#also big thank you to folks who showed my ocs love this year i will be providing more food đ
I posted 34 times in 2022
18 posts created (53%)
16 posts reblogged (47%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@vibrantfoxart
@hellcatshellhounds
@mushtoons
@lilacoraa
@ik-sue
I tagged 26 of my posts in 2022
Only 24% of my posts had no tags
#vi's art - 17 posts
#digital art - 15 posts
#medibang paint - 14 posts
#my art - 14 posts
#original character - 7 posts
#h+h - 4 posts
#quiche - 4 posts
#blacktober 2022 - 3 posts
#blacktober - 3 posts
#character design - 3 posts
Longest Tag: 123 characters
#i also realize i'm gonna have to figure out clothing style for when i'm in the mood for that but i'm thinking pastel punk??
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
Sonic OCs!
(extra info below the cut)
So I don't think I've ever posted about em here but after everyone on twitter got to sharing about the silly things they did at 13 after some poor taste Turning Red reviews my mind traced back to these guys. Some of my earliest Sonic ocs and what spurred me on to making more original characters of my own and writing stories for them
I remember, and in some corners of the internet still have, old self insert fics of my ocs and the main characters running around going on adventures and then the whole alternate universe/future setting thing that I'd whipped up based on the different cannons and games and shows and comics. It was a chaotic and messy time but I had so much fun.
The folks pictured here again are some of the oldest especially the first three. Jazz the Hedgewolf, on the far left, was the first. A character who'd have speeds that didn't quite match but were just enough to keep up with Sonic and the gang and pyrokinetic powers akin to Blaze the Cat (whom i suppose the young folks today would call a kin of mine when i was younger) I'd even shipped them with Shadow at one point before moving on from the idea.
Lola the Rabbit and Streak the Hedgehog, the next two in order, were the characters who'd fill out their version of a heroes-esue trio (though I could never settle on types). Lola was the tinkerer of the group making vehicles and gadgets for the team and Streak a sort of telekinetic similar to Silver but with some limitations.
The next two, Angel the Hedgehog and Doom the Wolf, were Jazz' parent and as I'd developed their story big drivers for their character development and motivations. While the last one Sage the Hedgehog was Streak's father and the teams mentor and access to intel, also helping to move the story along.
In all genuine honesty I think I'd had a cast of about 20 or 30+ characters for their story and a relatively fleshed out world though I don't know if I'll ever come around to drawing everyone. It was fun to make tho back then and I'm glad it's something I did since it helped shape my creative path I guess from back then to now
Idk how to close this but I guess I'll just echo the sentiment I saw shared to "not kill the part of you that's cringe but the part of you that cringes" it's pretty metal advice
9 notes - Posted March 26, 2022
#4
rise n shine
10 notes - Posted April 23, 2022
#3
Blacktober day 3 - vibrant
figured it's in the name so why not make it about me xD
12 notes - Posted October 11, 2022
#2
taski maiden
115 notes - Posted May 7, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
"Nice weather! What conspiracies are we cooking on the menu today?"
241 notes - Posted March 25, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review â
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Heyy, one of my oc's blind, and he has a wife that isn't visually impared. I've read a post a while ago, (I don't remember if you wrote it or not) that talked about "how blind people love" so to say, where it mentions that it is different in many ways to how not visually impared people think it might be, so I'd want to know if you had some fluffy prompts for me. Thank you <3
Blind Characters Falling in Love + Prompts
The post you are referring to is actually by @mimzy-writing-online and you can find it here.
A few prompt ideas I have include:
-consider the trust and automatic habits that might build up between the blind character and the wife. For example, describing things the blind person would be interested in without always needing to be asked, automatically offering to guide, automatically orienting the character to their environment, and knowing when to offer help. These are things that build up over time and with trust.
-Also, consider how wonderful a consistent lack of discomfort with blindness would be. In the beginning of a relationship, the person who isnât blind may feel uncertain or unsure how to fit into their partnerâs life when it comes to their blindness. An example of this would be questioning whether or not a description of a bench to their left would be welcome. A wife who has been with her husband for years may simply verbalize where the bench is, being familiar with the husbandâs habit of stopping to enjoy the sounds of birds.
-Specific situational prompts ideas include: the wife describing TV shows that donât come with audio descriptions as they watch them, the couple learning Braille together and leaving Braille notes for each other, the couple cooking together and using accessible tools, the wife placing markers on the shampoo and conditioner, the couple knowing not to move each otherâs items, inside blind jokes, and knowing how best to give directions in reference to that restaurant they like or using left and right because the blind character never understood cardinal directions.
-Alerting the blind character to steps or curbs or changes in environment.
-A big one is an accessible house. If the couple got a home together, they would consider accessibility. This might include high contrast, extra lighting, textures, and no touch screen appliances as these can be harder for blind people to use. There is a comfort in having someone else consider your accessibility needs.
-Other ideas include accessible and comfortable dates. While this might depend on the specific person and where they live, a few ideas include:
-getting audio descriptions at cinemas or even for plays if offered
-reading the menu out to him and knowing what foods to mention or skip over because she knows his taste
-getting Braille menus
-making tactile art together using dot paint or puffy paint
-depending on vision and comfort level, they might avoid dimly lit or overly loud areas, but not all blind people will do this. Conversely, he might also only be comfortable going to such places with her.
-playing accessible games together
These are some ideas I had. You can also follow blind folks on YouTube or Tiktok, such as blindtobes, to see how they talk about blindness and dating.
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Let's Talk Whump No.13
Welcome to Letâs Talk Whump, a series of interviews that spotlight the amazing people in our whump community. Iâm Malice and Iâll be your host.Â
Our wonderful interviewee for today is @unicornscotty!
Letâs start with something none non whump related about yourself!
I do Karate and have done for as long as I can remember. I've gone to a few abroad competitions such as World and European championships and hope to do them more in the future. It is a huge part of my life outside Whump.
What does whump mean to you?
I think its just a type of writing that is very different for everyone. To some it is a way to deal with trauma or it is a release. I don't know exactly what it is for me but... its a small corner of the Internet where I can write without judgement and that makes me happy. Also whumping OCs is fun.
And how did you find the whump community? What made you want to join?Â
Well I just found it through prompts on Pinterest. Then I found some Tumblr blogs through Pinterest and became a recurring anon on the amazing milk-carton-whumps going by the unicorn emoji who convinced me to make a blog and now here I am.
Are there tropes you now love/hate that you didn't at first?Â
I don't think there's been a big difference. I haven't read as BBU lately but at the same time I haven't found any new BBU/ pet whump. I know it's out there. I'll keep looking. I have been writing it privately with Milk.
And your favourite whump tropes?
Mistaken identity, hidden injury, royal whumo.is always good
Favourite piece you've written? Hype yourself up, we want to hear it!
My Pirate story I do love Alex I am proud of ch 10, but it holds alot of spoilers for the previous chapters. https://www.tumblr.com/unicornscotty/681796100215144448/chapter-10?source=share
Do you have a standard writing routine?
... I just take what I can get. My brain refuses to write sometimes!
Is there anything you struggle with writing?
Ummm I haven't written enough to find that yet. Once I get into the story, the words usually flow quite fast.
Anything new youâre working on?
I'm about to get a lot more free time in about 2 weeks and I plan to start writing a lot more.
Care to share a little bit of writing advice?
Oh no uhm... it doesn't matter what you write in the first draft, just write it, get it out of your head and onto paper or the screen.
Shout out to your favourite writing/whump blogs, bffs or people who've inspired you.
Trying to remember usernames now!
@milk-carton-whump as I have mentionedÂ
@just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi
@spookyboywhump
@cowboy-anon
@sideblogformindtrash
@tears-and-lilies (they haven't been in for a year but their work is amazing!)
Anything you'd like to add?Â
Keep writing, don't worry about whatever one else thinks.
It was a pleasure to have you on the show, @unicornscotty! Thanks so much for joining us today!
And to all you folks at home, have a whump-derful day!
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talk about a real throwback if you remember these old forms then you get a cookie for it!. So back in my early internet art years my first major fandom was Danny Phantom and as it was standard I made ocs based on the future of the show.
DJ was my first he was gonna be the son of Danny and Ember (a really popular ship at the time) but another friend told me to go with Dan (Evil Future Danny) cause it wasn't as popular at the time. Heâs been the same personality wise for years; out going, pushy, sensitive and kind (you don't see it that often since he hides it under his bravado). But now he explores his gender identity quite a alot going between both binary and non binary but he tends to leans towards male but quickly jumps to female, both or none.Â
And his creation lead me to KP ( @theinsanecrayonbox ) who also had a Dan and Ember kid and suddenly I found my soul mate and weâve been going strong for like 18 years now (thatâs more half my life!) And heâs been my favorite oc ever since. His design changed a bit more over the years and now heâs in my own personal story (Tipping the Scales) but Iâll never forget how important and special his creation was to me it helped me really stretch my creative juices and helped me be part of a big fandom for the first time. Also he helped me find some of my closest friends so yes the boy means the world to me.
Katty was the child of Johnny 13 and Kitty and was basically just a mini Kitty tbh, but thanks to KP and few other folks she did get a lot of what carried over into her current iteration; sheâs bubbly, loyal to DJ to a fault and has a darkside you donât want to be on. She changed the most of all three of them designwise since I always struggled to find a look I think worked for her but I finally found one Iâm very happy with and sheâs never looked better! Only thing she kept form her first design are the two toned eyes.
Techna was me tossing three characters together to make a unique child tbh Penelope Spectra and Skultech. Basally sheâs always been the brains' of the group but in later years Iâve used her to explore what being âhumanâ really means and had her question her own identity a lot (she was originally A.I in the current form) so sheâs just in general a fun character to play with.
So yes here are my main 3 I love them forever! and yes DJ has always been the shortest.
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đ±đž for of your OCs you so please đ
Hey Nonny! Thanks so much for the ask! :) Since you didn't specify which OCs I'll do my best to answer for all where I feel they're appropriate. From this list.
đ±Â - Share one of this OCâs early memories.
I just answered this for Astrid, my VoS MC, here.
Casey was a city girl growing up in Philadelphia. She loved growing up in the city and still prefers city life to this day. But each summer, she'd spend some time at her paternal grandparent's farm in rural Pennsylvania. It was a different world. From the time she was a toddler, she'd help her grandparents with their chores; she could milk a cow by the time she was five. She has lovely memories of this simple, peaceful life and being surrounded by beauty. But it's a place she liked to visit and did not want to stay. :)
Tobias: His best childhood memories were also at his grandparent's home, in this case, his maternal grandparents. He spent a lot of time there, and he wasn't a spoiled little boy there; he was just one of the many grandkids who were expected to be kind to one another and help out. They were spoiled, too, but with love and their grandma's home cooking. One of his favorite memories, playing stickball in the street at night while the old folks sat on the porches talking and cheering them on.
Ethan: His best early childhood memories were the summer trips he used to take to the New England seashore with his parents. They didn't always go the same places, but two frequent locations were Newport, Rhode Island and Mystic, Connecticut. He loves visiting there until this day.
Kaycee: Their family didn't have a lot of money while she was little, something only made worse when her mother became ill. So there wasn't much shopping, but she used to get big bags of hand-me-down clothes from her older cousins, and she loved going through them on the living room floor and picking out "new" clothes.
Trystan: Trystan's best childhood memories were reserved for time spent with his Nannies, who were more loving than his parents, or with his siblings - usually when they would sneak off and get into mischief - these were times when they were able to just be little kids and not have to be little royals.
Carolina: Attending the Puerto Rican Day parade in Manhattan with her family and then returning home to the Bronx, where the party continued in the form of a huge block party. It was something the children (and adults) looked forward to all year, not unlike Christmas. There was always great food, music, and dancing, and the party went on to the wee hours - even for the kids.
Eli: Pre-outbreak? Playing sports with his friends and visiting with his grandparents and cousins. Post-outbreak? Family nights spent around the fire, as they were locked safely (as safely as could be) in their cabin in the woods.
Zoe: She has very few pre-outbreak memories, and The Tower wasn't such a great place to grow up. But her best memories were nights she, Ana, and Troy would quietly sneak away and have sleepovers. They just talked, made up silly stories, nothing terribly special, yet it was super special to her all the same.
đž - Whatâs this OCâs sense of humor like?
Casey: She has a playful and sarcastic sense of humor. She loves making people laugh, and humor is a big part of her relationship with Tobias.
Tobias: He has a wicked sense of humor - as you can imagine, it's sarcastic and perverted - he is known to be a wise ass. He and Casey both infuse humor into their daily lives and their relationships with their girls.
Ethan: He has a dry/sarcastic sense of humor that not everyone gets, but those who do find it hysterical. During his med school days, he and Tobias just bounced off each other - and that continued when they reinstated their friendship as adults.
Kaycee: Much like Casey's (above) but a little goofier.
Eli: What sense of humor? lol Honestly, it's not something he shows often except for with those he's closest to, mostly Zoe. It's a dry/sarcastic/dark humor.
Zoe: For the world they live in, Zoe is often a ray of sunshine. She tries to see the good in everything, and humor is a big coping mechanism for her. She can joke from the sweetest, most innocent things with the kids of Olympus to really raunch humor with the grown-ups. She makes people laugh and smile a lot.
Trystan: Sarcastic wiseassery, but in a lighthearted, cheeky way. It's more along the line of Tobias than Ethan or Eli. Humor is infused into his conversation, no matter the situation.
Carolina: Has a very New York sense of humor - dark, sarcastic, and 150% a coping mechanism born of trauma. It's not a bright and fun kind of humor, although she definitely finds that side of herself, too, thanks to Trystan.
Thanks so much for the asks, Nonny! :)
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hello!!!
posting this so everyone knows i am not a bot and also what this blog is for!!
i am oli (they/he/cat/wolf) and i am absolutely loving clangen. the only thing is, i have a really hard time focusing on one clan. BUT THIS ONE!!! it combines my love for star stable online (although this will go off the rails from sso lore real quick LOL), my ocs AND my love for clangen in one little place, wrapped up in a neat box.
i decided on the name lightclan because i thought it was cool and also. if you know you know.
this is an art blog, but mainly it is a lore blog. i'm working on an introduction post/avatar but it will take a while.
tags:
#lightclan - anything related to lightclan
#clangen - clangen screenshots, art, and other stuff.
#lcupdate - lightclan updates: likely every three moons starting, if we get a ton of cats and all of them want the spotlight i'll bump down to two moons. maybe even one, who knows what the future holds.
#my art - pretty self explanatory. stuff i draw.
#summary - summaries of cats in the clan, or summaries of big events that have happened over a span of time within the playthrough. (will most likely be every 12 moons/every year)
#info - info about lightclan
i hope you'll enjoy this blog, thank you!
and big shoutout to all the folks on the clangen discord server that helped me making this custom game - i am not a coder and it was showing, but thankfully everyone there is super nice and helpful!
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a fic rec list that quite literally no one asked for
Iâve felt incredibly uninspired lately with fic. Itâs a shit feeling. I may just be done writing. TBD. But as Iâve been sitting around trying to determine my feelings on fic, Iâve found myself thinking a lot about how I read fic. Iâve been reading it for awhile. I like to think that even in the 5SOS space, Iâve read a really good variety of things. So I wanted to make note of the fics that come to mind when I think of fics that have inspired me/made me feel something/are just really good. This probably will not be very organized and I apologize for that now.Â
Iâve been very VERY lucky to get to know a few of the folks whose works I mention here. I feel so grateful to have had even small glimpses into your creative processes. Just before the world Stopped a couple years ago, I was shuffling toward a mindset of writing off fan fiction as a thing of my younger years and Iâm thankful that so many people metaphorically hit me over the head with their incredible works.Â
thereâs some 1D, 5SOS, Shawn Mendes, and also solo 1D boys in here. i think a lot of them are at least a touch nsfw at points but not all of them? yeah. i think everything that is is noted of on the pages they link to? certainly not an exhaustive list of my favorites but these were the ones on my mind today.
Okay, in probably a really strange, completely non-linear order, here we go.
sugar on the asphalt by @justanchorandhope
I genuinely cannot even begin to describe the love in my heart for this fic. this is the fic (and writer tbh) that kept me around on tumblr in 2013 and is the perfect example of everything i loved about 1D fic back in the day. an OC to die for, the perfect dash of so many different tropes, CUPCAKES, southern charm, it has it all. just the sweetest cast of characters. i cannot believe i was 15 when this fic was first posted and now iâm 24 and re-reading this still feels like a curling up with a cup of tea at the end of a long day.
okay basically everything written by @harryandmolly but specifically the following:
like the back of my hand + fear and loathing in mandeville canyon
okay so fun fact i was so thrown off the first time i read the first fic listed there (the second one listed is a sorta AU of the first one taking place in early pandemic/lockdown times btw) bc the OCâs bff uses the exact same nickname i used in high school. okay but Lilly is a GOD TIER OC. i love a story that takes place over a really long period of time + really shows the progression of a relationship. also super random but as a woman in my mid-20s with crazy unrealistic dreams of living in a big gorgeous house with all my friends, the descriptions of the house Lilly lives in make my heart sing. for a story that takes place in a totally normal version of the world, the world building (maybe the wrong term here idk) in this is so great.
i could write it better than you ever felt it
three words: warped tour au. no but seriously thereâs this blanket of nostalgia over this whole fic bc of the setting that is so fucking fun (she says having never gone to warped tour but shhhhh). another bright and brilliant OC, SO many lovable side characters, really driving plot. reading this feels like summer in all the best ways. (+ a brilliant sequel of sorts.) perfectly captures silly punk boys + hayley williams is there just being the goddess that she is. my introduction to jasey rae lol. so many things and all of them so great.
the emancipation of ginny
got momentarily distracted reading the teaser sorry iâm back now. ginny: bad ass and gorgeous business woman lady navigating being the assistant for an international pop star who is also her ex. andrew gertler is so stressed the whole time. i like a story that jumps around in time and this one does it in such a unique way. the writing in this is STUNNING, i feel like i am in every scene feeling the misty fog in london and the sun in my eyes on a summer festival tour. a Masterpiece imo. also the niall in this is wonderful in all the ways he can be + taylor swift shows up for a minute.
perfect teeth by @stylesmoothie
why yes i am in fact linking you to MIBBA bc 1DFF was the only other place to really find this i think rip to our fallen hero and what a throwback adlskfjdsl. i am NOT joking when i say that i literally cried when people started reblogging around the final update for this a few years back bc it had been like 5 years since this fic was updated. this fic holds such a special place in heart (as so many 1D fics from this era do). ezra is a brilliant OC and her story is SO GREAT. something i loved about ~this era~ of 1D fic was how expansive the backstories for the OCs were and ezraâs especially just made me fall in love with her. i remember that reading the conclusion to this story (so many years after starting it) felt like this beautiful sense of closure. i had very few constants in my later teenage years but stories like this one were one of them. love love love this story.
(took a brief pause so anna and i could hunt down an old zayn fic from back in the day slkdfjlds leesh came to our rescue bless her)
nom de plume by @stylesprimes
another fic that truly feels like it just? defined an era of my life???? (just had to do some internet wizardry to verify this was a 2014 fic lol) another OC with just the most sick backstory and story told throughout the fic. in this era of fic i was a HUGE fan of the harry styles london indie crew kinda fic. could not tell you why aside from how fucking cool i thought alexa chung was. you really get to see everyone make mistakes and grow in this story which i really admire from both a reader and a writer standpoint. like thatâs not easy to do sdlfkjdsl. i love all the twists and turns and itâs a story i love returning to every once in awhile. ceciliaâs experiences in this are so so unique and iâve never really read anything quite like this story. the dynamic between the characters and just the overall vibe of ndp has always been so novel. i love it.
scene 14Â by @daydadahlias
this FIC OH MY GOD. so backstory: i feel like i was the last person to read jess fic esp this one like. i was so intimidated by the fact that everyone had already read this and i had all of this knowledge of the vibe and how much everyone loved this that reading this almost felt like being introduced to a friend of a friend, ya know? this fic is Stunning. like i didnât think it would be possible to be so impressed by college au world building at this point in my life (iâve been reading college AUs for like. literally over a decade) but this little world that jess created was SO immersive. these characters were all so bright and i loved and cared for each and every one of them despite how many there were. i laughed, i cried. reading this reminded me why i love fan fiction and i feel so SO grateful to be in this fic space at the same time as jess.
love would burn this city down for you by @calumcest
helen has shared so many amazing stories but this one is always going to be my favorite. thereâs so much soul and heart and love in this short little piece. i barely have the words for it. i started writing myself bc i felt inspired by the space that helen was helping to create a couple years ago and itâs pieces like this that i think had a lot of influence on the style i would try to adopt in certain ways. sheâs so great at showing love in the little, quiet ways. pieces like this one feel like a secret and iâm so thankful i get to be in on it.
another night of takeout by @roselirry
lol iâve had the second part of this bookmarked on my computer for MANY years and just realized there was a third part to it i had never read. this is a niall fic, little slices of three different days from the perspective of Vee, niallâs assistant in a solo era world. reminds me of a lot of the reasons i love the emancipation of ginny. one of my favorite tropes, a bit of that âomg theyâre so in love but just refuse to really fully acknowledge itâ kinda situation. only three little bits in this but through the bits of background you get such a FULL story (despite the fact that itâs technically not finished i think?). SUCH a comfort read, iâve read this so many times that it feels like a cozy, worn cardigan. (also iâve historically been SUPER picky with my niall fic and this one has really stood the test of time for me)
all the things yet to come by soysauceharry
so iâve never been a big self insert fic kinda girl. i think i just started out with OC fic so it was just this foreign thing to me for so long. iâm also a very big character person so when a character is really vague for the purpose to trying to be easy to fit a variety of looks and/or personalities into, i struggle to find enjoyment in it at times. but jesus christ, this story is cool. for me, reading this story gives the vibe of like a dream where youâre watching yourself do something? so despite the fact that itâs written in the second person, i donât feel like iâm watching the story from the eyes of the OC. also despite all of the âyouâs i just have never read this as a true self insert. i have an MC in my head that is very much a unique character. MC is a graduate psych student, Harry is her graduate advisor for a min and then later just a colleague. follows MC through her graduate studies. the setting and the story are just so pretty and lifelike. i think i read this for the first time in the winter while i was still in school which added a lot to the vibe. i return to this whenever i want cozier vibes.
If you dance with me darling, if you take me home⊠Will we talk in the morning? by @kaleidoscopeminds
i love a meg fic for so so many reasons. i love this one especially bc the tone of it to me feels like how you tell the story of a fun night out. it feels fun and silly like the stories you tell the night after the night out about all the wild shit you did in the early hours of that same day. iâve always been very fond of this fic because meg posted it when i was feeling very VERY down about the world and it just made me smile. this fic feels like laughs after shots idk how to describe it just good fun. she is the cake QUEEN but i always found so much inspo in her earlier lashton pieces. they remind me of all the good things about summer 2020. iâm glad they can still take me back to those times of first getting to know some of the folks that i just love so dearly now (baggy salt forever <3)
sail the wildest stretch by @beautifulletdownfics
holy shit yâall this story. the way this story is told feels so so unique. as iâve gotten more into adulthood iâve found myself appreciating stories like this a lot more. stories where adults are being adults and maybe shit romantically gets complicated but their lives donât just get put on pause to resolve those complications. like that feels real, it makes sense. to me this has always felt more like a story about Amelia rather than AmeliaandHarry, which i appreciate and really enjoy. it feels like a very real thing - this super fabulous friend whose life isnât as super fabulous as it appears. the characters in this are so human. they fuck up and have to figure out how to apologize for that. this is such a unique kind of fan fiction story and one that i will never stop recommending.
*
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Serendipity - Part I. (Harry Styles)
a/n: i am BEYOND excited to share this story with you guys! iâve been working on it for over a month now if not more and what started as just a oneshot, slowly grew into this massive fic. i really hope youâll love the story of Harry and Lis bc im obsessed with them haha. please feel free to share your thoughts and reactions about the chapter and the fic itself!
pairing: Harry x OC (Annalise Lloyd)
word count: 8k
SERIES MASTERPOST â«ïž my masterlist â«ïž  come and talk to me about Serendipity! â«ïž consider buying me a coffee!
Serendipity
(n.) Finding something good without looking for it.
There are people who plot out their New Yearâs Eve plan even months before the last day of the year, making sure they will be celebrating the upcoming year at the best party possible. And then there are the folks who just ignore it until the very last moment and end up spending at a random place with even more random people.
Harry Styles desperately wanted to be the first kind, but unfortunately often found himself falling into the second case scenario. With his busy schedule and endless ocean of his upcoming projects, he never really had time to think about the last party of the day and usually ended up just tagging along some of his friends wherever they headed to. This year was no different, having to work up until even the last few days of the year, Harry had little to no thought about where he would be when the clock strikes midnight.
Just about a day before it, one of his old high school friends, Griff hits him up with a text if he would want to join them for the celebration at the pub he opened not that long ago. Harry didnât think twice to accept the invitation, finally checking one more thing off his list, so he wonât just stay at home, and pathetically fall asleep at ten.
Itâs nothing big or fancy, Griff assures him in the morning when he rings his friend up to ask when he should arrive and what he should bring.
âNothing, ey? Just come and âave a good time with us,â Griff tells him, though he already knows Harry wonât show up empty handed.
 December 31st
A little before seven Harry opts for a quick shower before he dives deep in his wardrobe to find something to wear. He is torn between wearing a fancy outfit or something cozier, but eventually stands up for the latter, putting on a pair of light washed jeans, a simple white button up and a seaweed green knitted jumper under his coat. He doesnât pay much attention to his hair, his curls falling around his head in a messy, warm brown halo. Itâs been raining all day, it wouldnât have had any use to try to tame them.
Slowly but surely, Harry feels the buzz in himself, excited to see his old friends and maybe meet some new people while having drinks and just relaxing. He grabs a bottle of fancy whiskey from his bar and heads out around eight.
Griff is one of the few people Harry stayed in touch with after his career launched so abruptly, the two of them often met up whenever Harry was around, having a pint together, just chatting up. Griff bought an old pub a few years prior and completely renewed it, opened at the beginning of the year, Harry was there at the opening party, he had way too much to drink, but he surely had a great time.
âThere he is! My favorite arrogant son of a bitch!â Harry immediately hears as soon as he steps into the pub thatâs already quite filled.
The tall lad makes his way through the groups of guests until he can envelop his old friend in a warm, brotherly hug as Harry chuckles at the name he just called him. Griff always loved that line from Harryâs song and never missed a chance to call him that. He doesnât mind though, keeps that playful side of their friendship he always adored so much.
âGood to see you, mate,â Harry smirks at him. âHere, this is for yeh.â He holds out the pricey drink and Griff shakes his head at him.
âTold ya not to bring anything!â he sighs but accepts the gift anyway, knowing well Harry would just sneak into the back anyway and leave the liquor on his desk. âWe âave a nice evening ahead of us. Got food, drinks, everythingâs on me, take what yeh want,â Griff assures him as the two of them walk further inside.
Harry sees a few familiar faces, high school friends, kids from around the neighborhood that are now grown adults, just like him, but there are quite a lot of guests he doesnât know.
âCâmon, yeh need tâ âave a welcome drink with me,â Griff grins as he pulls Harry to the bar and fills up two shot glasses generously. Harry doesnât even bother to ask him what it is, he just takes the glass willingly and after they clink in the middle they both send it down.
Harry grimaces as the hard liquor burns down his throat, Griff never played around with the soft drinks, he knows what hits the best and fastest and Harry figures itâs one of those drinks that would have him crawling on the floor after two more shots.
It doesnât take Harry long to mix and mingle, get into conversations and meet new people, just enjoying the welcoming and warm atmosphere of the party. He is pleased to see that people treat him just like any other guest, rather than a famous person and he is beyond thankful for that.
Near the bar, Griff has set up a quite rich buffet table filled with all kinds of snacks and food. Itâs way past ten when Harry shuffles over there feeling his stomach growling. He grabs a paper plate and his eyes roam everything thatâs set on the table. Humming to himself he decides to opt for the delicious looking fries, his mouth drools just at the sight of them, so he puts a generous amount to his plate before his eyes spot the bowl of peas. Thatâs exactly what he needs to go with the fries.
He goes a little overboard, but he couldnât care less. Once he is satisfied with his meal he puts back the spoon that was sat in the bowl of peas, right when someone reaches for it. Glancing up his gaze meets a pair of warm brown eyes and a shy, but playful smile. Harry canât stop himself from smiling instantly as the woman takes the spoon and fills her plate with peas. He looks down and sees that her plate is filled with the exact same things: fries and peas.
âExcellent choice,â he smirks teasingly and her eyes snap down to her plate before she sees the similarity on Harryâs plate. She lets out an airy chuckle before she tugs her chestnut colored, wavy locks behind her ears with her now free hand.
âMother always told me to balance the junk out with something healthy,â she admits, the corners of her mouth curling up as she blinks a little shy under Harryâs burning gaze.
He always knew he had an eye for pretty things and he never dared to deny himself from admiring them once he laid his eyes on something he found breathtaking. She was by far the prettiest thing he has seen in quite some time, so he doesnât shy away from taking in her figure in front of him. Delicious looking curves dressed in a pair of tight jeans and a sheer shirt with a top underneath it, the front tugged into the waist of the jeans. Her hair looks effortless, but he can tell she probably spent some time forming the natural looking waves before coming here. The thin eyeliner makes her eyes appear more cat-like and her long lashes dance around with each look she pays him.
âYou want toâum, sit?â she stammers nodding towards an empty table near the buffet, a soft blush tainting her soft skin. Harry absolutely adores the hint of innocence in her features.
ââfcourse,â he nods and follows her.
The two of them move over to the table and sit down with their meal, Harry sneaking a fry into his mouth right away.
ââM Harry, by the way,â he says, realizing he hasnât even introduced himself just yet. Some people tend to look at him weird whenever he does it, as if it should be common knowledge to know who he is, but he never takes it for granted. Luckily, she doesnât find it funny or weird that he introduced himself.
âAnnalise. But everyone just calls me Lis,â she explains and holds out a hand for him, which at first looks a little odd and he can tell she regrets the motion, but he appreciates it, even finds it cute. So before she can pull her hand back he takes it and gives it a soft shake. âSo what brings you here tonight?â she asks as both of them digs into their food.
âGriff invited me, saved me last minute, didnât have any plans.â
âHow do you know him?â
Harry finds it amusing that she didnât bring up that a famous person like him would probably have tons of invitations to fancy parties. He hates when people assume that his social life is blossoming at all times, packed with parties and events to attend every day.
âWe went to high school together. Stayed in touch through the years.â
Lis nods with a small smile before her eyes return to the plate in front of her.
âHow âbout you?â
âOh, um⊠Well, Griff and I had a blind date like ages ago, but we both figured out pretty quickly we are never gonna be more than just friends. But that we are perfect for. Have been meeting up every once in a while. I was kind of in the same shoe like you, wasnât planning on coming out tonight, but⊠I was forced to,â she admits with a nervous chuckle.
âYâ donât like to go out?â
âIâuh, donât really have the time,â she answers, clearly a bit nervous at the topic so Harry decides to just drop it.
The two of them sit there, just talking and eating and with each passing moment Harry finds himself more and more enchanted by the woman sitting on his right. The way she rambles sometimes, how her nose scrunches whenever she is laughing hard, how she likes to keep tugging her hair behind her ears all the time, are the smallest things but they easily catch Harryâs attention.
Besides, she is not just the looks, also an amazing company. Easy to talk about anything, even the riskier things too. She doesnât shy away from giving her honest and raw opinion, but also doesnât attack if someone thinks differently. Instead, she is open to other point of views, seeking opportunities to learn and grow. Itâs a mindset Harry values highly and feels like itâs hard to find it. But on this evening in his mateâs pub, he found a gem, it feels like.
The plates soon get swapped to beers and Lis is getting giddier with each gulp, which he finds amusing, especially because she lets her thoughts slip without thinking about them and it allows Harry to look into that pretty head of hers easier.
He doesnât fail to notice how his heart flutters every time she touches his arm or hand whenever she is deep in a story. The warm touch of her soft hand is sending him into trembling and he is glad they are sitting because he surely would be having a hard time keeping himself up on his feet. She is just the kind of person that wraps others around her fingers without even trying or noticing.
Though itâs only been over an hour since he first laid his eyes on her, he feels like he has known her for ages. The connection built up fast and smoothly, sweeping Harry right off his feet. Heâs got it bad for her and he already knows he wants to see her again once this night ends.
âOh, itâs almost midnight!â Annalise gasps snapping out of her thoughts, a hand snapping to Harryâs upper arm. The crowd is starting to buzz, getting ready for the count down.
âCâmon, letâs get some champagne,â Harry tells her and helps her up from her seat.
They head to the bar and each of them grabs a flute filled with the sparkly alcohol. They stand a little to the side, but still mingled in the crowd of guests. Harry can feel his hands getting sweaty as he thinks about the countdown. Every fiber in his body is aching to kiss her, even though he knows itâs quite crazy knowing the fact they have known each other for only two hours. But he just canât help it, she has a spell on him with just one look, making him act like a teenager in love.
Annalise peeks up at Harry with a lazy smile, the drinks have made her a little lightheaded, but she is nowhere near being drunk. Her thoughts are absolutely clear and they all focus on the man standing close to her.
Harry watches her bite into her bottom lip and he wonders if she is thinking about the same thing. If sheâd be mad if he kissed her when the clock strikes midnight or slap him right across his face. He notices as she draws a deep breath, eyes looking around before they return to him.
âGet yoâ drinks, lads!â Griff shouts from somewhere behind the bar and those who havenât picked up a glass quickly work on the problem.
Then the countdown begins.
âTen!... Nine!... Eight!...â
Annalise glances up at Harry and her cheeks blush when she catches him already looking at her. She wishes she had her beer so she could hide in her glass from his burning eyes.
âSeven!... Six!...â
Harry turns so his whole body is facing her and takes just one tiny step towards her. When she doesnât back away from him, he takes it as a sign that she might want the same thing as him.
âFive!... Four!...â
She looks straight up at him with a sheepish smile and pushes herself against him right when his free hand finds its way to her waist. She sucks in a sharp breath, but doesnât move while Harry is aching to taste her plump, soft lips.
âThree!... Two!... One!... Happy New Year!â
The crowd cheers as one, guests are clapping and screaming, welcoming the new year with high hopes and full of planes for the new chapter that just started.
Harry and Annalise lock eyes and while everything around them is a full chaos, he feels like a bubble of silence and tranquility is surrounding them. Harry sucks in his breath, lips parted as he doesnât break his gaze with hers. Thereâs a moment of hesitation, but the voice in the back of his mind tells him that he canât let this moment go to waste.
Fuck it! He tells himself before he leans down and his lips meet hers in a soft, warm and breathtaking kiss.
He is a man who believes in magic, in things he canât explain rationally, he is a man who doesnât try to pull reality into everything when something odd happens. When his lips meet hers, he is swept right off his feet with just that tiny touch. Itâs not a demanding kiss, very restricted and shy, but it still makes his insides tremble for her, almost falling to his knees right in front of her.
Thereâs a moment of hesitation from her side, when their lips are just touching in a little awkward way, but it fades into nothing before Harry could wrap his head around it, her lips parting as she lets him deepen the kiss, a soft moan slipping out of her throat that brings a knot to his stomach.
The moment is so vivid, raw and intoxicating, he wishes he could bottle it up and open it to have a taste of her anytime later, keep her in his pocket just to have her lips glued to his like this whenever he needs to be grounded or taken away from the world. His fingers dig into her waist, pulling her close to his body, hoping to just merge into her, become one with the woman in his arms.
She softly glides her hands up his arms, through his shoulders before they stop at the back of his neck, digging into his soft curls, while never breaking the kiss. Their lips stay melted together, tongues and teeth clashing, they are a hot mess in the first minutes of the new year.
The cheering slowly dies down and the usual buzzing of conversations and laughter replaces it, but the two of them are still busy with each other and it takes quite some time to pull themselves out of the bubble they created.
âHappy New Year, Lis,â Harry smiles down, lips swollen, eyes glistening from the joy thatâs filling up his veins. She glances up at him shyly from under her lashes.
âHappy New Year, Harry,â she whispers, biting into her bottom lip, coming off the high this little make out session gave her. Â
One hour passes by, then another and the party is starting to slowly die down. People are flaking out the door, the crowd is getting smaller with each door opening.
Harry and Annalise remain in the corner of the place after their kiss, a barrier thatâs been noticeably present before has come down as Harry has his arm swung over the back of her chair and she lets herself lean against his side. Thereâs something so calming and tranquil in just being so close to each other, sharing thoughts and stories while his fingers graze on her shoulder gently and her head always falls to his shoulder when she laughs on something. He loves her laugh, it could easily light up any place and Harry canât help but feel sorry for the people who donât see her shine. So many guests didnât get the chance to get to know her, but on the other hand, he is a bit selfish, he wants her all to himself. No one else should have the honor of making her laugh or bringing a smile to her perfect lips. He wants her all to himself, even if it makes him sound like a mad man.
After she leaves to the restroom, she comes back with her phone in her hands and a tired smile playing on her lips.
âI, uhhâcalled an Uber. I really should get going,â she tells him and he wants to make her stay. He wants this evening to last forever, but he canât ask her to stay longer than she wants, so he just slowly nods.
âIâll walk you out,â he offers, but itâs more like a fact.
The two of them find their coats on the packed rack, Annalise says goodbye to the handful of people she knows, hugging Griff before they head outside to wait for her car to arrive.
âI really enjoyed tonight,â Harry mumbles, shoving his hands into his coatâs pockets, feeling like a nervous teenage boy talking to his crush. She glances up at him with a smile, but thereâs something clouding her eyes he canât really put his finger on.
âMe too,â she assures him, a pair of headlights turning the corner and they both look in the approaching carâs direction before facing each other. âIt was really great meeting you, Harry. Take care of yourself in the new year,â she tells her, but he doesnât like the weight of her words. It sounds like a proper goodbye, like she is bracing herself to never meet him again, but he canât let that happen.
âCan IâUh, can I have your number? I would love to take you out sometime.â
The car stops next to them and she nods in the driverâs way to let him know sheâs the one he is supposed to pick up. Taking a step to the backseat, she looks back at Harry.
âIâm really sorry, Harry, but we canât.â
Devastation washes over him, her words are like a punch into his stomach each. Why is she rejecting him? Did she not enjoy the evening? Did he say something stupid? She seemed to be having a great time, so why canât he see her again?
âWhat? Are you sure? Because I really loved tonight and would love to see you again.â
Annalise opens the car door and shoots him an apologetic look. He has never felt this helpless in his life, than at that moment, looking at the woman of his dreams escape from his reach.
âIâm sorry, but I canât get into⊠whatever it is you want from me. I really am sorry, I wish it was different.â
âBut I just want to see you again. I thought⊠You didnât feel like it was something special?â he breathes out, feeling the world crashing down on him with each passing moment.
âI did, but I canât do this. Iâm sorry. Take care, Harry,â she sighs, clearly not happy about her own actions and he doesnât understand why she is fleeing away like this.
He stands there, completely frozen as she gets into the car and shuts the door open. Their eyes meet through the window one last time before the car starts moving and she falls out of his view. He stares after her until the very last moment, when the car disappears at the end of the street, leaving him in pieces from the major rejection he just suffered.
He stays out there until his nose and cheeks turn red and his ears are freezing off, part of him wishing that if he just waits sheâs gonna magically reappear and tell him it was just a joke. He canât believe he met such a wonderful creature and had to let her go like she didnât flip his whole world upside down under just a couple of hours. Does she know how much of an effect she had on him?
She probably doesnât, he thinks to herself, because then she wouldnât have left so abruptly and without a trace for him to find her again.
When Harry returns to the pub, he is met with a tipsy Griff, shoving a pint into his hand immediately.
âAy, saw you hanging with Lis all night!â he teases Harry, but the mentioning of her name just makes his heart ache. However, knowing that Griff is friends with her, he is ready to use him as a way to get to her.
âYeah, hey, you have her number?â he asks, trying his best to look as innocent as possible, but Griff sees right through him, even with all the alcohol in his body.
âSorry, mate. Fâshe didnât give it to ya, I wonât go against her.â
âIâm begging you, Griff. I need to see her again!â he sighs in despair, ready to do anything he can to get to her.
âYânot the first bloke to fall for her magic. I know what it feels like, but I canât do anything, sorry.â He shrugs his shoulders, giving an apologetic look to his friend before he joins another conversation.
Harry could scream from the frustration, the urge to punch something or someone is growing with each passing moment, but he has to realize thereâs nothing he can do at this point other than accept the fact that he met this wonderful woman, had the best night with her and then was forced to watch her walk out of his life before she could even become part of it properly.
Harry starts to realize that what he thought about heartbreaks is nothing compared to the feeling Annalise left in his heavy heart.
There has to be a solid reason for what she did. Or did not do.
Endless theories about Annalise flood his mind through the days following that night when he was forced to watch her leave on such a bitter and painful note. Harry couldnât stop himself from making up the most ridiculous cases just to give himself a possible peace of mind, but neither of them brought him enough comfort to forget about her.
His best shot was that she had a boyfriend, or even worse, a husband. This was the only version that sounded somewhat real and believable, though he just knew she is not the type of woman to cheat on a significant other.
How would you know? You spent just one evening with her, she could be a serial killer for all you know! Harryâs rational side was always quick to shut him down when his thought swirled around the idea of knowing her well enough to assume anything about her.
As the days dragged by him in a painful pace, he slowly had to realize itâs going to be a question in his life heâll never get an answer to, so he just has to learn to live with the thought of the woman that got away.
The end of January rolls around faster than he could comprehend, February comes and he finds himself spending his days mostly in the studio, cooking up new music. Studio sessions are his favorite. Thatâs his element, he feels safe and comfortable, surrounded by people he trusts and enjoys creating his art fully. In the new year, he has also been eager to pick up a new hobby so he has been trying himself out in knitting and painting recently, finding both of them just a tad bit too hard for him just yet, but they were enough to get his mind off of the one woman who was constantly occupying his thoughts following New Yearâs Eve.
Sitting in an armchair in the studio, he and his bandmates are listening back to some recordings they did today and he is trying to find that one thing that keeps throwing him off whenever he hears the song.
âI think itâs great,â Mitch states once the recording ends, and Harry agrees, it is great, but not the best.
âMaybe we could tone down the keyboard a little through the bridge, give more space for the guitar,â he contemplates, but really, he is just shooting in the dark, not sure what it is that keeps him on edge about the song.
âWhy donât we have a break?â Sarah suggests with a warm smile, seeing how everyone is keen on leaving for a little, except Harry, who is still fixated on mastering the song. But he agrees to have the break, however while everyone gets ready to leave and grab something to eat from the diner thatâs around the corner, Harry stays where he is, eyes glued to his notebook.
âYouâre not coming?â Charlotte asks him and he just shakes his head.
âNo, not that hungry.â He looks up and shoots them a short smile and though they all can tell he could use the time out, they know him enough already that he wonât leave before he finds whatâs not right.
âAlright. Weâll be back in an hour,â Mitch informs him and he dismisses them all with a nod.
He stays right there, going through the lyrics a few more times, making tiny changes in hopes that itâll fix it all, but he can feel himself growing frustrated. Doesnât matter how hard he is trying, he realizes his brain needs a break. Letting out a defeated huff he leans back, looking around in the empty studio. He doesnât feel particularly hungry, but he could use something to snack on. So grabbing his coat he locks up the studio and heads out to the nearby Tesco they usually run out during sessions.
He is still humming the melody to himself when he walks in, a pair of sunglasses sitting on the bridge of his nose, his famous curls hidden under a green beanie. He doesnât bother to get a cart or basket, just strolls inside and roams down the aisles, trying to decide what he desires.
He settles on some kind of canned tea and a protein bar, but before he heads towards the cash registers, he wanders down the aisle where they keep cereals, looking around aimlessly. Itâs the middle of the day on a weekday, most people are at work at this hour, so just a few other customers are lingering around, filling their carts. At first, he doesnât pay any attention to the figure a little further down the aisle, his eyes are glued to the shelves, but then he just mindlessly glances to his left, his brain not even processing what, or who he is seeing at first. Then he takes a double take and his stomach drops to the tiled floor when he recognizes the woman, deep in her thoughts to decide which cereal to buy.
Annalise is standing just a few meters away from him, looking just as beautiful as he remembered, wearing a pair of simple jeans, light blue sneakers and a white jacket, her hair is in a loose ponytail on the top of her head.
âLis?â he calls out, as if he thinks she is just a ghost. Taking a few steps closer he watches as her eyes fall from the products on the shelves to him, then they widen and her lips part in shock.
âHarry? Wha-what are you doing here?â she asks and Harry is quick to read the panic out of her tone as she looks around cautiously.
âIâm⊠shopping?â he answers with a soft chuckle, holding up the items in his hands.
âHavenât seen you around here.â
âThe studio we use is nearby, I drop by sometimes. But today is clearly my lucky day.â Even though her reaction is giving him doubts, he canât hide his joy upon seeing her again, fate clearly playing on his side this time.
âUh, yeah?â she lets out an anxious chuckle, her eyes often wandering off him, as if she is waiting for someone to show up and it just fuels Harryâs rich theories about her.
âSo, are you here with your boyfriend?â he boldly asks, deciding to just go for it. Annaliseâs eyes widen once again, but not in a way that makes him think he just busted her, itâs more of a confused one.
âBoyfriend? What are you talking about?â
âWell, you basically ran away from me that night, I figured you had someone and thatâs why you didnât want to give me your number.â He tries his best not to sound petty or bitter, though thatâs exactly what heâs been feeling ever since she left that night.
âHarry, thatâs⊠not the case.â
âOkay, so does this mean youâll give me your number this time?â he tries and he is so busy with her presence, he doesnât even notice when a smaller frame runs past him down the aisle.
âMommy! I want this!â
At first, he doesnât even register that the little boy is talking to Annalise, he dismisses his presence, eyes still fixated on her, but then her gaze leaves him and turns down to the boy, holding up a bar of chocolate.
âHoney, thatâs too big. Choose something smaller, alright?â
It takes Harry a few moments to put one and one together. This kid just ran up to her, called her mommy and most likely not on accident since she answered him, very much talking to him like his mother. Though Harry canât see his own face, he knows it fell, shock completely taking over him as his thoughts finally add up. Annalise looks back at him in panic, completely puzzled about what to do or say.
âBenji, go get another one, a smaller one while I talk to my friend here,â Annalise softly tells the boy.
He turns to Harry, eyes meeting his as he cocks his head to the side, examining the shocked adult standing in front of him.
âWhoâs this?â he blurts out.
âJust a friend, alright? Go get your chocolate,â she urges. Benji gives Harry another look before nodding and running off, leaving them alone once again in the cereal aisle. âHarry, I-Iâm sorry, you werenât supposed to know.â
âAre you married?â is his first question, taking her by surprise.
âWhat?â
âThe father. Is he your husband?â he urges, eager to clear the picture. Annalise shakes her head.
âNo, we were never even married.â
He feels relief washing over him. At least at this point he doesnât feel like a homewrecker. If he found out she wasnât only a mother but also married, and that she cheated on the dude with him, that would have crushed him. But itâs one less thing to worry about on a long list.
âOkay, itâs fine. You are not married, itâs all good,â he breathes out and it brings her a smile through this absurd situation.
âYou thought I was married?â
âOr at least had a boyfriend, yeah,â he nods, hands on his hips as he licks his lips. He surely had a mini panic attack, but he can feel the life coming back into his body.
âDo I come off like the kind to cheat that easily?â she asks with raised eyebrows, but she didnât take it as an offense, she more like finds it funny rather than hurtful.
âNo, not at all! I was just trying to figure out why you rejected me and this was my best shot!â
âIâm sorry, Harry. I just⊠I didnât know how to tell and I didnât really think you would want to see me again after that night.â
âI think I made it clear that I wanted to when I asked for your number.â
âWell, yes, but I thought you just wanted a hookup and thatâs just not what I can do.â
âBecause ofâŠâ he gestures towards the boy that jolted down the aisle just a few minutes ago.
âBecause of Benji, yeah.â
âAlright, itâs understandable, but I did not just want a hookup, and thatâs still not what I want,â he clears, his words certainly surprising her. This is definitely not what she was expecting when she came down to get groceries today.
âHarryâŠâ she breathes out, already feeling guilty that she is about to turn him down once again. âYou canât be serious.â
âWhy not?â
âBecause Iâm a single mother with a six year-old and you are⊠you.â
âI donât see your point,â he truthfully answers.
âIâm not some model you chatted up at some award show, who is living her best life, traveling the world just like you. My days consist of work, doing laundry, cleaning the house, cooking, doing first grade homework, going to football practice and watching cartoons. We are polar opposites.â
âNo, just our lifestyles, but that doesnât mean we canât get closer.â
âIs that really what you want?â
Harry is about to answer right when Benji emerges again, proudly holding up a bar of KitKat in his hand this time.
âThis one! This one!â he declares, stopping next to Annalise.
âOkay, put it in,â she nods and the little boy throws the chocolate into the cart with a beaming smile. Her eyes flicker back to Harry, who is now staring down at Benji, who is seemingly not that interested in him at the moment, his attention is more focused on the cereals on the shelves.
She is aware she canât really push this conversation, but she also doesnât want Benji to hear it.
âBenji, can you get me three apples? Iâll go get paper towels in the next aisle, alright?â
âThree?â he asks holding up three fingers to make sure he heard her right.
âYes.â
Benji nods and runs off once again, while Annalise grabs a random box of cereal off the shelf and starts pushing her cart, Harry walking along with him.
âItâs nice that you want to prove that you are fine with whatever baggage I come with, but Iâm not stupid, Harry. I know Iâm not the jackpot and Iâm not naĂŻve, Iâm not trying to make myself believe that Iâm easy to date when Iâm clearly not.â
âYou act like you are the only single parent out in the dating field. I genuinely donât think that itâs that big of a deal.â
âYeah, thatâs what you are saying now. But then we would get more involved, youâd grow frustrated that I canât just go after you whenever you feel like it, or that I would have to cancel on plans because Benji is sick or has homework to do that he needs help with. Or that my Friday night consists of playing board games, then watching whatever cartoon Benji is keen on seeing and Iâm in bed by ten while you probably spend these nights out with your friends, hopping from one bar to the other. And Iâm not saying that you shouldnât, thatâs exactly what you should be doing at your age⊠at our age. But for me, itâs just different.â
She is not talking just out of theories. She has tried to date, several times, but it was always kind of doomed from the beginning. Men in their mid-twenties donât want to be a stand-in dad, though itâs completely not what she expects. But as time went by, they all grew tired of having to deal with a kid in the relationship and they all ended up leaving and she canât even blame them. Itâs not what they want in life at this point, but she canât be what they wanted her to be so slowly but surely she gave up on finding a man before she turns thirty and her peers start to get into the whole idea of having a family thatâs already been her reality since she was eighteen.
And the situation is even more complicated with Harry. An international rockstar is definitely not the right person for her and vice versa. She can only imagine what some lowlifes would think when they found out he is dating a single mother. People can be cruel for no damn reason and she is definitely not in the right mindset to be humiliated just because she is a mother.
The two of them move down to the next aisle so she can grab the paper towels along with some dish soap. Harry is keen on making her understand that he is still very much interested and he has nothing against her being a mother. It was just a little shocking to find out this way, instead of hearing about it from her.
âI think you have an unreasonable picture in your head of what my life is like,â he explains. âYes, I do travel a lot and I go to parties, but itâs not what I do most in life. And Iâm not expecting you to turn your whole life around for me.â
âYeah, but dating me is kind of me asking you to turn your whole life around for us,â she simply says and he is stunned at her words, having nothing to bring up against them. âLook,â she sighs. âI appreciate the effort and everything, but I want to save you the time, just like I originally wanted to. I know that it seems reasonable now, but once you get involved, itâs a whole different world, Iâm telling you. And while I would love to give you the chance to prove me wrong, I still have to think about Benji. I canât just drag someone into his life and then have them leave when they figure out itâs not what they want after all. He needs stability around him and itâs enough that he canât get that from his father.â
Harry has a million questions roaming in his head that he is dying to ask. Mostly about the father, because if he is not in the picture, he canât imagine what kind of scumbag he is for leaving someone like her. But he keeps them all to himself, especially when Benji appears again with the three apples, putting them into the cart with a proud smile. The boy turns to Harry this time, finally acknowledging his presence.
âWho are you?â he asks. Harry looks down at him and pushes everything else into the back of his mind as he hunches down a bit, holding out his hand for the boy, a friendly smile playing on his lips.
âIâm Harry, your mumâs friend. Nice to meet you.â
The boy doesnât hesitate to take his right held out, his small hand almost getting lost in Harryâs big palm as they shake hands like two adults. Harry is stunned by how confident he is, unlike most kids his age.
âIâm Benjamin Lloyd,â the boy introduces himself smiling and Harry can see the resemblance now clearer than anything. His smile is certainly his motherâs and the shape of his eyes along with his chin are the exact same as Annaliseâs, leaving only a few traits that must have been inherited from his father.
Benjamin lets go of Harryâs hand and turns back to his mother completely unbothered by the man he just met.
âMum, are we staying on the playground a little?â he asks as they all move down the aisle, heading to the cash register.
âUh, yeah, we can stay for a little, but you need to do homework when we get home. Mrs. Conrad sent me all the work you missed today so we have to catch up on everything. You got away with faking sickness this morning, but you are doing the work you missed.â
Benji doesnât fuss about having to do work, he knew this would happen when he faked to have a tummy ache, he nods understanding the importance of doing his homework and Harry is amazed by how great his behavior is. Most kids his age would have thrown a tantrum over what Annalise just said, but not Benji. He is like a small adult, Harry thinks.
âI honestly donât see why you still have to push me away completely. Did you not enjoy talking with me?â Harry continues as they stand in line, Annalise putting everything to the belt from the cart while Benji is busy playing around the poles that separate the lines.
âOf course I did!â she sighs.
âSo then why canât we just continue? See where it goes?â
âBecause thatâs just not how things work for me,â she says with a soft, sad chuckle.
âWhat, you canât have friends?â Harry asks innocently as Annalise finishes packing, puts a divider on the belt so Harry can put his items behind hers.
âOh, so you just want to be friends?â she asks raising her eyebrows, seeing through him easily. Harry opens his mouth, but then closes, a cheeky smile stretching across her face that makes her chuckle.
âFor now, yeah?â he tries to sound convincing, but itâs more of a joke.
The cashier starts to scan her items so she pushes the cart over to the end and starts packing everything back, Benji still climbing on the poles, completely oblivious to the conversation happening around him, or he just chooses not to listen.
âYou are unbelievable,â she shakes her head at the man in the line. The cashier finishes up with her items and she taps her card on the terminal, pushing the cart away a little.
Harry is scared that sheâll flee the moment she gets the receipt and leaves before she could go after her, but for his biggest surprise, she just pushes the cart a little away from the cash register and starts packing her items into totebags. Benji runs up to her and she gives him his KitKat without a word, the boy happily tearing the packaging open, snacking on the chocolate.
Harry is quick to finish with his items, catching up with Annalise as the three of them head out of the supermarket.
âLook, Iâm gonna be honest with you, I havenât felt like this with anyone in a long time, Lis. I loved talking to you, I feel like we had a connection, and I think you felt it too. I would hate to waste whatever we had so Iâm offering you my friendship. I want to hang out, spend time with you, just as two adults enjoying each otherâs company. Nothing more, if thatâs what you really want for now. And we can see where it heads later. How does that sound?â
They reach her car and Benji runs to the backseat, tearing the door open while Annalise opens the trunk and she is surprised to see Harry help her pack her bags into the car, but she doesnât protest.
âI really donât knowâŠâ she sighs.
âCome on! Just friends. Give it a try! I have a great feeling about it and I promise to be very careful. I understand that you need boundaries because of Benji and Iâm not trying to make you uncomfortable in any way. But you do have to realize that you need to open up at one point. You canât use him as an excuse forever.â
âIâm not using him as an excuse!â she points out, but she can feel how thatâs not the whole truth.
âWhatever helps you sleep at night, Lis,â Harry smirks, pulling his phone out of his coatâs pocket and unlocking it he holds it out for her once she has closed the trunk. âIâm just asking for your phone number, not to travel the world with me. You can decide to block me later if you change your mind, itâs nothing serious, alright?â
Annaliseâs hesitation is clearer than the light and in any other case, he would take offence at it, but not with her. Harry is keen on proving to her that he meant everything he said and that he is willing to take a chance with her.
Chewing on the inside of her cheeks, she glances back at Benji, who has climbed into his seat in the back of the car. She is fighting with herself, bringing up all pros and contras until she finally caves in. Grabbing the phone from Harryâs hand she types her number in and gives herself a ring so she can save his number as well. She hands the device back and Harryâs smile is so wide, she almost wants to punch him in the face, but she can also feel the excitement running through her veins.
âGreat. You wonât regret it, Lis,â Harry beams shoving his phone back into his pocket. His hand reaches for her arm and gives it a gentle squeeze as he doesnât want to try anything further with her at the moment.
âI better not,â she mumbles shaking her head before turning around to buckle Benji in. When thatâs done she pays one last glance at Harry who stands at the car next to hers, watching her get behind the wheel and back out from her spot. He waves at her happily and she just nods in his way before turning around the car and driving away.
âWhy the fuck didnât you tell me?!â Harry rages through the phone, his anger only met with a soft chuckle from Griff on the other end of the call.
âMate, I told ya, sânot my place! She didnât tell ya, so I didnât either.â
âYou saw how hooked I was on her! You could have, no, no⊠you should have told me!â
Harry was quick to run back to the studio and called Griff right away to load everything out on him. He felt betrayed that his friend didnât let him know this small little detail even after seeing him all crushed after she left without a trace to find her. He gets his reasoning, he does, but it still doesnât stop him from being so bloody mad at his mate.
âSorry! I really am sorry! But I know how protective she is over Benji. I was not gonna betray her like thaâ.â
Harry takes a deep breath, paying up and down the hallway in the studio, trying his best to calm his nerves. Itâs an unfortunate situation as a whole, he sees that clearly, but the frustration how it had to go down at the end is getting the best out of him for sure. He is not mad at one specific person, because everyone was doing what they thought to be the best, but everything added up to be such a shitty outcome, or at least on Harryâs side.
Pinching the bridge of his nose he huffs again, putting aside his burning emotions.
âOkay, okay. Sorry to snap at you like that, it was just⊠a lot.â
âI get it, donâ worry about it,â Griff assures him, glasses clinking behind him somewhere, he is probably working at the pub as they are speaking. âShe gave ya her number now, right?â
âYeah, she didnât want to, but I talked her ears off,â Harry chuckles lowly. He could still feel the excitement that rushed through him when she finally gave in.
âMâhappy for ya, mate. But please be bloody careful. She doesnât need any shit right now, has enough on her plate.â
âI know. Iâm just trying to be her friend first, thatâs all.â
âAlright. Swing by the pub sometime soon, if ya want.â
âSure thing. Bye Griff,â Harry smiles before ending the call.
Walking back into the recording room, all eyes snap up to him and he stops in his track.
âWhat?â
âThe hell was that about?â Sarah questions, asking in the name of everyone in the room. They all just heard his rage outside and now are dying to know what it was about.
âI uhhâI found her,â he simply says and watches all his bandmates gawk back at him with wide eyes.
âWhat? Did you like, hire a private investigator or something?â Charlotte asks, making Harry chuckle as he shakes his head no.
âNo, I ran into her at Tesco. Well, her and her⊠son.â
His last word washes out the whole room, everyone stops breathing for a moment as they stare back at Harry who has that âyeah, you heard me rightâ look on his face.
âA son?â Mitch asks snapping out of his shock. âLike a proper kid?â
âHow do you not have a proper kid?â Harry asks him with a look.
âI donât know! Iâm just⊠surprised. How old is the kid?â
âLike six or seven. She said something about being a first grader.â
âDidnât you say she is a year younger than you?â Sarah asks, as everyone is doing the silent math in their head.
âShe is, with one year. Or thatâs what she told me.â
âThat makes her, what, like eighteen when she had the kid? And what about the father?â Charlotte trails, still trying hard to put the picture together.
âShe didnât say much, but from what I understood, he is not really in the picture. So at least she is not married or something,â Harry adds, still open about the relief he is feeling about that information.
âThis shit is twisted,â Sarah huffs. âSo whatâs gonna happen now? Did you ask for her number again?â
âAsk?â Harry chuckles bitterly. âI begged, Sarah. I was ready to be on my knees in the middle of a bloody Tesco.â
A round of laughter runs through the room and the mood finally eases a little after the shock that just set in. It wasnât the fact that Annalise had a son that sent everyone over the edge, but rather that she didnât say a single word about it and how it all surfaced.
âAnd did she give it to you?â Mitch prompts and Harry nods, a shy smile stretching on his lips as the two girls start clapping and cheering.
They all saw his long face after New Yearâs Eve, it couldnât be missed how he was moping around for weeks. He told them all about this girl he met, who completely blew his mind just before breaking his heart. Now that she was found and gave him just a small crumble of information about her to him that makes him able to contact her, the change is visible. That little sparkle in his eyes is back and thatâs all his friends wanted to see.
âSo what are you gonna do now?â Sarah asks as Harry walks over to one of the armchairs and makes himself comfortable.
âNow⊠Iâll try not to scare her off. Hopefully she wonât push me away and at least let me be her friend.â
âFriend? Is that what you want to be?â
âOf course not,â he sighs, his head dropping to the back of the armchair. âBut this is all I can do for now.â
They all just nod, tasting his words and letting everything that just happened sink in. Harry is doing the same, he has a lot to think about and figure out, but thereâs one thing he is one hundred percent sure about: he will not give up on Annalise.
NEXT PART
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TAGLIST
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@stylesfics-xxââ @dontworrysunflowerââ @mariamusesââ @bookwormandteaââ
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âClariceâ Liveblog: Episode 3
Maybe Wednesday is just destined to be my watch night? At any rate, here are some more comically late hot takes for you all.
I really do not like that Clariceâs Bureau-mandated therapist is recurring character, nor do I like the way these scenes are framed.
And the name of this episode is âAre You Alright?â which...oop.
âHe was a marshal.â Good to know that the sheriff BS she gave Mr. Cult Leader was made up after all.
This is a little thing, but enough with the boring monochromatic button-ups on Clarice! Whereâs my girl who hides copies of Vogue under her mattress??
I donât love this constant-flashback thing one bit.
To be 100% clear, if I havenât been already, itâs not that I want Clariceâs mental health to be ignored. I just donât think this is the best or most in-character way to address it.
Also: Clarice Starling is not defined by her trauma.
âBuffalo Bill...a wound I believe will never heal unless you open up about it.â Honestly?
Thanks, I hate it!
I hate to even bring up the NBC show.....but this scene is reminding me, intensely and unpleasantly, of that.
That show made Will Graham way too unstable and mentally ill as it is...and Clariceâs character is a hell of a lot stronger than book!Will, never mind NBC!Will. So having Clarice hallucinate and lash out in similar ways feels really OOC.
âMaybe your perceptions arenât as solid as you think.â Yay, gaslighting. As if Clarice doesnât face enough obstacles in the books.
Iâve always interpreted Ardelia as a bit of a neat freak, so that was a nice scene with the boxes!
Were most politicians wearing American flag pins in the early 90s? That feels way too modern. (iirc it became the ânormâ only after 9/11.)
âImagine someone field-dressing one of [your daughters] like a deer.â Iâm getting strong and very unwelcome NBC vibes again. Stop it, show!
More gaslighting, but this time from the suspect.
âWell, Iâm Army, so Iâm actually a good shot.â For some reason this feels like shade at ex-Marine John Brigham even though he doesnât exist in this show, and Iâm offended on his behalf.
Speaking of, when is Clariceâs sharpshooting talent going to come up??
Krendlerâs supporting Clarice? Saying she has a good idea???? WHO IS THIS GUY?!
The implication here is that...the president will fire AG Martin over bad press...? Or what?
What Iâm getting from this: this Krendler is just some guy who hapens to have the same name, not the infamous King Scumbag we know and love to hate. (And those clothes...1993, where are you?!?)
Ardelia called her âStarlingâ! Though it was tongue-in-cheek.
âIâm aware I have the palate of an eight-year-old.â Somewhere, Hannibal is dying inside. (Hmm...wasnât she about eight when her father was killed?)
This line/delivery was super cute!
But being unable to cook doesnât necessarily mean you have unsophisticated tastes...
Is Catherine going to have any kind of personality? Beyond âis traumatizedâ?
And where is Catherineâs cat???
âItâs from the 50s.â âIâm from the 50s! ...I still work.â Cuuute.
Her sheepish little smile when the Baltimore cop tells her theyâre âbig fansâ of hers...I would die for this girl, folks.
Hey, remember phone books?! And a nice nod to Ardelia being the bookish one of the pair.
Another homage to Silenceâs cinematography (but this time sheâs the reflection).
Krendlerâs back in Asshole Boss mode again. Make up your minds.
Thanks, I still hate it!
Okay, yes Clarice has a temper! And she does act âimpulsivelyâ re: Krendler in Hannibal...at the END of her by-then failed career. But a fledgling female agent whoâs already viewed as a kind of âloose cannonâ could NOT afford to chuck a mug full of coffee at her boss (with whom sheâs already butting heads/struggling to coexist) when sheâs upset! Very unprofessional and unlike Clarice.
âYou think Iâm the one who wants to play politics?â In Hannibal, Krendler wants to run for Congress, so...yeah, I do.
Krendler wouldnât be wrong to send Clarice home after that, tbh.
âHe thinks Iâm the weak link.â âYou might be.â *angry noises*
Busting through doors while armed: Just Clarice Things
Krendler telling Clarice she was right...his characterizationâs giving me whiplash.
Catherineâs not an actual character so far, and itâs sad.
Glad theyâre acknowledging that AG Martinâs âfield-dressingâ comments were incredibly bad.
âI think I have some memories I need to look at...but not with you.â Oh! Oh! I know who sheâs going to look at them with! ;)
âYouâre trying to gaslight me, sir.â Not sure they wouldâve used that term as commonly in the early 90s, though Clarice has a therapy license, so maybe?
But also: yes! CALL! HIM! OUT!
âI wish you luck finding someone whoâs better at it than I am.â *shrieks* That is a Hannibal reference, and Iâll fight anyone who says it isnât.
Iâve liked all these episodes more than my nit-picking might suggest, I swear. I enjoyed the middle half hour or so of this one a lot! Itâs got a few charming little funny moments that I particularly appreciated.Â
That said... This was, as a whole, probably Rebecca Breedsâ weakest showing to date (through no fault of her own). And Iâm getting a little antsy about (lack of) character development. Iâm on board with exploring Ardelia and Catherine Martin in greater depth...but Ruth Martin, too--even Krendler? And seemingly at the expense of Clariceâs own character?
What do the non-book readers in the audience really know about Clarice so far beyond whatâs shown in Silence? (Some early interviews emphasized that the film didnât have time to delve into Clariceâs character intimately. What has the show done to remedy that so far...?) She likes junk food, she has a brother...I canât think of much else off the top of my head. Not to be a broken record, but thereâs more to Clarice than childhood trauma. More than her career. If this show is genuinely about her--well, by episode 3 and 4, itâs high time for them to start exploring who she is beyond those things.
Clarice is a sharpshooter who competes and wins. Sheâs a runner. She loves horses and muscle cars. She has a therapy license. She graduated at the top of her large undergraduate class. Sheâs interested in fashion (though she probably doesnât let on about that to many people). I havenât seen any of that so far, and itâs beginning to make me sad.Â
They also need to end the âClarice is mentally/emotionally unstable and sometimes even hallucinatesâ subplot right now!
Iâm dropping all my expectations for this Paul Krendler. They wonât commit to making him as intolerable and awful as he was in the books. Instead, we have an OC with a canonical name. Fine. But that choice is going to be awkward if the show goes forward and they, by some miracle, get rights to Hannibalâs character...
If Catherine Martinâs sticking around, I hope to God they give her a personality. Of course sheâs suffering, and no, I donât want them to belittle that--but right now, sheâs coming across as a one-dimensional caricature of a victim rather than as a sympathetic real person.
And finally...where is my 90s aesthetic?! Itâs one of the elements that I was most excited about, yet itâs barely present. Some of the tech and the cars look right. A lot of the clothes and hairstyles, though, leave much to be desired. (Clariceâs wardrobe is especially boring/disappointing so far. I was looking forward to an improvement on Jodieâs movie costumes! Clarice doesnât have to dress just like Dana Scully--but at least Scully always looked straight out of 199x.) And there are little anachronistic things that take me right out of the early 90s.
I didnât hate it. I didnât love it. It wasnât as exciting or as full of novel/film allusions as the first two (I guess they canât all be). It also felt unfocused when it came to the characters, ultimately developing almost none of them, including the heroine. This is the episode I think Iâm least likely to rewatch of the first three.Â
Iâm hoping for better from #4!
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Spotlight: Rise of the Radiotrons
Here it is folks, the first fan canon spotlight, showcasing Rise of the Radiotrons created by sleeveev! You can find this over at @riseoftheradiotrons and also on AO3! This is a long post, fair warning.
Q) Give us a run down of your cont! What's it about, what's it called, what's it like?
the cont, despite being called Rise of the Radiotrons, revolves around five main groups of characters, and the mystery that accidentally intertwines all of them. a lot of false identities, undiscovered pasts, mystery that you need to read all the way through to really uncover. it also takes place during the attrition phase of the Autobot-Decepticon war, and Megatron and Optimus are... dead. but... weren't they made immortal by the Eternal Surge? where are they?
Q) What characters take the lead here? Any personal favorites?
characters that take the lead? hoo, boy, there's a lot. and be warned, this is OC-heavy. Wavecrash, Blackarachnia, Sparkplug, Pascal, and Ness make up the Earth detective team, the first to investigate the Radiotrons: Nanotube, Quicksilver, Greenscreen, and [REDACTED] (that is not their name, you will learn it later!).
Starscream, Moonkiller, and Pharma investigate a series of rust-related murders, later with the help of Eclipse and Terraform. the two they investigate? two hulking beings that carry a rust of sheer destruction of anything metal, Turbulence and someone known only as The Crimson Doctor. the third part is mostly with just a few characters. Dial-Up and Absolute Zero are in a cat-and-mouse chase, Dial-Up attempting to capture Absolute Zero and return him to the prison he escaped from. other 'bots come into this story, including Pylon, Airachnid, Suture, and Cyclonus, but they are not the main focus.
Turbulence. this motherfucker. this moldy bitch.
my personal favorites? i love Sparkplug, i love my little gaming PC gal. The Crimson Doctor has also grown on me quite a bit. i'm gonna make fat robots and you can't stop me.
Sparkplug above, Crimson Doctor (Crim) below
Q) I love how he isnât crimson at all.
oh you'll learn why he's crimson
Q) Ominous! Is there a bigger point to this, like a theme or some catharsis? Or is it just fluffy fun?
a bigger point to this? well, i have quite my fair share of trauma for being in a military family - being on the home front of a war i never even learned about until i was like 12. i wanted to show the horrors of attrition above all, because attrition is the part of war that everyone seems to forget, but is possibly the most dangerous part of it. everyone's killing each other over resources, dying of preventable diseases, resources are spread thin among soldiers and thinner among civilians. it also lets new, perhaps worse groups arise from the dust.
war was never about who was right. it was about who could live longer. and RotR, with its rampant killings that people can't even begin to investigate until their leaders are toppled from their thrones and complete anarchy reigns among military sites, is a testament to that.
war was the cause for part of the namesake of the Radiotrons themselves - the Great Radiation Crisis. war was where everything went wrong
Q) How long have you been working on it?
now, for the slightly less dark - it varies from character to character! while the official plot of RotR was established on August 25 this year, some 'bots go much further back - Pascal's earliest concepts were made on May 8, Nanotube's were made on April 25, and The Crimson Doctor's roots go as far back as a character called The Crimson-Eyed Doctor, a character created on Dec 11, 2019 (happy belated birthday, Crim!).
Q) Youâre very meticulous with your dates!
i lose track of all time otherwise
Q) Give us a behind-the-scenes look! Show us a secret ;))
behind the scenes.
this is a mystery cont.
THERE'S A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES.
i will start with some no-context spoilers, here.
and, now for something a bit more genuinely secret.
whether this is a crimson doctor or a red herring, you decide.
Q) Where did you draw inspiration from? What canons, what other fiction, what parts of real life?
this varies from subtle to shameless.
my cont would fit best in an comic format, so it makes sense that i was inspired by IDW - and that it was my entry into the TF fandom! there is also some TFA bits in there, but the majority of it is personal robot worldbuilding, with a couple sprinkles of headcanons and OCs taken from Afterburn, a cont made by a longtime friend of mine.
other fiction i took inspiration from is mostly in the character designs. Blackarachnia was loosely inspired by Tawna from Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (you went through such a good revamp sweetie. neon lesbian.). if you can't tell that Turbulence took inspiration from Cioccolata from JJBA: Golden Wind, i don't know what to tell you. Crim took less inspiration from a character and more from a trope - the "ever-obedient villain subordinate". i just sucked all of the homoeroticism out of it, and also decided to give him more of a self than just someone who serves the villain.
here's Tawna (specifically Crash Bandicoot 4), one of the big inspirations for Blackarachnia's design! we don't talk about your past sweetie.
and Blackarachnia headshot to compare, because her fullbody is still in progress.
i am sharing this specific image of cio, one of turb's inspos, because i BASED A TURB PIECE OFF OF IT.
real life? RADIATION, RADIATION. i have radiation and radioactive things and the PERIODIC TABLE as a special interest and it SHOWS. it's all radiation. even the names. Quicksilver comes from mercury, Starborn comes from all elements being created from stars in space, Nanotube comes from carbon nanotubes, and [REDACTED] comes from... well, you don't know yet. there's also the whole attrition war thing, for real life inspiration, too.
Q) Show off something you're really proud of, a particular favorite part of your cont.
this piece of Eclipse and Turbulence('s hand), for one
(the image is at the end of the post under a readmore, as it contains eye trauma, eye touching, and roboblood)
and another thing i am particularly proud of are all my worldbuilding posts! they look like textbook entries kinda but i really really love em. here's one of them, though there are many more on the blog!
lastly, my favorite character introduction post. if you know Afterburn, you may be pleasantly surprised seeing this.
Q) Ah, that guy.
fun fact about RotR Absolute Zero! his color palette is taken from a diagram of a human heart. here is the motherfucker in question,
Q) What other fan canons do you love and why? Would you like to see them interviewed?
Afterburn. my best friend made this i can't just NOT advertise it. go look at it there's murderers and there's an OC that's actually very inspired by not one but two of my creations (the original OC he was a fanformer of, and his altmode - I'd had thoughts of various greenhouse 'bots like that). @transformersafterburnâ. please don't simp for Abzero. or maybe do. he's a better option than Turbulence.
Mirror Mirror. found at @transformers-mirror-mirrorâ, it's got so many epic character designs and realistically sized altmodes despite not having realistically sized altmodes this makes me go happy flappy and is also inspiring a future project of mine, also Shattered Glass!
NEW PRIMES OF CYBERTRON. RITO I LOVE YOUR CONT SO MUCH. i summed it up in "transformers ungunned" but THERE IS MUCH MORE GO CHECK IT OUT AFTER YOU FINISH READING THIS INTERVIEW @thenamesblurritoâ
Q) [insert flattered keysmashing from me, creator of New Primes of Cybertron, otherwise known as TF:SNAP]
Thank you very much veev! Everyone go check out Rise of the Radiotrons! Stay tuned for next week, when weâll get to see some Shattered Glass...
(aforementioned image under the cut, warning for eye trauma, eye touching, and roboblood)
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Ikamara One Shot: Soccer Practice
Hey there! To the new folks here, I have a fanfiction called Mr. love: Ikeâs Choice featuring my OC as the main character instead of Youran! I write these one shots in between chapters to give a background to Ike and create a sense of tension as you wait of the next chapter!! If you are interested, you can find the link to my masterlist of the fanfiction here! Thank you for those who have read this far in Ikamaraâs story. I hope you enjoy and clear up any questions you guys have for my OC! Thanks again!!
~ Ike ân Bar Productions Productions
Setting:Â Starts in the past when Ike had just begun talking to her family after her two years of being mute. After that, it begins before the epilogue of Chapter Three.
You donât need to know Ikeâs story to understand what is happening but it would make more sense if you did read it!!
Warnings: Stories of abuse, murder, and domestic violence. It doesnât go too far into detail but if you are sensitive to those tones, Iâd suggest not reading.
But! We also have foster family bonding!, Adri being a sassy freak!, dares that involve second hand embarrassment!, Ashton character development!, Sam being the best younger brother ever!!, and cute lil Lola! Not to mention a flirty surprise guest at the end ,â:)
One Shot: Soccer Practice
âHey! How was practice?â
Ike could sense something was off with Sam the moment he got to the car. He didnât jump into it with his usual enthusiasm and his smile seemed to be sapped of energy. Still, he smiled and answered Mariaâs question as best he could. âFine. We just practiced strategies for tomorrowâs game.â Ike kept her eyes on Sam, waiting for him to keep talking.Â
But he didnât.Â
Maria, seemingly unaware of Samâs bad mood, said, âThatâs nice, sweetie!â and pulled the car out of park. Sam rested his head on the soccer ball that he had brought with him and stared adamantly out of the window. Ike sat impatiently next to the sorrowful kid, asty to ask what was wrong. She had just barely begun talking to people again. She didnât want to cross any boundaries. She would have asked Ashton, her second foster brother, for advice, but his eyes were trained on his new phone and he had no intention on looking away.Â
Ike folded her arms impulsively. Noticing this, Sam finally looked over to her, catching her eyes before she could look away. âWhatâs wrong?â He asked, tilting his head slightly. Ikeâs hands tightened on her sleeves.
âI... was hoping you would answer that.â She muttered, looking meaningfully at Sam.Â
Sam shook his hands in front of him, smiling emptily. âNothing!â He said all too loudly, âI had a good day! Iâm-â He paused, looking between Ikeâs eyes. Finally, Sam sighed, dropping his smile into something that seemed more comfortable for him to wear. â...How did you know?â Sam whispered, diverting his eyes from Ikeâs.Â
âWe are... connected. R-right?â Ike asked meekly.Â
Sam smiled softly. âRight.â He nodded. Ike nodded as well , relaxing her grip on her shoulders slightly.
 âSo⊠What happened?âÂ
Sam remained silent for a moment. Then he sighed and slouched in his seat. âIâm holding the team back.â He said, leaning his head on the palm of his hand as he looked back out the window, âEveryone is so fast and they have all the strategies down. Then thereâs me. The guy who canât even kick a goal without tripping up.â Samâs voice trailed off slightly, making him harder and harder to hear, âItâs because everyone has someone they can practice with at home. But, I donât! I have a twin brother who hates sports, an older brother who is always out with friends, and a dad who is always working late as a janitor of some big company. Iâm never gonna be as good as my team.â Sam pouted as tears came to his eyes, âIâll only drag them down.âÂ
Ike shifted slightly in her seat. She didnât know what to do. Her question she asked made her brother cry. She didnât want him to cry. She wanted him to smile. What was she supposed to do?! Ike took a deep breath and put a hand on Samâs shoulder. Sam looked up at her.
âIâm sorry you suck.â Ikeâs voice cracked slightly as she spoke to him. Samâs eyes went wide. He blinked at her for a moment, then he burst out laughing. Ikeâs face flushed. That wasnât the reaction she was going for but⊠she could work with it...
âMan, youâre bad at this.â Sam giggled, wiping away the tears that had fallen down his cheeks. Ikeâs face fell slightly. âB-but!â Sam quickly said, waving his hands and bringing Ikeâs attention back to him, âBut I know you meant well!! So thank you!â Ike hesitated, then nodded. She took her hand off of Samâs shoulder, folding them once more across her chest. Sam leaned his head onto her shoulder tenderly.
âIf only you could help me with soccer.â he sighed, âThen I could be better and we could spend more time together.â Ike watched the boy at her side. She couldnât do that. She promised herself she never would again. Not since⊠but Ike wanted nothing more than to see his normal smile again. And to do so would mean⊠it was time to swallow her pride and do the right thing.Â
Ike leaned forward and tapped Maria on the shoulder. âC-can me and Sam go to the... park?â Ike asked timidly. Mariaâs eyes flashed with surprise as she looked at Ike through the rearview mirror.
âRight now?â Maria asked, tilting the mirror to see her clearer.
âYou can drop Sam and me off and take Ashton to his club,â Ikeâs voice tightened as she quickly made her case, âand you can come back to pick us up after itâs done. I just⊠want to help Sam... with his soccer⊠is thatâs ok?.â Ikeâs voice trailed off as she watched Maria in the mirror. Mariaâs face turned from a face of curiosity to one of warmth and love as her foster daughter spoke.
âThatâs very sweet of you, Evie.â She cooed, âIâm ok with it as long as you two stick together.â Ike sighed with relief and nodded. âWe will. Thank you.â She leaned back in her seat, taking slow breaths to ease her panic ridden heart. Sam wrapped his arms around Ikeâs arm, squeezing it tightly. Ike looked down at her brother. His eyes were stars as he looked back at her. His normal bright, missing toothed smile had returned. âThank you, Ike.â He whispered sincerely. Ease settled into Ikeâs shoulders.
>
Maria drove away after dropping Ike and Sam off. They walked together through the park until they came to a small soccer field. Sam ran up one of the benches, threw his back pack onto it, and kicked his soccer ball out to the field and started playing with it. Ike placed her school bag next to Samâs and, after a moment of consideration, took off her jacket and placed it with the bags. Pulling her sleeves down and over the palms of her hand, she joined Sam on the field.Â
Sam stopped playing and watched Ike. She always seemed so closed off and she always hid her arms. He always wondered the answer but was too afraid to ask. Maria always told him that he was to be careful talking with her but⊠she was still a kid. Just like him. She just needed someone to love her like she was normal. Even if she wasnât.
âAre you⊠ok?â
Sam blinked and focused his eyes on Ike. She leaned forward, trying to meet his eyes. Sam quickly smiled and nodded quickly. Before Ike could ask him anything more he kicked the ball to Ike, holding back slightly and letting it fall slightly short of her feet. She watched it for a moment. Then she tucked the ball over her foot and kicked the ball straight up in the air. She skillfully caught it on the side of her foot as it came back down and started toying with the ball, tossing it back and forth, getting used to the all too familiar weight. Sam watched her, mouth slacked and eyes bulging. Never had she ever looked so cool to him.
Ike looked up at Sam. A warmth rolled onto her cheeks as his sparkling eyes met hers. She cleared her throat and kicked the ball to him. âThat was so cool!!â Sam jumped up and down and ran to Ike, ignoring the ball. âWhere did you learn to do that?â Ike paused and looked down.
âThatâs... not what we are here to learn.â Ike moved back to the ball as she timidly spoke, âRight now, I need you to show me what you need to work on," Ike gestured to the goal behind her, âAnd kick the ball into the goal.âÂ
Sam nodded, âAlright but afterwards, no need to teach me how to do that!â Ike pursed her lips to prevent a rising smile as she braced herself at the goal. Sam assumed his position behind the ball and eyed Ike. He stayed there a moment, toying with her, hoping to psych her out. But Ike remained perfectly poised over the goal. In a flash, Sam kicked the ball. It sailed up and right for the goal. But before it could go in, Ike stopped it. She casually reached out and plucked it out of the air like it was nothing. "See?â Sam growled, kicking at the ground, âI told you I'm not fast enough."
"How hard you kick the ball isnât whatâs important here." Ike said seriously as she approached Sam, "You.. you are paying too much attention to what the goalie is doing instead of where you are kicking... Here.â Ike passed the ball to Sam, "Don't look at the goalie. Just look at where you want to kick the ball."Â
"But Couch says I need to watch them for where they are moving!" Sam said quickly. Ike shook her head.
"The goalie has their job and you have yours." Ike spoke plainly, pulling Sam's undecided attention closer to her, "You should keep their movements in mind, but your main focus should be where you're kicking. If you think about the goalie too much, you'll subconsciously kick to them, making it easier for them to stop you.â Ike paused a moment. For some reason she was out of breath. It really had been a while since she had spoken this much. â⊠does that⊠make sense?" Ike added, hoping her speed was only taxing her instead of Sam.
Sam slowly nodded, âYeah. It does! You know, you explain it much better then couch does.â He placed the ball in front of his feet, âHe just yells at me and tells me Iâm a good for nothing kid.â Ikeâs hands clenched into fists. âOk!â Sam said, not noticing Ikeâs change in attitude, âAre you-â
âYouâre not good for nothing!â
Ikeâs yelling caused Sam to stubble slightly. Ike puffed her cheeks and stood up straight as she pointed a finger at him. âYou are needed, and important, and bring more happiness then you know, okay?! Donât let that couch, or anyone else for that matter, tell you otherwise! Got it?!â Sam blinked at Ike.
âYe-yeah. I know.â He stammered, âIâm sure he just says that to get me to work harder. I donât think he means it or anything.â
âYeah⊠w-well.â Ikeâs face quickly grew red as she looked at the ground, âThose words should never be used lightlyâŠâ The two of them sat in heavy silence for a moment. Sam had questions he wanted to ask but swallowed them. If she wanted him to know, sheâd tell him.
âH-hey.â Sam called, getting Ike to look up at him, âThank you. It means a lot.â He smiled brightly, the brightest Ike had ever seen since she had moved into their foster home. It was almost contagious.
Ikeâs blush brightened as she nodded. She covered her mouth with her hand but Sam could still she her squinting her eyes, showing the emotion she tried so hard to hide. It filled him with determination.
âOk!â Sam said, bracing himself at the ball, âReady?!â Ike looked at him then cleared her throat and braced herself as well.
âYeah.â She said, glaring at the ball, âLetâs do this.â
>>>
âIn other news, the anniversary of one Tyler Young-Diazâs death is coming up. The once renowned soccer player who led Loveland Cityâs soccer team to victory plenty of times before his demise. He died from-â
The television went black.
âHey!â Sam whipped his head around, âI was watching that!â
âYou can watch it when we get back.â I said, tossing the remote on my foster parentâs couch, âYou ready for practice, kiddo?â Samâs once agitated face lit up.
âYeah!â Sam jumped up from the ground, where he was absentmindedly playing with his baby sister, and ran to my side, âAre you finally going to show me how to do some cool tricks?! Like, when you look like youâre gonna kick the ball one way but you actually kick it another?!â
âSettle down, kid.â I rubbed Samâs head, âOnce youâre able to get a goal on me, Iâll think about it.â
âAre you guys leaving?â Maria called from the kitchen.
âYeah!â Sam and I called at the same time.
âCould you take the other kids with you? Theyâve been on their phone since they woke up.â
âSure.â I said, despite Samâs growls of annoyance, âDo you want me to take Lola too?â
âThat would be great!â Maria poked her head out of the kitchen and smiled at me gratefully, âThank you, Evie!âÂ
âOf course.â I continued into the room and gave Samâs head another rub, âGo get Ashton and Adri for me, Sam.âÂ
âUgh,â Sam whined but still made his way to the stairwell, âThis is gonna suck.â
âOh, come on.â I said, scooping up Lola from the blanket she was playing on, âIt wonât be that bad. Iâm sure we wonât even know that theyâre there.â
>>
"OK. I saw the sun. Can I go home now?"
"Ugh, couldn't you have picked a time to practice when the sun isn't so bright?"
"I don't even have reception out here! And Maria cut off my data so no wifi either! This blows!"
"I mean, what am I even going to do at the park? I'm not a baby anymore. I don't want to play on the playground."
âStop giving me the death glare, Sam. I can take a message.â
âObviously not.â Sam growled at his siblings. In between the complaints, Sam would catch my eye and flash me an expression that screamed 'I told you so.' Still, I remained optimistic as we reached the soccer field. Adri and Ashton sat at the benches and began to pull out their phones. With my Lola free hand, I snatched them away from their hands. They both looked at me with shock and anger.
"You were brought here to be away from your phones." I said, giving them a stern look, "Now, meet Sam out on the field."
"But-" Ashton and Adri began to introgect but one flash of my evil eye shut them both up. They reluctantly stood up and walked with me to the field.
"They're joining us?!" Sam scoffed, "But they are just going to slow us down!"
"Come on kiddo." I rolled my eyes and patted Sam on the back, "Buck up! You're starting to sound like them."
We all worked together to set out Lolaâs play pen then, with her placed safely next to me, we all created a circle facing each other. I bounced the ball on the side of my foot and looked at the group. âAlright,â I said in the best couch voice I could muster, âToday we are going to play a little game of truth or dare. Pass the ball to the person you want to ask and they must comply.â
âBoring!â Adri groaned, âTruth or dare is a sad game that little girls play at slumber parties to talk about who likes who. Besides, the dares are weak. âI dare you to tell your crush you like them!â, âI dare you to tell a stranger they look nice!â, âI dare you to knock on a door then run away!ââ Adri blew a raspberry.
âOk, if you are so confident,â I passed the ball to Adri, âAccept a dare from me.â Adri caught the ball clumsily between her legs. All the same, she looked up at me with determination.
âFine!â Adri scoffed and folded her arms, âHit me with your best shot, Granny!â I smirked and pulled out my phone. With one quick scroll through my contacts, I pulled up a certain someoneâs profile. I hummed to myself and held out the phone to Adri. âAdrienne, I dare you to call Lucien and tell him about that mole growing on your back.â
Adriâs face flushed royally, âH-How did you know about that?!â She stammered.
âYou just told me.â My smirk grew. Adri stood dormant.
âWh-what if I say no?â She asked, her trembling voice erasing what sassiness she held before. I hummed and reached into Lolaâs diaper bag.Â
âI get to draw on your face and post it in my moments.â I said, waving a washable red marker in the air.Â
âPfft, I can do that.â Adri said, approaching me confidently. Before she could take the marker, I pulled it away.
âI wouldnât be too sure.â I said, my smile unwavering, âI wouldnât think youâd want a certain someone seeing that.â
âI donât care if Professor-â
âIâm not talking about Lucien.â I mused, âIâm talking about a certain superstar. I donât know if youâve heard him. His name is Kiro?â Adriâs normally pale face became ghastly as she stared at me wide eyed.
âK-Kiro follows you?!â She gasped.
âOh yeah. And he often is the first to react to a post.â I brought the pen back down into Adriâs reach, âSo, still want me to draw on you?âÂ
Adri remained motionless. Her eyes played how much emotions she couldnât quite express. Ashton giggled from behind her. âOh man.â He chuckled, âYouâre boned!â Sam burst into laughter and leaned on his twin for support.
âYouâve got to choose which hot guy is worth making yourself a fool out of!â Sam laughed heartily, âYou should have kept your mouth shut!â
âAs should you.â I chimed, looking up at the boys, âDonât forget, it will be your turn eventually.â The twins gulped.Â
In a flash, Adri swiped my phone from my hand. She pressed a few buttons on it and held it up to her ear. âDonât pick up. Donât pick up!â She chanted rocking back and forth in her heels, âDonât- SHIT AH I HAVE A MOLE ON MY BACK!â And with that, she pulled the phone from her ear, hung up the call, and chucked the phone at me.Â
âSwear jar.â Ashton chimed, covering a large grin as Sam fell to the floor in a fit of laughter. With a furious red face, Adri glared menacingly at me.Â
âYou are evil!!â She huffed. I lowered my head so I stood eye to eye with her. With a cunning smile, I responded,
âNever challenge Ikamara Bikira.â
And so our time on the field continued. Adri, now dead set on exacting her revenge on me, soon got lost in the game as Sam and Ashton soon got their comeuppance. Ashton through telling everyone he secretly plays detective with his stuffed animals when he is alone in his room, and Sam when he confessed to the girl in his art class over the phone that he was the one who drew a mustache on the masterpiece that cost her an A.Â
Soon, the ball was passed to me by Ashton. âAlright, kid.â I said through a steady smile as I messed with the ball between my feet, âHit me.â Ashton watched me as I played with the ball, his eyes clouded with thought.
â... Tell us how you know how to play soccer.â
I stopped playing with the ball. The happy energy in the group tanked quickly as I looked up at Ashton. â... What?â
âTell us how you know how to play soccer.â He reiterated, âYouâve been teaching Sam soccer for years and he has gotten good. Really good. So that would bring up the question, how does a business woman such as you know how to play so well?â
â... You didnât even ask me, truth or dare.âI said, trying hard to hold back what anxiety pooled at my throat.
âOk, truth or dare?â Ashton asked, folding his arms.
âDare.â
âI dare you to answer the question.â
I gritted my teeth and straightened my posture.
âUh, hey!â Sam quickly said, âMaybe there can be a line that we donât-â
âNo, no.â I waved my hand to Sam but maintained my eye contact with Ashton, âYou all did what you were dared to do⊠I can too.â paused then took in a deep breath.
âI learned it at my fourth foster home.â
The field went silent...
â... I just told an insanely hot college professor I had a mole on my back.â Adri deadpanned, âI think we need a little more than that.â
âOk, fine.â I groaned. My eyes fell to the soccer ball sitting idly between my feet. Small flashes of suppressed memories flew past my eyes. I blinked them away but I knew I couldnât hold them back. Ashton was right, I had been teaching Sam soccer since I was fifteen. He had a right to know⊠they all did.
After a pause that seemed to last ages, I sighed. â... I had just gotten out of the police station for turning in my abusive foster parent. I was immediately moved to an emergency foster house until they could find a new, permanent one for me to live in. The foster father welcomed me in like I had always been his daughter. He bathed me, clothed me, and gave me a warm meal to eat with in the first hour I was there. He was the best dad I had ever had⊠but the foster mother wasnât as kind.
âShe would always find something that she hated about me. My hair, clothes, skin, and so on. She particularly hated seeing the scars that my last family had left and would constantly nag that I would cover them up. But it wasnât just me that she would yell at.Â
âHer and her husband would constantly fight. So much so that I had to play my radio at full volume to block out the sound. Though it would only make the mother angrier as she would start yelling at me to turn it downâŠâ I took a deep breath, âBut the father wouldnât give up on me. While the mother was at work and he had time off from his⊠work, we would do something that only belonged to us. Something that he loved to do and could teach like it was riding a bike⊠and that was soccer.Â
âHe taught me how to play any chance he could. It would be away from his wife, full of exercise, and the perfect way for him to be spending time in between work. We really got to know each other. In fact, he talked about running away together. Just the two of us⊠playing together foreverâŠâ I paused.
â... What happened?â Adri asked impatiently. I cringed. The memories I tried so hard to stifle shot like daggers behind my eyes.
â... One day, around six at night, my foster father came home from a long trip. I was already in the backyard, playing with the soccer ball and readying for our practice. But, his wife had gotten to him first. They started fighting again but it wasnât like how it was before. They were screaming at each other, threatening each other, as if the fight was about to get physical. It got to the point where I couldnât understand what they were saying. And then, as quick as it started, it stopped. Something felt off so I went into the house, only to find that my foster father was on the ground⊠bleeding out from his head. That woman was standing over him, holding one of his trophies and looking at her husband in horror. It didnât take long for her to notice me and, when she did, all hell broke loose.
âShe blamed me for what happened, said that the fight wouldnât have begun if I had just stayed with my last family. Then, she kicked me out, told me to never come back and that if I told the police she would end me like she did to him. I didnât give it a second thought. I quickly packed my things into a school bag and took off. I walked for hours until I was at the foster center. I refused to talk about what happened, terrified out of my mind from what that wench said.
âLater I had found out that the foster center agreed with the police to keep my being there out of the papers to shelter me from any press so no one knew I was there⊠or how much that man meant to meâŠ
âAfter spending some time in an orphanage, I had eventually found my way into the home you guys find yourselves in now⊠and, the rest is history.âÂ
After finishing my monologue, I was scared to look at the faces standing before me. I expected them to press me for details, to badger me for names or tell me that I was lying and to tell the real reason. Instead, Adri did something much worse.
â... Your foster parent was Tyler Young-Diaz, wasnât it?â
Though her voice was small, it sent shockwaves through my head. I looked up at her. She was looking at me with wide eyes and a complicated expression, one of which the other two boys held as well.Â
Seeing that I wasnât going to respond, Adri continued, âI read about it today. He was murdered by his wife with his nationals trophy.â
â...yeah. That was him.â I sighed, looking back down at the ball at my feet.
â... So, you were taught soccer under a professional?!â Adri asked with feigned excitement. I looked back up at her in confusion.
âReally?!â Ashton scoffed and punched Adriâs arm, âIs that really all you got from that story?!â
âHey! Iâm just trying to lighten the mood!â Adri glared at Ashton as she rubbed her arm, âWhat else do you say to someone who just confessed to witnessing her foster fatherâs murder?!?â
âIke.â Sam spoke up. I turned to him. He looked at me with tearfilled eyes, âDid all of that really happen?â I hesitated, then nodded. Sam winced as if he were in pain. Before I could ask, he ran to me and nearly tackled me with a hug. âIâm so sorry.â He sobbed, clutching to my shirt tightly, âI didnât know! I should have never agreed to learn from you! I would have just kept playing poorly if it meant youâd never have to relive those days.â
âHey.â I pried Sam off of my stomach to look him in the eye, âWerenât you paying attention? The time I played soccer with Tyler was the best time I had spent with that family. Playing soccer with you isnât painful. Itâs my favorite time of the week.â Samâs eyes welled with tears once again, but I could tell it wasnât for the same reason as before. He buried his head back into my stomach.
âI love you, Ike.â He sobbed, rubbing his face into my clothes. I sighed and stroked his head softly. I looked up and caught the eyes of Adri and Ashton as they watched us, longingly, eyes watering slightly. I rolled my eyes and held out my arms.
âBring it in.â I said, gesturing to them. Adri and Ashton exchanged looks, then joined us in our hug, pulling us all tightly together. Our hold only lasted a moment before a disgruntled yelp sounded from beside me. I looked down to find an angry baby looking up at us.
âAlright, Lola.â I sighed and scooped the baby up from her pen, âYou can join in.â Lolaâs face immediately lit up as we brought her into the hug. She giggled and grabbed for whatever she could reach. Unfortunately for Ashton, it was his hair.
âAlright!â He quickly called, delicately removing Lolaâs fingers from his head, âHug timeâs over.â Sam and Adri laughed and quickly backed out of the hug to help Ashton.
âWhat a practice this turned out to be.â Sam chuckled, wiping the last of his tears away.
âAw man. I miss the hug?!?"
We all turned and caught sight of our sharply dressed, disappointment looking, eldest foster brother strolling into view. "First you don't invite me to your sibling pow wow and now I don't even get a hug!" Chris pouted, extending his empty arms out to us.
"Chris!" Sam exclaimed, running to vacate the space between Chris' arms. Chris accepted Sam's hug, pulling him off his feet and into the air as he shook him around. Adri rolled his eyes and walked over to him while Ashton hid behind me for protection. This backfired as Chris approached me from a hug and I accepted, dragging my little brother in with me. Ashton groaned and struggled out of my grip, bringing a chuckle throughout the group.
"I came to visit you guys but no one was home!" Chris said, plucking Lola from my hands, "Momma Maria said you'd be here! But, whatâs with the tears?â
âAshton asked the wrong question.â Adri deadpanned.
âSam is an emotional dork.â Ashton retaliated.
âWe learned more about Ikeâs past!â Sam beamed, âShe told us about her last foster family before us! The hug just kinda happened... almost like we all found a new appreciation for each other.â Sam looked meaningfully around the circle. Ashton rolled his eyes and shoved his brother.
âLike I said, emotional dork.â Ashton tactlessly remarked. Sam growled and jumped at Ashton. I caught Sam in mid-air, stopping him from making any contact with Ashton.Â
âAlright, kiddos.â I said, picking Sam up casually and sitting him on my shoulder, âHow bout some ice cream?â Sam cheered loudly, causing Lola to cheer as well. Adri and Ashton exchanged looks of begrudged approval. I looked up at Chris. âYou care for some family time, pal?â I asked with a smile. Chris beamed brightly.
âLetâs go!â He cheered, jumping in place like a child. I rolled my eyes and placed Sam down as the phone in my pocket vibrated obsessively.Â
âTake care of the pen, would you, Sam?â I asked as I pulled out my phone. Sam quickly complied and began taking it down, humming to himself happily. I smiled and, without looking at my phone, answered the phone.
âSpeaking.â
â... A mole on your back, you say?â A familiar voice chimed.
My heart leapt.
âIâm afraid I have more questions then answers, Evelyn.â Lucien added through an obvious smile.Â
âSorry, Lucien.â I said as eased my posture slightly, âWe were playing truth or dare and I had Adri call you. Donât take what she said seriously.â
âWe?â Lucien asked curiously.
âAshton and Sam were there too. We spent the afternoon playing truth or dare while Sam practiced his passing for soccer.â
âI see.â Lucien mused, âDid you have fun?â I looked over at my siblings, who were all laughing and talking together.
âYeah.â I answer genuinely through a genuine smile, âI feel like we have grown closer as siblings.â I directed my attention back to Lucien, âIâm sorry if I pulled you from your work.â
âNot at all.â Lucien said quickly, âIn fact, I have some free time to keep talking to you. May I press you for details on your day?â
My smile grew, âSure. I can talk.â
(Next)
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My Current Thoughts on Writing Fanfics
Iâm so glad Iâve had this bloggity since 2012, because I can see how much my approach to writing has changed! I wanted to touch base on where I am now, plus answer the most common questions I receive about writing fanfics beneath the cut.
Obligatory disclaimer: Iâm a hobbyist writer, this is meant to be taken as opinion/reflection, not advice, different approaches work for different people, annnnd also check out my digimon fanfics (FFN and AO3).
How do I develop a regular writing habit?
Iâd start by setting aside 15 minutes a day to write. Â Donât focus on word count- writing x number of words can be intimidating, but most people can sit for 15 minutes and get something down. Â If youâre writing on a computer, turn off the internet and place your phone out of reach
Gradually increase the session length.
Never worry about the quality of your writing while youâre drafting. Â Thatâs what editing and subsequent drafts are for. Â I have a post on utilizing successive drafts to combat writing paralysis here, but the tl;dr is that the pressure to write a perfect story in the first draft often turns writing into an agonizing trial instead of creative play.
Your first draft is bad, period, at least compared to what it will be. In the kindest way possible, get over it. Your value as a writer- or as a human!- isnât tied into your questionable first draft. Please explore your story in the earliest stages with enthusiasm, not criticism! Youâre going to make it so much better by the time youâre finished!
How do you write so much?
See, hereâs one of the biggest changes in my mindset compared to my early days as ahiddenpath. Â I used to think that doing all of this writing was like... extra credit, like a stretch goal I pushed myself to achieve. Â
I learned in therapy starting in 2018 that the reason I keep writing is because I have to. Â I have general anxiety disorder, and my brain... Â Have you seen an old-timey cartoon with a boiler? Â They are drawn swollen, metal distorting with steam pressure, rivets groaning and popping free. Â Thatâs how I feel if I donât write. Â Donât ask me why or how, but writing is like turning a valve to release the pressure.
(Quick PSA- my therapist calls creative outlets âcoping skills.â Â If you feel like you have boiler brain, make time for your hobbies, no matter how tired you are.)
For me, writing is challenging play. Â Although Iâm often conveying messages that matter to me or exploring ideas I want to work through, and I try to make the best product I can... Â I donât take it seriously, and I donât sweat over it. Â Iâm here to wander, play, and take care of myself.
So basically, I think the recipe for producing lots of writing is: regularity/habit (do it every day, even for just a little while), minimizing distractions, separating the processes of drafting and editing, turning off criticism in the early stages of drafting, and writing for yourself and your own needs.
 Do you feel embarrassed about writing fanfic?
Nope. I write for my mental health/because itâs fun, period. However, I also donât tell people IRL that I write fanfic! But Iâm a private person (I donât tell people IRL that Iâm asexual, for example, and I only tell them I have anxiety if I freeze up in front of them).
Do you feel embarrassed about writing OCs/fakemon?
Hahahaha! Look, I know there are lots of people who wonât read OCs and fakemon. I know there are probably people who wish I would stick to more canon stuff (both in terms of OCs and my strong preference for AUs).
But Iâm here to write what I want, and while it makes me happy when people read and enjoy my work... Itâs no skin off my back if they donât. I already fulfilled my goal of taking care of myself.
Donât you want to get published and make money for your writing?
No, not at this time. For everyone who has said that I have the writing skill to be published, thank you so very much. Thatâs so kind, and I truly appreciate it!
But... The United States has the enormous capitalistic attitude problem that endeavors are only worthwhile if they generate capital. I canât even begin to tell you how damaging this concept is- literally, Iâm not equipped with the sociopolitical educational background. Â
Sometimes I think Iâd like to become a published novelist? But sometimes I recall that I have a dope research gig, and I wanna play around with writing in my free time.
To be clear, Iâm not saying that you shouldnât pursue your creative career dreams!!! And, who knows, maybe some day Iâll get tired of research and want to try swapping to the hobby/skill Iâve spent so much time refining. Just... Never stop doing something fun and harmless you enjoy because âit doesnât make money.â Â
Iâm not gonna sit here acting like I know what the purpose of life is, but I think having fun and meeting your needs is pivotal.
Okay, so how can I support my favorite fandom content creators?
Bless you, fâreal. The easiest way is to comment on their stuff. For meta writers, leave comments, engage, ask questions. For fanfiction writers, leave reviews. I have so many lovely folks who chat with me over Tumblr or discord after reading my stuff, which is so great. But itâs hard to find those sweet messages later. I can always click on reviews any time I need a little positive reinforcement/boost. So, even if youâre going to talk to the writer later... Leave that review!
If the content producer uses social media, reblog their stuff to give them more exposure. Likes are for you, so you can find a post later. Reblogs are for the creators, so other people can see their work.
Things like fanart, fanfic of fanfic, cosplays, and other... fan content of fan content make our year, I promise! We love that so stinkinâ much!
Some fan content producers have a ko-fi and/or a patreon, so sometimes there are monetary ways to show appreciation.
If youâre intimated by a content producer, please remember that we are all massive dorkasauruses. I absolutely guarantee it.
How do you have so many ideas?!
Ah, I have a Future Projects page on my blog- I donât think pages work on mobile.
But hereâs the secret: ideas are the easy part. They are literally a dime a dozen. Heck, there are AU generators! Just pick characters out of a hat and use an AU generator and bam, youâre off! And even then, you donât need a real idea to start writing!  I launched Four Years on the thought of, âhahaha, wouldnât it be a mess if the Chosen went to college together?!â
Weâre writing fanfic; weâre here to play. Thereâs no need to crush yourself with the expectation that you must write the next hit thriller plot.
In my opinion, the much better question is: how do you manage your projects such that you complete them?
So, uh, how do you manage your projects?
Iâve established that I write fanfic to play and to take care of myself, but I do want to grow as a writer along the way. And the best way to learn how to craft narratives is to practice completing them. If you launch stories over and over and only write roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of the way through the story... All youâre practicing is how to start a story.
When I first started writing as ahiddenpath, I did exactly zero planning (see the Four Years reference above). I ended up with longfics stretching as long as 400K+ words- thatâs over six novels (based on the average adult fiction novel length)!!!!! It is so daunting to work on longfics, because you feel like the ending is nowhere to be seen.
SO most of my pointers circle around always writing towards your ending, even before you start!
-Decide what you want to say with your story before you start writing.
First, âwhat you want to sayâ doesnât have to be a big, grand theme. It can be as big as âhow the trauma of their adventures impacted them afterâ or as small as âI think these dorks would have a good time at laser tag.âÂ
Iâm not talking about a detailed outline (in fact, I personally hate outlines). Just know what your story is about and make sure what you write points to it. If you can make the structure of your story mimic your theme, even better! But no worries if that doesnât work out, itâs not always possible.
-Write linearly
The best way to keep moving along in your story is just to... keep writing it in order. This helps achieve regular updates, and prevents you from potentially âlosingâ material if you change your mind about the plot before reaching the bit you wrote already. This happened to me so frequently that I stopped writing ahead of myself. If I have an idea, I write it down, but I donât draft future scenes. In my experience, they often never see the light of day.
Iâm told people often write the bit of the story they most want to write first? If you have a single scene that youâre really longing to write, but you donât know how to get there/donât want to write the rest... May I suggest that you... donât write the rest? If your scene works as a oneshot, write that oneshot! Donât torture yourself with a lot of writing you donât want to do. Most often, people end up forcing their way through 1-4 chapters, then stalling before ever reaching the Good Bit.Â
A moment of silence for all of the unwritten Good Bits out there. Now, some Enya.
If you canât reduce Good Bit setup to a oneshot, reduce as much as possible. I think that sometimes, people underestimate the incredible advantages of writing fanfiction? Everyone knows your characters already, and maybe even the setting, if you keep it canon. You can cut out the setup and dive right into what you want to do with the characters!Â
-Think about the structure of your story before you start
Considering the structure of your story is a fantastic way to estimate how long it will be/ensure that there is an ending in sight from the start. For example, in Voices, I covered a single school year in Japan, writing a diary entry for a different Chosen every day, so I knew that I would write the story for roughly a year. After August had one chapter per Chosen, so each child could help Taichi deal with his post Adventure trauma in their own way, plus an opening and closing chapter. My Tri story, Tri: Integrity Lens, is written and posted in installments covering each Tri movie.
Itâs fine if no particular structure strikes you. I could see forced structure turning into a gimmick, you know? But if it naturally works out, itâs a great way to have a solid idea of how much story is ahead of you before you start, and where the story will end. And being cognizant of how and when a story ends from chapter one yields a tighter, shorter fic, one that youâre more likely to complete.
-Consider writing in batches/sections before posting
So lately, Iâve been experimenting with how I deliver fanfic updates. I mentioned that my Tri fic follows the Tri movies. Each movie is covered with a few 3,000-6,000 word updates that I post every other week. I cover an entire movie before posting any of it, and then I plan to take a break in between movies to work on either the next movie or a different fic.
AND THIS IS SO GREAT! Having large chunks of my story written is such a fantastic way to do things! I keep thinking of little details I can add/things I should mention and noticing inconsistencies I can fix before posting. Giving myself a larger picture and time to mull over it by spreading out updates is making a huge difference for me.
Plus, giving yourself little breaks between installments can help keep you fresh and motivated, while leaving your audience waiting at a nice, natural stopping point. Plus, this way they know that you havenât just... up an vanished or dropped a story. Youâre just taking an announced break.
How do you plan stories?
I believe I mentioned hating outlines. I personally respond best to âstructured freedom.â I focus on things like: what are my themes/what do I want to say, how will the characters grow or regress, how is this story structured or formatted, what is the overall tone and mood. Other than that, I keep things fluid... Which is why itâs so important for me to enforce some kind of ending point before I begin.
Basically, for me, too much planning = a boring slog where I canât inject the moods and ideas of the day into my work without derailing meticulous plans. Too little planning = longfic hell. Iâm guessing that everyone has to decide for themselves where they land on this continuum! Exploration is vital.
Okay, I am out of steam for today. If you have any other writing/fanfic questions youâd like answered, please let me know! Here are some other resources Iâve made.
-Combating writing paralysis with successive drafts
-Dishing with an artist
-Tips for Fanfic Authors
-More Tips for Fanfic Authors
-Tips for Winning Nanowrimo
-Resources/Advice for Digimon Adventure Fanfic Writers
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If I Can Be So Bold: Chapter 1 (Jack White x OC)
Summary: Rosalie and her band âBy Ellistonâ move from Nashville to Detroit to continue their music careers and move away from their demons. Rosalie notices an unhappy face in the crowd of their first show, and is instantly drawn to him. While she doesn't mind that hes easy on the eyes she does mind his less than stellar attitude about their music.Â
Word Count: 3K
Warnings: Drug use, language, and mentions of abuse.
Notes: Well this has been brewing for A WHILE. Iâve been everywhere deciding on a plot, but after tedious planning this is finally a reality. I hope the 5 Jack White fans on here enjoy this. This will be a series so strap in folks. We got young jack. we got old jack. we got everything in between. (also series names are hard) Enjoy! Appreciate all the research i did!
Chapter Two
âDo you want another?âÂ
He holds his hand above me, his dark eyes burning holes into me, he pulls back more as if ready to strike again. As if on command, I recoil from the movement, feeling smaller than I ever had.
My head shoots up, suddenly back in Zootâs coffee house. I blink a couple of times, trying to wake myself up. I couldnât remember what she asked.
âWhat?â I asked her, phasing back into reality again, and not what was a horrific nightmare.
Sat next to me was my best friend and singer in our band was Harry, or Harriet if you want to be technical. Her head was held high, and she was practically jumping out of her skin with excitement, she seemed more than ready for our first show in a new town.
 She moved one of her two shots in front of me and asked again.Â
âAre you deaf, Lee? I asked if you wanted another shot before we go on.âÂ
I quickly sat up and grabbed it off the makeshift bar, anything to shake off what I was feeling.Â
We clinked our drinks together, and she yelled out a toast over the crowd of people behind us.Â
âTo fresh starts and new stomping grounds!âÂ
We clinked our drinks and quickly downed them, both of us coughing from our burning throats, but as soon as we saw our red faces, we burst out into laughter.Â
âWe are horrible at shots, arenât we?â I said in between wheezes of laughter.
âWe truly are.â She paused and grabbed the bottle. âOne more for good luck!.â
It seems like this is the night, if any, to drink.Â
Weâd just gotten to Detroit. Like just got here a week ago and are already booking shows. We all decided to move her for reasons I wonât mention, but Iâll just say that we needed to switch up our scene a bit.Â
Our band âBy Ellistonâ had grown pretty big in the Nashville scene, we played pretty frequently at the Exit/In. Which is not the biggest venue in the world, but it means something for the Nashville scene. I mean, we technically shared a stage with Muddy Waters and BB King, so thatâs at least something to brag about.
 We were known in the Nashville punk scene and had made some significant headway, but thanks to shitty people and our big egos, we decided to move to Detroit. Known for its great music and cars.
 And here we are at Zootâs Coffee shop, which is arguably a coffee shop honestly. Off a dark street, that no person with money would venture down, and the outside seems like nothing is out of the ordinary, itâs just a house on a street. But the inside. Its a home, its a coffee shop, and venue for anyone who has an instrument.Â
Its packed wall to wall with people, barely any standing room, especially near the stage, which is just a raised corner of the living room. Its the perfect venue for any rock band. Small and loud.
We (being the band and me) all lived for music, and it is our lifeâs blood.
 I grew up in a very southern home and was always surrounded by music, thanks to my dad. Id never met a man who loves Johnny Cash more than him or country music for that matter. Cash would always play through the house, or Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings. That kind of thing. However, I canât stand to listen to any of them now. Overplayed and over appreciated is what I always said.
 That did spark something in me. I started playing guitar, thanks to my dad⊠and then I picked up the bass and then drums. And so on and so on. The moral is that If you hand me any stringed instrument ill know how to play it.
The other girls. Jo, Harriet, and Ezra. All got into good music when they were in high school, which also when we all met. Thanks to the high school band or orchestra. I played violin, as did Jo and Harriet, Ezra played the stand-up bass and continues with the bass to this day.
 Now weâve all moved on the from hot cross buns and into a world of rock and roll. We used to be terrible, covering a lot of Alice in Chains and Nirvana.Â
Graduating class of â93 for all of us, and we lived in a world of grunge. Five years later and weâve since moved on from our teenage ways. Weâve embraced the blues and everything around it. However, we get a bit heavier than our inspirations, with my heavy fuzz and Harrietâs raspy yelps. With the look of punk dads (a lot of fun button-ups, dark makeup, and Dr. Martens boot) and the sounds of 4 angry ladies, we tore up Nashville.
We played a lot of house shows, met many a band, lost many a group, met a dumb boy who wonât be named (its John), and had a lot of fun tearing up the Nashville scene.Â
As we grew, we played bigger venues, the show of â96 at The End being the staple of our career. Weâd never played as good as we did then, and none of us are convinced weâll play as well as we did that night.
 Either way, we were thrust forward, and our movement grew, we were making money from our shows, plus we played bigger venues. The Exit/In and The East Room, to name a couple. Last month we felt we needed a change of scenery to grow. As incredible, the Nashville scene is, its also quite small. Few venues and fewer people. Thatâs the other girlâs excuse, at least.Â
We scrounged up what we could, found an apartment here, and moved as soon as we could. Unlike the others, I had to burn some bridges to get here, but more will be made here. We scooped out the scene the moment we arrived and set up a show here, and we are all buzzing to perform again.Â
âSo, who are we opening for again?â I asked as we headed to our van to start and unload our gear.Â
âThe White somethings.â Jo absentmindedly answered, wrapping her jacket around herself for warmth.
Harriet quickly cut in, âThe White Stripes, you mean.â Correcting her.
We all arrived at our shared van and started grabbing our mess of cables and cases.
Harriet continued, âIâve been asking around all night about them, you know. To learn about the enemy and such.âÂ
Jo popped her head up from the front seat and asked, âWhen have you had the time to ask around? I was with you literally all night.âÂ
Harriet picked up her small load for the night and parked a seat on the car next to ours, lighting a cig while she sat.
âI have my ways.â She said, wiggling her eyebrows before taking a long drag.
âAnyways, hereâs what Iâve learned. Theyâve been around a year, the drummer learned when they got together, and guitarist leads the show.â She spoke with her ever-present dramatics, waving the cig around after every word.Â
âThey canât be that good if the drummers new, and theyâve only been playing a year.â Said Ezra, who was effortlessly carrying what seemed to be the worldâs most massive bass amp.Â
âI donât know, Z. It seems agreed that they know how to rock a room.â Harriet pipped up.
âWhat does it mean for us then?â Asked Jo whoâs joint was lit and already in her mouth, and arms were full with various drums. Explains why she was digging around the front seat.
I quickly cut in, not about to let them get nervous over a baby band. âAbsolutely nothing. Weâve got six years on them. These Detroit kids wonât know what hit them, weâre from music city for godâs sake.âÂ
âThatâs the spirit, Lee! Now get your asses inside so we can set up.â Harriet popped off the car and started walking towards the door, beckoning us towards her.
âFeel like helping us speed up the process, Harry?â Joked Jo.
âYouâre big girls. Iâm gonna go try and spot the enemy.â She yelled back to us.
âOh, have fun, we will just be here carrying your band!â I yelled out.
âI knew I could count on you, darling!â She called out, throwing a wink and cigarette butt our way.Â
When we had finally reached the stage, the already crowded room had doubled in bodies. While most bands would be shaking in their boots, it only spurred us on more. While we all have our fair share of disagreements, we have one thing in common. Our shared headspaces before a show. All ready to take on anything, and our confidence is unwavering. The bigger, the better. Itâs honestly whatâs kept us together this whole time.Â
Now all eyes were on us, and it was a tough crowd, it was dead silent. The girls and I all exchanged a look and nodded. I always started us off. We had a set opener, it never changed and worked every time, but after that was a free for all. I usually took charge and just chose whatever I was feeling, but if not me, then Harriet. The other two just flowed with whatever we threw their way.
I always started first with the heavy riff, joined in by Ezra, then Jo, and finally Harriet.Â
The riff is what pulled them in, and it was always quite the sight. I got fully into it every time. It was dark, straightforward, and full of fuzz and feedback.Â
By the time Harriet joins in its mayhem, I speed up and play power chords. Itâs not slow, but itâs not so fast that itâll make your head spin.Â
As the short show progressed, we felt like how we used to feel every night. Pure joy, which is what we all fucking needed.Â
We improvised. I mashed up whatever songs I even threw in a little Stooges to thank the locals for letting us play. Though I did notice the gaze of one oddball in the back, who was just⊠watching.
 While that doesnât sound weird, it was sure out of the ordinary. He sat in the back, arms crossed leaned against the wall. The whole mysterious boy schtick was down pact. He wasnât scowling, but he didnât seem happy. It was off-putting and kept my focus over towards that corner of the room, but didnât hinder the performance. Maybe it fueled it.Â
The show couldnât have gone better, though. The crowd did not hide their whoops and hollers when we finished our last song of the set. I was already riding that performance high and will be for the rest of the night.Â
âThanks for a great first night, Detroit! Weâre âBy Elliston,â and we hope to see you next time!â
Screamed out Harriet for a final goodbye as we headed off the stage, their applause carrying us off the small stage.Â
The moment we put down our instruments, we about took each other out, tacking one another to the ground.
 As tradition carries, after every show, we used to just aggressively group hug, but over time weâve grown more and more⊠excited. At one of our last shows at The Exit/In, I accidentally knocked out Jo by slamming into her too hard. If that gives any frame of reference to what our dog piles look like now.
âLadies. If every show goes somewhat like that here, I think we will rule this scene.â Ezra said from the bottom of the pile, her words garbled from the mass of bodies.Â
âAlright, Lee, get your ass off the top, youâre gonna snuff me out down here.âÂ
Without much warning, she slid out from underneath us, and the rest of us went down to the ground, causing all of us to erupt in laughter.Â
Once we all straightened ourselves out, we went to the van and had a celebratory cig, the first of many âcelebratoryâ cigs of the night,Â
To my right was Harriet leaning against the tail light, and Jo and Ezra were sitting in the van next to me. Harriet broke the silence.
âYou know I missed this, Lee. Iâm glad youâre back.â
âWhat the fuck is that supposed to mean Har-â While talking Iâd noticed three figures a few cars over walking to their own. My eyes widened in surprise. I grabbed Harrietâs arm suddenly and dragged her in with the rest of us.
âShut up. Itâs him.â
âWhat I wasnât even talking-â she stopped and sat up to face, she wasnât upset, but she sure looked confused. âWait, who is âHim?âÂ
I looked around to check to see if he could hear.Â
âI saw him when we were playing. He kept just⊠staring at me. It was weeeird.â
âWhyâd you pull me in the car then??âÂ
âI panicked! It was just weird!âÂ
Ezra peaked her head out of the car in curiosity and asked. âWhich one is it, the young blondie or the black-haired beauty?â
âGah Jesus, not the child, Ezra! Itâs the hot one.â
Harriet whipped her head out of the car to look at them, speaking a bit too loudly.
âLee, you need to start off saying it was a HOT stranger! You have my interest now.â
âIâm going to kill both you. Get your dumbasses back in the car.â
We huddled back up, Harriet has a look in her eye that I donât like.
âSo, whatâs the plan of action here, Lee?â Asked Harriet.
âNothing. Heâs a scowler. Sure a hot one at that, but if he canât enjoy what we make, then whatâs the point? When we played that stooges song, he looked like he was going to blow his top.â
âI think youâve missed the point here, Lee. Point one, Youâre fresh out of a toxic sludge of a relationship. Point two, hot stranger. And finally. Point three, heâs a hot stranger in a band. Iâm not passing up this opportunity.â
She gave us a wink, took a final drag of her cig, and hopped out of the car. She was going over to them.
âHarriet, you fucker donât you dare,â I said with gritted teeth. âIâve tackled you once today, and Iâll do it again.â
She chuckled. âYouâre all talk, kid. Iâm off to make friends!â
âBastard!â I yelled, leaping out of the car and towards her. I was too late, she just about ran over to them, and I was quickly in tow behind her.Â
âWell, look at that, Lee! New people. Hi there, I'm Harriet, but you can call me Harry. and this is Rosalie.â She extended her hand towards the three strangers.
âIts Lee actually, sheâs just an asshole.âÂ
All of them looked slightly taken aback. They were sure as hell wasnât expecting her hand in their face, or two random ladies in their space. The newly named âhot strangerâ was the first to speak up. He seemed rightly hesitant.
âIâm Jack, and this is my sister, Meg. This over here is my nephew, Ben. Heâs our pinball wizard. Or Roadie in technical terms.âÂ
âWell, good to meet Yâall!â Once she shook benâs hand, he spoke up. Man he was young. Was he maybe 16? Not over 18 is the point.
âYou guys played a hell of a show. The Stooges? Blues? Youâre going to give these two a run for their money.â
Jack shifted on his heels when ben mentioned this. Same face as before, and little less friendly than introductions.
âWell, its all that Tennessee blood in us. Now we arent from Memphis, but Nashvilleâs close enough, right?â Harriet winked at the kid. His cheeks flushed a deep red.Â
Jack shifted his eyes back to me, but they wander somewhere else.Â
I clear my throat, he snaps his head up and makes eye contact with me, a small smirk falls on his face.Â
âWell, you all seem busy, so Harriet and I are going to go back over there. Have a good show.â
I grab her arm and try to drag her away casually.
âWhat the fuck are you doing?â She whisper yells to me. We find ourselves on the other side of our van, out of their sight.
âLee, You have never been one to shy away from new people. Especially men. Remember us, fresh out of high school? You practically had a different man in your bed every night. That whole nervous persona is new. Go seduce a hot stranger!â
âJesus, Harriet! Lower your goddamn voice! First off its Jack, And yes I know. Different times though. Iâm not going to go over there in front of his sister and prepubescent nephew to try and get in his pants.â
âAw, come on, Lee! Itâd be fun! Plus, you need a fucking rebound, girl.â
âOkay, well, talk me into this when its not a family reunion.âÂ
âYou got yourself a deal, Rosalie.â
We started to make our way back to the other girls.
âAlright, ladies, letâs go catch our headliner,â I said, opening the van doors. A plume of smoke rolled out of it the moment the doors opened. I grabbed the joint from Ezra, taking a hit before going inside. I handed it back to the faded bass player and headed back inside.
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sins of my youth. 001
Billy Hargrove x OC! Evie Fenny~ Also posted to my AO3
Summary: It was common knowledge that Billy Hargrove hated Hawkins. Hated Cherry Lane. Even loathed the strange girl next door. Evie Fenny wasnât too fond of the chaotic Cali transfer either. An awful high school tradition sparks a chain of events that changes everything, ultimately bringing two frayed souls together.Â
A/N:Â Hey!!! I'm definitely not giving up on LFTM, I've had this story whirling around my brain and it's been pulling at me for a while. Hoping I can slow down, care for myself, and juggle both fics at my own pace. Thank you guys for reading and for being so supportive. I hope everyone who enjoyed WTL also enjoys this fic, it's a totally different direction. I'm excited to share it! I'll tag warning in each chp like I always too. TW: Light bullying, hints at an inappropriate relationship between a teacher/student, and teenage jerks.
Chapter 1: Fast Times
  A blaring bell trilled. Lunch time. So close and yet so far. Scrambling high schoolers like zoo animals clamored into the cafeteria. Knocking shoulders and bouncing around. No one really cared about knowledge today, the last day of school before winter break began.Â
  1984. Coming to a close.
  âEvie!â A hand rose to wave. One pink scrunchie around the elegant wrist. Heather Holloway. Cute as a button smiling there. Hands pulled headphones down to acknowledge her. Evangeline Fenny. Best friends since the sandbox and now seniors. âThis stupid day is dragging.â
  âItâs killing me.â Evie whined to herself, settling her beat up lunchbox on the table. Red and blue pattern, scribbled all over with song lyrics in black marker. âMrs. Stockard fell asleep at her desk, I wanted to die.â
  âShe snores so loudly.â Heather sparkled when she laughed, sweeping her hair back into a high ponytail with her scrunchie. Evie held a mirror up for her to see out of habit. âThanks.â It was particularly louder than usual. Teens pregaming the parties to come over the two week vacation.
  âGoing skiing with the folks this year?â
  âNo, theyâre going up to the cabin and Iâm staying home after Christmas.â Heather unpacked her lunch, carefully organizing it. Evie pulled a regular PB and J out, amused.
  âSushi?â
  âMy momâs going through a phase.â Heather poured herself a bit of soy sauce and plucked up chopsticks.
  âYour rich is showing, Heath.â Evie giggled when a foot kicked at her under the table.
  âTrade you a piece for half the pear.â
  âDeal.â They switched. Evie tucked some unruly dark curls aside, sitting back.
  âSo...there is a party tonight. Loch Nora. Bunch of schools.â
  âWhich ones?â Evieâs brow rose.
  âRidgemont will probably crash, but who cares. Itâs winter break, weâll go and have some fun then crash at my place. Eat chips, make fun of them, and pass out like we always do.â Heather bounced a little. âCâmon, Evie. Iâll pick you up and we can walk from my house.â
  âIâll think about it.â That meant yes to Heather. She grinned, reaching across to pat her friendâs arm playfully.
  âItâll be fun.â
  Evie just whined and crunched on her pear, brows scrunching. Parties werenât the same since the incident. But, she picked the popular, social butterfly for her closest friend.Â
  The two couldnât have been any more different.
  Heather Holloway. Rich girl from Loch Nora befriending Evangeline Fenny, a Cherry Lane girl, in preschool. They switched beaded hair ties and the rest was history. Bonded over music and fashion. Heather was classically stunning as if she jumped off a magazine.Â
  Students used to make snide comments. That Heather kept Evie around because she made her look prettier. Sweet Heather shut that down. Loudly. Whenever the subject came up. Evie Fenny was a bigger girl. Plush. Fat. It wasnât a dirty word. She was a strange and pretty teen who carried herself too high to be bothered with comments.
  Water off a duckâs back was the saying.
  Used to be she hid herself under big sweaters, tunics, and flared jeans. But, that was before the incident. Afterward, she came to school with a new haircut. Louder makeup. Even louder, fitted clothing. Flaunted the hourglass and caught eyes on her hips swaying. Sat next to Heather at lunch as if nothing had changed. Red glossed lips only smiled and the student body took to her. Those who stayed angry burned alone.
  Thick skin, no pun intended.
  âIf that asshole Tannen shows up, Iâm dipping.â Evie decided with one breath.Â
  âIâd say that Iâll protect you, but you made your point last year.âÂ
  Ah, the incident.
  âIâm never going to live that down.â
  âIt was legendary.â Heather beamed, crushing her fist into her opposite palm. âBam. Prick went down. My friend is Wonder Woman. Super Bitch.â
  Evie broke to laugh, eyes rolling.
  âTruthfully, I donât recall it all.â
  That was a lie, she remembered every second of it. Sometimes her knuckles warmed at the thought.
  âI just...didnât think you had moves like that. Your mom is basically Dolly Parton. You donât even like violence. You squirm during horror flicks. You love your cat, your guitar, and all plant life...and you beat the hell out of Ridgemontâs golden boy asshole quarterback.â
  It did earn Evie some Hawkinsâ fame. Ridgemont was their main rival. The Bulldogs. Football players found a soft spot for the teen.
  âDonât tell my mom sheâs Dolly Parton, thatâll go straight to her head.â Evie joked, popping her water bottle open to drink. Heatherâs big eyes lifted behind her.
  A flood of cologne wafted before two fingers tugged a curl. Little harder than they should have. Water choked to spill onto Evieâs chest.
  âWhoops, you got all wet, Fenny.â A tongue clicked. Billy Hargrove slid around the table. All his glory. Heather plucked up a napkin to offer it.
  âWatch it, Hargrove.â She huffed down at herself. The yellow tee tucked into her jeans was soaked through.
  âGirls canât help it around me, I guess.â He had one hand in his pockets and another cradling his silver lighter. Flicking it open and closed. Eyes narrowed. âPolka dots, huh. I had you figured for florals.â
  âYouâre an asshole.â She covered her damp shirt and bra with her striped cardigan. Thick fall colors warmed her skin. Noted the fact that he'd thought about it.
  âWhatever you say, Ivy.âÂ
  Billy knew her name. They were neighbors. Unfortunately. Right down to sharing the same space between their bedroom windows. Sheâd had dinner at their house. Susan Hargrove was new and eager to make some friends and Ms. Fenny was eager to be friends with everyone. Perfect match.
  Evie glared up at him. Fucking Adonis.
  âHeather, you going tonight?â He ignored his neighbor and leaned over with one palm on the table, back to Evie as he sat down to flash that darling smile.
  âMaybe.â Heather gestured with her chopsticks.
  âI can work with maybe.â He acted like the girl behind him wasnât there. Frankly, Evie was used to being invisible. It was better than being bullied. Most days. âMaybe Iâll see you there.â
  âMaybe you apologize to my friend and say her name right.â Heather winked at him.
  âWho?â Billy stood and turned, mocked some surprise. âOh. Evangeline. So quiet, I forgot you, chica.â
  She wasnât sure if that was a jab at her mixed heritage or him just being a smartass. Billy rolled her name off his tongue like it was a joke. Like it wasnât a real word. Blue eyes alight at her stony expression. Sly and alert.Â
  The California transfer vibrated after leaving the basketball team before the season ended. Word was that he was persuaded to leave after some fight with Steve Harrington. Billy was a strange one too.
  Often, he seemed lax when he was alone like the world didnât matter. Other days, he was rocking and quick on his feet. Hungry and itching for something. Anything. It was a scary look on such a pretty boy. You could never gauge where his mind was. Where it would go next.
  âEvangeline.â He sounded out again even slower. âYour mom lose a bet?â
  âItâs a poem.â She replied flatly, sitting back to cock her head at him. Billy snapped his fingers to point.
  âSounds like the name of some chick whose man died in her arms.â
  She huffed at him, leaning in.
  â...That would be what the poem is about.â
  âFucking depressing.â Billy tapped his chin. âI got it. Iâm going to call you, Angel. I wonât forget that.â
  âYou are not calling me-â
  âTrying to compromise with you, Fenny. You cast the first stone.â Billy flicked his eyes to Heather. âBring your friend with you to the party, Heather. Some guys like angel cake.â He winked and slunk off to his band of merry assholes. This school worshiped him. Kissed the ground he walked on since he started in fall.
  âWhat a fucking slimeball.â Evie grumbled to herself, stuffing trash aside to ball it up. Thought about tossing it at Billy's big head. Heather gave this conflicted look as if to say, but heâs cute, right?
  âIgnore him.â
  âBad enough his family moved in next to me.â They packed up their lunches. âGod, I want a smoke so bad.â
  She didnât keep the habit up just to save her singing voice. Her mom picked up cigarettes only after the divorce last year. Smoked out her window and hid it, but Evie knew. No judgment there. Better than other habits moms pick up after divorces.
  âIâll pick you up at seven tonight?â Heather walked out with her after the bell rang.
  âYeah, Iâll see you in fifth.â Evie turned to go to her locker and stuffed the lunchbox away. Grabbed a book to hurry to class. History. Three more periods left. Students fidgeted around her.
  âHey, Evie.â Steve Harrington batted his eyes at her. Friendly enough these days after he left the popular cliche and broke up with Nancy Wheeler. Sometimes having your heart stopped on made you nicer. Not always. âYou, ah, do the paper?â
  âAll six pages.â Evie set it on her desk. âYou?â
  âI made an attempt.â It was strange because Steve never gave her the time of day before this year. Maybe the guy was lonely. He tapped his pencil and the chatter quieted when their teacher walked in. Late as always.
  âClass, pass your papers to the front.â
  âHopefully they donât come back with red wine stains.â Robin mumbled behind her, one leg crossed up so she could draw on the rubber side of her sneakers. Evie caught a snort, taking the papers to pass them along. âI like the jacket.â
  âThanks. New haircut?â
  âMy own dad didnât notice.â Robin beamed.
  âPsst, Evie.â A note flicked on her desk. Tammy Thompson. Pretty girl, kind of shy. âTo Steve.â
  Evie considered herself a professional middle man for lovesick note passing. Discreetly, she gave it to Steve, head cocking. He furrowed his brow upon seeing it, but wrote back.
  Whatever the reply, it made Tammyâs shoulders fall.
  AP Biology was next. Teacher treated it like his kingdom and didnât pose much of a challenge because he was disorganized as hell. Evie was relieved to share the class with Heather.Â
  Billy, Tommy, and Carol also had it too. Hargrove bitched for a week about how the other science classes had no openings. Strange because he wasnât an idiot. Still got his work in and maintained a B average. Probably due to his dad. Neil Hargrove seemed like a real hardass. And all of Cherry Lane had heard him and Billy arguing at some point.
  Evie might have also witnessed some more physical spats through the windows.
  She figured it was why Billy hated her. She knew something about him. Something he hid because it made him feel smaller. He caught her eyes once and barked nastily before taking off in his Camaro. A gust of smoke.
  She never brought it up.Â
  Dads could be real assholes.
  âWatch the movie. Fill out the worksheet.â Their teacher was as ready for this day to be over as the students were. Lights went down. Yawns followed. Evie propped her elbow up on the high lab table she shared with Heather, doodling new lyrics between answering questions.
  A crumpled paper hit her hair. Stuck into brown curls. Heather turned back to glare at Tommy shrugging with a sleazy grin.
  He was no artist. Evie smoothed it for a wide, big lipped and breasted caricature of herself. She drew on it and scribbled a note back. Smiling sweeter when she flicked it at his chest. Carol and Billy leaned in on either side to see Tommyâs expression sour because Evie gave him nothing.
  âYou got my hair all wrong.â Sheâd written. Fixing it for him.
  Billy snorted and turned back to defacing his textbook.
  âBitch.â Tommy muttered to himself, tossing it away. Evie finished her sheet, dug for her compact to reapply a lip color. Caught Billy behind her. Intent on whatever vulgar drawing his mind was concocting. Blue eyes flicked like heâd been aware of her this entire time.
  The mirror snapped shut.
** ** **
  Study hall. Last period of the day. Most kids who had it were skipping out early during the hour. Slipping away one by one through the library. Evie was one of those kids.Â
  âLeaving so soon, Miss Fenny?â The smooth as silk voice lowered, startled her enough to drop her notebooks and folders.Â
  âFr...Mr. Bowers.â Evie dropped before her English teacher standing so close to her. Second period. Been in Hawkins three years teaching the junior and senior classes. Fredrick Bowers. Dream of a man to all the teen girls. âSorry.â She bit her bottom lip, eyes lifting to see him and his shadow blocking the light from touching her.Â
  âNo, Iâm sorry, Evie. I figured youâd heard me coming.â Sky blue eyes centered on Evie there before he came to one knee. Helped her gather lose papers strewn about.  Â
  Mr. Bowers had a name and face all the teen girls drew little hearts around in pink gel pen.
  Evie thought she saw those same cartoon hearts bubbling up behind his back. Popping like gum. Styled toffee blond locks, trimmed mustache, and groomed side burns. A simple patterned shirt tucked into fitted slacks with the sleeves rolled up. Never a tie. Something groovy about him that stuck from the seventies. Mid thirties and hell of a smile.
  Evie tucked hair aside, displayed her blush in full view obscenely when he flashed those sparkly whites at her. Eyes crinkling.
  âIâll warn you next time.âÂ
  Her heart plucked like a song when their fingers brushed. Dashing and broad. A Jane Austen character come to life. Enough to make any young girl melt. And how quickly she did.
  âNext time.â Evie gave this scoff. Pulling her notes close as they both came to their feet with hard intent eyes.
  "I wanted to give you something. A book to read over the break." He pulled it from his leather messenger bag and peered around.
  "An assignment?" Evie sparkled at him so he was lighter.
  "No, it's just because I believe you're so clever and mature. I think you'll read it with an open mind and we can talk about it like we talked about all the others. It's complicated material. I, ah, really shouldn't be giving you this book." He offered it. "But, there were quite a few I wasn't allowed to give you. After that chat we had over The Crucible. I'm just so fascinated by what you think."
  "Lolita. I know what happens in this one." Evie peered at the battered title. Rough paper between her fingers, it was clearly an old copy. She peered at his chest instead of his eyes. "We-"
  "Don't you miss talking? You know. Last year. Someone who knows what you're going through. I want all my students to be comfortable around me."
  "I am comfortable, we..." Evie glanced as someone passed far down the hallway.
  Bowers helped her after her dad left. A shoulder. A confidant. A crush that... She felt her heart close in on itself.
  "I thought you said we couldn't anymore."
  "I miss you." He whispered that. Lush and blunt. She barely heard it. Eyes snapped up.
  Someone missed her. Someone wanted to listen. Someone who saw her depth.
  His wife left him before he came to Hawkins. Evie learned a great deal about her too.
  "I won't tell, I never do." She hid it away into her bag, matched his tone. "We can...talk. Not here."
  "Good." He swallowed. "I just think you blossom under guidance and support. I always knew you were one of those girls."
  Evie blushed again. Eyes on her shoes.Â
  âI wanted to say I was impressed with your paper as well. As always.â Fredrick gave her arm a pat and left his hand there. Fingers pressed into the knit fabric of her cardigan. His lip twitched.Â
  âGood. ThatâsâŠIâm glad.â Evieâs eyes flickered over stormy blue ones, swaying. Lashes gave a dreamy bat. âI was thinking, ah, about you when I wrote it.â
  âReally, you should speak up in class more.â Fredrick gave her one subtle squeeze and dropped his hand. âAll those funny poems you shared last year.â
  âMy songs.â Evie corrected softer and he only smiled to nod.
  âRight.â An idle step backwards before he leaned over her. A great deal taller. The shadow crept over her eyes this time. âYou have a Merry Christmas, dear. And speak up again in class, Evie. You know I love to hear from you.â
  A sensation like a fizzling sparkler glowed in her belly. Out her spine. Spread over skin.
  âI know.â She giggled at him, peering around. âMerry Christmas, Mr. B. We'll talk.â
  âSmall town, Iâm sure Iâll see you out and about.â A wink and he was gliding off. Shoulders back and chest perched high.
  âYou might.â Evie swooned against her locker. Watched him go. Gasped a breath into her lungs. Swept all the clouds aside to fill her backpack with work. He made her feel so special, like no one ever could.Â
  âAnyone...â She sang to herself, âwho knows what love is...â Fingers plucked up a final book. Evie hummed and thought of small cartoon blue birds spinning around her head as she went into the restroom. Washed her hands and lingered to see her reflection.
  Evie was in a strange place. In and out of her skin. Torn between love and hate for her body.
  Usually, it just took a brave face. Her dad always used to tilt her chin and tell her to put on her bravest face before leaving home.
  She hoped the one she chose was convincing.Â
  Her mom would always spin her favorite Bible or Dolly Parton quotes. Which helped on occasion even if she wasnât sure which source the words came from half the time.
  A sigh. This was her flesh. Sheâd live in it as best she could. Dreamed herself into something better.
  Footsteps hurried down the hallway until the door shoved open. Humming cut.
  âHargrove!â She gasped, dropping her messenger bag. âBilly, you canât be in here!â
  âGod damn it, Fenny. You again?â Billy skidded to hush her. Pressed them back into the wall. The heat of his body engulfed her frame, standing a good few inches taller. âDo me a fucking solid. Hide this for me.â
  Billy had no sense of boundaries because he was stuffing a baggie into her front jean pocket.Â
  âWhat are you doing?â She seethed at him, smacking his arms off her to put some distance. âGet off me!â
  âDonât say a word. Got it?â Billy lifted a finger with an intent look. Smelled of leather and his heavy cologne. Hairspray too. It all overshadowed the cigarette scent. He smoothed his tee out and turned to see the door. Scrambling like a spider, Billy jumped up on the toilet, threw his messenger bag outside, and pulled himself up. Wiggled his way out.
  Evie heard a thud and groan.
  âWhat the fuck?â She whispered, more so to herself as he disappeared. Hands pulled what was clearly concealed weed bundled up several times and bagged from her pocket. âShit.â More footsteps before the door burst as she shoved it away.
  âYou see that Hard-grove kid?â A thick accent asked. Security guy. Useless.
  âUh!â Evie pulled her bag up. âWho?...This is the ladies room! Canât a girl have a moment here?âÂ
  âSorry!â He cringed away before she jumped into mushy period talk. It always worked.Â
  Evie rolled her eyes and marched out to find Billy. Casual as can be, he tossed his bag into the trunk of his car and stilled to light a cigarette. Grumbling, steps hurried up the hill.
  âAsshole!â She tossed the weed at his chest, made him catch it awkwardly and stuff it into the trunk with a hiss.
  âKeep a lid on it, will you?â He slammed it shut. No one was around to see them.
  âDonât do that shit again.â She pushed into him to go, Billyâs big hand wrapped around her wrist. Tugged her square into his chest. An unkind grin swept.
  âI had you figured, didnât I? You didnât say anything.â Billy blew smoke into the air, plucked the cigarette out to flick it with his free hand.
  âLet go.â Evie huffed. âI would have been in deep shit too for that.â She wiggled and pushed at his chest.Â
  Billy flicked his bright eyes over hers. So brown they looked black in winter. He never noticed that she had a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks like he did. Pale for a girl with darker features. Indiana falls and winters must have taken the color right out of her. Looked like a lot of the mixed gals he knew back home.Â
  Big curls. Soft and curvy.Â
  Angry at him over something he did.
  There's no place like home, he figured.
  âYouâre so weak.â Billy laughed at her. Took another drag. âThey told me you freaked out on a guy last year.â
  âYou want to be next?â She twisted away from him and turned. It wasnât a real threat. Heâs seen her tend to plants like they were humans. Feed neighborhood cats and nurse her own. Old black cat with not long left. Little fucker was always creeping him out from her bedroom window. Constantly staring with huge green eyes like it knew something Billy didnât.
  âBabysit your own weed.â
  âYou walking home?â Billy was relentless, voice lifting.
  Evie huffed and turned.
  âWhat, are you going to say I probably need the exercise? My bike chain broke.â
  âChrist, I was gonna offer a ride. Figured I owed you for saving my damn weed and my break. Not like it's out of the way.â Billy turned to open the passenger door. âQuit being a drag and get in. I donât bite hard...unless asked.â
  âYouâre such a creep.â She eyed him there. Wondered how he stayed warm in a tee, jeans, and leather jacket. âNot waiting for Max?â He gave this annoyed look.
  âSheâs going out with her stupid friends, not my problem today.â Billy got in, gesturing. âAt least close the door if youâre not coming. I went through the effort to open it for you.â
  âWhat a gentleman.â Sarcasm.
  Evie came back toward his car and debated it. Smelled like it might rain with the sky turning grey. And she really didnât want to walk in these shoes. Rationalizing it, she slipped inside and shut the door. Settled her bag in her lap. Even buckled up. Billy revved the engine and skidded to speed out without a second glance.
  âYou going to the party with Heather?â
  Evie peered at him watching the road with this hard look on his face. Ghosted a smile. Bingo.
  âYouâre being nice to me to get to Heather, huh. You know youâre not the first guy to pull this. Could have just asked me about her.â
  Crystalline eyes flared up at her face.
  âWhat? Dorky chicks like you turn me on, too.â He replied rougher, not bothering to watch the road.
  âWow. Spread it on thick, Hargrove.â She turned from him.
  âI always do.â He hit a hard corner. Christ, he drives fast. âI got a shot?â
  âShe thinks youâre cute.â Evie shrugged. Far too used to this. Eyes slid to his profile. Wild curls still golden on grey days. The boy glowed. It was absolutely insufferable. Leaves whirled by, brown and dead. A smile crossed her face. âListen. Since youâre saving me a walk. Iâll help you.â
  âHelp me? I donât need your help, I just wondered if she was gonna show.â He scoffed, turning on Cherry Lane.
  âYou want to know what Heather likes. Itâll help you.â She crossed her arms, nearly flying forward when he screeched to a stop in front of his house. Billy shot her a look, filled with pride. âYou got a pen and paper, bud?â
  He snatched her bag, tore a page from her notebook and dug into his glove box for a pen.
  Ass. She hugged it back to her chest.
  "Talk."
  âOkay.â A breath. âThe thing about Heather is sheâs a romantic. Jane Austin girl. Pride and Prejudice. If you can quote that just once like Mr. Darcy, sheâs yours... Well? Are you writing?â
  Billy did a double take and huffed, grumbling. He actually marked it down.
  âMr. Who?â
  âYour life amazes me.â She chuckled. âDarcy.â
  âGot it. Darcy. Iâll ask Susan about that shit, sheâs a reader.â He muttered, tongue sweeping out before he scribbled.Â
  âAnd she loves museums. First date ideas. Milkshakes. Cheese fries with jalapenos. Cheeseburger gal. Chinese from that corner joint. Always spicy. Easy picks.â
  âA girl after my own burning heart.â Billy felt her peer at him again. Lips lifting with this expression he couldnât read. Blinked her big eyes and went on.
  âDefinitely loves to snuggle in with something scary even though they freak her out. Must be a curiosity thing.â
  âAny excuse to get close to someone, I like it. This is gold, Angel, go on.â
  âYou know, I think thatâs all I got for you.â Evie turned to get out, sighing. That was just a little evil. âBilly.â
  âWhat?â He shut his door and turned from her.
  âThanks for the ride.â She moved to go toward her house. âKnock âem dead.â
  Billy didnât reply. Just watched her go into her house before he dug for another smoke.
  âMom?â Evie called. âIâm home.â
  âIâm in my room, sweetheart!â
  Ramona Fenny was a spirited woman, went by Mona to the neighborhood. A girl of the 60s. Built like Dolly Parton with a pumped hairstyle to match in sleek dark brown, almost black. She worshiped the woman. Looked like she could have modeled atop a cake.Â
  A church going girl who used prayer to get her through the divorce. Never pushed it on others, not even Evie. Too busy pushing other things. Like the free days she lost having her daughter young. She liked what worked in life and this worked for her. Liked the pretty side to things.Â
  Mona was a sunny side up sort of mother.
  Best friends with Claudia Henderson as they both went through divorces which was not in Godâs plan. Evie liked Dustin, she babysat him on occasion and he was a good kid. Bullied like her.Â
  Mona owned the favored hair salon in town. Worked long hours with a team of women and ran a tight ship. Did hair for all the social elites so she knew everyone and all the hot gossip. And did she love that detail the most. Evie helped out with reception during vacation time. Liked the extra cash.
  âI was going to go to Heatherâs later, thereâs a party.â
  âOh, have fun, baby.â She pushed her kid to go out. To live. To be smart. Never asked her to call. Not out of trust for Evie, she couldnât be bothered. Never imagined her daughter would be up to mischief.
  If only she knew.
  Sometimes, Mona keyed in when it suited her. Understood when Evieâs likes and dislikes changed. When she asked to not go to church anymore because it didnât help her after her dad walked out. Ramona was understanding as long as you didnât bring up things like depression and anger. There always had to be a way out. Turn the other cheek.
  Evie knew her mother always thought the best.
  âGreat.â Evie crossed to steal the hair brush, helped her mother out with the teasing. Dyed rich and dark locks that used to be a mousy brown. Dark eyes like her daughter. Evie didnât look like her father with his brighter features. Her lush hair and russet eyes. Thick brows. âYou going out? All dressed up...â
  âJust into town, couple of errands.â
  That was something that changed a week after her dad moved out. Monaâs style revamp. She was a woman of the sixties and seventies and that came back full force. Styled and pumped up like she was walking out of a Nancy Sinatra music video. Men around town noticed it and the woman certainly speculated.Â
  But, her daughter had a style change too after the incident so it must have run in the family.
  âBetter?â Evie eyed the glittery rings sitting in a ceramic dish. They looked like gumballs there.
  âTouch of hairspray and Iâll be right as rain.â Pink manicured nails came up with the can. âTake cover, baby.â
  âGot it.â Evie disappeared in a waft of spray. Stole an ice cube from the freezer to crunch it out of this habit she picked up when dad was gone. Cool and melty between her fingers before she swallowed it down. Felt the bulge tense all down her throat. Another followed. Teeth straining to crack it like glass. The chunks went down a little less smooth as she looked for real food and shut the fridge instead.
  Evie went into the bedroom to see her old cat on the pillow. His head lifted. Skinny and balding. Blind in one eye.
  âHowâre we doing, my handsome boy?â Evie dropped her bag and crossed to pet him. Purrs erupted, whiskers twitching. âBourbon, my darling.â
  A scratch of a meow rasped.
  âYes, I love you too. Iâd kiss you if my lips werenât done up.â She smacked her lips and stood. âOutfit.â Clothing pushed around. Her room was a small, intimate space. Few pictures and purple curtains. Desks covered in song lyrics, trinkets, and needle felting projects.
  Evie held up garments to the cat, but he was no help. Just purred there like a motor boat. Settled on a black top with some sparkle and a magenta wash denim jacket. Jewelry was a must, she preferred earrings that were huge acrylic hearts. Bourbon had gotten into the window to watch the window across the way.Â
  Billy wandering shirtless and damp. Muscles red and bulging like heâd done a quick work out
  âYeah, not today, my sweet.â Evie plucked the cat from the window and reached to close the blinds. Billy caught her. Winked and licked his lips slower. She made a face at him. Utterly loathing and not impressed at his peacock way of navigation. âEw."Â
  The blinds snapped down, leaving Billy to laugh there. Evie carried her purring cat out, chiding.Â
  "Donât make his head any bigger than it already is.â
~~~~
TAGLIST OPEN! Hope you enjoyed! Thanks!
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The titles are in, and itâs time to vote!
First of all, thank you to everyone who sent in questions- those were a lot of fun to ask. I love when you guys ask hard ones and these were not easy! I quite enjoyed them!Â
And to everyone that sent in a title (or several) for this little game, thank you guys too! This was a lot of fun and some of these submissions sparked some very interesting thoughts... while there are others that I am crossing my fingers do not get chosen. Yikes.Â
I ended up with 16 potential ideas from the titles that you gave me, and Iâve decided to write a three-part miniseries for each of the the top three. But I donât want to write three stories about the same character, so to narrow things down, there will be two rounds of voting.Â
The first round starts NOW and ends on WEDNESDAY (10/21). Choose your favorite title in each character category. The title with the most votes for each character will move on to the second round. You can vote by commenting on this post, or sending an ask (just not on anon for this please!) Please vote using the numbers assigned to each title per character. Iâll tally up all the votes on Wednesday, and weâll buckle up for round two. Â
So here they are folks, pick your poison for each character please. choose carefully there are landmines :
BillyÂ
1- Whispers in the DarkÂ
Quick Summary: Billy counts on an old friend when heâs got nowhere else to go; someone he helped a long time ago and the only person he thinks might actually help him now.Â
My thoughts: This has been hiding on my masterlist for far too long. If iâm being honest, the idea scares me a little. Itâs not my top choice to write right now for this event, because the way that I want to write it will make it far longer than three parts and I do not want to short change it.Â
Fun fact: this one will not be reader insert.
2- Damned if I Do
Quick Summary: How do you make a choice when you know that no matter what you choose there is no way for you to win? You try like hell to find a third option, and you hope beyond reason that it wonât be even worse.Â
My thoughts: I really like this one. Like, a lot. My first instinct was to shy away from Billy for this. I actually first saw it being used with a Benjamin or Logan story. But then I was like bitch donât do that to Billy. So here we are.Â
Fun fact: If you like stealth suit Billy this is the one for you.Â
3- Ace of Spades
Quick Summary: Billy doesnât take threats lightly- especially when theyâre about the thing he cares about most- Anvil.Â
My thoughts: Writing cut-throat, ruthless Anvil CEO Billy is always fun. Especially when he gets to get his hands dirty, too. Iâd rank this one as my second favorite out of the three.Â
Fun fact: This would be all Billy. Sorry, reader, youâre not in it, nor are any OC love interests.Â
Logan
1-Dressed for Revenge
Quick Summary: In this one, Juliet listens to Logan and doesnât marry William. His true colors come to light and heâs kicked to the curb real quick. Logan heals up and takes a special trip back to the park.Â
My thoughts: I think this has the potential to be quite fun⊠or at least it could start that way. It also has the potential to be serious.Â
Fun fact: While I need a new Logan like I need a hole in the head, this would not be connected to any current stories.
2- Nice and Spice(d)Â
Quick Summary: Logan Delos in a fancy suit. Spiced Holiday beverages. Mayhem. Definitely not the recipe for how to make the nice list⊠but who really cares amiright?Â
My thoughts: Cocky, happy, healthy Logan at the Delos Holiday party. Yes please. This one is tied to SYiNY but a few years in the future.Â
Fun Fact: Thereâs another midnight kiss and this one wonât leave anyone wanting. Also I really like writing winter in the desert.  Â
3- Sleep in the Fire
Quick Summary: Logan examines his relationship with his father and decides to give him one last chance to make amends for nearly 35 years of being cold, uncaring and absent. But does he really think Jim will show change? Does he even want him to?Â
My thoughts: This one will hurt but probably not as bad as it could if that makes you feel any better. This one is a tie-in to Core Drive.Â
Fun Fact: There isnât one.Â
Ryan
1-Arms of a StrangerÂ
Quick Summary: Hindsight always reveals things that we let hide just under the surface, doesnât it? A closer look back at the biggest heartbreak of Ryan Brennerâs life...and how he gets through it.Â
My thoughts: This makes my stomach squirm a little but I also really like the idea. I like writing about Ryan at different points of his life and thinking about how his experiences may have shaped him into who we know him to be. But I donât like putting him through pain so thereâs also that⊠But I do really want to write about Chloe again...butâŠÂ
Fun Fact: Thereâs at least one instance of a shirtless Ryan Brenner laying in the light of a stained glass sun catcher.Â
2- Whatâs New Pussycat?Â
Quick Summary: Ryan gets a job as a dishwasher for a few weeks at a retro diner where they play A LOT of the same songs and the french fries are somehow both oily and burnt⊠the upside? The friendly waitress who seems to know quite a lot about good music.Â
My thoughts: At first I had no idea what to do with this title and it cycled through almost every character here. But I like where I landed with it.Â
Fun fact: Still undecided if this will be connected to Passing Through Ryan.Â
3- The Pierogi IncidentÂ
Quick Summary: Cousin chaos. And Polish dumplings. And first impressions. Oh my. Remember that trip to Georgia, when Ryan kissed you in the ocean while his cousins teased him? More of that. But with food.Â
My thoughts: Itâs no surprise that I love writing about the cousins. This one is tied for the number 1 Ryan spot.Â
Fun Fact: Aunt Holly isnât the only one in Ryanâs family who can cook⊠and there are certainly some who shouldnât.Â
4- Swipe for Love
Quick Summary: After Ryan breaks things off with Jackie and leaves Utah, he starts getting strange texts only to find out that Lia has set him up with an online dating profile. (Look, even she can see that her mom doesnât deserve Ryan) Ryan is just about to take it down, when something sparks his interest.Â
My thoughts: you guys please donât make me write awkward dating app interactionsâŠ
Fun fact: I honestly do not know how I would write this with any semblance of a straight face.Â
Benjamin
1- The Blighted ViolinÂ
Quick Summary: Remember that time Keiran just came for breakfast and to talk about young Seanjamin? And he mentioned that Benj was always writing stories? This is a look at one of Bâs masterworks.Â
My thoughts: Gonna be straight with you guys- even if this doesnât get picked it's getting written eventually. Â
Fun fact: Young Seanjamin was super dramatic.Â
2- The Jilted Tourist
Quick Summary: Benjamin meets a young woman at a train station who has just had a fight with her boyfriend, whom she came to England to visit only to find him...visiting someone else. Benjamin, of course, is friendly and lends an ear while he waits for his train⊠and then the two go their separate ways. Simple...right?
My thoughts: Julia is a jealous fuckface.Â
Fun Fact: Julia is also a big old meanie.Â
3- Monsters
Quick Summary: Allie. Julia. Back to back blowups, and Benjamin is absolutely hell bent on not making it three in a row. He either needs to figure out what he needs to change, or get used to being alone again.Â
My thoughts: I see this as sort of a precursor to TGTBT Benjamin and while it definitely wouldnât be fun, it would explain why heâs more ready to be in a relationship with reader than heâs ever been before.Â
Fun Fact: This involves a lot of yelling. And crying. And cursing. And throwing things.Â
4- Let you Know
Quick Summary: A series of phone calls from different points of Benjaminâs life replay in his head, none of them pleasant. Until one day they donât.Â
My thoughts: Oh, Benj⊠if this one wins Iâm sorry⊠but Iâm also not.Â
Fun Fact: Panicked Benjamin is not at all my favorite thing to write.Â
Caspian
1- In A Grain of Sand
Quick Summary: Just a grain of sand is all it takes to tip a scale. A single grain slipping through an hourglass starts a countdown, or ends one. One grain at a time, the winds shift the desert landscape into something unrecognizable.Â
My thoughts:Â Not my most fully fleshed out idea up here. Still a lot of plot to figure out for this one to be possibleÂ
Fun fact: this one would feature a suntanned and sweaty king.Â
2- The Last Dream
Quick Summary: How much of your last dream do you remember? And what would happen if it were to come true?Â
My thoughts: My most far fetched idea yet? Maybe.Â
Fun fact: Caspian has very vivid dreams.Â
.. .. .. .. .. .. Â
So there they are in all their unwritten glory. I canât wait to see which three Iâll be writing!Â
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HEY do you maybe have like an oc page or could you tell me something about all your ocs because i'm Interested and you have my full attention :eyes:
AHSJDKGLHL that's so sweet i'm nfjghl???? i don't have an oc page bc i'm the embodiment of an old man being given an iphone after 50 years of using a rotary phone but !!! i can yell abt them a bit aaa thank you for asking abt them đ„șđ„șđ
i put everything under the cut bc dear god i have a lot to say abt my kids and i'm not gonna make everyone scroll through that HHHHHH haw đ€ đ€
elliot fletcher
- he's my deputy in fc5!! he's from waverly in iowa and he's just...very tired nfjfkhl give my poor man a break
- everytime his radio crackles he ages 10 years and if it's john talking add another 10 years
- he keeps the three heralds alive but he doesn't care abt joseph <3
- gets in trouble bc he's impulsive af nfjghl when jacob is close to the cage?? ram his face in the bars. when john leans like rlly close in the confession scene?? headbutt đđđŒ
- the only people who know abt his past are earl, grace, faith and john, the rest just kinda speculate and elliot lets them believe what they want bc not only does he rlly not want ppl to know the actual truth, it's also very funny to listen to the stuff they can come up with
- speaking of faith he often seeks her for advice and sometimes they get high together and he gets teary eyed bc she's just... very nice to him and when all you see everyday is violence it's overwhelming to be shown a little bit of kindness đ„ČđđŒ
- he's in love with john but also he'd kick him across the county if he could but also he'd give his life for him
- after the bombs and all he unlocks his final form and becomes A Husbandâą, complete with a beard, a scarf and bad jokes that make john want to officially marry him so he can divorce his ass
- fun fact i came up with the name elliot fletcher bc i thought it sounded neat but recently i found out there's a trans actor called elliot fletcher too??? like what were the odds ngl that's so cool
carter quill
- this is my character in the marvel dnd game my brother is dming!!
- his parents are peter quill and kitty pryde and he inherited his mom's powers (so he can become immaterial and stuff uwu) and his dad's tiny pebble brain~
- he grew up on a ship with the guardians so his family is just... a bunch of uncles, one of which is a tree
- he's part of an initiative called the peacekeepers with isaaq cage (luke cage's and jessica jones' son), finneas "zorn" reeves (brock rumlow's and sinthea shmidt's son), lu "highway star" khan (the mandarin's son), alexis "hex" pythagoras (doctor strange's protégé) and ev-lin (ronan the destroyer's daughter who also happens to be carter's bully when they were 11 HHHHHH)
- everyone agrees that carter is just... a puppy. a little labrador. so overexcited. head empty. he doesn't know what's going on but he's having fun with his friends and that's what matters <3
- he died once and went to hell for like 66 years bc he held a bomb while it was exploding but he got better and he doesn't remember most of his time in hell but also he's a lil traumatised
- he wears cute skirts sometimes and also froggie themed clothes đ„°đ„° he's terrible at applying nail polish and it ends up smudged most of the time bc he can't sit still for more than two minutes without going insane but he still likes it
- he has a pet bird called ink!! he thought it was a nice name bc his last name is quill so u know,,, ink,,, quill,,,, he inherited his dad's terrible humor also
- he's fruity and has a big fat crush on one of his teammates đłđłđđŒđđŒ
- he strictly refuses to kill, so he uses stunt energy guns and a three section staff to fight!! he accidentally killed someone once and threw up
- he knows asl and is fluent in it!! he's also very bad at reading measurements when cooking (and reading in general) so he relies on their proto-ai, dadji, to help him cook and he listens to audiobooks a lot!!
- idk what else to say abt him except like two games ago he was in the hospital bc lu got hurt and he wanted to get him muffins from a coffee shop across the streets but he panicked when faced with the selection so he bought one of each and came back to the hospital room with like,,,, twenty muffins
- i found this pic of his face claim and it honestly just radiates his vibe so here have it
thorgran galvish
- he's my dwarf enchanter from another homebrew dnd game!! in this universe (and maybe others idk shit abt actual dnd HHHH forgive me) enchanter dwarves are lowkey enslaved bc of their rare link with magic
- thorgran blew up a wall and ran away to the surface so now he's a fugitive and he's constantly on the run uwu trust issues ensue
- he loves the sky so much?? especially at night?? he knows abt constellations, but he thinks they're just whatever you see in the stars and doesn't know there are like,,, actual constellations so he sits on the roof of a tall building sometimes and finds his own constellations
- he also tries to draw them but he rlly sucks at it aslkdsgl that doesn't stop him from filling his journal with little stars and drawings!!
- during my very first game with him he found his rival, who turned out to be a 16 years old teenager?? millennial/gen z rivalry
- agh i don't have much abt him yet bc i've only just started to play him but he's my beefiest boy and also a dilf đ„°đ„°
theadric "elder" montajay
- yet another character from the same universe as thorgran, but this time it's a funky little halfling bard
- his instrument is the violin!! he tried every other instrument and his mom was very supportive despite how bad he was at all of them. his community was raided and his father died, so he inherited his violin and that turned out to be the only instrument he could play
- took his love of the economy to the next level when he decided to fuck every gang leader he could find to control their operations and ruin their organizations so the money they hoarded could be put back in circulation
- accidentally fell in love with a half-orc gang leader and was abt to tell him the truth abt what he was doing but was exposed by the first person he'd cheated so he had to run without explaining himself to his lover smh ://
- "i don't wanna fall in the slutty bard cliché," i say before immediately giving elder the tightest leather pants and opening his shirt to show his majestic chest hair.
- surprisingly good with kids?? anyone younger than him who looks sad becomes His Child and he turns into a lil mama, tasting the food of an inn first to assure it's not poisoned, giving hugs, soft shit like that ngl he's just a mom đđ
- we abandoned the game he was in but we left off when he'd just escaped a dwarven prison with his new child and others owo anyway slutty bard with chest hair?? that's just the witcher's jaskier
scylla
- my gay pirate lady!! i don't have much abt her either bc AAA BRAINROT but !!! i still love her very much
- she's a hybrid between a human and a psaarinch (fish folks in our homebrew universe uwu) and she looks very human except she has like shark abilities?? she can smell blood, taste with her skin, breathe underwater for like two hours or smth, sharper teeth,,
- she started off as a privateer but like what was the kingdom gonna do?? track her down to make sure everything she did was legal?? nah man she got that sweet fleet and became a pirate
- she beats men up in inns and gives their wives a good time <3
- she's very close to her crew and they're kinda just a big family
- she fights with those s-shaped staffs?? but they're actually blades ngfhl she's very agile and looks like she's dancing when she's actually fighting
- fun fact she's my second shark oc the first one was called maito and she was a yellow lantern in a dc game we did (the main difference between them is that maito loved men while scylla is very much a lesbian đđđŒ)
i have like so many more of them but that's already such a long post and i don't wanna do too much NGL if u wanna know more hmu i'll yell some more đđđđŒđđŒ
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