#TJs Writing

[tj-dragonblade]

🥖🥖🥖🥖

Please and thank you 🙏

Nonono, thank you! Here is a freshly-minted exchange that's skipping ahead a little from the last bit, and probably still needs some refinement but inspiration struck:

"Everybody always says the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" Dream blinks, warm bread still clutched in both hands, speaks with his mouth half-full. "A selkie's heart is better accessed by cracking the ribcage which protects it. Is human anatomy so different?" Hob laughs; he can't help it. "Sorry, sorry," he manages shortly, Dream's little pout very nearly setting him off again. "It's a. A saying, a figure of speech. Humans, we tend to view the heart—metaphorically—as the seat of our emotions. My actual heart's right here behind my ribs, same as yours I imagine." He splays his hand over the left side of his chest to indicate the general location. "So the way to the heart being through the stomach means…it means that feeding someone, cooking for them, is a good way to woo their affections." Dream blinks again, swallows his mouthful, tilts his head slightly. "Is that what you are doing, then? Wooing my affections when we are already wed?" Hob can feel the heat rising in his face. "Well. I mean. Mostly I want to make sure you're not going hungry for no reason. But, uh." He glances away and back again, fidgeting with his earlobe. "Even if we're doing things a bit backward, yes, maybe. Maybe I am, at that."

[tjagbo]

[tj-dragonblade]

Oh my goodness, thank you!! What a lovely treat to wake up to! I'm so delighted that you like the fic enough to keep coming back and then there's this on top? With all these little elements from the story pulled together so nicely? I am beside myself with glee; this is beautiful. Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️

A Sweet Romance Beginning In a Queue

a moodboard for one of my favorite Dream x Hob fics by @tj-dragonblade :) this fic is so soft and cozy and easy... i find myself rereading it a lot. so i wanted to make something for it ♥ click the title for the ao3 link!

[arsenicflame]

(im only on chapter 5, don't tell me if it follows through or not)

[tinyowlthoughts]

"I want to be remembered as the Anti-JK-Rowling."

"JK Rowling the billionaire author (which, by the way, billionaires should not exist) who instead of using her wealth and reach to better our world has decided to spend her days on Twitter attacking trans people for having the audacity to exist. Imagine, you are one of the BIGGEST authors the world has ever known, writing books for standing up for what's right, only to turn into the villain you warned about.

"What a slap in the face that is. What an absolute betrayal. People like that - people who think that they are somehow better than others, more human, deserve to be shunned from society, no ifs, ands, or buts, and nothing less than just that. At the end of the day, Rowling has no idea who I am, and that's okay. I'm going to keep on doing what I'm doing, writing for my community who deserves to see themselves in books.

"Our stories matter. Important stories that show all the different facets of our lives. Stories where we get to be the heroes. Stories where we get to be the villains. Stories where our truths are put down on page. Trans and nonbinary authors like Ryka Aoki, Anna Marie Macklemore, Andrew Joseph White. Those authors are telling trans stories in a way that no one has ever done before, putting trans characters front and center where they belong in stories that defy imagination."

TJ Klune Library Journal Day of Dialog 5/9/2024

[toxotesjc]

Every time I look at hockey news it's like this

California News: are the Ducks getting lazy??

by Bob Kowchpo-Tayto | Contributor

Rumors out of California tell us Satan himself may be the front-runner for the Ducks' head coach. "I think he'll really whip us into shape," said captain Radko Gudas, nervously and accurately.

More news stories for you: You can bet the farm on it: the NHL's official gambling app now accepts real estate, your children's college funds, and real human souls!

Meltdown! See what happened when we locked the little gay ones on the Sharks in separate rooms all night.

Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly in talks to trade EVERYONE

[tj-dragonblade]

I'm delighted to hear it, this is such a high honor! It is indeed a goal in life to write fics that people want to come back to, for any reason, and being the horny-fic go-to is like. The crown jewel on that cake. To mix some metaphors. You've made my day, thank you 😊❤️‍🔥😊

(High-fiving Seiya on the way out)

my dream as a fanfic writer is for one day, one of my fics to be someones comfort fic. like the fic that they reread when they don't feel good and want to be happy. i want my words to comfort someone one day

[mariaashby64]

Just finished Wolfsong by TJ Klune, and I've never so badly wanted to inject someone's prose into my veins.

[pollyanna-nana]

“I can’t help anyone…”

An analysis of Kieran and how it relates to his most controversial scene.

Warning for Indigo Disk DLC spoilers ahead

——————

Greetings! I’ve made it no secret that, despite what some people think of him, I am very fond of Kieran Pokémon’s little emo ass. As a result, when perusing the tags I’ve been bombarded with a lot of very… questionable takes regarding his personality and character, which I simply do not agree with. In particular, I’ve seen a lot of interpretations of a specific scene that I don’t think get at the heart of the story and have some fundamental misunderstandings of the subtextual clues we’re given about how Kieran and Carmine were raised, and I wanted to take the opportunity to present my own interpretations and how I have come to understand this young boy’s complex journey to self acceptance.

This scene, right here, has been the source of many specific complaints I’ve seen regarding Kieran’s character. I’ve seen people saying that his actions here make him a bully, that he’s shaming a fellow student for having troubles at home, and generally is an unpleasant, entitled person. And while I think there’s definitely some truth to those points (and they make him all the more interesting…) I don’t think a lot of these people are thinking about what this scene is really trying to tell us.

Yes, it’s showing the player that Kieran has changed since we last saw him. That his shy, kind demeanor has been supplanted by a stark cruelty that was hinted at in the end of Teal Mask, and that we have reason to fear and fear for him. However. I would argue that it also serves to tell us more about what Kieran himself has dealt with as a student at Blueberry academy. Specifically...

Kieran’s struggle with identity and self worth.

From the earliest segments of Teal Mask, we get strong indications that Kieran has quite the inferiority complex. Worse still, said feelings are reinforced by the people around him, knowingly or not. Here, when Carmine tells us that Kieran's "nearly as strong as she is", we know she simply means to compliment us in her own Carmine-ish way. However, purposefully or not, it reinforces Kieran's idea as someone who is always, at best, almost good enough. Almost as strong as his sister. Never as or more.

He tells the player that he'll hang back, not wanting to get in our way. With no prior prompting, either. How many times has he been made to feel that he was a burden? I adore Carmine, but one of her most pressing flaws is her struggle to make Kieran feel loved and wanted. Which, is actually pretty normal between siblings as she herself is a child. But still, given how much Kieran clearly loves and respects her, her words hold a lot of weight. And it's only Carmine who we get to see treat Kieran this way. While it's possible it's coming almost entirely from her, I'll discuss later why I think it may be more complicated than that. For now, though, it's clear that Kieran himself thinks very lowly of his abilities and would rather stay out of people's way, lest they berate him for perceived inadequacies.

He's had problematic behavior modeled for him by Carmine.

Here, too, we see how Carmine's treatment of him reinforced some very negative ideas of interpersonal conflict and resolution. All throughout Teal Mask, Carmine is telling him to shut up and be quiet, and does what she thinks is best for him without consideration for how it may make him feel. No physical violence, but emotional abuse is abuse all the same. While we know that she was ultimately trying to do what was best for him, and had very good reasons for keeping secrets, its undeniable that the words she used only further reinforced the idea that the strong will push around the weak, and that they have no need for anyone who falls behind in some way.

This scene in particular is fascinating, as we get to see first hand the kind of dynamic that pushed his feelings of inadequacy towards the breaking point. Here, after the player and Carmine run into Ogerpon for the first time, he thinks her weird behavior is because they were making fun of him. It's already sad that he would jump to that conclusion, but then Carmine smiles through his entire dialogue and says nothing. No reassurance, no denial, nothing. Kieran walked away from this conversation thinking that his sister and his new friend were talking about how much they dislike him. Speaking from personal experience, constantly feeling like people are talking about you behind your back at a young age can lead to you becoming brutally honest in a maladaptive way, and it can lead to people thinking you're cruel and unkind because you refuse to keep your thoughts to yourself.

Generational trauma, neurodivergence and cycles of abuse.

Here is where we leave screenshot land for a bit and I talk more about things that I suspect to be true, but cannot ultimately prove. However, I ask that you bear with me here and consider what may be going on above the heads of the child protagonists in a children's video game. (After all, if some people can write whole essays comparing Kieran's behavior to some very serious real-world events... I think I am within my right here!)

Kieran and Carmine, to me, match very strongly with the idea that they came from a bad home life. I don't necessarily mean their grandparents, as they seem nice enough (though flawed), but instead that their parents, whoever they were, contributed substantially to their strained relationship and problematic behavior. This post may seem very Carmine-negative, but I actually do not blame her for what she's done, not really. I do think that she has the agency and experience to take responsibility for how she's treated her brother, but I also think that it is something that was modeled for her by her parents, caretakers and teachers. I think it's very important to keep in mind in all conversations about these two that negative behaviors like these rarely manifest out of the ether. When I see child characters acting this way, I think less "wow, what horrible people!" and more "who in your life is modeling this kind of behavior for you?"

Full disclosure: I am an older sister myself, and my younger sister is very close to me in age in the same way that I see Carmine and Kieran as being. I see a lot of myself in her, which is why I deeply understand her frame of mind in everything here. Being expected to be the emotionally mature one in a sibling dynamic is difficult when you're so close in age, and it can lead to a lot of frustration as you feel like you're made to grow up too fast while your younger sibling is shielded from responsibility. It also doesn't help if the adults in your life model a lot of negative behavior, especially power dynamics, and if you have any sort of neurodivergency.

Speaking of... I wholeheartedly agree with the interpretations of the siblings having some combination of autism, ADHD, BPD or several other potential conditions. I won't go into depth, but without question there's something going on with them that's both untreated and misunderstood by those around them. Which, makes a lot of sense considering where they come from. Kitakami is a small nation, mostly agriculture based, and Carmine in particular is very resistant to the idea of it becoming a tourist destination for wealthier countries. They may not have the resources and infrastructure, along with cultural awareness, to properly diagnose and treat certain mental health conditions. Kieran doesn't even have a phone!

Something I don't see mentioned often is how Kieran and Carmine being at Blueberry is more than likely a very isolating experience for both. Being at a prestigious school in Poke-America, when coming from rural Poke-Japan, must've been a very difficult transition. Given that it doesn't seem like ANY of the adults in their lives are interested in their mental and physical well-being, I can only imagine that exacerbated their already existing issues. Not to mention that the culture of BB seems to be overly concerned with strength in battles, it's no wonder that both children's worst traits were made to fester over time.

Entitlement and disenfranchisement

Okay, enough of that. Back to screenshots. Here I want to talk about how some people interpret Kieran as being bratty and entitled, and while I don't necessarily disagree, I think with the context of everything previously laid out in this post that it's a lot deeper than simple entitlement. We know, from his own words, that all he wants is acceptance, independence, and meaningful human connections. To him, that comes in the form of strong pokemon (acceptance at the academy), going anywhere he wants (feeling empowered and self-confident), and being able to make friends with "anyone". Any friends at all, really.

While his "I worked so hard, and for what?! I STILL lost in the end!" can feel petulant and whiny, it also cuts deep for anyone who has grown up without. I think it's very important to note that Kieran is at precisely the age when systemic inequalities really start to weigh on someone, and before the brain and life experiences are developed enough to handle it in a healthy way. While some cope better than others, for many around this age the weight of knowing that there are people out there who simply have more than you ever will not by any sort of effort or triumph, but rather than the dumb luck of birth into a wealthy, privileged setting... well, it can be crushing.

It's something most grow out of, but for a kid like Kieran, who was so obsessed with the story of a genuine injustice (Ogerpon vs. the 'loyal' three), is it any wonder that he would react this way? The player is a particularly extreme example, of course, as protagonist powers are some real bullshit. Coming to terms with the fact that the system has failed him, but he can still achieve great things and become a person he can be proud of, is something that will probably only come with time and wisdom as it does for most of us. In the interim, though, petty teenage tantrums are to be more or less expected.

Feeling powerless.

In case you think I'm extrapolating far too much, I think it's important to note that, after the severe shock that was Terapagos breaking out of its own ball, Kieran reinforces all of these ideas himself. Here, when Carmine is begging him to help you, he refuses not because of hatred of you but rather his own self-doubt and loathing. Which, ultimately, has always been the core of everything Kieran has done up to this point in Indigo Disk's plot. He believed so strongly that if only he could become stronger, then he could prove to everyone, and more importantly himself, that he was worthy of taking up space and achieving his own dreams. But it's here, when everything truly comes crashing down around him, that the facade slips and shows Kieran as he truly is- a little boy who feels helpless in his current circumstances.

I've seen people say that when he cries after becoming determined to help you defeat Terapagos, it's out of jealousy or anger. However, I couldn't disagree more. The light returning to his eyes shows, in my view, that Kieran feels hope for the first time since he had his dreams crushed back in Teal Mask. That, even though he feels powerless, even though he's hurt people and hurt himself, he's still wanted. That he can do something meaningful, even if it's just cleaning up the mess he helped to make. (Briar don't think I've forgotten about you. You're the most culpable in this situation given you're the only adult- but I digress.)

In conclusion.

He bapy.

No but really, what does all of this even mean? I think going back and reading the conversation at the start of the post, especially if you were initially put off by it, with the context outlined here changes a lot about how one can interpret Kieran's behavior. Note that I am not trying to justify anything he said or did, but rather point out that this fictional child has some serious, unresolved issues that deserve time and thought turned towards them, especially in the way that they reflect real-world individuals and systems. Ultimately, if you want my opinion I think Kieran would be a pretty nasty person to know in real life if I was in school still, but you know what? So was I at his age. And so were most people, if I'm being honest. But that doesn't tarnish a person forever. All of life isn't high school, even though Kieran- or you, reading this right now- may feel like it is. He has a lot of growing up to do, but that's life. And in the meantime, he sure is one hell of an interesting character to follow.

[tj-dragonblade]

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 pls!!!!

Absolutely! Slowly but surely I'm adding bits to the Turbo Lover story; here's a little snippet:

"You must tell me if you wish to leave," Dream says, as they ascend the steps of his family's mansion. "I understand that this will likely be uncomfortable for you." Hob shakes his head; Dream isn't wrong, but he's prepared himself for a lot of snobbery and he's a big boy besides. He can handle it. "Oh no, I'll be fine. Tonight is all about getting out of this sort of thing in the future, right? I'm at your service, love. Imagine me your loyal knight, here to guard your flank and perform any deed you may require." He skips over the 'defending your honor' that he wants to throw in, as it's probably a bit much; Dream had asked for help in embarrassing his mother, not Hob's protection from his family's cruelty. Not going to stop him if the need arises, though.

[tj-dragonblade]

Ooh, thanks for the tag! Hmmmmmmm. Prooobably I would pick The Keeper and the Traveler. I don't exactly know what's going on in the world I tried to create there but it might be fun to figure it out in person. As myself.

@valeriianz @chaosheadspace @staroftheendless @teejaystumbles I am curious what y'all might pick?

you get put in one of the fics you've written (can be an existing character or yourself as an extra or whatever) which if ur fics would you prefer if you got to pic?

that’s a super cool ask thank you!!!

i’d choose a destiel fic i wrote with @emeraldcas called changing channels: queer premiere in which dean and cas get thrown into the world of different tv shows. i just think it would be really cool to meet so many characters irl

[permetutotheworld]

200 follower events!!

freakin crazy that i got here, i only got tumblr at the start of summer but ive made some wonderful friends here and im so glad i joined

TJE EVENT: same as last time, anyone can send in a poem/microfic request for these fandoms - les mis, marauders, good omens, TJ Klune books (any of them) and percy jackson, it can be based off of a song, a character or a scenario

eg: poem for regulus about when he got the mark, or microfic about lily based off of yoko by maisie oeters

FOR MOOTS ONLY:

🩷 - i will give you a colour, a song and a fictional character

💛 - i will assign you one of my ocs in the book im writing and explain why (very detailed also might not make much sense)

@choucon @demigod-jack-hearth @loulooser @l1ve-l4ugh-lov3craft @alittletoo-obsessed

@eden66633 @t3ss4xstar @wisteria-daydreams @watchtheprongss @alaskanskald

@niceofthenine @giantskeletonfan2008 @mezsygfs @moonandstarshangoutinbars @franknfurtersencephalitis

@thatisntverycombefair @teamtrisha @imananqar @yourfavouriteearthshaker @hazy-lilac-dream

@charliecow @the-official-failure @dyingordeadinside @fbkakebezijasenta @isthislasagna124

@riordanverseaddict @wretched-meadow @romanticismforyourinnerlife @lesbian-thesbian @indigoviolet311

@ellemeditdance

@drdarine

@mahny

@librarymouses

@rosegranger1315

@catcomediansblog

@ivyfurrieart

@sarahparcakalt

@miss-multi45

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@ivys-head-is-spinning

@marsmarauders

@stars-on-my-bedroom-ceiling

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@possessedanddepressed

@ciorran

[tjagbo]

[manicmortalmushroom]

"It started with the sun, and it was warm..."

- The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune

[chronofluff]

STRING THEOCRACY FANS.

IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO FEAST.

Whabam. The first official art I’ve drawn of any of them. All the designs shown here are WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE !!! IN THE AU !!!! Come get your slop. I especially like suzie’s design she’s sillayyyyyyyyyyyy. also Quincy having blue on the underside of his hair is intentional he just Does That I guess

[eddiesxangel]

Pregnant reader has a one night stand with Eddie and bumps into him at the grocery store because she dropped some thing and Eddie was just being nice to help pregnant lady pick it up but Eddie recognized her and is like “how have you been” and she’s like “you know” clutching her belly and he’s like “it’s been what ? Six months since I saw you? And she corrects him and it’s like “seven” and the. His eyes get big and wide bc he’s putting the pieces together 🤭🙂‍↕️