#bcs i’m ~4 chaps away from the end and it’s exciting!!

[sinvulkt]

Heads up Seven Up

Rules: Post seven lines from something you're working on. 

YESSSS LET’S GOOO

Thank you for the tag!! @fancyfrey 🎶

Here is one, all fresh out of sprint, from my Dream SMP longfic~

Dream opened the book. The smell of old paper and ink spread in the air, the pages crisp under his touch. At first, nothing happened. The pages were blank. Then the low enchantment buzz turned into a rumbling, and black code climbed over Dream’s hands.

Dream jumped away, feathers bristling, his code frantically fighting the invader, but to no use. The black code was slippery, dodging all of Dream’s defenses, and his green one was still weak from Wilbur’s mutant code. His panicking receded slightly as he noticed the invading code wasn’t doing anything. It just probed and observed, scouting Dream’s life before bringing back the information to the book. Dream settled back down, still a bit light headed from the fright. He missed the time when reading a book was a simple matter of sitting down and turning pages.

A few breaths later, the black code retracted from Dream, collapsing onto the empty paper. They twirled and turned, some playful ones chasing after each other, until they finally settled into words.

Welcome, Apprentice.

If some of you want to join in on the fun! @pat-the-togorian @fanfictasia @sogira-imno @dreaminghour @insertmeaningfulusername @purple-iris @firejay112

[discoclubofvenus]

Kissing headcanons w/Hinawa, Victor, & Maki

Warnings: nothing short of a little cussing

Genre: Fluff 

Gender: Neutral

A/N: I may or may not have enjoyed writing these a bit TOO much! Nonetheless I hope you enjoy these headcanons! 

╒══════════════╕

    TAKEHISA HINAWA:  

╘══════════════╛

Hinawa is the type to have those kisses that leave your mind blank, heart fluttering, and lungs breathless

Each time he kisses you, he’ll wrap his arms around your whole body and hold you so close to his body that you’ll be able to feel his heartbeat (or at least that’s the sentiment behind him holding you so tightly) then he goes in for the kill

He also knows that his kisses will leave you weak in the knees so that’s why he holds you like that lol

What makes these kisses so effective in ko’ing you in (1) move is the fact that he chooses the times you’d least expect these types of kisses!

It could be when he’s going to separate from you before going to fight fires (which he kisses you like it’s the last time he’ll see your beautiful face)

It could be whenever you’re fresh out of the shower, or right before training

Or when you’re in the middle of rambling about your day

Like I know this man keeps his lips moisturized so expect to taste a little mint on his lips

This lowkey surprised you whenever you had first kissed him (you expected them to be a lil chapped lol)

You had known Hinawa for years of working in the military and specialized force together. From co-workers to comrades to ending up as lovers (although he did reject you a few times). It was all worth the hurt and pinning as you had finally gotten together with Hinawa (once he mustered the courage to finally ask you out after rejecting you). To say you were shocked that day was an understatement but we’ll save that story for another time. Now, you were happy to be with the man but….you guys had yet to kiss and you guys were 4 months deep in the relationship (granted you still kept to your duties).

This was something you were determined to change, so while you guys were cooking for the brigade you decided to lean over and give his cheek a little smooch. Ya know, as a job well done! However, Hinawa turned to talk to you and was met with your lips (homebody was pleasantly surprised). He pulled away after like 10 seconds tho lol

He hit you with a “This is inappropriate workplace behavior.” and walked away, but then came back and gave you a kiss on the corner of your lips (what a bastard)

He won’t be up for smooches in the workplace unless you’re either about to separate for the night or he’s completed a day’s work early (But everyone has to be asleep or away from the station!)

You could probably sneak a kiss in while you guys are cooking for the rest of the brigade

Or anytime you guys are alone, although he will tease you by acting oblivious to your advances (inappropriate behavior headass)

KISS THE BACK OF HIS SHOULDER AND HIS EARS AND HIS FOREHEAD

Just to show that every part of him is appreciated and that you’re behind him every step of the way

Did I mention that even his pecks will leave your heart flipping as if it’s competing for Gold in the gymnastics Olympics? No? Well you’re gonna hear about it

He pecks to show you a little appreciation

Think of his pecks like little hearts!

If you’re ticklish, his pecks will definitely have you giggling a little

His kisses are smooth like whiskey in a way that he goes straight for the kill and you can still feel his lips on yours a while after kissing him

It would be up to you if it’s a delicate little kiss or a rough passionate makeout session

His favorite place to kiss you is the corner of your lips, your collarbone, and the palm of your hands, (you cannot tell me otherwise!)

╒═══════════╕

      VICTOR LICHT

╘═══════════╛

SOMEBODY GET THIS MAN SOME VASELINE BC HIS SHIT IS C H A P P E D  

He’s a mad scientist who only takes care of his BASIC hygiene

The type to always playfully back away whenever you try to kiss him then when you get annoyed he’ll give you smooches

“What?? Is that all you wanted (n/n)? All you had to was say so! Now look at you, all mad with no kisses”

Take away his kisses since he got a slick ass mouth

He’ll literally tail you with a list of excuses as to why he needs your kisses to get a proper hypothesis done and conduct thorough research and then he needs them as motivation to go test his theories

Like aight, damn here are your kisses you big goof

I’m not saying you should run your hands through his hair when you kiss him but that’s exactly what I’m saying

In fact, kiss his throat to let him know that he’s always welcome to speak his mind but then kiss his lips so you can shut him up

He’ll kiss your hands (as dramatically as possible), then he’ll pull you in...wrap an arm around your waist….and kiss you.

He’ll flick your forehead after kissing you as well

Another way he likes to kiss you is by keeping both hands in his pocket and leaning over to kiss you (mans be tall)

Or when you’re sitting in his lap as he rants about his research

This man loves some tongue action

Like you could give him a peck but he’ll whine about you ‘not kissing him right’ then pull you in for a makeout session

Occasionally you’ll feel him put his hand on your cheek….or the other cheeks

He’ll grab said cheeks too if the kiss gets heated

Like that’s y’all’s first kiss went lol

Observing Victor in his natural habitat of an organized mess filled with nothing but notes from his research always amused you. It was the only place you could see the brunette become so excited and display such passion towards his goal. You usually just examined him from afar, but today was different. Today he was actively discussing his research with you and the results he got from it. No longer were you in the background, this time you were at the forefront. Which incidentally was how you occupied his thoughts. It didn’t take too long (but it certainly took a while) for the both of you to connect the dots to a complicated puzzle that was related to his goal. “Do you know what this means (f/n)?” “I do, but I’m going to play dumb so I can listen to you explain it with that sexy brain of yours” and right after those words left your lips they were swallowed up by Victor’s lips. A kiss so fiery and intense had you wishing to be burned.

Victor will 100% kiss you after getting satisfactory results from either seeing his theories be correct or he finds new clues

He gets handsy with these kisses

AND HE DOESN’T CARE WHERE YOU GUYS ARE HE’S SMOOCHIN

You guys have kissed in the shower (y’all know he be thinkin HEAVY in the shower)

Depending on his mood you’ll get fiery kisses that make you think he is an ability user but for the most part, his kisses are pretty lazy

He adores lazy mornings where he can wake up to you kissing him all over his face (those feathery light kisses)

He’ll also tug on your bottom lip after a kiss and then complain about how he’s oh so hungry (take it as you will)

╒══════════╕

        MAKI OZE

╘══════════╛

Flustered baby is flustered

Anytime you lean in to give her a smooch she gets so red (omg please call her your little strawberry)

Surprise kisses will fluster her to no end!!

She’s always so hesitant to kiss you because she doesn’t wanna mess it up

Nevertheless, her kisses are filled with nothing but adoration and love

Once she gets into the kiss is whenever she gets bolder

After you guys are finished kissing she’ll hide her face in your chest and let out the cutest little whine

This is completely different from when she gets huffy or full of passion

Expect these kisses after fighting a fire, when she’s finished training, after dinner with her family, when she gets jealous, when she gets the hang of controlling her little fire sprites..

She’ll even try to surprise kiss you! (She’ll still get shy riiiight before kissing you)

Did I mention she loves kissing you? Well, she does!

Her favorite places to smooch you are definitely your neck and cheeks (That way she can easily hide her face)

YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO KISS HER CHEEKS AND HER NOSE (I made the rules and you have to follow them, you’re on my blog!!)

She’s the type to kiss your fingertips during a moment of high intensity and she doesn’t know if you guys will make it out alive. Moreover, when she can’t properly convey all of her emotions so she kisses your fingertips while closing her eyes in a moment of serenity then she looks into your eyes with such intensity and--

Thankfully your first kiss together wasn’t during such a life-threatening moment but it was definitely after training the rugra--I mean Shinra and Authur

Walking through the fire station always calmed you down, however, your mind was all over the place with worry! You couldn’t seem to find Maki, despite texting and calling her phone. You knew she had to be at the fire station or else she would’ve been with you celebrating your 2 months anniversary! Hearing the sounds of your girlfriend shouting and the grunts of pain following after gave you your answer. Well--at least you were right in some aspects. Walking towards the noise, you were met with Maki standing over the two newbies. Seeing her in all her glory made your heart go into palpitations. Once Maki noticed you she started making her way to you with a loving glow in her eyes. “Oh! (F/N)! What are you doing here?” you didn’t even have it in you to answer her as you leaped into her arms. Giving a quick peck to her cheek then one on her lips you huffed in satisfaction at her expression “Happy 2 months silly!”

Safe to say you guys had a lovely day and she kept asking for kisses  

Her lips always taste like some sort of fruit from her chapstick

She also likes kissing your cheek while you guys swing your hands back and forth

When baby is upset give her some forehead kisses (It’ll help her calm down)

She likes to have her kisses be short and sweet but sometimes she’ll let her lips ghost over yours after a makeout session (what a tease) 

[national-nobody-writes]

2020 Creator Wrap

2020 Creator Wrap: Favorite Works

I was tagged by the oh so talented @irolltwenties!

Rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (or so) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought to the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

I’m not a particularly prolific writer (WIPs for days, but completed projects? Not so much). Somehow in this hell year though, I did manage to complete more fics than in any previous year for a total of seven new works (~49k words, all on ao3), plus a chunky chap of a long running WIP (~20k words) so I’m actually pretty damn proud of myself! I also made some new fandom friends in 2020 which has easily been one of the biggest delights of the year & has definitely helped my creative momentum, so ty all for that. <3

Counting down from 5, here are my favs:

5. Downtime

I have endless love for JayRoy and it felt so good to finally finish something for them for once this year! All of my past WIPs primarily focused on them ended up firmly in my graveyard folder, including the fic that this one shot was originally meant to be connected to. I liked the way this turned out well enough to clean it up and post it on its own though, so at least now I can say that I have something published for them at last.

(Also it got me back into the JayRoy headspace enough to outline a whole YJ/Earth16 JayRoy fic that I’m excited to start drafting in 2021, so we’ll see where that goes...)

2.3k NSFW; A mix of playful sweet and roughness, just like them.

4. Mirror Image

Bluepulse Week really saved me this year in terms of forcing me to just write, damn it! Did I finish all the prompts this year? Nope. Did it get me to complete a handful of fics that I ended up really loving? Yes. This was one of them.

This fic zoomed into existence entirely out of necessity as an alt idea to a prompt that I had a much longer idea for, but didn’t have time to complete. It then got a positive enough reception that I decided to turn it from a crack-adjacent, passable one-shot to a slightly more developed two-shot by request of one of my commenters. Really, it was writing that second chapter that ended up endearing the fic to me.

6.3k Humor, time travel shenanigans & accidental dating. This fic is the sweetness of teenage crushes, the confusing mess of discovering your sexuality, & laughter with your best friend.

3. Soft Wesper One Shots

Would you look at that, another nsfw piece. Could it be that I’m starting to get to the point where I can look back at completed nsfw fics without cringing terribly? Love that for me.

This fic took me by surprise, tbh. I wouldn’t consider myself a part of the grisaverse fandom (I’m utterly ambivalent toward the OG trilogy & have no plans to read them), but I did fall deeply in love with the whole Six of Crows gang earlier this year to the point of having quite the book hangover afterward, unable to pick up anything else except related fanfic for a couple weeks straight. These fluffy, nsfw scenes were born out of that, and I was pleasantly surprised to see such a positive response to them in the comments. The whole SoC gang has my heart, but the dynamic between Jesper and Wylan in particular got my writing fingers itching.

3.7k Domestic, post-canon fluff & tender sex with flirty Jesper & blushing Wylan abound.

2. Stick With Me

Ohh, I still get warm fuzzies thinking about this fic! If I’m only low-key proud of the first three on this list, this is one I’m legitimately very proud of. I had this idea on the docket already from a convo with @ivyxwrites early this year (or maybe last year? who knows, time means nothing anymore) but used Bluepulse Week as the excuse to finally get started, and I ended up adoring the process of writing it far more than I anticipated.

As much as I love planning out meticulously crafted, plotty stories, sometimes all you want to do is pick some well-loved tropes out of a hat instead and run with them (in this case: stuck in a cabin, only one bed, & heated argument leading to confession). It was freeing to just mess around and have fun with this fic, knowing pretty much right from the get-go how I wanted it to unfold and seeing it so vividly in my mind. It also probably helped that I was writing it for Ivy; it’s much easier for me to stay motivated when creating directly for my friends.

Finishing this was also such a serotonin-filled burst of pure victory for me since, as previously stated, I’m terrible at finishing projects--particularly multi-chap fics, particularly within a decent timeframe.

25.5k A showcase of the essence of what I love about the best friends-to-lovers dynamic. Part character study, part wires getting crossed & uncrossed, and whole idiots to lovers. This fic is the warmth in the pit of your stomach from a yearning made real & the sudden clarity of realizing what you were looking for had already been there all along.

1. The Rest Pt 1: Delicate (Remember Me Chap 4)

Oh, Remember Me. Of everything I’ve ever written, this story remains the one I’m most proud of and certainly the closest to my heart (not to mention the longest running, whoops). The first iteration of the beginning of this story was actually drafted back in 2017, but I walked away from it for a couple of years before deciding to dust it off and try again. It has spiraled into something far bigger in scope than I originally planned for, but I’ve come to love the path it’s led me down so far, and finishing this whopping 20k chunkster of a chapter was like breathing a huge (if temporary) sigh of relief.

This chap was particularly cathartic to write because it allowed for a number of convos between the boys that had really needed to happen, and was finally the ‘getting together’ moment the fic had been building toward for a while. It’s also so sappy I could die, but I will not be apologizing for that, lol. I was really hoping to get Chap 5 up this year as well, but y’know. Sometimes things just don’t work out like you plan for and that’s okay. 

Chap 5 does have 17k done already (with prob another 5-8k still to go) & I’m itching to share it, but no sense in rushing if the end result would suffer for it. Luckily, everyone in comments has been kind enough to beat me over the head with ‘take your time, we don’t mind/we’ll still be here!!!’ which I’m immensely grateful for. So, at least the pressure to hurry up and get it done is purely self-inflicted.

Of all my works, this fic has not only gotten the most passionate responses, but has also been the main gateway for me to interact with other bluepulse creators, which has been a real joy. Nothing brightens my day like the essays people leave me over there from time to time after discovering the fic. That kind of engagement is the highest praise, & responding is very self indulgent fun for me (bc, clearly, I could go on and on about this fic & YJ in general forever).

54.8k total so far (WIP). Bart & Jaime’s relationship journey from beginning to ‘current day’ (aka the moment the fic begins), using amnesia/memory restoration as a framing device. The high highs and low lows of first love, navigating a 3 yr age difference, and the long, winding road from best friends to lovers as the years roll on. Slow-burn-adjacent (in terms of both the boys’ relationship to each other and reader’s relationship to the fic bc of how long I take between goddamn updates).

Tagging @ivyxwrites, @incorrectbatfam, @paintingwithdarkness, @bluepulsebluepulse

[icharchivist]

first: WAHHHHHHHHH 😭😭😭 I got so emotional!!! so emotional!!!! so much that I can’t even do this first second pattern bc I have SO MANY thoughts!!!!!!! I’m writing this in my notes instead of straight into the askbox so u know it’s serious business™

ok so debut night!!! I was like ahah yeah it’s a tragedy whatever it’ll be fun to start out with and then the voice acting was SO good that it knocked me out of the park and I almost cried haha. it’s crazy how good the voice acting in a3 is like I love how the dialogue and voice acting works well together bc like it’s limited but so effective!! u can so very clearly see and understand the style they’re going for. especially like tsumugi’s death scene... the Talent jumped out it really did... uh and ok so. I think I may be a littleeee confused abt the play bc I had always interpreted tasukus last lines as raphael to be like abt his being secretly in love with michael. but now that I’m actually reading the line that’s like oh don’t fall for a human it only ends in misery I know that all too well or whatever... ig the implication is that raphael was in love with another human / the same lady michael was in love with in the play. side note I had to go back and edit the proper names in instead of tasuku and tsumugi lol... but speaking of!! speaking of the voice acting and the play itself I 1) love how blatantly obvious it is when tsumugi goes for that grander, tasuku like style of delivery!! like u could just so easily feel the difference it was wild... and 2) tsuzuru is once again spot on with his writing, lol... I felt that like raphaels inability to save or help michael really parallels how tasuku feels abt tsumugi so well, and it’s wonderful that they r able to resolve things and tasuku can properly compliment him on his acting where the angels fail to do so. it’s very good. and I think the play rly highlights (for me at least) that like. to tasuku, it was tsumugi who was sort of an unreachable existence. like were he to idolize and respect someone’s acting, it would be tsumugi. and I think that like caring carries over into their roles really well, because I think in michael’s love for a human tasuku sees like... tsumugi’s style of acting. the heart that he’d lost while within the god troupe. mb I’m losing my mind a little but ah. the play rly works with their relationship so well!! im very excited to see the other winter ppl get main roles tho—same for all the troupes!!! now this ask is too long so I’ll have to do another part lol

going to start off this second part of the ask abt hisoka bc oh my GOD. hisoka. like I was just thinking “hm where r the winter troupe cgs anyways” and then BAM. hisoka CRYING???? especially since he doesn’t seem that emotional it was a really hard hit!!! and who tf is august.... ok well actually theory time!! skipping ahead to the end theres that note that like mentions December and April and. not to expose my friend but very many years ago (a couple years before a3 was launched, at the very least) she wrote this story where there were like 12 orphan assassins and they were all named after months. I remember the main dude was named dec lol. coupled with my “hisoka is capable of murder” bit? listen.... I’m not saying anything but I’m also not not saying anything if u feel me. also I feel like assassin / thief with mysterious background is a common trope!! that was silver from the pokémon adventures manga too... why is this my reference point lmao. anyways I’m unclear if assassins would make it into a3 but like.... if the yakuza and supernatural stuff makes it in...

okay moving away from conspiracy theories and into emotions!!! the quotes from like EVERY mankai actor before the final production made me SO emo... and yay!!! they won!!!! (though admittedly I almost had a heart attack when no one clapped) but they won!!!! that ending cg!!!! and I adore how sakyo immediately goes after god troupe man (I know his name is reni I just don’t feel like calling him that) for the money lol it’s just so sakyo-like. also I love the lil mixed troupe interactions!! I found the game night ch so fun.... ahh, now I wanna reread that ch since it was so good lol

all in all I was super satisfied ahh!! I am SO excited to start up spring troupe again (HELLO character development!!! and chikage) and I’m even MORE excited to get thru all the act 1 events!!!! as a final note, is there any way to reread or replay the flair conversations? I didn’t want any spoilers for the plays while I was doing the practices for them so I kinda sped thru the first time ahah...

HELLO FRIEND IM SO HAPPY TO GET SUCH A LENGHTY ASK ABOUT WINTER IM LKDJFLKDJFLKFD  Winter makes me feel shrimps emotions (i know the whole “shrimps can see more colors than humans can’t comprehend” thing has been disproved but i’m not letting go of that expression, i REALLY feel emotions humans can’t comprehend anymore and i’m going to make it everyone else’s problem)

1) First about the voice acting, rIGHT this is just so fascinating to me!!! I remember after act 2 i came back to reread the main act 1 chapter and i was so thrown out by how GOOD the voice acting was, especially for the first few troupes having to convince you they’re not comfortable or good at acting yet. Winter whole thing is that they’re more subtle and mature and you really feel that with their voice acting, Tsumugi’s voice especially knock it off the park anytime he’s on screen. 

2) Second: what does it say about me that i’ve never, ever considered your reading a possibility because i was so set on “oh Raphael you’re in love with Michael sooooo bad you see it as a tragedy already because you can see him throw his life away” i didn’t even consider “maybe Raphael went through that too”. Though i guess if we’re going with that reading i can totally see “The Woman” they let themselves consumed by easily be a representation of acting or even more the God Troupe, with Raphael/Tasuku knowing to step away before it consumes him completely while Michael/Tsumugi, by his love and passion, pushed himself until he broke, which fits and it hurtsssss god Winter plays hits so hard.

3) Third: oh god yeah when Tsumugi goes for Tasuku’s acting it’s just. It makes me SO uncomfortable, i’ve experienced this scene like three times by now and the third time i was just “can i skip it i can’t go through this again i can’t Tsumugi i love you i can’t do this”. It doesn’t match the play at all and it just throws everyone off balance, and Tsumu you could have told theM YOU WANTED TO DO THAT.... god

4) Fourth: I LOVE YOUR READING SO MUCH I LOVE IT I LOVE IT YES YOU’RE RIGHT!!! Just as we follow Tsumugi let his passion consumes him until he breaks, Tasuku’s character arc really jumps out in Raphael, like, everything you say!!!  The way Tasuku/Raphael knew how the feelings Tsumugi/Michael felt would hurt him on the long run but he didn’t know what to do about it until it was too late, the regrets and the way Raphael voices his frustrations.... Tasuku struggles to be honest without acting (Tasuku pls i love you) but having such a role really help him expressing all he feels about Tsumugi and i’m HHHH this is so good so so good!!! but yeah i also love that Tasuku finally manages to actually compliment Tsumugi naturally, that he understands he can’t let him destroys himself again and it’s just gnhhhhh Tasuku is so kind and considerate and i care about him so much....!!!

5) Fifth: “i’m losing my mind a little” winter mood, winter mood winter mood- (though every troupe’s mood tbh but Winter is gnhhhhh kdhd hdhjf??? you feel me) (i am BIASED i can’t help it TwT) but yeaH i’m looking forward to see how you react to the others plays because the roller coaster juST BEGUN!!!

Onto part 2... Winter Troupe Chapter Feels... 2!

6) Sixth: DLFJDFKLDF HISOKAAAAAAAAAA I LOVE HIM SO MUCHHHHH. Hisoka crying fucked me up so bad!! so so bad!! Like on my first read i didn’t know what to think of him as he starts out very apathic to his troupe and then the more it goes on the more you can feel he starts to open up and i’m soft for this sort of slow burn, but then this whole scene happened and it HIT ME IN THE FACE, he was crying, i was crying, we were all crying, the Unopening Door opened a flood of emotions i can’t cope with. He sounds SO VULNERABLE during that scene and i know all of the Winter Troupe united on “taking care of him” but that’s really the moment i went “i care you and i will keep taking care of you” and look at me now. Thanks funky little scene for ruining my life. I’m glad you liked it i’m aldhjflkjdfkd Hisokaaaaa.....

7) Seventh: I am not commenting on the theory but 👀 that’s so highly specific your friend has a galaxy brain i love it. and i love the idea of “well we have yakuza and supernatural entity what’s an assassin adding himself to it” dLKFJDLKF i know everyone in Mankai calls Izumi out everytime someone joins but that’d be peak. I’m not going further about what December and August and April are all about but i love this plotline sO much, the few mentions of August when Hisoka regained his memories for a minute still haunts me, the guilt he seems to feel and this pain i’m just... godddd such a good set up. I love this plotline.

8) Eigth: EMOTIONS!!  Oh GOD YEAH THE ENDING WITH ALL THE OTHER ACTORS... I cried so hard it’s just. It really shows you it’s not just the culmination of the Winter chapter but of all the act 1 main plot and it really makes you feel how much of a journey you’ve been onto!! A3 is so good at showing you the growth of its characters that especially by the end of Winter you really saw how all of them grew in their respective chapters and how cozy they felt in their new home in the remaining chapters, and the fact this chap has those defining character arc’s lines really drive home “oh my god that was a journey” i love them sO MUCH.... 

9) Ninth: wE WOOOON!!! They’re all so good i just. i’m gonna cry just thinking about it dlfdjlfk i know like, the game has so many content so you know it can’t end at the end of Winter but the suspense really was there. BUT YEAH LMAO I LOVE SAKYO DOING THAT IMMEDIATLY, man sure has the eyes on the prize and we love him for that.  AND THE GAME NIGHT SCENE they are all sO CUTE and sWEET and they’re a family now and i’m hHHHHH i love a3 a normal healthy amount that isn’t just making me cry thinking about how all of them grew so close even through mixed troupes.

10) Tenth: I am SO happy you were satisfied with the plot so far!! I’m genuinely so happy that you decided to take that journey with us and that you shared all of this with me, and i’m so so happy you liked it!! There is still so much content and all of it is so worth it! 

11) Eleventh: Yes!! The flair conversations are all readable on the Mini-Chat tab! So they’re easily accessible and they’re sorted in a way that’s easy to read so you can feel comfortable skipping the flairs if you want until you have seen the stories the flairs are all about. They’re all kinda set during the rehearsals (except for some crosstroupe conversation that wouldn’t make sense if they were like how the Summer Troupe talks with the Spring Troupe in their Flairs DKLFJDF but it’s okay what is a timeline anyway) so some of them are set pre-development and it’s wild to get back to them. I love rereading Flairs i get emotional everytime.

ANND That’s it for this ask! i had a blast reading through your thoughts and i’m so happy and excited!! i’ll send you the drive now so you can start digging through it whenever you feel like it :3c good luck grinding for act 2, meanwhile i hope you’ll have fun with all the act 1 events i compiled for you!!

(side note i need to update the drive too but it’s mostly act 2 content anyway, the only two act 1 things i need to update on it is Sakuya’s birthday card i think?? i think Itaru’s is already in act 2 so i’ll try to get around to it eventually but it’s so far away anyway) (edit: i forgot that the three cards i got for the latest revival are from act 1 DLKJFD okay so i’m missing three cards -)

The drive has backstages and event stories and it may be a lot and overwhelming ahah. Focus on the event stories for the plot and go back to the backstages whenever you feel like it, no need to read them at the same time, unless you want to in which case everything is set up for you :3c and there’s a file with cards that aren’t associated to events too so... lots of goodies hanging around. I’ll send it to you in DM ;O 

Take care and thank you so much for all your thoughts! my inbox remains wide opened for any others thoughts you may have as you go further into it :3c

[todaysbiggesthits]

The Exam

Best Music Moment of 2019

BC: Three straight hours of this

in my Chapman Ryder Cup match with Code  -The Robert M. Chennault Playlist in my Ryder Cup match with Laser  -Vampire Weekend's "M79" with Parks and Rec theme interlude in Pawnee Peytonville with my babe  -Late night music game with JD and Chaps this Fall  -My kids competing for best air guitar solo to Daft Punk's "Digital Love"  -The Stones soundtracking Raceday morning with Counterfeit Kenny and the Kennel Boys 

Codem: -Picking up the keys after closing on #our house and listening to Arden's dreams for the pad while listening to the songs that brought us together in the first place. -Perched in the balcony of Park West watching Chromatics live and in person. -The Chapman format playlist that Brendon and I put together.  It was just one song on repeat.  Xtal - Aphex Twin -Plugging in my klipsch's for the first time in the new house to listen to elliott smith on the day of his death. the sound of his discography wafting throughout the whole house was a true delight.

Bronco: My 6-year-old discovering Green Day.  My 9-year-old discovering Metallica.  Both discoveries have awakened something in them that is hilarious and awesome to behold.  And seeing Tool was pretty flaming awesome.

JD: March: Realizing I’d never heard this Stones song, nodding along to the opening riff, and exploding into my biggest laugh of the year at the first line.

June: The Joni Mitchell performance in the Rolling Thunder Review documentary on Netflix. June: Catching the Thom Yorke Anima short film at the IMAX theater on the Upper West Side. July: Code and I getting a perfect 99 score on the greatest rendition of “Emotional Rescue” karaoke you’ll ever see. October: Playing the music game WAY too deep into the night with BC and Chap (look for the next day’s hangover on my worst moments list).

Chap: Patrick Stickles singing "I'm sorry dad no I'm not making this up" to his dad in the audience.

Nasty: Listening to music at BOB. Nothing but jams that whole weekend. Driving in with Laser - GOOGLE MUSIC JAMS. Trip to the casino - JAMS. Hanging out on the deck - JAMS. Driving to the course with Blazer Black - Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love for Planet Earth aka JAMS. In the cart with Code - JAMS. Driving Chappy and Sfreddo to the rental car - JAMS (but quietly).

Larse: Greta Thunberg speech dubbed to metal

Best Shows Seent in 2019

Nasty: The Killers @ Summerfest. Hot Fuss will always be an all-time favorite album and Mr. Brightside is the best pop song of our lifetime, IMO. Also, my wife loves them which is about the only band in middle of the venn diagram. 

Larse: The Lonely Island at Summerfest

BC: Dead & Company

JD: 1. The Rapture at Music Hall of Williamsburg 2. Viagra Boys at Bowery Ballroom 3. The Strokes and Parkay Boys at the All Points East fest in London with drunk lads screaming along to the guitar parts 4. B Boys at Union Pool 5. Titus Andronicus at Bowery Ballroom 6. Avey Tare at Market Hotel 7. Tame Impala at MSG 8. Weeping Icon at Elsewhere 9. Priests at Elsewhere

Code: interpol - chicago theater illuminati hotties - hideout it looks sad - subT downstairs robyn - riviera steve malkmus - art institute eleventh dream day - hideout colleen green - sleeping village swearin' - lincoln hall surf curse - subT shura - the bottle

Chap: TA was the only show I saw. It was great!

Bronco: All of them.  They were each great in their own way.  Aside from Tool I was able to interact with the band members at each of the shows.  One I didn't have a ticket for and scored one at the door.  One was in the tiniest venue I've seen a show at.  One had a surprisingly entertaining opening act.  And Tool surprised me with how much I enjoyed an arena show despite being so far away I couldn't see the facial features of the band members.  And there was SOOOOOOO much weed being smoked in the Garden that night.  And I was with a few good buddies.  And I was able to sell my fourth ticket for twice what I paid, simulatenously covering me and my fourth friend who had to bail because his life sucks because his wife sucks. 

Confession of 2019

Nasty: I consume more music at my cushy, suburban OrangeTheory workout classes than in my own free time. S/O to Coach Vanessa for having some Girl Talk on her playlists. 

Codem: i had more fun listening to stuff that i already knew about than stuff that was coming out.

BC: I saw a Yacht Rock cover band and didn't hate it -I succumbed to social pressure and saw DMB -I didn't realize until the last minute that my favorite album was released in 2018 (Wild Nothing). Removing it greatly reduced my loyalty to my list.

Bronco: I'm losing my edge.  I enjoyed way more lady singer bands this year than in any other year.

Chap:  Couldn't get my shit together on the tracks list so just posted a random playlist

Larse: Not really a confession but more of a TIL (today I learned), but Raphael Saadiq was an original member of Tony! Toni! Tone!

Biggest Disappointment of 2019

Bin: The National @ Summerfest. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "the frontman was completely detached, even confessing at one point that he was excited to get back home to his family. The result was an incredibly depressing show — which, given the band's dour songs, is really saying something." ... Huge Bummer.

BC: Didn't see nearly enough shows with nearly enough of yous 

Chap: Sturgill Simpson... unlistenable!

Bronco: Baroness.

Laser: Modest Mouse opening for The Black Keys

Code: i was really messed up by dave berman's passing. i had tickets to see him play at the end of august. it was going to be my first catching him live and in concert. i had waited for this moment since i picked up american water back in 2003.  two weeks before he was supposed to come through town, he up and died.  also, much less of a bummer, the chromatics show in miami that Arden and i were going to attend got canceled two days before the show.

Most Overrated of 2019

Nasty: Kanye's shoes

Chap: LEGACY! LEGACY! – Jamila Woods seems to have been highly regarded? Not my thing

BC: FKA Twigs

Bronco: Baroness.

JD: Big Thief

Code: cancel culture

Larse: Mayor Pete

Make it Stop 2019

Chap: In my house, the Nutcracker Suite. It's great, until the 300th time that day.

Nasty: Cage the Elephant (but children, instead of elephant, and in real life, not the band)

BC: Lizzo 

Code: lizzo

JD: Memes

Larse: Trump

Bronco: News

Biggest TBH Regret of 2019

Chap: Can't seem to get to more than one show per year; Jessica Pratt in a church by my old place

JD: Missin’ dat Pratt yet Nick!

BC: Should've listened to the Kanye album.  Should've spent more time with the Deerhunter record.

Rotty: Skipping CHVRCHES at Summerfest

Code: another year with no fog party

Nasty: Not going to Indy 500. lol jk.

Bronco: I didn't buy tickets to a few shows I would've liked to have seen.  One of them I went to the venue and didn't get in.  That bummed me out, but I crossed the street and had a few beers by myself for good measure, so it wasn't a total loss.

Detective Murtaugh of 2019

JD: Everything.

Bronco: Shows that don't start until 10pm. That Girl Band show nearly wrecked me.

Chap: How much I loved Bruce Springsteen's adult contemporary western-themed old-man album.

BC: The ten seconds I lasted with 1000 GECS

Nasty: For the life of me - I cannot figure out how to operate the "play next" queue on these apps. 

Laser: Lizzo at Summerfest - lot of younglings running around; people were racist towards Lizzo's security guards, she vowed not to come back to MKE, one of the most segregated cities in America :(

Resolution for 2019 Status

Laser: — How It Went: Who can even remember this shit...I'm sure it was that I'd do better at keeping track or listen to more shit people suggest and I'm sure I failed.

BC: Listen to one new album a week; reboot the Classic Album Review Club How It Went:  Noooot toooo gooooood

Code: catch ovlov, pictureplane, washer, chromatics, EMA and colleen green live this year. How It Went: i saw chromatics and colleen green. last i checked .400 gets you into cooperstown.

JD: Greater consciousness of how I’m using my attention - an ineffectual and meaningless protest of the ways the world is burning down in pursuit of it. How It Went: Not bad! I especially nailed the “ineffectual and meaningless” part.

Chap: Learn Piano; Guilt Joe Dons into finally inviting me to a concert. How It Went: Learned some piano but got to busy for it... Couldn't guilt JD to invite me anywhere but I DID invite him to a show! The same one I went to! With him!

Bronco: Read more 'classic’ books. I didn’t read many of them, even in school (especially in school? Never could read a book I was told to read). But I’m leaning in the sci-fi direction of 'classics’. I just read Dune this summer, and wrapped up Fahrenheit 451 the other day. I’m feeling an unexplained need to beef up my nerd credentials and this seems the way to accomplish it. How It Went: Nope.  Fell back in to zombie-apocalypse genre series that I've been reading for a while. But I am currently reading arch-nerd Neal Stephenson's "Fall; or, Dodge in Hell". It's almost 900 pages, I feel like I've been reading for months now, and because I'm a stupidly slow reader, I read only before going to bed, and can only make it 10 minutes before falling asleep and hitting myself in the face with my phone, I'm only 25% of the way through. But man is it painting a creepy yet eerily plausible scene of the near future. Guy just knows how to write.

Nasty: Hope last year I was smart enough to leave this blank. (editor’s note: [removes shoes, pets cat, puts on slippers, retires to favorite easy chair, sips martini, slowly pulls reading glasses out of cardigan pocket, dusts them off, loads todaysbiggesthits.tumblr.com, scrolls to ‘Resolution for 2019’] “Nasty: I’m sticking with it - get to NY for a show with JD.”)

Resolution for 2020

BC: See Phish in 2020

Codem: i'm making it easier this year. catch ovlov, washer, EMA and colleen green live this year. bonus points: see dom's much anticipated return to the stage.

Bronco: Build a vinyl collection. I know I dumped on Brendon for suggesting he press copies of Carpet Affair, but my kid's getting way into music and listening to it on his own (via Alexa in my bedroom which is super fucking annoying), so we're getting him his own record player and I think it's going to be a cool activity to go record store diving for whatever classics we can scrounge up.

JD: Get to more shows. Take more aimless strolls spinning tunes.

Bin: Send an email about music on the TBH! thread. 

Larse: None

Chap: Eh I'm cool

Most Anticipated of 2020

Code: my man dom said that he is coming back to the world this year. i have to believe that he'll keep his word. i'm thinking 2020 is going to be the year for chromatics' Tommy.

Chap: TWOD, Perfume Genius, Jason Isbell

BC: Huey Lewis and the News, Tame Impala, Run the Jewels

Bronco: Kvelertak and Mastodon, maybe some surprise extra Tool material?

JD: Working Men’s Club

Nasty: Spotify getting Jay-Z's catalog back. 

[liesyousoldme]

can u do one where richies a punk kid skater boy and eddie is kinda snob and one day they end up at the same party (as teens obviously) and richie tries to get eddie to try weed and eddie at first is hesitant bc his mom would kill him and eventually eddie gives in and they do cute romantic stuff while high and they sneak off and smooch and cute fluffy stuff like that

yes lets do it. ok so warning for drug use obviously but other than that it’s sfw

ok so it’s really hard for me to picture richie as a punk?? like imagine that fuckin nerd with a foot-tall mohawk and chains on his leather pants and it’s honestly laughable. the guy was 1000000% grunge. he traded his hawaiian shirts for flannels and wears band shirts and ripped skinny jeans and converse and has perpetual bedhead

(beverly is grunge too in high school but honestly is that even relevant to this idk)

so eddie could definitely go the preppy route. polos and khakis and combed hair. he’s a little stuffy lbr

somehow though. somehow since basically the beginning of high school they’ve both had crushes on each other

they’ve been friends throughout high school bc of stan

stan and eddie are friends bc they were both the only freshmen on student council 

eddie doesn’t understand how stan is friends with richie bc richie’s so cool? even though he’s in their advanced classes he just seems so.. effortlessly cool in a way eddie just does not understand

but stan and richie have been besties for forever, in the way eddie and bill have been besties for forever

ANYWAY soearly on in freshman year, eddie and stan decide to study together after school, and eddie’s at stan’s house chilling when.. richie fuckin tozier just walks right in the front door?? doesn’t even knock he just goddamn walks in like he owns the place

and eddie’s like wide eyed expecting stan’s mom to start smacking this dirty looking kid with a fuckin broom but instead she’s like “oh richie dear!!! how are you!!!”

and richie’s like “hey mrs uris, i’m doing great, my mom says hi”

and eddie’s like …..literally what in the fuck is happening rn

but richie hangs out and he’s cool and funny (and loud and maybe talks too much for “studying” but eddie finds himself not minding?)

he calls eddie ‘eds’ and eddie pretends to hate it but that’s only bc it gives him butterflies

so they don’t sit together at lunch or in their shared classes but richie always makes sure to say hi to eddie or ruffle his hair or call him eds and leave eddie blushing

(because honestly richie has a crush on eddie too)

but neither of them do anything about it. for literal years.

it’s junior year and eddie is sitting with bill at lunch talking about what they’re going to do this weekend

when suddenly richie tozier appears out of no where and plops in the seat next to eddie

“hey eds, you busy tonight?”

“um.. no??”

richie throws an arm over his shoulder “well now you are. you too, big bill. bev marsh’s aunt is going out of town, so we’re having a small get together, cool people only”

“don’t know why you’d invite us then,” bill says pleasantly, but the smile on his face says that he’s excited

“what!!! eds here is the coolest chap i know!!!!”

“don’t call me eds” (but he’s 100% blushing)

“so i’ll see u there right?”

eddie tries not to smile but he’s very bad at not smiling in front of richie, even though he looks like he hasn’t showered in 4 days (he asked richie about this once. richie actually showers daily, but he uses Too Much Product on purpose to make it look like he just rolled out of bed hungover. it’s his Aesthetic, he claimed. eddie stopped asking questions after that) and eddie knows if his mother knew he was friends with someone like richie tozier she would have a literal heart attack, eddie just likes him

so he agrees.

he shows up that night and he’s nervous af

“bill. we’re gonna get there and he’s not even going to talk to me the whole night. this is stupid. we should just go home”

“shut up eddie”

they walk in and surprisingly there’s not a lot of people there??

they’re all in beverly marsh’s living room, drinking out of red solo cups like high school cliches, and there’s only about ten people, including bev, richie, and stan

so they come in and richie jumps up, all excited

“eds!!! you came!!!!!!”

and beverly snorts into her cup but richie ignores her and takes bill and eddie to the kitchen to get drinks

richie goes straight to the punch that eddie knows is spiked and shakes his head right away

“no sorry, i don’t drink”

“i do” bill says, letting richie fill a cup for him. he heads back to the living room, sending eddie a wink over his shoulder

eddie stands awkwardly, watches as richie grabs another cup

“i’m serious, richie, i don’t drink”

“you really need to try loosening up eds” richie tells him, but grabs him a soda from the fridge anyway

they go back to the living room and richie pats the spot on the couch next to him, so eddie sits and sips his soda

everyone’s talking and laughing eddie feels a little out of place but richie keeps making sure to include him in the conversation which is… nice.

in fact, richie is all around nice, and he’s got his arm over eddie’s shoulders, and eddie’s trying really hard to convince himself this isn’t a date (he’d hate to get his hopes up only to see richie making out with beverly marsh at the end of the night)

after a bit they decide to put a movie on, and everyone starts to get settled in, but richie grabs eddie’s hand and pulls him up off the couch

“where are we going”

“i have to show you something”

eddie’s slightly concerned but idk ur crush doesn’t grab your hand and invite you somewhere alone every day so

richie takes him down the hallway, past the bathroom and into beverly’s room

he’s a little offput by how… comfortable??? richie seems in bev’s bedroom

“are you and bev…dating?”

richie looks up at him from where he’d been digging through a backpack in the corner of the room

eventually he laughs

“me and bev?? fuck no. she’s my best friend”

“i thought stan was your best friend”

“i thought only being allowed to have one best friend was an elementary school thing, looks like we’re both wrong”

eddie rolls his eyes but then they widen when he sees what richie pulled out of the bag

“oh my god richie is that marijuana??????”

richie wiggles his eyebrows and sits on the floor

“sit down eds, your legs are gonna get tired”

eddie sits but he’s staring freaking out

he knows how bad weed is

his mom told him it’s a gateway drug

who  knows, by this time next week richie could be addicted to heroin or crack

so he tells him that

richie laughs at him as he rolls the joint

“you really need to loosen up, eds. and stop listening to ur fuckin mom, isn’t she the one that gave you a fuckin fake inhaler?”

eddie pauses. “…..that’s besides the point”

richie’s still laughing as he takes the first hit

“cmon eds, just take one hit. one won’t kill you, i promise”

richie’s got some fucking great puppy dog eyes and eddie is doing everything he can to avoid looking at them

“eds seriously. you’re wound so fuckin tight, i promise you’ll feel so good afterward. you’re so tiny you’ll need two fuckin hits to be high af”

“two?? yOU SAID ONe”

richie ignores eddie’s screeching and takes a second hit

“i mean u don’t have to. i’m happy just hanging out with you, but i thought it’d be nice for you to not be so anxious for a bit” richie finally says, shrugging. eddie sighs. he knows, logically, that his mother is crazy, that she exaggerates and that weed probably isn’t that bad for you (clearly, richie smokes it every weekend and is still one of the smartest kids in school) but he’s still scared

“are you sure nothing bad will happen?”

“promise,” richie says, then his eyes light up and he holds up his pinky. “PINKY promise”

eddie reluctantly interlocks his pinky with richie, then takes the joint

“alright. what do i do.”

ten minutes and a hit (and a half (his first try didn’t go so well)) later, eddie is feelin it. he’s loose, so loose in fact that he tells richie “hey rich..richie.. rich. i am loosey goosey.”

he takes another hit. “richie? there’s cotton balls inside my head.”

richie can’t stop giggling. he is admittedly feelin it too.

eventually, they’re both laughing, and eddie topples over onto richie, and somehow they start play wrestling. it’s very mild, as neither of them have the arm strength to actually move the other. it mostly just leads to them curled up together, legs and arms tangled

their giggles fade off, and eddie opens his eyes (when did he close them??) and richie’s face is right there, inches from his. he’s suddenly aware of richie’s breath on his lips and he gasps. 

he’s not sure which one of them actually moved but suddenly their lips are pressed together

it’s lazy and slow and tender and when they pull back, richie whispers “whoa”

“yeah” eddie whispers back

they lay down on the floor of bev’s bedroom, still pretty tangled up together, and richie laces their fingers together

it’s quiet for a minute, and then eddie starts giggling at nothing, and then richie starts laughing because eddie is laughing, and then richie leans over and kisses eddie again, harder this time, more passionate

“i’ve wanted to kiss you for three years, fuck”

eddie whimpers, grabbing at richie’s back and tangling a hand in his stupid hair that he works way too hard on

“me too”

eddie’s a little too high to keep moving his lips against richie’s, feeling pretty tired and chilled out, so richie moves down and mouths at his neck, shuddering at the feeling of eddie’s hands slipping under his shirt

he finally stops, but doesn’t go far. richie lets his head fall in the crook of eddie’s neck, his leg thrown over eddie’s waist. their hands find each other again, fingers interlocking

“isn’t bev gonna want her bedroom eventually” eddie asks after a few minutes

richie giggles

“she knows we’re in here”

“what”

“i kind of….. planned this???”

“what”

“i mean.. i invited u here and i wanted to try and see if you’d get high with me.. the making out was an unplanned surprise but i don’t think bev would be all that shocked”

“bev knows we’re making out?”

eddie’s brain is just.. not working very well and he doesn’t understand

“no she’s in the living room”

“i know”

“i dont know what you’re asking me eddie”

“me either”

and then they’re giggling again 

beverly finds them a few hours later after everyone’s left, cuddled up and fast asleep on her bedroom floor. she puts a blanket over them and turns off the light and decides to sleep on the couch

[martinlawless]

British Cycling National Masters Road Race Championship 2021

Category D, 45-49 year olds, E1234 Garstang, Lancashire 7 August 2021

The British Cycling National Masters Road Race, like the circuit race equivalent, is an annual championship that has races in five-year categories. I’m in the 45-49 band, or ‘Category D’ class, for this one.

It’s on the Oakenclough road race circuit near Garstang, that goes into the Forest of Bowland, an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Lancashire. I don’t know it at all and drive the loop twice the evening before. I find out it’s brutal and look again at the maths I did to understand how hard it would be. I had the numbers wrong by some way. It’s a 10-mile lap with about 1,000ft of climbing each time, pan flat initially, that then turns north and climbs. And climbs. And climbs. For 5 miles in total. Then it turns one more time and climbs silly to the top. I will guess at near 20%. It then rockets downwards for 4 miles, more steeply than the ascent, twisting sharply here and there.

That’s not all. The road surface, in parts, is awful. Worn down and ragged through neglect and harsh winters. It’s beautiful all around, but the tarmac is ugly. You’re sheltered quite well on the ascent. On the descent you look west and can clearly make out Blackpool Tower, the Irish Sea and Morecombe Bay in the distance on a clear day – lovely – but you also face the fierce prevailing wind fresh from the sea. It’s a difficult course. And, for me I know it won’t offer the ‘traditional’ benefits of a road race. As I reflect the night before, the ups and downs I reckon will split the pack and it will be attrition for all individually.

Race day. The weather, as forecast, is abominable. It’s quite warm… around 15 degrees, but it’s very wet. Steady rain, low cloud and very often intense, heavy storms coming and going, bringing dark skies and low visibility. The sort of astonishing weather you take videos on your phone with and post online. Remarkably, as we take the briefing and get behind the car to the start, the rain stops and there’s even a hint of sun. We’d go on to do much of the first lap in the dry. But then it all came back with a vengeance.

I was pleased with how I’d dressed. Race suit. Thin, string wicking vest. Good rain resistant arm warmers. Aero-socks, utterly glued to the legs with spray glue. Neoprene full-finger gloves. Ashwell cap with a good visor. This worked well on the day. I knew it would not get that cold even though I was thinly attired. And I wouldn’t get heavy through soaked clothes. The fingers would be fine in the neoprene ‘wet suit’ gloves. I packed four gels and a chewy bar. I took one bottle, as my dad was in the feed zone at the top of the lap to pass new bottles. Every gram would count on this climbing-fest.

We’re off. We are mixed in with the 40-44 year olds race. There’s a good few DNSs – but there’s plenty about as we head off. The flag goes down from the car and we’re off. A mixed bag of riders from all over the country. There’s gravity towards local clubs but they really are from all over the place. Initially, it’s all good. I’m just surfing the wheels and settling in. Then it turns upwards. I can’t tell whether it’s nervousness or exertion, but I am finding it hard to get a rhythm on the ascent. I’m OK, but just can’t seem to get on top of my breathing. It’s surging and whirling a bit as everyone is releasing adrenaline and finding their way into the race. Maybe towards the latter of the ascent, I feel the pace is too hot and dig in and start to burn a match. Ordinarily in this situation, I might hide in the bunch here. The issue is that we’re not really going fast enough for the drafting effect of the bunch to make a massive difference. There isn’t really anywhere to hide. I figure we are already losing riders as we turn for the big bit. All credit to anyone who turns up to race, has a go, dies a death almost instantly and then comes back for more another day.

The big hill is cruel. I am well in the red and sliding back. By the time we crest it, I’m with four others and the bunch is several bike lengths away. But there’s no panic – from any of us. We know what to do. Without going deep, we hustle into a quintet and begin a chaingang. Our race is not over, it’s just a different way to do well.

Lap 2 is largely consolidation and finding rhythm. Cleveland Wheelers chap is a fantastic descender, and it turns out he used to race downhill. He just needs a bit of help on the climbs. Horwich CC fella is happy to do long turns and give us all a break. Chester CC rider is keeping spirits high with his jokes, and the shop team fella is quite quiet, I think hanging in there a bit, but helping on the front like the rest of us.

The rain gets really bad. No, like really bad. I can feel it spilling out of the top of my shoes. My cap is doing well to give me a clear line through my glasses. But it’s limited. It’s so thick and intense, it’s hurting on the downhill and I wonder if it’s hail. But it’s just walloping big rain. Potholes and loose gravel everywhere. This is very technical in parts. Too often the chosen line is the better of many holey evils. I take a turn badly and an oncoming Range Rover slides by too close for comfort. It’s rough. We put a lot of faith in bikes, hurtling around these lanes and over tight bridges.

We carry on though. My gloves are brilliant to fight off cold although dexterity plummets with them on. I attempt three bottle catches but only make one. I can’t feel much too well. That’s fine. I’m not too thirsty in this weather. I’m drinking from the road spray, as it were.

The turning point in my mind is late on. Earlier in the race, I’d expected we’d hoover up dropped riders into our gang. Those who would be spat out from the front. But we’d seen none. OK, through time checks, we knew we were losing around 3 minutes a lap on the bunch, but all the same, a solo rider would soon be caught. But, nothing. Then, in the latter part of the race, we pass one rider. He’s absolutely blasted. We urge him to get on our train, but he’s busted and twiddling to the end of the lap or something. This starts to make me think that the bunch is chewing up riders and they’re not dropping back, they’re quitting. I start to wonder how many dropouts it would take for us to place. National races have points down to 15th place. We could be in with a shout?

I’m galvanized. Of the five in our group, just me and Cleveland are in the 45-49 category. I think all we need to do is stick it out, not get lapped and get over the line.

My feet begin to hurt. I realise I’ve lost all sensation and have tightened and tightened the BOA dials until it’s restricting bloodflow. I loosen the shoes and feel instant relief, eat a bar to avoid cramp from too many gels and sugar, and navigate the climb once more.

As we take on the daft steep bit again, to start the last lap, out of the blue, the chequered flag is dropped. With just around 20 metres, the five of us realise our finish is suddenly in front of us and we break out a sprint. I’m caught out and I’m third of our five over the line. More precisely, Cleveland in my race category is in front of me. The commissaires decide to pull us out and shorten the race, given the conditions, with one lap to go – in part as mercy for racers and organisers stuck on the wet hill. I politely ask if we will still place despite this and not be classed as a DNF – and the judges reassure me this is the case. Suddenly, our race is done. I am relieved. It’s stopped raining. I’m in among the throng at the line and I now get to see the front of the race finish.

It’s amazing how in pieces the front of the race is. The soloist winner has a massive gap over the next few riders, who have minutes over the next solo rider, etc. I’m counting the riders, and their category, to get an idea of who is in race C and D. Eventually a very depleted bunch comes through. I count around 27 finishers in total for both races, with most being in the other ‘yoof’ race. I’m getting excited. Top 15 surely?

Back at HQ, I have a brief chat with Chris, the winner, and watch him get his National jersey. Amazing. Then I go to the results page. There I am 12th place out of just 12 finishers in our D race. Less than one-third the total. That’s 4 BC points.

On a bit of a high, me and my dad do a mini driving tour of the Trough of Bowland and I get a coffee at the Inn at Whitewell, widely regarded as one of the best pubs in the UK. This was a race where it paid off to stay in your comfort zone, keep a match or two, and keep your head down while others suffered greater. This way, you can, over time, survive when the pace and conditions are brutal – to climb the ranks over those who blow up.

It’s not the race I wanted through. I was quite a way off in power for the front. I resolve if I do it next year, I will focus on losing 4-5kgs. I’ll also be in the 50-54 band. That should all balance the ratio out a bit. It would be a nice summer aim.

I also can tell you now, if I do it next year, it will be raining reet hard in Lancashire on that Summer’s day.

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/5755327593

[punkakess]

Medieval royalty AU - Natray

Heyyyy, late I know!!! I’m not sure this fit into the Medieval category, i got excited and my fingers slipped. I’m not sure this is considered a drabble bc it’s over 2k words. Anyway, enjoy^^

Also, this is for Day 4 of the Gratsu AU Week

The Web Valley smelled of death. Thousands of bodies littering the ground, which had absolved so much blood to the point the crimson liquid overflowed the battlefield. Screams and cries of both courage and begs for pity resounded on the natural walls that climbed up high and surrounded the armies.

His armor, incrusted with rare gems, was heavy and ruined his equilibrium. His shield seemed more of a nuisance than protection, it impeded his movements. His helmet, decored with the crown, limited his vision, it made difficult to properly aim at his enemies’ hearts. All his attire obstructed his technique. However the king refused to take them off, even if all he needed was his sword. The ancient writing on its smooth surface was hidden under blood and gore, the hilt was slippery under his strong hold, drenched in sweat, yet it didn’t slip and never faltered. The weapon was made to the king, it loved him as much as he loved it.

They worked together, as a team. The magic was on the sword but the hero was the one who wielded the blade. Waving it with measured movements, slicing at metal and leather, flesh and bones until the foes before him bowed in bloody defeat. Nothing could stop them, together they were invincible. Together they could protect what was most important to them.

At least that’s what they thought.

A shout of his name, carried over the battle screams, caught the warriors’ attention. The voice was incontestable and a shiver of fear as well as excitement made the little hairs at the back of his neck stand on end. The king’s eyes darted around, frantically searching for the one destined to help him achieve victory. Every hero needed a lover, someone to share an invincible love. Despair filled his mind when the search ended with empty results.

Where was his lover?

“Are you searching for this little fly?” The dark sorcerer questioned with sarcasm.

The silence that settled over the battlefield was quelling and made the fear flooding his body all the more clear. Never before it had clamped its claws so tight as at that moment, when his eyes fell on the scene of his love struggling to breath as the dark sorcerer lifted him from the ground by his elegant neck. The lord of dark magic squeezed a little bit more, digging black painted, enlogated nails on olive skin and the king’s fiancé chocked on a whimper.

The painful sound made the king’s heart sink and his hold on the sword tightened. Maybe if he used more magic than usual, he would be able to reach both his enemy and lover before anything drastic happened. Several men separated him from the duo but they were nothing but insects compared to the power the sword possessed.

For a moment he locked eyes with his destined rival and immediately regretted for he caught the dangerous glint in those charcoal orbs. He hesitated. The dark sorcerer smiled insanely. A black blade teared through abdominal muscles. His lover’s scream of agony lasted only a few seconds before his slender body fell to the ground like a rag doll.

The wail of fury penetrated the hearts of all the warriors there present. It embed in them the pain in which the king was drowning. Red hot anger invaded the very soul of the hero who surged forward with a feral howl, slashing away and at random, disposing of who dared to stand between him and the one who murdered his reason to live. The king went berserker, his consciousness faded as his self retreated into his mindscape. The magic of the sword, which took form of a powerful, blood-thirsty dragon took over the body. It didn’t differ foe and ally.

Yes, his armor was heavy so he unceremoniously discarded it, baring his torso, showing the dragon like tattoo on his shoulder. The shield had been dropped even before. The helmet supporting the crown, also heavy in so many ways, was thrown far away, freeing his vision. Now, with unlimited mobility, the king crouched in a fighting position, presenting the dark sorcerer a challenge. Only one chance. Only one blow. Only one survivor. The corrupted man crouched in a similar position, accepting the challenge.

They both gazed into each other’s eyes, expressions expectedly different, giving away their thoughts and emotions. A sadist smirk for a mad man and an animalistic snarl for a revengeful man. Not a word was said. Bodies sprinted ahead in a run, swords raised, movements calculated. A black blade arched low and missed for mere millimeters. A silver blade arched high and with a clear swat detached head from shoulder.

Perhaps it was a nervous reflex or a ghostly action, either way, before the head could slide and fall to the ground, the dark sorcerer smiled in awe for a bratty king defeated him with a single blow.

Only one was dead but two bodies hit the dirt together. By the time the dark sorcerer’s corpse fell, the king was already by his lover’s side, lifting him into his lap and nurturing the unresponsive man into his chest. Navy blue eyes stared vacantly into his very soul. Their natural glow had faded, much like the color of his skin and the warmth underneath it. The young man was nothing but an empty shell made of pale, paper skin, cold and oh so fragile.

Squeezing the corpse against his own body, feeling his heartbeat but missing his lover’s heartbeat, the king screamed. Screamed in despair and angst, in anger and pain, in fear and sadness. The hero howled like a lonely wolf left behind by his pack, until his throat failed and his lungs burned in need of air. Until there was blood in his mouth and he could not breath anymore-

••

Natsu shot out of the bed gasping for air, his hand reached for his chest, clawing at the skin, hoping to somehow tear the feeling of despair, which gripped his heart. A shin layer of cold sweat coated the expanse of his body and made pink locks sticky to his forehead. Tears welled up and spilled from green eyes like a waterfall, running down his face and creating dark spots on the white sheets.

It had been too real, it always was, but this time the level of intensity had blown the charges. This time the final was what he dread the most.

After ripping the swords out of the rock, as the months had passed the dreams had turned a constant occurrence, narrating the stories of each incarnation of the hero. They were always different but the end never changed: the dark sorcerer was defeated and the hero and his lover lived happily ever after. However, Natsu had noted something, in each reincarnation the lover grew closer to death, until it finally arrived.

It was the last dream/memory. Natsu was sure. Their confront with Zeref was only a few weeks away and the last battle had happened over one hundred years ago. If the story repeated each one hundred and fifty years, that meant there wasn’t anything more to remember.

Fear made itself present as his body trembled in dread. Did that meant Gray would die?

Natsu could still feel it, the darkness crawling under his flesh, the deep grief in which his mind was lost during the dream. A feeling so overwhelmingly obscure that brought the impression that part of his spirit had been stolen away. It was suffocating and, once more, Natsu found himself having difficulty to breathe, the air refusing to enter his lungs and making his chest heave.

He closed his eyes, desperately trying to control his body, reign in the panic building within his mind. It was pure agony the mere thought of losing his lover.

Suddenly a hand touched his back right between his shoulder blades. Natsu felt the coolness emanating from the familiar palm and immediately relaxed, for the difference in temperature, the cold against his overheated skin did wonders to calm him down. In no time, Gray had his arms around his broad shoulder, whispering assurances into his ear and caressing pink locks. Long fingers snaked between his soft hair and the feeling was soothing enough to make the king sage, stiff back curving in a tired position.

“Was that another memory?” Gray asked once Natsu’s breath evened out, brows furrowed in obvious concern, “I’m assuming it was intense.”

Natsu merely nodded, still too emotionally affected to speak without his voice breaking, and he couldn’t have that. When the king first noted the terrifying pattern on the memories, he immediately reached for Gray, not knowing what to do. His lover had looked alarmed but manage to hid it well enough for Natsu to catch on it only a few days later, but once he did, he instantaneously realized his mistake. Telling Gray he might die had being a wrong move and although there was no going back he promised himself that if in one of the memories it actually happened, he would keep his mouth shut.

And that’s why he cleared his throat rather loudly when Gray opened his mouth, just about to say something, more likely to question about the content of the dream. His lover’s pink lips remained separated even if his words had being held back. Natsu stared at them for a second, willing his body and mind to calm down before he could assure with false confidence everything was all right, when it clearly wasn’t.

“It’s okay, Gray. It was just too real and overwhelming.” To make his statement believable, Natsu grasped onto one of the arms holding him and brought it to his nose, deeply breathing in, taking in the fading smell of mint.

Gray looked unsure, suspicious at most, “Nothing out of normal?”

The words of denial tasted like acid in his mouth, but Natsu forced them through chapped lips nonetheless, try his best to keep the strain out of his voice. Gray could not discover the truth about the dream. Panic and fear weren’t the answer nor would be of too much help during the battle. One could argue, saying it would serve as a motivator to sharpen Gray’s attention, but Natsu doubted it. The raven couldn’t possibly be more focused.

“Let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow we’ll discuss war strategies and we can’t be tired.” The king stated, laying down and dragging his lover with an arm around a strong torso.

Gray settled on his wide chest, chilly hand caressing the valleys of muscles on a hard belly. Natsu treaded calloused fingers through silky, charcoal locks of messy hair, once in a while scratching blunt nails against sensitive scalp. Soon enough the warm, safe atmosphere encompassing the room lulled Gray into a sleeping state, his breathing evening out and leaving Natsu to his own rumpled emotions. His mind, a whirlwind of thoughts, wouldn’t shut down or rest until a solution had presented itself on the forefront of his brain.

Hours passed and no ideas were conceived. The darkness finally started to recede, giving way to the light of the sun and Natsu cursed mentally as he hadn’t been able to sleep. For sure, dark bags would support his eyes during the day. Gray moved around, bring a leg to rest on top of Natsu’s, who held his breath until the raven settled down again. It was comforting to hold his lover so close, feel his moving chest, the warmth emanating from pale skin, life filling his form. The young king tightened his hold just a little bit more as intense love took over his very been. He wouldn’t let his lover die. Screw fate. Natsu would protect Gray with all his strength. A dream would not define their future, because they build their own destiny.

Did you liked it?? Did I scared you?? Did you thought I had killed Gray…again??

[franeridart]

what are your thoughts about bakugou and midoriya's relationship? platonic, i mean

I live and die for it, every part of the manga in which that relationship is shown progressing is between my favorite parts of the manga and I’ve reread them a hundred times and cried over them way more than necessary - the battle trial one? yes, the end of terms exam? absolutely yes holy shit, the post-license exam fight? god yes fuck me that’s my absolute fav, the rescue arc? shit yes between all the reasons why that arc’s my fave the change in the deku/baku relationship is definitely a worthy of note one

It’s an interesting relationship, a painful one that’s making both of them grow so so so much, a rivalry they both need to better each other and keep each other straight on the path to become two great, all-around heroes - I’m not sure they’ll ever end up having the type of relationship Izuku has with Todoroki or Bakugou with Kirishima, I don’t think it’s possible for them to be friends like that, they’re just too different to properly fit like that and to avoid stepping on each other’s toes every single day of their lives they’d have to change their core personalities too much, but they did end up being able to coexist (Bakugou’s even giving Deku tips!!!) and I do think they’ll be able to cooperate and support each other in the end. If one day they’ll be able to make fun of each other in a friendly manner and egg each other on and be honest with each other without it escalating into a full blown fight I’d truly be happy, that’s probably my main dream for this whole manga. For them to have a healthy rivalry, one in which they can maybe even laugh together. I think it might happen, I’m waiting for it to happen

Anon said:Hi Fran! I'm obsessed with your BakuShimaNari work. Here's a cute thought to hopefully cheer you up a bit while you're unable to draw: they're all in their early 20s and Denki likes to poke/smooth out the little crease between Bakugo's eyebrows and tease him about getting wrinkles early from all the scowling he does. Bakugo flicks him in the nose and says he's starting to get crows feet from always grinning like an idiot.

Oh my god. Oh my g o d this is the sweetest thing I’ve ever read. Oh my g OD I’m just imagining them doing that and Kiri in the background watching them like they’re most precious thing in the world I’m dying rip me this just made my whole life thank you so much anon *sob*

Anon said:You are wonderful. That BakuKiriKami art just made me cry again after this chapter but I so needed it. I hope your hand heals up quickly!

I hope so too!!!! And thank you so much, I’m glad you liked it!!! ;A; tho I’m sorry for having made you cry rip 

Anon said:Maybe Kirishima's hair is like haru from fruits basket, it changes colour when it reaches a certain length, and he decided to either dye the roots to match the long part or the long part to match the roots.

I’m effin laughing my ass off imagining the “you’ll never convince me that hair is natural” scene but with Iida I’m crying

But seriously if his hair did something fancy like that I don’t think the current Kirishima would try to hide it? Hair that naturally grows like that is flashy!

Anon said:KiriBaku, KamiJirou, AshidoSero, u feel me? I personally ship TodoMomo and IzuOcha as well but u know each to their own

tbh I ship all the ships mentioned in this ask to at least a certain degree, so yeah, I definitely feel you haha

Anon said:Fran can i ask why you ship BokuTeruKuroo ? like i understand why you ship BoKuroo, they are friend and so funny and cute with each other but do they have interaction with Terushima ? because i watch the anime and only start reading the manga and there's no interaction between them in it

What a question lmao no, no they never interact with Teru, it’s a crack ship haha I don’t really have a reason to ship it tbh, I just think Teru’s personality would fit nicely with Bo and Kuroo - Teru’s one of my fave characters in Haikyuu and I like shipping my faves around, but he’s interacted with only his teammates and Karasuno so everything else is just crack... I like a whole bunch of Teru ships tbh, bokuroteru is the one I’ve drawn the most for a bit by accident and a bit because they’re the ones with the most entertaining possible dynamics, to me? They’re a bunch of excited silly kids, that’s fun!

Anon said:I am literally in tears over the last chapter when will Horikoshi step away from my sunshine boy and let him rest? This isn't what I meant when I said I wanted Kirishima to have a bigger role in this arc

;-; boi do I feel this ask 

(I still want more of him tho, last time he hadn’t been around for a few weeks I was a complete mess, pls don’t take him away from me again Hori ;A;)

Anon said:Fraannnnn why would you do this I had enough feelings about THIS EXACT SCENARIO and you had to go and make me feel more with your beautiful art How could you

!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m taking this as you’ve liked it!!! Which makes me happy tbh haha though I’m sorry for the more pain, that wasn’t my intention #oops thank you anyway, tho!!

Anon said:i wanted to cry bc of ch 143, kiri was amazing and fat was amazing and and .... but really though ...hori just doesn't wanna give it to us, does he ?

I don’t think I’ll ever have Kirishima’s backstory at this point. I’m giving up. I’ll just make up my own version of it. Kirishima’s had a beautiful past with a lot of happiness a great family with loving parents and both older and younger siblings that love him more than they love air, he’s got three pet turtles and a dog and the only reason why he had his hair dyed black was because he went through a really intense goth phase. That’s it, that’s my version, Hori can keep the sadness for himself

(...not please gimme the actual backstory already I’m dying)

Anon said:U ok after ch143, Fran? 'cause I'm not... 😭

...how can anyone love Kirishima and be okay after 143 tbh ;-;

Anon said:your answers to the ask for what would baku get the others ommmmmmg. fran you are AMAZING!! >///

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m happy you liked those omfg!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you!!!!

Anon said:I feel so bad abt the new chap bc my boy kiri is gonna hate himself so much abt being '''useless''' even if he wasnt and oh goodness he's going to beat himself up for this forever... i thought hori was gonna give him a sudden 'bout of strength & realization' to beat the enemy, but instead hes getting quite the realistic(which is good but sad) outcome from the fight... hes gonna be so mad with himself while recovering boy pls no u were great ;~;

I really hope something’ll happen and he won’t feel like that, but who knows ;-; on one side it would mean that his character arc still isn’t over, which is a lot more Kiri for me and that’s great, but on the other please don’t make him suffer anymore ;;--;;

Anon said:Though it was kinda 'forced', thank you for drawing mineta. I really liked seeing him in your art style. He's perverted but like Denki he's a good kid as well, too bad most people have him blacklisted. Hopefully that will change in the future. Thanks again ;D

You’re most welcome! As I said once already I don’t really care for Mineta, so including him in stuff when it makes logical sense to isn’t much of a problem for me hah maybe, if I’m lucky, one day he’ll grow as a character and out of the walking trope he is, and that might just mean I’ll start drawing him more by himslef too haha

Anon said:i havent been involved in a fandom for 4 years but now i am and its ur fault with ur gay boys i cant handle all it, fk my life. (ps. love how u draw denki, his hair so floofy, bless u)

!!! Happy you like my take on him!!! :O also I love how you called them “your gay boys” yes, yes they are, my beautiful gay boys hahaha

Anon said:Thanks to you I'm absolutely obsessed with bakushimanari and I can't get out. It's literally???? The cutest friggin thing??? I can't believe I never thought of it before coming across your blog. But now it's my OT3 and!!! Thank you for introducing me to this sweet ship!!! I absolutely adore your art and it inspires/motivates me to make my own fluff filled fanart.

YAY OH MY GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!! more bakushimanari fans I can make happen the more I’m happy, tbh!!!! they’re soft and good and happy I wish there’d be more of them around aaahhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anon said:you color nicely (｀∇´)

sob thank youuuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this actually means to me more than you probably thought it would haha rip bless ur soul anon

Anon said: ti adoro bye

GAH non sono certa di meritarmi addirittura un adoro ma!!!!!! grazie ;A;!!!!

[enaasteria]

Answered Asks // 1

Under cut~~~

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 5th 2017, 4:06:00 pm · 9 months ago aww I'm going to miss u :( good luck on writing!

You sent this 9 months ago but TY FOR THE WARM WISHES. It took a while and not exactly the best chapter but it’s done. It’s what I could manage so please forgive the less than good writing T___T

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 5th 2017, 4:13:00 pm · 9 months ago TAKE YOUR TIME LOVE, GOOD LUCK, I'M SURE YOU'LL DO GREAT!!! Θα ειμαι το τυχερο σου αστερι ♥ (I'll be your lucky star)

I feel like I know who you are and ty ty ty for this message! You definitely were and thank you for your patience! TT___TT

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 5th 2017, 10:30:00 pm · 9 months ago I just finished all the current chapters to 5018 and can I just say, its so great. Sehun is my bias wrecker (Chanyeol is my bias), but this story is seriously making me reconsider who has the title of my "favorite" and I've never felt so attacked.

Oh yes. Yes, yes yes please come to the dark side and join our sehun forces. we are always looking for new members

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 5th 2017, 10:33:00 pm · 9 months ago I just realized LOXE (the club from 5018) is EXO-L backwards and I've read the story twice, why did it just hit me

Thank you!!! SOMEONE FINALLY NOTICED! LOL

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 21st 2017, 2:03:00 am · 9 months ago ena ena ena~ It's been a while. Hope you're doing well! 🤗

I’m doing better now that chapter 16 is DONE.

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 23rd 2017, 9:28:00 am · 8 months ago I just found Apartment 5108 and I am dying. God. I mean, I know Sehun and Ahri are the romantic leads, but that boy needs to get his shit together. She deserves the sun and the moon and whatever the hell she wants, not this! I feel sorry for him, but also kinda want to kick his ass real bad. Also, love your portrayal of Chanyeol! If you ever have them fall for each other (though I doubt it) you'll have my full support.

He’s learning and I hope that’s apparent in the chapter about to be posted. She really deserves it all and no worries. I shall give her the world. Or well---get Sehun to give her the world LOL. I KNOW. I have many issues with PCY bc I give him the best dialogue in this damn story and I really shouldn’t but it just happens that way and I can’t help it. But he’ll have his own happy ending---as will all of the characters in this universe. //hugsssss//

Anonymous said to enaasteria: January 28th 2017, 1:53:00 am · 8 months ago Hi Ena!! I hope you're doing well, I miss your updates :( how's life/writing going?

I feel like death tbh. I think I got sick from stressing over this chapter but it’s done and I’m sorry if it’s not good but I felt the progression was necessary???

@knownotwhatisinstore​ said to enaasteria: February 5th 2017, 11:38:00 pm · 8 months ago Hello! I finally managed to get caught up on 5108. It is so fantastically written that I can feel every emotion, almost down to the physical pain in your story. It's so wonderfully humanizing and psychologically deep. I can't wait to read more. Please take your time and continue to write openly! Thank you!

Hugs you! Thank you so much for reading and yes---I love pain. I write pain better than I do with happier tones so I think it’s why chapter 16 took so long. It didn’t really have a super angst element so I was like ????? how do I write this part?? But yes. THANK YOU so much for reading!

Anonymous said to enaasteria: February 13th 2017, 12:47:00 pm · 8 months ago omg ena! is chap 16 ever coming out soon? I'm so excited you're such a good write I swear... I love ur story so much 😭😭

Thank you for loving the story and this message is about 8 months late but it’s being posted tonight. Have a good time reading //hugs//

@sassyunicorns2​ said to enaasteria: February 23rd 2017, 3:24:00 pm · 7 months ago Hi!! I'm a big fan of apartment 5108 and i have a few questions: 1° - what is Ahri height 2° - in chapter 15 are lay and soi no longer together? 3° - can you please explain me better where are Ahri scars? Since my first language is not english it's a little harder for me to understand. Thank you. I know that you are in hiatus and i hope you can write and finish the story just like you wanted. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR WRITING AND HWAITING

The best of the message: You are my favorite writter ever and your stories are amazing. They are so well written and the plot is so good! Like thanks you for writing. Before you i couldn't read any angst story... Now i cant escape them

1// Ahri is around 168cm --- 5′6″ 2// Yixing and Soi are broken up //les cries// 3// Scar is on her forehead line where her hair and forehead touch and also on her back jawline

And thank you so much for reading. I’m so glad you enjoy it and please have fun reading 16!

Anonymous said to enaasteria: March 5th 2017, 5:26:00 am · 7 months ago Ok I don't know if you remember me but I was the girl who had to distant herself from a guy because one of her friend was really into him and people shipped them. Also I know you're on hiatus but I'm just sharing news so don't answer it's okay :). Well, basically I had to go on a trip with his family because his dad is doing the job I want to do so he proposed to show me everything and the guy came along with his brother to see too. (1)

And for a hour, his dad had to do administrative tasks so the 3 of us were left alone until his brother went calling their mom. So the guy began talking to me and at a moment he asked me about the fact I was more distant. And I messed up. Saying I wasn't feeling confortable with him anymore (which was true) and that it was for the better. AND. He knew about my friend who's into him and he told me he knew why I was distant so lying to him was useless. (2)

So I explained to him that it wasn't that I was into him but me being close was worrying my friend. He litterally said "Bullshit". So I said "Even if i'm into you, it isn't going to work out. I don't like you enough to put my friendship in danger and we both know she's an amazing girl. Also you're going to the same university next year so give her a chance." So he confessed to me but we agreed to never talk about it again and we decided to stay friends. (3)

And that's how we ended every chance with had. Because I'm litterally going to live at the opposite of the country so I'm sure he will be better by giving her chance when she's few meters away from him. I know I did what is right but is it normal for me to be hurt by it because I swear I wanted to throw up when I told him to give up. Anyway, I hope you're doing well and take care ! :)

Of course I remember you anon! Your story pains me a lot. I feel for you and wish I can give you a hug but I love how resolved you are. You let him know plain and clear you like him---but not enough to put your friendship in jeopardy. I really commend you on that bc it shows your maturity and I don’t know. I still feel sad for you on it because it appears you both have mutual feelings for one another---it’s just wasn’t meant to be. :(

@jediofthemarveluniverse​ said to enaasteria: March 8th 2017, 4:08:00 pm · 7 months ago Erm i dont really know if this was answered in the story . But why did Sehun remember something bad when Ahri asked for the pass code for the balconey? Thank you xx

It was in chapter 12---Ahri found out the balcony locks were numbers to Jiyul’s birthday. When Ahri asked him what the passcode was, it made him think of Jiyul and in turn, place him in a somber mood so it’s why he was perturbed when she asked.

Anonymous said to enaasteria: March 8th 2017, 4:18:00 pm · 7 months ago How did sehun feel hearing tht pcy was talking to ahri? What was it like when he saw the final photos? How long has he been going back to his old habits ?

In chapter 16! Ty! <3333

Anonymous said to enaasteria: March 9th 2017, 2:22:00 pm · 7 months ago I'm curious as to how Ahri told Myungsoo that she was living with Sehun and had developed feelings for him since she never mentioned Sehun on their first date x)

I might not dive into this because Ahri kinda touched base on it in chapter 9 how she told Myungsoo and you could see Myungsoo’s interaction with her after. I’m sure it hurt a bit but they went out once and it wasn’t enough to develop into something too deep to get out of.

Anonymous said to enaasteria: March 9th 2017, 5:52:00 pm · 7 months ago What about the jar in the kitchen when they put kind messages ?

I’m gunna try to put this into chapter 17. 16 was overcrowded with information. hahaha

Anonymous said to enaasteria: March 9th 2017, 5:54:00 pm · 7 months ago MYUNGSOO FUTURE LIKE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HE DESERVES SO MUCH HAPPINESS

YES! Chapter 17 will touch on this! I was gunna do it in 16 but I tried and the chapter got even longer and I was like. nope.

@khaty-fan​ said to enaasteria: March 11th 2017, 2:58:00 am · 7 months ago SEND ♥ THIS ♥ TO ♥ THE ♥ FIFTEEN ♥ NICEST ♥ PEOPLE ♥ ON ♥ TUMBLR ♥ IF ♥ YOU ♥ GET ♥ 5 ♥ BACK ♥ YOU ♥ MUST ♥ BE ♥ PERFECT ~♥ :D

Thanks babe!

[sufferthesea]

Tagged by my sweet @pyroinquisitor​ ! Thank you!!

THE LAST

1. drink: Water! I have 7 water bottles in my room and I try to drink at least 4 of them a day.  2. phone call: AHAHAHA LIKE I TALK ON THE PHONE. (Actually, today I answered a call from my mom and almost ripped my thumb nail off on the chair trying to get to the phone.)  3. text message: I haven’t bought minutes for my phone so my last text was in June, saying “Your service ends soon”.  4. song you listened to: What Kind of Man by Florence + the Machine 5. time you cried: Teary-eyed or tears running down my face? Teary-eyed, today. Actual crying, ??? not sure!  6. dated someone twice: Nope! I’ve never dated!  7. kissed someone and regretted it: Theatre kisses don’t count (and neither do kisses on the cheek??), so I’ve never kissed anyone.  8. been cheated on: No 9. lost someone special: Yes. Many people.  10. been depressed: Yes. Gotta love that Frosty Fresh Depression  11. gotten drunk and thrown up: Never been drunk!  

3 FAVOURITE COLOURS

12. Purple 13. Yellow 14. Soft pastels and earth tones 

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU

15. made new friends: Yes!! 💖 16. fallen out of love: Yes! Good riddance! 👋 17. laughed until you cried: Yes!  18. found out someone was talking about you: Yep! But the people they were talking to stopped being friends with them and now want to be my friend 😂 19. met someone who changed you: Hmmm, I think so?  20. found out who your friends are: Yes!  21. kissed someone on your facebook list: If stage kisses and kisses on the cheek count, then yes! That’d be like 20 ppl 😂😂 

GENERAL

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know in real life: Almost all of them! Most are family, high school friends, and college friends.  23. do you have any pets: Yes, a dog! He’s old and grumpy but I love him. I used to have a bearded dragon named Sylar and I miss him dearly.  24. do you want to change your name: Sometimes, but I really like it because it’s unique even tho it’s unisex and also a surname... and no one can say it correctly.... and I never see it anywhere....  25. what did you do for your last birthday: I can’t remember? My bday is close to my sister’s and dad’s, and it was close to my graduation so I think we had a combo birthday-grad dinner.  26. what time did you wake up: Alarms at 7.30am and 8am, and I woke up at 9am (-:  27. what were you doing at midnight last night: Showering 28. name something you can’t wait for: To get another first draft of my original story done. Plot revision is a motivation killer.  29. when was the last time you saw your mom: Like 30min ago when I went to the kitchen.   30 has disappeared. RIP.  31. what are you listening to right now: Pity Party by MelMar.  32. have you ever talked to a person named Tom: I knew a kid whose middle name was Tom, so yes!  33. something that is getting on your nerves: My own procrastination.  34. most visited website: YouTube, Tumblr, FB, gmail  35. hair colour: My hair is kinda weird bc of my parents. But it’s really dark brown (from my mom) with gold and red (from my mom’s mom and dad)?? And then I have chunks of blonde from when I bleached it and had purple, pink, and blue highlights.  36. long or short hair: It’s medium but I want to grow it back to how it used to be. I used to have the longest hair at my school (to my waist)! I miss it a lot.  37. do you have a crush on someone: NO!! No one real anyway. Fictional characters? Always. Choose a show or game and I probably have a crush on one of the characters.  38. what do you like about yourself: I like what other people have said about me: I’m the most compassionate person they’ve met; I have good energy; I’m easy to talk to. I also like that I am able to write and draw fairly well. (-:  39. want any piercings: Yes but I haven’t had a good experience with my past piercings. There’s a piercing/tattoo artist I know and trust but he’s sooooo far away ))-:  40. blood type: idek  41. nickname: Immy, Bee, C.B., Hoe, literally sooo many but most are family-only nicknames. Some old nicknames are Sensei and Onee-chan/Ane-chan. I also called myself Obaa because I felt old talking to ppl who just entered the fandom haha. But never I was never called Senpai ))):  42. relationship status: Single Pringle! 43. zodiac: Taurus / Boar  44. pronouns: she/her  45. favourite tv show: idk probably anything with an Asian cast bc I like seeing my people onscreen  46. tattoos: Not yet, but if I ever get one I have a rough design done.  47. right or left handed: Right but I’m teaching myself to become ambidextrous  48. surgery: None that I remember 49. piercing: Ears 50. sport: No! I used to do cross country in elementary school? 51. vacation: Love love love any Lewis & Clark vacations. Lewis is my husband and I would die for him.  52. pair of trainers: My only tennis shoes are faded and worn-out 3 y.o. purple and gray/silver ones I bought in my WTNV phase. I don’t like shoes so I haven’t bought new ones even tho I should. 

MORE GENERAL

53. eating: Nothing 54. drinking: Water 55. im about to: Listen to music and finish Chap 3 of HBAM and maybe do some Kakashi Week prompts 56. waiting for: Myself to stop being lazy  57. want: To lay under my falsa blanket in bed and get some work done 58. get married: Yes!! I’m so excited to get married (-: I know it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s so awesome to think that I’ll get to spend the rest of my life loving on someone and being comfortably dorky around them  59. career: I want to be an author! Ppl tell me I should go into writing (screenplays or articles), drawing (book illustrations) or counseling, and my older sis wants me to be a teacher with her.  60. hugs or kisses: I’m selective about who gives me affection tbh, and I’m more of a hand-holder so idk 61. lips or eyes: Lips. I have a hard time keeping eye contact and paying attention to what’s being said. I feel like they’re looking into my soul.  62. shorter or taller: I luv being taller than people but I want my hubby to be taller than me!  63. older or younger: I’m both middle and oldest child in my mixed family. I want to marry someone older, but I like being the oldest in my friend group.  64. nice arms or nice stomach: Nice arms make me weak  66. troublemaker or hesitant: I used to be a troublemaker, but now I’m hesitant 

HAVE YOU EVER

67. kissed a stranger: No, but I proposed to one during a scavenger hunt (he said yes).  68. drank hard liquor: How hard is “hard”?  69. lost glasses/contact lenses: Yes. I never wear my glasses so I misplace them a lot.  70. turned someone down: Had to turn someone down for other ppl because they wouldn’t take no for an answer  71. sex on the first date:  No! I’ve never been on a date either ahahah 72. broken someone’s heart: Possibly  73. had your heart broken: Yes! Multiple times! But it heals stronger every time!  74. been arrested: No 75. cried when someone died: Yes 76. fallen for a friend: Yeah /: 

DO YOU BELIEVE IN

77. yourself: Yes but then I feel full of myself  78. miracles: Yes ?? But not like, cosmic miracles? I believe in God, ya know? so His miracles ??  79. love at first sight: Yes! (reminds me of the county bailiff and grilled cheese food car guys I fell in love with when I moved down here lolol)  80. santa claus: SANTA IS THE BEST (but, practically, no)  81. kiss on the first date: On the cheek or back of the hand, sure?? I’ve never been on a date????  82. angels: Yes! 

OTHER

83. current best friends’ names: Goldie 84. eye colour: Hazel (mostly green)  85. favourite movie: Jurassic Park, Across the Universe, The New World, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away 

Hopefully I filled them all in and didn’t leave Pyro’s answers hahaha

Tagging @thefoxthief @purple-possibilities @thetoxicstrawberry @ninja-crows @iyo-arts But only if you want to do it! 

[tayegi]

wo w ee i am so excited to see where u take equilibrium! tbh i really like how u r writing jungkook (not in the obsessive relationship sense but like) because it feels like u r really giving us an insight to his mind and how complex of a character he is and like what drives him.. idk if that makes sense lol but i really enjoy the entire story and cant wait to see how it develops !!

Here are the rest of my equilibrium asks under the cut! I am so truly sorry that I just simply do not have the time to answer the rest of them (besides wouldnt you guys rather have me expending my energy on writing ch 12? ;)), but be assured that i have read each and every one of these messages multiple times over and appreciated them all

bonyg said:Equilibrium is really giving me mixed feelings, it's so complicated that I don't know if I want oc with Jungkook or Jimin. It's just not healthy to be in this relationship :"( if I were oc I'd definitely left them both even if I'm gonna die without Jimin :'( it's getting more exciting and I can't wait to know what's gonna happen between oc and Jimin. Thank you for updating ^^

jaaneman-s said:Hi, I don't if this sounds or rude or not, but I'd like to thank you? or idk, I was born in a very manly culture? I know (on my own) how certain things that look okay in this culture but are not in equalness and respect to the woman happen but reading equilibrium has like, opened my eyes a little bit? When I read ch.11 I just sat down and spent a while thinking about everything and how different you view stuff from my point, and how this is actually right? anyway keep the great work ily ♥

Anonymous said:pls read equilibrium at my funeral🙏🏻

Anonymous said:oh oH OH is it going to be one of the cases where the boy "misinterprets" the girls basic human kindness for flirting?!!?? If so, @ the character: go to hell

Anonymous said:Well, it seems like JK (and a little Y/N) has tipped the balance and now everything is coming crumbling down. Who does JK think he is?? I can't imagine Y/N could let the weekend go by without getting close to JM, especially since he needs her. I'm just anticipating the moment when jimin realizes and everything is out in the open. I really loved this chapter! You can see how bold JK is getting knowing that Y/N will do anything he wants, just for his cooperation. Suspenseful!

Anonymous said:me rn: *prays for a joon hyung to sweep OC off her feet and abandon JK and JM* (seriously i'm such weightlifting fairy trash it hurts) (also do you know where i can find my very own joon hyung 😭😭😭😭)

Anonymous said:Reads part 11 Equilibrium -insert jungshook meme here-

Anonymous said:Don't be bothered by those ungrateful readers who thinks you're obligated to write them more than 3k words. Seriously, did they somehow get the impression that they're paying you for this? Just write at your own pace so you can produce quality stuff.

Anonymous said:Finally got around to reading Chapter 11 & if I'm the oc I'd be on a plane up outta there so quick! Set Jimin up with some soup & a blanket, & scoot skedaddle my way out of dodge. Jungkook isn't about to talk to me like that, thinking dick isn't abundant & low value. Shit... Also bless your writing, each Equilibrium update has me on pins & needles~

Anonymous said:I just like... What if Jungkook comes home unexpectedly and finds y/n and Jimin getting it on and then flies into a murderous rage, severely injures Jimin and kidnaps y/n. The second part could be Jimin feeling all guilty and trying to find her while she tries to escape

Anonymous said:Holy shit I'm convinced that Jungkook poisoned Jimin because he's going to be away for the weekend and he's paranoid and crazy as shit that the OC might do something with Jimin so he made sure he's unable to do shit with her 😵 cuz when he called to ask her where she was for his graduation, he didn't even seem all that surprised that he's sick, he just cared about where the OC was.

Anonymous said:Twist end: OC learns boxing and kicks Junglebooks ass

Anonymous said:theory: part two will be titled monogamy and Jungkook and OC will have an abusive relationship. Cause you seem pretty adamant on the idea of abuse (which is 10000% not a bad thing for obvious reason) so i feel like you are taking this story as a lesson for girl to see the warning sign. and part 3 will be about her leaving him finally and becoming single or whatever

Anonymous said:I don't want to defend the oc by saying this but in equilibrium she clearly is right now the one who is fucked up The other 2 get what they want after jk's scary possessiveness and if she wouldn't be controlled by her feelings towards jimin then maybe she would've already left She has also fault but earlier they took advantage of each other's feelings and everyone got something that they wanted but rn oc is like trapped in a cage & can't even touch jimin Idk maybe I'm the only one who thinks so

Anonymous said:I don't understand equilibrium??? Like I thought it was sweet that JK wanted her all to himself but after chap. 11 I think it's just plain creepy with his possessive obsession towards her... like WTF! I kind of want to see Jimin's side of the story like why is he in love with JK and what is with JK not giving a f**k about Jimin at all like when he was the one who initiated this relationship anyways WHUT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!

Anonymous said:I mean it Jungkook will kill them both. Like this boy has the makings of a serial killer. Why the fuck does the oc not love herself?? Why are you trying to create your happiness from the sparse attention given to you by a man??!! Why the fuck are these people so dysfunctional?? Even Jimin and Jungkook they're basing they're entire happiness on people who they know don't care!! If there's ever a lesson here its self love first before you can love someone else.

Anonymous said:Just read the new Equilibrium chapter (11) and wow JK is absolutely terrifying in there. I'm so glad there are stories out there that portray abuse the way it should be portrayed and not romanticized. I really just want the OC to get the hell out of that house and faaaaar away from this messed up relationship ): she needs to run away from him asap like forget Jimin he ain't helping you either just run while you still can girl!!!!

Anonymous said:iF JUNGKOOK GAVE JIMIN SOMETHING IM ABOUT TO GIVE HIM THE BIGGEST WHOOPING EVER

Anonymous said:Regarding Equilibrium, I reread some chapters after I was done with 11. The necklace bit in 11 makes the sex scene in 4 kinda freaky. The way Jungkook yanks on OC's chain and how he got angry when OC said that she didn't know where hers was. It's like Jungkook finds security in the couple necklaces because he associates it with OC being his and when OC doesn't wear the necklace, he feels that his possession has been taken away from him. Maybe I am thinking too much but it was such a cool detail.

Anonymous said:I have a feeling that jimin's going to witness something that's gonna break his heart bc if you look at the situation then jimin should be happy bc he gets his alone time with jk who he loves and he doesn't have to pretend to love the oc that often bc jk doesn't let her go near him and if jimin sees something that breaks his heart(jungkook&oc)then maybe he would leave both and so they would all go their own ways(?)none of them would have a reason to stay but maybe jk will become even scarier idk

Anonymous said:You should just have the OC in Equilibrium go full on Bruce Lee on JK and JM

Anonymous said:Chap 11 in Equilibrium freaked me out btw. Especially after the sex scene when OC watches Jimin sleep. You wrote "tug" so that implies that OC used her hands. So when OC finds her hands restricted by Jungkook, that honestly scared me. Also in that scene, it was interesting for OC to say that she would do anything to comfort Jimin but seemed to take back that statement when she was restricted by Jungkook. It's like OC has become more afraid of Jungkook than she is in love with Jimin.

Anonymous said:In ch11 of equilibrium it was really sad when she compared herself to a pet... like girl, you're a functioning human being, an adult that can take care of herself. You're able to get out of this cage that's been created around you. It's scary what manipulative people can do to someone but at least she knows what messed up situation she's in now and not like... being attracted(?) to the crazies JK is pushing on her

zeloandhobiaremyhubbies said:Hi there ^^ I'm a new reader, and can I just say I love your writing skills and the story line so far. With that being said, coming from a person who has a close friend in a manipulative/almost borderline abusive relationship, I can honestly say I hope the OC get out of that relationship, especially with Jungkook. There's a thin line between being jealous/slightly possessive and possessive and pretty much controlling. Ugh! I want to know what happens next, but I'm also scared to know as well.

Anonymous said:What do you mean you don't know where is the chain OC(me)?! How can I be so careless?? What if Jimin will find it, no I am sure he already did 😑 and now probably the person I precious the most hate me cuz I took his love of life... This shit (relationship) is not falling fast enough huh? Good job me, good job 😒😒

holdingbackforsnow said:I've read equilibrium 11 and somehow I have the feeling that Jimin knew. Even before Jeongguk showed how messed up he is for us readers. I feel like, that's why Jimin entered the relationship. Maybe he was worried for the OC and wanted to act as a buffer in between her and Jeongguk (including his feelings for Jeongguk) that would explain his phone call, when he was gone on business and even how he wanted the OC to go to graduation so badly. I feel like Jimin knows more than we think...

Anonymous said:As much as I anticipate every update, I hope you are taking care of yourself too! Even as an undergrad, I still get stressed & overwhelmed with my workload so I really worry about your well being since being a phd student is so much more stressful and you still give us great content. Thank you so much & I hope you can take some time for yourself as well! ik remembering to take care of yourself is the last thing on your mind with a huge workload but please please don't neglect your well being!

Anonymous said:Oh god Jungkook in Equilibrium is really a psychopath. The fact that he's so manipulative and lacks empathy for others; it's quite terrifying to think about how long he's been manipulating everyone without anyone realizing it. As a psychology major it's really interesting to read a character like this but it's scary how so many people see his behavior as okay esp since there's so many real cases of abusive relationships like this, it makes me really sad. Ty for shining light to issues like these

Anonymous said:Wow, jk has really started to go crazy-something's gonna blow up soon.love the tension you are building though. It's really appreciated the time you take to build an intricate storyline. and not to focus on negative stuff, but for real, if any misogynistic messages pops up now, then... While I think most readers (but apparantly not all) saw the possessive traits of jk in earlier chapters despite it being somewhat(but not very) subtle, this time you rly spelled it out

lastshadowmonkeys said:to stay with Jimin. Everyone's being manipulative as fuck and it can never end well in my opinion...This is so...Wow, and it all comes out of your brain and imagination, that's amazing! I'm so excited to see where this all will go and if Jungkook will just lose his shit (or any of them really, someone is bound to lose their shit) and to see where Jimin stands with oc now and wow so many questions! I'm intrigued! Amazing job, thank you so much for writing this piece of art!

lastshadowmonkeys said:after that, but woops boy was i wrong. He just turned full on psycho, and i have the impression Jimin is not even interested in her in that way and never has been. That leaves OC to be in a relationship with men who don't love her at all, in the end, which is so so sad and i just wish she'd get over her love (or is it obsession, really?) for Jimin, so she could get the hell out of that toxic situation. She's being manipulative herself, going through all that misery to somehow be able (3)

lastshadowmonkeys said:blowing my mind and i have immense respect for that. I'm not lying when i say i'm trying hard to improve my plot skills haha, since my mind tends to be too chaotic to ever get any structure in anything. I enjoy your stories so much. As for Equilibrium, shit's about to go down man and i just can't fucking wait to see what will happen. At first i was rooting for Jungkook and the oc since it seemed like he just had pent up frustrations from being misunderstood? I thought it would get better (2)

lastshadowmonkeys said:Hey Lu! Even though my asks get lost a lot of the time, it doesn't stop me from telling you how much i appreciate the fact you make time to write such wonderful, intriguing stories to make us actually think about important matters. Equilibrium has become one of my top favourite fics ever, and i just love how you can make every chapter like a little piece of a giant puzzle. You write so well, and they're actually plot goals! To imagine you're a grad student on top of all that is just (1)

got7boystobang said:I feel like (in fact; i knew it due to the fact that u hate nochu so much) the end of Equilibrium is going to be such a downfall for jk just like what happened in jjk must die and that crys drabble idk how tho but u just always have ways to kill jkook cause i bet you've millions of pictures in your head on how to😂😂😂 i love your dedication!!!!! lol

Anonymous said:Ugh, Jungkook is threatening people now? Yeah, it's time to call the cops. That's scary. I felt uneasy the whole chapter. I asked myself several times while reading, "Yo, what's wrong with this kid? And what's up with Jimin? Is he just CHOOSING not to acknowledge some of the fucked up shit that's going on around him?" And actually, homegirl is holding up a lot better in this chapter than I thought she would. Interesting. Thanks for another chapter! Looking forward to the next. :)

Anonymous said:Omg so intense!! Gosh I just don't know what to expect anymore, I'm glad there'll be alone time with Jimin but then what if Jungkook finds out, and what if-what if-gah! Can't wait to see what will unfold next, thank you once again for updating even though you're busy~

Anonymous said:WTF OC JUST FUCKING DROPKICK JUNGKOOK IN THE FACE AND GTFO!!! HOMEBOY IS CRAZY AS FUCK