#i feel like such an imposter most of the time when I try writing these days and just stop bc I feel like everything I write is trash

[aphel1on]

Dungeon Lords and the Human Need for Connection

When I came across these panels again the other day, it got me thinking about dungeon lord parallels again.

...And I spiraled until I was writing my thesis statement about how All Four Dungeon Lords (Yes, Even Laios, Stop leaving him out of these discussions) Are Actually the Same.

Firstly (because on some level everything is about Thistle to me) I thought about how the lion could have very likely given Thistle a similar offer when his loved ones started losing their souls/rebelling/etc. And yet, there is no sign that Thistle ever accepted such an offer, nor any sign that he used magic to forcibly change people's opinions, the way Marcille briefly threatened the party with while she was dungeon lord:

Instead, he ended up with the fucking dining table that drives me insane. Which probably means that either Thistle rejected the offer, or the lion sensed it wouldn't go over well and didn't even try it.

Making replicas of people doesn't seem to be an uncommon part of granting the dungeon lord's wishes. In his time, Mithrun actually took the demon up on it:

(Not pictured; the infamous lamia-version of his love interest.)

What makes Mithrun different from Thistle and Marcille in this instance is that Thistle and Marcille both became dungeon lords for the sake of specific people. Both were motivated by the terror of losing their most important people, and both told themselves everything they did was for the sake of protecting those people.

Because they were motivated by genuine love, copies or mind manipulation were not palatable. I think Thistle even in the late stages of his madness probably would not find these to be acceptable solutions. No matter how twisted, possessive, and obsessive his love became under the dungeon's influence, it was still from the fear of losing those original, irreplaceable people that he was doing all this. Even as his relationship with Delgal and the other Melinis fell apart over the years... even as he was left with only their soulless bodies... he would still rather cling to whatever was left.

Perhaps on some level, Thistle recognized the same thing that kept Marcille from following through with her threats:

Even in the state of endlessly chasing their desires as dungeon lords, they couldn't feel truly okay accomplishing it that way.

For Mithrun, meanwhile, the people in his fantasy world were a means to an end. It was all-encompassing insecurity and the pain of not being wanted that led him to become dungeon lord. His desire was not fixated on any specific people - it was broad enough and desperate enough that anyone could fulfill it. The thing is, Mithrun prior to becoming dungeon lord was by all accounts well-liked. But his emotional walls were up so high that not a single one of his admirers could make him feel known and cared for. The kind of crushing perfectionism he exhibited in that stage of his life often comes with a silent and equally crushing imposter syndrome. No one actually knew him, because Mithrun didn't let them, even though every aspect of his personality then was a desperate plea to be seen and liked. I think the sad truth is that, by the time he became dungeon lord, Mithrun didn't truly believe that happiness was something that could be found in other people. (It's telling that his wish was for a world in which he had never been discarded; perhaps for a world in which he never felt the need to put up those masks.)

In this respect, Mithrun is actually more alike to Laios than he is to Thistle and Marcille.

Laios was told again and again by the world that it was wrong to be who he was - that he was unlikeable when he acted the way that came naturally to him. The lion didn't bother asking Laios about replicas; those would be meaningless to him. Like Mithrun, Laios had lost all hope of being liked for who he was, but took it one step further: Laios had lost hope that he could find happiness in the human world entirely. At that point, all he wanted was an escape. To leave the pain of the human world behind and become someone, something, different. All he really needed in order to be tempted into it was the assurance that his friends would be safe.

All four of these stories have a pretty obvious throughline when you think about it: the deep, intrinsic need for human connection and what happens to someone when that need cannot be met.

All four of them were starving for connection. All four of them experienced alienation and isolation that made them desperate enough to turn to the demon.

Marcille (a half-elf whose unstable aging left her without peers) and Thistle (raised as the only elf in a kingdom of humans) both formed intense attachments to the few people they did become close to, and went off the deep end from fear of losing them.

Mithrun and Laios were both rejected by others for aspects of themselves that were out of their control, and tried to cope by developing masks that left them unable to feel accepted by the people still in their lives.

...So it's fitting, then, that genuine human connection is also what saved all four of them in the end.

(Thistle is a little arguable here; I personally don't think he died, but even if you do believe he died at the end of the manga- Yaad being able to connect and empathize with him is what gave him peace and solace in his final moments.)

Dungeon Meshi is about alienation and connection as much as it is about food and cycles of life. (Or more like, these themes are masterfully intertwined - food is used to represent love and connection over and over again. But that's a whole essay in and of itself!)

[oh-no-its-bird]

Half Hatake Tobirama where he took after his mother really strongly instead of his father, while Hashirama took after their father and not their mother.

Ok but now give Hashirama imposter syndrome about it.

He's technically Hatake too, but not "enough" to be recognized by the clan while for some reason his brother is

He's wild like the trees, not the wolves, and they can smell it on him

He's not one of them, even if he does have the same amount of their blood in his veins as Tobirama, and no matter how badly he might want to be </3

Hashirama living vicariously through Tobirama's stories of visiting the clan, and Tobirama is going out of his way to ask questions and do things while there he knows his brother will like hearing about

Idk I just think there's potential there. A lot of half hatake Tobirama fics will directly mention that they're full blooded siblings but then not go into how Hashirama might feel ab Tobirama's closeness to the Hatake while he's apparently either not afforded that same closeness or had never tried to reach for it

Which ofc is a valid take and makes things easier writing wise but like !!! I wanna see him have thoughts about it !!!

The Hatake join the village and Hashirama got weirdly emotional about it (bc this might finally mean he can interact with his mother's clan) and no one can really understand why, except Tobirama who's kind of the reverse of him with being too Hatake for most Senju. But even then it's not the same

Play with it some more, say he did inherit some traits and habits from the wolf clan, just not enough for them to really recognize him. But enough for some of the Senju also kind of side eye him sometimes.

He's too Hatake for the Senju but too Senju for the Hatake.

He has to mask any Hatake traits he has to make people more comfortable when around others, but then doesn't know how or what to try and exaggerate to get the Hatake's approval

Picturing like, when the boys were young and there mother was still alive. And their aunt, the Hatake clan head and their mother's sister, coming to visit.

And she spends time with both Hashirama and Tobirama, then when leaving tells the boys that Tobirama is welcome to visit the clan lands once he's of age

And Hashirama kind of pipes up and asks if he can come too and she just sort of pats him on the head and says something about not thinking it was really "for him"

And later that night Hashirama approaches their mother and asks why he couldn't visit either, and why their aunt seemed to like Tobirama so much more than him.

And his mom has to struggle with how to say "The Hatake are a very private and protective clan, and you aren't not Hatake enough for her to let you into her home" in a way her like 9 year old son can understand while still being nice about it (she tries her best but years later and that one conversation is still one of Hashirama's strongest and saddest memories of his mother. He has a lot of conflicting thoughts about it)

But yeah !! Give him cultural imposter syndrome and jealousy of not being enough to count as one of them

[toomanyideasandfandoms]

Can we have creator wanting to die thing you wrote but with Xiao or venti? İ love my anemo boys. Could be a tic, or if you're lasy just write it as what you think would happen i would appriciate both if you could 🫶

Oooo!! There's an idea! Actually these two would be very interesting to write for me.

-

Venti actually in my head is most likely one of the first to find out about the creator. I've already wrote how it happened in my first oneshot for this so you can scroll my profile for it. But! It's how he acts after that really gets my brain screaming. He would be such a depressed mess, absolutely devastated with himself for harming the divine. Seeing their body turn to ash while smiling had definitely messed him up a bit.

If he finds them again then all hell breaks loose, cause he is definitely gonna try and lock them in a safe place. Though that isn't really successful since creator being so mentally broken can and will find a way to experience another death. Though they can say goodbye to falling from high places as a method cause now the winds of Teyvat just refuse to let them end up as a splatter of muscle and blood, it's especially annoying in trying to push them to safety because of Venti's active paranoia over them.

He also would be helping Nahida in spreading the word to the other archons about the situation, though he very much will take the blame for being one of the first to harm them when they first arrived.

-

Xiao? Oh god Xiao has had enough trauma this is so painful dhskdjf. Because while Xiao I can see as more of a casual follower kind of, the fact that Morax would be such a big worshipper is probably the reason why Xiao would be protective of the Primordial Mother's honor.

It's why he would have the highest kill count, both to dispell any opportunity for Morax to get angry and to uphold the creator's honorable visage.

Which is why if I feel like the more he encounters the broken creator, who is constantly seeking for a more entertaining death, the more likely he becomes...almost worried? Like he would mainly think it's just another lunatic that is super obsessed with the creator that they physically changed their image to look like them as a way to feel closer, but as time went on and each one talks about the previous' death. He would definitely become suspicious.

Normally how I think about why no one found out right away from their first time killing the creator is because it's a common thing to not look at the body of an "imposter" or "heretic" as they die, solely because seeing them in such a state while having the Primordial Mother's face would be a disgrace to them. So they typically wait until the body is gone, and by then the golden blood has disappeared.

This is how Xiao would find out, he would directly look at them as they died before him to fully understand. And upon seeing that golden does the reality of the situation hit him harder than any karmic debt pain he's felt. All those countless deaths, all those bodies that piled up from him. It was the same god, the same creator who the entirety of Teyvat loved.

It's definitely going to eat at him, practically devour his mind and almost shatter his mental state. But instead of fully breaking down, he runs to Morax, the adeptus, anyone he can think of to try to rectify the mistakes he and the others of Liyue have made.

When the creator is put into a safe place by the time the entirety of Teyvat knows, he's the first to volunteer as a guard. To make up for not protecting them like he should've from the beginning. Though this isn't gonna be good for either's mental health since the creator would just beg him to kill them, and him begging them to not say such things and to please forgive him.

[demonslayerunhinged]

Unhinged theory

Sanemi and Giyuu are exes (Part 1)

In celebration of the canonization* of my favorite couple, I've decided to try to get out of my writing funk by writing this theory. There's a teeny tiny spoiler included for those of you who haven't read the manga. So bewareeeeee.

Ok so, whenever I think of the actual-current-canon-in-the-anime/manga relationship between these two, something about their animosity just seems off. Even though they don't 'like' each other, and they clash a lot, their interactions give this "We used to be somewhat close" energy. Whether it's ex-friends/boyfriends doesn't matter, the point is that I feel these two have history.

So lemme explain:

Hide yo coins cuz I'm finna reaching with this one 😂

The beginning

I think their relationship started around the time when Sanemi became a Hashira. He was still raw and hurt over the death of Masachika, his new colleagues have a terrible first impression of him, plus he just got the news that Genya has joined the Corps and there's nothing he can do about it. Needless to say, our boy isn't doing so well.

Enter Giyuu, he's new to the Corps too(I figured he joined a bit earlier than Sanemi), Obanai isn't here yet for Sanemi to bond with, and he's an outcast so they would probably gravitate to one another even if they don't realize.

Maybe they went on joint missions and during that time they would have to communicate to one another. Sanemi was probably the one who initiated the conversations and I know this seems unbelievable but don't forget Sanemi has a general openness of 60% while Giyuu has 30% so it's not so far off for Sanemi to try to communicate with him.

Giyuu liked Sanemi, it was probably one of those love-at-first-sight kind of things, but his constant NLOG statements, general aloofness and social ineptitude prevented him from connecting with Sanemi properly. And like I said earlier, Sanemi was still emotionally raw so a lot of Giyuu's actions and mannerisms were probably triggering for him given his background and after many attempts to connect with this guy albeit in his own aggressive way, but he doesn't have the patience to understand Giyuu's words and behavior.

The breakup

Aside from miscommunication, I think the factors that led to their breakup were Giyuu's depression, imposter syndrome and Sanemi's depression and low self-esteem.

Giyuu probably told him one time, "I'm not like you." and refused to elaborate, so Sanemi interpreted that statement as Giyuu looking down on him. He got embarrassed, angry but most of all hurt because of course, he's not dumb he knows how far apart they are when it comes to class. Before becoming a Slayer Giyuu came from a well-to-do family, he's attractive, he's educated, he speaks well and he can write.

So why would someone like Giyuu want to be with an ugly, monstrous, ghetto rat like him? He couldn't tell all this to Giyuu because doing that would require him to be vulnerable and Sanemi would rather die. So he did the thing he always does when he gets hurt, he withdrew. Then proceeded to cover up his pain with anger and his shame with pride.

Giyuu, on the other hand, was oblivious to Sanemi's pain and just assumed that he was just 'hot-tempered'. Around this time, Obanai joined the Hashira and he and Sanemi became fast friends. Finally! Here was someone Sanemi was able to relate to, someone who has the same level of openness, who had similar traumatic experiences, has an equally suicidal desire to kill demons and most importantly someone who doesn't look down on him.

When Obanai encountered Giyuu for the first time probably in his first Hashira meeting, he asked Sanemi about the weird, sad guy who stood way off to the side. Sanemi being comfortable around Obanai tells him about Giyuu, his attitude and their history and Obanai is like 'What an asshole!' and like a true bro starts hating Giyuu in solidarity with Sanemi, much to Giyuu's confusion.

Thus began Sanemi's one-sided antagonistic relationship with Giyuu, but no matter how hard he tried to hate him, deep down Sanemi still cares, and he still wants to connect with Giyuu, but he can't risk being hurt again. Giyuu still views Sanemi as a friend and doesn't realize yet that Sanemi was gone - physically and emotionally.

Then after his first and second encounter with Tanjiro in the first season, I believe that there was a massive but subtle change within him that led him to begin a more active approach in his attempts to connect with Sanemi, and he does so in a really clumsy way that only makes Sanemi even more annoyed.

Giyuu didn't know at the time, but he had an opportunity to get back with Sanemi, and that was when the Master asked the other Hashira to try to make him happy so he would open up.

Shinobu who noticed Giyuu's pining after Sanemi figured that an invitation to eat his favorite food from his favorite person would help Giyuu to open up. Not knowing about Sanemi's beef with Giyuu, she made the request, but that just made him angry as all the emotions he tried to bury came to the surface. Why did he have to reach out? So he can get rejected again? Embarrassed again? Hurt again?

Shinobu being the sneaky manipulator she is used the Master as bait which worked and Sanemi begrudgingly, painfully approached Giyuu and Giyuu in his infinite knowledge replied with a "No" as the start in his response instead of simply telling Sanemi that he was full and that they could go eat later.

Another embarrassing rejection, which made Sanemi snap with an emotion so fierce that he didn't even listen to the rest of the response. All he heard was the cold "No", all he saw was Giyuu's aloof expression, like his Sanemi meant so little to him. Giyuu fucked up, and oblivious as always was left wondering why Sanemi was so angry at him, but his desire to connect with this grumpy man remained unquenched.

So what now?

Well, what follows is a slew of weird interactions between two people who are frustrated with but ultimately drawn to each other.

In the episode where the Hashira were first introduced, Giyuu probably hadn't seen Sanemi in a long time, which was why when he looked when he heard Sanemi's voice.

He also doesn't interfere when Nezuko gets stabbed but when it seems that there might actually be a fight between his love and his son he tries to stop the fight the only way he knows by invoking the Master, which works in distracting Sanemi but not on Tanjiro who is already on a warpath and proceeds to introduce Sanemi to his forehead. Notice that this is the only time aside from his introduction that we see him actually have a visible reaction.

During the indoor meeting, Giyuu sits close to Sanemi like everything is all normal. When Sanemi blames him for the distraction he replies in a friendly tone mocking him like they're friends, because to him Sanemi is just being grumpy. He genuinely doesn't think anything's wrong.

In the next Hashira meeting, he tries the friendly mocking thing again but Sanemi is having none of that. His expression kills me everytime 😂, like mans was ready to scrap.

It reminds me of the 'You have to treat a car like you treat a woman' scene in Ben 10.

Sanemi, the pissed off wife: Go on.

Giyuu, the whipped husband: No, I sense I've made a mistake of some kind.

Obanai being the precious gem that he is, is ready to back his bro up.

Then after Amane left, something changed in Sanemi. In one of my previous posts, I talked about his attempts to reach out to Giyuu by questioning him, but why did he do it? Of all the times, why did he try to confront Giyuu now?

I think it's because of what Amane told them about the Demon slayer marks, about how the mark bearers don't live past 25. Take a look at his expression, he's surprised obviously, but there's something else mixed in.

I figured he knows they're in the endgame now, with the possibility of Muzan coming for Nezuko now that she can conquer the sun. There's no problem this is what he's prepared for, he's always accepted his death as an inevitable outcome but what about Giyuu?

He just realized the unlocking of the marks means that Giyuu would die too. After all this time he still cares and the fact that they could both die without them even trying to mend their relationship scares Sanemi and remember in this post discussing Sanemi's mental health how his impulsive actions are most likely done out of fear, well this is one of them.

Giyuu says the regular NLOG stuff which triggers Sanemi, but instead of running away he confronts him instead. He tries to work past his feelings of inferiority and really listen to Giyuu's words. He tried reaching out in a sort of friendly way with a smile, even if his words came out as aggressive.

Giyuu as usual doesn't elaborate, but Sanemi has had enough, so he literally reaches out for Giyuu, ready to pull his man by the weave if it means that he'll finally get an answer.

Then Gyomei daddy claps, everyone shuts the fuck up, you know the rest. Shoutout to Mitsuri for being the highlight of that scene, she's honestly the best girl 😂.

The first attempt failed, but Sanemi undeterred goes to confront Giyuu again, but this time he tries a different approach. He asks Giyuu to spar with him, maybe he thinks the heightened emotions would cause Giyuu to erupt and reveal his true feelings, maybe he wants to wear Giyuu down so he would be willing to answer Sanemi's question but unfortunately it doesn't work...or so he thinks.

Unknown to Sanemi, this time there was a difference and that was Tanjiro(bestest boy ❤). After the successful Torture the Introvert mission, Giyuu now has a renewed sense of self in a way and he's now willing to make a more active approach towards opening up to people. I already talked about the romantic undertones of his desire to get closer to Sanemi here and here so I wouldn't really get into Giyuu and Tanjiro's conversation after Sanemi left but suffice to say that our Giyuu is a new man. He knows what he wants now and what he wants is Sanemi.

In Conclusion, here's part two.

*Extra stuff

I noticed that even though Giyuu seems emotionless, his hands tell a different story. In Demon slayer, I've noticed that the characters' veins on their faces pop to display strong emotions or reactions. Giyuu doesn't have on his face when they're fighting, unlike Sanemi, but he does have on his hands.

This is the first time (that I know of) that we're seeing this, which tells me that he does feel something. He just doesn't know how to express it.

Also, I'd like to attribute Sanemi's persistence with getting Giyuu to open up to him being the eldest child, we all have the experience of pestering our younger ones until they give in and respond to us. Tanjiro is the same way as well.

Also, Sanemi be treating Tanjiro like an opp when our precious boy is basically his biggest supporter and possibly their future Best Man 😂.

*Disclaimer: I'm not saying it's canon canon, I'm just stating that Ufotable acknowledges this ship, which means that they see something between them too.

[1dcommunityficrecs]

Rec List: Hidden Gems!

Y'all SHOWED UP for this category and I am LOVING IT. You submitted 27 fics that deserve more love to highlight, and I am honoured to hold them up before you and say LOOKIT THESE TASTY MORSELS. They may have under 1,000 hits now, but I'm sure they won't for long!

I think this is one of the most varied lists so far -- we've got a handful of rarepairs including Zouis, Gryles, and OT5, as well as genfic, and there are half a dozen girl direction fics as well. And of course there are fics of all kinds of lengths, from under a thousand words to tens of thousands of words.

As always, please enjoy, read, kudos, comment, reblog, etc! New rec category coming soon :)

The Full English by albatross1013 (2985, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

HSLOT has ended. FITFUS is wrapping up in NYC. Louis is waiting for his boy.

Reccer says: I had fun writing it.

HALLOWEENTOWN by justahappycloud (28700, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry gets stuck in a town full of monsters, and Louis helps him escape. they run all over town while encountering the rest of the boys and different monsters

Reccer says: The way harry charms the entire town, and how the other boys are introduced is so fun!

i'll follow you til there's no tomorrow by liberty_barnes (12000, General, none) – fic post Warnings: depression and anxiety

the story of how a stray puppy saved Niall's life

Reccer says: Niall and the fans being inspired by each other for their own mental health journeys

(not) driving home for christmas by BeautifulWisdom (3461, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry hits a dog while driving in a blizzard. Colour him surprised and woefully unprepared when said dog turns into a very bloody and very naked man.

Treat me like a queen, now you got me feelin' thrown, oh by LouisThiccSexyGlitteryAss (1765, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

After a photography project leads her to the supposedly empty house of a beautiful woman, Harry learns that vampires are real... And devilishly good with their tongues.

Reccer says: Lesbians! Vampires!

Only for the Brave by Huggieshalo (990, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: feelings of imposter syndrome/ internalized homophobia

Louis dealing with big feelings through the process of writing OTB

You Can Let It Go by Huggieshalo (8600, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: There are multiple scenes and implications of an unhealthy/toxic family dynamic.

Harry as matilda if she followed her family and never stayed with Ms Honey

I'll knock on your door, it will save me from calling by hl-obsessed (RozaDhampir) (5790, Not Rated, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik & Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Louis hears "Good Years" for the first time. Harry is there to pick up the pieces.

Reccer says: Love all the emotions in this fic. Very well written!

Remember Me As A Time Of Day by justanothershadeofblue (zjofierose) (67393, Explicit, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik/Liam Payne/Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

It's the 20th anniversary of the One Direction hiatus, and the powers that be have decided that it's time for a reunion tour. 5 middle aged lads have to face each other and reconnect

Reccer says: Fabulous look at regrets, angst, smut and love

Peculiar Ugly Duckling by LadyLondonderry (3789, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Loowee is a fish born to a family of FOUS fish. You’ve heard of FOUS fish, haven’t you, reader? Yes, of course you have. Fish Of Unusual Size Fish, of course.

Reccer says: I adore this fic so much. It's a very creative, humorous, and genuine story set in Eroda..

molecular by sarcangel (3862, Teen, Zayn Malik/Louis Tomlinson)

OT5 try to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Reccer says: This fic is intense from the start and tells an entire novel of an epic story in under 4000 words.

last call by neptune rising (thelesserneptune) (666, Not Rated, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: Implied/Referenced Character Death

Harry is a cheeky ground operator at NASA with a slight crush on astronaut Louis Tomlinson. On one late, calm night, they share their most personal conversation yet.

Reccer says: This ficlet pulled me in and then broke my heart (in the best way). The end packs an angsty punch that I didn't see coming.

The In-Between by LadyAJ_13 (2422, General, None) – fic post

“You wake up in a desert with an angel, a demon and a grim reaper-” “-and the accounts manager!” “-yes, alright Liam, and the accounts manager - and you haven’t realised you’re dead?”

Reccer says: I love the banter between the boys as they try to figure out the mystery of why Louis is stuck in The In-Between. The way they all argue and joke around with each other is great.

Chase by wabadabadaba (1900, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

Louis and Harry play a game of chase during the full moon. A girl direction omegaverse fic.

Reccer says: There are not enough femslash omegaverse fics out there, and this is proof of how incredible they could be.

Remember Me (When I'm With You) by liberty_barnes (1441, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: Depression, suicidal thoughts, body dysmorphic disorder

Fallen angel Louis was cast out and angel Harry just wants him to be happy.

Reccer says: It's incredible the amount of emotion and hurt (and world building) come through in such a short fic. But there is hope and comfort to be had from angel Harry even if Louis doesn't always remember him.

The Sweet Yoke by little_obelia/littleobelia (1700, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry is a nun who looks after her convent's chickens and Louis is the new vet who comes to help care for them.

Reccer says: It's so quirky and funny and completely charming!

close enough to touch, but I never cared for love by femstyles (759, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

Harry and Louis are best friends with benefits and Harry wants more but Louis (thinks) he's not interested in love. A tiny slice of a soft morning.

Reccer says: A perfect, tiny peek - soft and sweet

Stay by Maelstrom_Roots (5000, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

In the months before Louis shows up at the rink, Harry has been considering giving skating up altogether. Then, Louis comes to IceSheffield, his heart so obviously full of love for the sport, for simply being on the ice, that Harry can’t help but fall in love with it too. | Harry and Louis are competitive ice skaters who grow up together at the same rink.

Reccer says: Somehow it feels like 100k fic when it's only 5 - there's so much emotion and story packed in. Absolutely beautifully written, too.

The Doppel Effect by yeah_alright/uhohmorshedios (6500, Teen, Harry Styles & Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Future Dystopia AU where rich people use lifelike android doppelgangers to be able to do more and get even richer and criminals have stolen the technology to create a sub-class of doppelgangers called Forgeries.Harry lives what he believes to be a simple life, until a mysterious stranger shows up and turns it upside down.

Reccer says: Fascinating story with great tension and well executed surprises. Great worldbuilding! This was probably my favorite fic from 2023. I love love love sci-fi, and this was brilliant and mysterious and creepy and I am absolutely holding out hope that the author will write a longer au of this world.

like sun on the rise by disgruntledkittenface (9000, Mature, Nick Grimshaw/Harry Styles) – fic post

Harry shows up at the coffee shop Nick works at and insists they've known each other in previous lives. Nick doesn't know what to make of her, but luckily, she goes with it.

Reccer says: Characterizations are flawless, the relationship dynamic is wonderful - sweet and funny and flirty and comfortable - and the smut is SO SO HOT

Eyes so blue, Shorts so red by nonsensedarling/absoloutenonsense (2600, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry isn’t like any roommate Louis has had before. For one, he doesn’t know what a poem is (or skee-ball, for that matter), but luckily for him, Louis doesn’t mind answering any and all of his questions.

Reccer says: Could not be more charming! Sweet and funny and clever. This Alien!Harry is so earnest and adorable I love him so much.

Hold Steady by abrighteryellow/a-brighter-yellow (3000, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry can never get his winged eyeliner right so he finally goes to Sephora where Louis helps him.

Reccer says: Wonderful writing! I love this Harry so much and everything about his interactions with Louis are just perfect. Such a sweet, funny, engaging story.

Behind Nowhere by 4ureyesonly28/evilovesyou (3500, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

It's the September of 1967 and Harry is curious to find out what the Summer of Love brought to San Francisco.

Reccer says: It's a sweet, tender exploration and the writer captures the atmosphere and Harry's thoughts wonderfully.

{the hs1 collection} 5 fics. 5 songs. 5 decades. by zita17/louisandtheaquarian (28263, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Five unrelated fics, each set in a different decade, from the 1950s through the 1990s, and inspired by a different unreleased HS1 song.

Reccer says: historical fiction, musician and famous/not famous au's, inspired by music + films. This whole series is INCREDIBLE, but the 1978 one is my favorite—the vulnerability, the pining, the musings on self vs. performance are impeccable. Plus, Harry as a mermaid/alien/glam-rock god and Louis as a leather-pants-and-platform-boots punk are genius!

Secrets I Have Held by QuickedWeen (4000, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson ) – fic post Warnings: Mentions of violence and guns

Peaky Blinders AU with gangster Louis

Reccer says: It's very atmospheric in the time period and world

I See You Shiver With Antici— (SAY IT, SAY IT) by homosociallyyours (666, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry has elaborate costumes planned for each night of The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Reccer says: The author packed SO MUCH into 666 words! Gender exploration + euphoria, flirting, and RHPS!

My Kind of Trouble by Homosociallyyours (1800, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry is a waitress at Waffle House, Louis stops by for a visit

Reccer says: I love the slow, small town sweetness of these two meeting again after years apart.

[ddgraywrites]

WIP: Fictional Flame

You've Got Mail meets Beauty Shop when Paige Dela Cruz, a hairstylist aspiring to open the first Filipino-owned hair salon in the heart of little Winnipeg, falls head over heels for Christian Sato, or so she thought.

Paige Dela Cruz is a hairstylist who falls head over heels for the charming and sexy Christian Sato, or so she thought. She's actually talking to Eddy Silva, Christian's cousin.

While Paige and Eddy's messages become more intimate with each passing text, Eddy finds himself wanting to let go of his facade and show Paige the person he truly is.

As if her love life wasn't complicated enough, Paige faces another threat to her well-being. Her boss, Michael Coward. He takes everything from her - her clients, her tips, and her time. As Paige endures the constant nonsensical wrath of her boss, she begins to doubt if she'll ever be able to open the salon of her dreams.

_______________

I've contemplated whether or not I should post this because the more I think about my WIP, the more embarrassed I get which is so bizarre cause I'm over here trying to make it as a romance author. The self-sabotage and imposter syndrome are really sinking in right now which is exactly why I decided to finally share the details of my WIP.

Why did I write this book?

I was a hairstylist for 5 years and met the most amazing (and awful) people in the industry and I wanted to tell a more dramatized version of what happens in this cut-throat world that is hairstyling.

As a Filipino-Canadian living in little Winnipeg, I also wanted to share glimpses of what it's like being raised by immigrants, the food, and the covert racism I've encountered throughout the years.

Lastly, I just wanted to write my own romance because I love love. I love reading and watching love stories. I've always been a hopeless romantic. After my dad died in 2021, I needed some sort of outlet. I started writing a fantasy about a young girl who also lost her dad but then I reached a point where I couldn’t move on cause fantasy was too big for my brain to fathom lol. So I decided to stick to a genre I knew I could do well, and that was romance.

_______________

I feel incredibly vulnerable right now while I type this because I'm BRACING for the criticism and the eye rolls. Not that anyone has ever done that, it's just the aNxIeTy talking. But again, thank you for following me on this journey to become a traditionally published author (crossing my fingers SO hard) and if you're also a romance author and need a critique partner/beta reader, please DM me so we can do a little swap-aroo (I just lost you there, didn't I?)

Here's the sign-up form if you're interested in beta-reading Fictional Flame: https://docs.google.com/

I'm not sure how to end this so in true Canadian fashion, thank you again and sorry for saying thank you so many times. ❤️

[vsaintsin]

Writeblr Re-Intro

Yo! I'm V Saintsin. Or V or Vin or Saintsin or whatever you want to call me that sounds right on your tongue. I'm a self-proclaimed Social Media fumbler who got a late start to the party and has never quite figured it out. I hate how hipster and edgy it sounds to say "I'm bad at social media" but like I used to work with some people who actually managed the social media accounts for the business we worked for and there were rules and whatnot and damn, I think online media is just not my medium. That being said, here I am! Hah

I'm an author and general mess who's hoping to be the miracle man (somebody who makes a living writing silly little stories). I do use a pseudonym but please hear me out when I say I didn't realize how edgy it sounds, it just has some sentimental value to my personal life. I'm so sorry that I sound like I'm in my emo phase HAHA

About me -

He/Him Transguy from the American Midwest (arguably the south, depending on who you talk to, but the older people still say "Sodi-pop" and "ope").

I'm dysautonomic, bendy, permanently sleepy, and a survivor of Crappy Doctors Who Suck At Doctoring.

I like DnD, Pathfinder, Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk, Dragon Age, and other things in that vein.

I do make art of my stories and characters (Tablet is currently not working so I'm in a dry spell).

My writing background is predominantly ancient, dusty RPs from as far back as the foopets days and fanfic writing on Quizilla - I am an old and wizened elder of the net.

My formal education was music performance and behavioral neuroscience, I don't really know how I got where I am.

This is not my first rodeo with tumblr but it is the first time I have anything to SAY instead of just lurking.

In the event of malfunction, you can put me outside for 5 minutes and I'll probably factory reset.

My existence as I know it hinges on a massive number of sticky notes plastered throughout my room.

What I'm lookin' for -

Idk, whatever? I'm down for most things. Did you write it? Cool, let me see. I'm not too bent on genre or anything, just fascinated by the art of storytelling.

A bit tentative with fanfiction but that's just because if it's not a fandom I'm familiar with I am rather clueless about what the hell is going on and if it's a fandom I am familiar with I HUNT DOWN THE DEEP LORE.

I like art a whole lot, including fanart. Also art advice, love seeing things from different perspectives and learning something new.

Mutuals, really, for any reason. Building better connections on here, getting to know people. I am hideously bad at this but I try.

What I write -

Science Fiction with heavy subjects that matter to me - trigger warnings on a story-by-story basis.

High Fantasy (eventually books I think?) characters and their backgrounds for DnD and Pathfinder - I have been tempted to share these to help people get ideas or just for free use?

Things that I delete because I have crippling imposter syndrome and publishing makes me nauseous (doin' it tho).

Stories that I hope will make people feel less alone or that people could relate to, stories that I wish I had when life was worse and I was reaching out for anything I could find to keep me afloat, stories that try to be critical of things that SUCK in a way that's any helpful.

Lots of curse words and cussing (that's just how people talk 'round here), dubious science, things that I hope might make you cry but in a good way though.

Character-Driven stories that revolve more around the development of the person and less around the plot itself if that makes sense.

I've put blurb things below for my primary project/series which features a grumpy, queer, 37-year old chain smoking Frenchman and his misadventures with life and love and unbridled rage. If any of that sounds cool stick around and hang out? (This part is a plug bc I did a thing and I'm proud of it) And if my books sounds interesting the first one is 99 cents on Kindle and you just need a phone and a free app to read it!

THE SECRET OF LIFE (Published) - Sci-Fi/Psychological Thriller, Bi M Lead, Lovers to Enemies, AI but the oldschool cool kind not the real world thing that's stealing our future

Carlisle-Trystan Antoinette is a mercenary on a hard road, navigating life and death itself in an infinite cycle started by powers above his understanding. He has one mission - warn The Dianican Space Station of the coming threat and put a stop to a war that would encapsulate the whole of the Sol System before it can ever begin. Unfortunately for Carlisle, reality is a tenuous thing, made up only by our understanding of it. At least, according to his Psychiatrist, who tells him that there is no war, that he was never a mercenary, and that what Carlisle is experiencing is a severe but manageable psychotic break. Stripped of his combat enhancements, his bio monitor, and everything he's every known, Carlisle has a decision to make. Does he give in to the thoughts and memories, so real that he can almost taste them, or does he live a life of comfort and ease, returning to a husband and daughter that he left behind?

TWs: Domestic and War Violence, suicide, rape, medical trauma, grief, drug use

THE SILENCE OF ANGELS (Due 2024, TSoL 2) - Betrayal and Rage, Learning how to love again slow-burn romantic subplot, Learning how to Dad, A general inability for any one thing to just go right

(Quick Rough Blurb that offers no spoilers for TSoL) Making connections isn't easy for somebody who's accustomed to burning bridges. Isolation has always been Carlisle's mantra for surviving his life. Playing a role comes second nature, pretending to be the man that everyone else wants to see in him. When an old friend is murdered Carlisle finds himself as the primary suspect with all evidence pointing to him so clearly that even he calls to question what he is capable of. Unwilling to believe that he could commit such a heinous crime, Carlisle sets off to find the truth of his friend's death - was Carlisle framed or does he truly have the capacity to bring such harm upon those he loves? Old and new bonds will be tested, faith broken, and the future of everyone called into question as lines are drawn and sides are picked.

TWs: Violence, mentions of SA, graphic character death, more grief, more death

I don't know what else to say... Later!

[redd956]

When writing feels stale and unfamiliar...

Ever be trying to finish a WIP, update a fanfic, or push out something for school, but writing just suddenly feel so stale, almost like your own writing doesn't sound like you...

Well I'm here to help you break that cycle!

This feeling usually happens when either two things happen

Imposter Syndrome

or

You're Simply Improving

That's right, it's not you doing something wrong, you're just being a skilled writer. How do we get out of this dull feeling though? There's a lot of different tactics you can try. Here's some potential options.

Read your own writing

Read your own writing. Do it! Not only does it cause you to realize how much you like your own writing, it forces you to refresh. it's a great way to remember where you were going in a piece, and any potential themes or writing style you accidentally dropped. It makes it easier to pick up some lost mistakes too, and discover some places to improve.

(this one works twice as well after a break or some passage of time :D)

Change of Atmosphere

Not exactly a change of location, but instead a change of atmosphere. Play a new lo-fi playlist, try writing without any sound at all, indulge in thematic video essays in the background. Sometimes in order to regain focus the atmosphere needs to change.

Consume New Content

This goes for all creatives who are stumped. To output constant creative creations and ideas you require an input in the first place. For some people it may take awhile before they feel the brunt of creative block, but it will eventually come for all. The best advice I can give is to consume new media. Read a new book, watch a TV show, play a video game, find a new artist you like. This is all input. Input becomes output.

Take A Break

Not everyone has the privilege to do this one, but if you do, don't turn your nose from it. Taking a break isn't exactly something everyone does creative-wise, especially those who deal with a quick working skill regression. I've been there.

Taking a break from something is a great way to make it feel fresh when you return. Breaks don't have to be long. Depending on what calculates as a break for you is what you should strive for (even if it's only a day or two).

Acceptance

Accept that you are not going to create the top most, polished stuff 24/7 Every artist and writer creates and dumps ton of unfinished art, erases pieces, and makes lots of mistakes. Often times the best work that we admire takes a lot of time, refinement, practice, and drafts. Sometimes we just have to write badly in order to come back and do it again good.

[pleaseeeimjustagirl]

You’re Postponing Your Dream Life

Self-sabotage behavior is the reality that a lot of us live with and it's postponing our dream lives. This post is going to be personal because I’m not just posting this for you girlies but for myself as well<3.

What is self-sabotage?

Self-sabotage is behavioral patterns and thoughts that you engage in most of the time without even realizing it. This makes it harder for you to achieve your goals. Sometimes we see this as our brain fighting against us but our brain is trying to protect us. All of these protective mechanisms (self-sabotaging behavior) were created by your brain to keep you safe from any harm. What is familiar to us our brain sees as safe and what isn’t is seen as harmful. And when you decide you’re going to change your life by starting that business, becoming an influencer, losing weight, or whatever it is your brain goes into protective mode.

What causes self-sabotaging?

♡  Childhood trauma. In your childhood trusting relationships with your caregivers/parents were broken. You might have dealt with abuse, them talking down on you, or other traumatic events. Causing you to have trust issues, low confidence, and more.

♡ Fears. You don’t believe you can make it and you’re scared of the things that you’re going to have to give up. You’re scared of people laughing at you. Or you have a fear of failure.

♡ Negative self-talk. You don’t speak to yourself kindly and are always looking down on yourself causing you to have a lack of self-esteem.

There are so many different things that could cause you to have self-sabotaging behavior. Ask yourself questions to get to the root of the issue.

Signs you’re self-sabotaging 

♡ Procrastination. You know what you have to but you keep putting off the task and saying you’ll get to it and you never do.

♡ Perfectionism. I struggle with this one a lot. You think everything has to be perfect for it to be worthwhile and if it isn’t you become frustrated and there is no point in finishing the task.

♡ Comparison. You always compare yourself to the next person and how they are successful and you are not or how they can make it and you can’t.

♡ Imposter syndrome. You don’t feel that you’re good enough to attain your dream life even though you do.

♡ Controlling. You always need to be in control of everything around you and the dream life you are chasing involves you giving up control and having to accept the unknown.

♡ Negative. You have a negative way of thinking and a scarcity mindset i’ll link my blog post on scarcity mindset read it if you deal with this.

How to overcome self-sabotage

♡ Reframe your mindset. Once you stop seeing self-sabotage as your brain fighting against you and start viewing it as trying to protect you. Then you will be able to be more compassionate and ask yourself what is going on and why you are afraid. What I do I will have a whole conversation with myself out loud asking myself what is wrong, and why I feel this way.

♡ Keeping a journal. Observe your patterns and write down all the things that keep happening and the emotions you feel. If you find yourself in the same situation ask yourself why. For example, if you are trying to lose weight but whenever you’re stressed you binge then you know high-stress situations cause you to want to binge eat now you start to find another outlet to release your emotions.

♡ Positive self-talk. Speak to yourself the way you would speak to the child version of you. Pour into that little person the way you wished others would have. Read/listen to affirmations. Focus on the things you can change and less on what you can't. Start to speak positively. In the beginning, it won’t feel real but the more you say it the more you will feel it. 

♡ Start small. Don’t just jump right into everything take everything a step at a time. We can overwhelm ourselves when we do that and whatever we are doing will start to feel like a bother/chore.

♡ Be realistic. Set realistic goals based on where you’re at right now in life. Aiming to high can create a feeling of failure and self-doubt. Set achievable goals and break them down explaining the steps you need to take to get there.

Book recommendations

♡ The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest I 100% recommend reading this book the author goes deeper into self-sabotaging behavior and how to overcome it. I have this book and I have been reading it and she has awoken me to a lot of my issues I didn’t know I had like my perfectionist issues. She has so many other good books that she has written!

If you have any tips please share in the comments and I am open to any request or question love you girliesss<3

[bunni-v1]

Congrats for 500 followers! If it’s alright, could I have A, G, J, K, P, and S from the sfw prompt list for Idia? Thanks!

🍓Thank you so much! I'm happy to have so many people who like me so much! This event is good practice for me too, and a breather from the intensity of the fic I'm writing right now. (I'm more excited to write for Idia than anything else, he's just so silly, you know?)

A - Affection: Idia is quite a nervous wreck when it comes to affection, that's for sure. Up until getting into a relationship, he thought the couples that were all mushy-gushy with each other were gag-worthy. However, now that he's in a relationship he's desperately craving that same kind of touch. He's like a feral cat, you've gotta coax him into it, and once he's into it he won't want to stop. Seriously, if you catch him at a good time he's so damn clingy. Lays on top of you, have you sit in his lap while he games, cuddles up to you during movie marathons, smothers you in kisses, all the nasty stuff. He'd rather die than be seen doing it in public though.

G - Gentle: Believe me or not, Idia is very gentle. Yeah, he's sarcastic and sharp with other people, but with you he's different. I mean, he's still... sarcastic and sharp, but it's playful and light. He's having fun and he's trying to make you smile, and that's his form of being gentle. If you were ever really hurt by something he said he might just have to end it all. Seriously, it would make him feel so bad, that he'd be groveling at your feet for weeks. Physically, however, I'd say he's gentle but really clumsy. He treats you like the most expensive piece of jewelry in the world, but he also has accidentally almost suffocated you under his weight at some point.

J - Jealousy: Idia is the most jealous man you've ever met. ("You know other men?") He's got an inferiority complex mixed with imposter syndrome and depression, leave him alone. He's not going to force you to stop hanging out with people by any means -- in fact, he's kinda jealous that you have so many friends in the first place. Still, he huffs and puffs and pouts about how much better they would be for you and how much happier you'd be with them. Again he won't act on anything unless he REALLY felt threatened. Like, if Vil ACTUALLY made a move on you? Game Over, Idia is running from his room to intervene.

K - Kisses: Just like everything else, Idia is an AKWARD kisser. It's not his fault he's so anxious, okay, he's doing his best. Idia's specialty, however, is lazy kisses. You know, the ones where you just lay next to each other early in the morning (in his case, late at night), and just kiss slow and easy, like there's nothing else more important. Those are his faves. Speaking of, he LOVES to kiss your cheeks -- you're just so cute when he catches you off guard. It's the same for him, your little surprise kisses on his cheeks may send him into a heart attack, but he does love them so much.

P - Patience (how easily angered are they?): He has a temper, that's for sure. While it's rarely ever directed at you, it can be kind of scary to see him rage. I mean, his hair literally turns orange and flames up -- and damn is it hot when he's angry. Still, his temper only really applies to things like games or tv shows, rarely would he ever have a reason to aim it at you, unless you destroyed his limited edition merch or something.

S - Security (how protective are they?): Idia is a VERY protective person. He's been through a lot, and he's lost a lot, now that he has you he won't be losing you. He texts you constantly throughout the day to see how you are feeling, and what you're up to. If you're stressed, you are always free to come to his dorm and raid his room for all the comfy blankets and yummy snacks you need. He also literally keeps an eye on you from the campus security feed -- if he sees someone bothering you, either he or Ortho will be there within seconds to ensure you're happy and safe. On the other hand, you standing up for him and making him feel like he's worthy of your love and all the good things he has is all he ever wants. It's all he needs.

[aneveningsword]

Hi! Tw: sh. Would you be willing to write a Jordan li x fem reader one shot where they bicker a lot (maybe like academic rivals or something) but then Jordan some how finds out that reader self harms (maybe like sees some cuts when a sleeve moves or something if they’re sparring or during class?) and so they put their bickering and rivalry aside to make sure that she gets help? If not no worries but I thought I’d ask/put it out into the universe

Hi anon! Thank you so much for the request, I'm so excited to fulfil it. I hope it's up to standard and what you are looking for

pairing: Jordan Li x fem!reader warnings: not proofread, mentions of self-harm words: 909 summary: basically the ask

masterlist

It was well known within Goldukin that the two biggest rivals were you and Jordan Li. You two had been neck and neck from the beginning, always switching places in the ranking, always trying to one-up another in classes. It was getting exhausting just watching you two go back and forth trying to outsmart the other while half the people around you had no clue what you were talking about.

Jordan was always one to bicker, correcting you with that stupid smug grin, showing off their test scores with a mocking pout. It was infuriating, but just as much as they annoyed you, you annoyed them. How you seemed to effortlessly know everything, how you had such control of your powers, how you so easily gave their snarky words right back at them. You took up so much space in their mind that the only way not to admit it was love was to believe it was hate.

Hate because you were seemingly everything they were not. You were so put together, you had it all brains and beauty. Only a fool would not be jealous of you, and Jordan Li was no fool. In their mind, they believed that you too hated them, for being such a large obstacle on your path to the top. But even someone so smart could be so wrong.

It was hard trying to be the best, to get perfect scores, to have such control over your powers, to be liked by so many. It consumed every moment, not even in sleep could you escape the stress. Your body began to feel it, losing hair, bags under your eyes, losing sleep. It made you feel horrible, a shell of yourself, an imposter parading around people much better than you. There was no time to rest, no time for a moment to consider your mental health, not when a single mishap could spell you losing it all.

Despite the stress of your life, the stress Jordan added to it unknowingly. You held deep feelings for them, feelings you did not want to classify as love, so instead you believed it to be disdain. There was no room in your life for love, for friends, for parties, for every waking moment was spent obsessing about your scores.

You can’t remember when it started, perhaps by accident, perhaps on purpose in a desperate attempt to find a release. But you remember when you couldn’t stop, not when it allowed the stress and heartache to leave you for a moment. It was like a drug, consuming your mind and body, a compulsion to do it, to harm yourself. It was a disease that you didn’t have a cure for.

Hiding this was something you had to fine art, you hand various jackets, gloves, long sleeve shirts to wear. No one bated the eyes at what you wore, why would they? It was all perfectly normal, there was no reason to think you were hiding the thing you were most ashamed of under a thin piece of cloth. 

It was by complete accident that Jordan saw the scars, the movement of your hand reaching up to grab something exposing them just enough for them to figure out what they were. For a moment they did not wish to believe it, that someone so put together like you was secretly falling apart. That the scars they saw weren’t from a cat or botched training session. But instead done purposely by your hand, that you would subject yourself to that pain. Was it because you believed you deserved it? Was it a release of sorts? A way to escape the pressure?

Their hand was so gentle as it grasped your wrist, eyes big and full of worry as your own met theirs. Just as confusion was clear on your face, sorrow was clear on theirs. You racked your brain trying to figure out what may cause this large shift in Jordan, no longer bickering or scoffing at you but instead looking at you like you had destroyed a beautiful artwork. In a small way you did, for to them, you were the closest thing they had come to an angle. They believed you were untouchable, above it all. But even angels fall sometimes.

There was a long moment of pause as Jordan struggled to find the right words to say, and how to approach the topic. Yet, there was only one question they could think of asking. “Why? Why would you do this to yourself?” Their voice was soft, body close to yours as their hand still delicately held your wrist. For a moment you are confused by the question before you pale and a sense of dread fills you. You could deny it, swear up and down that they are mistaken. But what was the point? The evidence was there and Jordan knew.

“I-I…” Your voice turns watery as you think of an answer, just something to say in your defence. But tears spring to your eyes, yet to fall and trail down your cheeks. A small ‘tsk’ leaves Jordan as they pull you into an embrace. Your hands grip their clothing as though they would disappear and Jordan wonders how long this has been going on, how long you have felt this way. But they know now and come hell or high water they would help you.

“It’s okay, we’ll get you some help. I’m not going anywhere.”

[temmtamm]

'Best Friend.'

(Yan! Secret History Tails x Reader)

Note: Been obsessing over this little fucker so decided to write this down for fun. If you enjoy this, feel free to blow up my ask box as I would gladly write more for this stinkalink.

Word count: 4,593

Tw: Death, violence, worship, threats, attempted murder, and yandere behavior

(Y/N) never wanted to get wrapped up into all this, all they really wanted to do was just help an acquaintance in need, they never planned or even thought that the action could have any consequences, much less ones to this severity. Even now, with slick scarlet staining at their hands, they still are in shock, thinking it all must've been some crazy type of dream, but they knew better.

The night this all started was just like any other for (Y/N).

The morbian had just gotten off of their shift, with sore feet and a strained brain from hours and hours of work, their only thought was about returning to the comfort of their home for some much needed dinner and rest.

Their body was practically in autopilot, following the familiar trails of the sunset forest zone. Even with a lack of thoughts or cares, they still took the time to take the slightly shorter way through, cutting through the trees and actual forest part of the zone to avoid the obstacles that the land had, making it hard for anyone to really get anywhere without it being like a parkour course.

Of course people like Sonic, Knuckles and any other of his friends might've had no problems with doing a course like that in under 5 minutes and continuing with their day, but (Y/N) wasn't like any of them, they were painfully boring and on the weaker side of things unlike the colorful cast of heroes that they had grown to be acquinted with. So, for people like (Y/N), they took the shortcut.

(Y/N) trudged through the forest, gently swatting away any leave or tree branches in their way as they did so. The setting sun's golden rays warmed their body to the touch, making a relaxing, lulling feeling overtake the morbian, allowing for them to wash away the stresses and worries of the day.

They felt completely and utterly safe right there on the path, not worrying about anything, not having to worry if another villain appeared along their way, and not having to worry about the creepy customers at their work who made it their goal to make them as uncomfortable as possible and then leave a shitty tip.

It was nice to have no cares, being able to just enjoy yourself in a comfortable silence. Though, that didn't last long--Well, at least not the silence part of things. Just before reaching a clearing of sorts, (Y/N) heard some subtly shoveling noises coming from ahead, followed by muffled cursing. They couldn’t understand most of it, but they were able to make out the whisperings for "Imposter." and "Dirty cretin's."

Taking notice to the hostility in the raspy tone that they head, (Y/N) immediately halted all movements and stayed deathly quiet, trying to make out where the sound came from so they could avoid that area or find a way around it without running into any possible dangers.

Sure, they could've ran in trying to find out whatever this hostile person was and see what they were up to and if it were actually dangerous but (Y/N) did not want to stick their nose into any strangers business. Especially when that stranger is in the woods alone with them. That sounds like the start to a bad horror movie they did NOT want to be a part of.

The sounds seemed to be coming from straight in front of (Y/N), causing some difficulties for any escape plans. If they just moved far to one of the sides, the person or morbian behind the sounds would easily be able to see them, thanks to the fewer amount of trees near the clearing.

So, (Y/N) quickly crouched down and crept toward the direction the noise came from, carefully listening in on the voice as well as trying to peek at who or what was there to be able to plan out an escape route. However, they could hear only faint whispers and hushed curses. As they approached closer, the earth decided to give them a cruel reminder of their surroundings.

'SNAP'

They took a step further than they should've, and suddenly the noise of a twig snapping under their foot hit not only their ears but mostly likely the figure they we're spying on as well. The murmurings and shoveling noises came to an abrupt stop, confirming (Y/N)'s fears that the person had heard it.

Fuck.

In one swift movement, (Y/N) pushed themselves up from their crouched position, darting to the left to at least try to hide in the few of trees they did have while evading the thing that had made all those noises. They weren't sticking around for even a second longer to figure out what the hell would happen to the. They had a better chance of surviving by running instead dog staying put like a deer in headlights.

The sound of something heavy hitting the floor was not lost on them, and neither was the pitter patter of feet chasing after them. The calming feeling they previously held in their chest when strolling quickly turned to adrenaline and fear.

This person had to be bad news, they wouldn't have been chasing (Y/N) unless they had something (Y/N) wasn't supposed to see.

The exhaustion that previously consumed (Y/N) and alertness took it's place. (Y/N) pushed against the wind, running as fast as they could, to the point where the fear of their leg muscles tearing was an actual thought that crossed their mind. Their breathing became erratic, both due to the energy they were using up as well as from fear. Despite their attempts to avoid any other branches or other parts of the natural environment that could slow them down, mid-steo their ankle had snagged onto one of the trunk roots belonging to one of the few trees around, sending (Y/N) toppling to the ground.

With the force and momentum, their fall knocked the air out of the lungs. (Y/N) yelled out, cursing out as a sharp pain was spent through their knee, making their cab quickly cramp up. They tried twisting their body to force themselves back up but before they even could, a hand grabbed at their shoulder, making the morbian flinch and their blood run cold.

But the touch was...oddly gentle??

"Ohmigosh!! Are you okay? What are you doing out here?" A familiar voice fell on (Y/N)'s ears, a stark contrast from the shrill yet raspy voice that they heard from the harsh whispering earlier. (Y/N) whipped their head around, turning to come face to face with a familiar two tailed acquaintance.

"Tails?! What are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 doing out here??" Despite (Y/N)'s confusion, the morbian couldn't help but feel relieved at the familiar face. At least there was a hero here now, no one would dare try to chase after them if Tails was by their side. There was a high chance people wouldn't question their disappearance--But tails?? Tails was a part of Sonic's crew, people would definitely be worried if he left.

"I was just..Making sure Robotnik hadn't set off any traps here for Sonic. What are you doing here..??" He questioned with a tilt of his head, a curious look taking over his features. He moved his hand away, allowing (Y/N) to sit up which gave the Morbian a chance to inspect their own leg. (Y/N) took notice to how his lips parted at the end of his sentence, as if he was about to use their name but had forgotten or hadn't known it. They were hurt, but they couldn't really blame the two tailed fox.

The two had never really hung out alone before so there's no surprise he wouldn't remember them that well. "I was just going home from work when I heard something. Before I know it, I'm being chased off and now this." (Y/N) explained, gesturing to their leg as they did so. Tails' eyes followed where (Y/N) was gesturing, taking notice to the leg.

"Oh, geez. Can you move it??" Tails asked, a hand reaching out to inspect the leg and stretch it out to see if that could help. He placed his paw on the leg, his eyes held no emotion, despite how his face made an effort to contort in concern. He did some simple stretches on the leg, but it only took a few minutes for a noise of pain to escape (Y/N)'s lips, alerting the fox friend to the fact that it was most likely too painful to walk on.

"I'm no doctor, but I think you might have a sprain. I don't think you can walk with it."

He looked at (Y/N). "Do you need me to carry you?" Tails asked, offering them a soft smile. "I may not remember where your house is, but if you tell me I'm sure I can take you there."

(Y/N) considered it for a few moments, their brows knitting together as they did so. They didn't want to cause him any trouble by asking him to do such a thing but with the throbbing pain in their leg, they doubted they could limp all the way back to their home. So with a nod of their head they agreed on Tails's offer. "If..if you can, please." They answered quietly, a tired and exhausted expression taking its place on their face.

The two tailed friend grinned at this before adjusting where he was so he could easily scoop (Y/N) up. Once in position, the fox picked up the morbian with little to no struggle. The morbian fox quickly draped (Y/N)'s body around his shoulder, carrying them firefighter style similar to how someone would carry a dead body or unconscious one.

"Jeez...I uh...I don't remember you being this strong, Tails." A nervous laugh escaped (Y/N)s throat, their hands latching onto any of Tails to make sure that the furry fox wouldn't drop them.

"Well, Sonic isn't the only one whos been pummeling Badniks." Tails chirped out, to which (Y/N) made a noise of understanding, eyes still cautiously watching the ground to make sure that they wouldn't slip and land face first into it.

With (Y/N) now draped over his shoulder, Tails took off into the direction towards (Y/N)'s home--Of course, after the Morbian had told him the coordinates.

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

"Thanks again, Tails. You really came at the perfect time." (Y/N) grunted, their bed bending when the two-tailed fox placed them down on it. Tails gave a small nod, his tail slowly swishing behind him as his hands hovered over (Y/N)'s figure for minutes longer, ready to grab at them in case they would fall back or the like. "It's no sweat off my back--After all, What are friends for??" Tails smiled widely, flashing the other with a cheeky grin.

(Y/N) laughed lightly at that, their mouth twitch upwards. "Friends?? Didn't know you considered me one. I'm honored, Tails." Tails rubbed the back of his neck nervously, though it didn't feel entirely organic, more so that he planned for the action, deciding what would look the best.

"Whoops, must've just slipped out, huh?"

(Y/N) hummed in response, their expression taking on a slightly troubled one after the warmth of the interaction rubbed off.

"Hey...Tails?" (Y/N) questioned, unsure in their words of they should say it.

Tails raised his head once more, his ears perking up and twitching at the sound of his name. "Hm? What's wrong??"

(Y/N) paused for a moment, before opening their mouth to speak.

"Do you mind if you stick around for a few minutes?? You don't have to stay the rest of the day or anything, I'm just a bit worried that...something had followed me from the woods."

Tails furrowed his eyebrows at this, his eye even seeming as though it we're twitching from annoyance, but the expression only lasted a split second and was barely registered by (Y/N) before it returned to the kind smile the fox always had. "You're right, of course. It won't bother me at all!! I'll stick by the front door to make sure no one comes by and so I can see if anything goes on."

(Y/N) flashed the short fox a grateful grin, words being incapable of expressing their gratitude towards his act of kindness. "Thank you so so much, I really appreciate it, tails."

Tails waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it's no biggie!! Just worry about getting some rest for your leg, okay?? Once your safe and asleep, I'll just slip on out." Tails didn't wait much for a response, quickly taking his leave with a flick of his tails, leaving the morbian alone in their room, confused but still grateful nonetheless.

Once away from the morbian, Tails released a sigh, one of annoyance as he quickly dropped the kindhearted smile he kept plastered on his lips the entire time he was around that..that...𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨!!

Who were they anyways?? His universe never had anyone like that, and neither did any of the other universes with the other fake 'Sonic's. It was always him and Sonic, occasionally Amy, and Knuckles as well but there was never someone of (Y/N)'s caliber--Much less one that seemed to be acquainted with Sonic and the imposter of himself.

It was disgusting. Why was this universe any different?? How could it be? It was never different. It always always the same, it was supposed to be the same. He doesn't like change, but he especially didn't favor this change.

The two tailed fox strolled down the halls, his eyes flickering from wall to wall with disgust evident in his gaze. What was so special about this person that Sonic would be wasting his time on them?? The only person he should be wasting his time on was him--His best friend.

Tails paused, his eyes falling towards a table just barely in his line of sight from the gap that lead from the halls to the living room then the kitchen. Curious, he made his way over to it, though most of his intentions was just to get to the kitchen, to grab a knife and finish the job to leave no witnesses.

On top of the table were some documents, just the usual rent and bills and things of the nature. He grabbed for the documents, bringing it closer to his face and squinting to try and read the finer details and possibly attach a name to his victim.

"(Y/N)...(L/N)..??" His voice muttered, dropping the whole impression of this universe's Tails to instead speak in his usual shrill and raspy tone.

It wasn't a...bad name. Not bad at all actually. Kinda had a nice ring to it.

He shook his head, clearing it of its thoughts before he tore his eyes away from the work, letting it fall on the walls instead--Or more specifically, the pictures on the walls. There were many photos of (Y/N) and family members but they weren't the ones that caught his attention.

The one that did was one of (Y/N) who appeared to be just a few years younger, their hair dawning on a slightly different style and they were grinning like an idiot with Sonic right next to them, taking the picture. It must've been the first time the two had met, (Y/N) looked as though they had just met a celebrity or something so it was a possibility.

Sonic looked so right in that image, almost reminding Tails of the Sonic he thought was the real one, the one from his universe.

Maybe this universe actually 𝘥𝘪𝘥 have the real Sonic, His Sonic. He might actually find him this time.

...

...

Maybe (Y/N) was the reason for that?? They WERE the difference that separated this universe from the many, many others with many, many imposters of Sonic that tried to deceive him.

That's how it all started.

After that, Tails had successfully replaced his 'imposter' and nobody were none the wiser. Sonic and Amy noticed that he seemed off at first and was able to get them off his trail. Amy even started to grow vulnerable enough to open up about her crush on Sonic and how to win him over.

Perfect.

That wouldn't be the last time he saw (Y/N), however. The day after, (Y/N) had showed up at his lab with a noticeable limp, having made him some food as a thanks for him helping their leg out. Tails--Although a bit begrudgingly, ended up helping the morbian out, making sure that they were able to walk around by making them a cane for temporary use until their leg healed up.

The plan originally was to get (Y/N) out of the picture, either by executing them in a similar style to how he did with Shadow and Knuckles sor through other means.

But when he finally had the opportunity to do such a thing by them complaining about how their phone was bugging out, he...didn't. He offered to help and had a chance to turn it into an explosive as he had done with Knuckles but he couldn't. All he did was fixed up the bugs as well as add some much needed upgrades before giving it back to the morbian.

He swore he never saw Amy or Sonic's eyes light up like how theirs did whenever he did similar favors for them.

He found himself spending hours and hours reasoning his behavior with himself.

Of course he couldn't kill them, they were the reason he was with his Sonic!! If he killed them, the universe would be just as interchangeable with all the others, than that wouldn't make his Sonic special.

The two grew a bond rather quickly. (Y/N) usually came over to check out any little projects or gadgets Tails was working on and Tails would let them rant about their day.

Tails hadn't wanted to admit it, and actively pushed it away but this feeling kept returning to him, one too familiar for him to deny much longer.

He liked (Y/N), didn't he?? The feeling was definitely similar to the ones he felt for Sonic, yet they weren't as well. They could both rival his deadly obsession with the blue blue yet also surpass it.

Before anyone knew it, Green Hill had two people that Tails was always hovering over.

Tails started making more and more trips out of his lab, skipping out on projects or time he usually spent twisting and toying with Any's emotions for Sonic in favor of just always being around (Y/N).

He 𝘩𝘢𝘥 to know what (Y/N) was doing 24/7. That's why he always kept tabs on them. If they went anywhere, if they left their house, if they were eating at lunch, if they did anything else, anything to indicate that they weren't alone in their home at all times, Tails would immediately know.

So, when one day you had gotten more dressed up than usual and made your way to Angel Island to meet up with a certain red echidna, he was the first to know and He. Was. 𝘗𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥.

For the first time ever since he got there, he refused to hang out with Sonic. He stopped hovering around the blue blur, instead almost immediately making a B-line for Angel Island. He offered little to no explanation for the hedgehog, though Sonic was grateful nonetheless for finally being able to be left alone.

Once catching the familiar glimpse of (H/C) and Red, the fox was quick to duck behind some of the islands nature, using that as a way to obscure his figure as he took in the scene in front of him.

(Y/N) was sat comfortably on the ground, legs crossed and leaning against the stand where both Knuckles and the master emerald were perched upon.

The two were talking about nothing and everything, (Y/N) chatted away meanwhile Knuckles watched the morbian, paying attention to every single word as if they were speaking of the world's secrets.

Knuckles and (Y/N)'s conversation was audible to the fox, though all the two titled fiend could really hear was white noise. Disgust and bile built in the back of his throat at the sight. His disgust soon bubbled into pure unadulterated rage when he saw the red echidna reach over to the morbian and grab for their hand, holding it as if it were the most casual thing in the world. Who did he think he was to even touch (Y/N) so casually?? He was a nobody. You could replace this Knuckles with any other from any other universe and no one would be able to tell the difference.

He was nothing compared to Sonic--Compared to (Y/N).

Before the canine even really registered it, he had sprung out from his hiding spot, almost leaping onto the echidna in an attempt to wrestle the morbian away from (Y/N). It was a foolish thing to act off of his emotions, cause even with the adrenaline coursing through his veins he was still lanky and held absolutely nothing against Knuckles in combat.

In an instant, he had been pinned down, the red echidna holding down both wrists above his head.

"What the fuck are you doing?! What the hell, Tails?!" The echidna exclaimed, his rage possibling rivaling Tails'.

(Y/N) jumped back, their face contorting at the sight before them. They stayed deathly still, unsure if they should do anything in the moment as Knuckles seemed to have it under control.

"Get off of me, you filthy vermin!!" Tails hands futily reached up, clawing at the air near Knuckles face, but never managing to get close enough. "I'll claw your eyes out, imposter!!"

"Tails!!" The fox cringed at the sound of (Y/N)'s voices he almost forgot they were there in his rage. "What the hell has gotten into you??"

"This imbecile thinks it's alright to touch YOU like that! To be with YOU like THAT!?!" Tails yelled, not caring about how loud he sounded. Knuckles seemed to get angry at this, his grip on Tails tightening as his teeth grinded together. "He's an imposter, A fake!! He's not even good enough to matter!! He's no one in a million!! He's no Sonic!! He's not your best friend!" Tails writhed and swatted at Knuckles, attempting to somehow get the echidna off of him.

He was lucky enough to get a good kick to the groin, making Knuckles stumble back with a pained hiss. He looked ready to fight Tails, but a the yellow furred fox was quicker to action, grabbing for the closest thing near him which just so happened to be a rock.

Tails pounced back onto Knuckles, lifting the rock high before striking it down against his skull.

"Imposter!!"

Again.

"Cretin!!"

And again.

"Friend thief!!"

Hands wrapped around his neck, using it to yank him away from Knuckles before he could strike again, though the effects were already done.

Gurgling noises escaped what remained of Knuckles skull before his body went limp, the remaining fight that it contained draining away along with his life.

"Tails...What the fuck did you do?! Do you know what you had just done??" (Y/N)'s voice cracked, so much emotion being continued behind their words. They had just watched their friends life drained before their eyes. Not only that, but it was by the person they trusted, the one they thought were their hero, their friend.

"He was replaceable!! They all are! I can get you a new one in the snap of an eye--One that knows to keep its FILTHY hands away!!" This wasn't the voice they recognized. This wasn't the one that belonged to their Tails. The love and care that was once held in his tone was now filled with hate and lunacy.

"You....You're a fucking freak!!" (Y/N) cried out, their hands that were once grabbing onto the Fox's neck and shoulders now pushing him back, letting him collide on the harsh concrete of the Master Emeralds stand.

(Y/N) didn't know what was goingon in their brain, they almost blacked out from the rage but they do recall their body moving on their own. They kicked and stomped at the two tailed fox, making sure he'd stay down.

Tails didn't fight back. Unlike with Knuckles, he actually seemed to revel in this pain. A sickening, deafening cackle left his body, almost involuntarily. Every kick and stomp only seemed to fuel this giggle fit of his. He was clearly enjoying himself, watching with a wide smile as his eyes stayed locked into (Y/N)'s.

(Y/N) wanted to stomp his head in, to massacre his body like he did Knuckles, but they couldn't. They weren't as heartless as this Tails and they certainly weren't as vicious.

A whimper involuntarily escaped their lips as tears started to prick in the eyes. They felt betrayed, they were used. Their leg froze mid air, just hovering over Tails though they couldn't slam it back down on his form even if they wanted to. They wanted to go back to a couple minutes ago, where they were just having fun with a friend, when Tails wasn't even there.

Cracking noises came from the joint sofa Tails as he contorted his body, forcing his sore limbs to lift himself up.

With the pop of his joints he seemed to be...longer, lankier. More and more, he strayed from what (Y/N) knew tails to be until he was practically unrecognizable. He wasn't Tails, he was his own creature far far from the loveable tech-whiz (Y/N) knew.

"Oh, my dear. Don't tell me you're actually crying over a vermin of their caliber??"

Crazed eyes looked up at (Y/N) with an adoration of some kind, one that the morbian recognized as the lions he'd give his blue friend. "You have me, and I'm certainly better." His hand reached up and grabbed for (Y/N)'s leg, setting it down before his arms wrapped around it, hugging it close to him as if he were worshipping (Y/N)'s physical form. Hypocritical. This was far worse than holding hands and yet where was his punishment?? "I've always been there, since the beginning. I'm Tails, Sonic's best friend, the player two. You're hero."

(Y/N) shook their head violently, trying to free their legs from Tails' grasp only to be met with his two tails wrapping against it, keeping it in place. "Stop. Stop trying to leave. I'm the best for you, I'm your friend."

"I love you."

Thanks for reading ♥︎

[underthenightskydreamsneverdie]

Fanfic Masterlist

I write for Hogwarts Legacy, Mattheo Riddle, and Criminal Minds

Explicit sexual content -🌶️ Fluff -🌸 Angst -❤️‍🩹

Hogwarts Legacy:

Hate that I now have to add that all characters have been aged up. If you are a minor, get the fuck out, this is not the place for you.

 Sharing is Caring stories in order: 

Everyone Has Needs - Ominis makes time to take care of himself 🌶️

Sharing is Caring - Ominis has an issue with Sebastian and f!MC. When Sebastian finds out what the problem is he talks with MC, wishing they could help Ominis Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️❤️‍🩹

Sharing is Caring chapter 2  - After a bit of denial the trio have a threesome Sebastian x f!MC x Ominis 🌶️❤️‍🩹🌸 

Sharing is Caring chapter 3 - The trio work to get Ominis out of an arranged marriage  Sebastian x f!MC, Sebastian x f!MC x Ominis 🌶️❤️‍🩹 

Sharing is Caring chapter 4 - A member of the HL gang finds out the trios secret  🌸❤️‍🩹

Other Sharing is Caring stories: 

We’re All Winners Here (aka untitled Quidditch story) - Sebastian and Ominis cheer on their girl 🌸

Precious Moments  - Ominis uses Polyjuice potion to witness special moments with Sebastian and f!MC 🌸

Oneshots/Other writings: (Most of these can fit into SiC before Everyone has Needs, but they can also be read as stand alone pieces!)

A Snack by the Lake - Sebastian gets a special snack from MC during a picnic Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️

A Snack by the Lake, Part 2 - MC gets a special snack from Sebastian during their picnic  Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️ 

A Snack by the Lake, Part 3 - Sebastian and MC have a nice ending to their picnic  Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️ 

The Green Imposter - Sebastian finds something interesting in MCs nightstand and puts it to good use Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️ 

Is That What You Want? - After a few drink and a day full of teasing, Sebastian gives MC exactly what she wants  Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️

Little Wolf - After taking out an Ashwinder camp, Sebastian and MC have some feral sex in the woods.  Sebastian x f!MC 🌶️ 

Daddy - The first time MC calls Sebastian Daddy and the first time he calls himself Daddy  Sebastain x f!MC 🌶️🌸 

Worth the Wait - Sebastian and f!MC have a sweet first time together (Not SiC related) 🌶️ 

Naughty Escapades and a Wily Temptress  - Sebastian and MC make a deal to wait until after taking their NEWTs to have sex, but MC can’t stop teasing him (Not SiC related) 🌶️ Sebastian x f!MC 

Ask and Headcannons:

 Sebastian and Ominis kinks

Sebastian and Ominis favorite positions/if they prefer head or penetration 

Sebastian and Ominis how loud they are/their dirty talk 

Sebastian and Ominis what their first times with f!MC are like 

How the trio became a throuple 

Ghost on the Shore - Sebastian Sallow HC 🌸

Daddy Dom Sebastian (Not SiC related)

The start of Sebinis from Sebastians POV 

Ominis knows nothing about girls and Sebastian is totally wiling to teach him (Not SiC related)

Sebastian and Ominis as Doms and Subs  

How Sebastian and Ominis react to MC dancing with another guy at the Yule Ball 🌸 

Life after Hogwarts with Sebastian and Ominis 🌸

Hogwarts Legacy Character Reactions: 

HLC react to MC asking them to have a threesome 🌸 

HLC react to MC taking them to a sex shop to pick out new toys and lingerie 

HL boys pick out lingerie for f!MC 

HL girls pick out lingerie for f!MC and she picks some out for them 

HLC react to being allowed to touch MCs face for the first time  🌸

HLC react to you flinching when they try to touch you for the first time 🌸

Mattheo Riddle :

Carnal chapter 1 - Mattheo Riddle meets an unforgettable, mysterious Hufflepuff and spends the school year fighting his feelings Mattheo Riddle x f!OC 🌸

Carnal chapter 2 - Mattheo Riddle and Daisy Waters spend their summer longing for each other and panicking about their strong feelings for each other Mattheo Riddle x f!OC Daisy Waters 🌸🌶

Carnal chapter 3 - Sparks fly between Mattheo Riddle and Daisy Waters when they reunite aboard the Hogwarts Express Mattheo Riddle x f!OC Daisy Waters 🌸

Carnal chapter 4 - Mattheo Riddle can’t stop thinking about Daisy Waters, the pair admit their longing for each other, and Daisy gives him an assignment Mattheo Riddle x f!OC Daisy Waters 🌸🌶️

Carnal chapter 5 - Daisy takes Mattheo to her home in Hogsmeade and shares a secret part of herself with him Mattheo Riddle x f!OC Daisy Waters 🌸🌶️❤️‍🩹

Carnal chapter 6 - The sexual tension between Mattheo and Daisy reaches a breaking point as they grow closer to each other. 🌸🌶️

Mattheo and f!OC mood boards: Character boards Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Criminal Minds :

Oneshots: Starving - Your boss, Aaron Hotchner, calls you into his office for an unexpected reason Aaron Hotchner x f!bau!reader 🌶️

Headcannons: Hotch loves to buy his lover fancy lingerie

[horizon-verizon]

I'm still on my self-imposed Tumblr writing break but I had to share this comedy gold mine where Condal tells us all about "impostor syndrome" before I'm overtaken by the urge to write an essay on it instead. I have no time to cook. Fortunately, we've been served a meal on a silver platter.

https://bigthink.com/high-culture/house-of-the-dragon-ryan-condal/

House of the Dragon, which premiered in 2022, might have continued that [Game of Thrones] trend. Instead, the show proved a return to form, offering the same Shakespearean dialogue and political intrigue that made people fall in love with Martin’s fictional universe back in 2011. The second season is just as good, if not better.

I can see that this is going to be a very fair assessment of Condal and his work.

“Every day,” Condal confesses when asked if he suffers from imposter syndrome. “For me, though, it was less the scale and scope of House of the Dragon and more its visibility that intimidated me."

😭😭😭 It's okay! He wasn't worried about whether he'd do a good job! He was just worried about how visible his ingenious work would be.

Appointed for his encyclopedic knowledge of Martin’s oeuvre, Condal has — in his own words — “played with fire” without getting burned. In the following interview, he demonstrates his mastery of Westerosi lore and explains why all history – real or imagined – ultimately amounts to propaganda.

The business major is about to tell us about historiography. The question is, does he understand historiography? Or does he think he's inventing a new concept?

Condal is a relative newcomer to television. In his previous life, he graduated from Villanova University with an accounting degree and spent eight years working in pharmaceutical advertising — quite different from working as a Hollywood showrunner, but not entirely unrelated.

Yes, we know. It's actually very related. Especially the way Condal does it. I'll also point out here that his university was a private Catholic institution. I don't feel the need to connect those dots right now.

"I also learned to compromise, adapting your writing to clients who aren’t always going to love your brilliant, avant-garde choices. That’s the talent-studio relationship, right there."

I... this tells us two things about the writing process and attitude behind it. Two things we already knew. But... it's sure telling.

"I was able to navigate challenges that some of my colleagues with filmmaking and art history degrees maybe weren’t prepped for."

In theory, nothing wrong with this^ statement. But in context...

While some criticism is valuable, too much can lead to creative paralysis. “I tend more towards the negative than the positive, so I made a conscious decision to stay away from social media when I got this job,” Condal says. If anything, he believes the healthy distance he maintains between himself and his audience has improved the show: “Audiences think they know what they want, but sometimes, they have to be given what they need instead."

I repeat my prior sentiment.

Ultimately, Condal’s own passion for Martin’s writing outweighed any doubt he had about his own. “I’m trying to make the type of show I would enjoy as a fan, which I am. And while I realize my ideal fan show will be different from someone else’s, I still think that it’s a good true north heading on my compass. Actually, I think that’s why HBO hired me in the first place.”

Oh, we know.

“It was hugely intimidating, moving to a new country [the U.K.] and working with a new but also hugely talented crew that I had to — not tell them what to do, exactly, but lead them; collaborate with them. I definitely had to earn my place, but think that — because I came in with a clear vision of what I wanted for the show — those relationships were easy to establish.”

Make it stop.

The most important part of making a successful fantasy show isn’t the sets, costumes, or special effects, but lore. Fictional places like Westeros have their own unique cultures, customs, and social institutions, all of which help create the illusion that this fantasy world is as real and complex as our own. To transfer that illusion from page to screen, the writers must know Martin’s work as thoroughly as Martin himself. “It’s not just me,” Condal says. “We are all deeply entrenched fans of George. One of our writers has worked with him for many years. If I’m a graduate in Westeros studies, she’s an archmaester,” referring to the order of academics sworn to advise and educate Westeros’ nobility.

Well that explains why they're worse than Gyldayn.

Condal: “Textual references are best done in light touches to remind people that this is a fully realized society with hundreds of years of mapped-out history to it. And you don’t need an entire scene to do that. Instead of writing, you can communicate details environmentally through props like heraldry. For the fans, these little touches tell them they are in good hands. Better yet, they know the details are there just for them, the hardcore fans. For everyone else, the casual viewers, this stuff is flying by 100 miles an hour, and they probably won’t notice it. But it’s there.”

Again, there's nothing wrong with this^ in theory. In. Theory.

“I’m definitely an architect,” says Condal, “and I think I have to be as a screenwriter, because our life is so deadline-driven. The literal definition of a playwright, W-R-I-G-H-T, is ‘one who builds plays.’ A dramatic writer is almost by necessity a structuralist, and I very much fall into that camp.”

Now wait for it... wait for it... Keep in mind these are Brinkhof's (article author) words. But wait for it.

Martin, by contrast, identifies as a gardener. While this writing style — with its many unexpected twists, turns, and deaths — helps explain what made Game of Thrones so successful, it may also have been responsible for the show’s eventual downfall. Sticking to Martin’s analogy, “gardening stories” grow like trees, their narratives branching out in an exponential number of paths, making them difficult to finish. As of today, Martin has spent more than 14 years on the next installment in the Song of Ice and Fire series, his prolonged bout of writer’s block forcing Weiss and Benioff to come up with their own ending.

No words. Now back to Condal.

“The advantage we have over them is that we’re dealing with a finished text, where they were working with an unfinished, living work,” Condal says. “Where the Game of Thrones team had to trim down 5,000 pages into a few dozen scripts, we’re challenged in the opposite direction, turning around 100 pages into a multi-season arc of television, and that requires a lot of invention.”

Oh? So... you do know where it's going. Which means your "inventions" should... probably lead there?

Condal treats Fire & Blood like a real-world historian might treat a manuscript from the Middle Ages. “These three writers all had personal agendas which, to me, seem to reflect one of the main themes of our show: powerful women living in an unbreakable patriarchy. The writers, particularly the priest, appear to blame the war on the squabbling between Rhaenyra and Alicent.”

No comment for now. No... comment...

House of the Dragon pretends to show the real history that Fire & Blood recorded and distorted. Some events happen the way the one of the three authors describe it, while others contain elements of all three conflicting accounts. Others still indicate that none of them got it right. As a rule, every character in the show is far more complex than the jester, maester, and priest made them out to be.

I... I... I... I... I...

“Alicent can be the stereotypical evil stepmother at times,” says Condal, “just as King Viserys, played by Paddy Considine in season 1, can come across at weak. However, the thing that in-universe historians don’t get about Viserys is that he was carrying the burden of a prophecy passed down through generations and couldn’t tell anybody about it. A lot of his supposedly weak decision-making was actually in service of this secret prophecy. We were trying to show that there was more to him, that multiple things about him could be true at the same time.”

Must... Resist... Urge... To... Write... Essay...

“We have to arrive at the same endpoint as the book,” he reminds himself. “Whoever George said becomes king must become king at the end of the war. Hopefully, though, we have a bit of latitude leading up to that, to show how history has been interpreted differently at different times by different historians. I realize I’m playing with fire, but it does excite and fascinate me — to be able to comment on how history is made, not just this fictional history, but all history. It’s all propaganda to some degree.”

😭 The clownery.

Historiographers weep.

@rhaenin-time, you must be stopped. Ryan should be , too, but you have decided to bring me in close proximity to this nonsense. I am sitting here, eating chewy ChipsAhoy, and you came in here like a wrecking ball with this news....I hate you. [read, this is a joke]

I don't think I'll be able to address every thing I want to address in this. I want to be done with this show, I have been tired since the 6th epi of the last season.

Condal is a relative newcomer to television. In his previous life, he graduated from Villanova University with an accounting degree and spent eight years working in pharmaceutical advertising — quite different from working as a Hollywood showrunner, but not entirely unrelated. [...]

I also learned to compromise, adapting your writing to clients who aren’t always going to love your brilliant, avant-garde choices. That’s the talent-studio relationship, right there. [...] Audiences think they know what they want, but sometimes, they have to be given what they need instead."

Who tf does this man think he is?!!! Yes, I needed mother-son coochie eating. I needed to have a brown girl erased for a rapist to become a family man with a sick child. I needed Cole fucking Alicent at least 3 times instead of a brown haired Targ make instrumental alliances with more people to add to his stepfather's armies in the Riverlands. I needed to see nonexistent and sterile parallels. I needed to see a black woman be burned alive when she actually died at least surrounded by family, her ignored by her husband so his later marriage to a white girl be that much more special. I needed to see a disabled man jerk it over a queen's bare feet like she's in OnlyFans and doesn't know where her next meal is. I needed to see a pretten prince jerk it over a window and barely even tell what his brother was doing later with Vhagar instead of another preteen girl bond with the most powerful dragon of the then living ones. I needed to see a woman so much more hypocritical than her book counterpart be framed as one of the wisest women to exist while she praises Jaehaerys I of all people for having a peaceful reign as if his decision to have that council have no bearing on the burgeouning war coming up right now.

He can't even properly write character ACRTION as opposed to REACTION (Seth Abramson's article on substack):

Appointed for his encyclopedic knowledge of Martin’s oeuvre, Condal has — in his own words — “played with fire” without getting burned. In the following interview, he demonstrates his mastery of Westerosi lore and explains why all history – real or imagined – ultimately amounts to propaganda.

And yet Daemon dislikes his daughter or grow impatient with her bec she doesn't have a dragon....while he only claimed one at 16 or a bit younger with Caraxes AND Targs don't actually bond with dragons in the cradle that often, actually usually doing it in preteens to teens AND Aegon I definitely had to bond later in life as well. And said that Aegon I lived/was alive when Old Valyria still existed. Allowed Criston Cole to be called Dornish both by Alicent and the fans without giving us any explanation or exploration of that identity esp when canonically he came from the Stormlander part of the Dornish Marches. "Encyclopedic" my nonexistent ballsack! He has no authority to claim that F&B is so unreliable that he can't tell truth form agenda-motivated fiction and then claim himself intelligent or "brilliant" at the same time!

"avant-garde"...yes bc it's so revoluntionary and creative to have a man lick his former home from his own mother in a "vision". As if making a woman her son's character tool wasn't something HBO already did with its female characters and perform male gaze....okay...As if he's special and different from other male writers and it not just keeping with ASoIaF adaptation tradition. It added so much to the story other than the sick eroticism of something already cleared up last season.

I definitely had to earn my place, but think that — because I came in with a clear vision of what I wanted for the show

No you didn't. If you did, you wouldn't have had a such a problem with the pacing, the numerous inconsistencies, plotholes, the [if true] possible merge of Rhaena and Nettles and many episodes would't contradict each other as if one writer disagreed and vetoed another. And you'd see why/how show!Rhaena's purpose must be kept more or less the exact same as her in the bk for the post-Dance environment. We'd have Maelor. We'd have Daeron mentioned and described much earlier, not as some sort of random ass surprise that is bound to thrown so many locals off when he does appear.

If I’m a graduate in Westeros studies, she’s an archmaester,” referring to the order of academics sworn to advise and educate Westeros’ nobility.

....what the fuck does this even mean?! There are no fucking graduates of anything in Westeros and there are no archmaesters of real life bc the set ups in education of EU medieval history vs Westeros are so different it's not even funny. there are no universities for one to even imagine there are Westerosi "graduates", and there is no way you can tell if a graduate would be more or less educated than a grandmaester, bc we don't have rules of "graduation" or gradations of maestership. the modern school system can never be properly equalized in structure or depth or habits to Westerosi maestership, the instituton.

Therefore trying to create some sort of analogy as if grads exist in Westeros by immediately using "grandmaester" for another you're aligning yourself with is just so stupid. worst part is, I know exactly what he's trying to say, but his use of this device is so wrong, that I'm mad and ure people will just take this at face value instead of see how inept this man is with literature analysis and thus creative writing. Reminds me, ironically, of his saying he's inspired by PARADISE LOST in writing S2...if you don't sit yourself down to hell, sir!

Martin, by contrast, identifies as a gardener. While this writing style — with its many unexpected twists, turns, and deaths — helps explain what made Game of Thrones so successful, it may also have been responsible for the show’s eventual downfall.

And there it is, Ryan is prepping to use the ole fan excuse of "not much story left" excuse people had for D&D, and it makes sense how he would considering how F&B is considered to unreliable to adapt even the clearest events and characterizations as they are given....

[nuttersinc]

So, thoughts on a five days Captive Prince marathon reading:

The writing: I hadn't picked this up because I'm not that much into slave fic, but I read some quotes last week and thought: this sounds so good and the writing is brilliant... Let's have a look. Hooked after 1 page, I think. The writing is masterful. Both lush and sparse, light and dense. Achingly beautiful, then simplistic.

What's it about: Starts out like slave fic - Prince gets sold into slavery to the enemy court to serve as bedslave to the enemy Prince - but veers off into a highly convoluted political conspiracy with a million twists and turns. Keeps you entertained until the suspenseful end.

Damen, our hero and POV: at first you think he's a himbo - broad shouldered, strong and tall, very physical with an animal intelligence about him, but if Laurent wasn't there to be the cleverest person in the room, he would be. Strong sense of duty and loyalty and what is right (in his society's limitations), fiercely protective. Tends to mindlessly shed blood if someone he cares about is threatened.

Laurent, the enemy Prince, whose uncle is regent: Laurent is cruel and seems cold hearted. He's a manipulative bitch, and he's always - with one notable acception - the most clever and cunning person in the room. He's a survivor and he does everything it takes. He's usually a step ahead of everyone, planning for contingencies. He's also sassy and talks like he was raised in a brothel, even though he takes noone to his bed. Contrary to Damen who is a fighter with honour, Laurent fights dirty. He's a perfect parcel of deadly and cute.

Some things that I had massive feels about: (Spoilers ahead!!!!)

* the reveal that Laurent knew he was Damianos all along. I squealed. (I mean, he nearly had him flogged to death, and at some point early you realise that Laurent is usually cruel with intention, not with sadism)

* their little adventure in the inn: their roles reversed, Laurent as the pleasure slave, Laurent's helpless giggling as they are pressed up against each other on the balcony, nearly detected, Damen overwhelmed and confused by Laurent's body shaking against him

* all the times Damen stayed, after he realised what was really going on in Vere

* Jokaste and Laurent trying to out bitch each other and being severely unpleasant towards each other

* the renowned veretian cloth merchant imposter thing - fucking hilarious.

* Laurent appointing Damen his captain

* Damen making sure nobody disturbs Laurent when he's in a mood

*Damen being a bitch about being interrupted kissing Laurent, even as they take him away

* Laurent, all hot and bothered, when Damen returns victorious from naked oil wrestling

* Damen, all hot and bothered, when he sees Laurent in a chiton for the first time

* Laurent's smile the morning after

* Damen's smile the morning after Laurent drinks to win over Makedon...

* all the fights and all the softness. Their camraderie 😥😁😍

* so much more, will add later...

[thecherrytarot]

𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 :

pile 1 → pile 2 → pile 3

pick the pile that you feel the most drawn to and please remember that this a general reading so take whatever resonates!! make sure to check out my other works!

𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟏:

your future self wants to tell you, "the storm is over. we survived and now you just have to be strong enough to take that responsibility and move forward because now you have nowhere to go but up. there may be times when you don't feel so sure of the path that you are taking but trust yourself and learn to take authority over your actions and decisions. dealing with the aftermath will be hard but I trust you, I trust myself that we will be able to make it."

The 'storm' whatever it was for you  (getting a strong message of leaving a toxic family/ relationship) has left you with some trauma but your future self wants you to tell that it's gone and the sun is shining again. Some of you, you may have felt trapped in a certain situation and it was draining you, you didn't have any control over your decisions. You are advised to set certain firm boundaries because only then do you feel secure. Also, speak up for yourself because when you don't, you are giving others a sign that tells them they can take control of your life and its direction. there is no need to crumble away, things will change when you bring the change.

𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟐:

your future self wants to tell that, "notice any recurring signs or symbols you are receiving and be aware. don't be foolish and listen to your gut instinct. don't waste your time and focus on your goals. bring structure and meaning into your goals and dreams. stop living in your head so much and go out and understand how the world works around you and beyond that. soon it will be time for you to be an adult so practice some discipline for yourself, stop with the procrastination, and don't spend too much money, especially on the things that aren't even needed just because it looks pretty doesn't mean that we have to get it, eat properly and be healthy, study and work hard, we'll see each other after the doom and gloom is gone."

Some of you might be in university or starting university or feel like the path to new beginnings is blocked for you. You might have trouble seeing the world with "fresh eyes". I keep getting this energy that the majority of the people that selected this are teens or in their early 20s trying to find a new mature way of looking at life (moving out to go to college or something and learning to live on your own) but feeling like they are somehow failing. Don't worry your future self wants to tell you that the answers will be found within you and the Universe is providing you with clues in the form of recurring signs. You might have to broaden your horizon and move towards your dreams. When I was writing the message it felt like the experienced version (your future self) was giving the inexperienced version (your current self) a long overdue reality check (very earth sign energy, Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo). They want you to have some discipline in your life so that it will be easy for you to take responsibility and find your strengths and limitations.

𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟑:

your future self wants to tell you that "put your creativity into your work. don't be afraid and no you are not an 'imposter' anyone can be creative. Do them because you want them with happiness and affection, and don't let materialism and capitalism ruin your art that represents your attitude and approach when you look at things. this passive energy will not help us so have the courage and we'll be able to go through this rough period that you are currently in. step out of the shadow and come back into the light. Everything is going to be okay."

many of you could be struggling financially (bills, debts etc) and you might be afraid that you might face bankruptcy. You may have gone and followed your passion as your profession and now you may feel like maybe going for a traditional 9 - 5 would have been better for you and for some of you, you are afraid that something like this will happen to you. you may often question yourself "Why is this happening to me?". Your future self is here to tell you that you will be going through a personal transformation no matter how much you try to avoid and deny it. After this, worries will slowly start to fade away. There is hope and even though you might feel like there isn't any right now don't need to worry, the Universe will make all things grow with the power of gentle patience, at the right time. Do not fear what is changing right now.

Take care and have a nice day!!