#i should try to figure out the logistics of that LOL

[terrorbirb]

Manifesting: plz make me actually get a new job once my wife goes on disability

I'm looking at research lab management jobs at universities because our bat lab was not run well (lol) and other labs were not run well, and I can keep an entire small business afloat through overworking myself

[kiwi-cult]

PARSELSCRIPT!!

Hi. This is mostly for the people from Discord but tadah! I'm finally making that Tumblr post I've been talking about for months.

(Warning this will probably be very chaotic)

To anyone new who sees this: me and some friends made an alphabet for Parseltongue from Harry Potter, aka Parselscript. I'll take you on a little journey to explain my process and give you some tips, should you want to start writing it.

Disclaimer: I wanted to make this script usable for the writer I made it for so it's less of an actual language and more just some characters to represent the Latin (or ‘English’) letters. Like a cipher. It is not realistic. If I made this realistic I'd have to add all sorts of things to indicate body language and smell etc and also have to figure out what sounds Parseltongue actually has etcetera etcetera. No.

Alright.

It all started when we started talking about Parselscript in a Discord server and I asked my friend Ava to visualise the script because she seemed to have a clear vision of it, so I could use it to go from there.

That's how we got this.

I think we all wanted to go with something flowery for some reason, so we did.

After this I just messed around with brushes and shapes in Procreate for a while, tweaking things and trying to make it more writeable. I ended up with something like this (still a rough draft).

It may look a bit like random squiggles at first, and it kinda was at this point. As you can see there's also a lot of added dots and lines, which can be a bit hard to remember and I see you wondering what it looks like without them.

Well here it is.

I showed this to the people I brainstormed with in Discord and we decided to go with the more complicated version because it looks better lol.

This is one of the final versions.

It says: "Hello, my name is Kiwi Cult. I made this script after reading a fanfic called Terrible, But Great written by Isalise the loml on Archive Of Our Own."

Now, to talk about some of the (boring) logistics.

It is read from left to right, top to bottom.

Every separate combination of squiggles you see above is a separate word. Every word is made up of a starting character, one or more letter characters and an ending character.

The very first character you see in the top left corner, with the three petal looking thingies, is a silent starting character that indicates the start of a sentence. Not word: sentence. The end of the character, that little circle thingy, is a comma. So, the first combination says: "Hello,".

Then, the second combination starts with a kind of hook going down and right. This is also a silent character and more meant as an interpunction, that's why you don't pronounce it. It's kind of just a way to start the word when there isn't anything special about it (aka it's not the start of a sentence, a name, an exclamation or a question. But every character is special in its own right🥲). The same kind of hook can be found at the bottom of the combination, except going up. It has the same use, basically just a way to end the word when there isn't anything special about it. Now, you might ask: why does it go right and not left?

We talked about this a while, because I wanted the direction to have some kind of meaning. We wondered about gender, tone, blah blah all kinds of complicated things but in the end I just wanted this script to be writable so I chose to have proficient writers in Parseltongue make their hooks go left and beginners have their hooks go right.

Now, you might notice that I end my words with a hook going right. That is because I don't see myself as a pro in writing in Parselscript okay? It's hard!😭💀

Now, other than the character indicating the start of a sentence, the circle, and the simple hook, there are a few other characters to start or end a combination (don't worry I'll show them all to you at the end, you won't have to use your imagination for long).

We have a character to indicate a name. Now, the rule is: name indicator over start of sentence indicator. So, if you start a sentence with a name, you'll use the symbol to indicate a name, NOT BOTH. (That's not even possible but I don't even want to see you try and butcher my child).

There is a character to indicate a sentence that would usually be followed by an exclamation mark (!), but at the start of the sentence. Then you’d end the exclamated sentence with a period.

The same goes for a question mark (?): put it at the start of a question, not the end. Again, it wouldn't even be possible to use it at the end of a combination but I DON'T EVEN WANNA SEE YOU TRY.

Finally we have a period (.), which looks a bit like a flower with four petals. You do use this one at the end of a word, and it is always followed by a start of sentence indicator or a name indicator. I know people are rejecting capitals these days in their typing but I don't wanna see it. If you start a word after a period with a hook I will find you.

If a sentence starts with a name that is also a question or exclamation you’d use the question/exclamation mark above the name indicator, otherwise it would take away a vital part of the sentence while a name can still be read even if it doesn’t have its indicator.

So, to put it all next to each other, the symbols we have are: -start of sentence indicator -name indicator -exclamation mark (!) -question mark (?) -period (.) -hook (direction depends on efficiency) -comma (,) (direction depends on efficiency)

I didn't make adjusted characters to indicate a capital letter like we do in the Latin alphabet, meaning that the only things you can kind of 'capitalise' are the start of a sentence and the start of a name.

It is also slightly phonetic. Emphasis on slightly. I made separate characters for almost all letters in the Latin alphabet, so you can just write your word normally with Parselscript characters. The only difference is that I made only one character for the 'f/v' sounds and that there is no 'c' character. If a word has a 'c' in it, you'll have to use the character for a 'k' or an 's'. Also a ‘q’ can be made with ‘k’ and ‘w’ etc.

A few examples: -character=karakter -parselscript=parselskript -crazy=krazy -science=siense

-quiz=kwuiz

I know it looks a bit confusing, but I trust you guys' ability to read context clues and figure out what someone means when you try to decipher Parselscript.

Now, for a word like 'phonetic' or 'decipher' I don't really care whether you use the separate characters for 'p' and 'h' or just the one for the 'f/v' sound. You do you.

I also don’t use any double letters because they basically sound the same and it looks ugly but if you want to use double symbols feel free.

I also made some numbers that do not look like they fit with the rest of the script but I promise you that's just because you're not used to it yet. Our own numbers don't belong with our alphabet either because we nicked them from the Arabs (I think, don't quote me on this) but we don’t notice that either.

Tadah. (Yes I know it’s out of order I told you this was gonna be chaotic af)

Other than that, feel free to ask me questions if I've forgotten anything or if you're wondering about anything. I can't guarantee that I have a good answer because I might not even have thought about it myself, but I can always try to come up with something. I am one person, I'm afraid I haven't been able to take everything about a script into consideration.

Now, without further ado; here is the key.

No, your eyes didn't deceive you: there are two versions. The first has a bit more loose squiggles than the second one. I realised that when I was writing physically, the second version was much nicer to write, so it is kind of like Simplified Parselscript. I haven't decided yet if I'm gonna put some lore behind it or not yet. But I included the og one if you're a tryhard and wanna take it on.

Now, if you're gonna start writing it yourself, here is the stroke order.

I tried to make it as clear as possible but please ask me if you're confused on anything.

Red is the starting point of the whole symbol, the arrows indicate the direction to go in, x marks the start of the small extra's.

Now, I'd also recommend writing on some type of paper with vertical lines like this if you're gonna do it physically.

You can just turn a paper with normal, horizontal lines a quarter to get vertical lines. Also, do NOT write in between the lines. They are meant to help you keep the start and ending on the same line so you don't start going into crazy directions while writing. So, start your sentence symbol or hook or whatever in the middle of the line and try to keep coming back to that vertical line after every letter. As you gain more proficiency you'll probably go straight into the next letter without going back to the line all the time but I think this is a good starting point.

I also recommend writing with a fountain pen or something else that flows well because it’s easier to write that way.

Here is another rough draft I made on physical paper to get a feel for it. As you can see this draft had a lot more different starting characters and ending characters so just ignore that. Hope this motivates you a bit or smth.

Lmk if you want me to post a video of me writing in this Parselscript.

Also please let me know if you know of someone else who's also made a Parselscript because I tried to look for it on Tumblr and Twitter etc but I couldn't find anything.

I also feel like there’s a big mistake I made that I realised the last time I worked on this script but I’ve forgotten it now so if you find out please comment or dm or anything💀

Also feel free to use in your own fic, tho a little tiny shoutout in the a/n would be nice :) I’m @/kiwi_cult on Ao3, @/slvtr_ on Wattpad, @/kiwi cult on ff.net, @/slvtr.1 on TikTok and @/.slvtr on Discord.

Credits:

@natis-balamnimaja @asterialvia and @/zee (who unfortunately left the server and I don't know the Tumblr @ of) for brainstorming with me and @isalisewrites for inspiring us and making the server we discussed this in.

Okay bye :) tell me if I forgot anything.

🥝

[murkycran]

Misc. Vox Fic Rec List

Welcome to my Miscellaneous Vox Fic Rec List!

Soooo after a lot of consideration, I decided to make a third rec list. This one will be for miscellaneous fics, which can mean anything from smaller Vox pairings to fics that are not strictly Radiostatic or VoxVal. You'll see what I mean.

I will keep updating this periodically as I read more fics, too, so feel free to check back every once and a while! I'll reblog it when I update it, plus make a note with the date at the top. Trust me, this is by no means a complete list; there's fics I still want to add to this that I just haven't gotten to yet. I just decided to go ahead and post it anyways, because if I kept waiting until I ran out of fics to rec I'd probably be working on this forever.

These are not in any particular order; I'm going by both my Bookmarks list on AO3 and my memory of fics I forgot to bookmark. I also tried to make notes on what fics were written before season 1 released, but I might have missed some, so keep that in mind.

Please let me know if any links don't work or are wrong!

✨Before you proceed:✨ read the tags on these fics if you decide to read them. Many of them have heavy material - no surprise given the fandom, but still, felt like this needed said. On that note, there's also fics with explicit material and some fics are straight up PWP. Again, read at your own risk/heed the tags.

Fic Rec List Masterpost

Radiostatic Fic Rec List

Staticmoth Fic Rec List

------

Alastor Makes a Porno by Charnel_Goat, spappest

Summary: Alastor interrupts Val and Vox's personal time to get his rut over and done with, and they're just going to have to deal with that.

Basically, Alastor and Val try to have a threesome, but they keep arguing, everyone's injuring each other trying to figure out the logistics, and nobody cares what Vox has to say about any of this.

Notes: This has Staticmoth, Radiostatic, and Valastor. It's not strictly leaning more towards any pairing (tho Val does make a pretty sweet comment at the very beginning about Vox lol), which is why it's going on the Misc List. Porn with an edge of hilarity that - despite the tags - made it pretty funny. Three terrible people being terrible to each other. Vox suffers. Heed the tags.

He's Visual, Alright! by dead_boy

Summary: For Valentines Day, Charlotte Morningstar— Lucifer’s brat— had announced the hotel would be hosting a sweetheart poll, allowing winners to vote for the biggest ‘sweethearts’ in Pentagram City! How adorable!

— Of course, when Angel gets involved, things get a little twisted, and hell treats it as a most-fuckable-celebs poll.

Vox isn’t the only one surprised by how high he scored, and how concerning the amount of votes he received was.

But there was no way in hell this “demand” was enough to make him give into Valentino and Velvet’s newest fixation: Making use of this fame and making Vox do some modelling!

Surely he won’t mind the lingerie and toys provided by Velvet and Valentino respectively, right?

edit march 2024: i can’t believe he just won the hottest hazbin character poll. literally manifested

Notes: Poly Vees. Funny af. Vox suffers, but in a good way. Written BEFORE the hottest HH character poll, can you believe that? Lmao.

stray by vol_ctrl

Summary: How Vox met Vark. ♥

Notes: No ship. Written before season 1 release.

After the Credits Roll by leftofrevolution

Summary: Everyone knew the Magnes sometimes liked to spice up their sex life by dragging another demon into the middle of it.

Vox maybe should have paid more attention to that particular tidbit of information than he did.

Notes: Lilith/Lucifer/Vox. Chapter 1 written before season 1 release, with Chapter 2 being released after season 1 release. I read for the crackship, ended up liking the Lilith/Lucifer/Vox dynamic and world-building a LOT. Lol. Poor Vox. Or good for him? Still has yet to be seen.

The Shopping Cart Test by spappest

Summary: Angel never expected Prince Charming to have a TV for a head, but when Vox kills Valentino and saves him from his abuse, well… Maybe Hell doesn’t have to be all that bad. With Val out of the way, everyone can have a happy ending. Angel’s safe, Charlie’s happy, and even Alastor finds love.

Oh, wait. This is Hell. It’s always that bad.

Notes: Angel/Vox. Started before season 1 release. First Staticdust fic I read. :)

Hold Me Up by Sameko

Summary: Vox has been in and out of a relationship with Valentino for years. Always breaking up. Always coming back.

Then one night comes the definitive crack at the expense of one of Valentino's employees, to which Vox never paid much attention other than for shits and giggles.

One night, one word too many, might be enough to shift the perspectives of two people once strangers to each other.

Notes: Staticdust. Pretty bleak and dark at times, but so, SO good. Two broken people trying not to cut each other with their edges while also trying to help each other.

Cruel Melody by Hiding_Behind_a_Pencil_and_Pen

Summary: A man hopelessly in love with a monster, despite how much it hurts.

A person chained to a beast he can never escape, no matter how hard he tries.

Vox and Angel Dust have given their body and heart to Valentino, and neither know how to free themselves from his lies.

But maybe, even if it never gets better, they won't have to suffer alone.

Or,

What if Husk was just a little too late to get to the bar in episode four? And a certain media Overlord helped Angel instead. They find out that they're not so different after all.

Notes: As of now, I think this is Queerplatonic Staticdust.

Revelations in Technicolor by Awesome_Possum

Summary: Velvette had been dead for six years, part of The Vees for four, and fucking Vox for a little over two. They had a good thing going.

On one of their bi-weekly Vox-mandated movie nights, Valentino put a plan into motion and Velvette learned something new and surprising about her business partner and part-time sugar daddy that made a shocking amount of sense.

It ultimately ended up bringing The Vees closer and if Valentino claimed that was his intention all along, no one had any reason to believe him.

Notes: The Vees are a V and Vox is the hinge, so he's in a relationship with both Valentino and Velvette. Interesting headcanons for Vox's human life. :) (What is the ship name for Velvette/Vox again?)

System Shutdown by Swoolie

Summary: Taking a leaf from Alastor's book, Vox goes on a small break from everything.

He doesn't stick around long enough to see the chaos that ensues after his sudden disappearance.

Notes: This is tagged with both Radiostatic and Staticmoth. It's too early in the story to tell definitively which direction it's going to end up, so for now it's going to be on the Misc list. I'll probably move it when it becomes more clear what the main pairing will be.

Dapple Rose by The_Penny_Tails

Summary: Everyone always assumes the same thing about Alastor and Vox's relationship: That it's one-sided, that it's based on fixation, and that the reason for their falling out was due to the obsession turning into something that couldn't be controlled.

All of those assumptions are correct. The only problem is, everyone gets the 'who is obsessing over whom' part of the equation wrong.

When Vox and Valentino end up stuck at the hotel, suddenly the entire relationship between the radio and television is put on display, casting it and Alastor in an entirely different light.

Notes: Tagged with both Radiostatic and Staticmoth. Due to both this and the entire story itself (you'll see what I mean when you read it), it's going here on the Misc List. I freaking love this story, because so far I've not seen another fic where Alastor was obsessed with Vox while Vox was not obsessed with him in return. :3 Everything Penny_Tails writes is gold!

Here I Come by Heliosolar

Summary: Vox contemplates his lackluster life as he stands over the edge of the city.

Or, the fall of Vox, both mentally and physically.

Notes: Written before season 1 release. No ships, just Vox. Heed the tags.

Entertainment for Two by Heliosolar

Summary: With the radio demon joining them for the night, Vox puts on a show the two overlords will never forget.

Notes: Written before season 1 release. Staticmoth and Radiostatic, at the same time. 😳

Proposition by Snorp_Lord

Summary: Alastor does not, strictly speaking, have a 'relationship' with the King of Hell. But they certainly have a something.

A something which does not include Vox. But Alastor is at least willing to indulge Lucifer in whatever this new idea is.

The new idea is Vox.

Notes: Contains Radiostatic, Radioapple, and Staticapple, but for this installment, Radiostatic is definitely the focus. Very intense, pretty sweet. 😳 Has 2 more parts in the series which are definitely worth the read, though they don't feature Vox as much.

meteor shower by spoondrifts

Summary: alastor, rosie, vox, and a study in non-traditional love.

Notes: QPR Alastor/Rosie/Vox. Very good! (What's the ship name for this?? Radiostaticrose?? Radiorosestatic?? Roseradiostatic?? Staticradiorose??)

spiraling down thy majesty by spoondrifts

Summary: “Okay, um, time out,” Lucifer said, because he felt like they were maybe losing the plot a little. “I feel like I should remind you that I’m not here because I was like, uh, overwhelmed with lust for you, in particular. I’m here because Husk said you were Alastor’s ex and I have poor impulse control and thought it’d be funny, but I’m realizing now that this is actually just really weird and you, my friend, have some serious issues that I am not equipped to handle.”

Or: Lucifer and Vox have a shared problem that starts with Al and ends in stor and has a in the middle—thankfully, there's a solution! (The solution is sex. It's just sex.)

Notes: Staticapple. Revenge sex. As in...they're both getting revenge on Alastor...using each other. Lol.

(Fic rec list to be continued as I read more)

[shepherds-of-haven]

Sorry if this has already been asked before, but have you ever thought about writing a sequel to SoH? I know you said it would be a stand-alone book, but I think a sequel where we explore different continents would be extremely cool. I just love these character so much and idk if I’m ready to say goodbye. I know we still have a bit left but still…

Hi there, this message has been sitting in a long queue of messages I've fallen behind on answering for a while now, but I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to send it! It ended up being extremely thought-provoking for me, and you may have single-handedly made me reconsider my stance on a Shepherds sequel! XD

I always planned on this entry being a standalone game, though I was toying with the idea of eventually writing a sequel that follows a separate cast of characters (aka different protagonist and companions, though with room for potential cameos with the old characters). Pretty much like how Dragon Age does it! I won't go into the potential plot details now, but I was thinking it might take place sometime between 10-15 years in the future, and it would follow "a new generation" of Shepherds in a different locale. I've sort of hazily cobbled together ideas for the story/main premise, but companions outside of the main protagonist have eluded me at the moment--I really need to focus on this game, its DLC, and my next book first, so I haven't given it too much thought!

However, your comment has unearthed some feelings I've been having about a potential sequel, too! It's hard for me to feel like I'd be ready to say goodbye to the cast, as well... It's so easy for me to write them because they've been in my head for so many years, and starting an adventure in the world of Blest with different and new characters admittedly feels a bit strange. It's like having to hang back a grade while all of your friends graduate high school and then looking around at the incoming freshman class like "welp, I guess you guys are my friends now! 😒" lol. I'm torn on the issue: I don't want to not challenge myself or refuse to move out of my comfort zone as a writer--in short, I don't want to be the kind of writer who recycles the same characters and material because doing something new is daunting to me, and I don't want you all to feel like I'm making endless sequels/trying to recapture old magic and should just move on to something new, either--but I do love my cast and I'm not sure yet if I should definitively say, "No, their chapter is done with this game and it's on to the next!", because I can see so many adventures happening to them even after this story is over!

The problem lies with endings--there are so many different endings planned for this game that I hesitate in treating any of them as the true or canonical one, but otherwise trying to account for all of them in a sequel feels quite impossible to accomplish when I wasn't planning on a continuation--along with other logistical concerns that I can't get into at the moment. Like, what if you end the game with all of the Shepherds except Halek dead? What if your friend ends the game with all of them alive, but the MC is dead? This game alone is already 1 million words, but a direct sequel would probably wrack up hundreds of thousands of variations based on all of these choices in its first chapter alone! 🤔

That's why I figure DLC is the happy medium here: you can expand on or create new content and adventures for the characters, but slot them into the timeline wherever you wish, like in between Chapter 7 and 8, etc. And episodic adventures might keep things small and streamlined enough that I can update them more consistently, rather than hacking away at one giant sequel game!

Aaaaaanyway... All this is to say: I have a lot to think about! Absolutely nothing has been decided yet (not even close), but these are just some of the things I've had rattling around in my head. Thank you again for your sweet and honest words: I'm glad you're so fond of these characters and would miss them. I would, too! But whatever ends up happening, I know this game won't be the last time we see them. :)

Thanks again!

[teecupangel]

Ad Altaïr Anon

Curse ye Tumblr! Why must you prevent me from showing the image of t-posing Altair moments before being sucked into The Cube!! (it's absolutely not me being a first-time nooby asker who has never sent a link through ask ever nu-uh it's all tumblr)

maybe this link will work instead, I'm slightly better with imgur links at least :v

https://imgur.com/a/Hl2elSH

And yeah that's it! I never put one on my computer myself simply because i once tried to mod minecraft in the olden days and messed up so badly that I figured i should just leave that sort of stuff alone.

But AH, my heart! The future and doomed Desmond giving them that slight control over the grey so maybe this Desmond wouldn't have to die 😭

but also lol oh boy would Altair get lost in the sauce surfing the web! It worse than when he was alive with the apple because now he doesn't have to eat, drink, or sleep so someone has to pry him out of the web every once in a while.

(The only real modding I’ve done in a long time was for Mugen back in those days. To be honest though, my brother helped me add characters and stuff hahaha)

The “Altaïr interrupts Desmond’s game using an ‘ad’” idea and its sorta prequel sorta sequel for those curious

“We need to talk about Altaïr’s internet addiction.”

Desmond stared at Shaun’s solemn expression for a fraction of a second before he turned his attention back to the instant noodles he was having for lunch.

He didn’t really like soggy noodles.

“Desmond, this is serious.” Shaun placed his hands on the table and towered over Desmond who was hunched to make it easier to eat his noodles.

That was a bad move.

Desmond could just as easily headbutt his nose at this distance.

“I’m listening, Shaun.” Desmond replied half-heartedly before eating once more.

He didn’t understand why Shaun wanted to talk to him about Altaïr’s internet addiction. It wasn’t like Desmond could stop the man from scouring every web page available in Wikipedia in his endless pursuit of knowledge.

… not that he would want to anyway.

“Desmond, Altaïr has been using the computer 24/7. We have to keep the AC on just to make sure the computer doesn’t overheat. Together with the electricity needed for the Animus and our other devices, two of which are now fully being used by Ezio and Connor-”

Desmond slowly raised his head so Shaun would have a warning to pull away. It was still a close call, Desmond’s head almost knocking against Shaun’s nose but Shaun stood and crossed his arms while Desmond took a sip of the soup before asking, “Are you… are you trying to talk to me about our upcoming electric bill?”

“Not ‘ours’ but the building we’re ‘piggy backing’ from.” Shaun clarified, “They’ll definitely think something is up when they see the sudden spike.”

“Then isn’t this too late already?” Desmond countered lightly, “The bill’s gonna come sooner or later. Might just be better for us to book it.”

Shaun grimaced but did not deny it.

Desmond sighed before he said, “How about this. I’ll tell Altaïr to find us a new safehouse and take care of the logistics and stuff. That’ll be his punishment for skyrocketing some random business’ electric bill.”

Shaun opened his mouth, most probably to argue, so Desmond asked, “Unless you already have the next safehouse in mind?”

Shaun sighed as he said, “I’ll tell the others about it. You tell Altaïr about his punishment.”

Desmond waved his hand before lowering his head to continue eating while Shaun stormed out of the dining room, most probably to bother Rebecca.

Or complain to her.

Maybe both.

Probably both.

Desmond waited until he could no longer hear Shaun’s footsteps before turning to look at his phone that was lying next to the cup noodles.

“Congrats, Altaïr. You got what you wanted.” Desmond mumbled.

His phone’s screen lit up and showed Altaïr in front of his homescreen, arms crossed as he said, “Not yet. Not until we’ve finally settled in a more secured location.”

“More secured.” Desmond snorted, “Just say the internet is too slow for you here.”

“Hm.” Altaïr didn’t even bother to give him a proper reply.

Nor deny it.

“Well, at least wait until midnight before sending the plan to everyone.” Desmond reminded him, “Otherwise, Shaun’s going to find out this was your plan from the start.”

“I know. I’m not a fool, Desmond.” Altaïr said calmly before adding, “Eat a fruit or have salad after that.”

“I’ll eat an apple, alright.” Desmond rolled his eyes, “Please don’t repeat to me how bad it is for my body to keep eating instant noodles.”

Altaïr sighed, “Fine. I’ll leave you with your pathetic excuse for a meal then.”

“Thanks.” Desmond sarcastically said, watching as the screen of his phone turned off.

And he can finally eat in peace…

… soggy noodles.

Damn it.

[trans-buckleyy]

i think in the same way that bi buck was groundbreaking for primetime network tv, a friends to lovers story between two men would be groundbreaking as well.

(i've never bought into the argument against them getting together that men aren't allowed to just be intimate vulnerable friends on tv so why can't they stay that way. i'm sorry there are countless examples of that type of close friendship between men in network dramas and sitcoms. there are other arguments against having them get together but i think that one is bs. not that you were saying that lol. sorry i went off a bit)

right. I kinda get that? but I don't think that's really what's happening with platonic!buddie tbh, it's not just a close male friendship, they partially coparent, which is groundbreaking in itself (I'd also argue that them not being together whilst one or both are queer is a much more fascinating relationship, at least for me personally). I also don't think a story should be told for the sake of being groundbreaking, yes we need more representation for different family and relationship dynamics, but the story needs to be a genuinely good story. Tbh I feel like the time to do that would've been season 4 at the latest, it feels like they've both moved on from trying to figure out their place in each other's lives and are clearly comfortable with where they're at. I also think that maybe the fact that it's such a popular ship has ruined it for me personally, like any story they do now if it goes down a romantic route for buddie would just feel like anticlimactic fan service. Because they're already family, they don't need the romance to continue to be family and coparent chris. (I'm well aware that a lot of this is personal preference).

also, logistically, one of them will have to change departments unless it's a secret relationship (already done lots of times before, plus I can't see buck at where he's at now agreeing), both Eddie and Buck have had jobs outside the 118 and neither of them went particularly well. I get that it's nitpicky but I don't see any jobs as another option for them that they haven't already done. (plus it would change the dynamic of the main cast). Idk it seems like having two more main characters would just insulate the storylines too much.

[hillbilly---man]

Random Tumblr Ask Question:

What would you do if you went into your kitchen, and found a living clone of yourself?

Context: This person is YOU from this morning, but instead of doing the tasks you did, they were in the kitchen. For all other purposes, they're you. They're not an imposter, they have your memories etcetc.

This is such an interesting question!

I think after trying to figure out HOW it happened and also verifying somehow that it's real, the two of us would have to sit down together and figure out how we were going to work this out.

Putting it under a cut bc it got really long lmfao

Assuming that the other me is here to stay, we'd need to come up with some way of differentiating ourselves. It would be really arrogant to act as if I'm the original (I'm sure the other me feels the same way), so something like Jessica 1 & Jessica 2 wouldn't work. Maybe we color code ourselves?

We would have the logistical challenge of basically existing in two places at once. We only have one social security number, one car, one bed, one job, etc. Obviously I'd tell my friends and family about this, but it could get complicated when it comes to official things. We'd probably have to legally continue living as one person.

And share the bed, unfortunately. (There's a guest bed but it's not as nice as my bed lmao)

I'm tempted to be like.. "we can take turns going to work!" But it would be difficult. I have a hard enough time keeping track of shit at work as it is .. I don't need to be literally absent half the time too. Maybe we can take turns on a quarterly basis. One of us would probably spend time doing a side hustle of some sort while the other is at work. It couldn't be a full second job (with a schedule) unless the hours were outside of my own work hours; it might look suspicious/fraudulent. The additional income would help pay for the increased food/bills/etc.

On a ... More unfortunate note, we'd have to share medication. Most of what I take is no big deal. We'll let the one working in the office have the vyvanse. We'll supplement the prescription vitamins with OTC stuff. I guess we'd alternate doses of the MS medication (and other stuff) and cross our fingers that nothing bad happens from being under-medicated lol. We'll alternate MRIs and doctors appointments too. Hopefully nothing happens to one of us medically that makes our records inconsistent; if that happened I guess the affected one gets to keep going to that doctor

When it comes to social engagements, I think we'd have to take turns. I think I'm probably kind of dull sometimes and annoying at other times, so I wouldn't want to subject my friends to two of me at once. Not to mention that a lot of things cost money, and it's not always in my budget to pay double for stuff.

I guess we'd have to come up with some system of deciding whose turn it is for things. Coin flips, random number generators, tests of skill? Not only for events and stuff, but also for stuff like who gets to keep the cell phone and who has to buy another one. Who gets to keep the Tumblr account and who has to make a new one? I wouldn't mind y'all knowing, but sharing an account would probably get confusing and people might confuse us for a DID system (which to be clear isn't a bad thing, it just wouldn't be accurate)

Big decisions would have to be up for discussion. Are we applying for a new job? Are we trading the car in? Where should we move to? I imagine it would be kind of like being married, but to a more controlling extent than I think would be healthy in a marriage. We'd need to agree on tattoos, piercings, haircuts, hair dye...

Oh, we'd also have to start discussing our days and try to keep records so we can keep things straight

Actually, it might just be easier to buy a fake identity off the dark web or something. This is complicated

Thanks for the fascinating question to ponder!!

[pilotduty]

PILOT TALK TO ME ABOUT ZOMBIE SOULSUCKER PLS

HI LOVE OF MY LIFE i knew i could rely on u to be as Insane about this as me. putting it below the keep reading line because im about to unload the Directors Cut on you xo

SO a lot of people see soulsucker and starfucker to have a sort of angel/demon dynamic going on, and ive been eating that up because i looove the religious trauma angle this album is taking but then i was like What If st*r didn't align with typical religious imagery because... tbh that trope can get kind of bland.

him being brought back from the dead as a reference to clinging to the safety of the past and hesitance to accept/pursue change.. him being a character who is like the embodiment of everything awsten used to be and the parts of himself that havent changed even though the environment around him and the sound of his music have. st*r being dead makes him feel like he cant change no matter how badly he might want to. if he does something wrong, something that breaks the rules, he could literally physically fall apart. he doesnt know what's keeping him alive but he has to assume its some kind of godly power, because thats all he has as a frame of reference for life and death. but he's a creature that not even god can touch now. whether or not he realizes what that means for him, he knows that he can't go back to how he was, if he even knows what that would look like. he at the very least has the safety of already being dead- "if i'm already dead i can't be killed".

the important thing is that st*r is dead. or he should be. awsten can't figure out how to keep him dead, or re-kill him, or hide him away. no matter how badly he wants st*r gone, he doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

ok anyway heres design aspects that are Important To Me-

i gave him his scene-era haircut intentionally, i think it ads to his character representing his past self

upside down cross necklace because I Felt Like It

st*r's canon excessive layering is mostly to hide that he's dead and decaying

under his shirt his heart is exposed. im going to draw that next i think. theres a constant open wound over his heart- you can literally see directly into his heart :3

the places where his arms and fingers move a lot are the most prone to splitting- thats just a logistical design thing that i thought was cool it doesnt really Mean anything LOL

halo hair design. because of those rumors that he dyed his hair in a halo. unholy creature with holy traits etc etc

gave him that extremely hot and bad for me running/smudged eyeliner that has the little flecks of star glitter in them because It Looks Cool and theres Something there about having tiny stars under his eyes despite stars Not Being His Theme-Relevant Shape

the idea of him supergluing the edges of his gloves to his fingers to keep them from falling off while he performs popped into my head while i was drawing him and i thought you specifically would dig that concept. so.

soulsucker and st*r represent different ways awsten presents himself (i think- i kind of Dont Care about the lore that much ((i care So Much that was a lie)) and dont read other people's interpretations on it, but thats mine) so i think the idea of st*r trying desperately to hold himself together and fit the expectations/aesthetics of his job are kind of devastating from this angle, because he literally physically can't do it. whether its his own reluctance keeping him from doing it or some otherworldly/godly interference is up to interpretation methinks

more on its way i woke up like an hour ago and cant remember everything i wanted to say so sorry if none of this Matters or doesnt make any sense

[msmargaretmurry]

vampire leon and vampire hunter matthew oh i would do ANYTHING to read it!! the TENSION the ATTRACTION it would SERVE!!!

hello thank you for your enthusiasm about vampire leon and his vampire hunter boyfriend!! i spent much of the weekend pondering but i'm bad at being online and being social at the same time so now i am catching up on my asks, thank you for your patience as well.

i'm not a super traditional vampire girlie but i do enjoy the occasional vampirey media and i love creative vampire/mythical creature worldbuilding so a lot of the fun in this concept for me is just figuring out the worldbuilding. many years later i still think regularly about this michael dal colle/leon draisaitl vampire fic, even though i have not had a single other thought or feeling about michael dal colle otherwise in my entire life (leon is not the vampire in it, alas, but the baby leon characterization is lovely). because the worldbuilding, especially the background vampire politics and the logistics of vampires integrating into "normal" society/playing in the nhl are so fun and interesting. i also think about like, true blood, which i have only seen bits and pieces of, but the whole humanizing/integrating vampires of it all, and of course buffy (beloved) and more traditional vampire/monster-hunting type stories.

i think someone could write a really fun full-on vampire/vampire hunter au, but because of who i am as a person i want a fic where they have this vampire stuff going on and still have to deal with their hockey careers, lol. my basic idea is something like (subject to change as i continue to ponder): a couple of generations there was some sort of accords/treaty reached between vampires and vampire hunters, because of the way the world was changing, it being much more difficult to hide, and also some sort of development that made it easy for vampires to feed without killing humans and kind of... put a damper on their vampire-ness, made it easier for them to blend in if they chose to, and the vampire powers that be decided that they should all do that, for safety. obviously there are still rogue vampires out there and still hunters who try to hunt down and kill even the ones minding their own business but for the most part at this point everyone minds their own business unless something particularly bad happens.

so matthew's grandparents were the last tkachuks to actually hunt vampires. keith was trained, did a little hunting in his youth as the kinks and wrinkles of the new order got ironed out, but was able to go on and have his hockey career instead of dedicating his life to hunting. then matthew, brady, and taryn come along, and they're kind of trained, just in case, and taught how to recognize vampires, taught how to protect themselves, taught all the ways vampires are still not human and not to be trusted and highly dangerous, but they're still able to go on and live normal lives.

until matthew starts playing against leon draisaitl. and he's spotted vampires out in the world before, but never in hockey — they tend to keep low profiles, and even at the lower-levels, team sports are not low-profile, and also matthew has just never imagined vampires caring about sports at all, although maybe that's a stereotype, but whatever — anyway. it takes him a few games to figure out what's up with draisaitl, and even when he starts suspecting, he's not sure, but then one battle of alberta matthew gets in a fight and ends up with a bloody face, and as he's ushered past draisaitl on the way to the box, he sees the way draisaitl is staring, the way his pupils are dialated, the way his throat moves when he swallows, the way his tongue darts out and matthew swears, he swears he sees a hint of fangs even though he knows those only come out when a vampire is feeding or in a bloodlust. and maybe he's just dizzy from getting punched but for a second when their eyes meet he is sure he feels that thing his dad and granddad warned him about, the way that if a vampire looks you in the eye he can hypnotize you. or read your mind. maybe both. the lore is kind of fuzzy. but obviously matthew is going to have to find him after the game. to find out what the fuck draisaitl is doing here, and figure out if he's going to have to put any of that training he never thought he'd need to use. because it feels dangerous, having a vampire in the league. it feels way too close for comfort.

[irvingcoded]

it's so hard trying to figure out what kind of merch i wanna make sometimes because the logistics of shipping (as in, by mail) are one of many banes of my existence and that limits my options...... otoh i'd be able to personalize the orders a bit more (thank you notes, little bonus sketches etc.) if i handled shipping myself so maybe i should just get over myself and give it a shot?? since i will have to send out any of those excess jirv stickers that i sell anyway. i could just make a shop for all the stickers / keychains / bookmarks? / cards / etc i want to make or something... at least 2 artbooks too (dress up jirving & lewd collection) but those might just be pdf only since printing physical copies would be too expensive lol. idk i'm so green about these kind of things but i have Ideas i wanna actualize!!!!

[toastofthetrashfire]

My Running Thoughts on DFF (Episodes 1-4)

Just started and caught up with DFF, thoughts from my watch for episodes 1-4 are below

Episode 1

Okay but people not hearing from someone is kind of the definition of disappeared

"Don't over think it he probably just moved" lol very comforting

Okay why are you smoking with asthma--I assume this will be related to how he dies, you better keep your inhaler on you at all times when the horrors start

Hmmm some relationship red flags from this guy

Lol our killer getting a bit handsy lol, but what are the actual logistics of that?

Throws cigarette over the railing, starts a fire, end of show--it's all a PSA: only YOU can prevent forest fires

Lol did he just bite his dick to make a point 😂 That's right stand your ground, bite his dick!

Okay so is this a real person or supernatural? Cause the hand and now only one person is hearing weird things. I wonder if there will be a trend of the newbies not hearing or seeing things for a while

Owww. Well the murder got right to the point--the stick kind

I don't know anatomy that well but why is there blood in his mouth? I mean I'll let it slide since it's a trope but I'm still wondering

I think we should split up 😅

Poor guy hasn't even started lessons yet and now he has to deal with tree impalement. Oh good, yeah he's right don't pull it out

Some good delegation from Phee (? still learning names)

Okay that's so not where you're going to find jumper cables ...Okay I was wrong but it certainly wouldn't be where I'd look

Maybe one of you just take the motorcycle? Seems like less of a waste of time, cause it'll take at least 10 minutes to jump that truck...

Oh good, but they should've done that before wasting time finding cables

Oh walkie talkies or radio smart

Who keeps a saw in their kitchen?

Team bike is not doing well lol

Wait so the murderer did try something, enough to cut his arms, crazy that they figured that out just like that though

Okay so it is supernatural maybe cause they aren't seeing it at the same time. I guess it could be hallucinations but it's so consistent

Oh brave to try and bring the bike back still

Wait are they holding off on what they saw in the video till next week or did I just miss it, I'm very good at missing more subtle jump scares but then jumping at stuff that wasn't supposed to be scary

Oh wow they actually used a busted bike for shooting, love that, truly delightful

Love that they give us these behind the scenes it's a nice reprieve from the spooky spooky. It reminds me of something I read on tumblr about how blooper reels serve a similar role to curtain calls for tragedies, they let us know that the actors are okay after all and it's all a show. I will now take all horror with bloopers please! sincerely, a resident scaredy cat

Alright I enjoyed that even if I won't sleep tonight, that mask is so well done and I'm starting to get a feel for the characters

Episode 2

Wait does iqiyi only have this tagged as romance 😳

Ah yes separate from the group that's smart

This is why you don't go off on your own in a horror show, and your even one of the ones convinced it's supernatural man

The masked man: Can you give me directions please, I seem to be lost

Oh wait I'm bad at faces it's the other guy, but also still stupidly alone

I know you're alone but maybe try and fight back

So will the axe be gone and no one believes him or will someone find it later in horror?

Lol he's seeking revenge cause he's upset you tried to film a sequel, don't mess with a writer 🤣

"Thai ghosts can do anything"...Oh interesting that they're making that explicit distinction. If my understanding is right, thai phee can be physical and there's less of a distinction between corporeal vs incorporeal, ghost vs monster. So they're setting the possible stakes and genre. This is a western style slasher but if it is supernatural we'll likely be operating on thai rules for that not western ghost stories. Heck it might mean that this is both physical and supernatural.

Guys, I don't think getting rid of evidence is going to make a ghost move on from its attachments

Ooof that's more than a little rash ouch. Oh not real. So if they're hallucinating it's not just the old group

Interesting to phrase it as "beat him"--so was it self defense in the past or maybe they see it as justified?

Ouch is right my poor ears

Okay physical knife but hallucinated choking. I like that they're playing with whether this is a person or supernatural. It totally fits with the emphasis on this potentially being a thai ghost. Cause it's hard not to waver back and forth.

Is it still not noon yet? Like I assume that'll fall through anyway but still, will the plot all happen in like two days? Interesting if so

All he said was he heard a sound, why are you asking if he saw someone? Suspicious me thinks

Ah really un-suspicious doc

Okay but 2 guys there were also around 3 years ago, you just gave your plan to find the drive first away...

I'm confused why Jin doesn't want it destroyed

Oooh punchout, fight fight fight

Well I knew the uncle wouldn't make it but goodness gracious 🤣

Okay I know it's supposed to be scary but I laughed when he was still handing them the bags

Wow seriously just abandon everyone including your boyfriend, you're on my shit list now

Also you didn't check that you were past the wire when you rode off

Okay Top, but you and Tee literally have encountered the thing before why are you acting like Tee is ridiculous for saying he saw and heard someone

Oh good job you do care a little even if you're going to lie your ass off about it--you're still on my shit list, Tee

Ghosts don't use wire, but like Thai ones could technically, but I guess that's a lot of extra work when you could do anything else as a ghost. I'm really liking how it's playing that line. Is this supernatural? Is it a slasher? What type of horror is this? We don't know yet, the characters certainly don't either.

Did the uncle's body just move?

The end song is very pretty, not what I'd choose for a horror show but it is a nice safe wind down from the scary

Episode 3

Really liking Ta's acting here, it's obviously a bigger role but he's standing out way more to me than in KinnPorsche

Okay I know we are upset about trust issues, but saying Top shouldn't go alone is smart actually you dumb asses

Sure you can set up the walkie talkies to communicate but then anyone can listen in if they know what channel you tune it to, so watch out

Oh yes let White go get the other walkie talkie alone

Ummm shouldn't you still have it tuned to the outside and try it as you drive out to see if you can reach anyone

I feel bad for the guys who are new. Unless they're in on it. Tan is pretty persistent

I do like that we as the audience are as curious as the newbies about what the heck happened in the past, it's a nice way to draw us in and give that past stakes beyond just a motivation reveal

Okay thank you, no touching or concealing bodies thank you. But good point about attracting animals

Okay yeah his body did move

I don't know why that attack felt so cartoonish, not in a bad way just visually it read that way to my brain

Oh Top is gone...dramatic!

Nice that they want to go after him but also how do they expect to catch up with a bike

Wait weren't they leaving, how'd he get back so fast?

Okay so only Top saw it, so is it supernatural or are more people in on it. Tan, I have my eye on you

Lol that's a big temple to just be hiding, spooky though

I want to know more about this Janta. Is it supposed to be a buddhist sect or older practices? Feels like it fits a trend I've noticed of older folk practices being framed as spooky in thai horror but my sample size is small and my context still pretty limited

Duuude great doctor over here, trying to shut up the dying guy. Have you killed before Fluke? Huh?

Interesting how their desire to hide the past keeps making them go against what would be best for survival, like telling white to go somewhere else

Yay white being smart and polite to the deceased! He best live

I think this is the first time I've seen them carrying weapons/defense of any kind. Hope they use it

Oh God how bad is this going to be? That is a lot of blood

Well he's not on the ceiling. After watching both Shutter and Nang Nak the possibility is totally there

I wonder what the writing says

Wait was that a statue or a mummy

Lol aware of the genre now, let's not split up, a little late, but good job guys

Wait one of them is named Phee, I'm guessing it's intonated differently but still an interesting choice

Ah here comes smoking with asthma, still betting that fucks him over when his inhaler is stolen or something

Wait who asked about the smell, cause White doesn't seem to be sniffing or anything

White being a little princess and the pea over here, good for him, I'm putting my bet on him for final girl. White for final girl 2024!

Oh boy what they absolutely don't need is a gun in this situation, I see it helping for defense but also being ripe for so much to go wrong

Lol the sudden flash back scared me more than the axe throwing scare earlier. My ability to miss jump scares but jump at random shit instead prevails

Okay good hide that sucker, no one needs to know you have a gun until the pivotal moment you use it to save yourself

Okay it was the dudes at the shrine who asked about the smell

Wow these guys are so unobservant pffff, let's all pay no attention while the axe guy just walks right up to us

Okay they all see it this time, so unless it's Top in there the rest are accounted for I think

Glad they're fighting back physically this time

I mean maybe try a few more swings before running, 4 on 1 you could maybe get the mask off

Maybe wait on opening the drive, White, cause I feel like doc is going to come looking for you soon

Oh doc is scary, hope White hid that in time

I don't feel like hiding in a confined axeable space is the smartest choice

Ah saved by another idiot

Locked in a casket by your own stupidity. I think they should kiss about it.

Oh did he already sew the wound? Not sure the logistics on that when it's a stab wound

Okay these two are stupid, like there was so much time to run while axe guy just slowly walks

Okay but axe guy on the motor bike is such a funny image...WEEEEEEE

Interesting, so does axe guy not want the disk shown or is he after doc now

So not abandoning White this time, how gallant

No but White is right you best sterilize things

Doc is losing it

And the gun comes out at the worst time

Okay so mask reveal, interesting

Will we actually get to know so early?! It's got to be a twist. Cause if it's Top under there then there's definitely more to it

Episode 4

Fluke's lost it

Is he going to force white to do the sewing?!

Boy you better sanitize that needle

Oof did not want to see the stitching, but at least doc did it himself

He's bleeding in his abdominal cavity AND you just used unsanitized equipment so he's probably going to get a nasty infection

Ah the romance of being locked in a box. I think the oxygen problem could be resolved by kissing actually

Again? Did he dislocated his arm in the past or something

Not going to try and snap it back in, probably smart I guess

What ghost or human could lift a person like that, well it's got to be one or the other guys

Wait I'm pretty sure those were the pants Top was wearing

Yeah okay kind of suspected but how does that work?

And does that mean he's headed to help or harm White

Oh now a ghost? And not in a mask so a real spirit this time, unless it's hallucinations? So I'm guessing multiple things are happening at once in terms of the attackers.

Again only one person seeing it

Omg did this fool just pull a "I'm not lost the woods are just cursed" 😂 going to pull that one out next time I don't want to admit I'm lost. Not all who wander are lost, some are just stuck in cursed woods where they shot a horror film and are now being hunted down for real.

They literally went a foot before spotting the house

I see they brought the supplies the uncle bled all over inside

Why is a random newspaper with tee's uncle sitting there, seems very planted. Did Fluke put it there?

Oh God is that foreshadowing is there something in his stomach

Did Top poison himself or was he forced?

He probably shouldn't become a doctor if he's complaining over two patients

Looks like some clay can but that's cursory search. Oh he learned it from detective conan how cute if this wasn't life or death

Bleeding eyes seems to be a thing

Why are they using a hair dryer on the clay and not like the oven

Hmmm maybe try the oven before waiting till the sun comes out!

Dun dun dun

Possession? Or has Top just lost it?

Oh no! Friend on friend violence! We're one man down now

Okay but why now? Por has been dying just fine until now. And the killer seems pretty well planned. So I don't think Top is the actual one behind anything. I mean I guess he could've faked the poisoning but again why kill him now? Cause wouldn't it be better to go after White who saw the tape?

I mean no one checked it was loaded so I guess it makes sense it wouldn't be shooting bullets

I'm not convinced it's just Top being a maniac, I still think there's a supernatural component or at least more going on

Ruh roh it is loaded after all what did I say about bad things happening if you throw a gun into the mix

White love you bud but you are being super unhelpful right now

It looked more like he was trying to shoot himself

Good job White atta boy!

Oh fluke looks so sad...

And then there were 7 (or 8 I guess if we have an extra person running around after all)

I do like that because this is a show and not a film we get their moment of grief and that's given space 😔

Now doc has no patients (too soon?)

Ahhh poor doc, that's a lot before you've even had your training, wouldn't blame him if he switched majors (allowing he stays alive and all)

Yes for goodness sake tie him up, though I'm guessing he'll be back to normal and it's not the end, that or he's gone already

How'd these idiots get locked in the shrine, you were outside before, go around

Wait who was on the walkie?

Dude I think getting out is way more important than your resume, though I guess if you think it's over

The comparison and contrast between Top losing it supernaturally (or hallucinating idk) and fluke losing it cause of the past and his anxiety over the future

Ah the joys of youth, friendship, and threatening each other with a gun in a cabin

Dang dude

Once again fear of the past is making them choose to screw themselves over, mostly Fluke here, but yeah

Dude you have alibis and CCTV footage, you'll be fine (i mean you won't cause it's definitely not over but yeah)

Top making a hilariously dramatic re-entrance

And then there were 6? 7 I guess if we still assume there's an extra person. If the shot actually landed. Maybe doc just got himself a new patient instead

Oh looking forward to seeing Non and a non-passed-out Por next week!

[literaticat]

Hey hey Jenn. Please don't get pissed with me - but I'm the person who asked about the missing provisions in the contract. And as it's Friday and I'm in the UK and business was closing, when I hadn't seen your response, I thought maybe you weren't answering asks cos it was Friday and too busy and I jumped the gun and told them the person who reviewed the contract said it was fine and I'm good to go. But now I feel I should bring that stuff up but I don't think I can without looking like an absolute loon? LOL. Advice if any? Next time I'll be more patient but it is Friday and I wanted to get it in before close of business. Argh!

I'm not PISSED with you, I am WORRIED about you and STRESSED on your behalf. Please don't base your life on this random Tumblr??????? What if I didn't answer it for weeks? Do you know how many asks are in the box? AHHHHHH

That goes for ALL OF YOU! If you are within eyesight distance of these words, please heed them: I AM A STRANGER. I can't vet your contract over tumblr -- even if I could (WHICH, LEGALLY AND LOGISTICALLY, I CAN'T), it would be irresponsible of me to try, and BANANAS of you to let me.

Also: I answer these kind of at random -- so pls don't ask things that are actually time-sensitive and rely on me (A STRANGER!) to give you a timely response, I absolutely cannot guarantee that. I'm an agent - but I'm not YOUR agent. I LOVE YOU I'M SORRY!

Anyway. I have NO IDEA if they will think you are a loon for going back to them. Probably a little -- so I guess you need to figure out for yourself if these items are important TO YOU, and if they are important enough to survive a little embarrassment to ask about them anyway. A place to start might be to look up what each of those provisions means, think about them, and ask the person who vetted the contract how important THEY think they are.

If you decide they are important, and worth the risk of looking a TINY bit loon-esque, then just write the people back and say, I'm SO sorry, I talked to so-and-so again and they brought up these points, which felt important enough for me to bring up to you. (Or some such!)

[imaginedmelody]

please feel free to talk about any of your middle aged gays wips I would LOVE to hear about any of them 👀💖

Beloved, this is literally my love language and you KNOW that 💖💖💖 A few of these are either not quite middle-aged or only one of the two members is, but here we go:

Allen Hynek & Michael Quinn, Project Blue Book- Listen, I know Allen Hynek was a real person, but the version of him in this TV series is very fictional and my version is even more so 🤣My top WIP right now is an aromantic-Allen fic which I am going to tentatively say is ALMOST done. It's what I'm usually working on in sprints (and I'm going to say something bold here: there's one passage in this that may be some of my favorite words I've ever written.) This pairing has the cocky fighter pilot/nerdy professor dynamic we've all been waiting for. The show is enjoyable if not outstanding, cancelled 1 season before it should have ended, and the fandom is not nearly big enough.

Irving & Burt, Severance- The ULTIMATE canon yearning! I've been working on a fic about them for months, but the fact that there's so much mystery associated with this show means that trying to write a romantic interaction with them outside of Lumon is proving complicated, lol. I've written pretty much all of it except the part that requires any explanation of the logistics of this show's universe. IDK, I am just deeply drawn to the vulnerability of two people whose knowledge of each other is confined to this very limited existence, stepping outside of that place's boundaries and discovering each other in the process. This fic has Irv and Burt flirting over classical music as well; between pieces I'm going to mention in the fic and other non-classical pieces that remind me of the pairing, I'm tempted to include a playlist along with this when I publish it.

Ted Lasso & Trent Crimm, Ted Lasso- Okay, okay, I don't have any solid WIPs about these two at the moment (there's one I started a long time ago that is in sleep mode until I figure out what I want to do with it), but Season 3 premieres March 15th and Trent Crimm apparently plays a "significant role" in it, so you KNOW I will have ideas in the very near future. I enjoy writing these two so much; they have such unique voices and that is so much fun to play with as a writer. Plus this trope is like grumpy/sunshine if the sunshine was secretly a clinically anxious mess of a human and the grumpy's harsh exterior was only a facade and he was unexpectedly very willing to have an open mind and see the good in someone.

Murray Bauman & Alexei, Stranger Things- (Alexei probably isn't quite "middle aged" here, but I'm including this anyway) Another underrated pairing, but I love their dynamic. Two people on opposite sides who could very easily be bitter enemies, but who (in the show, in canon) instead bond with each other so quickly! They snark and sass, but Murray is quite literally the only person who speaks Alexei's language, in personality as well as in actual words. I've already written fic for them, and I thought that was gonna be it, but I have more to say, lol

There are so many more middle-aged gays I love but haven't written for too! Truly we are in our best era with all of these wonderful pairings.

[fangirltothefullest]

Do it. No one's stopping you.

The problem is that I want to do it but I'm also trying to figure out the logistics of doing it- HOW do I set up an ask blog like this I want to keep track of resources I literally want to recreate aspects of the game in ask blog text post form lol I should just make the blog without worrying about that XD

[numbknee]

i seek your advice numbknee. i really wanna write my own kyman fics and i have so many ideas for them but i’ve never written a fic before and i’m frightened to dip my toes into it. i’m not a writer, i’ve never written before. like how do you just sit down ans qrite something??? jfkgk i’m so confused, what’s your process or do you have any writing tips? i ask you cuz i love your writing and i look forward to your posts a lot.

That's so awesome, good for you dude!! Writing can be a really fun creative hobby but I totally get where you're coming from. The first fic I ever wrote was for the adventure time fandom 10 years ago (yikes I'm old lol) and I was really scared to post it. I don't remember how exactly I got the courage to finally put it out there but it def feels like diving into the deep end. Just know that everyone has to start somewhere!

The good thing about fanfiction is that it's as "low stakes" as you can probably get when it comes to creative writing. It's not for a job, it's not for any academic assignment, it's just something you do for fun. And I think the culture around fanfiction understands that a lot of writers are amateurs and are generally supportive regardless of your starting level in terms of skill. Personally, I would rather read from an inexperienced writer who's clearly trying their best and has some interesting ideas over a more polished/experienced writer taking themselves too seriously or treating fanfic writing like a competition.

There's no single "correct" way to write, because ultimately you have to do what best suits your own style and preferences. But for me, I generally start out with an idea for a single scene that inspires me and come up with a story around that scene so it fits into a cohesive fic. For example, for my first kyman fic I initially had the idea in my head of Kyle being mesmerized by Cartman dressed in drag and impulsively making a first move on him. I worked backwards from there, so I had to come up with 1) why he was doing drag in the first place, 2) why Kyle would be there watching him, and 3) how they end up alone together so Kyle can make the first move. The last one was the trickiest for me to figure out for some reason, but eventually I came up with the idea of Cartman tripping in his giant heels and injuring himself so Kyle would have to help him inside the house. It was funny but also helped move the plot along.

Planning out the scenes ahead of time like this can help a lot, but also don't be afraid to change things up as you write it out if you think something else works better. Since you have a bunch of your own ideas, start out with the one scene/scenario that inspires you the most and plan it out from there. I'd suggest first writing a shorter one-shot since that's easier to plan for than a longer, multi-chaptered fic. There's a ton of resources online you can find to help with story structure if you're not sure where to start or how to build on your idea. (Like this video about the 6 essential questions of storytelling).

Other logistical things: Make sure you save your work frequently. Spell-check is your friend. If you're not comfortable asking someone to beta-read your fic, use text-to-speech or read it aloud yourself to help catch any mistakes and listen to how sentences flow. I highly recommend using AO3 to publish your work since it has a great tagging system and helps you get visibility because of that, but also ensures your work will stay safe from the whims of corporations destroying/erasing fanworks since it's independently run and funded.

One last thing to keep in mind: it's nice to get positive interaction from the fandom, but ultimately you should write for yourself and your own enjoyment. If you only write seeking the approval of others, you're never going to be happy because you're solely basing your writing's worth on strangers' opinions. There have definitely been fics I've written that didn't get as much interaction as I would have liked, but in the end I was happy I wrote it because it was something I could be proud of having made for myself as my own audience.

Hope this helps! Good luck 👍

[inspectorseb]

Quick warning that this is EXTREMELY long lol.

Honestly the ndp have been pissing me off recently. Before I explain, fyi I do not have an affiliation with a specific party because my personal beliefs are too far left to perfectly align with any party. But I can tell you I would only vote either liberal or ndp. And before now i really struggled trying to decide which one to vote for in the next election, but after everything that has been happening recently I’m severely leaning towards the liberals, and that’s upsetting. I’m trying to figure out how to express everything without writing a book lol. I don’t know what exactly snapped and caused the ndp to switch up but literally none of what they’re doing makes sense on a political level, and honestly it feels like they’re trying to copy some of the conservative strategies (which will work in a ‘right’ environment but not in a ‘left’ one) and it’s just making them look terrible. First of all, the tearing up of the liberal agreement. There’s still a year before the next election, and while they weren’t happy that everything wasn’t going their way (which of course it wouldn’t, you’re only in an agreement you’re not the one in charge), they showed that they actually made progress. So why not use the agreement for at least a couple more months to get shit done for Canadians? Instead it just comes off as them throwing a tantrum (very conservative like). And while they say that the timing was a pure coincidence that they ended it right after the conservatives said they should, something which we’ll never know the validity of, it just makes it look like you’re bending to the conservatives. And the tearing up of the agreement is purely symbolic, because I know damn well you’re not gonna all of a sudden start voting with the pcs. So you’re basically putting strain on a relationship that is only going to get more important over the next year, and for what? The second thing, which I really consider my breaking point is the carbon tax. First of all if you’re still too stupid to understand that you actually don’t lose money from the carbon tax, because you get reimbursed by the government, then I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not hard to understand but apparently no one fucking gets it. And if you think it’s the reason why groceries and shit are so expensive, that’s just capitalism and living in a grocery monopoly, it has literally been proven that the carbon tax only increases the price of food by less than 1% (generally around 0.3). I could go on for a long time about the logistics of it but that’s not what this is about. Before what has happened in recent days, something that really pissed me off happened late last year when Trudeau agreed to pause the carbon tax on home heating oil in Atlantic provinces (where I’m from). While this doesn’t impact everyone, it was a rare win for the Atlantic. And just a note to everyone who said “oh he’s only doing this to try to keep his supporters because those are the only liberal provinces”. What’s your point? On a political level, that just makes sense. And also the only current liberal province in the entire country is Newfoundland (where I’m from), and Newfoundland is already very loyal to the liberals for many historical reasons that would take a long time to explain. Anyways, when the liberals announced this deal, all of a sudden the pcs and ndp teamed up to protest this plan because it was “unfair to everyone else”. In this situation i don’t care about everyone else because we never get anything, and no one cares about us. We usually only get mentioned when it’s convenient. But I digress, this plan actually makes sense considering that Atlantic Canada has WAY more oil heated homes (because they’re old) than the rest of the country. There’s 25% across the Atlantic, while there’s 6% for the other 6 provinces (which way more population) combined. But all of a sudden the two parties complained that it wasn’t fair that oil heating got a break but natural gas didn’t. Oil heating is still 4 times more expensive to use than natural gas, even if you include the tax break.

Also we literally can’t get natural gas so it’s not like it’s a choice. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI, have all banned fracking. And Newfoundland and PEI have absolutely zero natural gas heated homes. Basically, we have no pipelines for natural gas to be possible for heating. I remember this incident because it was obviously no surprise for the pcs to say it, but I was honestly surprised and upset that the ndp supported their movement. Quick note, I remember when this was happening that some news sources and politicians were saying how unfair it is because “we [the Atlantic provinces] get everything” and I pretty much lost my mind. Cause if you really think that you’re delusional and you know nothing.

Going back to the present, we have the ndp all of a sudden revoking their support for the carbon tax. A move in which Singh actually referenced the incident I just talked about saying how Trudeau apparently made it unfair by “favouring certain provinces and making working people pay the price instead of big polluters”. And while I very much agree with their point that the big polluters are the ones who should have to pay for climate action, it’s better that they’re doing something rather than nothing. Along with Singh they have the premier of BC, Eby, on board saying that they would end the carbon tax. He also said how this is all Trudeau’s fault for “politicizing” the carbon tax. What the actual fuck are you talking about? All taxes are political first off, economics and politics go hand in hand. And you’re really saying Trudeau is the one who politicized it instead of the opposition who hasn’t stopped bitching about it and has literally been running (an unconstitutional) political campaign based upon it?

The ndp has basically said that this is a move to try and gain back their blue collar support that has been swaying toward the pcs in the west. But it feels a little too late for that. And in my opinion, I don’t think this move is going to regain them the support that they think it will. No matter what your rhyme or reasons are, making this decision now just makes it look like you’re trying to ride on the coattails of the conservatives, which will never work. In reality, even with the ndp continuing to gain support every election, Canada is still a two party system and the ndp are not even close to being competition for prime minister for this election (or maybe even the next). So most people are still choosing between red or blue. And by doing this, it feels like you’re trying to tell people ‘hey the conservatives are right and the liberals are wrong, that’s why we’re all of a sudden siding with them and ditching the liberals’. Oh you’re ditching the carbon tax? Well the conservatives have wanted to do that forever. To me this move just really feels like they’re actually gonna drive people red or blue instead of orange. But I mean I could be wrong. If the ndp had done all this a while ago I think it might be a different story. But the timing of all this is absolutely terrible for them, whether it was actually a coincidence or not. And I think it’s also to do with the fact of the upcoming election in BC, and that the competition with the cons is actually gonna be a lot closer than they thought. And also the fact that federally, the pcs have been gaining traction in previous ndp stronghold areas, especially in Manitoba.

Not too long ago, the ndp was considered the party for leftists (even though they’re not even left, they’re just the most left), but it feels like they’re now trying to go for the centrist vote as well. Which means that it really feels like there’s been a bit of a change in identity and politics recently. And it really is upsetting to me.