#i just ship tagged a bunch so this actually gets seen by someone who needs it

[antisociallilbrat]

A lot of 'eloquent writers' are not going to agree with me when I say this but; write however the fuck you want. Especially if it's for fun online, no one here is grading your shit. Yes it's a little different when it comes to original works you want to get published but fanfic? Nah no rules apply. Write in those run on sentences, fuck grammer, don't capitalize, word vomit your ideas into a google doc, fill those paragraphs up with words that barely make sense, just have fun with it. If it's nonsense it's nonsense but if it made you happy to write then that doesn't really matter does it?

Also, I fail to do this myself sometimes, but give yourself a break when it comes to writing. Your writing does not need to read like anyone else's, it's your writing. Everyone has their own 'voice' in writing and just because yours is different than someone else's doesn't make it any less.

[deus-and-the-machina]

ngl the worst thing about the xenoblade fandom (which I think is the root cause of a lot of other issues) is that it’s mostly on twitter. I have to subject myself to twitter for any real consistent fan talk or content. legit there's always some new stupid topic of argument ive noticed in the past few weeks on there and its all very silly and frustrating and what im saying is everyone should move to Tumblr. please. for me. 

[antimony-medusa]

Why do MultiFandom Exchanges Run on Don't Like: Don't Read?

I was writing that writeup about the amperslash exchange last night, and I realized that some people don't know this. So. Say you are running a multifandom exchange. You got a big amount of people sign up for it, there's like 84 people signed up, and they all nominated 3 fandoms, and there's a bunch of overlap, but you are stil looking at like 120 different fandoms. You have a big mod team, for an exchange that isn't Yuletide, cause there's two of you running this exchange. Do you think that you are intimately familiar with all of those fandoms?

I have been around the internet for a long time, and I know a lot of fandoms by sight, but let me tell you, I could not tell you on-sight which of the Mass Effect relationships are canonically (or even fanonically) considered to be toxic/abusive/problematic. If you are running a multifandom exchange, there is simply no viable way to know the network of these relationships in canon, much less once you consider in fandon stuff like "these people are commonly headcanoned as siblings".

So like, say you wanted to say "no abusive relationships?" or "no incest?" I've seen exchanges try to run with that rule. You are immediately vulnerable to people coming in and saying "oh these people are canonically related" when what happened is a queercoded relationship got translated as "cousins" in the english dub. Or they mean "he's like a brother to me" that gets used as family headcanon fodder. Or a relationship where people were enemies to lovers is presented as "abusive" because of their past. And then suddenly you, the mod team of two people, is poring over localization notes and clips and fanon essays instead of doing the hundred other things that an exchange needs. Even in MCYTblr, I am aware of a lot of lore, and I keep being surprised by things like people saying "oh empires and hermit false are canonically sisters", and I watched the empires crossover. It is simply not viable to keep up with which relationships might be toxic/problematic in every relationship in every fandom on the internet. AND you're faced with things like "well this apepars to be canonically okay, but fanon would say otherwise, so if we let it through, people are still gonna be mad/hurt because the fanon is so pervasive, but if we turn it down, people are gonna be mad because canonically it's fine, so—"

It's a moderating nightmare. So the only viable way forward is to say "we will let literally anything into the exchange, be warned that there might be stuff you find objectionable in the tag set, by participating you agree that even if you disagree you're not gonna harass anyone for it" and we go. But you do want to make sure that nobody has to write a relationship they have a problem with, right? Well, that's why the "you only have to write what you offered" rule. The way the matching works is you only match to what you offered, so if there are five ships you don't agree with and two you do in the tag set, you just offer your two, and then you'll be matched on the two.

You offer what you're comfortable with, and then the algorithm does its work, and then even if you match to someone who requested something you go "oh boy" to, everyone agrees to ignore everything they didn't match to, so you just put a sticky note over that part of the screen, and continue with the one relationship you do agree with that person on.

But how do you make sure that the person who thinks that this popular relationship is abusive (they hate it and wants them to break up) and the person who thinks this relationship is actually fine and hcs it as fluffy, and the person thinks it's bad but wants to watch them destroy each other hand in unloveable hand, all get what they want? There are 84 people in your exchange, it absolutely does not work to match fluff writers to fluff writers by hand.

That's when DNWs and defaults happen. Your DNW is everything you don't want to see, so the person who wants fluff can write down "I do not want toxic dynamics" and the person who wants them to break up can DNW "happy endings", and everyone will get a gift that matches their specifications. And defaults— that's for if you match on a relationship you like, but it turns out the person you requested only wanted canon-typical homophobia and unhappy endings, and you want fluff, so you can say "actually I can't write this", you send it back to the mods, they post it as a pitch hit, and it gets picked up by someone who can look at the whole request, go "yeah I can rock with some canon-typical homophobia and unhappy endings" and opt in specifically to the request.

The whole system is set up to try and balance "everything is welcome, we are not passing judgement on your fandom" (the dl:dr attitude about what's allowed in) and "you only have to opt in to anything, nobody gets forced to write something they don't like/agree with" (you only match on what you offered and requested, you can default if someone asks something you don't like). That's the exchange space standard.

And THAT is why matching in a big exchange is always an adventure, and that's why the entire exchange space has agreed, to make this whole thing we're doing together to work, to just go "that's not for me, but you do you" and just move on when they see something they don't personally vibe with.

[thewertsearch]

Ask Comp 19/10

That's true - we don't know for sure that Trollian can fully emulate Sburb's surveillance capabilities.

If the trolls were sufficiently motivated, though, they wouldn't actually need to. Sollux could probably hack one of the kids' computers, to gain access to their Sburb viewport - although if he did, he wouldn't need a camera to snoop on their messages.

Is there a paranoia Aspect? I think I've finally found my calling.

anonymous asked: heya! ive just finished re-reading your ENtIRE liveblog and i to send asks about some stuff but i waited to finish so im sendind everything at once! (im gonna send stuff in a bunch of small asks so cat can stop just one instead of the whole thing in case of accidental spoilers) (aslo hi cat!) (also its ninnoy, havent sent an ask in a while but i changed my pfp to something slightly more spoilery so im in anon now) [...] the jade pen pal thing, do you have any new theories on who it could be?

None! I'm sure that it's someone derived from Grandpa Harley, but everything else is a mystery.

I have no particular theories about who he is, how he knows Jade, where he got his hands on so many endgame weapons, or why he's got such an antiquated accent if he's watching movies from the 80s. I assume time travel is involved, but that doesn't really narrow anything down in a comic like this. He (she? they?) is a complete enigma, and I'll just have to wait to learn more.

ALsO WHEREs YOUR sONAs? we havent seen them in so long im afraid sahlle might have actueally died of meteor strike (joking of course) also have you realized that "sally" and "cat" are both one letter of from a valid kid name? you could lend her one of your "L"s

I've actually been workshopping some Quest stuff for Sahlee this week! I suppose I'd need to figure out her Title first, though, and for that, I'd need to get a more solid idea of her personality, and how her experiences on Alternia have shaped her.

in one of your last posts you seemed to imply that the multiverse exists inside the timeline, but ive always read it as the opposite, the timeline inside the universe that would explain why the trolls can pick any time from the humans universe to talk to them but cant have private conversations with their own futute/past selves, its not an inherent part of trollian, they are just outside the human timeline (the memos are still trollian being time fucky) dont know if that makes any difference but its a thought also i realize the tag may be unecessary due to my quirk, but its too late to stop now

(NOTE: quirk omitted for readability, but the substitutions are [t -> 7, s -> 2] - sort of a variant of Sollux's quirk. I actually don't think we've seen any quirks which add a 7, so the voice here is distinct from any trolls we've seen so far. I like it!)

Originally, my assumption was that each timeline contained a duplicate of the entire multiverse. Doomed timelines don't seem to let you communicate with other universes/dimensions, though, so they don't need to contain other sectors of reality. I'm currently of the opinion that doomed timelines only contain an instance of the dimension they were doomed in. The only timeline which contains the entire multiverse is the Alpha.

This mechanic keeps doomed timelines simple, but in-universe, I don't know why it exists. Much like the Alpha itself, it's a mystery I can only speculate about.

has the shipping chart been updated since the last time we saw it? also you (at some point) said that equius<>feferi was a controversial ship so i had to go back to check the notes and i was the only person i found talkig about it so i guess im the whole controversy? if thats the case i would like to thank you for recognizing me as the equius<>feferi number 1 hater (all jokes of course)

I got a few skeptical asks about Equius<>Feferi, but you're the only one who discussed it on the post itself. I guess by some measures, you are the most dedicated hater, because your hate was posted publicly! 🤣

I could make one or two changes, but I don't want to post a new chart until the kids meet the trolls in person, hopefully at the end of the Act!

The Scratch, naturally - but I'm also looking forward to seeing exactly how WV was Exiled. He's currently on Skaia, and Jack has lost interest in him, so who's actually sending him through the portal?

Tavros is barely a presence on the Land he's ostensibly the hero of, and all of his actions are being dictated by a third party who can physically control his body. This third party does not acknowledge or respect Tavros's own desires, effectively forcing him to play the game in a way that she personally approves of.

She claims it will make him stronger.

@bladekindeyewear submitted: That was a long, thorough, and fantastic response! It's fascinating seeing your opinion on these things-- and I'm glad to see that considering the questions we've given you seems to have made you more paranoid. But I'm just not entirely sure you're paranoid ENOUGH. Not yet. Much like how you just found that "BREEZE" quote in your Breath research, back at around the time you've now reached in the comic, we had dozens of theory-miners combing back through everything that had been said and shown in Homestuck, over and over again, searching for anything we might have missed that might have been of some importance. [...] So, uh….. how do I put this… Would you prefer to strictly handle that sort of thing all by yourself, as you've said? Which I'd agree is still the best way that you should keep to, for the most part? Or would you mind if I gave you just a CRUMB of an example, only one? A tiny bit of text that we in the theory community only found at about the time you've reached in the comic, even though it was more than a thousand pages earlier?

Shit, this is such a dilemma. I'm honestly really torn.

See, I'd probably find old fandom theories absolutely fascinating to analyze. I'd love to know how closely my ideas align with those of the early Homestuck fandom, and whether I'm saying anything really out-of-pocket. My analysis of Sollux's ~ATH script was apparently an original theory, and it's honestly one my proudest moments.

But that's also sort of the problem, isn't it? If I dive too deeply into other people's fan theories, they'll start to affect my own - and if I'm introduced to a really compelling fan theory, it could end up replacing any homegrown theories that I could have developed in lieu of it. If someone had send me a well-reasoned ~ATH theory before I did my own analysis, I'd probably have been less motivated to make the analysis in the first place. After all, many of my questions would already have been answered by a clever theory I just read.

People are free to send me their own off-the-cuff opinions on what's happening in the comic, or their own takes on any meta I write. I get a lot of asks like that, and they're some of my favorites. There are also asks which spoil a little too much, but I'm still interested in their takes, so Cat's saving them for later. We don't really delete asks - we just delay the ones that aren't necessarily appropriate for a blind liveblog.

Obviously there's a fine line here, and whether a given ask is a theory or just an opinion is a little subjective - but in my opinion, the influence that asks and submissions have had on my analysis has been relatively minor. I don't think many of my theories have been spawned from an ask, or killed by one.

This is a little different, though, because it's part of a theory that was crowdsourced over several years. It doesn't sound like something that could be inferred by an individual, so I'm not sure if it's something an individual liveblogger should necessarily know about? If I start crowdsourcing my analysis, my theories will be less Wertsearch and more fandom consensus, and I don't think I'd enjoy that as much.

I really want to know, but I think I'll enjoy the liveblog more if I don't. When I finish the comic, I'll gleefully analyze any fan theory that anyone sends me - but for now, I'll just have to wonder, and come up with theories of my own!

Yeah, we've really been getting into it with Vriska lately. I've enjoyed trying to explain and predict her actions, and I'm glad people don't think I'm going overboard when trying to analyze her.

When a character does something interesting, I don't like to move on until I have a theory about why they did it. Sure, it may be refuted later, but it needs to be something that's consistent with what I currently know about their personality.

Vriska takes a particularly long time to puzzle out in this way. Her motivations are derived from a complex web (lol) of factors, including Scratch, Spidermom, her rivalry with Terezi, her horrendous relationship with Tavros, classism, teenage hormones, quadrant politics, highblood society and the Alternian culture of violence. They all inform her decisions, and any combination of them could have been the catalyst for the latest Vriska Incident.

I want characters to make sense to me, and Vriska is written to deliberately challenge my attempt to achieve this. Her meta is fun to write, so I'm glad it's also fun to read!

[rainyweeds]

Home is where the heart is {Part 1}

Part 0 | Part 1

Pairing: Ao'nung x Fem!Human!Reader

Summary: After finally waking up from cryosleep on Pandora, you quickly realize you're not in the right place. While trying to navigate your location, a certain species of tall aliens take you captive.

Warnings: None for this chapter

A/N: I didn't actually think so many of you guys would want to read this. Anyways I'll have a mini tag list at the end since a few of you guys asked <3 and I'll add you guys to the next part too if you want!

How the hell did you end up here? You were supposed to be in the forest with Grace. This clearly wasn't a forest. The clear body of water surrounded the entire land mass, sandy beaches joining the two together.

There was no way in hell you were in the right place. What even happened while you were asleep? Did Grace know you were alive? Where was the RDA? You began trekking through the wooded area, hoping to find an answer.

The entire island was surrounded by water with no chance of you making it past the reef without drowning. How far were you from the nearest base? You recall Grace once mentioning there were small base units scattered across Pandora. Maybe there was one here?

After remembering all RDA machinery has built in navigators in case of emergencies, you walk back towards the wreckage. The ship was now less than half of its original size. But the question was, how did it even get here? All ISV ships were only supposed to operate in deep space. You were supposed to wake up and be transported on a Valkyrie to the base where you'd meet Grace. So how in the world did the ISV get here?

You entered the ship once again to look for the control panels. Once located, you try to turn them on. But of course, the panel was worn down and rusted. To your dismay, you angrily slam your hands onto the panels. Something you hit must've turned something on because the screen displayed an old recording.

"This is our final log before everything shuts down. The last ship has left and we are hoping this video reaches someone. We need help.

Once the systems shut down, we will have no contact with the RDA headquarters. If anyone gets this, these are our coordinates."

The pilot held up a piece of paper with some numbers on it. Were those coordinates where you ended up? Maybe you could still find everyone else.

"We won't make it. The ones in cryo will. The ship will continue maintaining the people's body temperatures until they either wake up or the ship goes down. But we don't have a chance.

The time is 21:37 and the date is July 15th, 2154. This is Team Beta signing out." The screen goes blank once again."

2154. Two years into your cryo journey. People who underwent cryosleep could stay under for long periods of time and not age. It was scary how long they could remain asleep. But you couldn't have been asleep for more than the six year trip. Right?

You continue to look around what was left of the ship, hoping to find something of use. There were a few extra oxygen masks, an unloaded gun, and a bunch of useless things. You took a spare mask, the gun, and set off into the wooded area of the island. Although you were practically defenceless, the gun could probably act as a threat if you encountered another human.

The jungle was scary to say the least. You continuously looked over your shoulder in case some animal wanted to attack you. And the large roots of the trees cause you to almost roll an ankle. If you could just find a way to leave or contact the other back at the forest, maybe you could make it out alive.

Surprisingly, there weren't many animals on the island, just a few harmless ones wandering around in search of food. And the plants. Oh the plants were more beautiful than any picture you've ever seen. All the vibrant colors seemed to only increase as the hours went on.

Nights on Pandora were known to be dangerous. Grace would always be in the lab at night to protect her and her avatar. But that was in the forest that was probably hundreds if not thousands of miles away. You found shelter under some exposed tree roots, tucking yourself away from the outside.

The sun rose early and the eclipse happened late on Pandora, meaning you had more time to explore your surroundings. You quickly continue your journey to the other side of the island after waking up and realising you were still alive. The hopes of finding other humans being the only thing that kept you going.

The island was huge. Or at least huge for your little human legs because you seemed to be walking for what seemed like forever. The trees finally begin thinning out once you see another strip of beach. This time there were sea creatures swimming around near the shore, splashing about under the sun. You step closer to take a good look at the creatures. They're nothing like any of the creatures you've seen from Grace's research. One of the creatures seems to notice you approach it, swimming closer.

"Hello!" You smile. The cool water now reached your knees as the waves crashed into you. "Can you help me find my way to the forest?" The animal only cocked its head, obviously unable to understand you.

"Who am I kidding, I'm probably going to die soon anyways. This Oxygen mask is only good for a few days. And I only grabbed one extra." You point to the mask tied to your waist.

The creature circles around you as if to examine you. As it does, you notice the handle connecting the two queues together. Someone was riding it. As you reach out to grab the handle, something behind you grabs at your hair and pulls you backwards.

You kick at your captor but with little success. They hold a knife at your neck, effectively stopping you in your tracks. You feel yourself being tied up and pushed forward.

"Olo'eyktan! We found this demon wandering around the ilus." You were harshly shoved forward, causing you to stumble into the sand. Despite the use of their native tongue, you were able to understand the foreign language. Having practiced for years before leaving Earth.

"Skxawng." You mutter. Large hands wrap around your arms, forcing you up to face the na'vi in front of you. The Olo'eyktan. Clan leader. He stood before you, towering over you.

"What is your business here?" He broke the silence.

"I mean no harm. I don't know how I ended up here." You respond with your broken na'vi. It wasn't the best but they seemed to understand you just fine.

"Bring her to the pod. We'll talk later." He waved you off. You were quickly dragged away towards a pod-like room. The warriors threw you into the pod and closed the curtains.

"If you leave, we will have no choice but to kill you."

Great. First you were going to die due to oxygen shortage and now you're going to die by the hands of Pandora's natives. How fun. You sat in the pod, knees brought up to your chest as you thought about how you could have been in the forest by now. Studying plant life with Grace.

You must've dozed off again because the next time you open your eyes, you're tied up again in front of the clan leader and who you can only assume is his mate. The woman steps forward, walking in circles around you, taking in your features.

"Why have you come to us?" She scowled at you.

"I was trying to get to the forest. I don't know how I got here." You watch her grab your hands. Your five fingers look out of place compared to her four.

"Sky people bring nothing but pain to na'vi. We should get rid of it." You were taken aback. More so at the fact that you were just referred to as an 'it' rather than the talk about killing you. You've had too many death scares to be phased at this point.

"I'm telling you. I just want to find Dr. Grace Augustine." You plead. What happened the last time humans came to Pandora to get such a hostile attitude? "I don't mean any harm."

"And who is this 'Grace Augustine." The Olo'eyktan narrowed his eyes at you.

"She's a scientist." You vaguely answer. All you could do was pray to whatever god there was on Pandora that you weren't seen as a threat.

You don't know how you did it, but you managed to make it out of there alive. With the promise to help Ronal, the Tsahik, collect ingredients and run errands, you were able to keep your life. You were brought back to the pod which now doubled as your home to rest. Apparently, there was a family staying on this island that came from the forest. Maybe they could help you.

The salty breeze reminded you of home. How the few remaining beaches would blow the familiar smell into your face. You sighed, stepping out of your pod and walking around the village. The na'vi could only stare at you as you walked by. How could their leader allow a demon to stay?

You found yourself wandering near the shore. The clear water displayed the vast marine life below the surface. One of the creatures from earlier began swimming up to you. An ilu as you learned, was a common mode of transportation among the reef people. Although you could not physically bond with the creature, it seemed to take a liking to you.

"What are you doing with my ilu." You heard a voice coming from behind you. Turning your head, you saw a tall figure. Tattoos covering his arm and face. Despite looking around your age, he towered over you. Sure, he was a completely different species but you liked to think you were tall for a human.

"Sorry it just swam up to me." You move away from the sea creature. The male watching you the entire time. Eyeing you up and down at your awkward movements. You reminded him of a baby. Just learning how to walk. "Well I better go!" You sped away from the scene.

After walking a safe distance, you sit down on a patch of grass in the forest behind the village. Nobody seemed to be around so you finally allowed yourself to breathe. Your mask begins fogging up slightly as you take in deep breaths of oxygen. Everything still felt surreal. What if you were really still in cryo and you were on your way to the forest. No. People don't dream in cryo so that can't be it.

You sigh as you head back towards your marui, na'vi clearing the way as you walk by. As you walk past the beach, you see a dark blue na'vi sitting on the sand. Her short blue hair blowing softly in the breeze. She looks like someone you know.

Like Grace.

"Grace?!" You run up to her. The girl turns her head to you as you run up to her. Shock written on her features. "How come you never told me you were here?" You remember seeing Grace's avatar in the background of the calls every now and then. The girl before you had a striking resemblance. But wasn't Grace supposed to be in the forest?

"How do you know my mothers name?" She glares at you.

The color drains from your face. Grace had a kid? How come you never knew about her? Were you really asleep for that long?

"I'm sorry- you just look like someone I know." You shake your head. There was no way this na'vi was related to Grace. No way in hell. You turn around and walk away, embarrassment evident of your heated cheeks.

"Wait!" She grabs your hand. "How do you know Grace?"

"My mother used to work with her. I was supposed to join her in the forest and research plants with her." You explain. The girl in front of you begins to pull you away as you continue explaining your situation. Soon enough, you find yourself in front of a pod.

"Come." She leads you inside.

When you step inside, you see a man sitting on the floor preparing food. A woman sits beside him. "Father. I brought someone." The girl takes a seat next to the man. He looks up at you, yellow eyes scanning your figure. "She says she knows Grace."

Both adults look at you with wide eyes. "Ma Jake." The woman speaks. Jake? As in Jake Sully?

"Kid?" The male, Jake, mumbles.

Jake would always call you 'kid' when he saw you on call. The nickname brought back memories. "Jake?" You look at the man. The more you look at him, the more he looks like the soldier you once knew. The resemblance was uncanny. "What are you doing here? Where's Grace?" You point to the girl.

"What do you mean where's Grace- What year do you think it is?"

"Isn't it supposed to be 2158?" You quickly do the math in your head. If the video you saw back on the ship took place two years after your journey started, then it should be four years later assuming everything still went smoothly. Jake looked at the woman beside him and then back to you. "What?"

"It's 2173... You were asleep for 15 years..."

A/N: Hi! I really hope you liked part 1 of the series! I have been a bit busy so I delayed the update a little bit but here it is! I'm slowly getting a vague idea on where this series is going so stay tuned! The next update might take a little longer since my weekend is looking a little hectic but I will get it up as soon as possible!

Thank you guys so much for reading and have an amazing day/night! <3

To those who wanted to be tagged: @eywas-heir @sunshinewwx @ducks118 @tiredsoulsorry @thecrazyswamp @ambria @lovekeeho @zeroqueen0555

[blainesebastian]

coffee cart girl (pt9)

words: 3,293 ship: austin x female reader summary: you’re the coffee runner on the set of Elvis. Coffee deliveries run pretty easy, until Austin accidently spills coffee on you. notes: you can find previous parts under this tag :)  warnings: none tag list: under the cut! sorry if links aren’t working, refer to the link above if needed.

All good things eventually come to an end, so it’s a sad day when the Elvis film is officially wrapped. Your dad has used that expression of ‘one door closing and a window opening’ and you’ve always kind of enjoyed living your life like that. Opportunities sometimes come from the strangest or unexpected of places.

You for sure never thought you’d be in a relationship with Austin Butler, so, just goes to show that the universe is in a constant state of flux.

You’re definitely not complaining though.

Settling down on your apartment couch, you smile as Jillian facetimes you—a weekly occurrence since the movie’s been over. You pick up the call with a smile, leaning it against a bowl on your coffee table so she can see you lounging.

“Long time no see.”

You chuckle, “It’s been three days, Jill.” You get it though—going from seeing someone every day to every other few weeks can be jarring. Jillian’s a great friend, last thing you want is to lose contact. Some people are just in your life for a season, somethin’ you’ve learned far too many times the hard way.

You really hope Jillian and Austin are not a part of that analogy.

A soft silence passes, you watch as Jillian mills around her own kitchen putting dinner together and…right, you should probably eat something, or at least figure out what you want to do. Since the end of filming, Austin has been bouncing around to different obligations—you expected this but admittedly, you miss him.

Texts and calls just aren’t the same.

“It’s tomorrow, right?”

You blink, focusing back on Jillian. “Uh,” Picking at a loose thread on the couch, “Yeah, tomorrow.”

“Are you nervous?”

A laugh comes up from your chest, “I’m not the one being interviewed, you know, all I’m doin’ is waiting for him in the back. Maybe someone will bring me coffee for a change.”

Jillian snorts, making some sort of mac n cheese dish, least you’re pretty sure. It’s homemade at the very least, “Yeah but he’s gonna talk about you. The interviewer is gonna know you’re there and not be able to stop themselves from askin’.”

Shaking your head, you push your face into the cushion of the couch. “He’s there to promote a movie, not me.”

“I’ve personally seen the way he looks at you, he’s gonna talk about you—won’t be able to help it.”

There’s an eyeroll but you can’t stop a soft pink blush from kissing your cheeks either, working down your neck. It’s a conversation you’ve definitely had with Austin—there’s been other candid pictures and even a few articles pop up on how he’s seeing someone, though because you’re not a celebrity, no one can seem to nail down who it is. You’re sure Jillian’s right, in a sense, that a question might be asked.

But knowing Austin, he likes keeping personal things private. He might mention you but it’ll be brief—not because he doesn’t want to talk about you or somehow keep you hidden away because he’s ashamed, but because he’s protective.

You like that.

Things are only going to get more hectic; the goal is to figure out the best way to navigate them.

“How’s the script goin’?” Jillian asks, changing the subject, which you’re definitely thankful for.

“Finishing touches.” You let out a long breath, “And then I told Austin he can send it to a few people.”

Jillian grins, “I’m proud of you! I’m sure that took a lot of arm wrestling.”

You smirk, “You have no idea.”

It’s a good thing though, you know that. Austin and Jillian and your sister—a bunch of important people in your life have been telling you, gently pushing, that in order to move on to the next step? You have to be willing to actually take it. There’s a fear of rejection that is very real, of not feeling like you’re good enough—but how else do you know if you never try?

Maybe the script comes back with negative reviews, maybe you’ll realize that character development and story progression that made a lot of sense to you, doesn’t translate to someone else’s experiences.

It’ll be hard but you can take the script back, read the notes, take the feedback seriously, start again.

But what if…it’s the exact opposite?

“Good luck tomorrow—let me know how it goes.”

You pull yourself out of your thoughts before you nod, giving Jillian a smile and hanging up the call. Drawing a pillow into your chest, you chew on your lower lip as you consider ‘good luck’. You’re not giving any interview answers that will one day be on YouTube, or turned into gifs on Tumblr but…

Maybe having some good luck and good vibes wouldn’t exactly hurt. Hopefully it’ll all run so smoothly that you won’t even need it.

--

You know it’s probably something completely lame to admit, but every time you see Austin, your heart ricochets right up into your throat. It’s pounding wildly as you watch him get out of the SUV he’s arrived in at the talk show venue. It’s not one of the major stations with famous names, nothing like that, but something you’ve learned about Austin is that he likes branching out, talking to anyone and everyone. He’s a genuine soul, he likes connecting with people.

Smiling softly, you lean off to the side near the front door, as close as you can get with security. While Austin’s personal bodyguards and assistants know you, the venue does not and won’t let you get very close to where he’s walking in. There’s a speckling of fans along the sidelines, lingering, getting riled up when he steps out and begins walking to his destination. While his bodyguard, Richard, tries to move him along—Austin stops.

He takes pictures with anyone who asks, signs whatever might be in front of him. It’s…really nice to see, actually. Your gaze lingers, taking in his wavy blonde locks, perfectly coiffed on his head. The jet-black hair is long gone and his natural color only seems to bring out the blue of his eyes. He’s dressed all in black which highlights the long lines of his body—slacks, shirt slightly unbuttoned, suit jacket that has a soft sheen to it in the sunlight.

Your stomach flutters as he moves and finally spots you, a soft smile on his lips. He reaches for your hand, Richard sliding one of the metal guardrail fences that are set up aside,

“She’s with me,” He tells building security, squeezing your fingers.

You can hear distinct murmuring from behind as you move quickly inside, the doors closing afterwards. You can’t allow yourself to be bothered or distracted by it, too busy turning to instantly throw your arms around his shoulders. He chuckles lightly, picking you up in a brief hug before pulling back.

He smells amazing, sandalwood and something distinctly Austin and he seems to be taking you in as much as you’re doing for him. It’s been about two weeks since you’ve seen one another in person but it feels longer than that,

“Sight for sore eyes,” He tells you, reaching to cup your cheek before pressing a soft kiss to your forehead.

Your fingers curl into the bottom fabric of the lavender dress you’re wearing today, something simple but one of your favorites. It sits along your thighs, clinches at your small waist and has small yellow daisies patterned on it. Paired with some heels? It’s a look.

“Yeah you clean up nice.” I missed you too. You laugh warmly, running your fingers along the lapel of his jacket before you both have to begin walking. Of course he’s on a schedule, wouldn’t want to make him late—you’ll have plenty of time together once the interview is over.

Someone from production meets Austin about halfway into the building, guiding them towards the interview room he’s going to be sitting in. Your eyes take in as many details as you can possibly manage with how fast you’re walking—Steve, apparently, has a very ‘to the minute’ job that reminds you of Sal (with a far better attitude). Entering into a large room labeled Studio 7 that looks like a behind the scenes theater production, Austin is motioned towards a hair and makeup chair near the curtain he’s going to walk out of. You linger, not wanting to get in the way at all but also wanting to watch Austin talk about the film and share out anything he can about what he’s worked so hard on.

“Carol-Ann will run you through a typical questionnaire,” Steve says, checking a clipboard and occasionally touching an earpiece in his right ear. It’s almost ironic to you that Austin has to get touchups—brushing the hair back that’s leaning over his forehead, padding a spot along his hairline, a soft kiss of blush with a makeup brush. The camera finds so called ‘flaws’, you guess, even though it doesn’t feel quite possible that Austin has any.

You stand by quietly, giving Austin a small smile any time his eyes find yours. Steve then moves to hook a mic onto his suit jacket, testing it with a small tap before he nods,

“Should be about twenty minutes out there and then five minutes before we go on—any questions?”

Austin shakes his head, standing from the chair. He thanks the makeup artist before reaching for your hand, approaching the edge of backstage where the room opens up into a studio. You can’t help but dip your head out a little to look at where Austin will be—it’s set up like a typical talk show. On one side, there’s pastel colors and couches for the guest and host to sit on, a slew of cameras separating that and the backside of the room where audience members go. And there are plenty there, the lucky ones that maybe waited outside all night or bought a ticket.

It's just kinda surreal, especially for you but you also can’t imagine for Austin. While he wears a celebrity title well, knowing what to say, holding the gaze of whoever he’s talking to, and passing off charm easily, he’s also humble and sweet, thoughtful. Your eyes find him again and you swear you can feel his hand shaking, just a little.

“You nervous?” You ask, running your thumb along his knuckles.

“Nah, just excited energy.” Though you’re not sure you one hundred percent believe him.

Steve gives Austin a two-minute warning and he takes a deep breath into his chest before nodding, smiling down at you. “Wish me luck.”

“I will,” You tell him before squeezing his hand, “But you don’t need it.”

Leaning back just slightly, you watch him walk out on stage to meet the talk show host. The crowd definitely loves cheering for him and you’re once again reminded how much Austin seems to be made for this. Just like Elvis.

--

There’s an exchange of hellos near the pastel-colored couches, Austin leaning down to greet Carol-Ann with a hug, thanking her for the opportunity with added pleasantries. You notice there’s a moment when Carol-Ann motions to backstage, though you can’t understand what she’s referring to because the noise of the crowd drowns it out. Whatever she says however, Austin glances towards you before shaking his head, shoulders a bit tight even though there’s a gentle and pleasant smile on his face.

Once Austin sits, the interview starts almost immediately and you’re able to watch from one side of the backstage area, keeping to the shadows but you hear the questions and responses. Regardless of how nervous Austin might have seemed before going out there, he’s a natural at talking to people—he turns the interview process into a conversation, even asking Carol-Ann things herself every so often. He’s just genuine and it warms your chest from the inside out as you watch him—you know that he’s not just doing that because he’s under the public eye but rather because he’s sweet and humble.  

You feel like not many people are left in Hollywood like that.

All the questions and clips shown about the movie go swimmingly and there’s a round of applause as Carol-Ann announces that they’re almost out of time. Austin leans back against the pastel, crossing his long legs—the jet black of his suit seems to pop along the soft colors.

“Before we go, I just have to ask—” And before the words are even out of her mouth, you know what she’s about to say, “You came into the studio today with someone beautiful—can you tell us anything about her?”

There’s a moment where you completely draw a breath into your lungs and hold it there, a slight hammering of your heart in your ears. Even though you knew this was coming, unavoidable at this point by accompanying Austin to this interview, it still throws you off balance.

Austin takes a patient breath too, his smile pleasing and calm as he nods. Regardless of the question that has nothing to do with the film, he takes it in stride as much as he can. Jillian was right, in a way, there was no way he could avoid talking about you during this interview.

“Yeah, I got a girl,” A soft laugh leaves his lips as the audience applauses and he gently waves to them before answering the rest of the question, “I uh, I met her on the set of Elvis and she’s incredible.”

And just like that, your relationship is officially out in the open.

The moment comes and goes and…you’re not quite sure if you’re waiting for something to feel earth-shatteringly different or for another shoe to drop. It’s supposed to be the same right? You and Austin are unchanged—everything’s just on your terms now. No more concerns about keeping yourselves hidden or sneaking around, a bit more control over your own relationship instead of leaving it up to others with exposing type articles or photos that make you feel like you’re on an episode of Gossip Girl.

Case in point, Carol-Ann tries to push—she playfully asks Austin for more details, a name, something else to feed the satisfaction of hungry and curious fans.

Austin’s smiling but he clamps down on his response, “That’s all I’m willing to share right now—I’d like to keep her to myself.” And even that’s a winning answer because Carol-Ann smiles and there’s applause mixed with some girls giggling in the audience, cheeks kissed pink and totally heart-eyed towards Austin in these pastel-colored chairs. He seems to know exactly what he’s doing.

You smile a little, curling your long hair around your ear. Being able to keep your personal lives private might not always be the case. But at least for now you both are making decisions on your own terms, and no one else’s.

--

You’re not exactly sure what the plan is after the talk show but you figure you can talk it over once you’re both in the SUV. You’re leaving the same way you came in, except this time there’s more fans built up on the walkway leading to the car and even some paps with cameras attempting to push their way past the barriers. You let out a slow breath, hesitating near the door before you can walk out.

Austin turns to look at you, gently reaching for your hand with a smile. There’s no doubt that he can sense you’re uncomfortable, “We just make a beeline for the car, you can stick behind me.”

You shake your head for a few reasons. For one, this is something you’re just going to have to get used to—right? You certainly don’t plan on breakin’ up any time soon and…as Austin’s girlfriend, you’ll be invited to events that’ll have fans at them. Not only that, but even out and about, odds are you’ll run into someone who recognizes him. It’s a little overwhelming, not to mention just weird, going from a girl who delivers coffee to this.

Not to mention that this sort of thing is only going to grow—Austin’s role in Elvis is really going to put him on the map. Last thing you want to do is somehow, accidentally, make him feel like he needs to avoid this, this popularity that is well-deserved.

“No,” You squeeze his hand, running your thumb along his knuckles. Secondly, you remember how Austin arrived here and, “I’m sure they’ve been waitin’ out there to see you, I’m not gonna take that from them. I’ll be fine.”

He holds your gaze for a long moment before nodding, “You sure?”

There’s a playful eyeroll paired with a smile, “Yes, I’m sure. C’mon.” Motioning him forward, building security opens the doors for them, Richard taking the lead to make sure everything is all clear as you walk.

Your only goal as you head out of the talk show building is to stay out of the way—it’s quick chaos, Austin zigzagging to different sides of the divide to sign autographs and actually talk to fans as he takes pictures with them. A small smile lingers on your face as you watch him, doing your best to disregard any questions thrown in your direction. You are definitely not diving into that rabbit hole.

You both are close to the SUV and you pause one more moment as Richard reaches the doors before you do, pulling one open. A pap with a camera grabs your attention from the right, mostly because he’s yelling over the crowd. He’s got his phone in his other hand aimed at your face, you assume recording a video,

“Mr. Butler! Miss! Hey miss, turn around—let’s see your face!”

It’s an automatic reaction for you turn your head in the opposite direction, almost bumping straight into Austin when he reaches for your elbow. Stepping in front of you, he puts a hand out to create distance between your body and the prying pap—

“Can you not film her please?” He requests calmly but there's an air of seriousness there, it’s clear this is not something he's willing to discuss.

“Not gonna tell us who she is?”

Austin guides you around the SUV door, encouraging you to get inside first before he throws out over his shoulder, “She’s my girlfriend and I’d appreciate you not shovin’ a camera in her face.” He gets into the car too, the door closed behind him. There’s a few moments of Richard and Austin’s assistant getting in as well, doors shutting, before the SUV begins to wade its way into  traffic.

He lets out a soft breath, running his hands through his hair. Turning to look at you, his gaze flutters over your body before finding your eyes, “You alright?”

Despite the slight rattling of eager fans and paps who don’t understand the concept of personal boundaries…you feel okay. Finally alone with him, or well, for the most part. You take in a deep draw of oxygen before nodding, a small smile tugging the corners of your mouth.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” A soft pause before, “‘Girlfriend’, just—don’t think I’ll ever really get used to you sayin’ that.”

Austin smiles a little, reaching his arm across your shoulders. You chuckle, allowing him to draw you close in the backseat of the SUV. Sliding across the middle seat, you mold yourself into his body, his arm creating a cage around you as yours maps across his waist.

“Well you better start.” He says into your hairline, your head fitting perfectly underneath his chin. Breathing him in, you close your eyes.

Feels like home.

--

Cannot believe there’s only one part left! Thank you all for everything :) there is a post regarding requests here if you’re interested!

tag list:  @pearlparty, @theinvisiblecapricorn, @kittenlittle24, @andrewgarfields-girlfriend, @mirandastuckinthe80s, @nonsensical-nonce, @softlispoken, @dudinhahoff, @peterparke-r, @lottiee03, @little-diable, @therealwriter17, @bob-the-tomato, @bcofl0ve, @domaniquessidehoe, @oh-austin, @rosequartzluvr, @callthedarknessdown, @laperceval, @ghostinthebackofyourhead, @starry-night-20, @ahoyyharrington, @obsessedunicorn24, @lulu-recs, @queenotaku23, @embobemm, @milaa24, @medleyj, @myownparadise96, @butlersluvbot, @girlokwhatever, @pinkle-monade0103, @vintagebitc, @xcallmetaniax, @adoreyouusugar, @karamelcoveredolicity, @thisisntmeok, @kvcssghbjbcd, @mamaspresley, @elvismylove, @chaoticbilly, @pulisvertz, @killerqueenfan, @jasminex12, @simpforevery1, @dre6ming, @behindmygreyeyes 

[misery-has-no-company-now]

character ask game 15, 18, 20 for New Jersey, New York, Connecticut

Hey, thanks for the ask! Here we go-

Connecticut -

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

I haven't really given this one much thought since I've neither thought of Connie a lot nor do I really go that deep into shipping since it's not the most interesting part for me, but I've read a bunch of Connecticut/Florida fics and so far that's been my favourite one to read (: [Also Flo called Connie Butter-cut in one of the videos 🥹]

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

I really like Flo's and Connie's conversations, of course. Connecticut is always just right at the edge while talking to Flo, who is either confused by them or keeps provoking them, and it's hilarious. Then the little bit of Connie and Rhodey we've seen - love that. But my favourite is actually Connie and Gov's relationship. I can explain.

For example, in the WNY 9/8 pt 1: A Wild Beefalo Has Appeared! video, Connie is just...so patient while explaining something to Gov - or at least patient in comparison to some of the other states we've seen yelling at and insulting Gov while giving him an answer. He doesn't do either of those or makes Gov feel stupid for not knowing the answer or what is going on in the state - he just takes a deep breath and calmly explains the whole 'part bison, part cow' thing to him. I feel like Gov really needs to talk with someone who doesn't get mad at him very easily, and Connie just fits that role in my eyes. Also, I bet that while Gov was still the Continental Congress, he and Connecticut would often get mixed up with each other since they both were called 'Con' for short. Till Connecticut gradually moved to the nickname 'Connie' and Congress started being called 'Connor' more often [then eventually Gov], they used to amuse each other by annoying the other states (Connie was one of the few rare states that Congress was not scared to loosen up and relax around) through answering to that name when someone was clearly calling for the other one (:

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screen time they share doesn't matter?

Rhodey. They both are two peas in a pod - small, feisty, and ready to bite with a whole lotta attitude. They were definitely pirates back in the day and uh... you know what @crazedstoryteller I feel like I should just tag you at this point since many of these headcannons are either yours or developed from yours anyway <3

Also, they both love the Boardwalk and are willing to take down anyone in a fight, no matter their size. They'll call each other in the middle of the night and ask them to join them in a fight - not because they need help but because they know the other one would love to be a part of the fight too. You know like how sometimes you might look at some picture and think "yeah, this friend of mine would want to see this"? Rhodey and Connie do that but with partaking in fights.

New Jersey -

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

Dara, come get your boys again because it's New Jersey/New York (: They're one of the sweetest couples I can think of really.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

I don't remember which episode it was but there's one in which NJ says he's got to tell RI even Mass (I think?) doesn't like New York coming over. I can just imagine New Jersey and Rhode Island being the gossip queens of the Northeast lmao. And it doesn't hurt that they both are small enough to hide in places to secretly get the tea to spill to each other later...

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screen time they share doesn't matter?

Hmm, for this I'd have to say Nevada for sure. Nevada's a gossip queen too so that's also there. Then they both have large gambling centers that they regularly discuss about with each other. And NJ's one of the few rare states that (and the only one who regularly) allows Nevada to experiment with new hairstyles and make-up looks on him, partially because he's his friend and partly because he likes most of the looks himself too.

New York -

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

New Jersey/New York again, enough said (:

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

You know how in MA joins the table, Mass gives those ventilators to NY because he's not well and "Ain't nobody gonna kill no-how but me."? They're brothers, your honour, I swear. And because I can't stick to one alone; New York and Florida, outside the table, get along well too. NY's like his uncle that keeps visiting.

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screen time they share doesn't matter?

California, California, California, Cal-

They have so much in common - Broadway and Hollywood, loud big cities that never sleep, major economies, technology and the stock market, etc. etc. They hang out a lot and discuss all this stuff. Cali would be going through the script of the latest musical New York is in to see where the lights would need to be switched on and all that while New York is reading about California's next acting role to see the best outfits he should wear at all those show premieres.

This turned out longer than I expected, but I hope you're happy with the answers, anon!

[xcalibxr]

SHIPPING INFO //ANSWER THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR MUSES SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW SHIPPING WORKS ON YOUR BLOG.

WHAT IS YOUR OTP FOR YOUR CHARACTER(S)?  

Hello there! As far as I have seen, there's not a bunch of extremely popular ships out there for Drake which means there's so much potential for ships, but my OTPs for Drake are SmoDrake, LawDrake, ZoroDrake, and Drake with @akagamiko's Shanks (I LOVE DRANKS OK!!!!!! NEVER WOULDA THUNK BUT HERE WE ARE!!!) There's also a lot of ships I've never explored, so there may be a new OTP on the horizon!!

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?  

Okay, SO! If you're character is 18-19 and wants to ship with Drake who is 33, it's just not gonna happen. I'm sorry. That's a 15 year age gap, BUT that only bothers me if the character is 18 or 19 years old. 2 years ago they'd be 16-17 and Drake, 31. NO. Please. Just no. Once you hit 20, DO AS YOU PLEASE, but please don't throw your 18 or 19 year old over here and expect Drake to be wooed. I will block you without hesitation.

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE CONSIDERED NSFW?  

Once the clothes are off, I'm tagging it NOT SAFE FOR DINOS (nsfd as you may see in the future) !!! Touching, kissing, straight up making out feels pretty suggestive to me and I'll put like a suggestive tag on it, but that's pretty safe for dinos!!!

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?  

I enjoy the build up and everything that happens after. The slowburn is excellent. The yearning. Lingering glances--or touches--secretly when the person is distracted or SLEEPING OR faking it off as swatting a fly or getting something out of their hair---all of THAT.

WHO ARE OTHER CHARACTERS YOU SHIP YOUR CHARACTER WITH? 

Other characters who I think would be interesting to pair with Drake would be Killer, Kid, Katakuri, King--damn, that's alotta K's--Hina, O-Kiku (VERY RECENTLY DISCOVERED THIS might work), ROBIN, Nami (ginger couple), IKKAKU (learning of Fossil Fuels through RP). I can also try OCs--I used to write several tbh, and Drake has had a lovely relationship with @bucketfullofocs Aya before I was lured away to Pokemon Fandom and gave Drake a break cause we didn't see him for a long time. I've even dabbed a pinky into Drake and Corazon (a Still Lived Corazon AU I think) and the possibility was surprisingly nice. I guess I'm just a sucker for people bigger than Drake and much smaller than Drake PFFFFF.

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU? 

I have no problems with people asking if they can ship with me, but once that happens, lets have a few interactions and see how they mesh! If I've chatted with you and I like you, I think it'd be a bit easier to do.

However if we've never interacted before and you wanna ship, we DEFINETELY have to see how our characters will mesh with each other.

ARE YOU SHIP-OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?

I LOVE writing my OTPs because it makes me happy and I enjoy shipping AND considering Drake's backstory, he just honestly feels INCREDIBLY LUCKY that someone actually wants HIM like, this mans hit the jackpot!!!, but I wouldn't say I'm ship-obsessed.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM? 

LawDrake held the top spot then SmoDrake came for my neck, but now since I've seen this incredible artist draw ZoroDrake/DreZo/ZoDre on TWITTER, I have written at least 10 fanworks and it is KING. Seeing them interact on WANO WAS SO. GOOD. DAMNIT. They were just fighting / arguing tho HAHAHAA. Two himbos together is amazing, ok?

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?  

Memes or just send something into my inbox! Just get the ball rolling. Ask about it after some interacts! That's all ya need!

tagging: i dont remember who i grabbed this from BUT DO IT!! perhaps @videcoeur ?

[rollercoasterwords]

Yes yes yes to all of your points about jegulus and the capitalism of fandom as a whole. I find the whole thing so interesting in a mildly terrifying way lmao

One thing I’ve noticed with jegulus on TikTok that I’ve never really registered seeing with another ship (tho I could obviously be wrong, thx algorithm) is that people advertise their fics in a way I’ve not really seen before in forms of countdowns and trailers pre posting. And yes be proud of what you’ve created, I am the biggest supporter of tooting your own horn but sometimes it feels a little… off to me. Like almost like people are viewing fic writing as becoming ‘content creators’ and trying to go viral with these pieces of work in the same way that art and TikToks goes viral. And with the marauders and jegulus in particular being such a TikTok heavy fandom (as you pointed out in your essay) maybe that’s why it’s more apparent, because a lot more people interacting with this subsection of the fandom have been ‘raised’ (for lack of a better word) to view the internet as a place where the point is to go viral and become well known, so to create art for the sake of creation is an entirely alien concept. So why would you not make a trailer for your story and post it half a dozen times to TikTok?

And then pair that with jegulus having fewer works than bigger ships which means that the ‘bigger’ fics are known and read by the majority, which ultimately means that people have a better chance of going ‘viral’ if they post a story with that pairing compared to wolfstar where the competition is higher.

I’ve never really kept a track of these fics that are advertised and hyped up before chapters are posted, but I would be interested in how many are abandoned if and when the author doesn’t get a barrage of kudos and comments, and the subsequent serotonin boost with it.

Sorry this ask doesn’t really have much of a point or direction, (and I’m not even sure if it even made much sense ☠️) it’s just something I’ve been noticing with increasing frequency recently and I was wondering if you had any thoughts, as you write your points and arguments so well!!

anon i literally want to kiss u on the mouth u brought up sooooo many good points!! yes i have so so so many thoughts about this maybe i need to make a separate post bc like....ive talked so much about the way that like. people interact as readers with the like tiktok/social media/influencer mindset but ive definitely seen it crop up with people who write fanfic too. and the thing is bc there aren't really cleanly delineated boundaries between readers + writers of fanfic (like....most of the writers are also readers, and many of the readers are also writers) it definitely comes from both sides.

i think for anyone who has like. internalized this mentality that art must be validated by an audience to be worthwhile and that you can only be Seen by turning urself into content for consumption it's very easy to approach fanfiction with a mindset stuck in a consumer economy. and like. that isn't a moral failing, because we are literally all being conditioned to think of any creative pursuit as something that is only worthwhile if it can be turned into Profitable Content. but i DO think it's important to recognize when we're falling into that mindset, because fanfiction is so antithetical to it. and also just like....i don't think any of these people who are approaching fanfiction with this underlying idea that they need to curate an audience for validation will be able to find deep or lasting joy, because if your primary motivation in writing is just to get as many eyes on it as possible, then like....idk. it will never be enough. there will always be someone with a more popular story, with more people reading it.

and like. i actually mentioned this in my little tiktokification essay that escaped confinement, and i got a bunch of responses of people in the tags or reblogs going "there is NOTHING WRONG with wanting to share your work and wanting people to read it!!!" and i was like...i didn't say there was anything wrong with it?? i said if your primary motivation in creating art is just to get as many eyes on it as possible, you probably will not find lasting joy in the creation of that art. so :/

anyway now i think i want to write another essay so thank u for that anon lmao

[canonsunkmyships]

get to know YOU

i’ve seen a bunch of get-to-know-me tag/ask lists on here so i thought i’d try something different. rules are: you pick a question/prompt and then answer it in whoever you reblogged this from’s inbox (or rb with tags, whatever floats your boat). the point? aggressive self-introduction, make yourself a nuisance, tell someone stuff about you that they didn’t ask for. anyway-

1. favourite colour

2. your pet’s name/breed+species/cute personality trait/iconic dumb story™ (bonus points if u include a picture)

3. your old-person hobby

4. the random specific beef you have with someone

5. your star sign + what you think it says about you

6. your favourite band

7. that fun fact that’s been stuck in your head for ages that you haven’t had any reason to tell someone. now you do!!

8. a song that you turns you into the feral karaoke rockstar that you were always meant to be

9. if your life was a tv show: the song you think would be played in the opening scene to hook the viewers in

10. your least favourite ship from your favourite fandom

11. your weird internet nickname + the story behind it 

12. who you voted for in the great tumblr sexyman rematch of 2023 (or who you would have if you missed it. i feel you, brother.)

13. a condiment you would eat a whole tablespoon of (voluntarily or under pressure? i’ll leave that up to you. no one needs to know that you actually like mayonnaise, don’t worry)

14. if you write or draw: your favourite software/medium

15. your favourite artist (like painting and drawing)

16. a song that makes you super mad for no reason

17. your most used app (mobile or desktop, idm)

18. your most visited website

19. what your FBI agent is the most weirded out by

20. the best movie soundtrack/score + the specific song you love from it

21. something funky or interesting from your family tree

22. your Categories (hogwarts house, mtbi type, etc - pick and choose what you like)

23. your favourite random thing (for example, i really love square numbers. they’re just so satisfying.)

24. what you do when you have a bad day

25. what you do to have a good day

26. the fictional character that you relate to the most

27. your favourite teacher from high school

28. your most hated celebrity/elon musk/billionaire

29. your favourite thing about yourself

30. something really cool that you thought of

31. your least favourite vegetable

32. an amusing anecdote from your childhood that you still think about

33. your favourite word

34. something you do in your downtime

35. what you are supposed to be doing right now, and why you’re not doing it

and finally, 36 (the best square number of all):

36. your favourite thing about the person you’re telling all of this to!

if you made it this far i’m sorry congrats!

[m00dysunflower]

Testimone di Gangster vs Purple Haze Feedback

Just came fresh off of reading the new Squatizi light novel (which I LOVED) and decided to ruminate on why I loved one and hated the other so much.

I want to preface that if anyone is nasty in replies or tags about my views and opinions of PHF, I'll block you, I don't have time to fight over a non canon Fugo centric light novel. And I think it's valid to compare the 2 stories because they're both based around part 5 and in light novel format that supposedly expands upon the part. If you find my thoughts valid and insightful, cool, if you don't, move along, you're not going to convince me to change my mind sadly.

Also this isn't going to have too bad of spoilers. I'm kinda more vague when it comes to talking about the Squatizi story.

............................................................................

Purple Haze Feedback:

I respect that people needed more Fugo content and it was a genuinely good premise. An aftermath story of Fugo returning to Passione under Giorno and Mista? Yeah I would have loved a story about that. But if you need to warp characters' personalities and throw in a bunch of forgettable stands and their users to do it... I honestly can't bother to care.

If it was much shorter then I could tolerate it, but it wasn't, so here I am. I'll be going point by point with PHF just to organize my thoughts better for such a chaotic story.

1. It warped the pre-established characters.

Mista I think was done the most dirty with that opening scene, but to insinuate that Abbacchio and Fugo killed kids behind Bruno's back felt like absolute whiplash. Also Abbacchio is bisexual obviously, he would have slept with men too, not just women lol.

I don't like that they made Trish become a pop star. Maybe she would have been better as a model, but regardless, not so soon after part 5 when she needed her time to be normal and heal, or at least be under Giorno and Mista's protection.

The whole "Fugio" moment also felt off-putting to me and is part of the reason I don't like the ship. Look, it was absolutely no rain scene or "The only time I feel at ease", let's not try to compare it.

Fugo was okay, but he was just boring and I feel that's not good... you know, considering he's the protagonist of this story. He got better near the end, sure, but by the time I got to the end I was so tired and done with the story. A better writer would have done him and the story more justice.

2. Uninteresting supporting cast and villains

Cannolo was a fine addition, but I never understood what his stand actually did, same with all of the villains' stands. I think that's just poor writing if people walk away not understanding what just happened. I had to reread scenes and I still didn't get most of what happened. Voodoo Child was a cool stand, reminded me a bit of Moody Blues, but I didn't like Sheila as a character. And I'm sorry, who let's a 14 girl in a skimpy ass outfit be the Don of Mafia's bodyguard? Sheila's whole design was so hyper-sexualized and gave me the ick, especially if she was allegedly supposed to be indigenous coded. I've only seen speculation though so I won't go into it further.

Volpe and Manic Depression are the only villain names I remember. I couldn't even tell you the names and stands of the others or what Manic Depression even did as a stand. None of them felt like an actual threat.

3. Felt like a poorly written fanfic

The random mention of Tonio from DIU as Volpe's brother was also a whiplash "where the fuck did that come from" moment, because it was so unnecessary and felt like a cheap tie in for something that was formally published in a book. It really helped give it an average fanfic feel (and I write cheesy, overly dramatic fanfiction!). I think that was also when I was nearing my breaking point.

I once had someone try to mansplain to me that PHF was a "more realistic look of the mafia"... it is not, I promise you that lol. Mafia had rules about women and children and all other kinds of shit that Passione definitely does not abide by. Real life Mafia has so much more to it. This is camp fictional media, no one should ever take it so seriously.

In short, I just think PHF had a lot of wasted potential and would have done better with an altered story. I just can't convince myself to blindly love it, no matter how much I tried to like it.

............................................................................

Testimone di Gangster

I read it last night so it's still so fresh in my mind, but this is how you expand upon a story in my humble opinion. This is also probably going to be shorter just because it was a shorter and more focused story with less characters. I also don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet since it just came out in English.

First off, I think it was a such great idea to take two characters we knew so little about and expand upon them in a way that felt so much more natural. There's less room for warping characters when they didn't have such distinct personalities to begin with and also helps build the world up.

There was no overly complicated plot about drugs and stands and it gave more insight on how the crime world works in Jojo's version of Italy. It even had nods to other real life gangs and how Passione fit into this world with them. It even gave nods to the Cosa Nostra and a real life prosecutor (Falco) who dealt with a lot of gang business in Italy and I think that's just so cool. I love shit like that so much, I adore me some good worldbuilding in general that we didn't necessarily need, but it's just cool to see.

I'll admit, the story was bit hard to follow in the first chapter, but once I picked up that it was from Squalo's perspective, it was such an easy and fun read that didn't make me question what was going on every two paragraphs.

It really showed us how Tiziano is clever and calculating and can be such a useful stand user and teammate. It solidified why he and Squalo are partners (and most definitely in more than just crime for sure now ahaha). I also just love the idea of him being an attorney, especially with Talking Head as a stand, it was a fantastic concept.

The entire time I was just so entertained and caught up in the story, it was so much more engaging than I thought it was going to be. I was genuinely invested in the trial and how Tiziano was going to win the case for Passione. I'm almost sad that this story was so much shorter and would have loved more in between moments with Squalo and Tiziano, but maybe it was for the best not to drag things out.

The ending was a great nod back to their involvement in part 5 and this was in general a great insight into who they were before joining Diavolo's special guard. Plus it makes so much more sense and is amusing to know that he had a lawyer (Tiziano) apart of his elite team.

............................................................................

Now look, I don't think I necessarily have a bias because I do like Fugo just as much as I like Squalo and Tiziano. I also normally don't care for light novels when comes to anime/manga so I don't think it could be that either.

Maybe it was simply the Fugo/Fugio lovers had over-hyped and demanded that everyone read PHF that it just soured the novel before I even read it? I couldn't say for sure. All I know is I went into PHF was no expectations and was so dissatisfied where as I went into Testimone di Gangster with some expectations and was thoroughly entertained.

This is by no means a dig at Fugio shippers, like I said, PHF's ending and the hype around it made me personally more uncomfortable with the ship than I already was before reading it. Simple as that.

If I were to recommend additional Jojo content, especially for the part 5 lovers, Testimone di Gangster is the one I would urge people to read if they have an hour or two to spare. It's a short and sweet look at some great side characters and has more of part 5 spirit without getting caught up in a bunch of bland ocs.

[humblemooncat]

I'll tell you when you get your soft, italicised, "Oh"

Tagged by @sae-mian! Thank you, friend! <3

Doing this for all of Ki'to's polycule, so buckle up for a long post

Ki'to & Aymeric

The Missed Opportunity

"this one comes with a pang. it is the wrinkled brow of something unpleasant sinking in. they've left to find some new adventure. or they've met someone else. and you have only just begun to understand their true importance to you. you watch them drift toward a future without you, and in that stark numbness of their absence, it hits you. Oh. oh, you want them close. you hopelessly, selfishly want them all to yourself. you'll support them no matter what, but you don't want them to want a future that doesn't involve you. you want them to read the near-invisible signs of your love and decide to take a chance on you. you never want to say that you *used* to know each other. so what are you going to do?"

In all honesty, he really didn't know just how in love with Aymeric he was until the trouble in Ishgard was at an end. He knew they were to move on to new troubles on the horizon, and it makes sense that he'd have seen that and decided he had to tell him now before it was too late. At that point he was done not saying how he felt right away, lest something happen...

Ki'to & G'raha

The Emergency

"something goes wrong. there's urgency. everything gets turned upside down, and you have to grab for the things that matter most-- Oh. suddenly, there's perspective, and at the worst possible moment, the moment when there is so much else going on, you realize that you have been breathless with want for so, so long. you want everyone to be safe, but please, please, you want *them* to be safe. you want everything to be okay so that you can have another chance to get things right. a chance to start over. and everything will be okay, of course, because you've made it through bad moments before, and that foundation of trust is there, even if you've never quite acknowledged it to its full potential. you trust them. you need them. *Oh.*"

YEAH THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP

Listen, I know I've said it a million times already, but as SOON as G'raha/The Exarch turned completely to crystal Ki'to was on his knees openly sobbing because he finally knew just how deeply he loved him. Couple that with the tentative nature of the soul crystal resonating with him on the Source, and the fact that he's had someone he's loved that deeply sacrifice themselves before he could say something before? Ki'to was a M E S S. Thankfully he was able to tell him later.

Ki'to & Estinien

The Missed Opportunity

"this one comes with a pang. it is the wrinkled brow of something unpleasant sinking in. they've left to find some new adventure. or they've met someone else. and you have only just begun to understand their true importance to you. you watch them drift toward a future without you, and in that stark numbness of their absence, it hits you. Oh. oh, you want them close. you hopelessly, selfishly want them all to yourself. you'll support them no matter what, but you don't want them to want a future that doesn't involve you. you want them to read the near-invisible signs of your love and decide to take a chance on you. you never want to say that you *used* to know each other. so what are you going to do?"

After doing my thinking on when he had that "Oh" moment, this is actually perfect. After Thancred, Estinien was the first to go in Ultima Thule. I can't remember exactly what was said, I'd have to go back to the dialogue, but I remember Ki'to thinking it extremely profound. But when all was said and done, Alphinaud was not the only one with tears in his eyes. Thus, post-EW, when he's rested up after everything, he confesses.

Whew, we really got a whole bunch of realizations under stress, huh?

Not sure who has been tagged already, so if you have not and would like to, I tag you! Tell me 'bout your ships. :3c

[ultraviolet-ink]

Hiii idk if it's still relevant BUT

for the choose violence ask game: 3, 10, 12 ! 😁

Hello!! I'm always down for asks, thanks for sending this one!! (o^▽^o) 3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr Oh god there's this one take I've seen a year or two ago that still makes me lose my mind lol! Basically it was a post talking about how no one understands the point of the joke "Dead Dove, Do Not Eat" and how it's not supposed to be "what's on the tin" but the absurdity of someone putting a dove in a fridge, and THAT was why it was a joke. Fam, do you not know the next line? "I don't know what I expected", dead dove note on a bag -> dead dove in the bag! That's the joke!! That's why we use it in fic to be an extra label (Aka, mind the tags, product may contain peanuts, etc.) tbh, funniest bad take I've seen in a while tho

10. worst part of fanon Found. Family. It went from one of my most favorite tropes ever, to the one that makes me roll my eye the hardest. People can be close without calling each other family, they're allowed to be friends (Like hell I'm calling one of my old professors my "dad" or "weird uncle", or "mom" or "vodka aunt" we're JUST friends). I also don't like how it all just defaults to a nuclear family set of roles, like there has to be two parents, some kids, and then everyone else is somehow a cousin. I've been getting into GOT/HOtD lately, and damn THOSE family lines are easier to follow than some of the shit that gets passed off as "FAMILY DO NOT SEPARATE OR WE WILL SEND DEATH THREATS!!" And to harp on that second point, it just brings so much wank! I have a friend who made a super SUPER niche DGS ship, and no one ever said these characters were family before they started posting about it-- but one of the characters is often headcanoned to be a lesbian (which, yeah, I'm basic, I also hc the same), so when this "rival" ship came about, it was suddenly "fOuNd FaMiLy". Mostly, I just roll my eyes now at this trope, which is sad because it can be so beautiful. Family really can be a bunch of people you find, and it doesn't need labels!! to summarize: Fuck the concept of the nuclear family, all the homies hate the concept of the nuclear family

12. the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

Seishirou Jigoku, he's big and dumb and beefy, pure babygirl <3 But in all seriousness, he is such a fascinating character to me! He really seems like the kind of person who could have done good things in his own little sector, totally inconsequential and mundane, but good. I think he shares a lot of the same characteristics as Genshin and Yujin, optimistic and a bit patriotic. I like to think that he was pretty close with Yujin, it was HIM that convinced the latter to go on the trip after the death of Ayame after all! I just love to think about him so much, how he is with those around them. When it's just him as the judge, he's calm and collected, serious and gets the job done. With Yujin (And I presume with Genshin as well), he's jovial, a little bit goofy and all around enjoyable to be around However, with Stronghart, he twists in on himself, and he leads himself to hell. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I think that really does describe his character so well! He wanted to change the court system in his home, to make it brilliant, but he had to eventually do the unthinkable that fateful night in the cemetery <//3 At the end of the day, he's a small and bitter man... See, he's so interesting!! Prompts here!

[kelofmindelan]

tagged by @full---ofstarlight and @maryxoliver for this “people you’d like to know better” tag game! ty for the tag :3c

Three Ships:

Jason Grace and Nico di Angelo from the Heroes of Olympus: This is one of those ships that just itches the right part of my brain. Jason Grace is one of my favorite characters ever, and his quest to try and balance his need to be a leader and a protector with his desire to be allowed to be an individual is so interesting to contrast with Nico who by this point is so firmly himself. But Nico has been hurt a lot and assumes he will never be trusted, even as Jason is trying to insist that he is someone who matters to their group and is trusted. So Nico decides to test him - in a dangerous moment, holding something the rest of the group thinks is poison, Nico holds the glass to Jason and says 'How much do you trust me?" And Jason looks him dead in the eye and drinks it no hesitation. Because his own life matters less than showing Nico is worthy of trust. They are sun and shadow, sky and earth, storm and death, they are the golden boy and the outcast. It's a delicious ship and it feeds me.

Fanfic rec: Dungeons and Jason by betsib

Taran and Eilonwy of Llyr from The Chronicles of Prydain: They are everything to me. They are the blueprint. You have friends to lovers, you have battle couple, you have princess and the farm boy, you have two people who genuinely want to find ways to improve themselves in order to be more worthy of the other person while also finding ways to grow together. They argue constantly, but there is so much love under it that is there from the very beginning because both of them are trying to navigate having to learn how to communicate with someone else. They are my ship that I have created a thousand aus for and will test any new au I discover for how well I can fit them into it because if they don't fit I probably don't like it that much.

Fanfic rec: I wrote two oneshots but also anything by Saeriellyn is incredible

Pacifica Northwest and Dipper Pines from Gravity Falls: My friends tease me about loving a sad rich girl and they aren't wrong, so I felt kind of targeted by Pacifica's arc in season 2 of Gravity Falls because it made her so exactly my type. Particularly in the way we start to see her grow out of it. She and Dipper have each seen each other at their worst which means they don't have to worry about the shields anymore and can push each other into growing and unpacking their own traumas and bad habits. But also we start to get all these hints that she can actually relate to him at his nerdiest once she has permission to do so, and I love that he can find someone who can operate at his level while she finds someone who gives her permission to be so much less than perfect and thus actually real.

Fanfic rec: The Worst Neighbor Ever by Proseandsongs

Last Film:

The Hobbit (1977): I found this streaming and was absoltuely delighted to watch it this morning. I have so many fond memories of this movie and it did not disappoint. The animation is wild, Bilbo spends the whole movie throwing massive shade, Gollum looks like an absolute nightmare, and it's a musical the way it should be.

Currently Watching:

My roommate and I are about to finish up Mentopolis on Dimension 20 and I'm losing my mind a little bit over how this season is going. I can't wait to see how it resolves!

My writing shows at the moment are The Great British Bake Off Holiday Specials, The Christmas Cookie Challenge, and my annual rewatch of Midsomer Murders.

Currently Reading:

Nothing really because most of my books are still in boxes and I haven't had the spoons to start unpacking them while I still have that hole in my wall. I'm dipping in and out of this Rick Riordan Presents collection called The Cursed Carnival, but it's my current work book.

Currently Consuming:

I have a bunch of leftover pumpkin pie and I just had a huge slice of that along with some tea called 'Cold Comfort'.

Currently Craving:

A yule log. One of those fancy chocolate swirled sponges with cream in the middle and fancy decorations that is actually made well and that I don't have to attempt to bake myself.

Or a whole bunch of different fancy eclairs. I want to try all the eclairs.

(Yes. I am watching baking shows I want all the things.)

tagging: @aidanchaser @stolenmelody @starrattlerofprydain @bookwyrm-of-the-emerald-star @givemonetatry

[junkshop-disco]

Tagged by @combatbootsfemme 💙

Trope Game

Rules: How much do these tropes affect your decision to click on a fic?

-10 -> very dissuaded

0 -> don’t care either way

10 -> very enticed

nope -> if it’s a hard no and you’d never click on a fic with that tag or or you even have the tag blocked or you’d insta click out of the fic if it wasn’t tagged.

Bonus points for explaining the rating and whether it’s conditional

Age Gap: 0/10

I’ve been into age gaps ships but not necessarily into the age gap aspect. It’s not something that bothers me or something I seek out in particular.

Codependency: -10/10

I prefer pairings that consist of two individuals who want to be together, rather than need to be.

Enemies to lovers: 0/10

I prefer ‘mild mutual antipathy’ to lovers or ‘minor misunderstanding leading to mild dislike’ to lovers tbh.

Enemies With Benefits: -100/10

I do not vibe with any kind of hate sex. Why are you sleeping with someone you don’t like? I just don’t get it.

Fake Dating/Relationship: 10/10

Yes please gimme. I’m going to need some pining on the side, please and thank you.

Found Family: 10/10

I need the dysfunctional would never describe themselves as a family, found or otherwise, sort though.

Friends To Lovers: 100/10

Absolutely bulletproof. Give me every version under the sun.

Friends With Benefits: 100/10

Again absolutely bulletproof. Give me ‘we can handle the awkwardness, we can handle the feelings, right?’ And then them being spectacularly wrong.

Hurt/Comfort: 100/10

Yes. Just yes. Give me all the whump, all the wound tending, all the bedside vigils, all the deep seated trauma surfacing and finally finding safety. All of it.

Love Triangle: 3/10

Depends on the people involved I think.

Mistaken/Hidden Identity: 0/10

I legit don’t think I’ve ever seen this in a fandom I read in.

Monster Fu… Relationship: -10/10

I’ve read it by accident and didn’t really enjoy it.

Obsession, Possessiveness, etc: -10/10

Nope. Not sexy to me.

Opposites (like grumpy×sunshine, etc): 0/10

I think this can be interesting but I need more than just that, like it has to have an element of ‘they think they’re opposites but actually they have this huge thing in common and just reacted differently and can learn from each other’.

Poly: 10/10

Absolutely, although I probably enjoy a smutty one shot type version more than a long fic, where I tend to find all the negotiation etc tedious to read even though in real life it’s absolutely necessary.

Pregnancy: -100/10

Nope. See also: kidfic

Second Chance: 10/10

In terms of people who missed their moment with each other, yes absolutely. Getting back with someone who hurt you? Nah.

Sex To Feelings: 10/10

Yes.

Slowburn: 10/10

But there has to be a reason for it to be so slow. And my preferred reason is mutual trauma. DNW a series of increasingly tenuous obstacles and misunderstandings. I need internal conflict easing one tiny fleeting brush of fingers at a time.

Soulmates: -10/10

Not really. I hate anything to do with fate or pollen made them do it or whatever, I want people to choose to be together and I find soulmates usually comes in a package with a bunch of stuff that doesn’t interest me, like declarations about love rather than showing they work together as people.

Tagging: @infinity2020corner, @camedownonamoonbeam and @septemberrie if you fancy it!

[lonelyvomit]

rules: list your top 5 favourites of your fics, what they're about, and why you're proud of them, then tag some fic authors to do the same!

thank you @mondayborn 🖤🖤

I’ve seen a bunch of my writer friends already do this tag so I wont tag anybody, but someone who hasn’t done it yet and just wants to talk about their own fics for a bit, feel free to yoink it here ✨

1. I’m not sad, I feel nothing.

Something between an angst ficlet, a vent post and a song analysis.

I needed to get my feelings about this song out somehow, try to explain why it means as much to me as it does. this little thing was incredibly cathartic to write and although far from my most popular, it’s the one I’m most proud of anyway.

2. Post-Mortem Photoshoot

Boys being boys, doing some casual Saturday night grave robbing. Chris' first time with Wednesday as his mentor.

the first fic I ever posted and yet it remains one of my favorites. the Chris/Wednesday pairing is my niche baby. it’s also just so god damn on brand for me - of course I would start my fic writing posting (implied) necrophilia. tbh I’d love to go back to writing more deranged shit, but I don’t feel the BC fandom is safe to do so in.

3. Grounding Techniques

Jerking off your friend is an acceptable form of fidgeting actually.

I made myself laugh calling Olli a boy-fidget-toy and I was really happy about starting the ship tag, exploring a pairing that didn’t (and in my opinion still doesn’t) have an established dynamic.

4. Sorry Niko. Sorry Joonas. Sorry Jesus.

does two people and a hand puppet count as a threesome?

somebody’s gotta do the shitposting around here, and I seem to have picked up the clown wig. I started writing the fic on my phone at 430am while groggy on sleeping meds and my god did it turn out even more stupid than I anticipated.

5. Your Sense Of Care

Niko is stressed and needs someone else to take the control for a bit.

The Pegging Fic(tm) aka the most self-indulgent piece I have ever written which I continue to be either proud of or violently embarrassed by. at 3700+ words it’s my longest fic to date and louder than God’s revolver.