#behind the scenes of my writing

[landboundstar]

A Little About My Gotham City AU.

Hello,

Taking a break from some work stuff and I thought would explain a little more about my AU.

My AU is set in Gotham City, since it is a Batman story. Now, I have noticed a lot of AUs are set in other cities, places, or worlds.

So, what makes this an AU?

Well, I'm not setting it in any one world's Gotham City. It's a mishmash of all the elements I like. Same with the characters. I like some of the lighter Batman stories, like Wayne Family Adventures. I also like The Killing Joke and some of the darker stories. I love some of the beloved variations like Batman Returns, and some of the stories that are flops for most fans (I'll just keep that fun little rewatch for me to myself, okay). It's just what I like.

Right now, with Trade Secrets, I am piecing together backstories and details. I am building a Bruce who has had therapy, but is struggling yet to live up to his family's legacy, who is trying to protect the city. I want to create a Bruce who cares enough to fight for Gotham. I want to create a Selina who is a socialite, raised in a Gotham crime family, who is using her looks, and position, and skills as a thief to both rebel and to fight for what matters to her. I want to create a Harvey who cannot accept parts of himself, who is struggling with what he wants versus who he thinks he should be well before he becomes Two-Face. I am working on showing that in my story, and hopefully, I succeed.

But, since I want to write those characters, I want the Gotham that they live in. It can't be a bright, shiny, art deco, zeppelin filled Utopia. But, it can't be a city that I want to get out of as fast as possible either. It is a city, with people and problems.

But, yeah, this is an 'all Gothams are one' world, and sometimes the 66 Batman and the Nolanverse Batman worlds will be in the same chapter. Hope you enjoy the visit.

[courfee]

it's been exactly a year since the last chapter of Operation Walburga's Arbitrary No Kissing Ever Rule and I still miss it. This scene is probably one of my favourite things I've ever written and I've wanted to draw it for forever, so now seemed like an appropriate time

[lucky-fy]

For the Laicion nation (aka, me and three other people)

I had this illustration commissioned (a big thank you to @lunehowls) for my werewolf AU Laicion fic (still a WIP).

The general pitch is as follows :

AU in which Laios never got to meet his sister again, putting his life on a whole other path, a more desperate one. A military deserter with barely a coin to his name, Laios hitches a ride on a boat to one of the elven continents, where he learns about magical tattoos that binds one’s soul to a wolf’s, effectively making them artificial werewolves. Illegal magic be damned, this feels like the answer to… everything.

In the process, he learns about the existence of an illegal fighting ring in one of the elven cities, where beastmen gladiators gather. Freshly tattooed and without anywhere else to go to, Laios decides to head there, where he meets Lycion, an elf and artificial werewolf gladiator. If they first bond over a simple shared meal, by spending time together (sharing the same room in the barracks, maybe the same bed? gasp) they find that they have a lot in common, notably a shared distaste for the body they were born in, a dysphoria partially remedied by becoming a werewolf.

They bond :)

NB: I commissioned another piece, go take a look :D

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

still unwell over the prospect of Howdy slowly putting the pieces together and having a complete mental breakdown over it. Laughingstock edition!

[hitmeupaep]

i would also never move on if i was part of the greatest love story ever told

[sysig]

You're still standing off to the side. Somehow, center stage has shifted from under your feet without you realizing, and you're standing in the wings, performing to no one.

Starring Role (Patreon)

[dapper-lil-arts]

Working on a multiverse thing, thought I might as well show some of the arts for it. Across the Shimmerverse

[fuumiku]

Chilcille huh... ngl I was a little suspicious. like why would you do that, huh... hope youre not mischaracterizing anyone in your weird and wacky ship. a little weird. but then you said they both had flat asses and you know what? I salute you and your perfect characterization

The fact you seem to think you managed to not make this ask insulting is baffling. What the hell. Fuck off.

If you actually care to be open minded about the ship, I talk about marchil on my sideblog 24/7. Funnily enough I’m currently 4k words deep into an analysis of their character arc together in canon, but that’ll take some more days to get done. Some notable posts:

Of course without counting the analyses of Chilchuck on his own I’ve made, like my masterpost on his family situation. Or better yet you could also read my fics for them, see how weird and wacky they are here.

Wanna talk about mischaracterisation? They’re literally a comedic duo who interacts 24/7. Marchil is crazy bc ppl are like "did those shipper read with their eyes CLOSED?? They have no chemistry!" Meanwhile canon is like: "She’s obsessed with knowing everything she can about him and she reads him like a book." In her eyes he’s like that extra rare and hard and shiny unlockable dating sim character, that brooding mysterious character trope that’s thrilling to crack open and typically is at the center of the plot. The wife roleplay???? "Hey, did you know his type is blondes. Hey did you know he likes his women pretty and blonde. Hey did you know he likes her hair. Hey did you know that he teases her 24/7 and it’s one of the few things that consistently gets him grinning because he finds her reactions cute." Like a schoolyard bully pulling on the pigtails of the girl he likes.

It’s not like they have any thematic narratives or relevance. It’s not like she’ll live to 1000 and has existential dread about it while he’s logically gonna be her next friend to die at 50 and wether it’s romantic or platonic it’ll terrify her to lose him. It’s not like it’s fear of death x fear of rejection so they’re both obsessed with the thought of loss looming, past and ongoing. It’s not like it’s half-elf x half-foot and there’s an inherent journey that was and still is to dispel prejudices and truly come to see each other. It’s not like he’s painfully real and raw and flawed but still a good man, that he’s not the figure of prince charming that she’s always dreamed of while still being virtuous and worth fighting for. Or you know, her hair being golden and it being the epitome of beauty to him, and his hair turning silver and it being Marcille’s worst nightmare.

Just a weird wacky ship who means nothing but shallow things to people who have weirdo reasons for liking it. Like can you not. If you’re not imaginative enough to think of reasons why this ship may have an appealing dynamic that’s not my issue. But yes, yes, they’re both flat asses to me, thanks.

[lesbianlothcats]

As a neurodivergent person, Tech’s death being permanent — and the only major non-villain character to die — hurts.

Tech was neurodivergent. He was clearly written to be, and he was written so well for it. His pragmatism, his bluntness, it resonated with me and so many other people. His conversation with Omega about change, and his quote “I may process moments and thoughts differently, but it does not mean I feel any less than you” genuinely brought me to tears. We had a neurodivergent character who was loved and understood despite his differences.

His sacrifice hurt, but it was well within character. The loss of the representation was painful, but that’s how it is.

And then season 3. Constant hints, constant teases, lingering shots and implications. People who believed Tech was alive weren’t just seeing what they wanted to see, they were seeing what the show was implying. Taking a look at the production teams’ social media accounts doubles down on that we were supposed to think he was still alive. They dangled the possibility Tech in front of us to keep us hoping instead of just confirming that he was gone.

And within the show, it was like he just wasn’t there right now. Barely any references. Sure, there was a time skip of several months, but we didn’t get to see any of the grief these characters had to have felt. It’s not that we needed to be told it, it could have been implied, but it was barely there. A few shots of his broken glasses, off handed remarks. There was a huge hole in the season in the shape of Tech that no one would acknowledge. Maybe it was building towards a major character moment where they actually talk about it, or a reveal that he was still alive.

And then…nothing. All the implications, all the teasing, nothing. No reveals, nothing. They surgically removed Tech, completely excised him. Nothing but the broken glasses. A character who resonated with so many people just utterly dismissed and forgotten.

It sounds overdramatic, but this season has been like a kick in the gut to people who loved Tech. He went from being the most genuinely beautiful representation of neurodivergency to vague tragedy that no one wants to mention, but won’t stop hinting at.

It hurts.

[thatmexisaurusrex]

So, I have this idea for a BuckTommy Fantasy/Royalty AU where Buck is royalty and Tommy is a dragon.

Maddie and Buck were from a kingdom that had fallen. The kingdom was on the brink of collapse before either of them were born, but the death of their brother, Daniel, sent their parents spiraling and the kingdom collapsed.

For years, the two fended for themselves in the chaos as they traveled the realms.

Buck had been impervious since the day he was born. His parents had tried to use blood magic on him in order to save his brother from death, but the spell hadn't worked the way his parents had expected - it had only made Buck invincible. Nothing could hurt Buck physically.

And Buck, at first, didn't know why he was the way he was. He spent the first eleven years of his life traveling aimlessly with his sister with no answer to his unique ability before they two were separated from one another.

Buck eventually found his way to Bobby and Athena's kingdom, where he was taken in as a knight rising through the ranks, then eventually a ward once his true identity was revealed.

The reason why Buck could not be hurt was revealed.

In this kingdom, Chimney's a knight as well as Hen and Eddie. Ravi is a ward from a flourishing kingdom, but also a squire to Buck. Karen is the court astronomer, of course. May and Harry are princess and prince. Harry's the cupbearer, listening in on the day-to-day of Athena's council, while May is training under the hand of the queen to eventually become hand herself, then queen one day.

Sometime in the past, Buck found out that his sister had escaped captivity from a prince who had taken her hostage. She had run away to Bobby and Athena's kingdom, hearing rumors about her little brother.

And.

And Maddie falls in love with Chimney. They fall in love with each other's patience and kindness.

They decide to marry.

And people from all over the land come to this wedding. Not just in Athena's domain, but from the far-flung corners of the realms. There to witness the wedding of Maddie and Chimney, but also because the court has three potential royals who might need suitors - May, Harry, and Buck.

Athena has no plans to marry off her children just yet, so a lot of those suitors narrow in on Buck - the Lost Prince Found.

Tommy is only there, though, to see his good friend Chimney get married.

Tommy is an infamous knight from the outer regions of Athena's lands. Chimney and Hen have all sorts of stories about their old friend.

But.

Rarely does he ever show his face at court.

Because.

Tommy is a dragon; a dragon who can shift into a human form when needed. And while most people don't know that, there is a stigma. There are rumors about it.

Tommy had convinced himself he was better off alone protecting the countryside. This was just a short trip to visit a good friend during an important moment in his life.

Then.

Suddenly.

A storm breaks out as Bobby and Athena are travelling back by ship for Maddie and Chimney's wedding. And Tommy has no choice - he, Buck, Chimney, Hen, and Eddie set out to save the people on that ship from the storm.

And Tommy has to transform. It's the middle of the night, so not a lot of people see the transformation, but he knows the rumors would be tenfold now.

That doesn't matter.

Tommy needs to save Athena and Bobby.

And that's how he first meets Buck. As a dragon. Elegantly moving through the disastrous hurricane off the coast to save the people Buck loves.

And Tommy's surprised by the warm reception he gets from the new knights - from Buck and Eddie.

He befriends them, even. They're Hen and Chimney's friends. Why wouldn't Tommy want to be friends with them too?

He's spending a lot of his time with Eddie at first. Practicing martial arts, hanging out with Eddie's son, talking about their pasts.

But.

But he keeps finding Buck - finding Evan. Wandering around. Trying to talk to him. And Tommy's curious.

Tommy's more than curious.

He's a bit lovestruck by the man. And he doesn't know why Evan keeps seeking him out. He doesn't know why they keep having the worst luck in planning to hang out.

But he wants to get to know Evan.

He wants something with Evan, even if he's not sure if he's allowed that; if he's even in the running as someone Evan would consider.

There are suitors at court, after all. Abigail Clark, Taylor Kelly, Ali, Natalia Dollenmeyer, Lucy Donato - all people who could be good for Evan. All people who could actually help Evan if he wants to marry not just for romance, but for the kingdom.

And what was Tommy? A lowborn dragon who fell in love with a human?

Tommy flirts along with any charming turn of phrase Evan sends his way, but he doesn't expect to be in the running. To be someone Evan wants.

Until.

It becomes clear that he could be. That Evan wants him.

And.

Tommy takes that chance. He takes that leap of faith. He kisses Evan.

And Evan kisses him back.

And maybe they don't pledge forever to each other; not yet. But they do go to Chimney and Maddie's wedding together. And they do start to court one another.

[mayxo-hxh]

Im about to get controversial.

Out of chrollo, illumi and hisoka, hisoka is canonically the least likely to flirt to get anything he wants, if at all.

A lot of people think he's a natural flirt but I fear I couldn't have disagreed more. He only "flirted" a single time and that was solely to piss off machi, knowing she'd never agree. Hot take? He would've never asked if he knew she'd agree.

Also, bro's the biggest humanphobe in the anime. He keeps his distance from everyone. The only human physical contact he ever made was through fighting people. (If you're a person thats interested in seeing more evidence, I have an entire long thread about it on twitter that I do plan on posting here soon)

so u cannot give me 1 reason for hisoka to flirt with someone at a random bar but chrollo and illumi? i can think of a few.

chrollo, he already canonically flirts to get what he wants. straight up goes on dates gets a suit and shit. he has no reputation among the general public that hes concerned of that isnt the spider. Illumi? He's a manipulator. I HIGHLY doubt he never flirted to get something in his life from people who are too easy to win over. He's someone that wouldn't care what people think of him. He's also anonymous. People have no idea who tf he is anyways. If it affected the zoldyck reputation? Thats a different story.

Hisoka? he would fucking NEVER. Him specifically? HE HAS A REPUTATION. And whats that reputation? That hes an absolute disgusting freak that no one should dare to approach. He kills people. He fights live and makes sure the audience is always disgusted and weirded out by his actions and performances. You look at him and you should immediately look away and pray he hasn't seen you.

So riddle me this. If his entire shtick is making sure everyones afraid of him and avoids him, then why the hell would he get himself a reputation that makes him approachable????

Why would he get himself a reputation that makes you, as a person who only ever heard of him picking people up, want to approach him.

On top of that, I just.. don't see him picking random people up..??? random weaklings that dont even know nen????? he literally treats them like trash that inconveniences his time. You're saying he'd EVER give them the privilege of sleeping with him???

And then you'd say, oh so he'd sleep with strong people! HERES THE THING. Why would he sleep with them..... when he can fight them. Him getting off from fighting comes NOWHERE to actual sex. What people don't understand is that he gets off to killing people and seeing them crumble in front of him when they realize theyre going to die. Torturing people to death. What's... that got to do with like. yknow. actual sex bro 😭😭😭😭😭😭

this turned into a huge rant probably but do you know how genuinely depressing it is seeing a unique character like hisoka that gains lust through FIGHTING and KILLING reduced to. sex addict in fics. Like. be so fucking serious right now. He called himself a FIGHT ADDICT in the manga. Can I see more of him actually spending his time killing and fighting people instead of whatever the hell bros doing with a random npc.

Anyways this is also why I hc him as asexual/demisexual NEXTTTT

[paintpanic]

Professional ghost hunters.

[14carrotghoul]

and you can tell everybody (unplugged)

Hi friends! Do not proceed if you don't want spoilers for my fic, and you can tell everybody! Album notes and extras are below the cut :)

ACD's early career is releasing covers and original songs with June on YouTube and later TikTok. Career takes off his first year of university and the rest of the band joins, agreeing to play for a few years to see what happens.

[unnamed] (2020) [very little info on this besides being very pointedly Mexican-American, but the genre is rock influenced by Mexican music, like Cafe Tacvba? Molotov? but more modern]

tex mex - Lyrical inspiration: "Somos Mas Americanos" by Los Tigres Del Norte

decisions (November 2023) [highly influenced by Omar Apollo, I promise the other albums are very different! I'm shoving him down your throats here and I know it lol]

1 new message - mellow r&b. Have suspected something is wrong, ignored it, and now the impact is hitting full force. Wrongly interpreted as Alex leaving a voicemail for an ex but it is a song written for his past self about missing his ADHD and bisexuality. Sound: "3AM" by Haim

reckless abandon - daddy issues song cowritten with Liam. Bilingual. Sound & lyrically: "Voice Inside My Head" by The Chicks

am I? - 'You raised me to disappoint you bc I could never live up to your expectations'/'It took me too long to find myself bc I've been trying to be who you imagined'. Sound: "Go Away" by Omar Apollo

new year new me - fuck expectations, I'm going to do what I want Sound: "Invincible" by Omar Apollo

very bad things - upbeat hookup song. breaking all his own rules and it feels good. "Mercury" by Steve Lacy

split household - child of divorce anthem. Sound: "Kamikaze" by Omar Apollo

seria una mentira - don't make me choose a side. I love you both and it tears me apart. Pointedly about parents. Sound: "Two of Us" by Omar Apollo

too much - Cumbia version of "Too Much" by Carly Rae Jepsen

never enough - never enough to convince people to stay. Sound: "Pram" by Omar Apollo. Also feel this song's outro is very fitting for this!

a light left on - Platonic June appreciation song about how safe Alex has always felt with her. Sound & lyrically: "Caminar Bonito" by Natalia Lafourcade

Good - First time he is told and BELIEVES he is good. "While U Can" by Omar Apollo

yrs - Dramatic love song. First time Alex uses rain motif. Sound: "Petrified" by Omar Apollo

seria una mentira pt. 2 - it would be a lie to choose something simple over choosing you. Sound: "Two of Us" by Omar Apollo but slowed down and more hopeful

spine/die climbing - vulnerable pillow talk. Sound: "Plane Trees" by Omar Apollo, Mustafa

miel - sacrilege bj song. Catches on with queer Latine audience and is memed similarly to Call me by your name by Lil Nas X. Grows the band's audience. Sound: "Te Mata" by Kali Uchis.

on purpose - I choose to be all the things that I am and am not picking a side. End album on a positive note. Sound:"Done With You" by Omar Apollo

vows (June 2024) [very American sound, dreamier, more optimistic]

no booty calls - voicemail w instrumental. Sound: "All Around Me Now" by Perfume Genius

apricot tarts - honeymoon period of a new relationship. Sound: "Someone to Spend Time With" by Los Retros

in dreams - extended version of Henry's in dreams email set to music. In this universe, they met and kissed on New Years at Pez's party and still did long distance and exchanged emails :) Sound: "In A River (Acoustic)" by Rostam

supersonic - secret, fun ode to karaoke night and letting loose on a night out. Sound: "Runaways" by The Killers

tapestry - thank god I'm bi anthem. Sound: "The Steps" by Haim

lipstick on her neck - sung by June. Essentially the lyrics of lipstick lover by janelle monae but in "ALLIIGATOR TEARS" by Beyonce Americana style.

then have me - tender I'm putting it all out there, all you have to do is take it. Sound: "Solar Pilgrim" by Twain

pride (and prejudice) - purposefully anthemic chorus. about being proud despite prejudice in a red state. Sound: "Delta Dawn" by Tanya Tucker

he is my choice - eloping in the rain. comedic/romantic song about how everything went wrong at a wedding. Sound: "Howling at Nothing" by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

roasting Alex - jam session - the band lovingly roasts Alex. Sound: "Ballad of Hank Williams" by Hank Williams Jr., Don Helms

Not Just Friends - Liam to Spencer. Song about how they're frequently mistaken for just best friends and how happy it makes him to correct that they're more than that. Song chosen so piano and drums play the beats together. Sound: "A Little Honey" by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

Be Cool - Spencer to Liam. Quirky/self-deprecating song about his butterflies about being with someone he's in awe of. Sound: "Heart's Content" by Brandi Carlile

a romantic - June to Nora. Confirms that Nora is aromantic to public. June saying she would never need more from Nora bc she gets to wake up next to her best friend every day. Sound: "Tu" by maye.

bluebonnet - This place (Texas) was never a home to me until you showed me how it was a part of you and now I see you everywhere. Sound & lyrically: "I Think of You" by Rodriguez.

red-blooded (August 2029)

cover: Navy suit w white shirt and American Flag pin on lapel, cropped so only torso is showing

Americana sound again - about 50/50 rock and Americana. Features from Dolly Parton, Orville Peck, and Brandon Flowers

blue blood (August 2029)

cover: red British army dress, cropped so only torso is showing

British glam rock sounds. Features from Elton John, Brian May, and samples David Bowie.

co-written with Henry

-

AND as for where they go from the end of the fic:

Alex becomes a civil rights lawyer in Austin.

Henry's writing career grows but he remains relatively private.

June becomes a music journalist. Eventually ventures into exposes on the industry's shady practices and successfully pivots into investigative journalism

Nora does her own thing.

Liam stays in music industry as a band manager under Zahra's tutelage.

Spencer majored in music production/mixing(?) and gets taken under Pez's wing. Has a smaller solo career and produces for a few indie bands before he settles down and works as a sound mixer in the film industry.

Bea continues to play guitar and flit between collaboration projects.

Zahra is the band's manager and Shaan is Henry's publicist/mentor and they meet while officially strategizing Alex's coming out.

[80yearoldmanmoodboard]

Some gems from the Autobiography of Special Agent Dale Cooper: my life in tapes

[ghost-proofbaby]

hi just wanted to take a moment and say sorry i haven't been posting a ton of my writing this month. i took it off (writing wise) for my mental health and due to not feeling entirely comfortable on here right now. i solemnly swear come july i'll be back, and hopefully worse better than ever. <3