully obscene in context, pussy spread wide, your fingertips highlighting slick, swollen folds and a flushed, glistening clit practically begging for attention. 

Hotch has always considered you beautiful — insanely, impossibly so — but this vision of you. A vision where you’re open, soaked with a brazen sweetness that borders on indecent, surpasses beauty entirely.

It’s sinful, artful perfection crafted with the sole intent of his demise. No matter how quickly he closes his eyes, the image is now seared permanently into his brain, burnt onto his retinas in dripping pixels.

Hotch never could fathom why anyone would willingly risk sending something so compromising. It spat in the face of good judgment and flagrantly ignored every articulated piece of advice he’d ever given. He’d lectured until your eyes glazed over about internet safety, how every text you send is stored indefinitely in some obscure digital archive, potentially retrieved at the most inopportune times. 

He was certain, perhaps arrogantly so, that you’d internalized his paranoia.

How wrong he had been.

Because he now stands staring at the evidence of your rebellion, humbly acknowledging that he himself has become precisely the sort of fool he’d warned you about, happily entrapped by the irreverence of a single photograph.

The only genuine risk Aaron can currently recognize is the frankly painful strain of his cock pressing against his zipper and the fact that you’re hundreds of miles away. 

He draws in a sharp, shaky breath through gritted teeth, silently pleading with unapologetically indifferent cosmos to grant him patience. 

Or teleportation.

Hotch: Gorgeous nails, sweetheart. Clever use of your resources, though next time save me the torture and just show me in person.

You: glad u like them 😇😇 maybe consider it motivation to hurry home faster?

Hotch: Duly noted. If I close this case in record time, you’ll know exactly why.

You: i can always send additional inspiration if it helps your productivity 🥰

He doesn’t remember making the conscious decision, and frankly, he doesn’t care enough to second-guess it now, because his palm is already moving, instinctively pressing down to relieve the unbearable tension straining his trousers.

He’s halfway through typing out his surrender (a blunt, undignified Yes. Now.) when a sudden, sharp knock jerks him brusquely back into a reality that pales considerably compared to what he’s just been forced to abandon.

His thumb stalls above the send button then pockets the phone, exhaling through his nose as he smooths the front of his tie with a touch more vigor than necessary.

If he were honest, and lately honesty seems unavoidable, another second spent alone with your message would inevitably lead him to doing something highly inappropriate beneath the desk, your name hissed quietly against clenched teeth.

By the time he reaches the door, Hotch has resigned a reasonable facsimile of composure.

At least from the waist up.

He cracks the door open cautiously, standing at an awkward, stiff angle, hoping that Rossi won’t notice the disarray happening beneath his belt.

“Local PD's still caught up arguing procedural technicalities,” Rossi drawls, seemingly unaware. “Apparently, nothing moves forward without our explicit approval.”

You’ll have to wait. And so will his dick.

The so-called procedural technicalities take three hours. Three. hours. One hundred and eighty increasingly insufferable minutes drowning in bureaucratic drudgery, combing through details Hotch is positive he could recite while heavily medicated. He pinches the bridge of his nose, attempting to fend off the migraine steadily encroaching.

He’d managed the polite, dutiful thing — a succinct, thoroughly unsatisfying reply to you about responsibility and paperwork, the kind of message that made his own eyes roll at its dreariness compared to your far more compelling offer.

And now, each monotonous signature is underscored by thoughts of you, each image progressively more not-safe-for-work than the last.

He pictures your nails, painted in that damned color you loved so much, wrapping firmly around his cock, stroking with leisurely hands. How good it would feel. How you would lean closer with thay look in your eyes, lips parted, whispering filthy words that would make the tips of his ears bleed red.

He loved spoiling you, sure, but secretly, selfishly, he knew the real reward came later, when your fingertips traced up and down each vein of his length.

His daydream splinters to pieces as another officer delivers a statement so inane, Hotch considers, with alarming sincerity, the merits of repeatedly banging his head against the wall.

Before he can fully commit to a public crisis of faith in his career choices, his phone vibrates in his pocket.

Stupidly, he sneaks a quick look,

You: bet that paperwork has you wound up tight. when u get home, feel free to fuck out all that frustration. im yours however u want me <3

Hotch snaps his phone off with such force he’s briefly amazed the device doesn’t shatter.

He redirects his gaze at the neat rows of law enforcement jargon before him, willing the flush spreading from his neck to his ears to retreat. He’s knows he’s past the age of blushing fits, but apparently, you delight in reminding him otherwise.

Hotch’s eyes briefly skim the room, double-checking that the rest of his team is sufficiently absorbed in their tasks.

Hotch: I sincerely hope you’re prepared to stand by that offer, he sends back, thumb tapping a bit faster. Because I fully intend to take advantage of your generosity. 

The familiar little bubbles of an incoming message appear almost immediately, punctuated seconds later by the ping of an attachment.

Hotch reopens the thread, only to be met with an image of your pretty hands cupping even prettier breasts.

Suddenly, he’s standing, brisk strides carrying him toward the hallway, a curt, excuse me tossed hastily behind him, already pressing your contact photo before the door swings fully shut behind him.

You answer on the first ring. “Hi there, handsome. Calling to check on me?”

Your voice, dripping with honeyed naivety, and the image of your tits still pulsing insistently behind his eyelids, sends an immediate rush of heat southward.

Hotch grits his teeth, resisting the temptation to flee toward the bathroom for a quick release.

“Do you really think you’re being fair to me? While I’m stuck here, of all places?”

“Fairness is subjective. Personally, I think it’s unfair you’re so far away when I clearly need your expert opinion on this manicure.”

“Expert opinions are usually best delivered in person. Very hands-on.”

Your giggle spills through the line, and Hotch is convinced it should be bottled and sold as medicine. How he managed to win the privilege of hearing it on demand is an eternal mystery.

“Aaron Hotchner,” you whisper, “is this how you typically behave at the office, or am I getting special treatment today?”

“You’re permanently on the receiving end of special treatment.”

Another giggle.

“Well, I fully intend to cash in on that privilege when you get home, and I advise your neighbors to consider getting some top-quality earplugs.”

He clears his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other to mask the fidgeting as purposeful adjustment. Unsuccessfully, of course. He can feel Morgan’s stare burning pointedly into the side of his head. Honestly, if roles were reversed, Aaron would probably be offering equally unsubtle judgment.

“Sweetheart,” he warns, lowering his voice, “you’re making it exceedingly difficult to pretend this call is work-related.”

“Fine, fine,” you say. “Go play nice with your friends and come home safely. I miss you.”

“I’ll be there as soon as humanly possible.” He inwardly rolls his eyes at his inability to maintain any credible authority with you. “Try to stay out of trouble until then.”

“No promises.” He can picture the smile on your face. “But I’ll do my best to keep your investment safe, these nails weren’t cheap, after all.”

“Careful. Because when I get home, I won’t be gentle enough to guarantee their safety.”

💌 masterlist taglist has been disbanned! if you want to get updates about my writings follow and turn notifications on for my account strictly for reblogging my works! @mariasreblogs

[veichua]

۫ ꣑ৎ . paige trying to find your g-spot, you had to guide her because she's so bad at it.

fingering. frustrated reader. power play. cocky paige. chaotic.

“is that it? is that the spot?” she asks leaning closer, her breath hot on your neck, clearly thinking she’s nailed it.

you burst out laughing, unable to help it, your head falling back against the pillow. “babe—oh my god—no, that was me clowning you.” you manage voice breaking as her fingers keep moving, still missing by a mile.

“you’re, like, poking my appendix or something.” your pussy’s wet, clenching around her, and it feels good, but the g-spot? not even in the same zip code.

“appendix? damn, you’re ruthless,” she says grinning, a flush creeping up her neck, a hint of embarrassment under her swagger.

she shifts trying a new angle, her fingers going too deep now, and you wince, a soft “ngh-” escaping before you can stop it.

“aight, aight, was that good? talk to me,” she says, all eager, her eyes scanning your face like it’s a highlight reel.

“paige—fuck—too deep, ease up,” you say half-moaning, half-laughing, grabbing her wrist to guide her, but she’s too focused, her tongue poking out.

“you’re acting like this is a free-throw contest,” you tease, voice breathy, and she chuckles, her fingers slowing but still off-target.

“nah, i’m shooting threes, baby,” she shoots back, leaning down to kiss your jaw, her lips soft and teasing. “c’mon, gimme a hint—your face ain’t helping.”

she curls her fingers again too soft now, barely grazing anything, and you groan, more out of frustration than pleasure, your hips bucking up to chase the feeling.

“my face ain’t helping ‘cause you’re lost, p.” you say, voice playful edged with need, your hand sliding into her hair tugging lightly to get her attention.

“it’s—mmph—higher, curl harder, like… beckon someone.” you’re trying to coach her, but her fingers slip, brushing your clit instead, and you jolt, a sharp “fuck-” spilling out, your thighs trembling.

“beckon? Like, ‘come here’?” she says mimicking a finger-wave with her free hand, and you laugh so hard your belly hurt, even as your pussy’s throbbing, desperate for her to get it right.

“aight, i got you,” she says, doubling down, her fingers curling harder but still missing, hitting some random spot that’s more ticklish than hot.

you yelp, squirming, and she pauses, eyes wide. “was that bad? you good?”

“paige—oh my god—” you say, laughing so much there’s tears in your eyes, and she groans, dropping her forehead to your shoulder, her own laugh bubbling up, all raspy and real.

“you’re so bad at this,” you tease, voice soft, and she pulls back, pouting, her fingers still inside you, warm and steady.

“bad? me? nah, im just warming you up,” she says trying to recover, but her grin’s sheepish, and you can tell she’s a little flustered.

she tries again, slower, watching your face like a hawk, and finally brushes something close, a faint spark that makes your breath hitch, your eyes fluttering.

“there? that it?” she asks, voice all hopeful, and you nod, biting your lip, guiding her wrist a little. “yeah—ngh—right there, harder..”

you murmur, voice shaky, and she focuses, curling her fingers with more purpose, hitting that spot for real now.

your back arches, a real moan spilling out, and her eyes light up, all proud. “fuck, yes, paige—keep going,” you gasp, and she does, her rhythm shaky but earnest, her free hand stroking your thigh, whispering,

“got you, baby, i’m learning.” it’s not perfect, but it’s paige—her effort, her goofy determination, the way she’s watching you like you’re her whole world—and it’s enough to push you close, your pussy fluttering, your moans louder now.

“you’re so—mmph—fucking cute.” you tease, voice breaking, and she laughs, kissing you sloppy, her fingers still working, finally getting the hang of it.

© written by kaizer | do not copy plagiarize or translate any.

[calzone-d]

Loud (poly!wintersentry x reader)

-warnings: yelling, angst w/ a happy ending, bob gets scared, crying, mentions of past abuse

-word count: +/- 1800

definitely a little angsty but there will always be a happy ending on this blog, don't fear!! i'm so soft for the two of them.

requests are OPEN as of right now. let me know if you want to be added to my general taglist, or just for wintersentry stuff. shoot me a message, comment, send an ask, sent an encrypted morse code message, write it on a brick, whatever u want. this is barely beta’d just a forewarning.

MCU masterlist here.

---

The sound of bucky’s footsteps behind yours has never been more irritating. your deep sigh makes it known as you open the door to your shared apartment in the watchtower.

“I just don’t understand!”, Bucky says. “Why didn’t you tell me Val asked you to talk to Sam?”

His brows are furrowed as his eyes meet yours. You toss your keys on the kitchen counter, which gets Bob’s attention from where he’s reading in the living room.

“Because Bucky! We were all busy with our weekend trip! I knew I wasn’t going to talk to him about it anyway, so it just slipped my mind!”

you throw your hands in the air before rubbing them across your face.

Bucky crosses his arms as his eyes narrow. The two of you are so tense you don’t pick up on Bob who’s now in the corner of the kitchen. He’s sitting at the kitchen table, criss cross in the chair.

Bucky scoffs and rolls his eyes.

“i mean, shit, y/n. I feel like that’s something i should fucking know about!” he raises his voice.

deep down, you know it’s just because him and sam are tense right now. still, that’s not a reason for him to be an ass to you.

“stop acting like i didn’t tell you on purpose! when the fuck have i ever deliberately withheld information from you?” your jaw is clenched by now.

bucky’s flesh hand slams down on the granite countertop, and it’s loud. it makes bob flinch, but the two of you are too worked up to notice.

“maybe because you were going to talk to him about the new name and didn’t want me involved!”

he’s full on yelling at this point. his cheeks are flushed as his eyes stare into yours. before you speak, bob stammers “uh.. guys, can- can you not-“

in the heat of the moment, you don’t register his quiet plea. you know how tense he gets when people argue in front of him, especially the two people he cares for most.

“for fucks sake, bucky. get over yourself!” you yell. “you need to talk to sam and work through whatever pissing contest the two of you are in. stop acting like what val asked me to do is the reason the two of you are on the rocks!”

your breathing is heavy and you take a deep breath before bucky’s voice is echoing through the kitchen.

“you don’t get it!” a black and gold vibranium finger points in your direction. bucky's eyes are wide with anger. “he-“

“please… just stop.. stop!” bob interrupts with a whimper. the two of you look over to where he’s now curled in on himself on the wooden kitchen chair. the shakiness of his hands is obvious when they push their way through his curls. with glassy eyes and a quivering bottom lip, he continues.

“guys- please. st-stop... s'too loud” it’s easy to hear how tight his throat is as he pleads.

“shit”, you mutter. by the time you get to the chair bob is in, your shoulders are sagging and your frown has gotten deeper.

bobs eyes are frantic as they go back and fourth between you and bucky, as if he’s making sure neither of you are a threat to him. the two of you learned early on how deeply he associates yelling with physical violence.

his fearful eyes are full of tears when they lock with yours, and you softly speak.

“m’sorry, hun. i shouldn’t have yelled.”, you take note of how he’s gripping the table so hard, you won’t be surprised if it breaks under the pressure. "i was just frustrated with buck, but still, I shouldn't have raised my voice".

bucky has made his way over, too. bob's eyes screw shut and he begins to ramble.

“i- i didn’t.. im sorry, it just scares me when- when you guys yell like that.” his voice cracks. you know bob, and you know that he must be trying so hard not to break down in this moment. bucky's hand brushes your lower back, a silent apology, before he kneels down in front of where bob's sitting.

the stubble on bucky's jaw catches the light when it clenches, and you know he's working through his own load of emotions in his head. he's sorry for yelling at you instead of just talking, he's anxious about his relationship with sam, but above all he's guilty for upsetting bob. his heart cracks as he thinks back to bob's room in the attic. one of his strong hands moves to rest on the side of bob's calf over his sweatpants, slowly, as to give him warning. his thumb strokes over the muscle.

frantic eyes shoot down at the contact, but he doesn't move an inch.

"bob, I am so, so sorry." bucky swallows. "I should've just spoken to y/n before raising my voice", his eyes glance up to lock with yours. "y/n, angel, I'm sorry for getting so heated."

you let out a breath you didn't know was trapped in your chest. bucky's once raging eyes are now full of regret and the need to make things right with his two loves.

"s'okay, buck.", your fingers dip down to his head and brush through his hair. it's grown out, now. the waves prominent after his shower earlier this morning.

a wet sniffle brings your attention back to bob. his slender fingers are twisted into the soft material of his sweater. well, your sweater, before it was scouted by bob for his growing collection. his thumb and index finger repetitively skip over each other as he wills the constriction of his throat to dissipate.

"just scared me.." his voice is small. for a split second, he feels like the frightened boy in the attic, but the thought slips away at the feeling of bucky's thumb stroking his leg. silently, he welcomes your tender hand on his shoulder. you pull his upper half into your torso.

bob's occupied hands leave their safe haven of sweater sleeves to make a new home in your thick sweatshirt. the scent of your shared suite floods his nose and works to calm his restless mind. your other hand brushes back his curls before resting against the nape of his neck.

his forehead falls forward and rests against your belly. a handful of whimpers leave bobs lips and then a heartbreaking, broken sob.

"we never meant to scare you, lovey."

"not for a split second, bob.", bucky sighs and stands up.

"can i hold you, sweets?" his voice is patient.

bob nods into your belly. bucky's arms wrap around his waist and his creased forehead rests against bob's shoulder.

"you're okay." his voice is low but soothing in bob's ear. "you're safe, always safe with us... our sweet love..."

you run a hand through bucky's hair too. his weight against bob presses him even more against you. bob's sobs eventually turn into quiet cries.

reaching behind you, you drag the chair beside you flush against the one bob is sitting in. his tear soaked face moves from your belly to the tender skin of your neck.

your eyes lock with bucky's, both filled with guilt. your hands cradle bob's head close, and bucky presses himself further against bob's back. one of bob's hand's shifts behind him to grab the fabric of bucky's shorts.

bob's cries have changed from those of fear to those of sadness. sadness for his younger self for having to survive that, because god knows there was a period of time he would've been happy to depart that gloomy world he was trapped in.

after a few minutes, a pitiful "m'sorry" takes you by surprise.

"bob, we're sorry. we should've acted more like adults.. in a way that actually reflected this relationship."

"i try to- to just be normal. to not let.. silly things like this affect me. i try so hard" his voice cracks, almost like a plea.

"it- what you went through was awful, bob. it's okay that it affects you, even if it affects you forever. we're here, we love you, and we're sorry if we made you feel, even for just a second, that this house is anything like the one you survived", bucky's words shock you. not the validity of their truth, but in their weight. bucky is typically one for meaningful glances and reassuring touches, not profound monologues.

bucky's lips press against the back of bob's neck. "we will spend every single second, until our very last second, proving that to you. our touch will be forever filled with love and promise, no matter how upset we get, bob. we love you. i love you. i love you so much more than you've been conditioned to comprehend. i will spend every fucking second showing you how to understand that."

his words have your throat a bit tight, too. bob's tears have stopped flowing, he's too preoccupied with remembering how to breathe as bucky vows his dedication.

you clear your throat, willing your voice to be clear. "no more yelling".

both your boys' blue eyes meet yours.

"we call time-outs from now on. we stop and go walk, or shower, or.. or anything. anything but yelling."

bob whispers, "I'd like that.." his fingers wipe away the remnants of his tears that lay atop his thick lashes. "a lot", he adds. he sits up fully, and turns to where he can see bucky better.

"thank you, bucky. for- for loving me. a-and showing me it's safe here, with the two of you. it's... i've never been happier. i've never had anything like this, like us." he twists to look at you for a second, you nod with encouragement. vulnerability is somehow so nerve wracking for bob, although it's all he's known for as long as he can remember.

"don't thank me for that", bucky's voice is stern. "it's the easiest thing i've done, loving the two of you".

a smile creeps onto bob's flushed face.

"i love the two of you more than... anything. i don't even know how to describe it.", he whispers.

bucky leans towards your curly-headed boyfriend and presses his lips against his. a giant hand rests against bob's cheek, his thumb tracing a sharp cheekbone. the kiss is slow and you can feel the love pouring from it. a happy sigh leaves bob's lips as he gives all control to bucky. when he's finally proved his point, he pulls away and presses a quick kiss to the slope of bob's nose.

"we've got you sweets. always."

bob turns to you, hands reaching out to pull you closer.

"love you, y/n." he murmurs. your lips meet his in a love filled kiss, just like the one he shared with bucky.

"m'always gonna love you, honey. always gonna take care of you", you promise when you pull away. you push up on your knees to lean towards bucky, who's watching the two of you with a soft smile.

"I'm sorry for yelling, babe."

"me too, angel"

he pulls you in with the same gentle hands that previously cupped bob's cheeks.

"no more yelling", he says. you know without question that it's a sacred promise now.

---

i love them :,)

[pankielovesfan]

The Prime Shimmer breaks Fan's code and that's really cool

I've recently thought more about just how incredibly important The Prime Shimmer IS to Fan's entire story and character, and about breaking apart from the show and helping him put in effort to improve. Even if this was already established and said countless times, I've started to understand it even deeper when I think about it more sooo I wanted to write this out

As the core part of Fan, he loves the show and all its characters. Everything he's ever known and been surrounded with has been related to it and he loves Inanimate Insanity very much and is practically made of that admiration. However, the first time he comes in contact with something from outside the show, it's the shimmer egg. Something he clings to desperately.

The fact that the egg is the first thing he's interacted with that isn't part of the show means a lot to his character, considering how he immediately attaches to it, takes care of it, and values it so deeply. As said by Fan himself on his blog - before he had the shimmer egg with him, he didn't even know how to care. It shows just how significant the egg is for Fan's development in so, so many different ways for representing his path in life. Not sure how to work this into it, but he's mentioned how the egg also helped him feel less lonely.

When he meets them, the way Fan treats The Prime Shimmer in the show is very unique to his character and has always been... so different. He's typically very disconnected from other people, especially with how he's supposed to be a "viewer" for the show, and experiences little to no empathy or care for others because of his love for inanimate insanity as a show, and how he claims to not even know how to care at first. The finale really highlights his feelings for the aliens. He immediately seeks to help them find their other lost child, prioritizing them over his own interests. He really really cares for them, for Fan standards.

All of The Prime Shimmer is so incredibly influential for him to recognize in this way. He actually puts in effort for others instead of sticking to old habits like he does, and I think his general feelings for them are what drives Fan toward progress since what he feels for them is outside of Inanimate Insanity. It's the main hope for Fan's improvement as a person, and I'm very glad Test Tube can still represent that feeling of "being outside of the show" because she came to save him from the ship if that makes sense, she's a part of this to some extent for him. Its lovely.

There's something so beautiful about Fan feeling so much love and protection for the entirety of The Prime Shimmer, creatures that are so removed from the show, something he wasn't made to love or care for. It makes it feel very genuine, caring for it in a way he doesn't care for the other contestants. Through caring about something outside the show, he also learned how to care about Test Tube and recognize her as separated from it, seeing her as an actual person which he rarely can do for many.

It's so fun how Fan can just always tie back to themes of change. Fan, notoriously inflexible and stubborn, allows himself to perceive change and opens his mind to that development to protect the lives he's learned to care for. Starts crying. i think this guy will be the end of me

anyway thanks for reading my insanity.. Fan is willing to try for the prime shimmer which can extend to other people he cares for yay

[wings-of-ink]

Progress and Updates!

Hello my dears! I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to just make a wee post with some info on where Chapter 6 stands currently as well as some other bits of GOOD news and a couple fun things for subscribers in April. (Little sneak peak below too!)

Chapter 6 is sitting at 52k words! And there's...uh, a ways to go yet. I have begun the third segment which is probably going to be the largest. It's the bit with the most coding as well. Everything is outlined and planned, and I just need the time and energy to bring it to life.

Though Chapter 6 is gonna be a biggun, Chapter 7 will be more streamlined story (a bit like how Chapter 4 was). So, I think it will be quicker to write over all. I would love to release it soon after Chapter 6, but I'm not sure how plausible that will be. There's still too much in the air yet, but that's my goal.

The GOOD NEWS is - I'm working with a character artist! More details will follow later, but I'm currently compiling references and then we'll get to business, lol. I'm very excited for this, but I feel like I am rubbish and finding adequate references, so it's a learning experience for me.

Also a learning experience for me has been this whole year so far. I do apologize for not being as present on Tumblr as I was in the past and that my asks are still a bit restricted, but I'm mitigating a lot these days between myself and my partner. Chief among these is mental and physical health, and making a balance in life to keep us going during the current state of things. Just know that I am still kicking around here and I do check my inbox and respond whenever I can to general questions. I am still learning how to balance having subscribers as well. A lot of this comes down to my energy levels which have not bounced back much since winter.

Anyway, on to more fun things...if you are interested in Ko-fi or Patreon for April, on the 15th, three extras will available. Our focus this month was on our beloved fathers with a bonus for Oswin. The "Crow" Tier will feature some cute highlights from Kip and Dov getting accustomed to life as parents. The "Raven" Tier will feature 1 extra with the fathers that contains spicy content. This story will also be posted without the spice in case you just want to read a little bit about their romance (and not walk away scarred for life). If the daddy spice is not for you, I am also posting a short and spicy extra for Oswin (solo).

Voting will begin soon to determine May's content for both tiers!

In the meantime, here's a little sample of Ch 6:

You look to Oswin thinking he will try to break up this contest, but to your shock, he is trying not to laugh. His cheeks are puffed as he holds it in. Aster just glares back. "How clever." "You're welcome," Duri says with a big smile. "Nothing wrong with a pet name." Oswin nods. "I agree, it's endearing." You look at Oswin as he remains hunched over his meal. You tried to call him Yari when you were kids because he always shortened your name to Ravi… [[You want to give him a pet name.]] [[His name works just fine.]]

Can anyone guess what Duri decided to "affectionately" call Aster? ^_^

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Education

I'm always asked what sort of education different people recieve throughout different historical eras and since I'm heading back to college soon, I thought it was high time I made this guide.

Disparity

Education is viewed as a right by many but for some and thoughout history it was a privilege. For the wealthy and those of high status, education can be easily accessed. They can afford to tailor an education to fit their needs, they can hire tutors, and they can afford tuitions to top schools. For the poor, education was a luxury. However this doesn't mean that it was available. Some communities would fund a school or send their children to a local teacher - usually they had to pay a daily fee or at least bring kindling for the heating. Many poorer children also worked so they could not attend school consistently or were pulled out very early into their education. However, some poorer students could gain access to high level education if they were extremely bright or caught the attention of a wealthy benefactor who could fund their education.

Education as a Weapon

Education could also be banned for certain groups in society. It could be illegal to fund schools or host gatherings for students of a certain background, race, religion or gender. Education against the law could be punished by imprisonment, exile or execution. This is a measure usually taken by oppressive governments in order to follow a moral code or restrict the betterment of a certain group. An example would be the Irish Catholics under the Penal Laws.

On the otherhand, there is education that is influenced by the state to inject certain values, moralities and Opinions into a population. This is the intense restriction of reading material, removal of books that contest the teachings of the government or the kidnap of children from their culture, in order to forcibly educated them in alignment to their beliefs. An example would be the residental schools of North America and Canada and the AHS schools of Nazi Germany.

Content

As above, content of what children learn usually falls into a certain category. This is also true for the education offered to the wealthy and the poor. The poor would be offered a basic education, learning literacy and arithmetic, usually with an expectation that the children would not go on to any jobs that needs a broader education. Any higher education would be hard to obtain because of cost and the discriminatory view of the enrollment panels. The wealthy would have access to an array of different subjects including: The arts (drawing, music, painting, poetry, dancing), sports (riding, martial skills, rowing, hunting), arithmetic, geography, languages, geography and history. While progression to higher education will still be difficult, any affluent families are legacies of prestigious colleges or can make a donation to grease a few palms. These schools would be where the wealthy make lifelong connections and get springboarded toward opportunities.

Private Tutoring

Whilst some affluent, aristocratic and Royal families send their children to schools, private tutoring in the home was a popular choice. Children would be educated at home but tutors who either lived in the home or come to the house. The children would be educated alongside siblings or the children of courtiers or neighbours. Private tutoring sessions would often be the only education for upper class women recieved, taught by governesses and tutors.

Premises and Equipment

As mentioned above, wealthy and aristocratic families would usually attend established schools or attend school at home. They would be provided any equipment they needed. If they attend school, they would often wear a uniform. Some schools had multiple variations of the uniform for different activities. Many of the schools attended would be boarding schools. Boarding schools offered education to those who boarded and day students, however day students were often looked down upon as lesser than.

Poorer schools would be relient on donations and fees paid by students. As mentioned above, there may be a building reserved for classes - sometimes an designated schoolhouse or a teacher's home or a public building such as a gathering house or sometimes even outside - hedge schools. Equipment would be provided by the school. Uniforms at poorer schools were not a thing but students were expected to show up neat and tidy.

Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment at schools was the go to punishment for students. Teachers had free rein to strike children for mistakes and bad behaviour. Punishments include insolation, physical stress positions such as standing on a chair all day, getting objects thrown at them, being slapped on the back of the legs with a cane, being rapped on the palms or knuckles with a crop or ruler. Students may also be humiliated by teachers through the use of dunce hats, encouraging other children to bully them or by the use of verbal abuse. Corporal punishment did extend to all classes except for royal children since that was either taken by proxy by whipping boys or left up to parents.

[hms-no-fun]

you were on cohost? i guess too late now, how was it for you?

cohost had its fair share of problems and i could often find the community there a bit too tumblr-core fingerwaggy if you know what i mean. but the site's dead now so it's kind of a moot point. what i find myself reflecting on most these days are the positives.

first, no numbers. i think their no numbers policy was probably a bit over-aggressive, but it quelled some of the rat race popularity contest aspect of social media that often makes it so tedious. i liked their tag tracking system, their robust content warning options, and the absence of infinite scroll. what i miss most about cohost is that their text editor supported CSS, which led to people programming elaborate text effects and puzzles and games in-site that harkened back to the days of flash animations. there was something in this combination of elements that drew out a rebellious creativity in users.

cohost came at a time when social media was across the board feeling terrible (and it's only gotten worse hahaha), particularly as someone who makes shit that relies on you clicking links that take you away from the website or app. algorithms hate this and punish it. users also just seem kind of lazy and disinterested in using the internet so much as letting the internet happen to them passively. but when a post of mine went viral on cohost, people engaged with it. it wasn't just likes and shares, it was comments and additions. it felt like a place that (at its best) encouraged actual conversation and the development of new ideas among like-minded peers. when my posts did well and i included a donation link, people gave me money. it felt genuinely like a website that COULD support professional blog work in a way that was more customizable even than substack yet still RSS friendly, and the Following tab which let you easily see posts of specific users was a REVELATION, like a mini RSS reader within the website itself.

but the enterprise was unsustainable for various reasons (not all of them outside the dev crew's control) and the haters got what they wanted. now our big social media alternative is bluesky, a website that dares to ask the question "what if there was another twitter?" the answer is that it fucking sucks. i hate microblogs so much dude, why on EARTH are we still acting like these disambiguited 300-character-limit posts are the most preferable means of social communication online??? why would you set out to make a better twitter and then deliberately choose to replicate literally every aspect of the user experience that encouraged low-information high-drama conflict fabrication? WHY WOULD YOU MAKE A VERSION OF TWITTER WHERE YOU CAN EASILY LOOK UP THE ACCOUNT OF EVERYONE WHO HAS YOU BLOCKED AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A FEATURE NOT A BUG???????? i just don't get it. i don't even get the optimism of the early adopters. i've seen people decry the post-election decay of the platform like "of course the cishets come in to ruin a community that was defined by trans & queer people" i'm sorry HELLO???????? from literally day zero bluesky was aiming to be a hands-off centrist IPO-friendly tech startup, there was never anything structurally embedded within the platform itself to keep this kind of decay from happening, you just happened to be on there when there were dramatically fewer users most of whom were curious tech enthusiasts. seriously, how have we not learned this lesson yet? you can't define a digital culture by the vibes of random user behavior! unless you have LAWS and GUIDELINES whereby you fucking BAN people for being shitheads, unless you enforce an actual code of conduct and punish bigoted speech and design a system that encourages constructive conversation, you are always always ALWAYS going to wind up at unhinged facebook boomer slop!

the death of cohost and the utterly predictable decay of bluesky are a big part of the reason why i've been posting so much more on tumblr. this is like the last bastion of anything even remotely resembling the old web, with its support of longposts and tagging and how easy it is to find random hobbyists doing cool shit you never knew existed before. like, yeah, you have to search that shit out and tailor your feed to not drive you crazy, but that's what i like about it!!! i am an adult with agency who understands that life is complicated and as such i expect to have to put some work into making my experience with a website positive! but in the hellworld of the iphone everything is walled garden apps for aggregating content where the content and its creators are structurally established as infinitely replaceable and uniquely worthless punching bags to be used and cast aside. everyone's given up on moderation and real jobs don't exist anymore especially if you happen to work in the "creative economy" IE are a writer or critic or artist or hobbyist of literally any kind. we've given up on expecting anything from the rich moneyboys who own and profit immensely off of the platforms whose value we literally create!!! especially now with the rise of "AI" grifters, whose work has ratcheted good old fashioned casual sexism and racism and homophobia up to levels not seen in such mainstream spaces since the early 2000s.

i like tumblr because i don't have to use a third party app to get & answer asks at length, and because it is a visual artist friendly platform where i won't be looked at funny for reblogging furry postmodernism or transgender homestuck OCs. it is a site that utterly lacks respectability and that's what makes it even remotely usuable. unfortunately it also sucks! partly it sucks because this place was ground zero for the rise of puritanical feminist-passing conservatism in leftist spaces, so it's like a hyperbolic time chamber for brain-melting life or death discourse about the most inconsequential bullshit you could ever imagine. but it also sucks because it's owned by a profit-motivated moneyboy who has consistently encouraged a culture of virulent transphobia and frequently bans trans women who call this out. so like, yeah, this place is cool compared to everywhere else, but it is exactly like everywhere else in that is also on a ticking clock to its own inevitable demise. the owners of this website will destroy everything that makes it interesting and will EAGERLY delete the nearly twenty years (!!!!!!) of posts it's accumulated the instant it will profit them to do so. this will be immensely unpopular and everyone will agree it's a tragedy and it won't matter. the culture and content of a social media platform is epiphenomenal to its rote economic valuation. i mean, obviously it isn't, zero of these massive tech companies would be what they are if so many people weren't so eager to give their time and labor away for free (and yes, writing a dumb dick joke on tumblr IS a form of labor in the same way that doing a captcha is labor, just because it's a miniscule contribution in an economy of scale doesn't mean you didn't contribute!), but once a tech company reaches a certain threshold its valuation ceases to be tethered to anything that actually exists in reality.

all of which is why i remember cohost with a heavy heart. yeah, it was imperfect. it was also independently owned, made with the explicit goal of creating a form of social media that actually tries not to give you a lifelong anxiety disorder so it can sell you homeopathic anti-anxiety sawdust suppositories. for the brief window of time when it was extant, i was genuinely hopeful for the future of being a creative on the internet. part of why i spend so much time on godfeels, a fucking homestuck fanfiction with no hope of turning a profit or establishing mainstream legitimacy, is that my readers actually ENGAGE with the material. what brought me back to using this website consistently was precisely the glut of godfeels-related questions i got, and the exciting conversations that resulted from my answers. meanwhile i put so many hours into my videos and even when they do well numerically, i barely see any actual engagement with the material. and that is a deliberate design choice on the part of youtube! that is the platform functioning as intended!! it sucks!!!

what the memory of cohost has instilled in me is a neverending distaste for the lazy unambitious also-rans that define the modern internet. i remember the possibility space of the early web and long for the expressiveness that even the most minor of utilities offered. we sacrificed that freedom for a convenience which was always the pretense for eventually charging us rent. i am thinking a lot these days about what a publicly funded government administrated social media utility would look like. what federal open source standards could look in an environment where the kinds of activities a digital ecosystem can encourage are strictly regulated against exploitation, bigotry, scams, and literal gambling. what if there was a unionized federal workforce devoted to the administration of internet moderation, which every website above a certain user threshold must legally take advantage of? i like to imagine a world where youtube isn't just nationalized but balkanized, where you have nested networks of youtubes administrated for different purposes by different agencies and organizations that operate on different paradigms of privacy and algorithmic interaction. imagine that your state, county, and/or city has its own branch of youtube meant to specifically highlight local work, while also remaining connected to a broader national network (oops i just reinvented federation lmao). imagine a world where server capacity is a publicly owned utility apportioned according to need and developed in collaboration with the communities of their construction rather than as a deliberate exploitation of them. our horizons for these kinds of things are just so, so small, our ability to imagine completely captured by capitalist realism, our willingness to demand services from our government simply obliterated by decades of cynical pro-austerity propaganda. i imagine proposing some of this stuff and people reacting like "well that's unrealistic" "that'll never happen" "they'd just use it for evil" and i am just SO! FUCKING! TIRED!!!!

like wow you're soooooo cool for being effectively two steps left of reagan, i bet you think prison abolition and free public housing are an impossible pipedream too huh? and exactly what has that attitude gotten you? what've you gained by being such a down to earth realist whose demands are limited by the scope of what seems immediately possible? has anything gotten better? have any of the things you thought were good stayed good? is your career more stable, your political position more safe, your desire to live and thrive greatly expanded? or do you spend every day in a cascading panopticon of stress and collapse, overwhelmed to the point of paralysis by the sheer magnitude of what it's cost us to abandon the future? you HAVE to dream. you HAVE to make unrealistic demands. the fucking conservatives have been making unrealistic demands forever and look, they're getting everything they want even though EVERYONE hates them for it! please i'm begging you to see and understand that what's feasible, what's reasonable, what's realistic, are literally irrelevant. these things only feel impossible because we choose to believe The Adults (and if you're younger than like 45, trust me, to the ruling class you are a child) whose bank accounts reflect just how profitable it is to convince us that they're impossible. all those billions of dollars these fuckers have didn't come from nowhere, it was stolen from all of us. there is no reason that money can't and shouldn't be seized and recirculated back into the economy, no reason it can't be used to fund a society that is actually social, where technological development is driven not by what's most likely to drive up profits next quarter but by what people need from technology in their daily lives.

uh so yeah basically that's my opinion of cohost lmao

[gooondocks]

no one's ever had me (not like you) — evan buckley.

writing masterlist | askbox

─── summary: when buck meets his high school sweetheart at the ten-year reunion, he learns that their lives may be very different now, but the spark is still there.

─── pairing: evan buckley x gn!reader.

─── warnings & notes: fluffy fluff. no use of y/n, i'm british so probably inaccurate depiction of high school reunions. based on the song 'so high school' by taylor swift bc i heard it and couldn't stop thinking of this idea. crappy ending bc i suck at wrapping things up. enjoy!!!

─── word count: 2.1k.

     "DO YOU THINK ANYONE'S DONE US all a favour and spiked the punch yet?"

     When the email appeared in his inbox a few months ago — an e-vite, of all things, complete with the kind of graphic design prowess he hasn't seen since the early 2000s — Buck had been pretty intent on ignoring it.

     A hundred excuses had bubbled up in the back of his mind, because honestly, the thought of heading back to his hometown to attend a high school reunion made his skin itch. Trapping himself in a sweaty gymnasium, surrounded by dozens of almost-strangers engaged in a vanity contest of 'who's the most successful?' coupled with a shitty DJ blasting 2010's greatest hits?

     It's really not what he'd call a good time.

     Even if he could've talked himself into it, sharing a ZIP code with his parents for even a day or two was more than he was willing to tolerate. He'd left Hershey in his rearview almost a decade ago, and there's not a fragment of his whole being that regrets it for even a second.

     Except.

     Except the dates lined up with one of his rare weekends off work. Except when he looked up the flights online, just to see, he'd stumbled across a deal so cheap Buck honestly thought he was hallucinating for a moment.

     Except Evan Buckley believes in signs from the universe, and when Maddie gives him that look over lunch one day, even though Buck had absolutely not mentioned the reunion to anyone, it's the final nail in the coffin for him.

     He booked the tickets. He told the team he'd be out of town for the weekend, and bought a new shirt, and now he's standing in his old high school gymnasium. He wrinkles his nose at the smell, that sweat-and-hormones stink that never really goes away, and you're sidling up to him at the refreshments table, and the speakers are blaring an old Ke$ha song he hasn't heard in years.

     For a moment, he's seventeen again. The sound of your voice slips over his skin like a cool breeze in the desert and suddenly it could be the night of junior prom, and the pair of you have sequestered yourselves in a shadowy corner, laughing at the committee's subpar attempt at an 'Under the Sea' theme.

     Buck blinks, and he isn't seventeen, but he flashes you a wide smile anyway as you help yourself to a glass of bright red punch.

     "Hi."

     He says the word so quietly, he's surprised you even hear it. But there's a sparkle in your eye as you raise the cup to your lips, and he knows you heard him.

     You always could.

     The last day Buck ever saw you, he kissed you goodbye before you piled into your dad's old truck and drove out of sight, bound for college and big dreams and a future that didn't include him. Your lips had been damp with tears. On his loneliest nights, Buck swears he can still taste the salt on his tongue.

     It's been a decade, but you still look so similar to the wide-eyed kid he fell in love with. Your hair's a little longer, perhaps; there's a scar on your chin that wasn't there before, and the dimples around your smile have deepened, but that's all. You're still you. The thought makes his chest ache a little, but it's a good pain.

     He wonders if he's changed much. He wonders what you see when you look at him.

     "I suspect it was the first thing Marty Brandt did when he got here," Buck adds, louder this time, and you laugh, and he wonders how he went ten years without hearing that sound. "I didn't think you'd be here. Didn't see your name on the RSVP list."

     You shrug. "Jem bullied me into it. Emailed my boss to get the time off and everything."

     Even as you try to seem annoyed, a trickle of fondness finds its way into your voice. When Buck follows your gaze to the dance floor, it's hard to miss your childhood best friend throwing shapes to an old Maroon 5 song.

     "You two still talk?" He doesn't mean to sound surprised, except...

     Well. Staying in touch with high school pals hadn't been a priority when he skipped town. Hard to imagine a single one of his classmates he'd want to stay in touch with. Except you.

     A grin tugs at your mouth. "Worse. We work together." You tilt your head, still smiling fondly in Jem's direction. "Tried to shake her off, but she wouldn't let me."

     He knows a little about that. "Or was it the other way around?"

     "Wouldn't you like to know, Buckley?"

     He would, actually. He watches you grimace a little at the flavour of the punch when you take another sip, an adorable twist to your mouth that he once knew so well. A decade ago, the sight of your pout could've made him do anything.

     "Tastes like half a bottle of vodka," you tell him, and you take another sip even though he knows you never liked vodka. Remembers playing truth or dare at a party in junior year, and how you threw up in the bushes afterwards.

     Buck had held back your hair and tucked you against his side afterward, letting you snuggle into the warmth of him while you slept off the worst of your hangover.

     There's a distance between you now, but it's comfortable. Buck tucks his hands into the pockets of his jeans and the pair of you migrate over to a shadowy corner of the gymnasium, away from the prying eyes of your former classmates.

     "So," Buck says, as the DJ switches to another song, "how have you been?"

     He can't help but wince half a second later. Seriously? How have you been? He's never been to a high school reunion before, but he's seen plenty of movies, and he's pretty sure he's hitting all the marks of being a fucking cliché.

     To your credit, you don't laugh at him. Cheeks flushed the prettiest shade of pink Buck has ever seen, you manage to bite back the giggle rising in your throat.

     Buck wants to sink through the floor.

     "I've been okay," you tell him, swirling your glass of punch absently. The corners of your eyes crinkle a little as you smile at him. "Life, y'know?"

     He does. He really fucking does. "Any partners? Kids, spouses, anyone I have to worry about punching me?"

     You only mentioned Jem earlier, so it doesn't seem like you brought a date, but he isn't sure he'd love it if he found his partner cosied up in a dark corner with their high school sweetheart.

     God, he hopes you didn't bring a date.

     There it is, a flash of— something, there and then gone in an instant. Buck hasn't thought about high school in years. Hasn't paid any mind to the friends he left behind. Once or twice, his thoughts have flitted to you, though. The one that got away. Where you are, if you were happy.

     When he landed in LA, when he finally settled into his place at the 118, he'd thought of you. He'd hoped you managed to find a place you belonged. A family that loved you like his did.

     He thought this would be awkward. Running into you again. Your name hadn't been on the RSVP list, and he'd been so relieved, because what if there was some uneasy tension between you? Buck isn't sure he'd have been able to cope with that.

     There aren't a lot of happy memories from his childhood. His adolescence left a lot to be desired, but— you. A bright spot in all that grey.

     An uncomfortable reunion might have ruined that. Those memories are cherished, for Buck; locked up tight in his battered heart.

     But it's not uncomfortable, or awkward, or uneasy. Ten years and ten seconds have slipped by like sand in an hourglass and he wonders if there's been a moment in the last decade where he felt this at ease.

     You sigh at his question, quiet and fond. "There was an engagement," you say after a moment, chewing on your lower lip, "and a break-up. Two years ago, now. Amicable, but..."

     "But it still feels like you lost something." Buck knows that feeling intimately. It's been a long time since Abby left him, and even though he's over her, the memory of it still stings sometimes.

     You nod. "Yeah. One minute you're going to marry someone, and then you're not. Doesn't really matter why not, in the end. Still hurt a little. Not anymore."

     "No?"

     You smile at him. "No."

     Buck isn't sure how much time passes, how long you both remain huddled in that dark corner as the world continues to move around you. The DJ keeps churning out a series of early-2000s hits that he's fairly sure is just one of those throwback Spotify playlists, and you both make jokes when the Class President gets on stage to give a cheesy speech, and he tells you all about the ill-advised escapades of his early-twenties.

     Crashing his bike, dropping out of college. He glosses over the unsavoury parts of his youth, but the way your eyes soften, he knows he isn't fooling you. He never could, not when it mattered. Stories about Peru have you in stitches, and a particularly messy tale about his time as a ranch hand makes you laugh so hard, half a glass of punch ends up your nose.

     He missed that. Making you laugh.

     Warmth unfurls in his chest when he looks at you. It's the kind of familiarity people associate with coming home, except it was dread he felt stepping off the plane, and uncomfortable memories prickled at him as he drove through the streets of his hometown.

     You? You've always been that for him. Warm. Safe. Home.

     "You've heard all about my wild twenties. What about you?" he wonders, as the pair of you drift back to the refreshments table, seeking snacks that don't taste like cardboard.

     (Buck manages to find a bowl of chips that aren't completely stale, so he'll call that a success.)

     "Oh, the usual," you shrug as you refill your glass. "Finished college, got a job and an apartment and a cat and a fiancé. Lost the fiancé, got another cat." You take a moment to flash him your lock screen, a picture of two calico cats curled up on your couch. "Think I  traded up there, huh? Anyway, got a new job and moved out West about a year ago."

     "Oh, really? Where'd you go?"

     "California, actually. I'm in the History department at Berkeley."

     He blinks at you once, twice. Something inside his chest goes zing. "I'm in LA!"

     "Well maybe I'll have to come down and play tourist for you sometime."

     There's a coy tilt to your mouth that he's seen before, and something pleasant skitters down his spine. Your cheeks turn even rosier, and Buck suspects the spiked punch is only partly responsible.

     "Maybe you will," he says.

     His number hasn't changed since he left Pennsylvania, and maybe that's another sign, too. The shitty music starts to wind down, and his old classmates start to stagger out into the parking lot, and when you kiss his cheek and promise to get in touch, he wonders if there's such a thing as second chances.

     It isn't the same. He isn't seventeen and you're different people now. This isn't making out under the bleachers at a football game or skipping class to take a ride on his motorcycle. You're adults now, all grown up with a whole host of other problems, and it isn't the same. It isn't.

     Except.

     The next day, Buck's phone buzzes right before he boards the flight to Los Angeles. The number isn't familiar, but when he opens the message, he cannot fight the grin that creeps onto his face.

     Hope you get home safe. I'd hate to have to find a new tour guide x

     It's not the same, because he isn't in high school anymore and neither are you. But as he switches his phone to flight mode and tucks it back into his pocket, a giddy feeling sweeping through his chest, he can't help thinking that maybe this could be better.

[tapwater118]

kinda random thought, but people don’t give mepad enough credit. he’s a smart guy, and while at least initially he was not very emotionally intelligent, his time on ii and being around the contestants has allowed him to learn things on this front

he stands up for toilet because he can see how much mephone’s dejections hurt him. and despite his code of honesty, he lied to mephone about the whereabouts of marshmallow, because he knew that leaving the show is something that marshmallow needed

and now he’s applying these lessons to taco. he recognizes that something is wrong with her, that she needs help but can’t bring herself to seek it, and he wants to be there to help her

he wasn’t getting manipulated there. all throughout the second half of the song we see him refuting the horrible things taco wants him to believe about herself (and she’s not garnering for sympathy points, she earnestly believes the things she says about herself there are true, and that he should despise her as much as she despises herself, but that’s for another post)

he genuinely held all of the power in that situation; he said it himself (well, implied, but still) that taco never actually disabled his ability to teleport on his own, that he could have just ditched her if he so desired. but he didn’t, because he can see that she’s troubled, and he wants to help in whatever way he can

give the guy some credit, won’t ya. he ain’t stupid

[ledesaid]

Moments before 8 am

►►►►►►►►

"I am not going to school."

"Excuse me, what?" That's enough for Guy to turn down the TV volume.

Billy is sitting in front of Guy, who doesn't look very happy, and the reason is not that big of a deal, or so Billy thinks.

"Kid, all children have to go to school, otherwise the whole point of skipping a day or two is lost."

Billy's expression triggers a staring contest that leads the older one to look for something in his closet.

The staring contest resumes when the Lantern crosses his arms while holding a somewhat folded backpack in one hand, obviously attesting to having accompanied Guy at some stage of his life.

It was already a Monday and it wouldn't be long before the school buses picked up the children from the street.

"Come on, Cap, it'll be just one day and you can wear the clothes I bought last time."

Guy had taken him out, amid shouts and explosions from the watchtower; after the mutiny to steal part of the buffet, hiding in his modest apartment in Baltimore was the best option.

He shared it with Billy, as it should be, and now Monday had come to bring up that issue.

Courtesy of his nosy neighbor. Who didn't take long to make Guy understand that she was five seconds away from a call to social services if he didn't send his kid to school, because she didn't want him to be a delinquent like Guy. Obviously, she didn't know that he had a college degree and was a former police officer.

And although Guy had every intention in the world of making those couple of points clear to the annoying woman, it would be an unequal fight and he didn't play dirty. How difficult it is to have codes these days.

"I'm not going."

True. Billy. Only recently did he learn of his super-steroidal superpowers. The kid was doing a good job, he was eleven years old and that left him at least six years of his life managing on his own.

"Help me, Cap, that woman is going to bring trouble to both of us."

He admired him, he had grown up quite well despite his unfortunate circumstances. He didn't want a father or anything that defined itself as such, but he was open to looking for companions and friends.

If he understood correctly, this kid had been out of school for four years and that put him at a huge disadvantage with the other kids his age.

The process would be tedious and long, but Guy had a couple of teacher friends who could help him without asking too many questions.

He hoped the kid wouldn't ask about the strange sandwich he was preparing for lunch.

The clock ticks on and no progress. Time for bribery.

"Did you know I was a cop, Billy?"

"Is that a threat, Guy?"

Bad move.

"It's more of a... I can ask a friend to take you in a police patrol."

Billy smiles.

"Not bad at all. Actually, that sounds awesome! My friend Freddy would be jealous if I sent him a photo."

It would be a one-time noisy event. Billy thinks that. He could do something like that and then disappear as if nothing had happened. But one thing was missing for it to be memorable.

"Only if you include a pair of police sunglasses."

"Deal."

"But only for today."

"I have no problem with that, I’ll use the morning to move, and you'll be free to walk among pubescent youths like the demigod you are."

Guy hoped the day would be good enough for Billy to go back to school the next day. But if not... he had more cop friends in other states to try again.

[scribbled-entity]

I come bearing Yuri today, Saltpep flavor.

I have my own lil headcanons for how the contestants slowly come to their own now that they're no longer competing. One of them is Pepper learning to be more of her own object! And even finding herself some other friends outside of just Salt.

More of my rambling under the cut I guess

Like, I imagine there was a bit of a drift between Salt and Pepper and it kinda ended up making Pepper feel unwanted, unneeded and taken for granted, worse yet when she realizes that others simply treat her as a 'copy' and it doesn't help she basically was made to be one. She ended up finding herself in the company of Pickle and Knife in particular and while it took a bit, she eventually warmed up enough to be somewhat part of their triad of sort and even sometimes with the other menu squad (to much of Salt's jealousy). She really comes to her own after awhile and gains some self confidence that isn't inherently tied to her being with Salt. Eventually gaining the confidence to confront Salt about how she was treated.

They eventually make up but Pepper no longer tags around her like a sidekick, and speaks out about her own thoughts and opinions this time.

Salt is still a bit boy crazy for OJ, but she does keep her promise to try to not disregard her bestie this time around and to maybe, tone it down a bit. Or at least don't get herself too much into trouble. (She's more than willing to be a shoulder to cry on but she ain't involving herself in any schemes nor will she let her lol)

Others don't really get why Pepper still bothers with her, maybe it's because she's hard coded to follow her lead, maybe it's her more than friendship feelings for her, sometimes she questions it herself haha, but she sticks by her side, and is ever patient.

Salt on the other hand, struggled quite a bit with going against her instincts, considering she's the supposed 'valley girl' stereotype and those can be prone to being crazy for guys. She didn't even really care that much at first when Pepper left, fully expecting she'll come crawling back and begging to be her friend again, and ignored her worries by burying herself into her obsession.

She feels a bit entitled to "getting the guy" and feels a bit frustrated that she hasn't. Sometimes she gets a small bout of clarity, wondering why she even is doing this, and that she doesn't even like OJ that much anyway. But she finds herself looping back to it when she isn't sure of what to do. Everyone else was doing something else, she doesn't really know how else to be.

It was through Pepper pushing her and making her confront her flaws that got her to at least try, to be better.

Salt can honestly go to genuinely oblivious, or simply acting oblivious since she hasn't professed her own feelings yet.

But anyway I'm eepy,I kinda just pushed to finish this before I forget it so yeah gjtkfskerkd

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hello! Do you have any fic about musician/orchestra AU? Or any fic that involves classical music, seeing that Sherlock plays the violin. Thank youu💕

Hi Nonny!!

Oh gosh I have so many music themed fics! I have some lists you will enjoy but also decided to just make a general Music list for you, and tag-searched ONLY music and hoped it mostly deals with the theme of music for the entirety of the fic (like as the main plot) rather than just a snippet of a violin or whatever!

That and I needed a list this weekend, LOL. If you guys have more, please add them!

ALL KINDS OF MUSIC FICS

See also:

Sherlock’s Violin

Sherlock’s Violin Pt 2

John Plays an Instrument

Song Fics (MFLs)

Moulin Rouge AU

BOOKMARKS

No Strings Attached by Elster (G, 2,714 w., 1 Ch. || Magical Realism || Fairy Tales, Love Confessions, Fae/Faeries) – To save John from being spirited away Under the Hill, Sherlock challenges the fairy queen to a fiddle contest.

Extraordinary by genesius (G, 2,860 w., 1 Ch. || Marriage Proposal, Sherlock Plays the Violin, Established Relationship, Morse Code, Fluff, One Shot) – Sherlock's deduced that John's going to Italy to buy him a violin. Even the greatest detective alive makes a few mistakes.

Until the End of the World by SarahCat1717 (G, 3,049 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, First Kiss, Pining Sherlock, Oblivious John, Drunkenness) – Taking place in Season 3, John listens to an old favourite song and sorts through his memories and feelings about Sherlock and Mary.

Jukebox by standbygo (T, 3,990 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Singing/Music, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Hurt/Comfort, Humour, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss) – After the music halls of Sherlock's mind palace get damaged by accident, John learns that Sherlock never forgets a song. Even the ones he'd rather forget. But the random singalong brings some unexpected benefits.

No Good Without You by textsandscones (T, 4,021 w., 1 Ch. || Case Fic, Sherlock’s Violin, Dancing / Busking, Soppy Fluff) – A diverting new case surrounding musicians and stolen instruments captures Sherlock's attention, the consequences of which lead both detective and doctor to see one another in a different light. Part 1 of Prompt Fills

Living Musical by VeeTheRee (G, 4,149 w. 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Hobbies, Summer, Song Fic, POV Sherlock, Painting, Play Fighting, Soft Sherlock, Dancing, Love Declarations, Hair Petting, Promise of Forever) – A one-shot of John and Sherlock being domestic during summer. There is paint, fluff, and music from Imagine Dragons, namely from the album 'Speak To Me', specific song in this one-shot is 'Living Musical'. Part 1 of the Happy Fluffy Johnlock Time series

Obsession, Appassionato by shinychimera, Yeomanrand (E, 4,249 w., 1 Ch. || Possessive Sherlock, First Time, Jealous Sherlock, Music / Sherlock’s Violin, Present Tense, Frottage) – John is late, and he hasn’t called, and Sherlock works himself into a state. Part 1 of Love and Ysaye

proper procedure Series by paxlux (T, 6,147+ w. across 2 works || Series WIP || Post-TGG, First Kiss, Sherlock’s Violin, Fluff) – He lies back in bed and listens to the notes and pictures them gathering around Sherlock’s feet like water. He feels like there's a stone in his chest, maybe an albatross around his neck.

Made of Music Series by SosoHolmesWatson (T, 6,464+ w. across 2 works || Series WiP || Post S4, Parentlock with Rosie, First Kiss, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Cuddling, Love Confessions, Angst with Happy Ending) – For the past years, John and Sherlock have lived at Baker Street again, raising Rosie together--as friends and nothing more. Ever since the little girl has watched her first Disney movie, she is obsessed with princesses. When John comes home one day, he finds his friend and his daughter in the middle of a reenactment of her current favourite.

Back to the Start by slashscribe (M, 14,088 w., 1 Ch. || Sherlock’s Violin, Pining Idiots, Fluff, Domestics) – Sherlock hasn't played the violin since John's wedding (which is long since over), and when John returns to 221B, Sherlock relearns the violin as he and John relearn each other. Post S3 fic with an obscene amount of pining, idiocy, and attempts to pawn off tea duties.

Sonatina in G Minor by SilentAuror (E, 22,574 w., 1 Ch. || Post S3, Case Fic, POV Sherlock, Angst, UST, Sherlock’s Violin, Romance) – John has come back to Baker Street, but Sherlock doesn't understand the strange tension between them, even after he begins teaching John to play the violin at John's request.

Sunday Evening 6 p.m. by Silvergirl (E, 30,712 w., 6 Ch. || Post-TRF / TEH Divergence, Grief / Mourning / Stages of Grief, Mutual Pining, Dreams, Reunion, Love Confessions, First Kiss / Time, Alternating First Person POV, Smart John, BAMF Boys, Emotional Love Making, Song Fic, Referenced Suicide, First Kiss / Time, Touching, Sleepy Sherlock, Blow Job, Villain Mary) – Six months after Sherlock jumped, he learns that John is dedicating songs to him on a requests-only radio programme. Is John just working through grief? Or is he—communicating? Fixes the hell out of S3 by pre-empting it altogether. Remember, as TAB told us, John is Pretty Damn Smart.

The Baker Street Nativity Verse Series by SwissMiss (E, 109,655 w. across 3 works || Nativity! Fusion || Teacher Sherlock, Assistant John, UST, Trust Issues, Kids, Music, Anal Fingering Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Kissing, Swearing, Slow Burn, Pining, Shopping, Siblings, Friendship) – Fusion between Sherlock (BBC) and Nativity! (2009 movie starring Martin Freeman). Sherlock is a primary school teacher and John is assigned to be his classroom assistant. Together, they are charged with putting on the school's Nativity play. What could possibly go wrong? Includes main story, DVD extras, and 24-part Advent calendar drabbles.

MARKED FOR LATER

Every Song Reminds Me of You by ChrisCalledMeSweetie (G, 1,157 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Humour, John's an Idiot, Posh Sherlock) – Music hath charms to help John acknowledge his feelings for Sherlock.

Wings at the Speed of Sound by Dee_Laundry (T, 2,052 w., 1 Ch. || Canon Divergence, Love Songs) – “Have you ever noticed,” Anderson said one day while they were processing a robbery turned homicide, “that Sherlock Holmes likes the shittiest music?”

Three Sad Thoughts, Danced by Fluffbyday_Smutbynight (T, 2,788 w., 1 Ch. || Slow Dancing, Music, Double Entendre, First Kiss, UST, Mentioned Mary, POV John) – John is learning waltz, but Sherlock has something different on his mind. Slow dancing is a slippery slope.

Hope is sweet by Lock_John_Silver (T, 2,977 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock with Rosie, Valentine’s Day, Developing Relationship, Pet Names, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Classical Music, Idiots in Love, Endearments, POV Sherlock) - Sherlock wants to be more than John’s best friend. Has wanted it for ages, truth be told. So, when Molly comes up with an idea, that to some extent involves three year old Rosie, Sherlock doesn’t hesitate.

Stringplay by PrettyArbitrary (E, 3,219 w, 1 Ch. || Sherlock’s Violin, Kink, Music, Stringplay) – John secretly plays fiddle. Sherlock and his violin seduce him into a threesome.

The Guy In 221B by fiveainley_ohmy (T, 3,970 w., 1 Ch. || Neighbours AU || Music, Classic Rock, Sherlock’s Violin, Singing, Flirting, Fluff, Shy Sherlock, Making Out) – ...likes to play his violin on his balcony. John is enchanted. One night while Sherlock is practicing his music, the downstairs neighbor starts to sing along. And he sounds good.

In Search Of A Word: A Symphony Of First Times by howtoquityou (T, 8,020 w., 1 Ch. || Symphony AU || Concertmaster Sherlock, Emotional Infidelity, Sarah/John then Johnlock, Classical Music, Infidelity) – There is a new concertmaster at the London Symphony, and John Watson is starting to fall a little bit in love with both the music and the man making it.

Suite for Violin and Clarinet by AwkwardAnnie (G, 9,165 w., 6 Ch. || Hidden Talents, John Plays the Clarinet, Fluff, Music) – John finds a clarinet in a charity shop and discovers that some things are better said with music. Eventual Sherlock/John.

A Very Sherlock Musical by flawedamythyst (T, 11,980 w., 1 Ch. || Musical AU || No S3 Compliant {more tags to be added after reading}) – So, you know how musicals are set in a world where people just burst into song every five minutes, and everyone around them automatically knows to join in with the tune and choreography? This fic is set in that world. John finds it extremely frustrating that Sherlock won't sing their theme song with him.

Lepidoptera by Saki101 (E, 17,967 w., 1 Ch. || Midsummer Night's Dream Crossover || Wings, Mythical Creatures/Beings, Dreams / Nightmares, Magical Realism, Sherlock's Violin, Fae Beings, Dreams vs Reality, Blood Drinking, Musical Instruments, Sex Magic, Blood Magic, John Plays Clarinet, Dark Fairytale)  –  Mike introduces John to Mrs Hudson, who has a room to let. Sherlock resides in Regent's Park when he's in London. It's only a short flight to Baker Street.

Sequelae of the Stradivarius by Ragazza_Guasto (E, 19,909 w., 6 Ch. || Sherlock’s Violin, Pavlovian Response, Masturbation, Fantasizing, Male Prostitutes, Fluff and Angst, Bisexual John, Virgin Sherlock, Pining, 5 and One) – John has taken to masturbating when Sherlock is playing the violin because he’s usually in the Mind Palace and sufficiently distracted. But now he’s having a Pavlovian response to violin music. Boners. Inappropriate boners. Or: Five times John and Sherlock enjoyed violin music separately and one time it brought them together. Part 1 of the Bows and Badges series

The Golden Cottage by AlessNox (T, 20,201 w., 10 Ch. || Post S3, Injury, Cabin, Composing, Sherlock's Violin, Love, Friendship, Hope, Platonic Life Partners, Music) – In a golden cottage deep in the English countryside a man comes to visit and to ask what went wrong with a friendship that once seemed so bright.

WHISPER TO ME by chrysanthemumsies (T, 20,598 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Fluff, Parentlock, Mutual Pining, Music, Sherlock Plays Guitar, Love Confessions, Light Angst, Romance, First Kiss) - Following the events of S4, Sherlock and John try and fit back into their old life as carefully as they can, all while their feelings threaten to bubble to the surface. Or: Sherlock picks up playing the guitar. John falls more and more in love with every passing day.

At the Marriage of Night and Day by Fyliwion (M, 24,600 w., 5 Ch. || Celtic Mythology / Folklore AU || Case Fic, Violence, Oral / Anal Sex, Rape/Non-Con Elements, Accidental Fae Enthrallment, Heavy Petting, Depression, Homophobia, Fiddle Contest, Dubious Consent, Magical Realism, Magical Music, Teenlock, Fae/Changeling Sherlock) – Mycroft knew the day it happened...

Music for John by ampersand_ch (E, 25,187 w., 14 Ch. || Friends to Lovers, Classical Music, Diary/Journal, Sherlock's Violin, First Time, Musical Creation, Romantic Friendship) – Sherlock can't sleep and seeks comfort in his violin. And as he spends night after night immersed in music, it becomes clear to him what's causing his insomnia.

The Sky is Full of Fiddles by agirlsname (T, 25,659 w., 6 Ch. || 1895 Teenlock || Romantic Fluff, Bed Sharing, Swedish Folk Music, Dancing, Sherlock’s Violin, Poetry, Skinny Dipping, Summer Love, First Kiss, Proposals, POV John, Gay Surprise) – It's 1895 in the heart of Swedish folk music and dance. During certain weekends, boys are allowed to visit girls at night, wooing them with fantastical poems. If a girl lets a boy into her room they can share a bed all night, fully clothed, to talk and eat caramels together. John is seventeen and looking for a girl to marry like everyone else. He's very surprised when another boy suddenly stands outside his door, wanting to share his bed…

Out and Loud by paradigmfinch (M, 28,233 w., 8 Ch. || Popstar AU || Dancer/Ballet Sherlock / Singer John, Fluff, Falling in Love, Mutual Pining, Jealousy) – John Watson is a 22 year old pop star who's about to come crashing out of the closet. Sherlock Holmes is a reluctant fanboy auditioning to dance in his next music video. Part 1 of Out and Loud

The Cavern by elwinglyre (M, 28,323 w., 12 Ch. || The Beatles / 1960s Rockstar AU || Only One Bed, Mutual Pining, Rock and Roll History, Erotic Dreams, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Homophobia, Heavy Petting, Kissing, Inspired by Music, POV Third Person Alternating) – Sherlock is not into making magic. He doesn’t believe in it. He does, however, believe in making rock and roll history. His best chance is to join John Watson’s band, the Magic Makers. They begin at the Cavern. There he learns to believe in more than magic with a little help from his friends. AU is set in Liverpool during the early 60s—when homosexuality is a crime.

Ride On by Silvergirl (M, 34,342 w., 9 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || TEH Divergence, Reunion, First Kiss / Time, Mutual Pining, Alternating POV, Sherlock’s Violin, Music, Original Characters, Happy Ending) – After the disastrous reveal at the Landmark, John tells Sherlock there can be no excuse for what he’s done, and no forgiveness. Sherlock leaves London and starts a new life, and not even the British Government knows where. It’s up to John to track him down and make things right, with a trip around the world and a clue only John would recognize.

Caesura by emilycare (M, 36,608 w., 10 Ch. || Five and One, Mutual Pining, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Friends to Lovers, Past Abuse, Past Drug Use, Angst with Happy Ending, Suicidal Thoughts, Oral Sex, Blow Jobs, Domestic Fluff, Soft Sherlock, Gay Sherlock, Bisexual John) – The violin is a retreat that eases the quiet of Sherlock Holmes' solitude. It also speaks for him when he cannot bridge the gaps his defenses create. Moments when music helps Sherlock reach out or let others in, like his stalwart flatmate and, in time, the doctor's daughter. Five times Sherlock Holmes played the violin, and one time he did not.

The Silence Between the Notes by J_Baillier (M, 44,197 w., 17 Ch. || 1830s Historical AU || Classical Music, Mystery, Social Issues, Family Loss, Travel, Vienna, Physical Disability, Depression, Mourning, Loneliness, Career Troubles, Soldier John, Composer Sherlock) – Lieutenant John Watson's days in London are painted in shades of grey after losing both his military career and his family. Could an unexpected request to travel to Vienna to track down the errant son of a wealthy family break the monotony?

You Teach Me and I'll Teach You by Burning_Up_A_Sun (E, 61,165 w., 15 Ch. || Teacher AU || Coming Out, Blow Jobs, Shower Sex, Bed Sharing, Christmas, Rimming, Homophobia, Beach Sex) – Dr. John Watson, with his recent PhD in music education, takes a job at Jesup Arts Magnet Middle School, where he meets the most obnoxious, irritating, fascinating, handsome gifted History teacher. With no where to live, John accepts Sherlock Holmes' offer of sharing a house on Baker Street. But will a Southern community accept two male teachers in a relationship or will they be forced to quit? Part 1 of the Adult Education series

Show Me Your Flaws by holmesian_love (NR, 62,054 w., 14 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Angst with Happy Ending, Alternate First Meeting, Developing Relationship, Musician Sherlock, Friendship) – John Watson is lost in the world. Back from Afghanistan as an invalided soldier, with no purpose in life, he takes up a suggestion from an old friend and tries a bit of a life change. Only now, he finds himself stuck in a new, tedious situation with no money or friends. That is, until a dark, talented stranger crosses his path and suddenly life doesn’t seem quite so boring anymore. But how can John begin to win over someone like that, when he feels so flawed? And how can he capture the attention of the dashing man who keeps disappearing…

Sehnenfäden by holmesian_love and Strange_johnlock (M, 67,879 w., 22 Ch. || Violinist Sherlock AU || Idiots in Love, Alternate First Meeting, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Humour, Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, First Time, Nature, Music, Seclusion, Angst with Happy Ending, Non-Explicit Sex) – William Sherlock Holmes is a world-renowned violinist, uncompromising with his principles and his punishing schedule, pushed to breaking point by his manager. John Watson is a lost, retired army-doctor, returned to London with nowhere to live. Both men end up in situations which lead them to a secluded German village in the mountains, escaping from the unforgiving world around them. A chance encounter brings them together, sharing a friendship and understanding neither of them have found before. Will they be able to find a way to express their true feelings for one another, to find the path to be together, despite Sherlock’s chaotic lifestyle?

Pull the Stars from the Sky Universe by roane (E, 77,721 w. across 7 works || Punk / Rock Band AU || PTSD, Drug Addiction, Humour, First Kiss/Time, PWP, Oral Sex, Anal, Rimming) – It’s the fall of 2000, and to help him out after his military career has ended due to injury, John Watson’s sister Harriet gets him a job as US tour manager for rising star of the industrial scene and enfant terrible, Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock’s not long out of rehab and there are plenty of doubts as to whether he’s serious about recovery. Plus, the music industry is shaking in its boots over the Napster mess. All John has to do is keep the money coming in and make sure his star doesn't screw things up. After the army, that should be easy, right?

This Is Your Song by agirlsname (E, 79,990 w., 19 Ch. || Moulin Rouge Fusion || Prostitute Sherlock, Poet John, Acting, Singing, Dancing, Writing, Poetry, Musical, Song Fic, Heavy Angst, Unreliable Narrator, Sherlock is French, Love at First Sight, UST, First Kiss/Time, Frottage, Coming in Pants, Anal Sex, Switchlock, Clothed Sex, Crossdressing, Secret Relationship, Forbidden Love, Jealousy, Terminal Illnesses, Grief/Mourning, Breakup/Makeup Sex, Past Drug Use, Attempted Rape, Canon-Typical Violence)– When John Watson is invalided home from the army in 1895, he moves to Paris to rediscover his writing and find a new meaning in life. His old friend Stamford invites him into a group of artist friends, and suddenly John finds himself auditioning to write a show for the famous brothel across the street. There, he meets the most beautiful man he’s ever seen - Sherlock, the star of the Moulin Rouge. But Sherlock is already promised to the investor of the show, the rich Duke Moriarty.

A Case of Identity – The Musical by shamelessmash (E, 83,147 w., 15 Ch. || 1950s Hollywood AU || Musicals, Case Fic, Undercover, Minor Character Death, Angst, Humour, Actor Sherlock, Writer/Director John, Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Romance, Dancing, Happy Ending) –  A mysterious death on set causes chaos in Stamford productions latest movie. With the premiere date left unchanged, they must find a new lead actor and reshoot an entire movie in two months. Sherlock Holmes goes undercover as a lead actor in a Musical: a juggling act to solve a murder while singing, dancing and charming his way through 1950s Hollywood. The last thing he expected was to fall in love with the screenwriter along the way. Or as I like to call it: the case where Sherlock finally gets to dance.

noise complaint by simplyclockwork (E, 85,324 w., 28 Ch. || Younger Characters AU / Alternate First Meeting || Uncertain Sherlock, Strangers to Lovers, First Kiss / Time, Night Clubs, Case Fic, Fluff, Humour, Past Substance Abuse, Gay Club, Mild Angst, Introspection, Family Issues, Meddling Mycroft Controlling Mycroft, Bed Sharing, Family Angst, Acceptance, Falling in Love, Queerness, Community) – One loud upstairs neighbour and three days of non-stop party music lead Sherlock to an unexpected meeting.

To the Sticking Place by blueink3 (E, 121,973 w., 20 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Musical Theatre AU || Showmance, Friends to Lovers, Bickering, UST / RST, Fluff, Virgin Sherlock, BAMF John, New York City / Broadway) – Renowned Shakespearean actor Sherlock Holmes has finally burned all of his bridges in the theatre industry save for his constant director, Greg Lestrade. John Watson has made a name for himself in the musical theatre circuit, but age and injury are working against him. Can they reinvent themselves for an all-male Macbeth without killing one another? Part 1 of the Screw Your Courage series

Bel Canto by bendingsignpost (T, 127,481 w., 16 Ch. || Phantom of the Opera AU || Secret Identity, Sherlock’s Violin, Operas, Aristocracy, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Disguise, Inheritance, Genderqueer Character, Classical Music, Singing) – After years of waiting for wealthy patrons to faint, Dr John Watson discovers a far more interesting patient in the opera house basement. 

Failing Upward by elwinglyre (E, 204,847 w., 40 Ch. || Parallel Universes || Rape/Non-Con, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Magical Realism, Science Fiction, Supernatural Sex, Non-Con Unwanted Frottage, Memory Loss, First Time, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Johnn, Friends to Lovers, First Person POV John) – When John Watson, a young med student who supports himself as a florist-by-day and musician-by-night, finds he is heir to supernatural powers that others would kill to possess, John’s life transforms into a mixture of comedy and terror. As he fights to understand what’s real and what’s imagined, he travels from one alternate universe to another. Along the way he finds the key was there all along: his brilliant best friend, Sherlock Holmes, the man who becomes the touchstone for all that John is and ever will be. Set in current day cities and countryside of Michigan, this story blends romance, magical realism and science fiction with humor. Part 1 of the Failing Upward Universe series 

Guitar Man Series by 221b_hound (E, 421,327 w. across 114 works, Various Fandoms || Assorted Fandoms, Musicians / Music, Undercover, Rock Band / For a Case, John Was in a Band Guitar, Doctor John, Comfort, Angst, TRF / Post-TRF) – Before joining the army, John played guitar and was part of a short-lived band that nonetheless gained a small but devoted cult following. Cue this fact being outed (maybe during a case) and Sherlock listening to all their old tracks and becoming a John!groupie.

WORKS IN PROGRESS

While the Music Lasts by gunandviolin (E, 44,645+ w., 6/? Ch. || WiP || Orchestra AU || Slow Burn, Jealous John, Angst with Happy Ending, Classical Music, Sexual Tension) – John Watson, a weary veteran of the professional orchestra circuit, settles into his new position as principal clarinetist for the London Symphony, hoping that he's left his worries behind in the States. However, his sudden acquaintance with the brilliant solo violinist Sherlock Holmes and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of his predecessor prove that John's troubles are far from over.

The Cold Song Series by Eldritchhorrors (E, 72,586+ w. across 7 works || Series WiP || BDSM Themes, Psychological Drama, Music/Violin, Romance, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Anal, Character Studies) – This is how broken people fall in love...

Dissonance by CarmillaCarmine (E, 76,624+ w., 14/? Ch. || WIP || Punk Band AU || Pining, Bi/Gay Panic, Best Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Swimming, Music, Doctor Watson, Drug References, First Time, Blow/Hand Jobs) – Straight from military service, living a life devoid of purpose, John meets a man who reawakens his passion for music.

Welcome Home by itsalwaysyou_jw (M, 81,358+ w., 25/32 Ch. || WiP || WWII / Post-WWII Historical AU || Fluff and Angst, Drinking, Hurt/Comfort, POV John, Mutual Pining, Dev. Rel., Past Viclock, Nice Victor, First Kiss, Romance, PTSD John, Grief/Mourning, Implied / Referenced Drug Use) – In 1938, John Watson was at the peak of his music career, performing original jazz tunes in the hottest clubs to adoring crowds. But now the year is 1945 and Captain John Watson has just returned home from the war. Attempting to cope with the horrors he saw in the Solomon Islands, he struggles to get even a weekday slot performing at the jazz clubs. When he hears a radio announcement for a song-writing competition, he knows this is the opportunity he has been waiting for. He only needs to put a band together that can help him win the grand prize. But first, he needs to face his survivor's guilt to honour his best friend's dying wish: he must find Victor Trevor's spouse- someone named Sherlock Holmes- and deliver a message.

[pokemonblack3white3]

feed us your gen 4 headcanons

Dawn is the protagonist of Plantinum. By the time he becomes the protagonist of Legends Arceus he's started his female to male transition and is going by Rei.

Rei's ace in Sinnoh is a bibarel, the first pokemon he ever caught. Barry told Rei that bidoof are kind of lame and Rei became dead set on proving them wrong. Rei's ace in Hisui is the alpha kricketune that was bothering Lord Wyrdeer, who Rei began training to prove that pokemon aren't so scary.

Barry is nonbinary and uses she/they/fae pronouns.

Rei has clinical depression but unlike some people he never tried to destroy the world over it.

Lord Avalugg was the original hero's companion and is still alive in modern Sinnoh, slumbering under Snowpoint City.

Rei died in 1942 at 85 years old of natural causes.

Cynthia is a direct descendant of Rei via an orphaned Celestic child he adopted.

Cynthia's spiritomb is Vessa, who has stayed close to the family since Rei helped her. The Azure Flute is also a family heirloom.

Cynthia lost her eye to an infection after her garchomp scratched it as a gible. She has a prosthetic eye under her bangs and likes to tell people her garchomp once clawed a person's eye out.

After Rei dissappeared, Cynthia was reinstated as Sinnoh champion and hasn't been beaten since.

Giratina thinks they can fix Cyrus let's see how that goes for them.

Giratina was Rei's pokemon (he called them Tina), and since his dissappearence has been a companion of Cynthia.

Cyrus is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.

Cyrus had an interest in pokemon contests until a bad experience led them to dropping them.

Mars studied history once but it led to her to have a very pessimistic view of the world.

Lucas is dyslexic.

Professor Rowan has a pretty severe allergy to feline pokemon.

Professor Rowan wants to strangle Professor Oak with a coat hanger, a sentiment he is completely oblivious to.

Barry eventually starts working at the Battle Tower with his dad.

Maylene, Candice, and Cyrus are no contact with their families.

Candice and Maylene like to hike together.

Fantina's father is from Kalos but she has never actually been there herself.

Crasher Wake is Fantina's pokemon contest rival.

Some time after Rei disappears, Johanna goes back to doing pokemon contests full time. She's close with Fantina and Crasher Wake.

It's tradition for Roark and Byron to spend the day together in the Sinnoh underground on Roark's birthday.

Gardenia is a secret base master.

Roark and Gardenia have made a game of hunting down each others' secret bases and setting up traps for each other.

Bertha and Aaron are actually really good friends, which everybody is surprised to learn. They often walk along Victory Road together and talk.

Lucian is schizophrenic.

Of the elite four, Lucian was the closest with Rei.

Ingo is Flint's great-something grandmother.

Shortly post-Plantinum Volkner and Flint got engaged.

Barry and Rei were dating before he disappeared.

Barry and Nate are exes.

Cynthia and Cyrus are both aroace and completely uninterested in romantic or sexual relationships of any kind.

Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina all have at least some resentment over Arceus they've been stewing over for at least a couple thousand years. These eldritch dragons have daddy issues. Giratina especially has not forgiven Arceus for what it did to Rei, but has given up on revenge.

After Cogita was released from her curse and eventually died, Enamorus went to Galar with Professor Laventon where she cycles through human disguises. She's currently living as Opal.

Uxie periodically erases Darkrai's memories at their request, despite Cresselia's protests.

Yeah idk what to say Darkrai and Cresselia are kind of doomed yuri coded.... 🤔

Regigigas' true form is a lot bigger than their pokedex entry states, the body they appear in is something they crafted to better work on new creations.

When phione and manphy migrate by Sinnoh waters, they create a beautiful lightshow underwater that people travel from all over to watch.

Shaymin migration is also an incredible spectacle. Sinnoh is one of the only regions where so many mythical pokemon can be so freely observed.

The lake trio are carnivorous and love eating fish. Their fangs are razor sharp.

Heatran is there. I guess.

[yumeka-sxf]

Thoughts on Spy x Family CODE: White

My thoughts on CODE: White will likely be different from most people since I knew pretty much the entire plot beforehand. I'm a spoiler fiend when it comes to my hyperfixations like SxF, so I read the novelization of the movie back in January and kept up on all the promotional videos and images that were released. But when it was finally time to see the movie for myself, did that ruin my enjoyment? Not at all. For me, it actually made me enjoy it more because 1) I knew what to expect so I wasn't disappointed, and 2) I found myself looking forward to seeing all the scenes I only read about or saw short clips of.

With that said, yes, I enjoyed the movie so much! If you're a Spy x Family fan, or even just a casual enjoyer of the series, it's a ton of fun. It has all the elements we love about the series: clever humor, sweet family moments, and spy action/drama. And because it's a movie, we get to see all of this with a movie animation budget instead of a TV series budget, which is another plus!

One thing to keep in mind with these original, stand-alone anime films based on series is that they're meant for a more general crowd than just fans of the series. Since theaters attract a wider audience than late-night TV and online manga chapters, movies like this serve as a means to introduce the series to people who may only have a vague idea of what it's about. That's why these movies contain a storyline that can fit mostly anywhere in the series chronology and don't have anything canon-altering.

CODE: White is an interesting mix of plots that, for the most part, blend together well. There's the main plot that continues throughout, which is saving Operation Strix by having Anya learn how to make the meremere for the cooking contest, but then there's the Yor jealousy plot B which is resolved in the first half, but is then replaced by the next "plot B" in the latter half of the movie, which is saving Anya from the military.

A lot of people didn't like the "Yor gets jealous" subplot when it was first revealed before the movie even came out, since it seemed to be a rehash of her being jealous about Fiona. I personally didn't have a problem with this since I don't think it's unreasonable for her to get jealous a second time, especially when she thinks she sees Loid doing something extreme like kissing another woman (as opposed to just talking). But the way it was resolved could have been a bit better in my opinion. The ferris wheel scene in the movie very much mirrored the bar scene from the series, but the reason the latter is so effective is because we get to hear Loid's inner thoughts during it; we know he's going full Twilight-mode and isn't being sincere, and that's why Yor kicks him. But then at the park, he talks to her much more genuinely and they work things out. But in the ferris wheel scene, we don't get to hear his inner thoughts so we don't get any indication as to whether his repeating of the marriage vows, etc, is him being sincere or not. Then she smacks him, they insist they aren't fighting when Anya brings it up, and that's the end of it.

I do like the fact that Anya reads their minds and seems happy with what she "hears" in their heads, but I still think the subplot would have felt more complete if it ended after Yor realized her mistake rather than have Loid do the ambiguous Romeo act again. Or it could have been brought up one more time later in the movie, for example, Yor apologizes for hitting him, he talks to her more sincerely, etc. If you're gonna rehash the bar scene, at least rehash the scene that brought it closure, which is the park bench scene. Again, I'm totally fine with the jealously subplot overall, just thought it could have been wrapped up a bit better.

Other than that, there were just a few little issues I had, like how was Anya able to afford what was probably an expensive liquor? (was she really packing that much dough in her little bag? She went straight from the bedroom out the window so it's not like she "borrowed" any money from Loid). Also seemed weird that she didn't pick up on Yor's infidelity worries until last minute. A few things stretched the line of believability a bit far too, like Loid's ability to make perfect masks so quickly, and Anya just happening to hit her head on the button that conveniently opened all the windows on the bridge. Also something here and there that didn't align with the manga, like Yor not having any reaction to sharing a room with Loid, whereas she has a totally different reaction to this in chapter 94. Maybe a bit more resolution for the fates of the villains too. I guess Luca and Dmitri survived the crash, but what about Snidel? Did Loid actually kill him or just knock him out? And if it's the latter, Snidel seems like the type who would want to get revenge. A quick cameo of what happened to them in the end would have been nice.

Speaking of the villains, normally I wouldn't like the fact that they're pretty one-dimensional and not that interesting, but for a movie like this where most people just want to see the Forgers being themselves in fun and exciting scenarios, taking time away from that to make more developed villains who likely won't be seen again in the franchise, would have not been the best choice, lol.

But even though I had some criticisms of the movie, all of them are minor and not enough to overshadow everything else that was enjoyable about it. Besides all the humor, of which there was plenty, there were so many cute "awww" family moments that perhaps didn't lend anything to the plot, but were still important to establish the characters and their relationships, and thus make us care about what happens to them. Like the scene of Anya, Yor, and Bond playing at the hotel...it could have been skipped without anything seeming out of place, but it reveals so much about the characters without being blatant about it: how Yor wants to please Anya despite being a bit embarrassed at first to take part in her game, and then how Anya's eyes light up with happiness when Yor starts playing with her...for a series like SxF that's character-driven rather than plot-driven, scenes like this are so important and I'm glad the film creators realized this too!

There were also so many cute, subtle scenes as well, like when Loid and Yor smile at each other after chiding Anya, as if they're happy to share this moment of exhausting yet satisfying parenting; when Anya reads Loid's mind after he saves her but doesn't reveal what he's actually thinking yet we can imagine what it is based on her expression; Loid showing feelings of comradery with the restaurant owner because their pasts are so similar; Anya quietly and sadly hugging Bond in the bedroom; and in the ferris wheel after Yor feels so embarrassed about misunderstanding what happened with Loid and the woman but then can't help but smile with motherly love when she sees Anya waving at her...the movie is filled with moments like this that are like little love letters to fans who know the true heart of SxF isn't so much the action and spy drama as it is the family relationships.

And of course, as I mentioned before, the animation of the movie is fantastic! Not just the action scenes, which are great by the way, especially Yor's fight with Type F, but the character expressions as well. Anya's always had the most varied and hilarious faces of all the characters, but the movie goes even harder with her expressions, especially when she has to hold in her stool! Her faces were making me both cringe and laugh at the same time! The animators did such a good job making me feel sorry for her but also laugh at her.

I'm not a fan of potty humor, but I was confident SxF would make it funny, and I was right! The poop god sequence in particular was as equally cringe as it was hilarious!

To conclude, CODE: White is a must-see for anyone who likes or loves Spy x Family. I can't say it's a cinematic masterpiece or anything, but for what it's supposed to be - a fun and enjoyable film for those who like the series, it definitely delivers! Can't wait to see it at least two more times during its showing in the US...and more times in the future!

[fatkish]

Dr. Stone x Autistic Reader HC’s

(I love Dr. Stone and it needs more appreciation)

How the Dr. Stone boys would be with an Autistic s/o

(Not every boy is going to have every aspect covered. I wrote the headcannons based on how I think each boy would best deal with each aspect)

Shishio Tsukasa:

If you have social difficulties and don’t understand social or societal norms then he’s fine with that. If you’re the kind of person who has no sense of personal space he’s happy to share his with you, hug on him all you like.

If you have trouble with speech or communication then he’ll come up with some kind of system that allows you to communicate with him even if he’s the only one who understands you. If you need anything all you have to do is point it out and he’ll get it for you

If you’re anxious then you can rely on him entirely. Anything that makes you anxious will be dealt with by Tsukasa. If social situations make you anxious then don’t worry, you can hide behind his giant form

If you’re a fidgeter or have high energy then he’s happy to let you play with his hair or hands if it helps. If you do strange things like walk in circles repeatedly then he’ll make sure no one bothers you and that you’re able to do your thing

If you have certain things you fixate on or have special interests then he’ll try his best to get those things for you. Like if you enjoy gardening or just digging then he’ll find or make you tool for you to dig with

If you have sensory issues like sound, touch or taste, he’s happy to help in any way he can. If you have food sensitivities like hating the texture of fat on meats, he’ll make sure to trim off all the fat for you. If you don’t like loud sounds or certain textile textures, he’ll do the best that he can to alter your environment for your comfort

Asagiri Gen:

If you have depression or depressive episodes then he’s your man. He keeps and eye out for your feelings and monitors you. If you start to show signs of depression then he’ll use his mentalist tricks to keep your mind occupied on other things, or he’ll be a soundboard for you to talk to

If you have anger issues or aggression problems then he’ll come to the rescue with his mentalist tricks and help you calm down either by talking to you or helping you in whatever way he can

If you have speech issues then he’s happy to help you learn how to communicate better. Leave everything to him. If you have social anxiety or difficulty understanding social or societal norms then he’s happy to take the time to gently and carefully explain everything to you

If magic is one of your special interests or a fixation or yours, then he’s happy to let you watch his magic tricks and he’ll either perform for you, or if you’re curious then he’ll teach you all the tricks he knows

If you get anxious or have certain tics/fidgeting then this guy has eagle eyes that were practically made to pick up your behaviors. If you need something to fidget with then he’ll let you play with his hair. If you get nervous or anxious then he’ll distract you from whatever is bothering you

Ishigami Senku:

If you have poor or abnormal posture that could lead to health issues later in your life then he’ll make some kind of brace for you to wear that will correct your posture so you can avoid any future problems

Doesn’t give a damn about eye contact. If it bothers you then he may try to help you overcome it by having staring contests

If you’re fixated on science or how things work then he’s happy to take the time to explain to you how things work no matter how many times he has to re-explain something. He’ll even set up small experiments for the both of you

If you’re a fidgeter and have a bunch of energy then he’ll gladly use your natural abundance of energy to do hard labor or whatever he needs you to do

If you struggle to communicate then he’ll help you come up with a way to communicate such as teaching you Morse code or something

Saionji Ukyo:

If you have noise sensitivity then this guy’s your man. Since his hearing is especially good he’ll help you out by finding really quiet places for you

If you’re interested in archery then he’ll teach you, and if you just need something to fidget with then he’ll happily have you help him make arrows

When it comes to speech, he’s probably the first person who knows what you’re trying to say. He’s happy to communicate for you if you need it

If you’re anxious or depressed then he’ll happily hold your hand and find something to distract you. Perhaps by giving you something to fixate on

Chrome:

If you’re sensitive to noise or light then he’ll make some kind of thing to help you like ear plugs or a hat to keep the sun out of your eyes

If you have issues with fidgeting then he’ll make you things to fidget with.

If you enjoy wandering around and collecting things then he’s happy to take you exploring with him. You guys could spend hours exploring but he’s always got an eye out for you in case you get too fixated

Abnormal Posture and poor eye contact don’t really bother him. If you struggle to look people in the eye then he doesn’t care. If your posture is weird then he’ll probably just think it’s fine, as long as it doesn’t have any negative consequences in the long run. If your posture has the potential to cause issues later in your life then he might be willing to create a brace like Senku