#and sometimes it isn't 'the writer is an idiot'

[musical-chick-13]

"but there just AREN'T any well-written women in aNyTHiNg I interact with"

DO TEN MINUTES OF RESEARCH.

WATCH BETTER SHOWS. READ BETTER BOOKS.

THERE IS A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION HERE.

[scarletfasinera]

Worst thing a writer of a book can make me deal with is talk to me like I'm an idiot who can't understand books while I'm actively reading the book they wrote

[jongsie]

DISTANCE — G. SUGURU

🎧 synopsis — Geto is upset because you won't be there to celebrate your 4th anniversary with him.

🎧 au — actor! geto x gn! reader |🎧 ft — fluff!! a little bit of angst if you squint your eyes, and long distance relationship | 🎧 cw — geto calls reader baby, that's it though I think | 🎧 wc — 1194

🎧 raven's note — Look. I know Gojo won that poll... but I wanted to post for Geto. also going through a bit of a writer's block atm so this isn't the best 😞

The actors moved quickly on the set, getting to the correct positions before speaking their lines. But something was amiss, Geto didn’t seem as enthusiastic as usual. Everyone on set could tell his mind was focusing elsewhere and not on acting. 

“Go talk to him,” Shoko nudged Gojo’s side. 

“No,” Gojo said, “I said hi to him this morning and he gave me the nastiest side eye.”

“I would too if I had to see your face in the morning,” Shoko replied, earning a dramatic and loud gasp from the man beside her. “What could he be thinking about?”

The two of them watched as Geto sat on the chair placed near a camera. He was scrolling through his phone, a small smile spreading onto his face before it was replaced by a look of sadness and longing once again.

Shoko and Gojo tilted their heads at the same time. Trying to guess what could be troubling their dear friend. 

“You both are idiots,” came Nanami’s voice from behind them. Both of them whipped around with a scandalized look on their faces.

“I am not!” they both exclaimed. It was kind of scary how in sync they were.

Nanami only moved to stand next to them. “It’s nearly Y/n and Suguru’s anniversary. He’s upset since she won’t be here because of her university.”

It felt like a light bulb appeared on top of their heads; everything fell into place.

You and Geto had been together for nearly four years, and your anniversary was in five days – this Friday to be exact. Usually it would be spent together, but because the university you went to was overseas the two of you hadn’t seen each other for a while. 

It also meant because of the situation there was a high chance that your anniversary would be spent apart. 

“Hey I know what we can do!” Gojo exclaimed suddenly, making Shoko and Nanami look at him with their eyebrows raised.

— ☆

“And cut!” The director’s voice sounded throughout the set. Maki and Nobara relaxed their forms at his voice. The latter rushed to go hug the former complimenting her on how cool she looked.

“Geto and Mahito we’re gonna do your scene next so ready up,” he said, turning to face them. The two nodded their heads before moving to see the stylists in case anything needed fixing up. 

Today was Friday and Geto was especially glum. More glum than he had been all week. He hadn’t even had the chance to hear his girlfriend’s voice over the phone yet either. Sure, the two of you did text each other, but it wasn’t the same.

Even if you had called, it still would’ve been different because you weren’t here with him. 

Geto knew the consequences to having a long distance relationship, both of you did. But the both of you also knew that you loved each other too much not to try it out. So you did and it worked out pretty well most of the time.

Even if there were moments when all you wished for was to be in the arms of each other, to fall asleep next to one another, to feel your partner there physically, and when every once in a while an argument happened, to make up face-to-face. 

But sometimes you have to give up something to get something else. In this case it was being close to one another. 

The sound of the director’s voice broke though his thoughts as he nodded before walking to get into position. Just before the scene started he saw Gojo running to get somewhere.

— ☆

You put the mask on your face before taking a deep breath. “Okay how do I look?” you asked, turning to face him.

He fixed the cap on your head before nodding at you. “Perfect, let's go inside.”

When you didn’t budge from your spot Satoru put his hand on your head giving it a pat. “Relax, it's going to be fine.” 

“I know,” you said. And you did. But still that didn’t mean that you weren’t nervous, it had been months since you saw Suguru in real life. Plus he didn’t know you were coming over because it was a surprise and maybe just maybe a little part of you was anxious about how he’d react.

You hoped he would be happy.

“Let’s go,” you said, beforing making your way to the door and twisting the handle to open it. Gojo followed behind closely, eager to see his best friend’s reaction. 

You walked closer and closer to where Geto was recording, the mask and cap hiding your identity in case any one noticed you. Finally you and your boyfriend’s best friend stopped a few meters away from the set.

Your eyes roaming around Geto’s figure as he did his job. The urge to run to him and hold him was so strong but you held yourself back not wanting to ruin anything.

You watched as Mahito said his lines and before Geto could reply to him he looked into your eyes.

It felt like everything had slowed down as you watched your boyfriend run towards your direction. Everyone looked at him confused, cameras that were recording capturing everything on them.

Stopping just a few centimeters before you Geto whispered your name. 

“Hi Suguru,” you said, and that was all it took for him to pull you into his arms.

Butterflies raised a storm in your stomach from how hard they were fluttering, you melted into the hug leaning all your bodyweight onto Geto. His head rested on top of yours which was in the crook of his neck.

“I missed you so much,” you mumbled out, arms tightening around his waist. 

“I missed you too baby,” he said, before pressing a soft kiss on your head.

Everything felt so peaceful at the moment.

But Gojo Satoru just had to open his mouth. “Ew couples.”

“Not our fault you have commitment issues Toru,” you said, sticking out your tongue at him.

Geto let out a laugh at your response. His heart felt much lighter than it had all week. You were with him and that’s more than he could’ve asked for. 

— ☆

Megumi, Nobara, and Yuji were hunched over looking at Nobara's laptop as she scrolled. Every few seconds they would stop to read something before a sound of amusement left them.

“What’re you three laughing at?” you asked, trying to take a peak. Geto stood to your left, his arm around your waist as he also tried to look.

“Here,” Nobara said, before holding up the laptop for you. Taking the device from her hands you click on the video that was displayed.

It was a video of Geto running to you on the day you had decided to surprise him. As you scrolled down the comments and retweets under the video made you let out giggles of your own.

“Who uploaded this?” Suguru asked curiously even though he had a person in mind.

“It was Gojo,” came Shoko’s voice from behind. And that was all the confirmation he needed before running to hunt down his best friend.

© jongsie— all writing is mine do not plagiarize, cross post, repost, copy, translate, ect.

[miicycle]

What upsets me the most about the whole James Somerton scandal, of course aside from the actually terrible shit he did and what that lead to, is that people are calling others "idiots" for being "fooled".

I'm sorry to say, but the human mind can be fooled, no matter how hard you train it. Maybe not by James ofc, but anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can be fooled into believing ANYTHING when talked to by someone who seems legit. Especially since James stole from other actually good creators and writers, hid credits around, lied, showed SOME credit at times but sometimes not, his words seemed genuinely legit.

What sucks too is that this also belittles those who may be disabled. As someone who has severe ADHD and autism, it fucking sucks to hear "you shouldve been able to tell" or "how did you fall for it, his videos are garbage".

I never went on witchhunts, I didn't even know he got accused of stealing until a friend told me to watch the hbomber video (which I'm slowly working through).

I, a queer person, watched the videos on queer issues to learn more, the easy way (I have a hard time just reading things and like having the background noise of someone telling about incidents and events). It's a fucking accessibility thing for me. So God forbid I watched some of his videos and thought he was legit.

Insulting anyone isn't going to get you anywhere. Especially those that just watched his videos and didn't attack people. I hate that I easily fell for the ruse, I don't need people calling me stupid on top of it. I shouldn't feel ashamed for watching some godamned videos.

[madnessandentropy]

Catra's Abuse of Adora Has No Excuse

I know this is an old series. I know a lot of people don't believe in talking negatively about shows that have already ended and that it doesn't matter anymore.

But it matters to me.

Because spop has framed the abuse victim in this story as the idiot and the one in the wrong, the one who should've just stayed with her abuser and never "left" her, while the abuser gets off scott free and likely continues her actions.

Victim blaming very and real and prevalent, forgiving or defending abusers in real life is very real and prevalent.

This is an important thing to call out and discuss because what you put in your creations affects reality.

Spop IS a kids show, and kids often accept what they're exposed to as the norm or as something to copy. You can't just sweep it under the rug, saying it's just a show.

So that's why I want to talk about Catra and why all the trauma in the world does not sxcuse abusing your partner, or at the very least should not frame your partner as the one in the wrong for wanting to leave you.

Okay.

Catra is a character adored and worshipped by the fandom and defended with cult-like ferocity and obsession (death threats, gaslighting, doxxing, bullying, etc).

Many of her actions are actively ignored and excused by the fans and writiers, especially the main thing about Catra:

Her blatant abuse of Adora

I can hear the cries of outrage now

"You're just homophobic! Of course you criticise the queer couple! You just hate Catra! Catra is a victim of a abuse! They're in a war! Catra said sorry! But Catra loves Adora! You don't know what abuse is!"

And then they write an essay about Catra's sad backstory

In response to this I would like to quote one of my favourite B99 characters Jake Peralta:

Or in this case:

"Cool backstory, still abuse"

I really like Catra.

She's a cool character and an excellent villain. She has a very interesting and complicated psyche, a result of growing up in the Horde. A toxic, abusive environment that gave her attachment issues and likely ptsd and other problems. She lashes out because of her trauma, she is aggressive and rude so that she isn't vulnerable, to avoid being hurt.

There are many reasons for her actions, but it does not excuse them even if the narrative does.

Expecially her actions towards Adora, the person's she supposed to have loved all this time.

As I've said in another post, most abuse in media isn't very subtle because people still don't really take subtle abuse that seriously and often blame the victims. (Which is a whole other kettle of fish)

Not subtle abuse in media often consists of the following:

•Screaming or yelling at your partner, tearing apart their self esteem or threatening them

•Gaslighting/guiltripping them*

•Hitting them or physically assaulting them in any way

•Trying to kill them

•The victim is immensely afraid of/distressed by their abuser

*Note for this: it can depend on the depiction because its either abusive and in your face or romantic and just trying to help you depending on the story and writer

It astounds me to see Catra has done every single one of this things to Adora, and both the fandom and the writers excuse it or say "it isn't abuse, actually"

I'm gonna go through each bullet point and discuss how Catra does these things, mention excuses fans make up for it and point out their errors

Let's go

•Screaming and yelling at your partner, tearing apart their self esteem and threatening them

Catra is not someone who screams her throat raw, but she does yell when she lashes out and does so often at Adora.

She's constantly insulting her intelligence, making her doubt herself, telling her nothing she does matters, calling her weak and demeaning her.

She rips into her and treats her like trash beneath her heel when they were in the fake reality.

Again, we often see Adora repeating a similar rhetoric, believing what Catra and SW say fully or sometimes starting to believe it.

DURING her confession, Catra calla Adora an idiot. While Adora is basically dying, in this crucial moment for both of them, she resorts to insulting her intelligence.

"But her feelings were so obvious and Adora didn't notice!"

Let me tell you, spop has a massive tell don't show problem. This defence could've easily been true IF the writers bothered with evem something small like Catra hesitating to harm Adora or treating her with more care when fighting than with her other enemies, or at the very least treating her kindly.

They have done none of that. Instead they had other characters (E.g Horde Prime) talk about how much she cares for Adora and how strong her emotions are for her.

Literally the only way anyone could've known Catra loved Adora is through these characters giving exposition.

Adora is not an idiot for not realising Catra loved her, because Catra's actions do not show love or even an ounce of basic respect.

Making Adora doubt her intelligence and abilities is not love. Mocking Adora the way she does is not love. Torturing Adora is not love.

Telling Adora that she was a mistake and that "none if this would've happened if you didn't come through that portal" is not love.

Nothing she does to Adora is an act of love.

And also, not being very good at deciphering or recognising emotions that are "obvious" does not make you stupid, jfc

"Catra just says those things because she's angry, she doesn't mean them!"

It doesn't matter if she's angry and doesn't mean what she said. She says it. And there's never a scene were she regrets her words.

Her anger is a reason, not an excuse. That behaviour is not okay.

•Gaslighting/guiltripping them

Catra often likes to talk about Adora abandoned her, how Adora kept leaving her alone, and the show shifts to frame this as true and paints Adora in the wrong.

In Season 5 she's asks Adora "Please, just this once, stay?" After Catra herself being the one to run away, to make Adora feel guilty for the very much correct actions she took previously.

Adora refused to return to the Horde which was committing mass genocide and destroying everything in its path and painted as the bad guy for doing this.

Adora told Catra what they were doing. Begged Catra to come with her so they could start a new life. Throughout the series she is giving Catra chance after chance and trying her best to stay with her.

Every time, Catra has been doing the leaving.

Running away, abandoning Adora in the temple, vanishing in a blast or puff of smoke when it covers her.

She does the leaving, and she convinces Adora that it is in fact Adora leaving, and that she is bad person/friend for wanting nothing to do with the Horde.

The portal reality is the worst for me.

Adora is distressed and afraid, feeling like she's losing her mind and that something is wrong with her.

Catra, fully knowing the truth, gaslights her by saying she's crazy and just seeing things. And also is insults her intelligence yet again.

Making Adora doubt her own intelligence is also a form of manipulation and gaslighting.

Blaming Adora for everything that happened in the fake reality is gaslighting.

"But Adora DID leave Catra!"

Yeah. At the beginning after learning the Horde was committing mass genocide and after Catra tazed her twice. Refusing to go back. She was fully in the right. She apologised later and tried to get Catra to join her, so they could both continue being together. But Catra left her over and over again after that.

"The portal reality made Catra happy! It helped her cope with her trauma! She was having a mental breakdown!"

Hmm let me see isn't allowing your partner to continously be distressed and afraid and gaslighting them so you can be happy idk... selfish and abusive?

Yep she was having a break down. She was still in full control of her actions, and no trauma makes that okay in any way

•Hitting them or physically assaulting them in any way

Literally something Catra has done since they were children.

I can forgive the times they were small, because they don't know better and are abused children. But from episode one before Adora even left the Fright Zone Catra was pulling her around by the hair shoving her and over all being very aggressive.

After Adora leaves the Horde Catra: tazes her, tears at her skin with claws that can cut through metal, leaves her with scars, tortures her, kicks her and so much more.

Over and over again. Without a single sign of remorse.

"They were in a war!"

Yeah. Emphasis on the "they". Adora was in that war too. She was always worried for Catra, actively holding back, trying not to hurt too badly, treating her with respect.

Catra did none of that. She didn't even bother to show the slightest remorse or hesitate one second before clawing at her back and face.

Catra, in fact, is less violent with the sort of strangers that are Bow and Glimmer. She tackles Bow to the ground and hisses at him, that's it. Adora? Tearing at her skin, kicking her in the back, grabbing her by the face, torturing her, etc

War is not an excuse

"Catra's backstory! It's how they were raised! She's a victim of abuse copying her abuser because she doesn't know any better! She's lashing out!"

Cool backstory, still abuse.

Okay. She's lashing out. Doesn't excuse it. She is still actively harming Adora, and if she really can't control herself or see the wrong in it like some people claim, then that only supports the fact she is NOT good for Adora.

•Trying to kill them

The portal.

Catra knew what was going to happen.

She knew what she was going to cause.

She looked Adora dead in the eyes and pulled the switch anyways.

She didn't care as long as Adora lost. She is willing to let Adora die in order to win.

"But Catra wanted to die too!"

Okay. That doesn't matter. That doesn't justify anything. Being suicidal does not justify attempted murder.

"But (any excuse)!"

I honest to god do not care.

Just like Adora said:

"I didn't make you pull the switch. You made your choice. Now live with it!"

There is NO conceivable way for Catra knowingly doing what she did just so Adora didn't win to be okay.

She tried to kill the woman she supposedly loved.

That is not excusable.

That is not love.

And what's worse is after Adora begins to accept that Catra will not change and that trying to be peaceful will not work. Being together again is a dream. And the show rips that away.

•The victim is immensely afraid of/distressed by their abuser

Adora is absolutely terrified of Catra, or at the very least a bit afraid of her.

Every time Catra grabs Adora by the face or pins her down, Adora's eyes are wide with fear or at the very least immense discomfort.

In Roll With It, Adora is incredibly distressed and works herself into a complete state because nobody is considering what Catra will do.

"But Adora just wants to see Catra! She's thinking about her obsessively like this, it's a sign of her feelings!"

Adora knows what Catra is capable of. She knows what will happen to them if they aren't prepared. Planning out every possible option because of what could happen is not a sign of her feelings. It's a sign that she knows Catra will show no mercy, and she does not want the mission to fail or her friends to get hurt.

While Catra isn't directly present here, this is all because of her actions. Actions that have a reason, but not an excuse.

It is not healthy or romantic for your love interest to be afraid of you.

Moving on

At the end of the portal incident, Adora stared at Catra with cold eyes that clearly said "You've crossed a line"

It is here that many critics agrees that it's a bit late for Catra to have a redemption, because this truly was above anything else she had ever done.

This was where they could have had Adora move on from Catra and begin unlearning all the negative things Catra and others have embedded in her psyche.

If they did manage to do Catra's redemption right, whether during S5 or before it, I think it would've been best for the two of them to separate. It's made clear with how being away from the Horde and Adora made Catra happier when she was in the Crimson Waste.

I don't think either of then should've been in romantic relationships at all. Horde soldiers don't even know what proper food is, they've never heard of basic things like parties and the like.

I think it would've been better for them to slowly heal in their own time, Adora being happy with her newfound friends and learning the ways of Etheria and Catra staying in the Crimson Waste or somewhere else.

Romance should've been something to come to them when they've both matured and healed, and with different people.

Spop had the perfect opportunity to show that even if an abuser has trauma it is still abuse and it is not selfish to walk away.

It doesn't how sorry they are, it doesn't matter how much they claimed to have changed.

You are not obligated to be with them.

You are not obligated to be their punching bag just so they can be happy.

But spop didn't take that opportunity.

Instead this behaviour is excused or romanticised.

And the fact that the creator says this is based off his own relationship makes me deeply concerned.

......................................

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and that this wasn't too much of a mess! If you disagree with me, feel free to give your reasons and I will happily discuss with you. If you're just going to call me a homophobe and throw a fit and start fights, you can screw off

Tagging: @spop-romanticizes-abuse

[dragon-watcher03]

I am a simple woman with simple tastes.

All I want is that when my crush rejects me, Kung Lao, Bi-han and Smoke are there to comfort me and to tell me 'if he doesn't want you, then I'll keep you'

(and yes, this is a request for some headcannons, please 🙏 and thank you 🥰)

Damn, aight then. (sorry it took me so long to answer this-)

Mk1 x Reader who got rejected

Ft: Kung Lao, Sub-Zero, Smoke

Note: I have been suffering from writer's block recently so for those who sent me requests, it might take a while for them to be answered.

Kung Lao

Bro was flabbergasted. Like the "what kind of idiot would reject you?" kinda flabbergasted.

He tells you they didn't deserve you anyway, and that you deserved someone who would dedicate all their time to you and love you with every fiber of their body, like him.

He thinks he's far more deserving of you than that douch who had the balls to reject a wonderful person like you. And deep down, he's happy they rejected you so now he can have you all to himself.

But he knows you're not in the right mindset to make that decision right now. Right now, he needs to reassure you that they didn't deserve you and you deserve someone better.

He'd wait a few weeks at most before confessing to you, he thinks that's the right amount of time to wait.

And when you accept his feelings he's extremely happy that you finally got over that person.

Now, whenever he sees them in public, he wraps his arm around you and smirks like he's showing them what they just lost.

Sub-Zero

He honestly wasn't surprised, no weakling like them could handle a beautiful, kind, caring, hard-working person like you. He doesn't tell you that though, he just stands there awkwardly as you rant to him about how they rejected you.

He's also a little happy they rejected you, so now you can realize your worth and see that you deserve better. He's not very emotional when you tell him, he's very good at hiding them.

He might pat your back to try and comfort you but overall he isn't really good at this kinda stuff. No one usually comes to him for comfort and they don't teach them how to do it in the Lin Kuei, so he just listens to you talk, and sometimes he'll pat your back or shoulder, but that's about it.

He probably waits a few months until he confesses to you, and he does it over a letter because he's too shy to say it to your face.

And when you accept his feelings, he lets out a sigh of relief and for the first time, he'll smile at you softly.

When he sees your ex-crush in public, he'll give them a death glare and grab your hip with one hand.

Smoke

He'd be very understanding and supportive when you come to him.

He offers you a cup of tea and sits you down and tells you to let it all out. So you do. And he listens to every word intently.

But deep down, he's celebrating over the fact that he still has a chance with you. But he'll never share this with anyone. Ever.

He's rubbing your back with one hand and will offer you a hug that lasts quite a long time, saying that it isn't your fault and you should focus on yourself for the time being.

He'd probably also wait a couple months before confessing to you, but he'd be spending those months with you as you work on yourself.

And when you do accept his confession, he's ecstatic and relieved. He's a very touchy lover, especially when around your ex-crush. He won't stare at them but he will make sure they know what they lost.

[zahri-melitor]

I think there’s a discussion to be had about how the lack of current consistent character bibles affects comics in terms of characterisation.

Because I think there actually is a lot more consistent characterisation than people sometimes want to realise when they’re complaining about appearances being out of character. There tends to be a background set of character notes writers who DON'T follow a character obsessively know about them when writing them, and they're often based in their early or most prominent stories. Even if people are willing to look, they’re mostly going to dip in to a couple of recced stories to refresh their memory of what their characterisation is like. Which is part of why character growth has trouble sticking (if what a less-frequent writer is referencing is not the most recent run) but also is frustrating when you're having the 'is this in character' debate because if 8 writers over 10 years all pull this trait out and use it again, there's a level of consistency that's hard to overlook, even if the main writer for the character isn't using it anymore.

It’s particularly noticeable in characterisations in crossovers and events. Because when a writer is juggling half a dozen characters they don’t usually write, they’re going to draw on their memories rather than do deep dive reads for the ones they’re less familiar with. So you get the ‘everyone knows’ character traits and beats.

And this leads to people who love a character vs people who are fine about the character but don't specifically read their runs having differing views on their personalities if these things clash.

Let’s use Damian for an example, because it’s really really obvious by comparing what I’m reading at the moment: Batman & Robin Eternal, Robin War, and Robin: Son of Batman. Two events (one with a crossover issue) and his main title in 2015.

Because if you only encounter Damian in crossovers and events, Damian being a little turd who uses insulting nicknames and proclaims his superiority to everyone is…a lot of what you’ve seen in previous crossovers and events. And he’s doing it again in Robin War and Batman & Robin Eternal. Now there are specifically different beats to this – Damian’s fully ready to sacrifice himself for Dick when he realises Dick’s in trouble. But he’s using frankly derogatory nicknames to Jason and Tim and insulting their abilities, and is even nastier to the We Are Robin kids. And he shows up in Eternal and out of the gate tells everyone they’ve been an idiot.

While if you’re a Damian fan reading his own titles, some of this characterisation rings as backsliding, as he doesn’t really use nicknames anymore in his own titles and has been soul searching about his own past and actions, so it’s not congruent with what you expect to see him doing.

Because if you're fully enmeshed in a character's lore and all their appearances, you obviously centre their protagonist stories and discount the crossover appearances that don't match. But if people only read those crossover appearances… that’s the character they know. And see. And it’s pretty consistent BETWEEN those appearances, so telling those people they’re wrong about a character they’ve encountered in multiple storylines is only going to get backs up on both sides. When actually these are two different completely valid views on a character, sourced from comics. It’s just that those personalities are particularly out of sync between “how they appear as a protagonist/regular” and “how they appear as a side character”.

And that can be incredibly frustrating to hear, when that’s your blorbo. But also, people who are treating repeated characterisation they encounter with a character over many years, across many titles and writers as ‘this is who the character is’ are not deliberately out to be mean to your blorbo. That’s the character they know!

And I think we should all think about that a bit more and take a deep breath.

[spoilmesweetieforficssake]

Hiii

I have to say that I love your work. I was reading your last story where Mel gets overprotective with the pregnant reader and I have a idea.

The reader is just in fact pregnant, will be a solo parent and is so in love with Mel and thinks Mel could never love them back.

Can you make it with a happy ending, please? Thank you so so much!

You love my work? *Grins like an idiot* Positive comments like that make for a very happy writer!

I'll be honest, your prompt hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world to write (which isn't to say I haven't enjoyed it - I have!) and I hold my hands up now and admit I that what I know about pregnancy comes from Grey’s and Holby, hence, things might feel a bit detached from reality and out of sync with a ‘normal’ pregnancy timeline.  But hey, I’m no doctor, I’m just some little lesbian who dabbles about with word documents in her spare time so I hope you enjoy where this goes!

(Also, I know this request came off the back of another pregnant reader prompt.  In my head this became a different story altogether.  I do, however, have a plan to carry on the other fic with a few little one shots in the same verse.)

~*~

“Fuck!  Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!” you groan as you pace in the tiny bathroom.  You jump at a sudden knock on the door.

“You all right in there?” 

A voice you’d recognise anywhere.  Melissa.  “Just peachy!” you call back, trying to sound as cheerful as you can muster in the midst of your breakdown.

“Yeah, ‘cause that’s how my day’s going when I say fuck fifty times too!” she drawls.  “You’re a worse liar than Janine!  Come on, open up.”

You can’t face her right now.  You can’t face anyone right now.  “I’m fine, honest,” you protest.  “I just…need a minute?”

“You sure?” comes the red head’s voice, soft and full of concern.  It makes you want to cry even more than you already do.  As much as Melissa puts up a tough façade, once she lets you in, you’re in.  You need to hide a body, she brings the shovel.  You need to make someone into a body, she brings the bat to make it happen. 

“Yeah,” you sigh, leaning your head against the wall.  You hear her footsteps as she retreats.  You take a minute.  Many minutes, in fact, before finally turning to the mirror and making sure you look presentable.  Taking a final deep breath, you push the door open, only to halt as you see Melissa leaning against the wall opposite, scrolling through her phone.

“You look just peachy,” she comments, eyebrow raised as she pushes away from the wall.  “Come on.  I’m not that scary.  You can tell me.”

“Are you kidding?” you hiss.  “You’re terrifying!”

She merely rolls her eyes.  “Yeah, only when I’m not on your side and…well…you know, I’m on your side.”

You tear up a bit at that.  Fucking hormones, you think to yourself.  You’re still note quite sure what you did that landed you lucky enough to be friends with her.  Sometimes, you wish you weren’t.  It would be so much easier to be in love with her if she wasn’t nice to you.  

Stepping back into the bathroom, you jerk your head, indicating for her to follow.

“You know I don’t normally sneak off into the bathroom with pretty girls, right?” she smirks.  “Especially at work with all those innocent little minds around.”

You could almost wish she was flirting, if you weren’t holding a fucking grenade tucked behind your back.  You’ve fucked this up big style.

“Seriously, what’s up?” she asks after a moment when you don’t say anything.

You pull the pregnancy test out of your pocket.

“Fuck,” she breathes.

“Yeah,” you sigh, sitting on the close lid of the toilet.  “Fuck.”

“I…didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”

You don’t look up, not wanting to chance seeing disapproval on her face. 

“I’m not,” you admit.  “It was the last time I went home,” you mumble.  “One stupid night with an old ex.”

The tears that have been gathering in your eyes start to fall as you feel a gentle hand on your shoulder, rubbing soothingly. 

“What the hell am I meant to do now?”

*

You hear your phone chime and subtly slip it from your pocket.  You’d tried to call your ex, resorted to a voicemail and when that got no response you’d finally messaged him.  That had been four days ago. 

Seeing his name on the screen, you quickly open the message, only for your face to fall.  You knew it would come as a surprise to him.  Hell, it had to you too.  But you hadn’t expected him to be quite so brutal in his reply.  You read the words again, not quite able to comprehend why he’s being so cruel. 

Shoving the device back in your pocket you take a deep breath, willing the tears not to spill from your eyes.  The last thing you need is for the kids to see you cry and ask you what’s wrong.

Instead, what you find is Barb crossing the lunch hall, quietly asking if you can give her a hand with something.  You nod dumbly, letting her lead you out into the hallway.  She remains in the doorway where she’s able to still keep an eye on the kids. 

“Is everything okay?”

You quickly wipe at your eyes.  “Just a message from my ex,” you sniffle, looking up at her.  By the blank look on her face you realise those words mean nothing to her.  She doesn’t know.  You thought for sure with how close she is with Melissa the red head would have told her, but it would appear that’s not the case.  “I’d messaged with some news and he didn’t take it well,” you go on, keeping your words deliberately vague, not quite sure Barb would approve.

She puts a gentle hand on your arm.  “Why don’t you go and take a moment, I can handle things here.”

Nodding, you thank her before slinking off to the bathroom.  Inside, you close the lid of the toilet and sit with your head in your hands.  It’s starting to feel like an all to familiar position. 

*

“What did that asshole say?”

You look up from the worksheets on your desk as Melissa marches into your classroom. 

“Barb said you got all upset at lunch duty after a message from your ex?”

You sigh.  “I always knew he was a bit of a dick, but I didn’t expect this…”  Reaching for your phone, you open the message and hold it out to her.  You really don’t want to read it again.

“Where do I find this guy?” she growls, slamming your phone down on the desk. 

“You don’t!” you warn.  You’ve seen her temper.  Your ex wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Seriously?  You’re gonna let him say things like that to you?” she asks, stabbing a finger at your phone. 

“He didn’t ask for this!” you hiss.

“Neither did you!” she’s quick to remind you. 

You let out a long breath, sitting with your head in your hands.  When you finally look up again, she hasn’t moved.  “You didn’t tell Barb.”

She frowns, confused at the abrupt subject change.  “What?”

“At lunch duty today, she took me aside because I was upset, but she didn’t know why,” you say.  “You didn’t tell her.”

“You trusted me enough to tell me,” she says softly, moving around your desk until she can perch on the edge of it close to you.  “I wasn’t about to break that trust and tell anybody.  You might wanna think about telling her though if you want someone else on your side.”

“But...”

“But what?” she asks.

“What if she doesn’t approve?  It’s not exactly an ideal situation,” you mumble.

She smiles softly down at you, her hand finding your shoulder.  “Oh hon, Barb has her morals, but she knows the world ain’t perfect.  You tell her you’re about to pop a kid she’ll have your back.  Believe me, she knows pregnancy ain’t no picnic.”

“I could make this all go away,” you say in a whisper, hanging your head.

“If you were seriously thinking that you’d have done it already,” comes the red head’s softly spoken words a few moments later. 

You look up, tears in your eyes.  You know she’s right.  “I’m gonna be a single mom.”

Melissa pulls you into her side, her arm settling more firmly around your shoulder, letting you bury your face into her sweater.  “You’ve been here long enough to know we’re a family here at Abbott, right?”

*~*

“Try this,” says Melissa, holding out a Tupperware tub in your direction.

You turn away.  You want to at least be polite, but at this stage your morning sickness is all round the clock sickness and everything and nothing seems capable of setting it off.

She doesn’t move.  “Seriously, Barb could barely eat a thing with Taylor, but she could eat this.”

*

“I still haven’t vomited!”  Not exactly what you meant to say when you arrived in her classroom door after the school bell, but the words are out before you can stop them.  You’re embarrassed to find tears in your eyes.  “Shit!” you hiss, wiping them away quickly.  “I was never someone who cried, now I’m crying at everything.”

Melissa just chuckles.  “I’m gonna take it as a compliment.  You want me to make you some more?”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” you say, even as your mouth waters at the thought of it. 

“You’re eating for two and it’s apparently the only thing you can eat.  I’m making more,” she tells you, her tone not allowing for argument. 

“Thank you.”  You manage the words you had meant to say when you arrived in her classroom. 

*

You come out after your first scan, grainy picture in hand and sink onto the first bench you find.  Yes, you knew you were pregnant, but you’ve just heard the heartbeat of the tiny life growing inside you.  You literally have a picture in your hand as proof of the tiny human you’ve created.  It makes it feel so much more real. 

You’re aware of someone sitting next to you, but your eyes remain on the picture in your hand.  It’s not until you feel another presence sit on the bench on your other side that you look up to find Melissa and Barbara sat on either side of you.

“You okay?” asks the red head.  “You were outta that school like a man on the run when the bell went.”

“I’m having a baby,” is all you say, your voice shaky.  “I mean, I knew it was but…this makes it feel so much more real.”  You wave the picture in your hand, not protesting as Melissa slips an arm around your shoulders and pulls you to her.

Barb takes the picture from your shaking hand.  “Real and scary, right?”

You nod. 

“But amazing too,” smiles the kindergarten teacher.  “This little life inside you is a miracle and as terrifying as it seems right now, I promise you it won’t feel that way.  You’ll see.”

You manage a watery smile.

“Now,” says Melissa.  “How about we go have a virgin cocktail to celebrate that little miracle?”  She takes the print out from her friend’s hand.  “And someone can explain to me which end of this jelly bean is which?”

*

You knew it would happen sooner or later, but it comes as a shock the first time it happens.  You jump, eyes growing wide.

“You okay?” asks Melissa already halfway out of her chair.  It’s just the two of you in the break room; she on a free period and your kids in PE. 

“Yeah,” you nod.  “I think…I think it just kicked.”  It happens again and you press a hand to your stomach.  “It did, it definitely did!”  You look up and find her barely a couple of feet away, her hand reaching out before she quickly snatches it back.

“Can I?” she asks sheepishly.  “I mean would it-“

“You wanna feel it?” you ask.

“Is that weird?” she asks, screwing her face up.

You shake your head, smiling as you reach to take her hand and guide it to where she can feel it.  You know the moment she does as a wide smile spreads across her lips.

You laugh, tears in your own eyes as you watch her look down at your stomach in wonder.  You can’t help but think about how you’re sharing such a huge moment with her.  Of how she’s been there through a lot of your big moments.

She looks almost giddy as she looks up at you, tears in her brilliant green eyes.  She looks adorable and you could almost believe…  You shake your head.  That’s dangerous territory.  She’s a friend being supportive, nothing more.

 *

“What if it’s not even human?” you ask, aware you’re being ridiculous but unable to shake the fear.  Today is your next scan.  Today is the day you’re going to find out the sex and see actual features.  You’d be too terrified to ask the first time around, still too overwhelmed at hearing the heartbeat of the tiny life growing within you.

Melissa shrugs, “So you have a cute baby Yoda and get on with it.”

“You know the baby is actually called Grogo, right?”

The red head rolls her eyes.  “Not the point, Jacob.”

“Extra fingers and toes would probably come in handy,” Ava chimes in.  She’s not here for the baby chat, but rather, the pink and blue cupcakes Janine brought in.  “What?  At least the kid’ll have a talking point?”

Barb sighs, shaking her head.  She turns to you, reaching for your fidgeting hands.  “Don’t listen to them.  It’s going to be fine.  Everything was just fine the first time around, you’ve had no reason to worry, no symptoms that are out of the ordinary and you’ve even started to feel the baby move.”

You nod, releasing the breath you didn’t realise you’d been holding.  Melissa had been right, Barb did indeed have your back.  She’d been your voice of reason when you panicked, the one who was able to reassure you that as strange as it all felt, what you were going through was absolutely normal. 

More than just being right about Barb though, Melissa had been right about your little Abbott family.  Yes, there had been a few shocked faces when you’d told everyone, but they hadn’t judged.  They’d been helpful, kind and more patient than you often deserved. 

*

“Hey.”

You look up to find Melissa leaning against your doorframe.  You’d been too busy trying to cram everything into your handbag while keeping a lid on your anxiety to hear her approach. 

“I just wondered if you might want a ride to your scan?” she offers.  “Not that you can’t drive yourself,” she adds quickly, stepping further into your classroom.  “Just, you know…wondered if you wanted some company?  You seem pretty nervous and I didn’t want you to think you had to go in there alone like you did before.”

By the time she’s finished speaking she’d standing before you, wringing her hands.

“You’d really come?” you ask, your voice quiet and shaky even to your own ears.

She smiles softly at you.  “Course I would.”

 *

“It’s a girl.”

Those three words are enough to bring tears to your eyes.  It’s not as if you’d been particularly hoping for a girl, but somehow the knowing really brings it home.  You’re going to have a little baby girl. 

Melissa lets out a long, slow breath, blinking against the tears that have gathered in her own eyes.  It’s a battle she’s been losing since she heard the baby’s heartbeat sound loud and clear.  She looks from the screen showing your little girl to your face and back to the screen again as she presses a kiss to your hair. 

*

You sit on the edge of the uncomfortable hospital bed, holding the print of your scan between your fingers. 

“They said she was perfect,” you smile softly, stroking your finger over the image.

Melissa puts your bags down on the edge of the bed, moving until she can see the picture in your hand.  “She is,” she smiles, looking from the image to your smiling face.  She’s moving before she can comprehend what she’s doing, and suddenly her lips are pressed to your own.

The squeak of surprise from you is what brings her back to reality ands he quickly steps back, immediately apologising. 

You reach out, catching her hand.  “Don’t apologise…or at least, don’t apologise unless you didn’t mean anything by that.” 

Taking a deep breath, the red head steps forward, looking terrified but trying to be brave.  “I meant it,” she admits softly, reaching out to cup your cheeks, thumbs tracing your cheekbones. 

Your own trembling hands find purchase on her hips, the feel of her strong and solid and real before you grounding.  “Really?”

She nods, tears gathering in her eyes once more.  “I don’t know when it happened,” she starts, her voice soft, but sure.  “But I think somewhere along the line I might just have fallen in love with you and that little girl we’ve yet to meet.”

You sniffle, tears already making tracks down your cheeks once more.  “Any hope I had of ever having a chance with you I lost the day I saw that positive test.”  You shift to wrap your arms around her, burying your face into her stomach.  You feel her hands stroke soothingly up and down your back, the gentleness of the gesture only serving to make you cry harder. 

When you’d arrived at the hospital you’d half expected Melissa to wait in the car, but she hadn’t even hesitated before she was out of the truck and moving round to open your door.  The only time she had hesitated was when the nurse had called you in, unsure whether you would want her there for such a private moment.  When you’d held out your hand, however, she’d been out of her chair in a heartbeat, linking her fingers with your own.  As you’d settled on the bed, she’d been right there, a comforting arm around your shoulder, cheek pressed to your hair as her eyes took in the little miracle on the screen.

You hadn’t been sure then whether your tears were of relief that everything was fine, that she was fine, or whether you were simply overwhelmed at how different it felt to have someone, to have Melissa by your side for this scan. 

“I wouldn’t lose hope just yet if I were you,” she says softly.

Loosening your grip on her, you look up to find her smiling down at you.  It feels too good to be true.

Your little bubble is burst by the nurse returning.  “Sorry!  I didn’t realise you guys were still in here.  I was just coming back to clean up.  I’ll give you some time.”

Melissa shakes her head.  “No, don’t be silly.  We were just on our way out.”  She lifts your coat, holding it out to you as you stand before helping you into it.  With a soft touch, she adjusts your collar before lifting your bag along with her own and reaching out to take your hand as though it’s perfectly normal.

Smiling at the nurse as you leave, you can only look at the woman next to you in wonder, feeling as though you’re floating as she leads you back to the car.

With the doors closed, the reality of the last few minutes begin to sink in. 

“We should probably talk.”

You tense up at those words, and Melissa sees it.  She’s quick to reach over and take your hand. 

“Why don’t you come back to mine and I’ll make dinner and we can talk?” she suggests.  “Just some food, some conversation.  No pressure, no nothing, just talk?”

As if on cue your stomach growls, even as it twists anxiously at the conversation that you know is to come.

*

You expect dinner to be awkward, but as you watch Melissa move around her kitchen as she brings the meal together you can’t help but relax.  She looks happy and content as she cooks, and your heart almost bursts each time she checks in that you’re okay with a new ingredient.  She says nothing of the tears that once again gather in your eyes as she casually comments that she can’t be upsetting the little princess by feeding her things she doesn’t like. 

It's only after dinner when you’re sat at opposite ends of Melissa’s couch that things become awkward.

Melissa finally breaks the silence with a loud sigh.  “Okay, I planted one on you so only fair I go first.”  She takes a deep breath, turning to face you more fully on the couch.  “I don’t know when it happened.  Hell, I didn’t expect it to happen, but I meant what I said at the hospital.  I’m in love with you and that little jelly bean.  I’m not expecting you to feel the same, but I want to be there for you both even if-“

“I never really thought you could feel that way,” you say, cutting her off.  “Even before,” you pause, gesturing at your every growing bump.  “And especially after.”  

Scooting forward on the couch, Melissa finds your hand, linking your fingers together.  “So it’s not perfect,” she says with a crooked smile.  “But it’s real.”

You look down at your joint hands.  “Yeah…it’s real.”  You find yourself blushing furiously.  It feels almost ridiculous to think that somehow, despite everything, she wants this.  She wants you.

“You okay?  You burning up?” 

As Melissa reaches out with her free hand to press the back of her hand to your forehead, checking for a temperature, you find yourself blushing harder.   “I’m fine,” you reassure her.  “Just thinking…if this is real does that mean you actually want to kiss me?”

At this, the red head grins.  “Yeah, this is real.  I love you, and yes, that means I want to kiss you.”  She holds your gaze as she speaks, her voice steady and sure. 

“Even though I look like a beached whale?” you ask.

Melissa shakes her head, chuckling.  “You look beautiful.”

You raise an eyebrow at her.  “Don’t give me that ‘you’re glowing crap’.  I’m a mess.”

“A hot mess,” she smirks right back.

“A huge mess,” you argue. 

At this, she rolls her eyes.  “Are we just gonna argue about this or can I kiss you again?”

This time, there’s no come back on your lips, only Melissa’s pressed deliciously against your own. 

[the-modern-typewriter]

Hello this is a question that came about from watching the new Fallout TV show and a character named Maximus. He’s a relatively neutral character and his arc is very wonderful coming from a writer and big book reader but I noticed that the average viewer doesn’t understand his character and actually hates him… my question is as an author is it okay to make your story more digestible to people who lack perception since it’s the general audience for mainstream media and how do you do that without losing your story? Idk this was probably too complex and a stupid question 💔

Not a stupid question! There are no stupid questions.

Going to unpack this a bit though. (I haven't seen the show.) First some general points, but then some advice on balancing complexity in a story.

So. Some things to get out of the way:

You don't know what the average viewer is thinking. Just because their opinion on a character is different to yours, doesn't mean they lack perception. Do we sometimes have an issue with critical thinking in the modern age? Yes. But we also live in an age where people bring a vast array of different insights and experiences into the stories they read/watch. 99% of the time a story doesn't have just one right interpretation, especially if it is a more complex narrative.

You CAN try to write a story that is more digestible to a general audience, but if you do have concerns about the media literacy of the general population, focusing on providing unchallenging stories is not the fix to that. People learn through engaging with interesting work and having discussions about them - e.g. when they are given the opportunity to. Perception, like anything, is a skill trained with practice. No one's born with it. There's no inherent us/them that can't be changed.

Will you be happy and fulfilled as a writer writing stories that you feel are dumbed or watered down? I know I wouldn't end up writing the versions of stories that I want. Similarly, you probably won't then attract the readers/audience that most resonate with your ideas, because you don't give them the chance.

Generally speaking, people hate being talked down to. As a reader/lover of stories, if I thought a writer was talking down to me and thought I was an idiot who couldn't understand the themes/plot, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with their stuff. It's a horrible feeling, isn't it? It's like being written off before you even leave the gate.

Okay, now some advice: Amazing children's books are a great example of stories that are simplified to appeal and meet the audience where they are at, without losing the richness that makes them resonate and engage readers/audience. However, there are adult examples too. They share some qualities.

These often have:

Clear structure (there are a myriad story structures that you can use to make a story hit beats the reader expects and create a sense of satisfaction, while still giving you room to play.)

High concept story idea/plot (so, stories that can be explained/pitched in a line. E.g. children are forced to fight in televised death matches (Hunger Games), a famous author is imprisoned by a dangerous fan who doesn't approve of his new work (Misery), 'it's jaws in outer space!'). These stories have simple premises that often have wide-appeal, but the stories themselves can be complex.

Engaging main character(s) with a clear goal/agenda. They don't have to all be morally pure, but for an easy win, your character should be likeable/easy to root for. In a children's book, e.g. at the simplest level, these are often also high concept. (E.g. a mouse wants to be heard so is convinced it needs a lion's roar to be loved - The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright)

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. Game of Thrones was phenomenally popular, for example, but I don't think it's an easy to sink into world/simple set of characters.

Watering down an existing story to fit a different target audience is often not going to lead you to write the best story. This is because it's like trying to fit a triangle into a circle, or make a banana bread into a savoury scone. However, there are plenty of stories with mass-appeal that offer readers a variety of different levels to engage with them, so it is very possible to write a brilliant story with mass appeal. But you work from the foundations up, not from the finished product down.

I hope this helps!

[thissortofsorcery]

For the soft asks, could you please do 30 and/or 16 with Harringrove? You can do either one or both in the same if you want, I just really like both of those and you're such a good writer so I can't wait to see what you do with them 💚💚

So, um. It's a month and ten days later. I'm still gonna answer all of these! I'm going through rough time with writing and it's taking me a while.

This one's just for you though!!!! I did both 30 and 16, and I hope you enjoy it. Again, I tried to keep it short but it, um. Got away from me. And I added a little bit of angst. Just a smidge.

For context, the setting is a modern college and-they-were-roomates AU sort of thing.

------

Steve's talking to some chick.

She's pretty, Billy thinks, in the same way Nancy Wheeler is. Tiny, brunette, with huge eyes and dainty, bird-bone wrists, swallowed up by a cable-knit sweater.

And Steve's smiling at her with that wide, pleased smile he sometimes gets when he and Billy are alone and the lights are low, the one that Billy never gets tired of looking at, the only time he's sorry to kiss Steve, doesn't want to wipe that look off his face. 

Billy spots them from outside the coffee shop. 

On Thursdays, Billy has his shift at the library until six, and Steve gets off class at five. Steve always waits for him at the campus coffee shop so they can walk to the dorms together. He's been doing that since before they started hooking up. 

He isn't expecting to find Steve chatting up a girl when he's supposed to meet him, though. Jealousy hits him like a punch to the sternum, leaves him breathless and stunned. He knows he should walk away, but he can't unstick his feet from the sidewalk and force himself to move.

They're leaning against the high, long table by the window, standing close to each other. Steve's talking with so much enthusiasm that Billy would be laughing with him if he wasn't watching him talk to someone else. The girl seems plenty amused, though.

Billy's always known he liked Steve more than Steve liked him. There was no way he'd like Billy like– like this. Like Steve's the only voice he can't go a whole day without hearing. Like his heart's breaking is his chest at the sight of Steve flirting with someone else. 

They haven't talked about what they were to each other, yet, not explicitly. But Billy's been hoping, like a fucking idiot.

Billy breathes hard through his nose, and reaches for his cigarettes. He can feel himself getting worked up. He's not gonna be able to let this go. The ache is turning into anger in his chest, bubbling up to his throat. He's not gonna be able to keep it civil with Harrington when he gets back to the dorm after his date, and this is either gonna turn into a fight or Billy's gonna call it quits before he's even through the door. 

Billy's done watching his dating life go up in flames, so he's gonna go to Heather's dorm to see if she has any booze and ice cream. He turns around to leave when a shoulder checks into him hard, knocking his bag to the sidewalk, and his cigarette with it. His temper's already shot, frayed by a long afternoon listening to an asshole professor that didn't want to teach, so he yells out an, "Asshole!" to the guy's back. The dude doesn't even turn around to give Billy the middle finger. Bitch. 

Billy shrugs his bag back on, and turns around to see that Steve's staring at him through the window.

Well, fuck.

Steve doesn't look caught out, though, he's smiling wide and waving frantically for Billy to come inside, not at all deterred by his scowl.

What the fuck, right? They can do this in public if Steve wants to.

Billy shoves his way into the coffee shop, adding sway on his hips to show Steve just what he's missing, and goes straight for them.

He's not expecting Steve to take his hand, lace their fingers together, and say, "Billy, this is Amanda from my Child Psych class. Amanda, this is my boyfriend, Billy."

His what?

"What?"

The girl giggles, a melodious, sweet laugh, and gives him a wave and a smile.

"He's been talking about you for like twenty minutes!" She says, hiding a smile behind her coffee mug. "Well, actually, since the semester started, but for the last twenty minutes, too! It's nice to meet you, finally."

On the outside, Billy's quick to recover, but inside, he's still reeling. He can turn on the charm and greet her, but he can't get his bearings about what he just walked into.

"Nice to meet you," Billy says, quirking his lips into a smirk. He adds a wink for good measure and hopes they chalked up any of his off behavior to being shoved outside, and not to being a jealous dick. He leans hard against Steve, squeezing his hand. Steve squeezes back, rubs his thumb over Billy's, and it sends a shiver down his spine.

"He says you have good taste in music," Amanda says, and her eyes are huge in her small face, to match her excited smile. "My friends and I are going to see Greta Van Fleet this weekend, and two of them backed out, so they're selling their tickets. Steve's been telling me you liked the band, so if you guys wanna come with us, I can totally text Cassie to hold onto them for you!"

Steve got him concert tickets?

Steve was getting him concert tickets?

"Are you serious?" Billy says, looking between Amanda and Steve, who's watching him with the widest grin, eyes crinkling at the corners. He wraps an arm around Billy and kisses him on his stunned forehead. He can't believe he thought Steve was chatting her up, and he was getting Billy concert tickets. "Steve, shut up, are you serious?"

"Yeah, Bill, we're serious," Steve says. "Amanda came to talk to me after class because I've been rambling to her about you and your playlists since I met her."

"Apparently we have the same Ratt tshirt," She says, shaking her head at Steve, "And I've been harassing him with my musical knowledge because my partner cannot hear anymore about it."

Billy's eyes narrow at Steve.

"Is that how you've keeping up with everything I've been saying about the music I like?"

Steve just shrugs, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sell you out!" Amanda cries, clutching her chest. "Don't be mad at him, though, he's just a good listener."

Billy looks at Steve, with his wide smile and his kind eyes, the hair he obsesses over so much falling just so over his eyes. He wants to kiss him so bad.

"Yeah," Billy says, and he can't help but match that smile with his own. "He is."

They say their goodbyes, and Amanda promises to text Steve the information they need to get the tickets as soon as her friend responds.

Steve holds Billy's hand all the way back to the dorms. Billy doesn't let go of it for anything.

As soon as they're through the door, Billy shoves Steve back against it, presses  their bodies together, swallows his gasp into his own mouth. Their lips meeting is the sweetest caress, the first breath of air after being underwater, and Billy lets the sensation of Steve's body against his, always so warm, wash over him, make him shiver. He can't get enough of Steve, needs to touch him everywhere. Billy's hands cup his face and circle his waist, his hips, anywhere they can find skin, needing to feel him, real and close.

Steve holds him just as tight, tries to pull him closer. He's already buried a hand in Billy's hair, a favorite of his, knowing just how much to pull on it to make Billy sigh or whine.

Billy pulls back, makes the kiss gentler, less hurried. Gives Steve little pecks on the corner of his mouth, makes him chase Billy's lips.

"You got me concert tickets," Billy says between kisses, nose rubbing against Steve's.

Steve hums, both in agreement and because he's pleased, having caught Billy's bottom lip between his own. "Yeah. 'Course."

"You're so…" Billy cuts himself off with a laugh, and kisses Steve again, licking into his mouth. "I can't fucking believe you."

Can't believe I have you.

Steve called him his boyfriend.

"Steve…" Billy pulls back, doesn't open his eyes. Can't help the smile that spreads across his mouth as he says, lips still close to Steve's. "You called me your boyfriend."

Billy feels Steve's answering grin against his lips, against the kiss he's pressing to them.

"Well yeah, you're what, my study partner?"

Billy laughs, a soft, quiet thing, that's not less happy for how low it is.

"Don't think we've ever studied anything."

Steve kisses him again, and Billy is distracted for a second, eyes falling closed to the feeling of Steve's lips catching against his.

"We studied anatomy, I think," He laughs, pressing another slick kiss to Billy's mouth. "And um, electricity."

"Electricity?" Billy laughs, opening his eyes to peek at Steve's face, and finds that wide, pleased smile he fell in love with, that he thinks he can't live without seeing.

"Yeah," Steve says, and laces their fingers together, sending a shiver down Billy's spine. "Do you feel it?"

Billy looks up at him, caught in that soft, brown-eyed gaze. Jesus, but Billy could look at him forever.

"Yeah," Billy says. "Yeah, I feel it."

----

This is in no way inspired by the Greta Van Fleet album that came out yesterday and the fact that I think modern Billy would be a super fan.

[kyokutsu-sama]

Headcanons theme : self esteem (They having a partner with low self-steem)

Tw: self image, bodies, nsfw content Author's note : Hi everyone, I hope y'all are fine. It's been a while since I wanted to post about this topic and it's something that has probably been present in the lives of some people including me but the goal here is to encourage self-acceptance because we are all perfect in some way. A big hug from the writer🤗

-------------------------------------------------------

Shunsui :

He is very understanding and considerate of any issues you have had before or are having that you cannot resolve or even ask for help.

He wouldn't like to know that you have body insecuritiesor that you compare yourself to others sometimes. He thinks you're beautiful and perfect just the way you are and he won't let you feel insecure about it.

He would give you twice as many hugs and give you the triple the compliments he used to give you after you talk to him about it.

“Don't say that, my petal you are perfect, I love you” or “You look beautiful in any outfit” would be some of the things he would say to you frequently.

He would lay you down on his bed, naked and covered in petals as he kissed every inch of your body and showed you there was nothing wrong on it.

A real gentleman, isn't he?

Jushiro :

You already know that he has a soft personality like Shunsui but Jushiro turns out to be a little cuter.

He always puts you at ease when you want to tell him about something you're trying to get over and you know you can count on him for anything.

He regrets that you don't have his eyes to see how perfect and wonderful you are. He promises to stay by her side and help you.

"Don't be hard on yourself Y/n, you're beautiful" or "You don't need to change anything because you're perfect and I love you" would be words spoken by him.

He would hug you and probably take you in front of a mirror after taking off your clothes and run his hands over your body and dedicate the most beautiful words to every corner of it.

Take me to the thirteenth division now.

Kenpachi:

You already have an idea of what he's going to say about it.

He has a wild and strong personality and will use it to his advantage to resolve anything. He admires you a lot and when he finds out that you're feeling bad about your own body… He's definitely going to do something crazy...

He would probably ask if you're crazy for thinking that way, since you're perfect in his eyes, or if it was some idiot who made you think that way, because if it was, he'd cut his ass off.

"WHAT? What do you mean by insecurities? Have you seen yourself in the fucking mirror today?"

If not, he would put you on his shoulder and drag you into the bedroom, ripping the clothes off your body and fuck you in front of the nearest mirror until you completely change that idea. He loves every single one of those imperfections because it's those little imperfections that make you unique and special.

If he did that to me I would never have insecurities in my life again

Bottom line: He won't want to hear you say you don't like yourself because you're strong and hot as hell and he loves having someone strong by his side.

[createserenity]

Ficlet - A Time of Wanting

I've had some writer's block recently and have been making super slow progress with my wips. Then I saw these lovely kiss drawings by @mrghostrat and ended up being very inspired and writing not one but two new stories. The other is below if you're interested:

Thank you so much Bilvy for making such lovely artwork! (Also their Good Omens AUs are incredible, if you haven't read them I highly recommend them!) This is a ficlet inspired by the fifth kiss in the collage (this one). It's basically Crowley being silly and soft. (Set post an imaginary season 3 where they've saved the world and are talking again.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here on AO3 - or below

A Time of Wanting

Crowley wants.

He wants so badly and he's wanted for so long that it's a physical ache in his chest now.

He wonders how he's not broken in half with the sheer force of his wanting. He wonders how Aziraphale doesn't notice how much he wants. Surely it should be a tangible thing now, this longing that pulses through him every moment of his existence. This urge to reach out, to touch, to take.

But it seems it isn't, because Aziraphale is busy reshelving books, apparently oblivious to the demon sprawled out over the couch. He hasn't even noticed that Crowley has woken from the nap he was taking, hasn't noticed that Crowley feels as if he could shake apart with the sheer force of his emotions.

How has he survived this long without taking this silly fussy angel for his own? How has he survived without knowing his touch, his taste, the way the angel might look at him if he finally dared to do what he longed to do?

His sleep addled brain tries to imagine what those things would be like, it's nothing he hasn't imagined a million times before, again and again over thousands of years. This time though the images his mind conjures are so affecting, so very real, that they draw a whimper from Crowley's throat before he can stifle it, before he can push it down where it belongs so that he can get through another day of wanting.

Aziraphale obviously hears the noise because he turns, despite being atop the small chair ladder he uses to reach the high shelves, balancing precariously with one hand on the shelf as he looks over at Crowley and gives him a soft smile.

It's that smile that does it.

All at once Crowley's entire brain comes back online and suddenly what he thought were his own wild imaginings coalesce into memories. Actual memories. And he realises that he doesn't need to lie here and want without taking anymore. And that ache in his chest isn't his heart about to break apart, but merely where he's fallen asleep with his mobile phone jammed against his ribs.

Fuck he's an idiot.

He flails madly for a moment whilst his brain remembers how to control overly long limbs, and barely hears the clatter as the phone falls to the floor unheeded, but then he's on his feet, bounding across the bookshop.

“Angel.” The word falls from his lips almost reverently as he crosses the space and Aziraphale seems to recognise that there's something amiss, even if he probably doesn't realise just how stupid Crowley can be sometimes.

How could he have forgotten? Six thousand years of longing, and now he can have whenever he wants and his stupid brain can't seem to hold onto that fact.

By the time Crowley has closed the distance between them Aziraphale is on the lowest step of the chair ladder. Crowley slips his arms around his angel's waist, fully intending to bury his head in the softness of Aziraphale's shoulder but instead the movement is arrested by Aziraphale's hands. They come up to rest either side of his jaw, holding him gently, yet firmly in place.

“Crowley. Darling,” says Aziraphale, his tone impossibly fond and yet with that underlying hint of strength, as he searches Crowley’s face with eyes that don't even bother trying to hide their adoration.

And now there is an ache inside Crowley’s chest that's nothing to do with sleeping awkwardly smushed against his phone. This ache is his heart trying to contain too many feelings, too much love. It feels like it's bursting with it.

“Angel.” He breathes out the word softly, as if saying it again might somehow help.

Aziraphale smiles and pulls him closer, one hand slipping from his jaw to wrap around his head, whilst the fingers of the other hand press lightly, tilting his face upwards with a gentle insistence that thrills Crowley to his core. 

“You silly thing,” Aziraphale says, as if he knows exactly how daft Crowley was being a minute ago. Crowley thinks he should probably object to that. Snap back a sarcastic comment to the patronising bastard of an angel that knows him far too well, that sees the vulnerability under his carefully crafted exterior.

But then Aziraphale’s lips are on his and all protests fizzle away before they've even made it to his throat.

This is what he has wanted for so long. This is his now. He can ask for this whenever he wants. 

He shuffles forward, tightening his arms to mould their bodies closer together, mindful not to pull Aziraphale from his precarious perch. The kiss deepens just slightly and he feels Aziraphale's fingers dancing over his cheek as the angel tightens his hold on Crowley’s head.

There's a soft whimper and then an equally soft moan and Crowley is surprised to realise he isn't responsible for either noise. For a second he flutters his eyes open and focuses on the expression that’s crept across Aziraphale's features. It's open and vulnerable, filled with adoration and love and contentment, as if this is the one thing Aziraphale has always longed for and wants to keep forever.

The realisation, that this means as much to Aziraphale as it does to him, makes Crowley’s heart swell with emotion, even as the ache in his chest is dispelled, dissolving away into a warm fuzziness that seems to wrap around them both. 

He lets his eyes drop closed again and leans a little more into the kiss. There’s a hum of contentment and this time he knows it's come from him.

He wanted for so long and now finally he’s exactly where he wants to be.

[thorias]

It just occurred to me that what's happening right now is eerily similar to something that happened on Family Guy years ago. They pulled a stunt where Brian "died" and was immediately replaced by a new dog.

The very next episode, Brian was removed from the intro title sequence, the new dog Vinnie was put in his place, and for a few weeks, everyone involved with the show tried really hard to sell this, doing interviews about it, acting like the change was permanent, that Brian was gone, Vinnie was here to stay, and it might be sad, but hey, that's life sometimes.

Sound familiar?

Then a couple episodes later, the whole thing was revealed to be a trick. Brian was brought back to life via time travel shinanigans and the writers were like, "Psyche! You totally believed us, didn't you lol? Like we'd ever kill Brian! We'd have to be idiots to do that! LMAO!"

I'm just saying, it's not like this kind of thing has never happened before. Just because Gambit is "dead" at the moment, it doesn't definitively mean he's gone. The X-men franchise is infamous for its' resurrections and there are already three very viable ways they could bring him back, any one of which would make perfect sense:

(1) Cable resets the timeline and changes those events.

(2) Apocalypse resurrects him as Death.

(3) Sinister revives him like he did with Morph.

I'm not saying this isn't going to hurt in the short term - I wouldn't expect them to bring Gambit back immediately - they're going to want to let this sink in first, so get ready for more pain for at least the next few weeks. But try not to lose your heads here.

Trust me, I was as gutted by ep5 as everyone else, but I'd be very surprised if we didn't get some kind of tease of Remy coming back by the end of the finale. The reveal of DEATH!Gambit would make one hell of a season-ending cliffhanger, amirite?

[sciderman]

hey sci.how do you get wades personality to a T! I desperately wanna make a comic but I’m worried I’ll fall short to his character.Any Tips?

oh bless you! i don't think there's any sort of guide to getting wade's character right - all the canon writers write him so, so differently - he really is the sort of character that can be anything the author needs him to be (for better or for worse)

i know i've received complaints over the years about how i portray wade - sometimes people think i make him too emotional, or what-have-you, but i think the biggest crime anyone can commit when writing wade is him not being funny. (i know, that's so, so subjective.) i think when wade falls short for me in the comics or in any characterisation it's usually down to me just not finding the jokes funny! i can kind of forgive anything at all, as long as it's funny.

i've seen a lot of more serious depictions of wade in fanfiction and it kind of throws me for a loop - he's a showman. he'll always be cracking a joke, and if he isn't, you're in trouble.

i think something i'm kind of obsessed with when writing wade is the intentionality behind his words and actions - he's kind of a master of deflection. i think i do love to see a hyper-competent wade, who only plays the part of the idiot because it's what the audience likes to see. he's never stupid, he's just unlucky. when things go wrong for him, it's not due to stupidity - it's either self-sabotage, or he's a victim of the narrative. i think that's where my depiction of wade differs from daddy nicieza's - i think daddy nicieza's wade is big stupid, most of the time.

himbo rights.

but even then, his wade isn't as big of an idiot as he acts. and a lot of it is an act. he's putting on a show. i love a wade wilson who's actually so much more intelligent than he lets show. a wade wilson who's perpetually holding all his cards to his chest because he doesn't want anyone to be able to pin him down or predict him.

all his cards. on terms of capability, and also his emotions. he's so calculated about what other people get to see of him, particularly when he's wearing the mask. (when he's out of the mask he has decidedly less control over what people see of him.)

i think there's a few things that turn me off from a deadpool characterisation - mostly when i see a wade that's too sugary (i think that's why i can't care very much for the most recent deadpool series) - wade always has demons to overcome. always. being heroic isn't something that comes naturally to him. it isn't something that comes naturally to anyone, but at least wade's honest about it.

i like to see a wade that's a jerk. because he is. he's always been. it's like, his first ever personality trait. he is a jerk. a selfish jerk. please, oh please god, do not forget that he's a selfish jerk. i really love portrayals of him that don't shy away from that, but make him endearing anyway. you really don't have to erase all the bad parts of a character to make them likeable. you really, really don't. those bad parts are the tasty bits. makes me keep coming back for more.

when i see a wade that is not a selfish jerk i am like "wha. whuh. who is that. that's not wade. that's not my son. why is he not spitting in my eye right now."

i kind of have to hate him just a little. that's like, the whole point. you're meant to love and hate wade simultaneously, all the time. anyone who loves wade knows this wholeheartedly. to love him is to hate him.

second to that, please don't ever make wade wilson a sexual predator. that's a real problem (hate that).

[minugasakuranohana]

Blue mackerel Dazai

Have you ever wonder why Chuuya calls Dazai mackerel? It's mostly because real Nakahara did it but what if not only? And why writer Dazai was called like that? I started thinking about it since i first glanced at kanji 鯖 / saba — mackerel 🐟

Let's analyze kanji! It has two parts: 魚 / sakana / fish and 青 / ao / blue 。Pronunciation seriously attracts my attention because… hmm、look: saba — 'Samu — Osamu。And blue mackerel is 青い鯖。There is also another word: 青鯖 / aosaba、dictionary says it's archaism which also means mackerel。And aosaba is more similar to Osamu。

Headcanon: Dazai calls his partner by his name (not a surname) and Chuuya just a little changes name Osamu)

Unfortunately, godness know when did 青 run away from 鯖、anyway I guess two-kanji-word used to use in the first part of the last century。But what came first: the nickname or the alias?

Tsushima Shūji (the real name of writer、津島 修治) had used name Dazai Osamu (太宰 治) since 1933 when he published novel "The Train"。

We know about Dazai and Chuuya first meeting and "mackerel" from Dan Kazuo's book about Dazai「小説 太宰治」 (or not because I can't find it 😔 Does anybody have this book in English or Japanese? I would be grateful if I could read it in Russian, but it's just a good dream、it's not easier than found the Book from anime。I found only one little translated story from the book)

Also you can find Nakahara's quote about Dazai in Japanese Wikipedia:

「青鯖が空に浮かんだような顔をしやがって」 「Aosaba ga kuu ni ukanda youna kao wo shiyagatte」

青鯖 / aosaba means mackerel。空 / kuu is the sky、and 空に it's "in the sky"。 浮かんだ / うかんだ — past plain form of the verb 浮かぶ / ukabu、to float、to show up。 ような is the thing that we can use to express similarity、in this sentence similarity with 顔 / kao / face, facial expression。 やがる / yagaru is slang curse word indicated contempt, hatred、and やがって is て-form of this verb。し / shi is from verb する、to do。

Well, Chuuya said 「Damn it, bastard with face looking like mackerel floating in the sky」or something like this。

Chuuya! Don't ruine my headcanon! 😡

Huh… Mackerel face? Fish with the blue stripes 🐟🐟🐟

By the way、those stripes and one of popular anime backgrounds are lookalike、isn't they? And that face everyone sometimes makes because of Dazai — 😰

Yeah, got it! I really hoped there could be an idiom about mackerel but it still can be called a metaphor。In that situation it could mean 「Fucking idiot with your scared face」— Dan wrote Dazai seems like he could start cry that moment。And 'cause Kafka Asagiri-sensei often creates reverse version of lifecanon-people maybe port-mafia-Chuuya called Dazai mackerel not because Osamu was scared but because he liked to scary others。

Imagine BSD wan for example where when instead of usual blue background the blue mackerel shows up in the sky。It's funny) Nakahara was genius, don't you think?

[sgiandubh]

Gooooodnight! Did you manage to finish watching the movie after all? What do you think?

Dear Ford v. Ferrari Anon,

Just finished it, after four failed attempts to get into the right mood - local time, 1:45 AM, Thursday morning. As you might know, Cancer people are very stubborn (even pertinacious) people and I am no exception to the rule.

I now totally understand why so many people wondered if I was really watching it, or confessed they could be remotely interested in doing so for about ten minutes, tops. The start is horrifically lackadaisical and I hit stop four times in a row, increasingly frustrated and feeling like a brain scattered idiot. But if you persist, this little movie, eons away from my world, could actually surprise you for the better.

Three tiny things redeemed it from the scrapheap for me: a) the Sixties, b) that Mad Men aesthetics and c) Lee Iacocca. Once this very familiar guy hit the screen, I knew I would be glued to whatever shite happened on it for the duration. Mind you, not the actor (entirely forgettable), but the business honcho whose Autobiography I read by complete accident at around 16. My brain could finally relate to something and start to make sense out of a completely alien, bloody mess. Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, things began to emerge: the script is so fucked up, I couldn't help but wonder what possessed someone as discerning as C to go for it. Other than a ferocious will to be there (anywhere, really), for further consideration, of course.

This is an underdog story through and through, and with a little bit of luck it could have been Oscar material. The reason it isn't so relies entirely on the writer's frail shoulders: I can't be arsed to check whodunit, but that person clearly bit more than they could ever chew. No Christian Bale and no Matt Damon could have dragged that script to Premier League, no matter how hard the effort. And the same person who wrote that Bale presented himself at the TIFF as a sociopathic boor has always deeply appreciated his past stellar performances (Empire of the Sun immediately comes to mind, of course). Seriously, I did and this movie is no exception: he is way better than I would have expected, especially when compared to a disappointing Damon.

What about C, then? In this very Anglo-Saxon sports stew, let's say she is an indispensable condiment, despite the absolute lack of chemistry with Bale and the sometimes formulaic presence, allowing for simplistic and expected dramatic solutions to complex situations. As in S's case, she sometimes drags along her Claire Fraser mannerisms, although less conspicuously than in Belfast elsewhere (or was it because we really don't get to see her a lot?). This particular script left me hungry for more, and not in a good way. She was very much there, she clearly worked very hard for it and yet, it feels as if she were obliterated, for some reason. That film didn't do her justice and scenes like the car tantrum could only give you a sort of nostalgic 'what if' idea:

Easily my favorite C scene of the whole movie (spoiler: there aren't many at all). But let's be blunt, here: if you have no idea about who C is, no OL mystique to boot and you just watch that movie leisurely, you'd blink twice and miss her. And not remember her at all, perhaps.

Would I recommend it? I am not sure, despite Bale's Golden Globe nomination and two rather technical Oscars (for Film and Sound Editing). It could be me, after all and sports movies have never been my jam. It's a decent way to fill in two hours and a half of emptiness, but not nearly good enough for a re-watch. I'd be merciful and give it ⭐⭐/5. For the Sixties, my Paradise Lost.

Happy, Anon?