#emica chat

[darlingpoppet]

Diomedes ur Tydides

[momtaku]

Hi mom! I have a question regarding the final exhibition. Remember in the debris portion there were notes under each item that belonged to the characters? There's already a pic of the note under Levi's scarf, but I'm still so desperately looking for the notes regarding Erwin's bolo-tie, Hange's glasses and Mikasa's scarf.

I went through @emica50′s twitter photos and found these. I hope that helps! 

[snowe-zolynn-rogers]

The BNHA Group Chat Fic Nobody Asked For

Pairings: Todoroki Touya (Dabi)/Mr Compress (Sako Atsuhiro), Shimura Tenko (Shigaraki Tomura)/Chisaki Kai (Overhaul)/Kurono Hari (Chrono), Yamada Hizashi (Present Mic)/Aizawa Shouta (Eraserhead)/Shirakumo Oboro (Loud Cloud), Fukukado Emi (Ms. Joke)/Kayama Nemuri (Midnight), Bakugo Katsuki/Kaminari  Denki/Kirishima Eijiro, Iida Tenya/Monoma Neito/ Aoyama Yuuga

Word Count: 2,065 Words

Summary: Tetsutetsu's girl squad has a meeting, Halloween outfits, Sako and Touya are cute, and Kaminari comes out.

Warnings: Teen/Underage Pregnancy Mention, Period/Menstruation Mention, Food Mention, Blood Mention, Cursing, Death Mention, Half Blind Character, Deaf Characters, Mostly Mute Character (due to a different medical issue), Selectively Mute Character, let me know if I should add anything else.

Usernames: We Are Number One™ Aizawa: Dadzawa, Aoyama: immafiringmahlaser, Ashido: princessbubblegumknockoff, Asui: Galvan, Iida: Emergency Exit, Uraraka: 9.8, Ojiro: tailfloof, Kaminari: Pichu, Kirishima: baby shark, Koda: youredoingamazingsweetie, Sato: GuyFieriIsGod, Shoji: Cthulhu, Jirou: Jack Skellington, Sero: Spider-Man, Tokoyami: EdgarAllanCrows, Todoroki: WHERE?, Hagakure: cena, Bakugo: WHAT?, Midoriya: SmolMight, Mineta: Mineta, Shinsou: exhausted, Yaoyorozu: TheGreatCreator, Kurono: stopwatch, Chisaki: donthugmeimscared, Yukimura: choticgaydisaster, Bubaigawara: shadowclonejutsu, Shimura: idontfeelsogood, Awase: illrememberyouallintherapy, Kaibara: IDOWHATIWANT, Kamakiri: scyther, Kuroiro: itsmeyaboy, Kendo: Akimichi, Kodai: deadinside, Komori: shroomgurl, Shiozaki: wElCoMeToBiBlEsTuDiEs, Shishida: furry, Shoda: cryptid, Tsunotori: mylittlepony, Tsubaraba: airbender, Tetsutetsu: Iron Man, Tokage: t-rex costume, Fukidashi: glorifiedtextbubble, Honenuki: Eren Jaeger/spookyscaryskeletons, Bondo: Slimer, Monoma: HopeSummers, Yanagi: iLiEdImDyInGiNsIdE, Rin: snek, Toga: mystique, Sako: lostmymarbles, Hikiishi: queenofmagnetism, Iguchi: eye gucci, Shinokanri: stardust

Usernames: Emos Anonymous Kaminari: blackcloakedbrides, Shoji: fryingpan, Jirou: greentwentyfourhours, Tokoyami: myscientificinfatuation, Todoroki: twentyoneplotpoints, Bakugo: immobileinwhite, Midoriya: falldownboy, Shinsou: stabtheveil, Kurono: inhalecarolina, Chisaki: plummetingininverse, Yukimura: anxietyintheclub, Shimura: nappingwithsirens, Kuroiro: thousandfootcane, Kodai: marianaspit, Monoma: entiretimelow, Yanagi: recentyearsday, Sako: halfminutetomars, Aizawa: hollywoodlivingdead, Shouji: fryingpan, Kurono: inhalecarolina, Aoyama: phantomtown, Honenuki: visualizedragon, Sako: halfminutetomars, Awase: distressparade, Shinokanri: simplestrategy

Usernames: UA Teachers Are Tired™ Eraserhead/Aizawa: grumpy scarf cat, Present Mic/Yamada: screeching cockatiel, Midnight/Nemuri: chaotic goth gay Ingenium/Iida: gotta go fast, AllMight/Toshinori: actual sunshine, Vlad King/Kan: bloody hell, Power Loader/Majima: speechtotext, Ectoplasm: needalegup?, Snipe: kazoo cowboy, Cementoss: concrete block, Blackmist/Kurogiri: goth portals

Oh? Tea-Chapter 5

7:32 AM

We Are Number One™

WHERE?: [pic of Kumo, Ahma, and Sora playing tag with Kaede and Michi]

WHERE?: {pic of Hoshi, Tsuki, and Taiyo drawing with Asahi and Emica]

WHERE?: They're adorable today.

SmolMight: precious.

EdgarAllanCrows: I stan ten (10) good daughters of darkness.

SmolMight: Tokoyami and Dark Shadow helping with the girls is the cutest thing to see. I have been blessed upon witnessing this.

EdgarAllanCrows: They have claimed me as their weird bird uncle. I accept this. I shall cherish and spoil them.

chaoticgaydisaster: Thank god we have you to help, Tokoyami. I can't fucking move.

Emergency Exit: Why can you not move? Are you injured, Touya? Should someone help you to Recovery Girl?

chaoticgaydisaster: no, I'm just having my period and day two hurts more than day one.

lostmymarbles: I'll get your hot water bottle and ice cream.

Dadzawa: I got you excused from your hero training class today. Shoto, do you need to be excused today as well?

WHERE?: As much as I hate the assumption that me and my brother have the same cycle, we do and yes I do need today off hero training class.

mylittlepony: Why do they get off? Aren't periods normal?

SmolMight: they both have issues with their menstrual cycles where Shoto's is very heavy and Touya's is very painful.

mylittlepony: Oh, I get it, please excuse my ignorance of the situation.

chaoticgaydisaster: it's fine, Pony.

WHERE?: it's okay, you didn't know.

Iron Man: Do you two need anything?

HopeSummers: Tetsu, no, you can't abduct them into your little group.

WHERE?: I'm scared to ask, but what group?

Akimichi: Tetsutetsu is the leader of the UA Girls Protection Squad. He helps us all with our monthlies and just generally protects us from the grape gremlin in your class.

WHERE?: I agree to be abducted into this cult you have, Tetsutetsu.

chaoticgaydisaster: same here. let me join your cult.

Iron Man: These are now my children.

glorifiedtextbubble: great, he has more children

t-rex costume: meeting happens in one of you two's rooms tonight.

deadinside: We'll come at the meeting bearing food, tea, heat pads, and movies of you two's choice.

chaoticgaydisaster: I like disney movies.

WHERE?: pixar

SmolMight: oh god, this again.

SmolMight: just bring dreamworks movies. they can't fight over which is better then.

Iron Man: Thanks Midoriya.

SmolMight: you're very welcome. I just don't want to hear them have another pixar versus disney fight tonight.

Dadzawa: alright kids, time for class soon, make sure you're all ready except Yukimura and Todoroki.

4:07 PM

We Are Number One™

Iron Man: We come bearing zaru soba, oyakodon, curry bread, takoyaki, tonjiru, ice cream, and chamomile tea!

chaoticgaydisaster: so much food, jeez.

mystique: Tetsu insisted we make sure you two eat enough since you have bad periods and you might get anemic.

Iron Man: Plus, we also made sure they're all soft enough for you, Touya.

chaoticgaydisaster: hold on, gonna cry right quick.

WHERE?: don't cry too hard, it'll hurt.

chaoticgaydisaster: I know.

Iron Man: omw with the curry bread, tea, and cuddles! Girls, you better catch up, I'm running my way over to them.

chaoticgaydisaster: Thank you, Tetsu.

Iron Man: It's with my greatest honor.

6:24 PM

We Are Number One™

9.8: so what's everyone going as for Halloween?

cena: I'm going as the old school version of Mystique.

Spider-Man: only because I had to convince her to wear clothing and not do the movie version.

cena: you're no fun, Hanta! It's not like they'd see me!

tailfloof: anyway, moving on from the couple in aisle five, I'm going as Winter Soldier.

baby shark: me, Denki, and Katsuki are going as Mitsuki, Boruto, and Sarada

princessbubblegumknockoff: I'd kill to see Bakugo in a Sarada costume but we all know that's gonna be Kaminari.

princessbubblegumknockoff: also I'm goin as Eridan with Hatsume as Feferi.

TheGreatCreator: Me and Jirou are going as Sally from Nightmare before Christmas and Emily from the Corpse Bride. She insisted on scary and I cannot say no.

EdgarAllanCrows: This year, I'm going as a ghost bride. Last year I was a vampire, and the year before I was a witch. But this year, I am a ghost bride.

EdgarAllanCrows: And I have convinced my boyfriends to kind of match with me.

Cthulhu: What he means to say is he's going as a ghost bride, I'm going as a zombie, Koda will be a groom, and Sato is planning to be a skeleton.

Pichu: heh, four stages of life.

EdgarAllanCrows: He gets it. Our plan is working.

Galvan: I'm going as Harley and Ivy.

Emergency Exit: I'm going as the MCU Quicksilver.

immafirinmahlaser: I'm going to be the wonderful Viktor Nikivorov this year.

Dadzawa: I have been roped into group costumes this year

exhausted: what are they, dad, we're all so curious to know, I'm sure.

Dadzawa: you're going with us, don't act surprised.

Dadzawa: Mic and Midnight dragged me and Tensei into dressing up as the main cast of Heathers with Shinsou as a next generation Heather.

cena: which heather are you playing, Mr. Aizawa?

Dadzawa: Chandler with Mic as Macnamara, Midnight as Duke, and Tensei as Veronica.

cena: interesting. and Shinsou?

exhausted: well, ya see, I didn't want to go as JD so Mic came up with my character so it isn't the best character. I'm going as Heather Bay.

cena: and she is?

Dadzawa: Basically Chandler's kid that she gave up. Mic isn't very creative but we stan him anyway.

princessbubblegumknockoff: I think it's cute! you're still going as parent and child!

chaoticgaydisaster: me and Sho decided to go as Freed and Rufus from Fairy Tail.

Jack Skellington: so kinda twins but not really. crafty boys.

shadowclonejutsu: the rest of us ex-league are going as pokemon and Touya was supposed to be vulpix, but he wanted to be almost matchy with Shoto

chaoticgaydisaster: I know, I was supposed to wear a vulpix costume to match my husband being eevee but this is also my first halloween with my brother in well...forever.

princessbubblegumknockoff: Wait, so is this you two's first halloween?

WHERE?: yes. together at least. i've had one with my daughters and touya has had one with the League but we never had one together.

princessbubblegumknockoff: can I join the Fuck Endeavor squad @SmolMight?

SmolMight: I'm just the spokesperson of the Fuck Endeavor Squad. Touya and Shoto are the presidents. But yes, you can join.

princessbubblegumknockoff: good. yeet his stupid ass at the sun.

WHERE?: amen.

chaoticgaydisaster: preach girl.

8:34 PM

We Are Number One™

Pichu: babe, I need cuddles.

WHAT?: I'm on my way

Pichu: god, I love my husband

lostmymarbles: what a mood

chaoticgaydisaster: Atsu! don't make me blush! I have a reputation!

lostmymarbles: My husband is the best. God, I love him. He's amazing.

chaoticgaydisaster: Atsu, you're destroying my reputation!

lostmymarbles: sometimes I still hear him screeching when he blushes.

chaoticgaydisaster: I'm bout to be screeching at you, I'm blushing dammit

WHERE?: [pic of Touya blushing]

WHERE?: he's a tomato now.

chaoticgaydisaster: betrayed by my own brother. Monoma, may I join you on the roof?

HopeSummers: Sure, I guess but I don't want you to die so I'd have to shield you from the ground.

chaoticgaydisaster: worth it

lostmymarbles: babe no!

chaoticgaydisaster: Okay, I guess I won't.

HopeSummers: wow, that was easy.

chaoticgaydisaster: I am a simple man. my husband tells me not to jump off a building and I won't do it.

10:38 PM

We Are Number One™

Dadzawa: the name change paperwork is now done. now it's just the hearing and official birth certificate change.

Emergency Exit: That's great, Mr. Aizawa!

Dadzawa: we're having korokkes to celebrate. me and a few select Chosen Ones™ shall go get ingredients.

chaoticgaydisaster: sweet potato and chicken.

WHERE?: pumpkin and tuna

HopeSummers: Wow, you two have weird cravings.

idontfeelsogood: you should've seen Touya's cravings when he was pregnant.

shadowclonejutsu: It was even weirder combinations.

eye gucci: there was that instance with the pears and mushrooms

WHERE?: mine were bad too. but you can probably already tell that.

Dadzawa: anyway, anyone else want anything different than sweet potato and chicken or pumpkin and tuna

TheGreatCreator: shrimp please and pork for Jirou

shadowclonejutsu: I want shrimp too

SmolMight: I just like cheese in mine, Tokoyami says he likes salmon, Sako says he likes egg.

baby shark: Baku likes ham and cheese, Kami likes mushrooms, and I like shrimp too.

cena: Me and ojiro both like eggplant and Tsu and Mina both like peppers, onions, and cheese

idontfeelsogood: count me in for pepper, onions, and cheese

donthugmeimscared: me too

stopwatch: same here

GuyFieriIsGod: ya know what? I want octopus in mine.

Cthulhu: I second the octopus.

9.8: I like tomato and cheese.

immafirinmahlaser: moi likes ham and cheese as well, reminds me of home.

Spider-Man: spinach and tofu.

GuyFieriIsGod: Koda says kimchi and cheese for him.

Emergency Exit: ...kimchi and cheese as well

princessbubblegumknockoff: oh my god, Iida likes weird food combos too!? revolutionary.

SmolMight: we stan one (1) good fast boy

Dadzawa: and my son likes kimchi and cheese in his too. Ashido, Hagakure, and Yaoyorozu, you three are Chosen™.

Dadzawa: choose who you may to go with you.

cena: I'm bringing Tsu and Ochako.

princessbubblegumknockoff: I'm dragging Mei with me.

TheGreatCreator: I'll bring Jirou

cena: girls only outing with Mr. Aizawa!

Pichu: does that mean I go too?

GuyFieriIsGod: Kami, you're a girl?

Pichu: I'm kinda working on that.

baby shark: you sure you wanna tell everyone?

Pichu: yeah, it's not like they won't find out.

Pichu: I'm in the process of transitioning mtf. I'm just trying to get up enough money to get bottom surgery. then it's just my HRT.

WHERE?: is there a way I can convince you to let me pay for it?

Pichu: I...wait, did you just offer to pay for my bottom surgery?

WHERE?: yes.

Pichu: Todoroki, I can't accept that! I have to earn this myself.

WHERE?: okay

Dadzawa: anyway, girls, come on. (yes, you too Kaminari)

Spider-Man: Hey, Kami, is there a name you've picked out yet?

Pichu: yeah, I was thinking Akari or Uzume. I'm leaning more toward Uzume.

princessbubblegumknockoff: I love our good pichu girl Uzume Kaminari.

Dadzawa: I'll begin the paperwork for getting you switched to the girls dorms if you'd like after we eat.

Pichu: Thank you, Mr. Aizawa!

Dadzawa: I have a clinging pokemon daughter and I couldn't be happier.

princessbubblegumknockoff: [pic of Kaminari hugging Aizawa tightly in the van]

Izukrew

11:04 PM

We Are Number One™

WHERE?: I have an idea for Kaminari.

SmolMight: I'm all ears.

WHERE?: before that happens.

WHERE? has added WHAT? to Izukrew

WHERE?: where does Kaminari work, Bakugo?

WHAT?: Heiwa to Chowa in Kamino. Evening shift from 5 to 10 every day. I have a feeling I know what you and your brother are planning, Fireball.

WHAT?: And I greatly approve of what you're planning. Uzume is a stubborn woman, she won't accept help if she's put her mind to doing it herself. She's only got the last 300 dollars from the cost of the surgery to cover.

WHERE?: Good, thank you. I shall plan accordingly. Touya starts the same shift tomorrow so I have an excuse to be there if questioned.

WHAT?: I'm leaving now. I'll be there to watch at her shift start tomorrow. You better be nice to her.

WHERE?: I may be gay but I know how to treat women, I drink my respecting women juice every morning.

WHAT?: Good, drink your respecting women juice or else I'll explode your face.

WHAT?: With that lovely sentiment.

WHAT? has left Izukrew

9.8: I feel like I just watched a back-alley deal and I love it.

SmolMight: You get used to it. That's just how Kacchan and Shocchan interact with each other now that they're friends.

9.8: Kamino made you two scary close.

WHERE?: we're also pretty close with Shinsou and Bakugo had a real bonding moment with Touya.

WHERE?: you bond pretty well with a person when you're trapped together and happen to have your periods at the same time while kidnapped.

9.8: you got me there.

Emergency Exit: Todoroki, are you going to take money out of your father's card to pay for Kaminari's surgery?

WHERE?: you're getting it Iida. you are correct, that's exactly what I'm doing.

Emergency Exit: Then I shall go with you to make sure you don't do anything stupid.

Taglist: @logan-sanders-enthusiast @luckyicekitsune @whippedbel @lgbtforeverything @pinecone-chomper @mikmacmoo @wasinotwantedatthisexactsecond @purplespiderstormcloud @stankyratman @king-of-the-oranges @headcannons-and-random-things @fear-ze-queer @turtleluv799 @ymmm-someone

[marceltorak]

A new friend from preschool came home with the kids today. Kana was the first to befriend her then Emica joined it before Paul finally came too! He certainly didn’t want to be left out. The group chatted for a while until our guest decided the toilet was more fun than her new friends. I really wanna do a toddler playdate event now!

[darlingpoppet]

From WTDF chapter 4

One advantage(?) of taking so long on a fic is that after a while you begin to feel some separation between you and the text and then you’re reading back through the older stuff just like any other reader and anyway YEAH Achilles reminding Zagreus of his mother was such a throwaway line in the game but there’s SO much to work with in that one simple idea??? It makes me isane… plus me being the author and knowing that I’m actually going somewhere with this… IM FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS

[darlingpoppet]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Thanks Jo and also to @onionjuggler for tagging me, sorry for answering so late </3 (wait since I got tagged twice should I go ahead and self-rec 5 more fics after this or is that too self-indulgent even for me??) Ah well :)

I’m not really sure what order to put these in, so I’ll just list them chronologically!

Pressed Flowers (Shingeki no Kyojin, Eruri, T)

This was the first fic I managed to get over the finish line after years of having no idea how to build a bridge to the creative writing island in my brain, and thanks to the momentum created by this one I’ve been publishing new fics regularly ever since. In a weird way this still feels like my best written fic because you know that phenomenon when you’re in the weeds developing a skill and at times you feel like you’re getting worse, in a “the more you learn, the less you know” kind of way? This was the fic where I felt the least self-conscious about my abilities so I was able to just express all the ideas I wanted to convey without thinking too hard about any of it, and idk sometimes that can be an asset to the final product (the word flow probably needs improvement though lol.) But also I’m just fond of the perfect, peaceful moment I was able to create for Eruri here.

Upon A Lazy Bed (TSOA, Patrochilles, M)

Whenever I get into a new piece of media or a new ship I really just like to stew in it for a few months, because in a way whatever you post first will be a treatise of sorts on how you view the thing… and yeah so anyway this is what I came up with after snorting pure uncut Patrochilles for the first six months of shipping it (even if Once More ending up beating it to the finish line so I guess that’s the real Patrochilles treatise, lol.) I like this one because I was able to try something new, especially because the narrative voice of TSOA was still in my head at the time so it was a fun challenge to replicate it to some degree (this is still my only 1st person pov fic to date.) I felt myself leveling up as a writer as I was working on it too, which is always a cool feeling.

Where The Dead Forget (Hades, Patrochilles, M-E)

This fic is still ongoing and even what I’ve published so far is just the iceberg tip belying all the effort and ink spilled for it for almost two years now, but I guess that’s why it’s my baby haha. Usually when I post a fic, a huge motivating factor for me is I want to hopefully add something new with my perspective and/or otherwise give myself everything I want in a story. With WTDF however my primary goal from the beginning has been taking a popular fandom trope and just simply trying to stretch my wings with long-form storytelling (because of course as expected, it has only gotten more complex and bigger in scope lol.) I think sometimes I undersell it by saying this story isn’t that original and doesn’t have any hot takes, but tbh as time has passed I’ve started to gain a perspective and an angle for it, and it has already helped launch a lot of really interesting conversations with other Patrochilles fans, so that in itself more than justifies its existence for me! The best part of a serial fic is having others going on the ride with you so I’ll always be extending the invitation to have more come along until of course I finally finish it in 2069 :)

Closest To My Heart (Hades, PZA, E)

There’s probably an undercurrent of melancholy running through a lot of my stories, considering the source materials I like working with, but this was probably the first time I got to make a story outright unsettling. I think I’ve often talked this one up as my favorite to write as well as my favorite as a finished piece so I’m almost not sure what else I can say about it but there’s just something about PZA that lights up my brain like a Christmas tree, it gives me so many wild ideas and makes me want to keep exploring these highly intense emotional states. And I love that this one was born out of those unhinged fandom group chat conversations where it’s just riffing on pure collective id until someone goes “fuck it, I’m writing this!” (And that someone in this case was me lol.)

See No ****, Hear No **** (Hades, Patrochilles, E)

I think I’m lucky that most of my own writing I personally like have also been crowd pleasers (or idk who knows maybe the reception is indeed a big factor in my estimation of quality because the in the end the “popular=good” drug is a hard habit to break, lol.) But this is definitely one I can point to and say the audience here is probably much more limited and I still think it rules :) I had a lot of fun with the concept of creating essentially two different stories out of the exact same scene because different sensory deprivations affected how each character experienced it. And also I wrote it as a gift, meaning there was that much extra love put into it! I may do a lot of serious academic reading & research about classical texts for Patrochilles but at the end of the day I was raised in the dark fandom, molded by it, and sometimes that means you just gotta turn your blorbos into holes no matter how many millennia of highfalutin academic tradition exists behind them uwu I will say though this fic probably has THE highest kudos to bookmark ratio of all my fics so I tend to think Squidward DOES like krabby patties but no worries, y’all keep your secrets ;)

Honorable Mention: I think I’m with @baejax-the-great who said your favorite story is always the one you’re currently working on, which for me means my upcoming modern au pza fic, Liminal Spaces (aka the pza dreamers au). But since it’s still unfinished and unpublished, I can’t properly recommend it, lol. Who knows how I’ll feel about it by the time it’s done but I’m having a lot of fun writing it so I hope y’all will enjoy it too <3

[darlingpoppet]

emica it’s killing me and I have to ask, what do you mean by klastos?? 😂 I don’t know enough Greek to understand omg I’m a fake fan

Hello Mag!!! 💕 nooo omg not at all aldkfjsjakdh iirc Klastos was the name Zagreus gave his plant in @elemmacil’s fic so when I saw the plant in Ease Off I was all like OMG IT’S KLASTOS ;3; That was a cute cameo btw! I love that we’re all being inspired by one another, legends referencing other legends behavior <3 HGCU (Hadesgame cinematic universe) uwu

For reference, here’s the relevant passage from Ch 1 of A Bit Of Earth (which everyone should go read because it’s lovely):

[darlingpoppet]

WIP Wednesday — WTDF Ch 7 Excerpt #2

Whenever I participate in WIP Wednesday it’s usually already Thursday in my timezone so I hope you’ll allow me to post during my Wednesday right at midnight, haha.

Where The Dead Forget chapter 7 is coming along nicely and as I get closer I still seem to be on track for a roughly end-of-February-beginning-of-March publication. I said in the last check-in that the chapter is mostly Patroclus-pov so today I offer a sample of what he is getting up to! This scene also offers a big hint as to which Iliad characters are making their cameo appearance in this story. That scene is in the home stretch now and it is LONG but I’m pleased so far by how it’s turning out :)

Sorry that this excerpt plops us right in the middle of a scene but if I may offer a bit of context: Patroclus has been speaking to a group of drunken shades who are passing around a bottle of ambrosia between them while they sloppily recount a very contradictory and off-color version of a Certain Achilles-related myth, until this happens:

“That is no way to speak when an honored guest is present, now is it?” A voice says.

Patroclus turns toward its source, and sees a shade approaching them. The man reaches out to wrap a friendly yet protective arm around Patroclus’ shoulder. He makes a small show of shaking his head in disapproval, tisking loudly.

“I swear, the manner of this realm grows more barbaric with each passing age. It is as if everyone here has forgotten how to uphold the sacred customs of hospitality, or even basic manners.” He faces Patroclus, addressing him directly: “These shades have been acting quite rude to you, haven’t they? Not once did they even offer you some of their drink.”

“Hey, now see here,” one of the shades growls. “This bottle was hard-won, I’ll have you know. We earned it in the arena fair and square, and we shouldn’t be expected to give it away to any random shade who comes wandering up to us. If he wants it so bad, he can go get some himself!”

The shade shakes his head ruefully.

“You see what I mean? No sense of brotherhood or principles among this lot, whatsoever. I’m guessing they didn’t even invite you to sit down.”

“No,” Patroclus says. If he were being honest, he doesn’t much care for this one swooping in with his sudden and unprompted gallantry. But it is easier for Patroclus to answer truthfully, and his growing irritation with the group gives him no incentive to make any effort to defend them.

“If you’re so keen to show this fellow a good time, why don’t you take him back to your place yourself,” another shade slurs out with a roguish grin. “He seems to be asking around for the best hero to fuck.”

“As if you weren’t the one who was just speaking of his fondness for men’s holes.”

The ribald banter has the group swooning with drunken laughter once again.

“Oh, all of you are incorrigible! Vulgar barbarians,” the shade huffs, speaking to Patroclus over the noise with an almost exaggerated, dignified haughtiness. “Come, my friend, we do not have to listen to this filth any longer. I shall take you to where we are able speak in peace, if you are willing. You wish to know about someone in particular, do you not?”

“Er… yes,” Patroclus answers, his eyes darting to the now distracted shades, still in the throes of laughter, before flickering back to this other shade, who by now he has identified as someone familiar to him, though his mind still searches as to exactly how. “All right.”

The shade smiles pleasantly at the acceptance of his offer. His teeth flash brightly against the the deep color of his sun-browned skin—he has a snaggletoothed canine on one side of his mouth which gives his grin a youthful charm, in spite of the stately handsomeness of his face.

The shade leads Patroclus to a secluded clearing not too far away. It is not unlike Patroclus’ own glade, hidden behind vines and easily passed over by anyone who does not have a mind to look for it. The shade pulls aside a lush curtain of hanging leaves to unlatch the gate, inviting Patroclus to enter ahead of him. Patroclus, acting cautious, does not move right away—instead looking to the shade with an unwavering gaze, giving him his full attention.

“Thank you, son of Hippolochus,” he says pointedly. The shade grins.

“You remember me then,” he says. “I am glad. Go on, son of Menoitius. And please do not worry. We offer our hearth to you in friendship.”

[darlingpoppet]

what's some of your favorite books of all time?

Hi myeotien, thanks for your ask! <3

Aaahhh this question is a bit tricky for me… because even though I read tons of books as a kid I pretty much fell out of reading published novels for pleasure since leaving school and only recently picked it back up again in the last couple of years. Before that, I think the only book series I had finished reading in the last decade were A Song Of Ice And Fire series and the Captive Prince trilogy, both of which I enjoyed. I remember having a minor fixation with Lord Of the Flies when I read it in 5th grade because it was ~darker & edgier~ than anything else I had read before at the time… I haven’t reread it since so idk if I can say it’s an all-timer but I’m pretty sure it has influenced my taste in stories in general lol. One of my first fandoms back in the day was for a certain book series about wizards but for reasons I’m sure I don’t have to explain I don’t fuck with it anymore lol.

Most of the pleasure reading I’ve done for the past 20ish years or so where I got to admire writing as a craft has been through fanfiction hahaha. Tbh I’m starting to realize that a lot of the inspiration for my own writing comes not from books but from completely different mediums such as film and music, which I have consumed a lot more of as an adult—trying to translate visuals and sounds and the feelings evoked by them into words is what fuels me, ykwim? Anyway now that I’m pivoting back into reading & writing as a hobby I can at least show you a sampling of the sorts of things that are on my bookshelf atm (either read, started, or TBR)… hopefully some of these will become new all-time favorites! Also if y’all have recommendations I’m all ears :3

[darlingpoppet]

WIP — Where The Dead Forget Chapter 7 excerpt

Either a few days late or a few days early for WIP Wednesday :) Here are the first 600 words or so of the chapter as of right now, though it might still need some tweaking. Contrary to this initial scene, this in fact a very Patroclus-centric chapter and he’s the POV character most of the time and I’m very excited about it!

I’m hoping to finish this chapter sometime in February, though admittedly I’ve feeling a bit of fatigue the past couple weeks after writing and/or editing so much every single day since November, lol. So it’s been going a bit more slowly while I allow myself a break & some time away from the draft. I know this comes as no surprise but the writing process can be pretty lonely sometimes. I suppose any encouragement and feedback is welcome! <3

Patroclus looks up at the sound of Achilles’ approach.

Achilles stops short, a few paces away from him at the top of the stone staircase, uncertain if he ought to come any closer. He assesses Patroclus’ mood carefully.

There is recognition in his face this time, but it is impassive—whether Patroclus feels joy, annoyance, or nothing at all at the sight of him, Achilles cannot say. He is unsure whether or not this is what their reunion would have been like, if none of this had happened. If only he had ever tried to imagine it.

“So, you’re back,” Patroclus says.

“Yes,” says Achilles. “I said that I would come again, did I not?”

“You did.”

“Are you displeased?”

Patroclus lifts his chin and regards him for a moment, considering.

“You are free to do as you wish,” he says, finally.

Achilles decides this is as close to assent as he is going to receive at this point. He gently lays down his spear by the riverbank, and then sits himself on the grass beside Patroclus, neatly folding his legs. He sets his clasped hands into his lap, trying not to fidget.

Patroclus’ manner had always been soft-spoken and unassuming in life, but there was always an underlying mischief to it, a dryness and sardonic, vicious wit. Now however, there is a monotonous lilt in his gentle voice, a listless look in his eyes. Is it the fault of the Lethe? Or had Patroclus always been this way in death? Even with the apparent blank spots in his memory, he still seems to have kept his wits. In many ways, he has become much the same as Achilles in death: an incomplete soul, quiet and contemplative. However, Achilles is unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of Patroclus’ coldness, reserved usually only for those he truly disliked or otherwise did not trust. Even from the beginning, he had been more shy rather than abrasive towards him (even if Achilles had once mistaken it for the latter).

“I wanted to come see you again, because I’m not sure that we started off on the right foot last time,” he says. “I was too forward. I did not respect your feelings or your privacy. I did not mean to pry. I am sorry.”

Achilles’ thoughts lingered once more on their adolescence. Back then, in the days and weeks since learning the extent of Patroclus’ past—of his crime and all the rest, the reasons for his behaviors over the previous years began to make sense. Patroclus had been a person who guarded his wounded heart carefully, wary of anyone who might try to gut him completely. And yet, it seemed as if he had opened it to Achilles so easily back then, their relationship so full of intimacy and closeness and touch since that very first day of their friendship. It was the privilege of children perhaps—still innocent, and brazenly eager to love and be loved in return, in spite of everything.

It is a privilege that both of them no longer have. Achilles is doubtful that Patroclus could grow to love anew what he has become now—a wretched and gloomy shade with only his sorrows and too many regrets. And though his hands practically twitch with his ache for it, he does not dare to try to touch him now.

Perhaps unexpectedly, Patroclus’ expression softens.

“To be honest, I am a bit relieved that you came back,” he says. “On the contrary, I was unkind last time. I too, had wished to make it up to you.”

[darlingpoppet]

New WTDF chapter this weekend

[darlingpoppet]

hi thanks for the liminal spaces update! i was wondering what sort of styles the characters are wearing?

Hey anon thanks so much for reading and thank you for your ask!!

I seriously plundered the tumblr hipster blogs circa 2013 for this story, lads, let me tell you!! I’m not sure I described very well the fashions everyone in this story is wearing lest I fall into Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way territory but these are the sorts of images I had in mind for each of the characters who have made an appearance so far (sorry in advance for the potato quality of some of these images… also just in case it needs to be said, the hair & skin colors of these clothing/hairstyle models may not necessarily reflect those of the Hadesgame versions of these characters, which are the versions I’m working with in this story):

ZAGREUS

Recently Super Groupies came out with this literal Zagreus inspired zipper jacket… it only came out this year but I can still see someone in the 2010s wearing something like it so I just described him as having this exact jacket LOL. I imagined him arranging it a bit differently than the model however, instead he wears it with black skinny jeans and colorful high top converse shoes.

It’s actually really easy to imagine Zagreus as your typical millennial/gen Z college kid without too many alterations…

just look at these boys with their extremely Zagreus-looking hairstyles haha! The boy wearing blue in particular was the inspiration for Zag having those chunky square-cut diamond earrings… it’s cute to imagine them poking out from under one of those knitted caps!

ACHILLES

I like to imagine that the Achilles of this story has a bit of a gender-fluid/genderless approach to fashion, so I picture him wearing a lot of the things that were popular with hipsters of all genders, such as flannel, low-cut t-shirts & tank tops, long necklaces, chunky/slouchy cardigan sweaters, skinny jeans, and wide-brimmed hats. He wears his hair long or ties it up into a messy bun.

At home both he & Patroclus do a bit of the athleisure thing, so especially pretty soon he’s gonna be in crop/tank tops and sweatpants a lot (or in nothing at all haha!!!)

PATROCLUS

Idk I think I just see Pat as that sort of natural class-act who can wear a plain t-shirt or a band collar shirt with a nice pair of slacks and dressy shoes and look ultra sophisticated without even trying. Maybe he does that 2010s thing of wearing an unbuttoned vest over the shirt or he’ll borrow a pair of suspenders from the “2010s Recession Hipster Dude Starter Pack” every once in a while, but overall he doesn’t need much (but also imagine he’s holding a book wherever he is lol.)

Also of course, that full beard and man-bun look of the era is so quintessential and fits him perfectly!

THANATOS

I actually lived in Japan for all of the 2010s haha so I pictured Than more like the sort of young men I would sometimes see around Tokyo with multiple layers of long, knee/ankle-length cardigan robes/jackets, and those wide, billowing pants in perhaps a parachute or bontan style.

As for the gorget necklace… you know how sometimes you find a cool accessory in a vintage shop or whatever and you’re like “I am going to make this thing my entire personality for the next year”? hahaha yeah that’s Than here. Something gold or brass like the top picture that he wears under his black collared shirts, like the bottom picture.

I might come back to this once Meg makes an appearance, but for now that’s all I’ve got! Thanks for asking, this was fun <3

[darlingpoppet]

Yeah I think liminal spaces is gonna be seven chapters lol

[darlingpoppet]

Favorite place you’ve traveled to/visited? Place you would visit asap if you could?

Some of my favorite, most nostalgic memories have been traveling to cities and towns along Sagami Bay in Kanagawa, Japan, such as Kamakura and Fujisawa. In particular, one afternoon I finished work early and was on the train home when I suddenly decided I was going to ride it to the end of the line, which brought me all the way to the entrance of Enoshima island. And so I spent the rest of that day on an impromptu sightseeing trip, climbing the island hill, enjoying the nature (it was cherry blossom season) and when I reached the top I got to sit on a balcony with a beer to watch the sun setting behind Mt. Fuji and it was probably the best day ever :)

Places I would visit ASAP if I could: my mom’s house 🥺 and my old hometown where I grew up so I can see what everyone there has been up to 🥺 And maybe since it’s obligatory at this point: Greece… or maybe more broadly I would want to go on like, a journey around the entire Mediterranean where you hit all the key locations from the Iliad and the Odyssey… tours like that exist, right? An Achilles tour, an Odysseus tour, a Helen tour… 😆

[darlingpoppet]

any updates on wtdf? i hope u have a wonderful day 💕

Hi anon! Thanks so much for checking in! And thanks for doing it on tumblr, this is a good opportunity to push me out of lurk mode and refill my queue while offering some much needed updates!

Anyways, the short answer is: WTDF chapter 8 is coming along, albeit more slowly than I intended, and it might still be another month or two before it’s finally done.

The longer explanation is this: Chapter 8 is another doozy like chapter 4 was… if you read the notes for chapter 4, or read my other WTDF-related posts here on tumblr, then perhaps you’re familiar with the fact that completing that chapter was also a protracted process that juggled a different fic project with a fixed deadline, a bout of writer’s block, and inspiration wandering to some different one-shots before ultimately getting me back on-track. I’m a bit sorry to say that I seem to be unintentionally experiencing an exact repeat of last year 🥲💦

In April, when I was still on-track to finish the chapter within my self-imposed deadline, a friend asked me to pinch-hit for their zine, and I was happy to put all my own projects on the back burner for a couple of weeks while I helped out a friend in-need. Once that project was finished at the end of April I immediately got back to work on WTDF, but less than two weeks in (right around the time Hades II Early Access dropped, so I was already a little bit distracted lol) I got saddled with a leadership position preparing for an event at my kid’s kindergarten, which took up 100% of my free time as well as the complete use of my hands (because A LOT of crafting was also involved lol.) So for the rest of May, zero writing got done (though I listened to a lot of podcasts and youtube video essays during that time, I’m thinking of making a rec list sometime of the stuff I enjoyed just for fun!)

And now here we are toward the end of June and the chapter still isn’t done. Even now I keep huffing the copium by telling myself I can finish it by the end of the month, but I’m gonna be honest: all of the interruptions & delays have left me struggling to get back in the right headspace for this story & at this point I admit that I seem to have fallen into another writer’s block 🥲 The last couple of weeks have been me making incremental progress while also trying to refill my cups.

I really hoped I could finish it this month because I’m already planning on doing camp nanowrimo in July to FINALLY finish the draft for the dreamers AU that has also been in the works for over a year now. And tbh that’s the story that I’m now daydreaming about as I start to get myself back into the writing zone. So I think I just gotta Trust The Process on this one and strike the iron where it’s hot for now, because at least I can point to my experience last year and give credit to my fics Closest & Flourishing for giving me the needed momentum to finally get WTDF Ch 4 over the finish line (followed by a streak of productivity that lasted me pretty much up until this point!)

So while I’m sorry that this means WTDF Ch 8 is gonna continue to be delayed a bit longer, I also think it’ll be worth it in the end when I have both these projects finished and I’m feeling good about the direction the inspiration is taking them. FWIW a lot of the ideas & themes I’m thinking about for the dreamers AU—such as prolonged periods of transition, coming of age, and the liminal qualities of queerness & gender identity—they are helping ideas coalesce in my approach to WTDF Ch 8, which, as I may have mentioned before, is a treatment of the Skyros arc. It’s actually fitting that I’m working on these projects both at the same time because I think they’re actively making one another better, which means I’m getting even more excited to complete & share them! The dreamers AU seems likely to be split into two parts at this point, so it makes sense to me to sandwich the WTDF update in between those. I can never really make concrete promises about my publishing schedule anymore, but for now at least, that’s the plan.

Anyways sorry for the longwinded & possibly boring explanation/list of excuses. But I appreciate your ask, it means a lot to know that people care 🥹🙏 Thank you everyone for their patience so far!!! I know I’m slow haha but everyone has been nothing but kind & understanding about it <3

You have a wonderful day as well ❤️

[darlingpoppet]

We currently don't share fandoms, but we go all the way back to LJ. I have known you longer than I have anyone on this blue hellsite. And so for that?

Boop.

Thank you so much friend M 🥹🙏💕 (I can’t remember what name you prefer to go by in fandom spaces these days so I abbreviated the one I know you by just in case haha) It’s been fun to exchange boops with you all day!

Boop!