#I love engaging with this silly fandom. you guys always have something interesting to say /pos

[tiddie-taylor]

OKAY MM AHEM Im a bit of shy but! Juust wanted to share my hcs on emotions, ssince you've said that it would be cool to hear them!

Joy is into karaoke and singing in general. She actually isn't a really good singer, but she does that with PASSION. She also likes to sing in foreign languages (but has troubles with pronouncing French words).

Sadness sometimes can't sleep at night. She's too sad to fall asleep, so when she feels it she comes to the night duty. It always makes her feel better. But she rarely does it, and can't really get the conception of the "dreams are movies and there are actors".

Fear washes his hands at least 5 times a day. He's afraid of getting dirty, because "oh no bacteria" and sometimes it goes a bit too far. Anyways, others are quite worried about that (even Disgust, in some way).

Anger would unironically wear all these shirts woth wolves, demons and fiery skeletons. He actually secretly wants to be That One Cool Guy lol…

Disgust spends like a hour each day on makeup, and she does it really good. Even on the others - one time she was trying to get makeup on Sadness, but she washed it away with tears.

Also some personality hcs/predictions(?) on new emotions!

Anxiety is actually a very nice person. She says "sorry" a lot, and is always polite to others. But she is a bit rough with herself from time to time. She has a low self-esteem, but, despite it, somehow likes to take over the console (always apologizes for it)

Ennui is a bit aloof, and doesn't even talk much, but they're always out there to help. They're partially emotionless, despite being, uhh, an emotion, but sometimes they can show something - esp with their closest friends.

Embarrassment is a shy one, some of a "gentle giant" type, and they're quite nice to others even if they're not the same with them. Their voice is always quiet, even when they're trying to get some attention (this is a rare event and it's only when there's something REALLY important)

Envy is just… A catastrophe. A little thing, who might look cute, and even act cute, but they're pretty jealous to everything and everyone, and is generally mean to others. They also BITE other emotions, tehee. Hope you'll like these! It was fun to imagine...

YOOOO LOVE THESE HCS!! /Pos /g

Ooohoho YES!!, Joy definitely loves to sing and all of that stuff, I imagine she isn't the best but can sound pretty decent when hitting the right notes

I also think sadness has trouble sleeping at night, I see her as the type that's always tired but not tired enough to sleep yk lol /lh

Also yes, fear is definitely a germaphrobe there is no denying that

OMG YES XD, anger definitely unironically wears those wolf and fiery skull shirts, he'd be proud wearing them too

I love to think disgust actually puts a lot of effort and passion into her makeup

I like to think that she does it not only to look good but because she enjoys it

I also think that anxiety is going to be a pretty nice person with good intentions but messes up a little sometimes, and yes she definitely apologizes even for the smallest things (same anxiety same), just know she's going to be a relatable one for me lol

Omg envy being a biter.. like those little dogs, I love that.

But yeah in general I like these headcanons a lot!! Thank you for sharing them :3 I had a lot of fun reading them^^ /g

[bonesandthebees]

hi bee :) semi-new anon here just hoping that you’ve been doing okay <3 i wanted to say that i absolutely adore your writing, and will happily read it, no matter what fandom it is you’re writing for, or if you’re just writing original works /gen!! your writing has always inspired me heavily hehe, it’s wonderful.

also, on the topic of original works, do you have any good novel recommendations? i’ve recently gotten back into reading and have been super into fiction, but i’m down for any sort of recs. one of my favourites at the moment is good omens :)

here’s your daily message to go have some water or tea and take care of yourself !! 🌷

hello hello!! I'm doing pretty alright now, feeling a lot better than I was this past week :) and that's so sweet of you to say, it's so reassuring knowing I have so many of you guys willing to read my silly stories no matter which fandom they're about (or even if they're original)

and yes I do have some recs!

I made a post about two months ago now talking about books I'd read that I really enjoyed so there'll be some crossover here but also some new ones I've read since then

one of my new favorite novels is The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. it's a heavy fantasy story following 4 different intertwining POVs. the fantasy world itself is made up of several different countries all inspired by various real world cultures that's not just limited to western europe which is incredibly refreshing. the world itself is incredibly fleshed out and interesting, the characters are all very diverse and have so much depth, and there's also a very beautiful sapphic romance <3 I'm reading the prequel to priory right now and I'm also loving it so far

another book I really enjoyed is actually a duology—The Radiant Emperor series by Shelley Parker-Chan. the first book in the series is She Who Became the Sun which I really enjoyed, however the sequel book He Who Drowned the World is the one that absolutely blew me away. just letting you know in case you're not comfortable with it, both books contain sex and some graphic violence. the story is set in 14th century China when it was ruled by the Mongols, and it's an incredibly well done queer retelling/fictionalization of the rise of Zhu Yuanzhang, the Emperor who ushered in the Ming dynasty. the text engages with so many themes of the expectations of masculinity and femininity and how they restrict people, and really dives into gender expression and how it can be wielded in different ways. again the first one was really enjoyable, but the second one was on a whole other level and I'm still reeling over how good it was and how much it emotionally hurt me.

ok and then last one for now

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - I know we all heard about this one thanks to the iconic bigolas dickolas wolfwood on twitter but also they were so right about this book. it's gorgeously written. the book itself is mostly written as letters exchanged between two women who are time traveling agents on opposing sides of a war for who controls the timelines. it's a beautiful love story, it's sci fi but with a heavy bend towards spec fic which I personally really like, the world concepts are incredibly fascinating, and it plays around with time travel in a very intriguing way. it's a very short book so it's an easy one to burn through. I checked this one out from my library but I'm highkey tempted to go to a bookstore and actually buy a physical copy for myself just because there were so many gorgeous lines I want to highlight

hope this helps!! my taste in books is usually: sci fi/fantasy/spec fic with sapphic women so hopefully that's something you enjoy as well lmao

[tentacleteapot]

when I was in college I was very fond of tossing around the phrase “a good zombie movie is like a sonnet”. it sounded clever, made me feel like I’d figured out something profound about storytelling, and it sometimes made people curious enough to ask me to elaborate, which allowed me to get to my actual point, which is as follows: I think it’s silly at best and irresponsible or ignorant at worst to write off all works of a specific genre or medium as inherently bad or worthless.

there are specific genres and mediums that are more or less interesting than others depending on your individual tastes, of course, and there are specific genre ‘rules’ or accepted genre staples that either really work for you or really don’t, but I don’t think it’s reasonable to say all art that belongs to a specific genre or comes from a specific medium is bad or not worth someone’s time.

when I say a good zombie movie is like a sonnet, I’m actually focused more on what I like about sonnets than what I like about zombie movies: I love seeing how creative somebody can be within the confines of a specific genre, and how a good storyteller can utilize standard genre conventions to do something unique and compelling. I think any form of writing that follows a rigid structure and still manages to tell a unique and fascinating story or convey an engaging and compelling message is worth appreciating, even if it’s in a genre I’m not drawn to, and the more I explore new anime, film, western animation, and all other fictional narratives the more I realize that the genre of a thing really doesn’t determine if I’ll like it or not: I just have to be interested in the ideas it presents and how the characters react to and are affected by the narrative itself.

circling back, the reason I used to use zombie movies in this analogy is because I’d just exited my big zombie phase when I started college and had watched dozens of zombie movies, going back to my favorites and revisiting them over and over again, and appreciating how they all followed the exact same formula but the ones that I really enjoyed found ways to make the formula interesting or put a unique spin on it. if I were to have that realization now, I’d probably have to ‘modernize’ it and say that good superhero movies feel like sonnets to me—movies like Birds of Prey or Into the Spider-Verse are pieces of media that do extremely unique and interesting things with the same building blocks as movies like The Avengers or the original Suicide Squad, two movies I have no interest in ever watching again and don’t enjoy talking or thinking about.

I’m thinking about this as I examine my own taste in media and think about how sometimes I feel like I have to defend the movies I like most, because so many of the movies I really love are either from genres outsiders refuse to take seriously or are weird ‘bad’ movies that white cis guys on YouTube have been saying are cringey and childish for the last couple decades now. I think the reason my movie tastes are so weird but that I also throw myself wholeheartedly into adoring the movies that really do something for me is because ultimately I still most enjoy seeing the creativity that some artists almost magically seem to always find within a very rigid structure.

it takes sincerity and earnest intent to make a movie that follows and incorporates genre cliches in ways that feel earned and genuine and creative, rather than mocking or ‘deconstructive’ or ‘subversive’, and i just really respect that. admittedly it makes for really awkward conversations when I try to show somebody a movie I love and it’s something they think is really corny or childish or cliched, which is why I often don’t actively engage with fandoms or talk about the movies I love outside a few very close circles, but I am at least happy I’ve been able to identify where that love comes from. I’ve been really trying to embrace sincerity and earnestness more and more over the last decade or so and it’s lead to my enjoying so many more things I would’ve never given a chance to otherwise, so at the end of the day I’m glad for it, honestly.

[pleuvoire]

ok i’m about to feel so annoying and cringe and like going over to the dark side of popular tumblr fandoms or whatever but. can i say something that actually annoyed me about one of the submitted reasons for succession being on the most annoying fandoms blog

kind of cracking up at the image of succession fandom containing lone brave fighters who dare to say “stop feeling emotionally attached to these characters because they are bad people, also, you guys need to analyze the themes of the show more” cause in my experience everyone and their mother in succ fandom loves to analyze the themes of the show constantly, it’s something that’s made it a very enjoyable and interesting experience for me to lurk in this fandom because people always have really interesting insight. and... guess what... a huge portion of the themes of the show is abuse and cycles of harm and the characters’ personal issues. that’s just how it is! and you’re supposed to feel sympathetic to the characters and their personal issues at the same time you see the harm they cause, because the two are inextricably linked! like, “the characters in succession are all terrible rich people but they all have massive emotional issues that you can’t help but pity them for” is THEE starting premise that everyone watching the show including normies and redditors comes away with, it’s not subtle at all and it’s not something that needs to be restated over and over. does this person think “engaging with the themes of the show” means scrupulously refraining from feeling emotional attachment to anyone involved. do they think it means never ever making jokes about how tom is your silly rabbit or whatever. do they think it means standing around repeating “did you know? these characters are all bad people and capitalism is bad” to each other endlessly. that’s the opposite of engaging with the themes of the show. you can critique how the show itself goes about striking a balance between showing the characters’ evil side and their sympathetic side (i personally think it does a good job there, no need to hammer it in) but in that case that’s the show’s fault, the fans are just responding to the text

[masterjedilenawrites]

My guy, can I just say that I LOVE your writing? Its absolutely amazing and wholesome! speaking of wholesome, could I maybe request the clones with an s/o who wants a child? Or maybe the clones as fathers?

Wow thank you, I'm flailing on the floor from these compliments! Glad to provide some wholesome content for the fandom in these trying times... #bringcrosshairhome

I just did a Clones with pregnant S/O request, so here's Clones as fathers...

Cody is a dutiful father. He takes the job seriously right from the start, seamlessly readjusting his life to include his child as if they'd always been there. He'll take any opportunity to teach his child all the important things, from hands-on tasks like fixing a speeder or shooting a blaster, to more abstract concepts like being polite to strangers and apologizing when in the wrong. When he has to choose work over home, he makes up for it with extra attention when he returns.

Rex is a super-dad. His kids look up to him their entire lives, believing he really is a superhero. Think Jack Pearson from This is Us. He'll dress up for tea parties, and listen to the same stories over and over, and chauffeur them and their friends around town, and help with homework, and lend them money for when they go on their first date.... He's tired all the time, but he never lets it show. He and his S/O are partners in this endeavor; their teamwork is admirable and enviable.

Wolffe is a private dad. He keeps his family life separate, that way he can be the tough leader he needs to be in battle, and then let all of that go when he returns home. He's a secret softie and only his S/O and child ever see that side of him. They have him wrapped around their finger; he knows this, and loves it. There isn't a single thing he wouldn't do for either of them. They are his world. He gets sentimental about a lot of things and doesn't like how fast his baby grows up.

Fox is a doting father. He'd spoil the shit out of his kids. Sneaking candy when their mom says no, buying the toy they secretly eyed in the store, letting them stay up late and watch him clean his armor. He gets in trouble with his S/O a lot, but he can't help it. He wants to give his kids the entire galaxy. He can discipline them when necessary, and because he only does so sparingly, his kids take it seriously and never act that way again. He thinks they are just perfect.

Fives is a proud dad. Everything his children do is amazing. He keeps every last drawing or craft they make for him. He recounts every milestone of their lives to his brothers. He cries over them a lot. He is just in awe of how they grow up, all their strength and potential and innocence, he just eats it up. He definitely wears T-Shirts that have puns of the word dad in it, so anyone who sees him knows who he is. It's the most important part of his life, far more than being a soldier.

Echo is a nurturing father. He is very concerned with the health and happiness of his child. He's more nervous when they're young, wondering if they're behind in their development or whether their runny nose is a sign of something more serious. He's more comfortable when they get older, letting them do more on their own. He's big on communication and uses little codewords. Like, Cover-fire means he needs them to just do as they're told. DMZ means they're free to speak their mind, no judgement. Retreat means they need to rethink their bad attitude and apologize.

Jesse is a hip dad. He doesn't try to be, he just is. He never really let go of that part of himself after becoming a father, listening to certain kinds of music or having a fun night out. He doesn't set a lot of rules; in fact, he openly allows certain things that other parents might balk at. He figures it's better for them to experience these things in the safety of their home, rather than doing it behind his back and getting hurt. His kids like their cool dad, they're never embarrassed.

Kix is an affectionate father. His favorite thing in the whole galaxy is coming home to his children tackling him with hugs and kisses. He might coddle in the early years, letting them sleep in his bed or carrying them around everywhere. But as they grow, he's more encouraging of their independence, so long as they still let him hug them whenever he wants. He's also obsessed with health; totally the dad who never lets them eat any sugar or watch TV if the sun's still shining.

Tup is a timid dad. He second-guesses himself a lot, wondering if he made the right decisions or said the right things to his child. He does his best to learn and catch on to the best way to go about things, but it seems as soon as he's finally comfortable, his child has grown up or moved on to the next phase and he has to start over. He is best during the quiet moments of his child's life: reading stories before bed, giggling during bathtime, comforting a broken heart...

Dogma is a responsible father. He prioritizes rules over all else, but puts a lot of thought and care into crafting them. And he's created a lot of rules for himself, too. Things like always wishing them good-night, even when he's away on missions. Or never expressing his frustration in front of them. He creates plenty of opportunities for them to earn privileges or other rewards. He disciplines firmly but fairly. He splits the child-rearing duties with his S/O evenly, as well.

Hardcase is a dorky dad. He's not as hardcore at home as he is on the battlefield, but he still has a lot of energy and releases it through corny jokes, silly antics, and other displays of tomfoolery. Think Phil Dunphy from Modern Family. He wants to be his children's best friend. He tries to keep up with all the trends and slang, which just makes his kids cringe in embarrassment. He's not the best with discipline, but he does get more serious if one of them is hurt or struggling.

Hunter is an interactive father. He will never be considered distant, oh no. He engages with his kid on every level, being a constant and dependable presence in their life. He talks to them as a baby even when they don't understand. He lets them tag along as a toddler, indulging in their curiosity. He checks in with them when they're older, having honest conversations about whatever is on their mind.

Wrecker is a playful dad. Life is an adventure and he's excited to take his children along on the ride. He'd have a lot of kids, filling his home with sounds of laughter and fighting and joy and tears. He'd encourage them to develop a hobby and would attend every competition, performance, etc. without fail. Even with so many to keep track of, he manages to make each one feel special, they all have an important place in the family and never get left out, not on his watch.

Crosshair is a protective father. He knows he's not the best with emotions, so he makes up for it by always having his child's back. Looking out for them. Keeping them safe. He'd teach them how to fight from an early age, going to shooting ranges or on hunts. It'll be their "thing," a way for them to quietly connect through the years. And heaven help the poor soul who ever hurts his little one. He will not hold back in defending their honor and squeezing out an apology.

Tech is a chill dad. He isn't bothered by much, so he keeps his cool through even the roughest stages of his child's development. This ends up creating a sense of stability for his family, they can always count on Dad to keep things steady and real. He won't pry into his child's life; if they want help, they'll need to come to him. But once they do, he is passionate about teaching them everything he knows. He will support them in all of their studies, hobbies, and interests.

[oumaheroes]

omo more Prussia headcanons pls. Maybe some abt his relationship with Germany hehe

Okie dokey, here we go.

To start off, I think he's a wonderful character. Like all older characters in Hetalia, he's gone through a real ebb and flow of development and representation over the years- early fandom depictions he was either little more than a bumbling nuisance who 'kesesese'd' in the background, all the way to whiney, annoying, antagonist.

For me, I do see him as having a few of these traits. He a joker, for sure, someone who loves to mess about and play with people and make the most out of a moment. As I mentioned in these headcanons, he says what he thinks without considering or caring about the repercussions and this makes him a very brash personality, which isn’t for everyone.

He's lived a long time, he’s been through a lot of crap, and he's not got time for anyone's bullshit. He wants to enjoy himself and do things that make him happy; Prussia can be plenty serious when the time calls for it but when he doesn't have to be, he's very much of the opinion of 'why should I? That's boring.' He’s had years of boring things, horrible things, sad things, and he’s very much of the opinion that if you have a choice to do something that makes you happy, fucking do it man, the only one stopping you is you. (He’s a very bad influence for self indulgence).

Speaking of boredom, he is someone who can be easily distracted. He's the kinda guy who hyperfixates anf focuses on things to be point of forgetting to eat, but if he doesn't want to do something? Boy, have fun trying to get him to. He's very difficult to engage when he doesn't have any personal interest in an activity or topic, or when he doesn't see the benefit of something/ doesn't care about the benefits.

He's also a Big Nerd. Big big nerd. He has a lot of passionate hobbies that he takes very seriously, like his diaries, and unabashedly enjoys them to the fullest. His diaries are fancy and expensive, and his penmanship is to die for.

He’s not the strongest of guys, but he's very nimble and quick. Definitely what you'd consider to be scrappy when it comes to fighting technique and he gives it his all; he will not go down till he collapses. This, combined with his brilliant tactical abilities, makes him deadly and covers for any deficiency he may have in strength compared to his opponent.

Regarding his relationship with Germany, I think it's one that is very warm and healthy. Unlike certain other nation siblings (*cough*UkBros*cough*) Prussia was, and is, very openly affectionate to Germany and very encouraging of his growth and progress. They spent a lot of time together when Germany was young and Prussia made sure to raise him in a way that supported him, rather than putting him down. Prussia is very patient and good with children- he enjoys being silly, and he also takes them seriously. He's good at recognising what they need him to be and isn't held back by shame when it comes to acting like a big child himself.

Speaking of a big child, does Prussia cause issues sometimes? Yes. Does he stress Germany out to high heaven by digging himself into messy situations that need the government to come in and clean up after him? Oh boy yes. Germany dreads France, Spain, England, or Denmark visiting to spend time with Prussia; bad things will happen and Germany will most likely be woken up in the middle of the night to help them out of whatever drunken nonsense they've got themselves into.

I think @mandelene writes him stunningly well and I love whenever he appears in her work. I feel like she's got the perfect balance of jokey, light hearted dweeb and hugely intelligent and loyal friend, which for me is how Prussia acts regularly with people both young and old, depending on the situation.

His relationship with Germany has gone through rocky patches, the aftermath of WWII being one. Politics and war aside, I think as a person Prussia would have a lot to contend with regarding being dissolved in favour of his younger brother. This area is a difficult one to go into detail about though, and I'm not comfortable openly exploring the whys and hows of politics too much- I'm nowhere near knowledgeable enough to give a well rounded opinion and map it to an anime character (if it even can/ should be done).

I will say though, that for the most part the brothers are good friends as well as family, always have been, and enjoy spending time together as adults.

Prussia's questionable mortality does raise an uncomfortable feeling for Germany though and it is something they Do. Not. Talk. About, and likely won't until it's far too late. Prussia doesn't want to make Germany sad or guilty or awkward, and Germany doesn't want to acknowledge that it's happening, or any of the bad feelings that go along with that. They're not talking about it, which means he can pretend it's not really happening and so it sits between them silently and patiently, twisting Germany's stomach when he notices crow's feet gathering around his brother's eyes.

[jennycalendar]

ok you know what i think it’s actually really vital that i talk a little bit about tea time. buckle up kiddos.

first off, a brief and relatively spoiler-free summary: the premise of the issue is very simple. the kiddos (aged up, if willow’s mention of being engaged is any indication) are hanging out in the library to help giles with research, swapping stories about what it would be like were giles a vampire. each of them, save giles, gets a chance to tell a detailed story -- xander tells two! -- and each story plays out in a way that says a lot about the scooby that’s telling it AND the way they view giles.

obviously this is a VERY character-driven issue, and it’s a really really interesting look at giles and how he is perceived as well! shit like that is my bread and butter, so this has honestly become one of my favorite things that boom has put out -- possibly my ACTUAL top favorite issue if we’re being real here. 

below the cut is a spoilery dissection of every story told -- a literal summary of Every Single Thing that happens in this issue, as well as what it has to say about the scoobies and their perception of giles, so definitely keep that in mind.

as can be seen in the preview, xander’s first story is about giles rising from the grave as an ineffectual british caricature, who is easily defeated by smoldering, sexy xander harris (and xander in turn walks off with buffy and willow draped all over him, cooing about how amazing he is). it’s more of an intro to the premise than anything, but it still sets the tone pretty clearly wrt how xander handles this situation: there’s some laughter and levity, and he’s center stage. obviously a lot can be said about xander’s self-esteem issues and how he overcompensates by casting himself as the main protagonist both in canon and here. however, i wanna save my more in-depth xander analysis for his second, longer, story, so i’ll stop myself there.

willow immediately responds with skepticism: she’s of the mind that giles would be an incredibly serious big-bad level threat. the tale she spins involves giles as a dangerous vampire cleric with access to a cryptic altar, killing xander almost immediately and slaughtering buffy as a sacrifice to create eternal night. her view of giles is more clinical than anything -- and, i would argue, the most perceptive and realistic from a threat standpoint. the guy knows a fuckton of magic and he is incredibly well-read and powerful. he’d have some kind of terrifying master plan. where xander goes for comedy, willow goes straight for logistics, already looking at the battle like it’s a battle rather than laughs aplenty. 

xander and buffy have a bone to pick with willow’s story (xander is indignant that he’s immediately and brutally killed, buffy is of the mind that she would easily defeat giles in hand-to-hand combat even if he IS a vampire), so (after one more teasing story where buffy lives and xander dies) willow gracefully alters her narrative to reflect her friends’ objections: after a dramatic tussle, xander helps willow and buffy unceremoniously stakes giles in the heart. still pretty straightforward and plausible. willow sees vamp giles primarily as a threat -- one not easily neutralized. one who could easily wipe them out.

buffy, about to tell her story, is interrupted by xander, who “had an even better idea!” the web he weaves is this time purported as realistic and entertaining: while partying at the bronze, buffy and co. are interrupted by a bunch of balding, greying vampires in curlers and bathrobes, led, of course, by giles -- who is wearing a hair bonnet and disapprovingly informing the bouncers how late it is at eight PM. a knockdown brawl breaks out at the bronze -- old people feeding on and decimating the young -- and culminates in giles and the geezers taking over the band to sing “some terrible song” that’s “probably something really old and bad!” the rest of the story descends into b-movie chaos, with buffy throwing a broken guitar neck up at the stage lights to send the whole thing crashing down onto vampire giles and his vampire old person band. it’s categorically absurd.

the thing that really sticks with me about this story is how dumb it is. xander’s take on giles is not even slightly serious and wholly underestimates him. fandom at large talks a lot about how giles dropped the ball with xander, but i think tea time explores an easily overlooked factor: xander constantly, consistently underestimates giles. in canon, xander’s view of giles is not often challenged: to him, giles is a bumbling, british librarian who regularly gets his ass handed to him by vamps and demons and the like. certainly part of his story’s intent is about laughingly entertaining his gal pals, but there’s a very real and consistent thread involving giles being hilariously nonthreatening. 

giles, taking umbrage at this particular tale, calls out both xander and willow: xander’s story, in giles’s opinion, emasculates vamp giles and turns him into a ridiculous caricature -- and willow’s story, though much more flattering, lacks the kind of imagination that vamp giles would clearly have. he then offers a suggestion of his own. it’s worth mentioning here that both xander’s and willow’s stories get gorgeous multiple-page spreads depicting the vampy action, but giles’s is a simple and chilling little thing: this is his vampire story. this meeting, called to ostensibly “research” a vampire altar, is really an excuse to get the scoobies to do his dirty work and find the thing for him. they’re tired and silly because the tea and donuts he’s given them are drugged, and their library location is to keep them out of daylight. he laughs it off when he sees they’re bothered, and the meeting is then adjourned when willow finally finds what they’re all looking for. 

buffy’s left her phone in the library, so she doubles back, and accidentally wakes up a dozing giles. just as she’s about to leave, he inquires, casually, “...you never did tell your version of the story.”

and good god here is where it gets interesting.

see, buffy’s take is simple: she’s fighting giles in a cemetery, she’s given the chance to kill him, and she is entirely unable to do it. they share a tearful embrace as she sobs about the unfairness of it all -- “you’re giles! and you’ll always be! ...how will i do this without you? without your guidance?” and as the sun is rising, giles turns her into a vampire, with no resistance whatsoever from buffy. the next handful of pages depict bloody, indulgent violence on the parts of giles and buffy, the two of them cuddled up together as they watch the world burn. 

buffy’s tale is the most emotive, the most loving, which makes me so damn soft! i love this girl so much! she is unable to even joke about giles as a foe to be taken down -- he is her watcher. he is her friend. she loves him endlessly and that does not change when he’s a vampire. vamp giles as she portrays him is gentle and understanding, holding her as she cries, because he knows that they’re connected. it’s easily my favorite part of this whole issue.

notably, there is a definite buffy/giles bend that the comic itself tries to contradict. the art is sensual in nature -- vamp buffy all dolled up in a way somewhat evocative of drusilla, giles tenderly caressing her face as he waits for her to wake up. “watcher and slayer connected forever” being the quote chosen to describe the situation. i think it’s kind of what naturally happens in a vamp giles sitch, especially if he turns buffy -- the childe/sire bond is incredibly sexual in nature, especially in canon, and a lot of frustrating human sentiment gets translated into something sexual as well. sex is a big BIG part of the relationships between vampires we see in canon; it would make a lot of sense for that to hold true for buffy and giles.

the comic is reticent about Going There, which i can understand -- though buffy is decisively aged up in this issue (willow mentions being engaged to a woman, later revealed to be tara), the buffy/giles bond is always seen through a father/daughter lens in canon. i do think it’s also important to always recognize how desperately giles wishes to escape the label of father in reference to buffy, pretty much entirely because there is no way to parent a child soldier who you’re also training, but that’s a whole other kettle of fish. point is, buffy very pointedly refers to vamp giles as her father not once, but twice -- once as a human, once as a vampire herself. it’s a very clear attempt, imo, to un-sexualize the vampy experience. the reason it doesn’t totally work, at least for me, is the fact that -- like i said -- the childe/sire bond is VERY sexual (spike and dru, angel and darla, angel and dru) and it seems just totally implausible that vamp buffy/vamp giles (two people who, as human were both VERY repressed) would chastely remain within the socially acceptable version of their relationship.

i can definitely understand why they did their best to blur that line, though. the idea of buffy and giles being romantically involved as vampires is 1) Kind Of A Lot and 2) not exactly the target demographic that i think this comic is going for. but the subtext is there, to the point where the issue itself has to actively obfuscate it, which i think is .... so interesting? especially as a counterpoint to the way i often see buffy/giles in fandom, wherein the father/daughter subtext in canon is at times actively obfuscated in fic in an attempt to push a preferred reading. 

the ending i particularly enjoyed: after buffy leaves, it is lightly and ambiguously implied that giles might really be a vampire. works GREAT as a standalone, imo, and the end is like the cherry on top. it’s a really REALLY interesting issue and i highly recommend it for any giles fan. 

[lilsuzn]

MLQC Gavin - Fluff abc headcanons

So by the popular demand - I am back.

Just kidding. No one was asking.

Fandom: Mr. Love: Queen's Choice

Warnings: None (the reader is gender neutral)

Dedication: @marytheredqueen

A = Admiration (what do they absolutely adore about you?)

You need to trust me when I tell you that Gavin had indeed tried to find at least one thing he could dislike about you. Many times.

Yet your body seems to have no flaws. He checked quite a few times at this point.

Your heart is pure. Loving. Patient. Loyal.

Whenever you’re at his side… The world is at peace. No pain exists, nor does suffering.

You are his purpose. You are his equilibrium. Nothing matters as long as he can be by your side.

B = Body (what is their favorite part of your body?)

Your beautiful eyes.

There will never be anything more beautiful than the way they shine before your lips meet in a loving kiss.

C = Cuddling (how do they like to cuddle?)

Him on his back.

You in his arms. Laying on top of him.

Your head rests on his chest, no matter if it’s your front, side or back that presses against his muscular torso - it’s perfect.

He also likes the smell of your shampoo… it’s just intoxicating for him.

D = Dates (what does their ideal date with you look like?)

He likes doing things outside with you.

Attending festivals, engaging in new, interesting sports, indulging in some street food or picnics.

He’s a sucker for long, romantic walks too, soooooo

He takes you out to the festival. Buys all kinds of yummy food for both of you to share. Wins you an enormous plushie and then carries it around for you. While holding your hand. Tightly.

Then takes you for a night stroll, to then kiss you under the sky full of stars before you turn back.

E = Emotions (how do they express emotion around you?)

He only feels like he can really express himself around you - so it will get intense. In all the best ways.

Gavin doesn’t shy away with showing you his affection, even if he tends to have a slight problem with voicing it sometimes.

His expression softness, his fingers brush delicate circles on your skin.

He doesn’t need to say anything. You know.

F = Family (do they want one? If they do, when?)

Oh he really, really wants a family.

Two kids… or maybe more.

A dog for them, maybe.

House with a big garden and a treehouse.

He wants to play and fool around with his kids. Put them to bed. Support them. Be proud of them… Everything his father never did.

G = Gifts (how do they feel about gift giving? What are their habits when it comes to this?)

When you want something, no matter how silly it might be - it’s yours.

Don’t even make me start on what you need.

Because there are very little things (and all of them are about you) that could make him happier than seeing you happy because of what he gave you.

H = Holding Hands (when/how do they like to hold hands?)

It's not optional.

There will be hands holding whenever it's possible.

It’s as much for your safety as it is for his comfort. 

All these guys with eyes better don’t use them to stare at you. 

See this hand? This beautiful gem of a person is with ME.

Likes to hold your hand while snuggling on a couch. Or in bed while falling asleep.

Holding hands is like a physical projection of the bond that’s between the two of you - and he loves it.

I = Injury (how would they act if you got hurt?)

He would blame himself. No matter what. It might be ridiculous, but he would always feel guilty for not preventing it from happening.

Wouldn’t leave your side. Would help you with anything and everything.

If there’s a concrete person or a group of people that caused your harm... Insert a very, very angry and strong bird cop with a gun.

J = Jokes (do they like to joke around with or prank you? how?)

You would have a light-hearted relationship in which he would tease you from time to time and he wouldn’t be mad if you did the same to him.

However he’s not one to prank you. He would find no enjoyment in it.

K = Kisses (how do they like to kiss you?)

Gavin loves to be kissed and he loves to kiss. All over your face. All over your body.

Any kisses are game. Slow and passionate ones. Heated ones. Sweet, delicate, loving, appreciating - he loves them all as long as he can share them with you.

L = Love (how do they show you they love you?)

Acts of service - He looooves to spoil his lovely sweetheart (you) this way. Wants to bring you food, tidy up your apartment for you, brush your hair, paint your nails… Just ask him and he will do it. Whatever it is. And then he will do things on his own initiative, because he likes to surprise you. You smile so beautifully when he does…...

Gifts - He likes gift giving as I already mentioned in G, but it’s no indication of love to him. He just enjoys your reactions. Prefers to show his love differently.

Physical touch - His number one and you can not convince me it is not. He’s a snuggly bear who loves kisses. You are just so soft and warm and he loves you sosososososo much. Would never want to hold this way any other. His physical affection is something reserved only for you. 

Quality time - see Q.

Words of affirmation - Gavin is not very good with words. Not that he can’t be when he wants to, but he kinda doesn’t want to most of the time. It’s uncomfortable. He’s feeling unconfident doing so. He prefers other ways, but when he does speak up… It’s the most adorable and loving thing you will ever hear in your life.

M = Memory (favorite memory together?)

It was your first 'real' date, but even though you both confessed love to each other, you weren't a ‘official’ couple yet.

At least there was no proper act of becoming a one.

You walk through the park on an evening of a chilly fall. Not many people in sight.

You just finished a lovely dinner date. Gavin even bought you a dessert to share.

And it just felt right. Everything.

The way your fingers were laced. How you both couldn't spot peeping at each other.

"Will you be my girlfriend Y/N? Please?"

He sure was pretty sure you wouldn't deny him, but he didn't expect you to throw your arms around his neck and kiss him the way you did.

"Nothing could ever make me happier than that, Gavin."

N = Nightmare (what is their worst fear?)

He’s scared of losing you.

Either by you walking away from him after discovering that you “deserve so much better”

Or by not being alert enough to protect you…

Surely, he would prefer the first option, but he can’t deny that both would hit him harder than anything else ever could.

O = Oddity (what is one quirk they have?)

Gavin is a little bit of an odd duck in general, but I think he has one major weirdness about him.

I would call it… A Keanu Reeves complex.

He doesn’t like compliments. Always feels like they’re far from true, because he always feels like he’s not enough and maybe even never will be.

Which is so far from true.

Like, Vivi, come on! You’re so freakin perfect!

P = Pet Names (what do they like to call you?)

He usually calls you simply by your name, but the boy has his moments.

Moments when he can help but call you all sorts of the cutest names.

Little angel, starry eyes, little munchkin along with the classics like honey, babe, sweetheart, treasure and my precious.

Q = Quality Time (how do they like to spend time with you?)

How?

Often.

Intensely.

Calmly.

Comfortably.

Restlessly.

He just wants to be by your side. Any. Chance. He. Gets.

R = Rhythm (what song reminds you of them?)

Moonlight by Ariana Grande

Because Gavin’s sweet like candy, but he’s such a man...

Or A Drop In The Ocean by Ron Pope 

S = Secrets (how open are they with you?)

Not at all. At least at first.

He gets better with time, but you still need to ask for it. He would never just come to you to lean on your shoulder and tell you what troubles him.

T = Time (how long did it take you to get together?)

Well. A lot.

Because of what I say in X below.

He just assumes that you don’t reciprocate his feelings, because he doesn’t deserve it.

He eventually tells you about his feelings under your insistent questions regarding the subject.

And then? After he finally tells you?

That’s when it escalates quickly.

U = Upset (how do they act when you’re upset?)

At first he tries to keep it inside. Not let you see… But it’s pretty obvious since he doesn’t talk to you. Barely throws any acknowledgment your way.

It would take quite some convincing for him to tell you what’s wrong.

Unless it’s jealousy that is a reason behind his anger. Then he will show you just how upset he is…

Not necessary in a bad way, tho...

V = Vaunt (what are they proud of? Do they like to show you off?)

He’s very proud of you. Always.

Even when you think you’re a failure, he still recognizes how hard you work and how smart you are.

And he also prides himself for earning love of a woman as wonderful as you.

But he’s not a show off. He doesn’t like to be in a center of attention. He doesn’t care for compliments or recognition.

He knows how wonderful you are and that’s all that matters to him.

W = Warrior (how do they feel about you fighting? Would they fight for you, beside you, etc?)

Well, it goes without saying.

Yes. Obviously.

This is Gavin. He does it actively throughout the whole story like it’s the only thing he knows.

X = X-Ray (how well are they able to read you?)

He’s not an expert in emotions.

He gave MC a blood stained letter and was surprised she was troubled by that.

Okay, let’s not sugar coat it - he’s not good at it at all. I said it.

I’m sorry. I wish it was different for you Vivi.

Y = Yes (how would they propose to you?)

I think in Gavin’s case it would be no kneeling with a ring type of thing, because he personally sees no value of that.

Of course, he would if you told him that that’s what you want, but if you don’t…

It would be a beautiful, summer evening. The both of you watching a beautiful sunset from the rooftop of a high building.

Last months you spent together were absolutely wonderful. Life with you by his side was much happier than Gavin could ever dream of… And the way the golden sunlight graces your skin is so, so beautiful.

It wasn’t the first time the thought crossed the bird cop’s mind. He caught himself thinking about it more and more often as your relationship progressed… And before he knew it, the words left his lips.

At first you were sure you must have misheard, so you asked him to repeat. And he did.

His beautiful eyes glimmered with so much love… just as much as you felt for him. 

How could you say no to that gorgeous man that adores you so much?

And after that, expect to someday come back home to find the most beautiful and meaningful ring in the world waiting for you to wear it.

Z = Zen (what makes them feel calm?)

Gavin is a man who enjoys simple things in life.

He likes to cozy up with you on a couch on his birthday. 

Watch a sunrise and drink cocoa with you on Christmas.

He obviously enjoys various sports, especially if he can enjoy them with you.

But what really, really makes him perfectly calm? Driving Sparky with your hands around his ways and your chest pressed against his back.

The feeling of freedom mixed the warmth of your closeness… how could anyone ask for more?

[teledild0nix]

Fic Writer Questions! (you can find me here on AO3 if you're interested!)

tagged by dear @theburialofstrawberries mwah!

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

112 yowza!

2) What’s your total AO3 word count?

750,421 kinda tempted to go delete one word so it can be 750420 which is a far more Pleasing number

3) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

12ish but some of them overlap: BBCS/Sherlock Holmes/ACD (these are all different bc my bbcs fics are not the same as my own modern fem Sherlock Holmes adaptation are not the same as my ACD Holmes fic; Good Omens; Harry Potter/The Werewolf Draco Malfoy Cinematic Universe; Captive Prince; The Hobbit; Fleabag (it was a crossover with BBCS but Fleabag is the perspective character so it still counts as a separate fandom imo); Doctor Who; The Office; Parks and Rec; Broad City (one a piece for those last 5 but I AM going to write a Parks and Rec polycule fic for @gaykagome)

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

They're all Good Omens fics from the 2019 Summer of Good Omens! Susceptible to Summer, Fragments Shored Against My Ruin, Something So Magic, Enter Serpent, and Anything We Like

All of those have over 2k except the last one, but average engagement for me is like 400 kudos or so

5) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I try! It depends on what's going on with me. Sometimes I just don't have the energy, and I figure people would rather I spend my brain power on writing new fics than on writing replies to comments. Wish I had a fave button tho so I could let people know I read and reread comments, because I do!

6) What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Oh I wrote this ficlet series called A Chemical Defect about John and Sherlock's relationship in s3 of BBCS, and it's WILDLY unpopular. People don't read my fic to cry sad tears I guess! John and Sherlock are having an affair in the story, and it ends with the implication that their relationship is unsustainable and that Mary knows about it anyway. I intended to come back to it after s4 and write a more optimistic ending but LOL! Didn't have the heart.

7) What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

I know this answer is kinda up my own ass, but like. I think stories that feel true to life sort of feel like they end on a beginning if you know what I mean? You don't really consider a chapter of your life closed until you look back on it from the next? SO that said, I think I'd have to say that it's my big BBCS serial The Only One in the World. I spent 2 years writing it, and it ends with John retiring from medicine to solve crimes and write books full time.

Could also be my WDMCU (werewolf Draco Malfoy cinematic universe) series Moonrise, which starts with Draco isolated in his abusive mother's house, trying to cope with lycanthropy essentially alone and ends with him in love and surrounded by found family in a cozy cottage in Hogsmeade, having gotten some lycanthrope rights legislation passed after working at it for years and talking to Harry about whether they want to have kids. Oh man I feel warm and fuzzy just thinking about it

8) Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I have written one crossover. It's BBCS/Fleabag, because me and @loudest-subtext-in-tv were laughing about how John seems like one of the horrible guys Fleabag sleeps with basically out of self loathing, so I wrote this fic to make Nattie laugh, and you should read it bc it's so good and so underrated.

9) Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not really, but people don't seem to know that authors can read bookmark tags unless you private the bookmark, and someone once put in the bookmark tag on one of my fics 'writing was meh but it was okay.' Okay so why bookmark it then??

10) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Fuck yes! I'm not sure what 'what kind?' means? People fucking? Sloppy, silly, and awkward, with lots of laughing. I also really like writing afterglow scenes which are even sillier and gigglier and often involve one character cooking for another. Food as love language is a very distinct pattern of mine tbh

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of, but occasionally I'll write a post on here where I make some elaborate head canon, and I'll see people in the tags talking about how they want to write fic of it, and it makes me breathe fire out of my nose like a dragon like PLEASE DON'T. The WDMCU came out of a ficlet post I made on here like a year before I actually wrote the 60k series so like!!! Please don't do that!

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes! To Russian and I believe Chinese. Not my entire oeuvre but a handful of BBCS and Good Omens fics

13) Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I wrote a fic inspired by an RP I did with my gf right around when we met (actually now that I think about it, it's two fics), and I waaaaaaanna do a WDMCU collab with my beloved Sally @clytemenestras at some point if he has time bc he inspired me to even write werewolf draco with his original lesbian werewolf story

14) What’s your all time favorite ship?

favorites are hard for me? I always think I'm currently doing my best writing lol so I'll say drarry

15) What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I don't post fics unless theyre finished, so I don't have any WIP up on AO3, but I did intend to continue with my fem Sherlock Holmes series, Your Many Tendencies. I just haven't been in a Holmes mood for a long time. Maybe I'll come back to it idk. This particular series is honestly very unpopular? People will just straight up say they don't read femslash, and it hurts a lot. This series feels really personal too, bc it's about a Black autistic nonbinary lesbian, so it does hurt my feelings that no one seems to care, yknow? I mean the people who read it are extremely kind and thoughtful in their engagement with it, but it has vastly less engagement than my m/m fic, and that's painful. It gets literally 1/10 the attention my fics usually get.

16) What are your writing strengths?

Almost all of my writing is romance, but I tend to write concurrently about recovery and found family, and I think I'm very good at doing that in a way that connects with my audience. I once had someone ask if they could use my words in their wedding vows, and I've had people tell me they started doing things with their spouse that my characters do with their partners in order to express love. I think about that all the time. My Impact. It makes me feel like I have a real duty to my audience yknow?

17) What are your writing weaknesses?

This question is hard for me like I've been writing so long and so much that I'm literally always happy with my final draft! It's always exactly to my taste, yknow? I suppose I could say that my fics tend not to be terribly plotty but so WHAT? That's beside the fuckn point for me. Plot who? I don't know Her. Also honestly like. Stories feel more True to me when they aren't ruthlessly devoted to plot bc like life isn't like that yknow?

18) What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If you're not fluent in that language, get a beta who is!!!!! That said, I have written scraps of very simple dialogue in French using mostly Google Translate (sometimes I check w Sally bc he speaks French but I am usually too impatient), and I am perfectly well aware that I take my life in my hands each time!!! Also don't do that bullshit thing where it's in italics? That shit is weird and exoticizing. Just write it in quotation marks like normal dialogue.

19) What was the first fandom you wrote for?

BBCS babey back in 2012. Ended a 5 year dry spell for me after I got my writing degree.

20) What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Hmmmm I think it's probably gonna be the fic I'm working on now that I haven't posted yet, but I know it's called Names for a House, and here's a tiny bit of it

Thanks again Shreya for asking me to do this bc I really love talking about myself. I tag @the-moon-loves-the-sea, @clytemenestras, @tomiano, @gaykagome and @totallysilvergirl

No pressure <3

[kidrat]

☕ moash?

so like,,, back when I first got into stormlight I disliked him bc a) I was 15 and didn't always have the best takes I will admit it lol and b) that was the Vibe you know and then a while later like, it was one of those things where you share a fandom opinion but you don't really interact w fandom so then when you do go in tags and see the Takes you're like oh you guys weren't... joking??? lol

like specifically I thought we were all saying 'fuck moash' partially for the meme and partially because he upset kaladin. and to be honest I did/do find Elhokar somewhat interesting!! He's a great case of shit person good character and it was kinda fun to be like 'yeah fuck moash' as shorthand like.. 'I understand and agree with the choice to kill off elhokar but I also wanted to see what Brandon would do with him and if he would grow as a person seeing as the series is based off that kind of arc and Also I am fifteen and it's fun to do the fandom thing of silly exaggerated grief for some rando getting killed off'

and then when I started to see more good and nuanced takes around Moash when I started engaging with the fandom again I did agree w those BUT I can tell you the specific moment I was like 'actually Moash Rights'. which is when someone in the tag was complaining that the moash critical group were referring to moash moving gavinor(?) out the way pre assassination as 'moash kicking a child' and i was like the who are what now. (again I thought we were being HYBERBOLIC and unnuanced FOR THE MEME hello???) and that was just so stupid that I decided to embrace moash apologism.

anyway. speaking of the moash brain rot bc I realise I've mostly talked about my own character development so far lol:

more characters should be involved in failed assassinations. (ik he succeeded but it's so funny it's the Second killing-elhokar-plan after the guy he'd been hyping up as a great killing-elhokar-candidate bailed) more characters who needed a plan b for their murders please. it's so good

I've said this before in notes somewhere but I'm infodumping <3 so <3 in the kaladin isn't a centrist au, I like to imagine it's either kaladin who kills Elhokar, or that Kaladin helps moash or guides his hand to the stabbing. Specifically I crave the moment where kaladin sees moash reconsider or feel apprehensive about the murder and realise moash isn't bloodthirsty or evil, that he has doubts just like Kaladin, and that in fact he is incredibly brave for doing what needs to be done despite not being a cold blooded killer at all. and kaladin just kind of softens. and now I'm just thinking off the top of my head but imagine if killing elhokar was an act of love. imagine if the enduring imagery of elhokar's murder was kaladin's arm on moash's back and an easing of moash' burdens??? imagine if it was beautiful and the sun set over them and elhokar went out quietly.

related. kinda the same point in fact but we needed a paragraph break SO i just reread that scene and it's kinda sexy that moash a) uses a spear to do it when the series has so much symbolism surrounding weapons and has associated spears so much w darkeyes and specifically the oppression of darkeyes! and then that b) he KICKS AWAY ELHOKAR'S SHARDBLADE!!! he really said 'i will take down the bourgeoisie with the symbol of my low status and then reject the symbol of their power, explicitly stating that by removing those in power I do not intend to replace them but to reject the entire system that gave them power' that slapped. and then ofc the bridge four salute which is more of the same

'He looked at Kaladin, then quietly made the Bridge Four salute, wrists tapped together. The spear he held dripped with Elhokar's blood' worm

something something rosharan communist flag but it's a spear instead of a sickle idk what the other thing wld be tho

also going back to that quote, the dynamic of an assassin working For someone in their mind without that person wanting it is kinda cool like to take a break from political commentary... fellas is it gay to dedicate your kills to a man who is horrified by them and renounces you completely despite how you are tied to each other? fellas is it also very outdoor housecat to do that? in conclusion uuuh catboy moash I think? kinda lost the track on that one

to speak on the ship I do think they're both gay idk if Kaladin has a specific crush on Moash (i think he had like a small one on him in WoK/WoR) but Moash definitely is attracted to Kaladin. Like i'm not necessarily invested in the relationship, tbh it takes a lot for me to ship anything But i like the dynamic and the potential attraction involved in the dynamic and the fact it's a Queer Dynamic regardless of if it's a queer *relationship* does that make sense??? it does

I am cutting myself off here for the sake of my remaining dignity send tweet

[pinkerhero]

I have a bit of anxiety because a hurricane’s going to pass near my city and I’ve easily read well over a hundred of em so here’s a list of my fave tropes/concepts in trobed fics (plus author recommendations and a note to the fandom):

Announcements through any variation of the “Troy and Abed in the morning!” jingle:

“-are together!”

“-are engaged!”

“-being boyfriends!”

“-become canon!”

Upon them getting together: (very consistent)

Annie saying “Aww! You guys!” *hugs them*

Bets are paid up, sometimes to the exact date/time.

Britta being an overzealous ally.

Shirley accepting them like the loving Christian woman she is.

Members not being surprised.

I love you:

“I love you for all time.” “I love you for all space.”

Complete/reverse parallel of “I love you.” “I know.”

On a related note, this post made me lose my mind all over again.

Abed being Troy’s favorite person.

Platonic!! “I love you”s!!

Mirrored letter closings like “I miss you and I love you.”

Engagement:

Proposing at the same time.

Proposing in a bouncy house/any silly circumstance.

Troy wanting Nadir-Barnes.

A wedding full of homages and hijinks because of course.

Annie telling Troy, “He tried to replace you with his love interest and I tried to replace you with my brother. It was rather on the nose in hindsight,” is GENIUS.

The GENRE that is Epidemiology:

Fighting zombies together!!

Comforting each other/making their doomsday plan after the unknown trauma.

“His thumb grazes across the dark circles under Abed's eyes. Part of him hoped that the action would get rid of them, like wiping away markings on a dry erase board. Even though he knew it wouldn't work, he found himself a little upset that they remained.” I burst into tears.

Affectionate things:

Casually sharing one of the bunks (or doing so because of nightmares).

Platonic cuddling.

“like gently hugging a sack of antlers.” The first fic I read and absolutely everything I wanted.

Forehead kisses.

Abed latching onto/laying across Troy in his sleep. (very consistent; it makes him seem so small.)

Characterization I can see/hear:

“I’m fine,” he said, knowing they didn’t know to ask the spelling.

Abed tilting his head, “cool cool cool,” spreading his hands to set the scene like the storyteller he is.

Troy’s (ADHD brain) mental association gymnastics, saying the wrong word and Abed correcting him (rare detail I want more of), stuff “wrinkling his brain.”

Having buttered noodles, special drink, Lucky Charms, and other fun things.

Abed being described to have doe eyes or gentle, mysterious ones.

Every single time they do the handshake, I mime half of it with a huge grin.

Post-canon: (haven’t read much but happy to have access now)

The ghosts of Original Abed and Original Troy getting to be together forever.

This THREE!!!! PARAGRAPH!!!! HUG!!!!

Never realizing they were in love the entire time because they’re huge dorks and having to figure that out together.

Troy not needing the homing pigeon gene because he was always coming back anyway.

Abed healing from all the acknowledged canon trauma he went through after Troy left, especially with Troy’s help.

Separated character development so they could be together.

General serotonin:

Open, honest communication, especially that expands on scenes or adds missing ones through episode rewrites.

“Troy and Abed at IKEA!”

Understanding all of each other’s facial expressions, and Troy’s huge grins in return to Abed’s small smiles.

Creating something better than anything that’s ever been on TV.

Anything in the Dreamatorium room as it should be.

Intentionally or not acting out “homages” to romcom tropes like Only One Bed or Fake Dating but also subverting/avoiding certain tropes like Miscommunication because they know better.

Troy just knowing how to follow through on a bit without being told, such as in the wedding fic linked earlier, in which 

[“Oh, duh. Don’t worry, guys, I know what this is.” He jogged the length of the apartment twice, and all their friends stared.] and I laughed.

Walking through the halls holding hands and swinging them as far as they can for fun.

Troy calling Abed “buddy” whatever their relationship status is.

Someone else may have made the drawing in the textbook, but Troy added the hearts.

Abed making movies about them because it’s the best story.

Some of my favorite AO3 authors are:

onemechanicalalligator @1mechanicalalligator​

They pack a strong emotional punch in every single work and it’s beautiful.

Fave work: the entire Topics in Romance and Recovery Series; I really need to comment on stuff, but it’s hard to articulate. This series was so validating and healing for me, especially since some of the incidents Abed went through gave me so much anxiety, but also because “Your feelings are valid,” and “Meltdowns aren’t your fault,” started sinking into my head, too. They said they wrote from experience, and I could see it, and I’m so proud of them. We all deserve healing and love.

bothsexuals

Lots of cute concepts and soft single-chapter works I blazed through most of in a few nights.

One of my fave works so far: don’t ever set me aside with the things that you don’t need (a conventions of space and time rewrite); THIS IS HOW EASY IT WOULD BE to make the show more inclusive and kind while staying genuine and funny!! It would be so easy!! But also take effort from people who genuinely cared, like this author. Thank you so much.

In conclusion, to everyone who’s ever written or enjoyed/spread these ideas, and gave this wonderful pairing everything they deserve:

Thank you!! Nya’ll deserve representation and wholesome relationships you believe in portrayed to their fullest potential!! And you do what you can to manifest that and it’s valid and appreciated, trust me!! You only amplify the serotonin they gave me in canon!! Please don’t end posts with “haha never mind I know it’s not-” because those ideas are VALID and you should fully embrace them in your heart!! It’s nya’ll’s movie now!! Make it what you want!!

Please tell me anything I missed that you love, too!!

God bless, Tori. ♥

[thingswhatareawesome]

oh, my dreams (never quite as it seems)

title: oh, my dreams (never quite as it seems) fandom: Tiger and Bunny pairing: Barnaby/Kotetsu (taibani) word count: 2150 summary: Kotetsu’s been having these dreams for most of his life. But they don’t mean anything, right? They’re just some strange coincidence, right? There’s no such thing as soulmates, right?

For the For the March Flash Fiction day two prompt: “Looking for me?”

I know I felt like this before But now I'm feeling it even more Because it came from you

The first time it happened, Kotetsu was young. He and Tomoe had just gotten engaged and were discussing moving to Stern Bild City so he could try to catch the attention of a sponsor and get hired as a hero. Normally not very prone to dreaming, especially with as exhausted as they were after days packed with wedding planning and packing for the move, plus his training and trying to find work, one night he slipped into a strangely clear and coherent dream.

He was being stared down by a scowling blond man who looked just a bit older than him, with a stern face and cold green eyes behind his glasses, wearing a strange mecha-looking suit. The man eventually sighed and gave a frustrated huff. “I thought you were looking for me.”

“Buddy, I have no idea who you even are,” Kotetsu sassed, then abruptly woke up. Blinking up at the ceiling, he thought, what the hell?

Kotetsu forgot the dream soon after, and would have forever if not for it happening again. Life was amazing, everything was going just great! Except Kotetsu was so busy his head spun and it felt like he couldn’t manage to remember everything with all that was going on. He was a hero! And it was everything he hoped for! Mostly! When his sponsors weren’t yelling at him about damages and Ben wasn’t aggravated because he kept doing what he wanted and not what the higher ups at Hero TV wanted! And Tomoe was pregnant! He was going to be a dad to a little girl!  

Then one night he dreamt of that frowning man again, who looked at him and asked, “You said you were looking for me?”

Kotetsu stared and stammered, “I, shit, did I forget something? Did I have an appointment with you? Was it an interview? Did Tomoe need me to get something from you for the nursery?” He flailed and patted at his pockets. “To do list, to do list, oh man, did I lose it?”

The blond man rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his long, swoopy-curled hair with a sigh that suddenly sounded familiar. “Never mind.”

And then Kotetsu woke up, Tomoe laying on his now numb and asleep right arm, and he murmured, “Huh. Stress is really getting to me.”

*

The next time the dream happened, Tomoe was gone. His daughter was in a different city, living with his mother. And Kotetsu was alone. Alone in his apartment, alone in his bed, alone in a sprawling, bustling city where no one really gave a crap about him.

Kotetsu thought he was asleep, but his eyes were open and he was staring up at the shadowed ceiling, and that guy was there in his room, just standing there looking at him. Except this time he was in normal clothes, pants and boots and a red leather jacket. He was frowning like the other times, but different somehow, like he wasn’t so much angry as just…serious, somber, somehow. Concerned, maybe? A little bit.

“Were you…looking for me?” the man asked quietly.

“No.” Kotetsu paused, blinked slowly as he thought for a long moment. “I don’t think I’m looking for anyone or anything anymore.” The only person he wanted to look for was far, far beyond his reach. “But. I. I dunno, I guess…I could use a bit of company for a little bit? If that’s okay.”

The blond man nodded, and Kotetsu felt his eyes flutter, then close, suddenly so very heavy. The last thing he felt before sinking into sleep was the sensation of someone brushing his hair back from his forehead and running a finger every so gently beneath his damp eyes.

*

Five years later, Kotetsu met Barnaby Brooks Jr.

Back at home after that bizzarre day, remembering those three old dreams and thinking about getting caught like a damsel in distress earlier as he fell, being called old man, *and* being shown up on live TV by the aggravating new guy (that somehow he knew??), he rubbed at his face with his hands roughly.

“What,” Kotetsu said to the empty room, “the fuck?”

*

Not long after that, his mother told a tale during one of their phone calls of people who sometimes dreamed of soulmates. Usually, she lectured, the dreams would happen over and over, only ceasing when an emotional connection was formed—like a close friendship or even a romantic relationship. Those whose hearts formed a special bond of love would even begin to see a red string connecting each other.

Kotetsu had snorted and waved a hand to make her stop. Nah, no way, no how was he believing in that sort of cheesy crap. And anyway, he’d already found his soulmate, and lost her, and no young upstart was ever going to be anything like Tomoe had been for him.

*

Well. Okay. Maybe Bunny would end up a friend after all. A good friend. A bona fide partner even. And Kotetsu would do anything for him.

But soulmate? Bunny would surely never let him *that* close. And certainly it would never be romantic love. Tomoe had been it for him. Kotetsu reminded himself of that, swore it to himself, more and more often, each restless night when it was just him in the quiet and dark, or during the day when he caught sight of Bunny and felt a strange pang in his chest, sharp behind his sternum. Tomoe had been *it*, he thought again, feeling the solidness of his wedding ring digging into his finger as he clenched his fist.

And anyway, the dreams had stopped, Kotetsu thought to himself. It’d been years. So whatever connection had already happened, right?

Plus soulmates weren’t real so the dreams stopping was just a random thing that didn’t mean anything anyway. Right?

*

Then the dream happened again. After…after he’d hurt Bunny, by not telling him about losing his powers or wanting to retire, by not trusting him. By *slapping* him. When Kotetsu fell asleep while waiting for Samantha Taylor to return to her home, he saw Bunny walking away from him into an endless expanse of darkness. “Bunny,” he shouted, running to chase after him, reaching and reaching for him, hand outstretched to try to grab him, but he could never manage to get close enough. “Bunny! I’m sorry! I’m looking for you, please, I’m looking for you! Where are you?”

He woke on an unfamiliar couch, mumbling “Where are you?” out loud as he slipped from dream to reality. But then everything blew up in his face, almost literally, and Kotetsu was too busy running for his life and trying to figure out what bizzarro world he was in where no one remembered him to wonder or worry why the dream had returned.

Or why it had changed.

*

Everything was fine. Everything was good. Great, even! Kotetsu retired and moved back home, where ha could be around his daughter and his family, and could be there for Kaede as she learned more and more about her new NEXT powers. He could be there to help his brother at his store when needed, and could help his mother with her garden and with fixing up the house. He was useful!

He was…just sitting around the house, to be honest. A lot. He was so uncool and boring, according to Kaede. He was…

He was missing Bunny. And he was having the dreams again.

A lot.

The dreams were always the same now. Similar to the one he’d had that night at Samantha Taylor’s home, Bunny would be walking away from Kotetsu, never stopping or turning back. Kotetsu would reach out for him but never catch him—though he didn’t shout at Bunny with the same deperation as he had in that earlier dream. Now, he just called out for Bunny, saying “I’m looking for you!” like he was calling to Kaede when she got too far ahead in a crowd and he couldn’t see her. Or sometimes in a tone of voice like Kotetsu had spotted an old school friend across the street, friendly and delighted. Or sometimes yelling to Bunny while sounding oddly lonely and wistful.

And sometimes he’d call out for Bunny flirtatiously, with a lilt to his voice like he used to do when he was being playful and silly with Tomoe.

Huh. Interesting.

Those times, when he woke from the dream, Kotetsu would think Oh. Is that how it is now? Is it? Maybe?

But not like he would ever try to find Bunny and see if the new dreams meant anything. Bunny was getting to live his own life now, finally. And he deserved that—and Kotetsu would do anything to make sure it stayed that way. He could put up with a few dreams if it meant that somewhere out there, Bunny was truly enjoying his life and was happy.

Though the sitting around the house thing, the being an uncool dad thing, the kind of sort of maybe missing being a hero thing? Those, he could do something about. There surely was a way Kotetsu could try again. Make the best of his situation. Kotetsu had Ideas!

*

Being a Second League hero wasn’t so bad. Sure, sometimes he messed up or looked foolish, sometimes the network or fans made fun of him, but that wasn’t all that different than First League had been. And Kotetsu was there on his own terms, making the best of it, and he wasn’t ever going to give up. Not anymore. Wild Tiger was never going to be a quitter, ever again.

Not even when he got caught like a princess needing rescuing yet *again*. Not even when he was going to get written up for damages to some dumb car (and this time it wasn’t even his fault!)

Because Bunny was back, and the way he’d said, “Because I’m your partner” had left Kotetsu feeling like he could soar through the air like Sky High—even as he and Bunny decended into bickering.

Because Bunny was *back*. Bunny was back *for him*.

*

It was like a breath of fresh air to spend time with Bunny again, like something loosened and relaxed in Kotatsu that he hadn’t realized had been tense. Staring out at the night sky and the patchwork quilt of city lights below while on the balcony of Bunny’s new penthouse apartment, Kotetsu marvelled at how light he felt, how hopeful and free. They’d reuinited, and he felt like he was at the start of some big adventure, excitement making him eager to venture forth.

From inside, he heard Bunny calling his name. “I’m out here,” Kotetsu hollered back over his shoulder in response.

Bunny pushed aside the curtains, slipping out through the sliding door. “There you are. I was looking for you.”

Something suddenly made Kotetsu pause and blink, twisting sharply to look at Bunny. Something about the soft curve of Bunny’s smile, the glint of the starlight reflected in his eyes, even through his glasses. The moment felt like something out of a dream. His heart skipped a beat.

“Were you? Looking for me?” he murmured. The moment felt almost fragile, like he was cradling something crystalline in his hands.

Bunny’s eyes widened and he stared at Kotetsu almost as if seeing him for the first time. A long silence fell, and Kotetsu realized he was holding his breath. Then, tentatively, Bunny responded, “yes. Always. I—,” he looked away, biting his lip, then his gaze snapped sharply back to Kotetsu’s as if pulled by a magnet. “Kotetsu,” he said firmly, and a shivering spark shot up Kotetsu’s spine at the use of his actual name, “were you looking for me, too?”

“Oh, Bunny,” Kotetsu reached out carefully to grasp Bunny’s arm, then trailed his fingers down until he could clasp his hand, interlacing their fingers, his skin tingling when the younger man allowed it. The physical touch, the feeling of smooth, warm skin and a firm grip, made everything seem to solidify and suddenly feel real again. For a brief second, he thought he caught a glimpse of something shimmering red and threadlike in the dim light, trailing from his hand and leading to Bunny’s. “I’ve been looking for you for so, so long, you don’t even know.”

Then Bunny smiled, wider and brighter than Kotetsu had ever seen before, his eyes crinkling, and Kotetsu felt the same firework burst of joy in his heart that was there on Bunny’s face, like every dream either of them had ever had, in an instant all at once came true. Then I open up and see The person falling here is me A different way to be

[aelaer]

[1/2] Now this is an actual ask as in asking for help. 👀 I have a problem with Steve and Tony. I spent too much time too early on reading anti/not-friendly post-CW fics about 'Team Cap', and because of that I have been unable to see Tony as a flawed human or Steve as a good person. It's a pattern I've become too familiar with, and even recent stories are often going into that sense. I have been trying for some time now to do something about it, but either the method was bad, or I couldn't

(I tagged a couple people in this post – if you were tagged, the question directed to you is wayyyy at the bottom! Feel free to ignore of course.)

You really hit me with a doozy with this ask. I might offend someone for not thinking the exact same way as them with… everything this topic entails… Steve, Tony, anti-fics. Followers from last year know what happened last time I talked about poor and OOC characterization in fanfic, lmao. Beware The Easily Offended! This Is A Critical Thinking Of Your Hobby Zone! I Am Being Critical Of Specific Types of MCU Fanfic!

Please don’t click the read more button if you can’t handle an opinion that might not match yours. Really. I’m fine with discussing different opinions in a mature manner but if you have issues with people saying they don’t like a specific type of plot, this post is not for you. (The read more button doesn’t appear on the original post for followers using the mobile app, but it works on desktop and in all reblogs. If you don’t see a cut and don’t want to read, just skip it, please).

Yeah. Okay. Moving on. Can’t say folks weren’t warned.

I’ve had this in my drafts for several weeks because of the abuse I got the last time I wrote something critical about certain plot points used in fanfic. I was definitely a bit reluctant to look at this specific topic from an analytical and critical look as I remembered that, but hey, it’s really easy for a coward to use a sockpuppet account and throw abuse. It’s harder to be a minority voice with stark opinions contrasting the popular trend. I’m okay with having a minority opinion amongst the MCU fandom.

(PS - you’re welcome to disagree with my opinions, so long as you’re respectful about it. Remember there are individuals behind the screens!)

Concerning Character Flaws

So the thing about really well-written characters is that they are flawed in some manner. Anyone who thinks Tony or Steve exist without flaws – and I mean real flaws, like arrogance, believing they’re always right, short tempers, and other *real* character flaws that both of these characters have – well, if they don’t think they exist with these flaws, how well do they know the character?

You don’t have to know a character well to be a fan of said character – there’s no rules about that – but if you’re going to write fanfic, and that fanfic entails the character you love against a character you don’t particularly like, I’d say any writer looking to do anything resembling a good job would do their due diligence in figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of both characters before writing the characters themselves. These mental lists of characteristics should be equal for both characters. No, “good abs” is not a character strength if you have no physical aspects in the other character strength column. You don’t have to like a character to still write them well.

Even professionals don’t follow this rule when, say, shows get new writers or comics get different writers, so you might consider me silly expecting those dabbling in fan fiction. But yeah, if an author wants me to take a story seriously as something with quality, I expect the characters to resemble themselves in some manner.

(This level of resemblance varies when you purposefully choose for the protagonist to be evil, be in a completely different time period, etc, but authors who do this *well* still get core personality traits solid, even if morality is out the window or the profession is entirely different. I have a lot of examples from the Sherlock fandom of total AUs that pull this off well – haven’t read nearly enough AUs in the MCU to have a good collection here).

But a resemblance of character, of capturing the three-dimensionality of a character, is what anti-fics simply fail to achieve. The characters they’re anti against usually suffer cases of Flanderization, if they’re not completely out of character altogether in showing traits that were never displayed in the canon, ever. I don’t know why anyone would be interested in such stories, myself, and remain baffled at their popularity. Is there some sort of enjoyment in seeing such a 2D rendition of a character in what is otherwise meant as a serious work and provides absolutely no sense of proper conflict between two characters? Not for me; it immediately takes me out of the story and when it gets too much, I abandon the story. It’s just not enjoyable for me. Turning a canon protagonist into a strawman is just lazy writing and offers nothing to the writer’s favorite, preferred character.

Concerning Steve’s and Tony’s Flaws

Every real human being has some sort of personality flaw that is decidedly unattractive. Some people are really good at showing it very rarely (and are some of the best human beings), but with these two characters we see them at their greatest heights and lowest of lows. Ironically, they actually share a lot of the same flaws, but display them in different manners in canon:

Both men believe they are the best man for the job and will do it without consulting someone who could actually fight against it - or go completely against them. Tony with Ultron is the easy example here. He’s the smartest man in the world and can tackle the issue of protecting it on its own. Steve, same issue, and his job is “helping Bucky”. *He’s* the one who can handle Bucky, the only one who can handle him - big thing in both WS and CW. If both of them had utilized their friends and allies a lot more, a lot of issues could have been avoided.

Both men are sometimes hypocritical. Steve promotes teamwork in all his speeches but again with the Bucky situation. Just… everything Bucky, man. Tony signs the Accords and immediately goes against them with what he gives to Peter, who most assuredly did not sign them (tangent: if he HAD joined the Avengers at the end of Homecoming, I have no idea how that would have gone since Peter would have had to reveal his identity to the UN and then there’s the whole ‘still a minor’ thing, and yeah, Homecoming’s end scene just makes me go nuts). But anyway, their occasional hypocrisy is one of the most realistic aspects of them because most human beings are hypocritical sometimes.

Both men are sometimes arrogant. Tony’s self-explanatory with his genius-playboy-philanthropist-billionaire. One thing he does not suffer from is low self-esteem in regards to his abilities. His arrogance comes from his genius. Steve’s arrogance lies more in his deep-seeded belief that he is on the moral high ground – and one reason I think a lot of people dislike him so much, because moral superiority is very much a faux pas in this day and age for some millennials and many Gen Z folk. He has a very, very solid sense of what is right and what is wrong, and that rubs some folks the wrong way. Tony is more morally fluid – but he is not by any means immoral.

Both of them have a really solid list of strengths as well. As this ask specifically is looking to find the good in Steve, I specifically Googled pro-Steve articles for you to click at your leisure (and one with both). If you need to go back to canon, I highly recommend rewatching The First Avenger and The Winter Soldier, which introduces Steve brilliantly and then lets Steve grow further in the second film.

(Note: I actually prefer Tony to Steve in terms of personal favoritism, but how a very loud segment of Tony fans have treated other characters has led me to be more vocal about the strengths of others, especially Steve and Wanda. So Tony might be in my top 5, but mean-spirited Tony fans have moved me to be a champion of other characters, if only to show other fans that there are indeed Tony fans that do like the other characters and treat them – and their fans – with respect).

Bringing Balance (to the Universe…) Fanfic-Style

This addresses the second part of your ask in regards to the fanfics. And this is where I started running into trouble, too, mostly because, well, just how many Stephen and Steve fics are there? Yeah, exactly. Stephen’s my main guy. So I did some research, outsourcing, and reading.

Here’s two I knew of before cuz Stephen’s in them in some capacity:

Identity Theft by KitKat992 - it stars Peter and both Tony and Steve play integral parts from what I recall. Good story too, very engaging.

A Dysfunctional Senior Year (series) by ApolloLoki97 - this also stars Peter and has a large Team As Family aspect, so it shows the entire Avengers team as just decent people. My favorite part is naturally part 3 because Stephen comes in that one, haha.

And to find other stories, I went into the Anti-Accords tag. It was nice to find fics that didn’t have such a love of hypocritical authoritarianism. Aannyyyyway.

Making Sense of Chaos by SparkedtoLife - mind the tags. Seriously, it’s heavy duty. Yet another Peter fic because he’s way more popular than my favorite character, qq. Lots of Netflix Marvel characters too! Anyway, deals with not only Tony and Steve really well (and has a different dynamic with Tony that isn’t IronDad, so that was a nice change of pace), it also deals with the Accords situation very realistically. And none of those are even main plot points. If you can handle the very serious, sensitive subject that is the main plot point, I highly recommended it. It’s a very masterfully done work.

Atlas by nanasekei - Stony. Treats all characters with respect and both Tony and Steve as three-dimensional, flawed humans with some serious self doubts. Also highly agree with the author that Thaddeus Ross sucks and is basically one of the biggest people to blame for Everything Going To Shit.

Homecoming by an orphaned account - Some Stucky. This is a lovely one-shot of things I basically wanted to happen when the team got together again but didn’t. Sigggghhh. Everyone is definitely in character in this one, traumas and healing and all. And look, another person realizes that trusting Ross is a really horrible idea.

Locks Not Replaced by Riverdaughter - first this writer has a Tolkien-based username so yay. Anyway, the fic starts off by Tony realizing that he almost killed Steve during the fight with his repulsors, and it was only Bucky that stopped him. Do people seriously think he’d survive a shot to the face with that power? This is one reason the ‘Steve tried to kill Tony’ people piss me the fuck off. What do you think those repulsors shoot, fucking rainbows? Honestly, guys. Anyway, mini rant over. This fic is great. Author comes in with a Cap favoritism but treats Tony well, and honestly Tony turning a blind eye to everything and ignoring Ross is what I like to think happened in canon (he clearly dislikes the guy). And also I love the Robin Hood parallels. Love love love. I think this fic is my favorite of the ones listed in this section.

Meeting Your Heroes by Riverdaughter - naturally after reading that fic I went to explore more and found this gem. She’s not incorrect in saying Tony wasn’t a good mentor at the beginning - I think he had his own growth after Peter’s actions in Homecoming especially (though even through Homecoming he was trying, just… not always successfully lmao). Anyway love these two together. It’s great.

Photograph by slytherclaw420 - A scene we deserved in Endgame and didn’t get. Sigh. Definite IronDad feels here. Hopeful Steve, rebuilding of a friendship.

And uh, an honorable mention of sorts:

Balancing the Scales by MoonFire1 - I’m not recommending this fic for good characterization or plot. It really doesn’t have either. The fic was written in retaliation for the nasty Tony fans completely trashing Steve’s character. You should only read this if you want to see the argument from “the other side” and if you want to see an anti-Tony fic like you’ve seen anti-Steve fics. Don’t harass the author though. This is presented as a counterargument to anti-Steve fiction, for those interested to read the other sides arguments. I don’t like the nature of the fic, but I loathe that “not Steve friendly” has 30 fucking pages of works with tens of thousands of kudos, so one anti-Tony fic (with a comparatively small three pages under that tag) really doesn’t compare. Ugh. I hate the anti culture in this fandom so much. Loathe it. It’s such a nasty energy! Why would you indulge in such negativity? But as I’ve mentioned before, I appreciate authors aware enough to tag it so I can avoid it. I wish that part of fandom culture didn’t exist, but well, can’t change it. Just can criticize the fuck out of it on my blog. Maybe encourage people to think less one-sided in the process if I’m lucky.

But there’s probably more good characterization Steve fics to be found, so I am forcefully recruiting two people via tag:

If you’re looking to dabble into Stony fics with good-guy-Steve, if anyone would know of any, I’d imagine it’d be @babywarg.

You don’t know this person, but @cairistiona7 has actually known me the longest of anyone here on tumblr (half my life! HALF! She even knows my real name :P She betaed a LOTR work of mine a decade ago I ended up never fully publishing… thanks again for all your help there…). Anyway, she’s a big Bucky fan, and Bucky friendships is the best thing. So if anyone would know any wholesome Bucky and Steve stories, it’d be her. (Or really I’d take any of your recs, Cair, as I’ll probably enjoy them as well).

I hope this was helpful to you md, and that I didn’t piss off too many of my followers in the process of answering this lol.

[wat-the-cur]

I honestly feel I must apologise to all you chaps who started following me for DS9 and Blake’s 7. I know I’ve been pretty much stuck in the Lost Boys rabbit hole for a long time now, and I’ve recently been spending most of my time on my AMB sideblog. So, my main has been pretty neglected. I’m sorry, because I’m so grateful that I met all you guys through these shows, and I feel like I’ve been snubbing you all by not being active in the fandoms. Believe me when I say that I have not fallen out of love with either of these shows. It’s just, when I get into something, I get into it hard, and I find it difficult to focus on much else. 

I just sort of fell in love with the characters of Sam, Edgar and Alan of TLB. They came at a time when I needed them and they have been a big comfort to me for some time. I also feel like I can speak about them with more confidence than I can about many of my favourites from DS9, or B7. I never really felt I could contribute a great deal to DS9, or B7 conversations, because they are very hefty shows with a lot of character development and thematic complexity behind them. TLB, by contrast is easier for me to digest and has a lot of wiggle room in term of character interpretation. Interpretations that have broadened my interests, beyond them and the TLB series. Things I never gave much thought to before. 

Much the same thing occurred when I first watched DS9, then Blake’s 7. I used to say that I didn’t like sci fi. Science was always a difficult topic for me to get my teeth into and I found it difficult to stay engaged with technical talk. The emphasis on character, culture and relationships in DS9 showed me that there was more to the genre than that. It opened a door for me. Both in terms of creativity, and connection. I really started to connect with fellow fans, after I began to post about DS9 and I met so many wonderful people. If I had not seen DS9, I would never have given Blake’s 7 a chance. Much as I adore DS9, Blake’s 7 hit me closer to were I live. Quite literally, as it’s an English programme. The outlooks, attitudes, aesthetics and feel of the programme felt much more like those I grew up with, more familiar. The Liberator/Scorpio crew almost feel like family to me. Again, I made more friends! The B7 fan base is like a family in itself. It is smaller than the Star Trek fan base and very tight. Everyone seems to know everyone and I feel privileged to know a few of you chaps. 

This is sounding almost like a goodbye note, but it is not. Not in the least. It is an apology and it is a tribute, however, because the last thing I want is to have you chaps think I don’t care about these things, anymore. I do. I have difficulty balancing my interests fairly and it is frustrating to me. When my interests shift, even for an hour, I become afraid I will lose one of the one I was thinking of, before. Silly, isn’t it? I feel like a kid trying to carry as many teddies as possible without dropping one. I just hope you, my fellow DS9 and B7 fans have not been too annoyed by my persistent TLB posting. 

[crue-sixx]

Save the Girl

Title:  Save the Girl

Author: tiddly-winx

Fandom: The Dirt (Motley Crue)

Summary: The reader is getting married to her fiancee Jerry and Tommy has feelings for her, but thinks that she's happy with Jerry so he doesn't say anything.  Looks can be deceiving though.

Warning: Domestic abuse mention, swearing, fluff.  If any of these makes you uncomfortable please don't read.

Things were all ready for the wedding, just a few weeks away.  You were happy to be marrying Jerry, the love of your life.  He had his moments, but he was only human.  We all have our faults, like you couldn't cook for shit or do housework correctly.  Of course, you'd never even thought of doing housework when you were going to university for finance.  You were the top of your class, graduating valedictorian will a full ride to the best business school in the country.  Then you met Jerry and everything changed.

He told you of all the things he'd do for you when your first got together- get a job so you'd never have to work, stay home and take care of the house and eventual children.  That seemed like a beautiful dream, then he started doing things to hinder your chances at being your own person.  Like hiding your acceptance letter from business school and the accompanying forms for you to fill out.  He only mentioned it after you asked about it, which of course was after you called the school to see what was taking so long.  By that time, the acceptance date had passed.

You got into a screaming match with him, and in the middle of a sentence, that was the first time he hit you.  The both of you were stunned into silence, before you left the apartment you shared with him and went to your mother's house.  There, you got yet another shock when she said "It's your fault he hit you.  You should give up on your silly dream and settle down" you mother had always been the traditional housewife and all you saw was a miserable shell of what she used to be.  You then left her house and went to a hotel for a few days.

Then you made the biggest mistake of your life-you went crawling back to Jerry begging for forgiveness.  He took you in and said "Now don't make me hit you again, Y/N" you looked to the ground in shame.  He let you apply to the school again, but he had to know all the names of your teachers, classmates, when you had class and when you'd be home.  If you were even a few minutes late, you'd be in one of your lover's quarrels again.

In time, you got a job in an accounting firm as a financial advisor to one Mick Mars, the guitarist from the notorious rock band Motley Crue.  He seemed cool at first but when you saw notes in his financial record for $10,000 loans under the tag "snacks" you knew you were dealing with a substance abuser.  You looked up at him during one of your weekly meetings and said "Mr. Mars, if you keep taking out loans for 'snacks' you will be bankrupt in four months" you didn't care about what he did, but if he didn't have enough money to pay you to keep his checkbook balanced then you'd have to drop one of your most notable clients-an event that would have ended your career.

"Okay Miss L/N" he sighed, getting up with a grunt.  He had disclosed his medical condition to you, and you felt for him.  You would make sure that he'd have enough money for medications and treatment, even if it meant that you'd secretly put some of your own money in his account.  He remained quiet a moment then asked "Would you like a drink with me when you get off?"

You were taken aback by this offer, but it had been a long time since you had a drink with another person.  Jerry never let you go anywhere without him-even to your mother's house on holidays.  He'd even call you at work multiple times a day to see what you were doing, and if you didn't answer he'd interrogate you when you got home, accuse you of cheating on him and he'd hit you again.  "Just a quick drink wouldn't hurt" you smiled at Mick, since you'd be off the clock in a few minutes anyway.

When you drank with him, you found him much more interesting than you originally thought.  He was only a year or two older than you and you'd been his financial advisor for over a year now.  You felt a real connection with him and he was a perfect gentleman.  You started talking about Jerry, how he never lets you do anything and you always had to be on call for him.  Mick looked at you with utter shock.  "If he's such an asshole to you, then why are you with him?"

"I don't know" you answered truthfully, playing with your engagement ring "he's the only one who talked to me when I was in school, the only man to show interest in a nerd like me..."

"That's not a reason to marry someone" he told you "Hell, even dating him sounds like a nightmare!" he laughed, but you just shuddered.  You became very uncomfortable at that point and excused yourself, saying you'd see him at next weeks client meeting.

After you'd left, Mick scolded himself.  "I'm such a goddamned idiot..." he had liked you from the first client meeting.  You were intelligent, courteous and explained everything in layman's terms so he'd understand what you were doing for him.  He was quite impressed at the delicate way you told him to stop with the "snack" runs.  The last few financial advisors he'd hired cursed him out and dropped him as a client after a month.  He sat at the bar and sighed, taking a swig of vodka.

Jerry was waiting for you when you came in "Who was that old dude you were just with at the bar?" in the calmest tone he could muster.  The pit of your stomach fell through, knowing that tone meant a beating.

"Just one of my clients" you choked out "we had a weekly meeting today and he invited me for a drink afterward..."

"Is that so?" Jerry got up and grabbed your wrist tightly "are you fucking him too?"

"Jerry, let go" you winced "You're hurting me..."

"ARE YOU FUCKING HIM LIKE THE LITTLE SLUT YOU ARE?!" this was the last thing you remember before he hit you again.

The next morning, you surveyed the damage to your face-a black eye and a busted lip.  Your eyes started tearing up as you put on make-up to cover the injuries.  The looks you got at the office were a mixture of sadness, horror and pity.  This you expected after a beating, but what you didn't expect was Mick Mars coming in to apologize for saying what he did last night.  He took a good look at your face "What the fuck happened?!"

"It's nothing..." you assured him.

"A black eye and split lip isn't nothing!  Who did that to you?!"

It was then your best friend Lily walked by and answered "Her good for nothing, woman beatin' fiancee!"

"Lily!" you scolded "I told you that in confidence!"

"Yeah!" Lily shot back "I am confident that man'll kill you if you don't leave his sorry ass!  Hell, you can come stay with me a while!  Me and Johnny love havin' you around!" Johnny being her husband.

Mick looked like he was about to explode in rage "Or me!  I wouldn't mind having you in Mars Mountain with me!" that being the name he'd chosen for his residence, as he bought a whole mountain for himself.  Lily looked Mick up and down in a playful, quizzical manner.  He grew annoyed and said "What?"

She smiled and said "Nothin'" she shuffled some papers on the desk "Just that I've been seein' the glances you been eye'n Y/N with ever since she took you on as a client" her tone had changed from serious to flirty.

He blushed a little and said "I have no idea what you're talking about..."

"Don't play dumb!  You've wanted to hold her in your arms for a long, long time!"

You too were blushing, you having the same thought from time to time.  Just the other night, you dreamed that you were getting married to him instead of Jerry, and you were happy.  You cleared your throat and said "Mr. Mars, if you have no other business today, please leave..."

He bit his lip and showed himself out, after he left you chewed out Lily for bringing your personal business to a client.  "Girl, when are you gonna see that man isn't fit to be your pool boy much less your husband!  Does he have to put you in the hospital for you to leave him?!"

"Jerry loves me!  He just gets rough sometimes!" you defended him.

Lily stared at you like you had seven heads.  "That isn't what love is, Y/N!  He loves the control you let him have over you!  That man you just put out" she motioned to the door "that man loves you!"

"How do you know that?" you asked sarcastically.

"Because he looks at you the same way my husband still looks at me after ten years of marriage!"  she slammed her hands on the desk "he even offered his home to you, you stupid bitch!"

That was all you could take for today, so you informed your supervisor that you'd be taking the rest of the day off and to cancel all your appointments.  This was a rare thing for you so you'd been granted the off time right away.  You went back to the apartment and went to sleep.  When you woke up, Jerry had come home and asked "What are you doing home?" in the calm, dangerous voice.

"I had a bad day at work, so I came home to chill out" you wiped your eyes.

"Were you waiting for your other boyfriend?  The old guy from the bar?" he asked.

"No!" you got up to defend yourself "Yes, he came by the office but that was to apologize for something he said yesterday!" you then felt his hands around your neck and squeeze.  You were gasping for air, hearing the words "slut", "tramp" and "I'll kill you" before the world began to shrink and spin, until there was only black.

The next week, Mick went to his meeting with Miss L/N as usual, but he was greeted by Lily, who had taken all of Y/N appointments for her.  In her most professional voice, she said "I'm very sorry Mr. Mars, but Miss L/N is indisposed for a few days" she was writing something on a note card and slide it over to him "If you'd like to reschedule for when she comes back, I'd be more than happy to set that up for you!"

"No, that's okay" he read the card, putting it in his coat pocket "Please let her know that I stopped by" he shook Lily's hand.

"Go save that woman from that devil, ya hear me?" he nodded and walked to a payphone, where he dialed three numbers and asked for the same favor from all three recipients.  They all know it had to be serious-Mick Mars never asked for favors.

The note card read "L.A. General Hospital.  Room 342" he knew from experience that the third floor of L.A. General was the   intensive care floor, so you HAD to be in a bad way.  He was met by Vince, Tommy and Nikki at the door and they all made their way to 342.  He wasn't ready to see you in a comatose state with a tube breathing for you.  He was expecting Jerry to be there, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Doc" Mick pulled the doctor inside the room "What the fuck happened?"

The doctor looked over the chart and said "From what her fiancee told us, she tried to hang herself with a leather belt"  he was skeptical and added "but those bruises look an awful lot like hand prints, wouldn't you agree?"

The four of them nodded their agreement when Tommy asked "Where is her fiancee now?"

"Jail" the doctor said "we didn't believe his story one bit and the police investigated the scene, found no belt in the apartment at all and questioned some of her coworkers" Mick gulped and his eyes began to water.

"How long's she been like this?" he nervously asked, his band mates putting their arms around him to comfort him.

"Six days" the doctor answered "she does show signs of improvement, brain activity and such.  The bastard crushed her windpipe..." the doctor had gotten angry.

"So there's a chance she'll wake up?" Vince asked, Mick too distraught to continue.

The doctor smiled "She's stronger than she gives herself credit for.  She was dead when they bought her in.  She gets better everyday."

Mick had composed himself and asked "Has she said anything since..." he couldn't finish the sentence.

"She keeps saying 'Mick' from time to time.  Who Mick is, we don't know" Mick smiled a weak grin, but he went to sit next to you and held your hand.  The doctor had a spark of realization and he excused himself, explaining that if they had any more questions, just ask him.

"So what do you want us to do now, Mick?" Nikki asked him.

"Go to her apartment, pack her stuff and take it to Mars Mountain" he interlocked his fingers with yours "Go to Underhill Financial Advisors, ask for Lily Collins.  Explain who you are and what's happened.  She'll give you everything you need" they did as they were asked and Lily did help them, her and her husband Johnny helping move your things to Mick's house.

A few days later, your eye fluttered open.  The tube having been removed from your throat seeing as it wasn't needed any longer.  The day Mick came to you and held your hand like a lover for the first time, you began breathing on your own.  You looked around gathering your surroundings.  Mick felt you stir and he looked down at you "Y/N?"

"Mick?  Where am I?" you said in a hoarse voice, you flinching at the pain it caused you to talk.

"The hospital" he answered "Jerry choked you into a  coma about a week and a half ago" you bolted upright at the mention of Jerry's name.  Not out of concern, but out of fear he'd come back to finish you.

"Is he here?!" you looked like a scared meerkat, scanning the area for danger.

"No, honey he's in jail" he stroked your hair lovingly "he can't hurt you any more..."

You cried silent tears of relief as he comforted you, thoughts of what that man put you through the last three years melting off you like wax.  "What about the apartment?" you asked him, looking up with your big E/C doe eyes.

"My friends, Lily and Johnny moved all your stuff into my place" he said, kissing your hand "if you'll have me that is."

"Mind if we take it slow?" you asked.

"Of course, honey" he then kissed your forehead "We have all the time in the world."

[5secondsofrant]

Bye and thank you!

This is sort of a goodbye and thank you letter all in one. So, i’m thanking you for reading/following/asking/etc immediately in case you don’t want to read the rest of this. 

First of all, sorry for dissapearing out of nowhere. At some point I decided I didn’t want to log back and  then I fucking forgot my password lol. But decided to try and remember it so I can give you all a proper thank you and goodbye and close this year and leave this blog behind with 2019.

Back in February I created this blog because by the end of 2018 I started reading this kind of blogs and I thought it was an interesting outlet, and also one where I wouldn’t bother my friend with theories.

I thought about leaving it back in March but I stayed to analyze media behavior about the boys (reason why I discussed about their relationships, since Modest! is really romance-driven about their clients) and also because new music was being released and I shared my opinion, so I stayed for a little while. 

To be honest, I never had some sort of intention with this blog. I just wanted to put my thoughts somewhere and that was it. As much as I enjoyed engaging here and making posts with silly, unfunny, dry puns, it isn’t something I look forward anymore.

And also, while I still like the music, the boys’s enviroment it’s really tiring. It can be really drama driven, toxic and just overwhelming at times. I appreciate them on their own, and to be honest, those of you who have been around since forever, you truly deserve a medal, because while we can separate them from their music, their personal life stains their career a bit (whether is their choice or not). Your dedication and patience is admirable.

I don’t know if I’ll leave the blog up forever (it will stay for a while though) or if I’ll give it away (if I find someone who I find fitting and has similar thougts and ethics to me, I guess)

But whatever I decide, I encourage you to not change your opinion to fit the crowd. I encourage you to share it and make outlets if you find it necessary, and discuss stuff with responsibility and respect. Look at things from all points of view, especially if you’re seeing this industry that is really toxic and manipulative. People look to the other side but there are so many cases that have come out about mistreatment and so many that will come out eventually, sadly. 

I also encourage you to analyze the news you’re told. Not only about 5SOS (hey fucking assholes at dailymail that don’t know how to write proper titles), but everything else media show you because there’s always some interest behind. Don’t get too hard on it, but if it’s something that concerns you, try to look at the bigger picture before making judgments.

Also, don’t get down the rabbit hole. Do it with responsability. It’s easy to get caught up about things about the boys because something is always happening to them because of their partners or friends, so know when to take a step back. Take care about your mental health! Many people can mock and think they’re the biggest person because you care about your band, but it’s nothing bad while you know your limits. It’s okay to get feelings involved with bands or art in general, because at the end of the day, they’re sharing a part of them with you. Just don’t get extreme about a boy or the whole band or to the point where you’re not taking care of yourself.

And last but not least, I hope those guys get a proper management soon. They’re gems. Their music is fucking great and they were stuck with two rich kids who play with a computer to create music. It was disrespectful to them and their career, so their management can eat shit. The boys have been putting out great music since they began, but their career has always been shadowed by their love and sometimes personal life in general. I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why they aren’t bigger (though they are big but for some reason they don’t hit like other artists). I hope they get to understand (or maybe this is more about ashton) that they don’t need to put out an specific music genre to be taken seriously, or go on tour on arenas with another band for it. They just have to embrace who they are and their fandom. If it’s mostly females, it doesn’t fucking matter because having a “female fandom” is only looked down because of sexism. 

I hope that in 2020 and with the next release, it’s all about them and not their partners putting out a show like it happened with youngblood. If you love someone, you gotta be respectful to them as a whole, which includes their craft that happens to be their job. I hope they do great with 5sos4, and hopefully there’s a 5sos5 without charlie puth (sorry i just had to) or any pressures from a label to sing about certain topic and in a certain genre.

After my final rant lol, I just have to say I’m forever grateful for those of you who asked, commented, chatted and corrected me. This little community here is really nice and I’ll always appreciate the outlet where we had respectful discussions and exchange of points of view. I’m not active in the fandom because it’s really off-putting to me, but here I found a place and it meant a lot. I hope I could make you see things from other perspectives as you guys made me do. And I hope this place served you as a safe enviroment to give your opinion.

With all of that said, I wish you a happy new year. I really really hope you all have a wonderful 2020. Thank you for everything! :)

- 

PS: Sorry to all the anons leaving asks that I didn’t or won’t respond for obvious reasons. Thank you for coming to me! I hope you found a blog that could help you discuss/understand the topics you were asking about.