#because that type of things drives me insane i know that because i've done that already. i cannot cope with that

[dadsbongos]

Oh my gosh the I GUESS part was so funny cfdjkfd It will always make me so sad that we'll likely never see the later seasons, it would have been SO funny omg How are you btw?? Anything fun you've done/have coming up? Also any random headcanon thoughts about possibly dating both laios and kabru would be as lovely as you <3 -Artemis

i giggle thinking about his snooty fucking "i GUESS" that and calling mika gay for being attracted to him, a man

i was in a bit of a rut the past week or so but i've been getting better, drawing a lot and working on personal writing projects. plan on going out with a fwend on Wednesday :3 and i'm trying to con a hot person into liking me

labru poly hcs below!!

ok to get together with these two is a nightmare though it is worth it!

i can see it being you and kabru chasing laios, being romantic rivals with laios not paying attention to either of you LOL

kabru gets charmed by you after viciously studying you for months on end to try getting a leg up on you and you're just like every other hot-blooded mammal and can agree that kabru's hot

i can see you confessing to laios (because god forbid kabru actually voice his feelings to someone) so kabru is just silently devastated until eventually being absorbed into the relationship

domestic chores were a bit of a battle at first because kabru doesn't maintain his own space and laios can't maintain common spaces bc he doesn't know what everyone else is okay with him tossing out and dishes are a NO for him

but kabru is great at delegating/managing tasks plus he can care for others. so he managed to think out a way for everyone to be happy: kabru does most of the basic chores (dishes, sweeping, dusting), laios does most of the yard work and shopping, and you the laundry/cooking ft. laios as a lil helper while picking up minor tidying (but obvi you guys can share and help as with all relationships yk)

non-negotiable tho you and laios and kabru are all legally obligated to indulging each other's niche interests. you and laios are ears OPEN to kabru's novelizations of world history and current gossip, and you n kabru listen to laios ramble about useless mythos and cryptids factoids

and ofc they listen to you prattle on about your own interests cuz that's love bby <3

when walking outside, laios likes to intentionally try finding cool bugs or dogs and kabru has to wrangle him by the collar of his shirt while you're just there like :) aw bfs

kabru looooves planning dates and doesn't usually like feeling out of the loop or surprised unless its something you three agreed wouldn't be orchestrated by him

blowout arguments are not common in any manner, since kabru's an ace at recognizing/dismantling how you feel and is flexible in asking how to better put your mind at ease

meanwhile laios just HATES fighting and arguments and is not the type to enforce his way of thinking/doing certain things unless it'll actually drive him insane (which is pretty uncommon)

kabru is probably in charge of finances cuz its just less stress for him

laios likes decorating the space but you and kabru have to nyx some of his stranger ideas (a fully functional bigfoot puppet hanging from the ceiling, fresno night crawler figures on the tv stand, etc.)

nautical themed bathroom is a for sure though i'm sorry i'm sorry, laios is white and kabru was raised by milsiril they're just going to have a nautical themed bathroom no matter how you feel about it

i have an idea i want to make a fic but can't find the time: basically the same thing where you n kabru hate each other but get along for laios' sake cuz you're both dating him. until you fuck nasty and bond for realsies <3

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

One lowkey thing that kinda drives me insane about Taylor Swift is discussion about her music. I don't know how to explain this properly but... (sorry for the long ask)

She's not an excellent singer. She's fine, but as a good example from her own discography: look at Florida feat. Florence. Florence singing her verse made me wake up in that album and made me realize how the song could've been delivered! She sings it in a much more interesting way than Taylor did. This isn't even to speak towards other popular artists like Beyonce, Ariana, Lana, Olivia, Billie, etc. who all have their own signature vocal styles and delivery that are impressive and make their songs.

I don't know. It feels bizarre to have one of the biggest pop artists in the world to have such mediocre vocals. TTPD as an album I feel partly got killed because of the way she's so samey about her vocal delivery.

But her fans would say no it's not about the vocals, it's the songwriting. But then TTPD songwriting was meh and just awful at some parts (the 1800s racist line is weird. period. I don't care whatever essay defense they give it). What now? What's the appeal? Why does she get to release something mediocre and get all the attention and praise when some artists have released great albums this year?

Then there's also when she gets the weirdest praise for the mildest things that other musicians have done. Album eras? "Oh, she's so cool and different for that!" No, she didn't invent them, shut up. An album of fictional songs with a story? They act as if concept albums don't exist! The most minor of genre shifts (she's primarily exploring different types of pop) are treated as experimental and groundbreaking. The most milquetoast and shallow political music she ever wrote (YNTCD and The Man) are seen as iconic moments of speaking out. Like what?

It's just frustrating me. I remember when someone told me she screamed in some songs in TTPD (Who's Afraid of Little Old Me and The Black Dog iirc) and I listened to that album and I thought they were joking with me because what do you mean scream??? Why does she get praised for so much mediocrity holy shit!

I think this is why when I hear people say that there's swifties that only mainly listen to Taylor and Taylor-adjacent artists, I believe them. I feel like they're making so many impressed remarks about her work because that's all they know. That's how we get genre takes like someone saying Rep is punk or how they want her to make a rock album. I feel like that's how we get stupid stuff like Gaylors too. Because why listen to actually out queer artists if you can just reimagine your fave artist as queer?

Honestly, I just don't understand the attachment to her music? Every time someone tells me it's because she's relatable, I just shake my head because she's never been relatable to me, even back when I enjoyed her songs. Maybe I'm too un-USAmerican for this, but she was never very universal for me. I enjoyed her because she did fun pop songs. But now I've realized she's so frustratingly shitty as a person, I can't listen to her.

Sorry for the rant, but it's been hard to find a space for this without getting attacked by swifties (especially as a poc).

(1/2)

[meraki-yao]

My two cents on the story some Nick fans hate Taylor:

From what I've seen around they are mainly people who have been following him since before rwrb and if you look carefully they are often huge purple heart fans (and have a slight obsession with the "relationship" between Nick and Sofia) therefore I think that this hatred for Taylor derives from 2 things:

1. They hate that so many people have gotten closer to him because of rwrb but they share the support and love with someone else. That's why they always have to specify that for them Taylor is unemployed (unlike Nick), Taylor is not a good actor (unlike Nick who is the best around for the next 100 years), Taylor is loved only for his hot body and we are all envious that Nick is mentioned around as an actor etc etc. It's impossible for them to accept that people can appreciate both and one must necessarily be better and more loved than the other and they are better fans because they have been following him since before rwrb and they don't want him to still be associated with this film because he will never be "the sole star" but has to share everything with Taylor.

2. Racism. From certain comments they make it is undeniable that this has great relevance in this situation and I don't even want to delve into it because it's not even crazy it's simply disgusting and this is definitely the worst part.

They hate rwrb (but praise Nick as Henry and think he's the only one who did well in the movie) and keep making up this bullshit about how Nick hates the project, hates the cast, his body language says he was uncomfortable on that set, this is the only cast he hasn't remained friends with, Taylor tries hard for have his attention to be relevant but Nick just proves they have no contact and they need it to be true because that's the only thing which they can cling to to hope he doesn't make the sequel. Oh, plus Nick is too busy to accept the sequel and it would be a downgrade for him to do the sequel given the career that awaits him, unlike Taylor who only has rwrb to work and be relevant (all read with my own eyes unfortunately)

In short, I don't know how they can think this is good for Nick and how they can think this is the type of support he deserves and would like. As another blog said, we can't stop them, there are moments they become more vocal and mean and the more we respond the meaner they become saying things like "you get angry because you know it's the truth"

They treat Taylor like a monster, like he's a really bad person, they've done bad things towards him like doxxing and spreading false information about him to convince everyone what an evil person he is.

They say he uses Nick, before Nick's response when he signed the book they said Taylor bullied him with those drawings on his face all because they have this unhealthy relationship with an actor and they think they have some right over his life.

You've explained their (ridiculous) mentality really well, and frankly, it drives me insane that there are people in the world who think they understand one person's career/relationship/life when he doesn't know them

On the note of purple hearts, I didn't watch the movie and I don't plan to, but when I just got into the RWRB fandom and started learning about Nick and Taylor, and I kinda saw some comments from us, that's kind of... something like Purple hearts fans are mad at RWRB because of... opposing political beliefs?

Oh, also agree on the racism thing. Fuck racism man.

My one hope is this bullshit doesn't affect Taylor and Nick. I have faith in their relationship not to turn sour or blame each other because 1, it's not each other's fault 2, they're grown ass adults who understand how this industry, parasocial relationships and fan culture work, but if any of these shitty comments reaches either one of them it must hurt, and arguably hurts Nick more than Taylor, because these people are hurting your friend in your name. That's fucked up.

Again I think the best thing we can do is ignore them, block them and remember that we hold the actual truth: Nick loves RWRB, and Taylor, and Henry. And he and Taylor, on both sides, plus Matthew and a couple editorial writers, stated and showed that they are genuine friends with genuine chemistry.

[dirtybitfic]

COMPANY pt 1

Matt Sturniolo x y/n

contains~ business meeting , fight , slight degrading , little bit of flirting.

y/n pov -

Its currently 4 am and the only reason i'm awake is because my boss called me . I try my best not to fall back asleep as he goes on and on about shit I need to do before todays big meeting. Don't get me wrong I like my job but sometimes my boss drives me insane. I didn't sleep well last night which is not helping the current situation .

*phone call*

Matt - Y/n are you even listening right now

Y/n - Sorry yes mr sturniolo I'm just trying my best to stay awake right now

Matt - Well I will let you go back to bed but you better have things ready when I get to the office am I clear

y/n- yes sir I will have it ready

Matt- Good girl ill see you at 12

Y/n - yep see you in the afternoon

*phone call ends*

I woke back up around 8 and made my way to the office .

I always make it a point to look classy and wear business attire especially when we have big meetings like today. I wear an outfit that I know I look good in but comfortable enough I can sit through 3 hours and write notes for my boss.

I finished up my last task Mr. Sturniolo had giving me on the call earlier and sat at my desk waiting for him to arrive. I've been his assistant for about a year and a half. He's a pretty good boss though he can be harsh and assertive with me at times I try not to take it offensively .I know he just likes things a specific way .

I've been sitting for about 40 minutes when I get call from my boss and I immediately pick it up even though I don't exactly want too

*phone call*

y/n-hey mr sturniolo

matt-hi y/n I just called to tell you that the meeting has been pushed back too 1:30 our clients flight got delayed

y/n- Okay sounds good sir I just finished up the final touches on the presentation and the meeting room is set up and ready

Matt- Atta girl! thank you for getting all that done . Im sorry for calling you at 4 am I know it wasn't the best time

Y/n- Its okay I know you like things done perfectly so im not upset

Matt- Good well I'm parked down stairs and was about to go grab some coffee would you like to come with me?

Y/n- Sure why not ill head down now

Matt- Okay I took the blue convertible today so I have one of the claw clips you left in it a couple weeks ago so your hair doesn't get messed up

Y/n- Oh good thank you

Matt- Of course see you in a couple

Y/n- Yep heading down now bye

*Call ends*

One thing about my boss is he notices the little things most don't for example him knowing I wouldn't want to mess up my hair and keeping the clip in the car just incase I needed it. I know its just a small gesture but it makes me feel some type of way , a way I definitely should not be feeling about my boss. We have a slight age gap given he's 27 and i'm 23 which is yet another reason I should not have the thoughts that I do about him quit often.

I Made my way down to the private parking garage and walked around until I spotted my favorite car Mr Sturniolo owns. Obviously everyone loves a convertible but his is just perfection.

"Hey!" I greet him as I open the door and slide into my seat.

"Hi Good morning " he he greets me with a small smile.

" New suit?" I ask as I look over him noticing i've never seen him wear this suit.

" Yes actually it is" he says with a sigh .

" You don't like it do you?" I ask as I can tell from the sigh and his facial expressions he doesn't seem very excited about it.

" No I hate wearing colored suits but my brother insisted I wear it for todays meeting" he says with an eye roll making me laugh.

" Well for what its worth I think it looks good ... It brings out your eyes" I say smiling over at him.

he return the smile before asking where I want to go for coffee.

I told him to go to Philz so he heads there.

One thing that we do share is music taste so riding around with him is always good. We were listening to "Everlong by the foo fighters" when my phone started to ring.

I look down to see it is my ex who had recently broken up with me . I sigh as I immediately hit decline . He cheated on me for an entire year with a woman who owns a large art gallery and I only found out because I went with matt to buy art for his new penthouse he moved into and saw my boyfriend walking out of her office with lipstick on his face and an untied tie around his neck. Safe to say my boss saw a side of me I wished he never had.

I yelled at him for an hour outside the gallery when he finally broke up with me telling me " I don't love you anymore ... I actually never really did I just liked your body and living with you in your nice ass apartment " so obviously I punched him in the face and he cried like a bitch when I ended up "accidentally" breaking it .

Matt watched the entire thing and safe to say we did not end up buying anything from HER gallery. When we had gotten back to the car Matt had praised me for the way I handled myself and said he was proud of me for breaking his nose .

I felt bad acting how I did in front of him but i'm glad he didn't judge nor fire me for it.

" Zach again" he asks as he pulls into the parking lot giving me his full attention.

" Yes hes been trying to call me all week and I have been ignoring him " I answer as I throw my head back letting out a deep breath.

" They say you never know what you had until its gone . I have known your for a while now and I don't understand why he would cheat on you " he answers in a tone that shows anger and annoyance.

Im glad I have a boss who cares about me outside of work even though some would deem a conversation like this unprofessional it's very normal in our relationship.

"Yeah I don't know either but i'm over it I just want him to leave me alone" I answer ending it with a long sigh and looking over at him.

" Im sorry he's such an ass but we should go in and get our drinks and head back to the office" he answers as turns the car off and unlocks the doors.

I nod as we get out and make our way into Philz and order our drinks Matt always makes it a point to never let me pay which I appreciate but with the amount he pays me i'm very capable of buying my own coffee. I mean shit I live in a 3 bedroom open floor apartment all by myself , Just goes to show I make more than enough money.

We get our drinks and make our way back to the office to get settled in before the meeting.

As we were getting the projector up and running my phone started ringing again . I turn the ringer off and throw it in my bag rolling my eyes. It doesn't go unnoticed by matt when I catch a small smirk runs cross his lips. He doesn't smile too much , I notice that he only really smiles around his family and sometimes me if i'm lucky . He's intimidating which is one reason I was so scared when I first got the job but the thing that kept me going was one day about a month into working for him his mom came into the office and told me that I must be special because he went through 25 interviews before me and he had met me , He was very specific about how he wanted his assistant to act and behave and shockingly I guess that was me. He may have "liked me" but for the first year and a half he was cold and standoffish with me , he would practically ignore me unless he needed me for something or when he would tell me the things that needed to be done for the week.

He finally started warming up to me sometime last year and i'm really glad he did it makes the job 10 times better and enjoyable when he acknowledges and speaks to me .

I sat in my chair by the large windows as I zoned out looking over the city but was snapped out of it when our front desk guy told us through the intercom our clients were on the way up.

This new client we have is actually very exciting . The company that matt owns is a luxury advertisement production company . We make advertisements and plans on ways to promote products and grow the businesses me work with.

Our new client who is on their way up right now is a wine company . Their vineyards are located in the south of France and they have made a new champagne that is flavored with different fruits. They created a new flavor line which is peach, passion fruit , Pear and guava. At first I was skeptical of how well these flavors would taste and if they would really sell or not but after sampling them all I knew they were going to make amazing profit from the new collection.

I sat through thirty minutes of the meeting when my phone continuously rang and vibrated with calls and texts. I knew it was my ex and I started to get fed up so I stopped taking notes so I could just power off my phone.

I grabbed it from my bag with a roll as I saw 6 missed calls and 15 text messages that he had sent in the span of 30 minuets and started powering off my phone .

" You're assistant seems to be more interested in her phone than the importance of this meeting. I must say this is very unprofessional" I hear as my head snaps up and I make eye contact with one of our clients. He glares at me as he scolds me for being on my phone.

" i'm sorry I was just powering it off beca-" I try and explain myself but he immediately cuts me off before I get the chance.

" I don't want to hear any excuses . You need to learn how to respect the people who want to work with your company " he scoffs with a rude eye roll and I cant help the tears that start to fill my eyes.

I look at matt panicking but find him staring at me with an agreed look .

" i'm sorry would you excuse us for a second" matt says as he comes over pulling me out of my chair by my arm and dragging me out o the room.

"I-im sorry I didn't mean to-" I start to say as the tears stream down my face.

" Y/n you need to understand these are very important clients and if this goes right not only I will make a lot of money but so will you . I don't like the way he spoke to you but I will not compromise this deal by saying something to him. So we will take a few minutes for you to calm down and make him think that I set you straight and we will go back in" he says as he places a soft hand on my back soothing me .

I nod " yes sir" I answer as I calm my breathing and look up at him.

We keep eye contact as his eyes seem to grow darker . Something in me stirs as his hand moves up and down slowly on my back at some points getting so low he could grab my ass if he felt inclined too . I hater to say it but his soothing actions are turning me on. Ive always felt a tension between us but I used it aside just telling myself its his cold personality that makes every situation slightly intense .

He moves his hand to my chin holding it and moving my head up to really look at him . He slightly smiles " You calm down?" he asks in a deep voice that for some reason has me clenching my legs together.

"Yes sir i'm sorry for crying I just -"

"I know you don't like being patronized infant of people i've learned that throughout the years you've worked for me . Just be glad your well behaved or you'd really hate me " he says with what sounds like a small chuckle.

" why would I hate you?" I question as I step slightly closer.

"i'm not one to tolerate people misbehaving or defying me . You should know that by now" he answers in a more gravelly voice that has me clenching around nothing .

" right well umm should we go back in " I say in a wavering voice but clear my throat to try and play it off.

He smirks at me but nods his head .

He leads me back to the conference room with a hand on my lower back .

Im moving to open the door but stop when he start whispering to me.

" make it look like I corrected you okay " he whispers before opening the door .

I walk in as I distort my face to make it look as though I am upset and I move quickly to my seat and choose not to even look up at anyone .

I grab my computer and get to typing as matt starts back on the presentation and the clients make their comments and requests .

After about an hour the meeting comes to and end and they decide to go with us for their campaign.

" Me and my wife would like for you to come down to our vineyard in say 4 weeks and shoot promo videos and get photos for the videography does that time frame work for you Mr. Sturniolo?"

the man who blatantly degraded me asks as matt looks to me.

"y/n is the calendar clear that week?" he asks and I pull up his calendar that I schedule and go over it.

" Yes looks like there is only one meeting that week but its with gloria i'm sure we can reschedule it" I answer as I smile at both of them.

"Amazing well my wife is very excited for this campaign . She can be a bit much but what woman isn't right" he says jokingly to matt .

Matt smiles and nods as he leads him out of the office and to the elevator.

I audibly sigh and roll my eyes at his misogynistic comments , safe to say i'm not exactly thrilled ill have to deal with that man on a normal bases but its worth the money so I guess i'll just have to live with it.

Matt comes back in groaning and running his hands through his hair.

" I really do not like that guy" he says making me laugh.

" Trust me neither do I" I say making him chuckle and shake his head.

" He wants us to stay at his estate but I kindly declined . I told him We have many work calls we take and we wouldn't want to be a disruption " he says with a smirk .

I smile widely nodding my head

" Thank god I wouldn't want to be stuck in a house with that man for a day let alone an entire week" I say making him laugh.

" I'll book the hotel so you won't have to worry about that and we'll take the company jet " he says as he grabs his bag and powers off the projector.

" You sure I don't mind dealing with the hotel bookings" I say as I pack up my things as well.

" Yes I have a favorite hotel i've gone too many time there and I know they will give us amazing rooms and the view is amazing" he says as he walks over to me .

" Oh okay" I say smiling up at him.

His hand goes to my jaw like earlier as he moves his thumb softly back and forth .

I lean into the touch as he looks at me deeply like he's studying my soul.

" You did good today I know you're dealing with calls from that asshole and I appreciate you were powering off your phone " he says as he steps him closer to me .

I sigh as I avert my eyes

" Im sorry for causing our client to think of our company as less then because of my actions though" I say still not looking up at him.

" You did nothing wrong you're always a very good girl he's just an asshole who clearly doesn't respect woman"

I blush as I look up at him . His use of the term "good girl" today has gotten me feeling things I shouldn't.

He looks at me as I look up at him .

" If you ever need anything you call me okay . I know i'm your boss but I want you to consider me a friend too " he says as his hand slides down my neck to my shoulder.

His touch leaves goose bumps in its wake which i'm embarrassed about and I can tell he noticed my body reaction by the smirk that grows across his face.

" Yes sir I just wouldn't want to burden you with my problems you have enough to deal with as it is" I answer honestly .

He shakes his head sighing

" Sweetheart you could never be a burden no matter how hard you tried . You're the first assistant i've had for longer than 4 months which can only mean I like you very much and that is rare" he says making me smile .

" Thank you sir I like this job a lot and I hope to keep it for a very long time" I say as I step slightly closer . Our chest are almost flush against each other , im so close I can feel the heat radiating off of him.

" Trust me i'm not letting you go anytime soon " he says in a deep gravely voice that makes me feel such dirty things a literal whimper escapes me .

My eyes widen as I clear my throat and avert my eyes from his.

He grabs my face and turns it to face him again

" Did you just whimper " he asks with a smirk .

" What n-no I was clearing my throat" I say in a panic .

" Are you lying to me y/n " he asks in a teasing tone that almost has be whimpering again.

" No sir " I answer but avoid eye contact.

" Look me in the eyes and tell me the truth" he says in a demanding tone .

I feel as though i'm shrinking into myself as I look up at him .

" Im not lying to you I promise" I say as convincingly as I can.

" You better hope you're telling the truth" he says in a darker deeper voice that has me gulping .

" A-and why is that" I ask as I try and take a step back but bump into the table behind me.

" I don't like liars . Do know what bad lying little girls get y/n " he asks as he steps even closer and i'm forced to sit on the edge of the table as his body is positioned in-between my legs. If anyone where to walk in right now this would be a very compromising position to be in .

" No sir I-i don't" I say .

His entire demeanor changes his large presence now dark and cold as his hand moves to my neck pulling me closer as I gasp in shock.

"They get punished" he kind of growls more than speaks . My mouth opens but no words come out .

He lets go and steps back and goes back to his normal calm demeanor .

I sit in shock as he grabs his bag and starts walking to the door.

"Goodbye y/n see you Tuesday" he says in a kind of sing song tone that has me scoffing. He obviously finds it funny to leave me wet and speechless.

We've never had a moment like that sure we've had weird moments where a little flirting was involved but nothing like what the fuck that just was.

I hop off and grab my bag before rushing down the hall to the elevator . The second I get into my car I scream .

I don't exactly know why I did but it felt great.

I start up my car and put on my nighttime playlist and pull out of the parking garage and pull onto the bright light city roads.

The second I got home I went through all the messages and voicemails from Zach .

15 missed calls from Zach

37 missed texts

all consisting of " call me back" " Im sorry" " I love you so much please" " Fucking bitch answer me" " God your a cunt this is why I cheated on you" and a lot more .

I hate the fact that after listening to three of his voicemails i'm in full tears curled up on my floor in front of my huge floor to ceiling windows.

Im snapped out of my daze when I hear 5 loud bangs on my door . I jump up as my heart pounds . My apartment is the only one on this floor so its not like whoever it is has the wrong apartment .

I slowly make my way to the door when the bangs happen again this time harder .

"OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR Y/N" I hear Zach's voice from the other side .

I panic even more as I slowly go to open the door . The second I turn the lock the door barely open and a fuming Zach marches his way in.

He comes at me so fast I have no time to react . One hand is wrapped tightly around my neck as the other is grasping my hair so tightly I feel like my scalp is on fire.

" You think you're so fucking cute ignoring me huh don't you " he practically spits in my face.

" You-- cheated on me a-and broke up with me w-why are you mad" I choke on as I gasp for in in his tight hold.

" Don't you dare fucking speak to me like that . I said I was sorry but you just want to be a spoiled fucking bitch and ignore my calls" he bites out as his grip on my hair tightens and I scream out in pain.

" You think you are so perfect don't you good fucking too shoes but your just a pathetic little bitch who's unlovable " he shouts in my face as tears start to steam down my face and I cough as I try and pry his hand from my throat.

" I tried to love you I did but you are just so insufferable to be around you know that god your always so pleasant you never do anything bad you're fucking boring all you do is work and come home and sit around doing nothing like a pathetic little loser " He spits as he shoves me into the wall making me yelp.

His hand connects to my face as his fist hits my eye .

He has never acted like this before let alone hit me .

He immediately lets go and steps away also in shock of what he just did .

" I c-cant believe you actually j-just p-punch-ed m-ee" I say in a gasping panicked voiced.

"I-im sorry y/n I ... I didn't mean to I " he says as he steps further away with fear across his face.

"GET OUT GETH THE FUCK OUT " I scream as I fall to the floor and cry .

he runs out closing the door on his way.

My head is pounding my eyes isn't opening correctly and I haven't gotten off the floor in 2 hours.

My phone starts ringing making me jump but I turn it over to see "Matt Sturniolo(boss)" calling .

I don't answer because of the state i'm in and the last thing I want is my boss knowing wtf just happened .

I get a text

" y/f/m/l/n you better answer your phone this is very important" it reads. Judging by the fact he literally just used my full name I know I have to choice to answer his second call to me.

*phone call*

"H-hello" I say as I sniffle and try to make it sound like i'm not crying and my voice isn't stringed.

" Hey I know its late but the clients from today actually want us to come down Tommorrow and stay until the following Sunday and I already cancelled all the appointments this week that were a conflict so I need you up and ready at 10 am Tommorrow I will pick you up at 10 and well head to the airport" he rambles . I panic not knowing what to do I cant say i'm sick because he'll know thats a lie .

I stay silent as I continue sniffling trying to mask my situation .

" y/n are you there ? " he asks in a slightly worried tone.

"Y-yes its just that ... I can't leave Tommorrow " I say as my voice breaks with the last word.

" What why you obviously don't work Tommorrow so what is wrong?" he asks in more of an interrogational tone .

" I j-just cant okay " I bite back as tears start to stream down my face again.

" Y/n what's wrong are you crying " he asks his tone now soft.

"n-no " I try and say without giving away that i'm lying but obviously fail.

" I can hear you sniffling and your voice is choked up tell me what's wrong" he says in a sweet voice .

I sigh loudly " Zach came by earlier and he ..." I stop myself from finishing my sentence not wanting to tell my boss about the embarrassing events .

" He what y/n" his voice sounding slightly angry now.

" He yelled at me and said really hurtful things and then he ... he punched me " I answer in a squeaky raspy tone.

" HE HIT YOU" matt yells from the other side of the phone

"Y-yes" I say as more tears stream down my face .

"Thats it I'm coming to you is your door unlocked " he ask as I hear keys rattle in the background.

"Wait what n-no don't come here" I say in a panic . I do not want him seeing me like this its for one embarrassing and two he's my boss he shouldn't be coming to my apartment .

" Don't tell me no i'll be down there in 5 minutes that door better be unlocked"

I go to protest but the line goes dead.

As much as I love my apartment it doesn't help that Matt lives in the penthouse at the top floor of the building meaning he has easy access to come and see me if he really wants to hence why hell be down in 5 minutes .

I sit on my floor as I try and at least stop the crying before he gets here.

As i'm sitting calming myself my door opens and in walks matt.

I turn away from the door so he doesn't see my face.

" y/n where are y- why are you on the floor?" his voice rings as steps approach me .

I shrugged but burry my face in my arms .

I feel him sit next to me as his scent fills my nose . I sigh but still don't bring my head up .

" y/n look at me" he says in a soft sweet tone.

"No " I say as I shake my head .

"Y/n please you're safe with me you know that i'm not going to judge you" he says as his large hand soothe up and down on my back .

Im so embarrassed that at my grown age I'm crying infant of my fucking boos.

I lift my head and look at him as a look of anger and pain washes over his face.

" sweetheart" he whispers as he immediately pulls me into his chest cradling me . I feel as though i'm a little girl girl again being rocked back to sleep after a nightmare . I being sobbing in his arms as I choke out all the horrible things Zach called me and said to me.

" You are non of those things. Don't think for a second that what he says is true , You're are amazing , sweet, hard working and strong . He is a crazy ass motherfucker who didn't deserve you in the first place" he says as he rocks me slightly .

I for some reason feel inclined to crawl into his lap and bury my face in his chest . I know this entire situation should not be happening right now but I cant stop myself from doing it.

The thing is he lets me he pulls me closer as he smooths my hair and holds me to his chest tightly .

After god knows how long i've stopped crying and my breathing has become somewhat controlled.

I unbury my head from his chest and look up at him .

He smiles weakly

" My sweet girl" he says as his hand gently runs across my face wiping some tears away . I wince when his hand grazes my eye area.

" where are your pain meds ?" he asks as he runs his hand through my tossed hair .

" My bedside table" I answer in a whispered and exhausted tone.

" Alright come on lets get you upstairs " he says as he picks me up off his lap setting me on the ground and standing up then extending his hand to me , I take it as he pulls me up then follows me up the stairs to where my room is .

he tells me to get into bed as he runs down to the kitchen getting me water and rushing back up .

" which table right or left?" he asks .

I try and remember which one but cant so I just shrugged and answered that I couldn't remember so he goes to the rightsize on first .

He opens it and his mouth pops open as he looks at me .

"w-what are they in there " I ask in confusion as to why he looks shocked .

he just stares as me and slowly shakes his head .

It dawns on me after a couple seconds that that is the one I keep my "personal items in" . My body flys up in bed as I rush to close the drawer .

" Im so sorry I forgot about keeping those in that one I ... god thats so embarrassing.

" I never thought of you as the type to own things like that" he says with a laugh making me groan and hide my face in a pillow.

"Im only messing around with you , i'm not uncomfortable about seeing that its normal" he says as he walks to the other table finding the Advil and pouring out two in his hand .

" Take these to her with the swelling before it gets worse" he says as he walks over to me .

" were seriously just going to breeze over the fact that you ... my boss just say my ... "

" toys yes now take these" he says shoving his hand in my face . I sigh as I take them out of his hand and toe them into my mouth then take the water he had in his hand and swallow them down.

" Now i'm going to help you pack . Where are your suitcases " he says as he start walking around my room searching .

" You're actually joking right there is no way I can go looking like this" I say in a bratty tone . I didn't mean to use that tone its just the way it came out.

" First of all watch your tone but yes you're still coming and it will get better in a day or two and we don't have to start the campaign shooting until Tuesday so we can just stay in until then or when we go out you can just wear sunglasses. Now suitcases where are they?"

I groan but point to the door "hallway closet " I say as I yawn .

He nods and walks to the door opening it and coming back 5 seconds later with two suitcases in hand.

" Okay what do want to pack first pants, shirt ...? " he ask as he sets them out on the couch I have on the wall opposite my bed.

"Well I usually pack pants first "

" Okay where are your pants" he asks looking at me .

" Bottom three rows in the closet" I answer

" Any specific ones you want ?" he asks

" You know what how about you pick 4 pairs and i'll say yes or no " I say as I getting extra comfy in bed .

" Yes ma'am " he says jokingly as he makes his way to my large walk in closet.

He comes out 2 minutes later with 4 pairs in hand.

He holds up the first pair , I nod and he smiles " I really like these ones" he says as he happily packs them in my bag.

Second pair - I happily nod and he packs them.

Third pair - I dead pan as he laughs actually laughs . " You've gotta be kidding those were all the way at the back " I say as I give him a look. " why do you even own these " "They were part of a halloween costume like 2 years ago" he just shakes his head and sets them aside .

Fourth pair - " Matt this is a business trip" I say as a I shake my head no . " I know that sweetheart but we don't have to be in business attire the whole time" " I guess your right okay yes pack those"

"Okay next skirts pick 3 they are hung on the left side along with the dresses pick tow of those" I instruct him as I try and stay awake .

He comes back out with a big smile which i'm finding slightly unsettling given ive never seen him so cheerful before

dress one - " absolutely not"I say. He sighs and sets it aside

Dress two - I smile and nod yes . He neatly packs it

Skirt one - immediate yes

Skirt two - Yes

After 45 more minutes i'm fully packed except for underwear and socks.

"Okay last things are undergarments " he says as he looks at me waiting for to tell him where they are.

" Don't worry about those ill pack those in the morning " I say as I wave him off.

" I have a feeling if I let you do that you'll forget " he says as he tilts his head . I hate to admit but he probably right.

" fine okay top shelf of the drawers on the right wall" I say as my face flushes red. My boss definitely should not be handling my underwear and bras but at this point i'm to tired to care.

"wow these are organized so nicely" I hear him say from inside my closet.

Their's silence for a second before he comes out with a handful of my sets with a smirk on his face.

He sets them on top as well as socks .

"Okay done now shoes " I tell him where the shoes are and he picks all good options so that was easy.

He packs up my makeup and skincare bag putting them in the suitcase with the shoes .

" Okay fully packed and ready to go" he says as he pushes both cases by the door .

"Thank you Sir you really didn't have to do all of this" I say sincerely

" First of all as much as I love you calling me sir when we are outside the office call me matt you calling me sir makes me feel fucking old" he says with a smile.

I choke on air at his beginning comment with makes him chuckle.

" Im grateful I have you as a boss matt"

" Im great full to have you as my assistant y/n "

We both share smiles before he turns on my ceiling fan and comes and sits on the edge of my bed.

" I want you to know I genuinely do care about you y/n not just because you are my assistant but because your all around a great girl " he says as his pulls his hand on my comforter covered leg giving it small shake.

" Thank you matt really I couldn't ask for a better boss" I smile at him with half open eyes.

" I'll let you get some rest and ill take your extra key so you can sleep as long as you can and ill just come down and grab your bags and make sure your up and awake by 10" he says as he pats my leg and stands up.

" You sure I don't mind setting and alarm " I ask .

" Im sure now get some sleep and ill see you in the morning "

"Okay well see you in the morning and thank you again really "

" Of course . Good night y/n "

" Good night matt"

God what the fuck just happened ...

[kaelidascope]

Dude, I love this fanfic so much! I just wanted to ask where you got the idea from. Did you have any inspiration from anyone? Also, what's your favorite fanfic? And want do you recommend ?

AWE bless!! Thank you so much I'm glad you're enjoying it <33

So actually a good 80% of this is written from personal experience LOL I used to dance and was into drift building/racing in my late teens/early twenties! Most of the references or scenes in Midnight Menagerie are references to things I've seen or done in real life, OR stories friends have told me within the same field. (Nora is literally just a rebranding of this one mutual friend we had who just. Absolutely fucking unhinged) Like for example, the anticipated Hangover Chapter is just a retelling of an insane Summer weekend I had in 2017 ☠️ it's a personal delight being able to translate things into the narrative, even more so knowing people find my stupid, terrible decisions as amusing as I do in current times lol

My general rule of thumb is to write from experience. Things I understand either on a technical point or emotional connection. So, if you've read it in my work, it's probably something I've done LOL

Another reason I find drive in writing this type of narrative is that MM!Blake's type of dissociative PTSD is something I haven't seen much in media in general. I've seen people depict her in various ways (some of them good!), but none of them ever really apply directly to me, so I wanted to make something that I could relate to and how to properly navigate life, given the environmental circumstances. Plus some us need better examples on how to juggle mental illness as adults and also be in healthy long term relationships because damn I have zero reference LOL

For the fic recs, oh boy I have so many LOL time to be a pathetic fangirl on main but okay here's the ones that immediately jump to mind (also heads up most of these are mature or explicit rating);

Certified Kaeli Fresh Fics

Let You See My Wilder Side (If I Can See Your Bones)

We all know this one but it is, hands down, my favorite piece of literature of all time. Masterfully crafted and a timeless classic worth several rereads (and I have. Embarrassingly so)

Written by @/lucytara on tumblr || @/explosive_sky on twitter

honestly all her works are immaculate and beyond compare. Also a major fan of I Have A Bullet With Your Mouth On It (That was first RWBY fanfic I ever read LMAO a friend recommended it to me before I even watched the show) I aspire to write like her some day. It's what got me writing fanfiction in the first place. So, credit goes to Erin for inspiring me to post my manuscripts at all. Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation. I have two book series in the process of being published now and I wouldn't have had the nerve to do it had it not been for this specific fic.

2. One Day At A Time

Also one of the earlier fics I read before getting into the show LOL I love all of @/Frenchsoda 's work, the full list is also worth checking out. I'm a fan of disgruntled Blake who doesn't understand her attraction to Yang but it's so god damn sweet ugh

3. Fucking In Love

Written by @/Set_WingedWarrior and @/Softlight

This one circulates a lot in my social circles. Everyone I know LOVES this one and after reading it earlier this year, now I see why. As someone who worked in the sex industry for a brief period of time, this one's not only accurate but also A DELIGHT to read. The premise is fun, captivating, and worth the wait. I actually discovered a chapter update earlier this year and sent the gc into hysterics because we thought the fic was dead LMAO props to these authors!! They're doing an amazing job and deserve praise

4. You're A Mountain, Full Of Glory

written by champion author @/lescousinsdangereux

I should just preface already that every book Blake reads in MM is a fanfiction that exists because I love Easter eggs. Everyone knows I had Blake reference this in chapter 3 LOL but it's equally as immaculate as Erin's work. I LOVED especially the dynamic between Weiss, Yang, and Ruby in this one. Baby, we're complicated fucking murdered me 😭 also that fuckass Christmas scene, that's my favorite Christmas song LMAO

5. The Home Inside Your Head

Written by the ever skilled @/writeriguess . I found this fic by accident by seeing fanart for it floating around on this site. Got curious, picked at it, and. Oh, my god. It's not very often my brain gets scratched in the right way, but boy this one does it. This author does something specifically unique I haven't seen many do before, and I applaud them for it. There's great detail on the scenes that matter, and the fucking organic build up between Blake and Yang is just. God. Chef's kiss. Truly. It feels so god damn natural and healthy and it's already crossing off several of my agendas already. Give this one a read and give the author some love. SENSUAL FACE TOUCHING? CHAPTER 13????? BOOOOOOOYYYYYYY I'm normal about it

6. You'd Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)

Written by @/WabaJaba_ on twitter

Okay so this one's completely different than what I've previously listed but HOLY FUCKING SHIT IS IT A THRILLER. It doesn't nearly have the amount of love and attention it truly deserves. A friend of mine recommended it to me because it shook them so fucking hard they were in total brainrot hell for a MONTH. NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY LMAO God I was obsessed with this for weeks myself. It obviously lives up to it's rating, horror fics aren't for everyone. But if you're able to read it, good lord you should. It's chilling, captivating, and had me on the edge of my fucking seat the entire time. Both endings are good, I still can't decide which one I prefer but RAH I will make sure this is seen god dammit

and last but certainly not least

7. You And Me and This Temptation

written by talented author @/ProfessorSpork

Okay this one was an accidental find as well. A friend sent it to me because THEY found it by accident, I clicked on it for later, went looking for a completely different fic that I mistook for this one, started skimming and realized 'wait a minute LMAO I don't recognize this'. But the thing you have to understand is I hate reading. I'm not a reader, I'm picky and it needs to be worth sitting down for long periods of time. This is one of the rare instances where I was so captivated by it I kept reading more and more from the middle where I landed, and eventually just said ykw let me just start from the beginning cus LMAO context.

This one is, by far, one the healthiest and loveliest depictions of first times I have ever seen. This shit was so inspiring to me that it literally kickstarted an essay in someone's DMs why depictions like this are so important. I didn't have this experience irl, and why MM is written the way it is is because its meant to serve as a lighthouse for those who, like me, haven't. This fic however I feel like should be a required read for anyone getting into relationships for the first time because if it's not like how these two interact, LEAVE IT. This is the standard. This is amazingly written, it's the closest I've ever seen canon Yang and Blake be written to date. The fucking souvenir bit 😭 NJKFGNFJKGNGJ killed me, I was kicking my feet laughing for a good minute. This is the kind of standard everyone should look at and go 'yeah, I want what they have' BECAUSE IT'S CORRECT. LOUD CORRECT BUZZER NOISES

Honestly everything in my bookmarks is certified Kaeli Fresh but these 7 are my top faves. They're probably also really commonly known I'm sure but LMAO like I said I don't read much 😭 which is heavily ironic considering I write myself. Anyway this ended up way longer than I intended but LOL <3 <3 go give these incredible authors love!!

[ceaseless-watchers-special-girl]

you guys. you guys you guys. i think i know what i want from the final season of the penumbra podcast. i have spent the past ten minutes pacing around my room. yesterday i read up to chapter 17 of prydon's fic separate but syncopated (https://archiveofourown.org/works/30943430/chapters/76417991) which let's be honest, you've probably read already. it's phenomenal. if you haven't, you should.

so i've been thinking. i just really want to go back to brahma. i want to go back to brahma and take down the guardian angel system.

the thing is, the junoverse is a very character driven storyline, and i love that about it. the second citadel is more event driven i think, and it was more difficult for me to get into that storyline and stick with it (i'm weak i'm sorry). for example, although the first season focuses a lot on juno solving the whole martian artefact doodah, back then the penumbra crew were still finding their feet.

then junoverse season 2 happened, and the entire point of that season was basically "get juno over his trauma" (that's why it was so long oh my god). sure, there was a whole plot with ramses and the theia souls, but i think we can all agree that was secondary to juno's character development.

next, season 3. season 3 is definitely character driven, you literally can't deny it. it focuses on each member of the carte blanche in turn, and it uses the plot, finding the curemother prime, as a secondary tool to further the true point of the season: getting to know the characters.

season 4 i'm a little less certain about because i'm typing this post straight into tumblr fresh out of my brain (if anyone wants to help out with the analysis i'd love that). but i think the point of season 4 is to test and showcase the bonds of the carte blanche with each other, and juno rescuing them all is not only a good story, but also a good way to show off the relationships they built in season 3. his relationship with nureyev is shown through periodic reading of the journal, and juno's copious inner monologues (i say like i'm one to talk when all of these thoughts are swirling around in my own head).

then, season 5. the point of this season mirrors that of season 2, but this time, we need to get nureyev over his trauma. this is way trickier, because we're not inside nureyev's head, we're still in juno's. it's still character driven because the aim is to help nureyev, but the plot is given by juno having to chase him across the galaxy. hence, juno's hesitation when he finally finds nureyev.

well, steel, you've caught him. now what the hell are you going to do with him?

there is no plot to drive the character study anymore. our goal was to help nureyev, and juno (poor juno) has done all he can. the ball falls squarely into nureyev's court now, and juno has no say in the plot of the rest of the story. this is why i have been chewing myself alive since the last episode — we know what's next for the characters emotionally, but we have absolutely zero idea what's happening next plot-wise. it's killing me.

(what was the point of this post again?)

OH WAIT I'VE GOT IT. so. since our whole thing for this season is helping nureyev, and we all want him to go batshit fucking insane, i really want nureyev to go back to brahma, and finish what he started two decades ago. i think it's the perfect circular story arc to keep them occupied while nureyev heals emotionally from the fallout from everything going on with slip.

also, sorry to get real for a second, but i've just been tearing myself apart being morally outraged at the world we live in, and the fact that i'm barely able to do anything about it. maybe one day i could, but until then, it would be nice to see my favourite space gays set an example.

now, i know there's complications with this. nureyev refused to take the guardian angel system down in the first place because of the damage it would cause, and i'm willing to bet he hasn't excised that moral core just yet, no matter how hard he's trying. but i'm sure they can find a way to make it work. they have rita, after all!!

they're definitely hinting at a homecoming arc for juno. i think nureyev needs one too, is all.

[cthrnschumacher]

I'm Yours - Ch.4 Teenage Dream

Toto's POV

I hear the door open and soon shut as I pack my things. I take a minute to assess my day before going to her immediately. I have never been around anyone who makes me feel or act in such a way. It is not that she is driving me literally insane, but all I can imagine is her taking everything I can give her. That can be up for interpretation for most people, but I mean it emotionally, financially, and mostly physically. This isn't to say that she is someone who is lost and needs a solid figure in their life to help them. But I want to be there for her to release the built-up pressure inside her. I've been making mental notes the entire day on her reactions towards what I do, the consistent blushes (which is fucking adorable), over-apologizing, always working and keeping busy and, most importantly, self-doubting her abilities or things she rightfully earns. She has had a strict upbringing because I exude the same traits, except I'm now established and want to help her. She needs a dominant hand to help her become the person I know she can be. She is a good girl. Hopefully, my good girl and I will do anything to build her up and be more powerful.

Shaking off this inner monologue, I turn to exit the hall and out of the building. I see her in the distance, just admiring the skyline; the shade of orange is beautifully falling on her, and the city, and seeing her brings a smile to my face. Walking towards her, "Ready to get dinner? You can put your things in the trunk of my car while I drive to the place?" This is still surreal for her since she stumbles over her words, "Uhhhh..... sure ...... l-lead the way!" We walked silently as I led the way to the parking garage. I had to slow down my pace so she could walk close by to me and allow her to just slow down for a bit since I knew her day must have been busy, but I glanced towards her. She is on her phone again, typing away on her notes app. I decided to comment on it since I noticed it all day, and I know she isn't doing it intentionally. However, she can't stay in the moment or still. "You are such a busy person. Do you ever get a chance to just stop and relax?" She saves the notes and looks up at me, a little embarrassed, but responds nonchalantly, "Not really, but I like being busy. It fills a void, you know." It makes my heart ache to hear her say that, especially with such poise. Being busy fills a void; this poor girl never gets to have time for herself.

No wonder she is constantly moving, and it's at an alarmingly rapid pace. She doesn't give herself a break; she must be burnt out. I've decided that when she comes to Brackely, she will be close to me, and I will bring her to races to relax. I retort back, since I am confident it needs to be taught, "Y/N, when you start your fellowship, your first lesson is the art of boundaries because you clearly need to learn some." I smirk at her with this comment. I intended for her to know that boundaries are in all aspects of our lives, and she needs to allow me to teach that to her. Pulling me from this thought, "Boundaries have been nonexistent in my life, and I'm always willing to learn new things, so why not." I am at peace that she agrees and senses that this is an actual learning opportunity to build a helpful habit and that she is willing to let me help her.

We headed into the building, repeating the actions I had done earlier, and started leading the way to my car again. She followed closely until I reached the car and popped open the trunk. I place my shoulder bag in the trunk and turn to help her take off her backpack and place it in the trunk. What surprised me was the weight of her bag. It was heavy; no wonder she fell backwards when I bumped into her, "How do you carry such a heavy thing on your back? This must hurt." I am genuinely astonished at the amount of things she goes through. She giggles and tells me it is part of the workout routine, and the comment makes me shake my head; at least she is being humourous about it. I press the button for the trunk to close and try to back her up until she is leaning against the trunk. She turns red from my actions, curious about what I will do and how close I am to her, and she bites her lower lip. I just look her deep in the eyes; I want to do so much but don't know where to begin. I caress her cheek, then switch the positioning of my hand so her cheek is in my palm, and my thumb is swiping her bottom lip; I want to be the only one that tugs at that lip, but to make light of the situation while keeping it intimate, "Ohh... Liebling, you should bite your lip; we will eat soon. You don't want to waste your appetite." But I still swipe my thumb across her trembling lip. I pull away now, lead her to the passenger side, and get her safely in the car as I go to the driver's side and take us to the restaurant.

We both make light conversation during the car ride to the restaurant; I allow her to pick a music station so the car isn't dead silent; it is astonishing how comfortable she is with silence. She is used to solitude because of school and work, so silence is more efficient. She found a station she likes since I can see her bopping her head to the song on the radio. This gives me some peace, and before I even know it, I am pulling up to the place. I hope she really likes it. I never intended to make this evening a date, but I hope she sees I am not just some hotshot Team Principal on the grid; I care for those I work around and try to know everything about them. It's the least I can do when everyone around me makes the same effort to succeed. I pull into the parking lot and park the furthest away. Getting out first, I make my way around to open Y/N's door to let her out; she smiles and thanks me as I shut the door behind her. I sense this is still awkward, but I wonder if she has ever been on a date or been treated like this. Maybe that's why she is nervous; no guy has ever done this. Well, at least I get to set the standards high.

We walk into the restaurant. I give the maître d' my name, and we are immediately seated by the window overlooking the city skyline; she admires the view, and I can only admire her. The menus are set in front of us, and I glance up at her just not to startle her. "Is it alright if I order for the both of us? There are a few things I think you'll like?" "uhhh, Sure, I'm not that picky when it comes to food. All I ask is you not poison me, haha." Her sense of humour is too cute. "No, no, no, don't worry, that will be for another time," I joke back, and she smiles, "Did you also want to have a glass of wine, just so I can get a bottle?" I can see she is a little hesitant; she is thinking, I hope I didn't make her recollect a horrible memory. Maybe I'll repeat, "You don't have to have a glass. It's okay. I’m just offering." "No, no, no, it's fine; I was just thinking I have a light day tomorrow, so one glass won't hurt." That was a bit of a relief; I really didn't want to pressure her into anything.

The waiter returned, and I placed the entire order for both of us, from start to finish, including our wine order. The people here know I like minimal interruptions since I spend most of my time answering emails on my phone. Once he leaves us, she happens to be looking out the window; she seems more relaxed and winding down. I can tell she puts up a front when interacting with faculty and students, a professional one which is appropriate for her situation, but it takes a toll on her. She has one with me right now, but I don't take any offence; she is still shy, and I can only do my best to be less intimidating. As the starters come, she initiates the conversation; her way of recharging is quiet. That's good to note, "What made you want to guest lecture? I know this isn't your first time doing so, but what inspiration are you hoping the audience gets from your content?" She understands that we are in a more intimate setting. It's an excellent question on the passion behind teaching and what brought this opportunity about. She starts picking at the blue cheese salad, which she likes. I would have considered her interested in blue cheese, but she seems satisfied with it or just picking at it. "Well.... the Professor of your course is interested in equity, diversity and inclusion within certain fields. Now, the area of sports is highly different; he saw the transition happening in typical North American Sports, which is a classic route to research. However, there is little discussion on European sports, which consist of cricket, football - your version of soccer, and specifically motorsports. I assume he is a team fan and keeps up the initiatives that Mercedes has been announcing, which is why he brought me to guest lecture a few times ...... As for the interest in speaking to students, I don't see it as 'lecturing to you'....... but rather as a means of a conversation and wanting your inquiry on improving inclusion and equality efforts within the industry. As someone living, breathing and always thinking about Mercedes and F1, you don't see the outsider's perspective. It helps to have younger minds who are more creative to help assess if your actions are truly right or wrong, and when they are, the best part is looking for a creative solution." It was an honest answer, and the best part was seeing how these young minds view the world I live in and how to improve it for others to come and enjoy my passion. I take the chance to start eating the salad; she has eaten about one-fourth of it; she takes the time to absorb what I say but to get some food into her system as well.

Once I'd had a few bites, I asked her, "What brought you to the world of F1?" Midway through chewing and swallowing her bite, she choked a little and started to blush heavily; concerned for her, I brought the glass of water close by so she could have a sip after her little fit and took it appreciatively. After regaining her composure, she still had a rosy colour to her cheeks. I smirked, waiting to hear her answer; it must be ironic if it made her choke slightly on her food. "Would you hate me if I said it was through watching DTS?" She looked up at me shyly, waiting to see if I would be offended; I wasn't. That was the show's purpose: to broaden the audience of those interested in the sport. But I could tell she wasn't telling me the truth, "Which part of DTS interested you?" "Well, the first time I saw the show was Gasley’s episode, and him winning his first podium at Monza. It was a heartfelt episode, especially when they showed how dangerous the sport can get......But before I even decided to watch the show, I did some research on the sport and the remebered that it wasn't the first time I've heard about, but the name Schumacher rang a bell and I used to hear about the sport all the time through a friend who enjoyed the sport..... I got older, and it wasn't until recently I got back into it and watched DTS in full from a year ago and started watching FPs, quali’s and the races..... But I guess it was the Mercedes epsiodes that put it over the edge... your zeal is quite compelling compared to the other Team Principals," She giggles slightly before continuing again, ".... Well, it was you and Steiner. Still, Steiner is in his own catergory because he is just straight up hilarious to watch."

I chuckle at her comment, I can see her interest stems from me, but she won't let on much more; I can tell she is a tad embarrassed if I get the honest response out of her, but the Steiner part is hilarious, when I see him again, I have to tell him that my research fellow thinks he's a joke, he will be pissed in jokingly manner, but he also knows it. The waiter comes to take your starters and place our main. I ordered the Aglio olio peperoncino e gamberi, pasta with seafood. It was light on the stomach but hardy as well. As they set the dishes down, I can't help but see Y/N light up. She must love pasta and/or seafood. I am pleased with my choice; she is right to say she is not picky, but I want to get to know her taste.

Seeing her eyes light up like that makes me feel warm; it's the idea of pleasing and making her happy. I just want to witness it repeatedly. As the waiters left, she started eating; I was glad to see her appetite back; we ate for a while in silence; only now did the gravity of my hunger hit my stomach. I try not to make it out like a vulture who hasn't eaten in days, but my last meal was breakfast and coffee with a pastry; real food feels good in my system. I look up and see she pauses to take a sip from her glass of wine; I can tell she is pacing herself, not wanting to rush. I take this moment as a breather to swallow what I was chewing on, swipe my mouth slightly and sip from the wine. She comments, "Your judgement on food is quite delicious; thank you for the dinner." I smile; I don't want to shy away from her compliment; she is enjoying herself, even after all the teasing I put her through, and the fact she values her time with me is an added bonus, which provides me with a sense of relief on an entire day. "Well, I am happy you agreed to join me for dinner; you are an amazing company with amazing food."

I say this, taking hold of my glass of wine and sipping from it again, ready to finish my plate; she takes a sip and does the same. I demolished my plate of food in no time. Y/N has a little left, but I think she can only eat a little more, judging by how she placed her fork and knife on the plate. I signal for the waiter to get the check ready. I look back at Y/N, and she informs me that she is excusing herself to the washroom, and I nod, needing no further explanation. She went to the restroom, and the waiter brought the bill right over and handed me the machine. I gave a generous tip, as I always do, tapped my card, and he handed me the receipt. I get up from my seat and use the restroom, taking this opportunity to freshen up.

I want to drive her home and make sure she gets home safe, and it's pretty late; I wouldn't want her to take transit home at this hour, especially since her day was long. I return and wait at the table again, but she notices me and turns around. "Ready to go?" "There is more to this evening?" I smirked at her response; she didn't want our time to end, which reassured me of my decision to drive her home. "No, I was going to drive you home; you must be tired, and public transit must take forever this late at night." "Ohh, you don't have it. It's not a problem...." "Please, I insist, Schatzi. Plus, I get to spend a bit more time with you." She blushes at the nickname; it was reflexive to say, but she nods to let me take her home.

We walk out of the restaurant together, her hand slightly brushes against mine; I'm happy that I parked quite a bit away, and I take the chance to hold her hand. She looked down at the gesture and blushed. It was intimate, but I didn't expect her to lean into me a bit; it made me gush inside that she was reacting this way. By all means, she doesn't come off as clingy, but I can tell she likes physical affection. We get to the car, and I open the door for her; she slips in, and I shut the door and rush to the driver's side. I turn on the car and allow her to put her address into the GPS system. The drive is 30 minutes; I see it in a little bit of disbelief. That time is double if she is commuting; how she does that daily is beyond me. Once the car GPS is set up, I exit the place and follow the directions. It is relatively quiet this time of night; it's only really 11pm, and there isn't much traffic either.

I feel more relaxed driving with one hand and resting my arm in the center. I glance slightly at Y/N, and she is eyeing my hand. I keep my eyes focused on the road, but I can't tell if she is uncomfortable with me driving like this. Still, I hear her say, "Can I hold your hand again? I know that's weird to ask, but I liked that....." I briefly turn my head towards her and back to the road to see her shy face inquire on the request, "Yes, of course, I would love that." She places her small hand in mine, delicately intertwining our fingers. She is slightly cold, but not so much that is concerning, but it feels nice in my larger, calloused hands. We continue driving in silence; every now and then, I glance at her to see if she is okay and to look at our hands together; she just makes me feel nice. We are about 10 minutes from her house and making a turn to be on her street soon until I hear her speak up. "I know the GPS is telling you to make a right, but don't do that yet. Head straight until you see an empty parking lot, turn into it, and park the car. I want to spend a bit more time before going home." I stutter a bit; the request is something I will not refuse. "Of... of course."

I follow her directions to the parking lot and turn into a random spot, not caring about the parking. Her focus is still on our hands intertwined, and I study her face. She doesn't want the night to end; she relishes being around me. I hook my finger onto her chin so she can look up at me. Doing so, I can see this intensity in her eyes, almost like a bit of pain that the night will end. I speak up to break the silence, "I really loved spending most of today with you, you know that...." "Really? You did?" "Ya... I, too, don't want our time to end..." I say this and slip my hand from her chin to her cheek. Her eyes flutter shut, and she leans her head into my hand, allowing me to caress her more; I adore her like this. It has me weak. Her voice is strained and soft. "I don't want it to end too...." Fuck it, I'm kissing her. This knife-edging of teasing has gone long enough today. I pull her face towards me and crash my lips onto hers. Her lips are soft and plush and feel incredible against mine; the kiss is feverish, and our lips move in sync. I take this opportunity to let go of her hand and use both my hands to caress her face and tip her head back, trying to deepen the kiss. Her small hands were on my biceps, steading herself and accepting my little gesture, her slightly gasping, giving me a chance for my tongue to enter her mouth. We fight until she seizes my dominance; I feel her slightly pull away and realize we have been kissing for a while and need air. I pull away and see her breathing heavily, and I'm doing the same; she looks at me, and all I can hear is the unbuckling of the seat belt and a mutter of "fuck it." Confused, I glance up at her, coming over to the central console and straddling my lap; I didn't imagine this ever happening in a million years, but I push the seat back more for her to fit. She has both her legs on either side of me; she fits perfectly on my lap, her back in a slight arch, wanting to be closer; it’s her turn to grab my face with her tiny hands and kiss me. She is soft and gentle at first, but after I place my hands on her hips and squeeze slightly, she gasps, and I take the chance for my tongue to enter her mouth again. We both fight longer this time, but wanting to hear that gasp again, I switch things up and bite her bottom lip. I can't resist it much longer, and she gasps again; it's music to my ears, making her arch further into me. I keep doing that, kissing and sucking on her bottom lip, it's like a drug to me, but it elicits her to further press into me.

I feel her pull back again; I take the chance to look at her bottom lip. It's bruised, but I love that I did that to her. Reflexively, my hands move from her hips and run my hands up and down her outer thighs. We both sit still, trying to catch our breath. "Toto..... th... that... was" "heavenily." I was indeed on cloud nine. I could kiss her all day on my lap if I could. I am still running my hands up and down her thighs, her arms wrapped around my neck; I look down at her, getting lost in her beautiful brown eyes, my voice soft but knowing this night has to end.

"I must get you home now, its late..." She nods, knowing that for sure now, the night must end. We stay silent for a bit longer; I suggest, "You can text or call me and I will always answer you back, schatzi." "I can??" My heart aches now to be away from her; I cup her face and kiss her forehead. "Yes, I can't stay away from you." I feel her smile, and she hums in approval of the comment. I run my hands up to her hips again to lift her gently off my lap and to help her in the passenger seat. She buckles her seat belt, and I give her many hands to hold. She instantly intertwines her hand in mine; I gently squeeze her, and she looks up at me and smiles. I hope she knows how much she makes me insane, literally wrapping around her little finger, but I will tell her that another day.

I start up the car and follow the GPS to her home. I park a few houses down, get out of the vehicle, and make my way to open hers. I hold her hand and walk towards the trunk to retrieve her backpack. Pressing the button to close the trunk, I place her bag on top. I cup her face, lean down and kiss her one last time. Her small hands instantly reach for my biceps, needing something to hold one. I tug at her bottom lip a few times, not wanting to forget how it feels and pull away. She looks at me warmly; it aches that I must leave her, "Text me when you get back to the hotel, ya.... I want to make sure you get back safe." She makes me smile; she says the darns of things, but it's sweet that she cares for me, "I will, now walk on home, okay? I want to ensure you get in, okay, flicker the lights when you do, okay?" "Okay.... bye, Toto, and again, thank you. Today was memorable." She grabs her bag and walks towards her house. I see her enter and notice the lights turn on above the garage. It flickers, telling me she is safe

I get in my car and drive back to the hotel. It wouldn't be a long car ride since the roads were empty at this hour. I can't help but brush my fingertips lightly over my lips. They are slightly puffed from the kissing, but it makes me blush. Her lips were perfect on mine, in sync with me, and hearing her gasp was music to my ears. I need to hear more of her; that's all I can think about, wanting more of her around me. She even surprised me by straddling me in the car; it took everything in me not to move my hands lower to grab her ass and grind on her, and even how she was gripping my biceps to keep her steady made me hotter. I can feel my chinos getting uncomfortably tighter, the urge to fuck her, hear her gasp, and moan my name. I want those pretty lips to moan for me; that is all I'm thinking about. I pull into the hotel's underground parking, gladdened that these elevators can lead straight to the floor I'm on, so I don't need to cover my situation up too much but fuck, Y/N has me achingly hard. I open the door to my room and shut it behind me; I walk towards the couch, pull out my phone, find Y/N's contact, and text her.

I just got to the hotel.

Gute Nacht und süße Träume, mein Lieber

Clicking send and placing the phone on the desk, I strip off my clothes; maybe a cold shower will help relieve some of my aches. I hop in the shower and lather my body quickly as the cold water refreshes and awakens. I turn off the tap and wrap a towel around my waist. I head to the sink to brush my teeth, and the sight of my puff lips only makes me hard again. Now, it's not that they were overly puffed; it's just slightly pink from our action, but it ignited the many things I just wanted to do to her. Taking no shame for the thoughts this time, I finish brushing my teeth and exit the washroom. Getting close to the bed, I unwrap the towel from my waist, taking the time to dry my legs, up my thighs, ghost over my ranging hard-on, then my abdomen up to my chest and drying both my arms after then placing the towel to my hair and drying it. I know it's wrong to need to alleviate myself from the thought of fucking her, but I can no longer help it.

I climb into the bed, still naked and run my hand down my abs until I reach my cock; I gently brush my fingertips on the length of it, imagining it was Y/N, her ghost-like touches on me. I do this a few times until I feel the precum dripping down my cock. Fuck I'm a leaking mess, but I encourage my actions; I smear the precum from the tip of my cock over the entire length lubing it up. I imagine I'm running my cock through her pussy lips, feeling her slick and how wet she is for me, probably dripping in anticipation. I make sure my cock is covered in my precum before making a tight fist around my cock and sliding down slowly, just imagining her tight pussy engulfing my length, feeling her clench around me until I bottom out in her. I do this a few times and start picking up the pace. Moving my hand up and down my cock faster, thinking it was her bouncing on my cock, to feel her clench around me, and I start thrusting into her more quickly. I am getting close; in the subspace that I'm in, I can barely recognize that I'm moaning her name, asking her to cum with me. I feel my grip tightening around my cock, wishing it was her walls clenching around me as she cums on my cock, that thought sends me over the edge, her cumming on my cock, and I groan at the spurts of cum land on my lower abs, I don't stop jerking my hand up and down, I imagine her riding it out until her walls don't flutter. How much I could give to make her cum, to feel her pussy on my cock, to feel her warm walls around my length. I lazy jerk to that idea, and I look down, and I'm still hard, fuck if this is the idea of her, I can't imagine what it would be like fucking her or Y/N underneath me. I'm at the point where my imagination runs wild, and I can't help but think of fucking her in the car. Hoping this is the last time I cum to sleep peacefully, I scoop up the cum from my abs and lube my cock on last time, her warm walls being the only thing I can think about, thrusting into her slowly, making sure she can feel my entire length, fuck I can feel that I'm leaking and imagine her pussy just gushing being filled, seeing her eyes roll in pleasure. I jerk my hand faster up and down my cock squeezing tight, wanting it to be her pussy, running it tight over the tip, imagining it brushing her clit and slipping inside her until she cums. That sends me over the edge, the cum shot being more powerful this time around. I let go of my slick cock, satisfied and relieved from the pressure. I finally slip under the bed's covers and let the sleep wash over me, Y/N still on my mind in the haze.

[welcometololaland]

Thanks for the self-rec asks! I'm feeling very...not into my own ao3 right now so INSTEAD i'm going to send the asks on and tell you five things (in no particular order) that i've been thinking about this week <3

ONE: Swimming - I NEED TO FINISH THE SWIM FIC AKA THIS AMAZING WORK BY @carlos-in-glasses. I started reading and then I went overseas and I felt like I didn't have the time to go through and scream line by line and I'm so excited to dive back in (hehe see what I did there) now that it's finished!

TWO: State parks and secret service agents - not necessarily together, but I've been lowkey dreaming of obtaining my own slightly insane-looking garden gnome and a stock tank for a while thanks to the beautiful fic created by @iboatedhere (I don't have a pool and a stock tank seems like a good option right now). Also the secret service AU snippets are life giving (recent one here).

THREE: Guaranteeing nothing - screamed (literally) my way through the first fourteen chapters of Never a Guarantee and now I need to finish it!!!! @clottedcreamfudge and her writing make me so fucking feral in the best way and this fic is no exception. I had much fear about my sanity going into this because I knew it was going to drive me wild but my crops have been watered and I eagerly await completion of the arcs.

FOUR: Mythical things (aka. a dearly beloved universe) - to be fair, I'm not sure I ever stopped thinking about Jen's masterpiece - as if you were a mythical thing - because it lives rent free in my head (genuinely one of my favourite fics ever). I'm thinking about it a lot more now that @strandnreyes has put the idea of writing a sequel in my head (snippet is here). A re read is in my sights and I'm very excited about it! If you haven't read it, you absolutely have to.

FIVE: TK and Carlos getting unprofessional - @rmd-writes and I have been playing around in this document for ages, co-writing something so silly it borders on crack and it's the most fun I've had writing fic in ages (thank you to @celeritas2997 for putting up with us lol). Everything I do by myself seems so hard right now but this feels so easy and (I think it's fair to say) it's almost done? 1 and a little bit more chapters? I'm EXCITE. You can read the most recent snippets of the fic colloquially known as "(un)profesh" here (rmd) and here (me).

ALSO to anyone who has shared a doc link with me - I promise I am also thinking very hard about those and will give them the time and attention they deserve when I get home! I never know whether people like me specifically mentioning those types of things so I'll just like...sit down but please know i'm thinking of you and sorry that I haven't been around much!

[zedortoo]

How about mr stick headcanons

Ohhhh you've opened the floodgates. Hcs under the cut (half of these are just me projecting tho). Also trying not to go over headcanons I've already done but I may retread old group on accident

he's like, mid-late 40s. A bit younger than Peppino and Gustavo but not by too much.

His bad eyesight isn't genetic. When he was a kid he whacked his head a bit too hard and his eyesight went all fucky. It got worse overtime until he was in his 20's. He's shortsighted.

He also has hand tremors cause from the same accident. They get worse when he's tired or upset but are usually very manageable. He's got a real "fuck it we ball" attitude about the whole brain damage thing

He ONLY wears expensive suits and shit. They are all orange. He will not be seen in anything else even for a quick supermarket run.

Despite living in the most insane apartment known to man and having lots of Road Blocks in his life, he's actually really happy with where he is. He never really had a goal in life and he's just taking everything one day at a time.

Really temperature sensitive. Too hot? He'll be whining about the sun giving him a headache. Too cold? He'll be complaining about getting sick or having his big ass nose freeze off.

He loves being compressed. It sounds weird but like he has several weighted blankets and he'll pile them all on top of one another and climb underneath he just likes feeling like he's being crushed between tectonic plates

He's gay but SOOOOOOO in denial it's crazy. Everyone knows he's gay apart from himself and it's hilarious.

Would fuck up the most simple recipe ever. He can't even cook toast without setting the whole apartment alight

Adding onto that. He's very unlucky in general. He's been struck by lightning so many times he's built up an immunity (cartoon logic). When you're hanging out with him you're gonna need several lucky charms to survive. It's like Milo Murphy's law did y'all see that show where the guy was voiced by weird al

IM GOING TO GET SOO MUCH SHIT FOR THIS BUT I feel like he'd like Lemon Demon. Specifically his older albums like hip to the javabean. He seems like the type of guy to like oingo boingo and shit noone understands him like I do apart from Olympe

He's usually the designated driver for the pizza tower crew because Peppino's too anxious to drive and Gustavo is such a reckless driver it's actually laughable. He DOES have his own car but it only works half the time and has several 'interesting' repairs and add-ons. (There is a whole ass fireplace in the back for heating)

He's actually the dude who helped design the don't make a sound animatronics bc he's the inventor guy. He sold them to pizzahead because they kept trying to kill him but didn't know they were used against Peppino

THIS DUDE HAS LOW IRON if he stands up too fast he will crumple in a heap on the floor and ppl think he's dead but it just. Happens. If you have low iron you get it. Also being a tall ass motherfucker doesn't work in his favor it makes the whole thing even worse (he thinks it's funny to lay out and act like a sickly victorian woman while recovering though)

THAT'S IT FOR NOW IM GETTING TIRED. goot night

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

I saw you answered an ask about Spider's and I wanted to ask about Quaritch.

You mentioned that you worry Quaritch is going to have a "Snape type" death where he's an asshole the whole time but then he gets himself killed doing the right thing at the very last second so everyone can be like "wow maybe he was a good guy after all" which is honestly what I suspect they will do, but I really hope I'm wrong.

So my questions are: what do you think will actually happen to Quaritch in the sequels? And if you were in charge of the Avatar sequels, what would YOU choose to happen to Quaritch?

Super interesting question, that is a massive fear of mine. It's such a common trope these days and it's such insanely lazy writing, and at this point I think it's boarderline irresponsible. It's always the hot, male, white villain that can die and be redeemed without doing any of the work or suffering any of the consequences of the choices he made. I call it the Darth Vader effect. It's Darth Vader dying at the last minute to save the galaxy instead of, oh, I don't know, going to a war crimes tribunal and seeing all the parents of the children he literally murdered, and maybe facing his daughter whose entire planet he exterminated. Just thoughts.

It's young white fans that are so eager to forget who Quaritch is as a character, and what he's done and represents. People say it's just a movie, well, I'm really tired of that storyline regardless of how harmful it is. Don't you all want better? BUT ANYWAYS, I've been blocked for a year already by most people that disagree with me on this, so I digress.

I think I've given my answer on this before (god knows I can't find any of my posts ever), but I would do this movie the same way but not killed Neteyam. I think you give audiences (and Spider) the whole of next movie to really think Quaritch could change and saving him might've been the right choice. We also get a whole movie more of Neteyam to get to know him and like him even more, and then you have Quaritch kill him. Really like, a deciding moment where he really becomes clear. I would love to have been so mad about him being given a sympathetic arc just for my expectations to be literally played against me. I also think it's a cop out Quaritch isn't the one who killed Neteyam, not that it would stop people as they seem to love child killer Lyle anyway.

As for how I think it will end... I think I've answered this before too, but it's really hard to tell when we're only at movie 2/5. His story has to evolve from there. If I had to guess though, I want to say he struggles to find his place because as a "Na'vi" he doesn't fit in with the humans anymore, and he's in the body of his worst enemies, and it starts to push him to the brink a little. I think that something will happen that means he loses any chance of getting Spider for good, and that'll just drive him even farther into fully crazy spiralling until eventually it's the RDA and just rogue insane stalker Quaritch on the side. I think I'd like to see him devolve slower, we got hints of it closer to his death in the first movie and in the second close to the boat scene. I think he's gotta spiral.

I definitely had a different answer last time I had this question, and that answer is valid as well I'm sure. It just escapes me right now. Hope this is what you were looking for!

[lolliputian]

Writer Interview Tag

Ooh, fun! Thank you to @graysparrowao3 for tagging me in this; I find talking about my process fascinating but am never sure if folks are interested in this kind of thing.

I'm bad at keeping up on my dash, so apologies if you got tagged and did this already and I wasn't aware: @rainyssafespace @queen-of-cats @trashcritter

On y vas!

When did you start writing?

I've always been an extremely imaginative person, so I've been composing scenarios and stories in my head for as long as I can remember. The earliest I actually remember being really into writing was in third grade, and--don't laugh--a Magic School Bus fanfic (where my classmates and I turned into the characters on the show, I guess nine-year-old Lolli was into isekai?).

From then on, I've always been writing and world building to some degree. I finished my first "novel" at age 11, which was stylistically very Babysitters Club inspired, about my friends and me putting on a school production of The Sound of Music. It was seventy pages on WordPerfect, I was very proud, and every use of "definitely" was misspelled "defiantly".

Come to think of it, my fifth grade best friend was also very into writing. We'd sit around and alternate between one of us drawing and one of us writing in her room. From what I can tell, she's kept up with the drawing whereas I've kept up with the writing since then.

Are there any specific themes or genres that you enjoy reading other than what you write?

I enjoy reading futuristic or science fiction works but have no desire to write it myself. I like my swords and magic!

In terms of fanfic, I usually tend to gravitate toward stuff I'm not writing as a rule of thumb. Part of that is because I get so immersed in what I'm writing that I don't want to confuse myself, but part of it is the fun of exploring characters or ships I know I won't in my own writing.

Is there a writer that you want to emulate or get compared to often?

That I want to emulate? No. I want to show my readers who I am through my writing as a way to express myself in a way I usually don't allow myself.

That I get compared to often? I'm not aware of any. But I'm also not sure how many writers in the BG3 space are writing chaptered post-game ensemble fics with a rotating third person POV that heavily feature OCs outside of Tav. It's, errr, a specific niche.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I write on my laptop. It's almost always in my living room in a specific chair, with a cup of coffee on one side and cats curled up with me. Occasionally, I'll write in my home office or at my dining room table. Sometimes, I'll also write on my desktop, depending on what's going on. Or, if I'm writing at work, I have a little "lunch nook" in my office that I'll sit in to type away.

Editing is exclusively done on my desktop computer. In lieu of printing out work to proofread, having a different space and a different monitor help immensely to catch errors.

To note, I absolutely cannot write on my phone. Outside of roleplay tags, it drives me insane. I don't know how people do it.

Every once in a while, I write things out physically with pen and paper as a treat.

What is your most effective way to muster up a muse?

I don't have a great or awe inspiring answer for this. The fact of the matter is, when inspiration hits, I know I have to run with it or it's lost.

If I'm struggling, what I will do in lieu of writing out sentences and paragraphs is to put what I want to say into note form. Then, when I go back to actually write, a lot of it is out there for me to take and use as I see fit. It helps a LOT.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

There are! I get teased for being the angst queen on one of my servers. But I love stories where people band together to overcome adversity. You'll find particular with my ships where, if the couple can't overcome things external to their relationship together, I get bored writing them really fast. This is partially why I struggle with smut and where I outright can't write readers.

Along the vein of readers: I can't write those or generic Tav fics at all. If I can't deep dive into characterization, my interest flies out the window.

I love running gags ("it's under new management"), well placed references, and call backs. Also, I tend to enjoy writing platonic relationships over romantic or sexual relationships.

What is your reason for writing?

I write what I want to read. Outside of that, my major motivation is wanting to explore things no one else is writing. While walking the well-trodden path might get me more interaction, it also isn't going to make me happy; I'll sacrifice smaller numbers for writing what makes me happy.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment that you find particularly motivating?

Anyone who takes the time to comment on my fic has my utmost appreciation, especially in this age where people don't comment often. It means a lot you take the time to leave one.

But my favorite is when people engage me in conversation about my fic. I have a friend who recently read throughout all of Time and Again and is working on my other fics, and they are excellent at pointing out specific characterization and narrative beats. Moments like that make me feel like the readers really get me.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Well-spoken and able to execute concepts well. I put a lot of time and thought into most of what I write, and I hope that shows.

What do you think is your greatest strength as a writer?

Worldbuilding and connecting the dots. I haven't gotten a whole lot of comments from people recognizing the return of things foreshadowed chapters ago in longfic, but I do it quite a bit. My brain is naturally wired for long form content.

If I can toot my own horn, bringing characters to life and making them feel like actual people, flaws and all. I'm extremely picky about characterization and try to hold myself to a particular standard there.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

I answered this above: I write for myself. In my opinion, when I write what others want over what I want to write, it is absolutely apparent in the quality of my work. I'll sacrifice the numbers for what makes me really happy any day.

How do you feel about your own writing?

As someone who is typically extremely self-critical about everything I do: Writing is the one area where I am not. I'm a good writer, and I love to reread my own work.

I spent a long time practicing and writing privately and am only recently showing it to the world, and I think that makes all the difference in terms of my self-confidence.

[0himio]

MDZS Fanfic Recs -- Completed

I am in such a MDZS rabbit hole and its driving me INSANE! I've never done this before, but here are a couple of completed MDZS fics that I saved. Not all of them are my top ones but I enjoyed them quite a bit. I don't think the characters went too OOC but having said that I can't tell too much. At least I know that they are goo goo gaa gaa OOC iykwim

Forget Myself in Memories

Ten years after the events of Guanyin temple, the juniors accidentally step into an array that sends them to the past, just before the beginning of the Sunshot Campaign

Author: geethr75 Words: 10,300 Chapters: 7

The ending is pretty sweet and it's a "juniors time travel and decide to fix things" trope. I'm a sucker for that type of thing and it's cool to see how the past interacts with the future -- especially since instead of the usual time travel to Cloud Recesses, they travel at the start of the Sunshot Campaign.

ghost (What's your name)

Wei Wuxian spends the 13 years after his death as a ghost, except that nobody outside of four little kids seems be able to see him.

Author: pearlAngel Words: 3,086 Chapters: 1

This goes into a bit of the perspective of all the juniors and their opinions on the Yiling Patriarch and how different his ghost is. NHS also shows up and his little section makes me tear up a ngl

When The Soul Returns Home

"Jiang Chenggggggg!" He whined, taking extra care not to jolt the man any harder than was comfortable, in fear of being whipped to death. "Heartless shidi, ignoring me. The least you could do is threaten to break my legs, you know." That last part came out more honest than he expected. Because yeah. He'd rather Jiang Cheng threaten him with Zidian for all he cared that he might die, hell he'd rather Jiang Cheng maul him right here right now than straight up looking through him as if he was glass. Jiang Cheng flinched upon contact, but he didn't turn. Wei Wuxian was only perceptive enough to notice the shiver through the thick fabric of his shoulder, gone in a second, replaced instead with firm, tense muscles. . During a night hunt, Wei Wuxian gets his body back and is now responsible for telling his shidi what happened without having a chance to escape. Of course that went wrong as well, but in a different way than he imagined. It seems like no matter what happened, Wei Wuxian will always be surprised by the sheer unconditionality of Jiang Cheng's love and faith.

Author: yue_yinbai Words: 11,164 Chapters: 1

This is an au where WWX gets his body back and he has a lot of mixed feelings about it. Many other people have feelings. There's a heart to heart and a make up/feelings session with WWX and JC that is really sad but sweet to read about.

A Grand Immortal Made Me Soup

One thing had become incredibly clear. Wei Ying was much sicker than he had thought he was, and as a result, was now hallucinating. There was no reality where a Grand Immortal had actually shown up in his apartment, yelled at him about his shit-hole residence, and fed him soup. Absolutely in no way was a Grand Immortal in his apartment, and shitting on him for not finding a place that banned pets.

Author: s6115 Words: 5,040 Chapters: 1

This one's just hella funny but there is a bit of angst. Its a mix of an immortal au and a reincarnation au where JC is an immortal and WWX reincarnates in the modern world. Lowkey felt bad but it's a really heartwarming story. There are a lot of things that WWX doesn't get but he's trying.

The One-Body Problem

The good news is that Lan Jingyi has found a mentor, friend, and constant companion through the difficulties in life. The bad news is that that’s because he’s been accidentally possessed by the Yiling Patriarch.

Author: metisket Words: 28,689 Chapters: 2

LJY acts without thinking and gets possessed by WWX. It's such an interesting concept, especially since they are both hiding things from each other the whole time. It's a bit of a joyride tbh since yk LJY and WWX make an interesting combo but it's one of my favs

Tell Them How the Crowds Went Wild, Tell Them How I Hope They Shine

A-Yuan knows he has to be very careful in his new home. He has to be mindful of the hem of his pristine white robes, cautious of the volume of his voice, dutiful in his manners. A-Yuan has to be very, very good. Really, really good. Because otherwise, Baba might have to leave, like Mama. A-Yuan did not want to lose Baba too. Or: A-Yuan did not forget everything of the Burial Mounds - he remembered a bright smile, a cheerful laugh, the warmth of strong arms, and a single name. It's up to Lan Wangji to make sure he does not forget it all.

Author: GinnyRose Words: 4,598 Chapters: 1

This is told in LSZ's point of view. It's a bit angsty but not too bad.

i don't know how to be something you miss (i'll watch your life in pictures like i used to watch you sleep)

Wei Wuxian died. That should've been the end of it. He gained consciousness again in the Jingshi, unable to leave, while Lan Wangji was in seclusion. He proceeded to watch A-Yuan grow up.

Author: mfingenius Words: 7,071 Chapters: 1

This one is kinda sad. Halfway through I lowkey almost cried because of how bad I felt. I don't want to spoil but this one gave me the feels. I love ghost WWX aus and I actively search for them but this one- *chefs kiss*

A Dramatic Reading

Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian make out in a room full of Sect Leaders, Jiang Cheng tearfully declares his love for his estranged brother, Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang beg for the Yiling Patriarch’s forgiveness, and Lan Qiren openly welcomes a new nephew-in-law into his family. None of them want to be doing any of this. Thanks to the Juniors, they don’t exactly have a choice. (Or, wherein the Juniors accidentally write a cursed fanfiction, and everyone has to reenact their parts in it, or potentially cease to exist).

Author: pupeez4eva Words: 5,627 Chapters: 1

This is such a crack fic but is so damn funny. Everyone just wants to kill the juniors because their guilty pleasure of writing wangxian fanfics gets outed. LWJ and WWX don't get together post-canon and the juniors got sick of them and started writing cringy fanfiction. This fic cured some of the angst I've been reading.

[kcsplace]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for the tag @sparrow-in-the-field and @strangethings-everywhere

I guess today is the day that you all get to learn about my other AO3 account since a lot of these Qs are about overall stuff lol.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

59

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

846,116 which is insane to me, esp as more than half that is one fic

3. What fandoms do you write for?

MCU - Phlint and Stucky Stranger Things - Steddie 9-1-1 - Buddie Criminal Minds - Reid/Hotchner Firefly - Jayne/Mal H50 - McDanno TBITB - Coxstroke Merlin - Merthur NCIS - Tony/Gibbs SG-1 - Jack/Daniel The Sentinel - Jim/Blair

4. Top five fics by kudos?

He Whom My Soul Loves (Stucky) - 988 A Diaz By Any Other Name (911) - 970 The Man On The Wall (Stucky) - 929 Magic Man (Merthur) - 781 The Royal Camelot (Merthur) - 650

5. Do you respond to comments?

I love answering comments. If someone can take the time to leave a comment, I always do my best to answer. Not always immediately, but I get there!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angriest ending?

I don't think I've ever written anything with an angry ending. Maybe not happy, per se, but not angry

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Uhhh probably The Man On The Wall because after a 475k slow burn, Bucky finally gets his kiss

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I have done! Not in a while, but not because I'm any better, but because I'm such a teeny writer, nobody cares enough to be rude anymore!

9. Do you write smut?

Yup! Though by the time I'm done writing it it feels dry as the Sahara and textbook dull, I can only hope it reads better and that I'm just jaded after spending ages working on it

10. Craziest crossover?

I've done fusions, but not a crossover. Not yet!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yup! Why they'd choose mine, I don't know. Also had them added to goodreads against my wishes

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Never been asked! I've had art made for fic, and someone wanted to do a podfic version of one, but never translated.

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

Absolutely not!! I'm too much of a control freak and if my procrastination and oh-so-slow writing annoys me, it'd enrage even the calmest of co-writers! I wouldn't do that to an innocent person!

14. All time favorite ship

Honestly, I have favourite ships in a fandom, but narrowing down a favourite of all of them, I don't think I can!!! Cop out answer FTW!

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

While I never start a fic in the hope of maybe finishing it as I always start with the intention to finish, sometimes they end up so big, or are outside my sphere of limited talent that they peter out. I have 120k of a Night At The Museum type AU for Stucky that has sat on my hard-drive for nearly a decade, and I'm 65k into a OFMD fic that I'm determined to finish, but at the moment the OFMD is the far far more likely fic to see the light of day

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue for sure. I can write whole fic that are just nothing but dialogue, and then I go back in and fill it out. The dialogue is the skeleton I work the rest onto

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Everything not dialogue!! Everything

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

....I don't have any?!?

19. First fandom you wrote in?

Probably Harry Potter some 20 years ago

20. Favorite fic you've written?

The Man On The Wall is my baby. I wrote it twice so its my sweetheart. It was also a serious labour of love at 474,747 words (also I love how neat that word count is) very very close second is Life, Written and Illustrated By in the Merlin fandom. It was my first foray into Merthur and was part of a competitive pornathon and I won that weeks with it so huuuuge confidence boost for my writing

[alatismeni-theitsa]

This might be a weird question, but the topic has been driving me insane. So, Perseus has been one of ny favourite Greek heroes of all time, but suddenly i've seen many people around the internet saying he's horrible and... Why? Is there any myth I haven't found yet about the guy? Any source? Like, i'm already aware how people know nothing about his deal with Medusa, but suddenly everyone started to say that he was horrible towards his mother and Andromeda too, and i can't find anything explaining something "terrible", at least for what would be considered like that back in the day. What did the dude do that i'm missing? Or people just want to shit on him because it's quirky like they've been doing towards Odysseus for no reason? Παρακαλώ, βοηθήστε 🥲

Γειαα! Hmmm reading the basics again for his life and feats, besides slaying the Medusa (aka not a feminist icon but the type of monster who kills a mother with her child if she sees them near - please no one believe Ovid xD), I didn't see any other "problematic" thing. I might have been missing something as well, so anyone who knows feel free to enlighten us both.

My general guess is that western internet culture sees Medusa as a feminist icon right now because they don't check to see how Ovid treated the Greek myths, and generally because they don't read what the ancient Greek authors said about this monster or how ancient Greeks used her symbol/head to scare others. So, Perseas, who killed this "feminist icon" is the bad guy in their minds.

Might I add, Perseas killed the Medusa to get rid of a cunning and abusive king who wanted to force his mother into marriage with himself. Also, he saved Andromeda and took her as a wife with the wishes of her family. When Andromeda's former fiance chased them, Perseas was like "dude, you did nothing for your "fiance" when they tied her on a rock for a monster to eat her, and now you want her??" Then he returned and saved his mother just before the evil king sacrificed her. I am aware of the patriarchal lenses here so in this context, and even by today's standards to a large degree, the most feminist icon in the story is Perseas 😂 (unless he did something horrible I missed, idk xD)

@purple-amaranthe do you happen to know any problematic things Perseas has done in this detailed memory of yours?

[hyperbolicgrinch]

🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?

🛼 ⇢ describe your latest wip with five emojis

🎲 ⇢ what stops you from writing more in your free time? 

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Im sorry there's so many. I'm just a simp for my author wifey, and you can ask me anything forever 💖

ASKS FROM BANG?!! I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Don't apologise, I adore you for it. Thank you, 🥜, for taking the time to send me anything. ☺️

(huhuhuhu permission granted, let's go 👁️👄👁️💖)

🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?

Hmm. If it's like punctuation (and grammar too, I guess), I'd say it's like 4 (1 being the best thing ever sgsggdj) cause 85% of the time I know exactly what to to with that and love fixing little low stake slip-ups that have laid out rules I can follow and don't really need to overthink about.

Editing, like going through and punching everything up a notch or cleaning up flow is hmm, still pretty high. Like a 5. Cause even though it can be daunting and painstaking, I love that I actually have words on a page to play around with. I think it let's the ideas and scenes reach a closer version to the ones I had in my head. It's a lot of work and can drive one crazy but getting things to sing or spark is so satisfying ngl. 😌

Editing when you have to overhaul and rewrite large parts and fix one big problem but maybe make ten more is a quick and easy way to go insane but I still think it's not that bad. Like a 6 or 7. Cause, once again, I've already got words to fuck around and find out with and I'd take that over a blank page any day.

Proof reading editing can be really fun because spotting inconsistencies and lining them all up so they match makes brain go brrrrr so like a 5 or 6. Especially because at that point I know I'm so close to the finish line and the pay off is right there if I just get my shit together. 😂

🛼 ⇢ describe your latest wip with five emojis

fuck it, more than 5 be upon ye: 🥣🚩🫀🧵🧲😤💋🦋🏴‍☠️

🎲 ⇢ what stops you from writing more in your free time?

Fatigue. 😅 Depression. 😅 Imposter syndrome. 😅 The stars not feeling like they've aligned correctly. 😮‍💨 The pressure to write a scene how it is in my head. 😩 The "what's the point?" poison to my whimsy and motivation. 🙄 The amount of time that's passed since I started writing the thing. 😭 The constant desire for instant gratification. 😐 The everyday horrors. 😵‍💫 My pedantic ass. 😮‍💨 Me forever renting real estate in the procrastination CBD. 🙄 I love to shoot myself in foot and just stare at a wall thinking about writing but not doing it. So just about everything under the sun, really. 🤪

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

I don't know if this is what the question meant sfsghfhjjj but arghh I want a modern au that's so specific and catered to my exact tastes and based on the rambles my sister and I have had hsjjajjsk but there's also like this canon divergent ??? fix it??? au??? manifesting?? idea I have been thinking about non-stop since it got inside my brain but that I'm worried to to do in case it gets my hopes up for canon but basically I want two characters (and their crews) (but also these other two random characters that are not related to the first idea or each other bwhhah but I have thoughts for too and need them to come back exactly how I am envisioning because it would honestly be the Best Thing to Happen Since Sliced Bread ppfft hshajjajahsh) to somehow find each other again and team back up and take no shit to get revenge and then maybe kiss a little bit in front of the 1️⃣☮️ or something agshshsjaka after a dramatic entrance and while they hold some huge threat off so Luffy can get the ultimate boss fight done hdhsjskjshdj (Oda I'm so fr like if you need a rest or wanna hand their arc off so you can focus on bigger things, I'm right here cracking my metaphorical knuckles, I'll do it for you so fast, I have Ideas, put me in coach you won't regret ittt🙂👉👈) but it would be like so much work to make a plot that even made sense for it because I would have to do so much reaching and hand waving unless I got real serious about it and even then I would have to make so much up because there is no word of Goda or known timeline yet or events to use for its structure. 😅😂

But just anyone. Anyone that isn't me should write it (like Oda if you've got a moment...I mean, you've already done most of it,, might as well keep going, man) 😂 Maybe they even have... I haven't had a chance to look. 😅

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

Any and all comments spark joy and make me hehehehe and teeheeteehee and kick my feet and then I put them in my "reasons to keep writing" folder so I can go back and look at them when I'm feeling like a fraud or giving up on the thing. I wish I could be more specific but I really do cherish when people take the time to just leave anything. If they say what they liked or quote something they loved, that's even better, but merely a kind-hearted bonus. ☺️

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Hhrrmmm. If the vibe check just ain't passing for whatever reason or the tone and character is off to an unforgivable degree. 😌 Maybe it's in character for them and the version of that character they have in their heads, but if it ain't clicking for me, it ain't clicking, and I can't push through it. 😩 I think this is a very common one but yeah, character makes or breaks a fic. Cause it's the whole point, at the end of the day, ya know? 😅

[crownonacat]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! Get to know your mutuals and followers (ू•‧̫•ू⑅)♡

Ahhh hi hello ❤️!!!! Hm let's see:

1. Books/Stories/Reading

Always!! I'm normally reading something or the other, whether it's fanfic, a webnovel, a novella, manhwa, manga, or something. I enjoy DnD a lot for that same reason, and my favorite type of game is an RPG of some sort shjdndjwmdks. I'm honestly more of a reader than a writer, but the only reason why I even began to start writing anything was because I like reading and wanted more to read but about my own characters ^^;

2. Art

Both drawing and actually viewing! I like going out to museums and galleries just to look around when I have time (which is not often ;-; unfortunately). Landscape paintings of water or bodies of water will continue to drive me insane they're always lovely. I like art a Normal Amount and I won't lie when another con comes I may be down more money buying prints again sjsjdhdjs. I also like to do art for myself and friends when the art block lets me and atm its currently cooperating, so fingers crossed it stays that way.

3. Tea

I'm kinda indifferent about coffee?? It's never really done anything for me caffeine wise and the taste is alright (I don't know if I'm doing it right tbh dhsjsnj). But I adore tea specifically jasmine green and black tea. I do take mine with what I like to say is a decent amount of sugar but I have a friend with a bigger sweet tooth so I don't think the amount I put is bad? I hope? Milk tea is really good too :D

4. Night time/ Evening

Mainly cause I like looking at the sky around this time and it's peaceful. Especially summer evenings when it's been really hot all day and the only time it starts to get like a reasonable level of heat is right before the sun sets; its nice to sit outside and just relax during this time. Also cause the sky turns color going pink and purple before the stars come out and those are another treat to see.

5. Cats

Every day I mourn the fact that I don't own one of my own but I adore them and their little faces and horrible/fantastic attitudes. Watching videos of them doing dumb things brings me joy like nothing else, and the few times I've met one that deigned to let me pat it made me feel like king of the earth. One of these days, I'm finally gonna give in and adopt one. One day T^T