#just in general you are in love is one of my favorite ts ever

[marsneedstherapy]

you are in love is such a Rosalind Orion song, and this time, I will be providing an explanation (fhh spoilers ahead)

One look, dark room

Meant just for you

spy work. no more needs to be said.

Time moved too fast

You play it back

they didn't have that much time together before Orion got taken by his mother, and yk how Rosalind was during, especially the beginning of fhh :(

Buttons on a coat

Light-hearted joke

Orion. that's all.

No proof, not much

But you saw enough

Rosalind realizes that she might actually like Orion. yk the one scene in flf where she says she should poison herself again. yeah.

Small talk, he drives

hernia scene, not much small talk, but yk not everything can be exsact

Coffee at midnight

this never happened exactly, but I feel like it would, bc of all the missing domestic moments from flf with Rosalind and Orion trying to figure stuff out

He says, "Look up"

And your shoulders brush

when Orion showed Rosalind the constellation orion in flf, my heart </3

No proof, one touch

But you felt enough

literally right after the constellation moment Rosalind has her "oh no I think I like him" moment

You can hear it in the silence

when Rosalind had a gun pointed at Orion in that scene right after she finds out he's the killer, but we know she'll never shot... BC COME ONEE YOU CAN HEAR IT IN THE SILENCE WHEN SHE JUST THREATENS AND NEVER FOLLOWS THROUGHH

You can feel it on the way home

just vibes with this one, but vry strong vibes

You can see it with the lights out

not exactly lights out in the lamp type of way, but like when Rosalind was poisoned by her hairpin in flf </3

You are in love, true love

yes they are.

Morning, his place her place

Burnt toast, Sunday

just sm they seem like they would've done, maybe an attempt to cook without Lao Lao's help in another missing flf scene (I'm so tempted to write a fanfic with this idea)

You keep his shirt

BEGINNING OF FHH </3

He keeps his word

"Even if I don't get my memory back, I'm going to love you again. I thought I'd warn you in advance." Not an exact quote bc I'm too tired to go get my copy of fhh, but yes. yes, he did keep his word.

And for once, you let go

Of your fears and your ghosts

ROSALIND ALLOWING HERSELF TO BE LOVED AND BEING ABLE TO GROW AND MOVE ON FROM HER PAST

One night he wakes

Strange look on his face

Pauses, then says

You're my best friend

"I BELIEVED YOU WHEN YOU SAID WE WERE FRIENDS, BUT THERE WAS MORE TO THAT WASNT THERE?" that scene if fhh were Orion is "asleep" by the willow tree in zhouzhuang and Rosalind was just talking to him </3

And you knew what it was

He is in love

yes he is. maybe he can't remember. but he knows.

[chorus again]

And he keeps the picture of you in his office downtown

this is some post fhh things that would happen. WOULD.

And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars

finally understanding how real actually love feels and how it should be protected </3

And why I've spent my whole life tryin' to put it into words

AGAIN FINALLY BEING ABLE UNDERSTANDINGGG </3

[chorus again]

[jalwyn21]

I'm a recent-ish follower, so I'm a little curious about your background, were you at one point a swiftie, but got disenchanted with her and that's why you have this deep well of knowledge of and about her, or was she always like a parasocial enemy of yours. I was always a hater, I love when ppl slander her, bc she's generally regarded so highly. I'm sorry her lyrics aren't good or groundbreaking, they are catchy at best and annoying at worst. She's also taking herself way to serious as an artist (name of her new album, cringe interview for the times). Also no matter what (or who; Matt Healy) she is doing, we aren't allowed to criticize her or her actions, when we call her our for her private jet use, we get accused of double standards and how corporations are polluting way more, as if that is in any way or form a justification for her being a fucking pest

Ok, story time then. 🤗 First of all, I'm old af, I'm pushing 30s. (Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo) 😅 So I've heard of ts ages ago but didn't care cause I didn't like her music. Never been a swi*ftie. 🤓

Then the whole Jake Gyllenhaal circus happened to the point that even Jake Gyllenhaal's sister was asked about that stupid scarf. That was the first time I properly noticed ts and I thought: what a despicable and petty girl she is. 🤮 But at least Jake Gyllenhaal had a decade long career so he was fine, and I didn't really think about her much after that.

Fast forward to 2016 when I went to see Ang Lee's new film because it's bloody Ang Lee, you know? And I'm glad I did cause it's one of my favorite films ever. And that is how I "met" Joe and completely fell in love with him. 🥰 And there were photos of him online being silly and goofy and adorable (and drunk 😹). And he was so nervous and sweet in interviews. It was just so easy to love him. 🥰🥰🥰

Can you even imagine how sad and disappointed and sorry I was for him when I found out he was dating ts? Cause I already knew what she will do to him. 😭 Like, I knew she will try to destroy Joe sooner or later and I knew that Joe won't have the decade long career Jake Gyllenhaal has to fall back on, when she tries to ruin his life. Call me Nostradamus. 😭

And for the record, Joe is still one of my favorites ever. He is a brilliant actor and a kind man. So I guess my issues with ts are kinda "personal" and kinda parasocial... 😅 In a way, I've been waiting for this sh*t storm to hit for years...

I should probably pin this for others to read when they check my account..

[midnightmayhem13]

I love your hcs SO much the thought of Darcy sitting in reader’s lap 😭😭 it’s got me kicking my feet, blushing and I was wondering what ts songs do you think the marvel ladies would consider ‘their songs’ with reader?

t-swizzle songs❕

i love this sm ty for suggesting it🩶😍

carol danvers

delicate

carol loves this song in general. and being a badass, confident women, a lot of men, specifically, don't like her. but you do. you love her and she can feel it. and even through her confident facade she's a little insecure. when she flirts or compliments she can't help but worry that shes doing too much or that she's wasting your time by annoying you. she loves you so much and she's thankful you love her through all the bad things people say, her mistakes, and how you calm her insecurities. she wants to move fast because in your line of work there's no time to waste because you or her could be dead the next day. and she won't waste or take a single chance with you.

sharon carter

false god

this song is so hot. but sharon loves to be intimate with you while listening. and any time she listens to it, her head floods with you. loving sharon is risky, but so worth it. if she's seen with you both of you are put in danger. but even if you were like dumb teenagers in love, sneaking around and making out it's all worth it. she'll worship your body and your love. even if you get into arguments you can always work it out because of how strong your love is. everyone know how strong it is too. you'll risk your life for the other. everything is okay as long as you two are together.

darcy lewis

the lakes

now now she is definitely a cruel summer girlie but she just so romantic. she loves to dance, or attempt to dance, to this song. she feels like with you, everything's okay. you protect her from the wrong. she'll always want to be with you. if she wants to go or try something new she needs to have you. never without you. if at any point work or life gets too hard it'll feel as though it's you two against the world, but she's okay with that. your love grounds her and brings out a happiness she can't even being to explain. even if she's not the most poetic girl she swoons you with sweet, gentle words. in your arms her heart is safe.

nebula

peace

nebula would stiffly ask to listen to your music with you, and she def loved folklore. nebulas never felt peace in her life, until she met you. your love is a dream to her. she could have never guessed that you or her would love the other. you're an amazing person and she's a 'piece of metal'. everyone loves you and your smile could brighten up a room. she doesn't think you deserve the struggle she is. but she loves you so dearly. she'd do anything and everything for you. all she wants to do is show you how much she really loves you but she just can't. luckily your patient enough and you'll know she means well.

maria hill

willow

you got maria into tay. she heard you listening to her often, now any taylor song reminds her of you. but maria hasn't been the friendliest to people. she's trained to keep a straight face and always remain professional. but you, you went out of your way to get to know the real her. she never would have known you were head over heals in love with her. for you she'd do anything. it doesn't matter what it is as long as she ends up with you. you're like a miracle to her. before you all she had known was work and stress, but when you can into her life you showed her love. the one she deserves. you center her and she'll never love anything more than you.

kate bishop

style

you two are young and in loveeee. ever since kate met you she can't stop thinking about you. now since your hers she wants to spend all her time with you. she loves driving around a blasting this song. it's a favorite because you two don't go out of style. you got that tight skirt and she's drooling over you. you two are obsessed with each other. even after a fight or too much time apart you two are always able to pick up where you left off. at the end of the day you two just want to go home hand in hand.

a/n hiii hope it was kinda good🩶 bye bye be gay and listen to tay❕🩶

[artsyunderstudy]

Happy New Year! 

I want to open with saying thanks to everyone in this amazing fandom, both the creators and the cheerleaders, because all of you make it an incredibly fun and warm place to be.  I’ve consumed and created so much this year it’s hard to narrow things down to my favorites, but damn it all, I’m going to try. 

We Still Bloom (T, 18.4k)

The Mirrors that Hold Us (E, 70.4k)

Sixty Seconds (T, 2.8k)

What Lies Behind Doorways (M, 10.8k)

A Mild Case of Madness (M, 22.6k, WIP)

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe (T, 4.7k)

Every One With You (M, 5.3k)

What We Crave (E, 9.3k)

Touch Starved (E, 5k)

Here in the Dark (E, 4.7k)

Total: 9 complete fics, 1 fic in progress

Word count: 154k

Favorite story this year?  Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest?

We Still Bloom, definitely not my most popular but it was my personal favorite.

Okay, now your most popular story?

Sixty Seconds, which was unfathomable to me because I wrote it in two days (though it was HEAVILY edited over a week) and it’s very short, very simple, and VERY fluffy. And I was so terrified while posting it because I didn't know if it was any good at all.  But apparently fluff is the business I should be in because the two fluffiest fics I wrote were much better received than I originally expected.  (The other is Meet me Under the Mistletoe.)

Story most underappreciated by the universe?

I wouldn’t say We Still Bloom is "underappreciated", but it’s the one I’m most proud of but has the least amount of kudos, which honestly I understand.  It’s angsty, its sad and tense the whole way through.   And while I personally enjoy stuff like that, not everyone does.  But I think it’s some of my best writing, and has a really lovely conclusion. The whole point of it was to explore why they love one another, and how. And honestly how hard it is to accept love, sometimes.

Story that could have been better?

I’m generally the most critical of my longer works, because they take a lot of planning, and even if pieces are really good there is pacing and build-up and the overall flow to consider.  So I think Mirrors could have been better?  It was my first long fic for the fandom, and honestly the first long thing I’ve written in a decade, so I’m overall proud of it and happy with it.  But I’m sure it could have been a lot better.

Sexiest story?

Touch Starved is the hottest thing I’ve written, I’m pretty sure.  (Here in the Dark is a close second, they are both PWP lol)  It’s one fic where I allowed myself to go a little darker and filthier, since usually I tend toward tender intimacy/emotions over sexiness.  Though TS has a lot of both, it definitely lets itself just be a horny little fic.

Saddest story?

Mirrors?  Probably?  It depends on what makes you sad, but that story is mired in grief which is sad.  But What Lies Behind Doorways is sad in that it’s about Baz dealing with PTSD alone, and We Still Bloom is about Baz loving Simon without a lot of hope, and breakup angst always hits ME the hardest.  So, I dunno.  Take your pick.  I write a lot of sad shit.

Most fun?

A Mild Case of Madness has been so much fun.  I didn’t think I could be funny.  Like, I’m funny IRL, but I’ve never tried to write anything funny.  It’s not hilarious by any means, but it’s got this sassy energy I don’t think a lot of my other stuff has.  It’s been so much fun to write.  (I NEED TO FINISH IT)

Story with the single sweetest moment?

I have … no idea.  Probably every hug in Sixty Seconds, or the last hug??  The whole thing is about comfort hugs, it’s the definition of saccharine.

Hardest story to write?

We Still Bloom was written very very quickly, but only after MONTHS of fussing over it.  I thought that fic to death, and there was a point I was wondering if I’d ever be able to actually write it, so it was definitely a challenge.  Once I had the plan, though, I feverishly wrote it in only a couple weeks. 

Easiest/most fun story to write?

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe was very quick and easy to write.  It’s just a bunch of kissing! 

Most overdue story?

Well clearly it’s A Mild Case of Madness.

Did you take any writing risks this year?  What did you learn from them?

Everything feels like a risk, honestly.  Maybe What We Crave was the biggest risk, and I still feel really conflicted about it?  It also happens to be my least favorite fic of the year.  If I had known what it would end up being, I probably would have planned more, and maybe I wouldn’t have posted it at all.  I don’t know.  Mmm.  On a more positive note I am glad I took the risk and got outside of my comfort zone. I do think parts of it are really good, specifically the final chapter.

Coming back to edit because I need to add Sixty Seconds, I challenged myself with brevity for this fic and I have to say it was absolutely a great experience even if it felt risky. It taught me a lot about how to make cuts and really narrow down the narrative to its more important components, something I definitely struggle with.

This year's theme and the story that demonstrates it?

I tend to focus on emotional intimacy in pretty much everything I write.  Most of my stories revolve around the exploration of that intimacy or striving to correct intimacy that’s missing, like Baz finally opening up about his trauma to Simon in What Lies Behind Doorways, or Simon recognizing and pushing beyond his fear of loss in We Still Bloom.  Then, the way intimacy helps them to express themselves and get closer, like the comfort sex in Every One with You, the hugs in Sixty Seconds, and the way Baz touches Simon and allows himself to be touched in Touch Starved.  Intimacy, intimacy, intimacy.

I drew a ton of art this year, so I'm just going to highlight a few favorites. ♥

I just joined this fandom in March and I have read so, so, so much fic. it's not going to be possible to highlight all my favorites in this post, so I just want to preface this by say if I kudosed, commented or bookmarked any of your fics, I loved them. That being said, here are my top 10 completed fics and top 5 WIPS, and my apologies if they weren't all written this year. I tried, but like I said. I read so much.

Completed

Ready or Not by @bookish-bogwitch (E, 20.7k)

Baker boxer teacher grief (Or: The thing that lasts) by @chen-chen-chen-again-chen (E, 21.3k)

Snow, Baz, and the Seven Bunces by LakeWitch (M, 54k)

London Loves Us Only by imjusthereforthefreefood (E, 47.6k)

Restoration Ecology by @captain-aralias (E, 51k)

What's Left by @cutestkilla (M, 133.8k)

when the dust settles (you'll come home to me) by @diningpagentry (E, 65.8k)

Where the Sand Meets the Sea by @amywaterwings (T, 76.5k)

A Light from Miles Away and A Light From Within by @stillmadaboutpetra (T, 67k and 60k)

The Space In Between by @whatevertheweather (M, 101.1k)

WIP

What Remains After The Storm by @hushed-chorus (M, 14.7k)

Depth of Reason by @you-remind-me-of-the-babe (M, 22.7k)

A Dangerous Affinity by @larkral (T, 67.8k)

Every little helps by @nightimedreamersworld (E, 28.6k)

More Than Friends by @fatalfangirl (E, 6.3k)

Comment more and do more fic rec posts. ♥♥

Finish a new fic over 70k

Be kinder to myself and stop being so self-critical. Enjoy the process.

Participate in more fests

Make more fandom friends ♥ There are so many amazing people here and I would really love to get to know you all better.

Here's to 2023! So excited for what's ahead. ♥

[walkingtalkingsomething]

✨Taylor Swift Makes Everything Better Lyric Prompts - Pt. 2✨

It's exactly what the title says. I find song lyrics in general very inspiring and have a notebook of ones that strike me for one reason or another but don't have the 'whatever' that's needed to write them. And I unapologetically stan the hell out of Ms. Swift and am so often struck by her word choices. So this is my collection of the TS lyrics that conjure up the most thoughts - minus a ton of sad ones because I am just too soft to be putting that much angst into the world 😊

Lover

•Your name on my lips tongue tied, Free rent living in my mind - I Forgot That You Existed

•Fever dream high in the quiet of the night, You know that I caught it - Cruel Summer

•And I screamed for whatever it's worth, 'I love you,' Ain't that the worst thing you ever heard? - Cruel Summer

•There's a dazzling haze, A mysterious way about you dear, Have I've known 20 seconds or 20 years? - Lover

•I think he knows his hands around a cold glass make me wanna know that body like it's mine - I Think He Knows

•He got that boyish look that I like in a man - I Think He Knows

•Got that, Ah, I mean, Wanna see what's under that attitude - I Think He Knows

•I think he knows when we get all alone I'll make myself at home and he'll want me to stay - I Think He Knows

•Lyrical smile, Indigo eyes, Hand on my thigh we could follow the sparks, I'll drive - I Think He Knows

•We're so sad we paint the town blue, Voted most likely to run away with you - Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince

•Kiss me once cause you know I had a long night, Kiss me twice cause it's gonna be alright, Three times cause I've waited my whole life - Paper Rings

•I like shiny things but I'd marry you with paper rings, Uh huh, That's right, Darling, You're the one I want, And I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this, Uh huh, That's right, Darling, You're the one I want in paper rings, In picture frames, In dirty dreams - Paper Rings

•Barefoot in the kitchen, Sacred new beginnings that became my religion - Cornelia Street

•My heart, My hips, My body, My love, Trying to find a part of me that you didn't touch - Death By a Thousand Cuts

•Something gave you the nerve to touch my hand, It's nice to have a friend - It's Nice To Have a Friend

Folklore

•We were something, don't you think so? Rosé flowing with your chosen family, And it would've been sweet if it could've been me - The One

•And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone's bed, You put me on and said I was your favorite - Cardigan

•You drew stars around my scars - Cardigan

•I knew you tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy - Cardigan

•I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss, I knew you'd haunt all of my what ifs, The smell of smoke would hang around this long - Cardigan

•I think I've seen this film before and I didn't like the ending - Exile

•I can see you staring, Honey, Like he's just your understudy, Like you'd get your knuckles bloodied for me - Exile

•And I've been meaning to tell you I think your house is haunted, Your dad is always mad and that must be why - Seven

•I can see us lost in the memory/And I can see us twisted in bedsheets - August

•I didn't know if you'd care if I came back, I have a lot of regrets about that - This Is Me Trying

•And maybe I don't quite know what to say, But I'm here in your doorway - This Is Me Trying

•You showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else/You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else - Illicit Affairs

•And isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me? - Invisible String

•Right now is the last time I can dream about what happens when you see my face again - Betty

•But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm If your cascade ocean wave blues come - Peace

•And you know that I'd swing with you for the fences, Sit with you in the trenches, Give you my wild, Give you a child, Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other, Family that I chose now that I see your brother as my brother - Peace

•Don't want no other shade of blue but you, No other sadness in the world would do - Hoax

•You knew the password so I let you in the door - Hoax

•Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die, I don't belong and my beloved neither do you - The Lakes

Evermore

•Wherever you stray, I follow - Willow

•Head on the pillow, I could feel you creeping in as if you were a mythical thing, Like you were a trophy or a champion ring, But there was one prize I'd cheat to win - Willow

•Your Midas touch on the Chevy door, November flush and your flannel cure - Champagne Problems

•There's an ache in you put there by the ache in me - 'Tis The Damn Season

•And the heart I know I'm breaking is my own, To leave the warmest bed I've ever known - 'Tis The Damn Season

•Gain the weight, Then lose it - Tolerate It

•No one teaches you what to do when a good man hurts you, And you know you hurt him too - Happiness

But are you still the same soul I met under the bleachers? - Dorothea

•And do you miss the rogue who coaxed you into paradise and left you there? Will you forgive my soul when you're too wise to trust me and too old to care? - Coney Island

•Oh, Goddamn, My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand - Ivy

•My house of stone, Your ivy grows and now I'm covered in you - Ivy

•Your opal eyes are all I wish to see, He wants what's only yours - Ivy

•So yeah, It's a fire, It's a goddamn blaze in the dark and you started it - Ivy

• You're a bandit like me, Eyes full of stars, Hustlin' for the good life, Never thought I'd meet you here - Cowboy Like Me

•And the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to fuck this up - Cowboy Like Me

•Now you hang from my lips like the gardens of Babylon, With your boots beneath my bed, Forever is the sweetest con - Cowboy Like Me

•And it's been so long but if you ever think you got it wrong, I'm right where you left me - Right Where You Left Me

Midnights

•And I wake with your memory over me, That's a real fucking legacy to leave - Maroon

•I wake up screaming from dreaming one day I'll watch as your leaving and life will lose all its meaning for the last time  - Anti Hero

•And time can't stop me quite like you did - Snow on the Beach

•I wait patiently, He's gonna notice me, It's ok we're the best of friends...anyways - You're on Your Own, Kid

•They said the end coming, Everyone's up to something, I find myself running home to your sweet nothings, Outside they're push and shoving, You're in the kitchen humming, All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing - Sweet Nothing

•To you I can admit that I'm just too soft for all of it - Sweet Nothing

Misc.

•Seen you fall, Seen you crawl on your knees, Seen you lost in a crowd, Seen your colors fade, Wish I could make it better, Someday you won't remember this pain you thought would last forever and ever - Sweeter Than Fiction

•What a sight when the light came on, Proved me right when you proved them wrong - Sweeter Than Fiction

•Follow me home if you dare to, I wouldn't know where to lead you - Beautiful Ghosts

Part. 1

[ereborne]

Hey hey, sliding this in under the door in the morning:

For the book as meme, 4 (fav sci-fi), 13 (fav thriller), and 37 (least fav trope used in a way that works for you)?

Did not actually read-read the other responses yet, so questions may have duplicated.

4) Favorite sci-fi: The answer I gave carrionfourth was: "The Ship Who Sang and Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey. Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie. Exit Strategy and Network Effect by Martha Wells. The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers. Rescues and the Rhyssa by TS Porter". I stand by all that, it's absolutely correct, but now I'm also thinking about Anne McCaffrey's works in general, and the incredible impact it had on me when I was a kid, to see her work her worldbuilding around so that she had fantasy staples like dragons (the Dragonriders of Pern) and unicorn girls (literally she named that series 'Acorna the Unicorn Girl'. I am in awe) and selkies (the Petaybee serieses) but with so much space travel and science around them that the books themselves still felt clearly sci-fi. She's not the only one, not by a long shot, but she was the first I read, and she changed the way I thought about genre conventions on a fundamental basis. There's a good chance that without her, I wouldn't have ever bothered reading any sci-fi, actually. There was a little chunk of time there where it seemed very much to me that fantasy books were for people (mostly girls) who liked animals and cared about having friends and sci-fi was for people (mostly men) who liked being very smart and having other people be afraid of them, and if I'd kept going with that mentality I think I'd be a much unhappier person today.

13) Favorite thriller: Well, having just said all that about being so glad I was taught to think outside the genre binary as a child, now I must confess I don't read a lot of thrillers. There's a level/type of suspense that just translates as stress to me, in a way I don't particularly enjoy (I watched a couple episodes of the Fargo show with Duncan and the intensity kept ramping up and when we turned the tv off my neck and shoulders ached. I'm just not good at it). I do really like mysteries--favorite mystery novel is probably The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie; I mostly preferred the Marple shows but I love the Poirot books--and romantic suspense is great--Elizabeth Lowell (fave Lowell book is Always Time to Die) and Jayne Ann Krentz (Lie to Me) are both fantastic romantic suspense writers--and the crossover of both that is the JD Robb In Death series is an unending delight to me. But mostly I'd say I go for mysteries or adventures over thrillers.

37) Least fav trope used in a way that works for you: I really love The Last-Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, even though it has a tremendous amount of angst and suffering compared to my normal tastes, kills off the main character's love interest in the first book, and then has him show up again reincarnated to pair off with the main character once more. Only Mercedes Lackey could keep me genuinely invested through that storyline. Azure Bonds by Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb, also: amnesia, followed by false memories, with a final flourish of 'am I even a real person if these are my origins', but actually the book's a heckin romp. It's the first in the Finder's Stone trilogy, which is overall deeply entertaining but a real nightmare to try to explain or describe to people who haven't read it.

[placeinthisworld]

what’s strange to me is that some blog was like “why is everyone defending Joe when everything we know about him is from Taylor’s perspective? you were so quick to believe the good but refuse to think that he could be bad based on what we learn from this new album??” and yeah, I technically see what they’re saying, but also how do they not realize that a lot of these opinions are based on how both Taylor and Joe have acted these last few months? Joe’s been silent through everything, and I’ve always thought it was so healthy and admirable. Not even because she’s a celebrity! I think more couples/people could stand to be less public about their lives. But this was good especially given Taylor’s fame. Anyway, I’m still looking forward to the album, but I’m dreading all the anti-Joe posts that are going to stem from all of this. I hardly know anything about the man, but I really feel like he doesn’t deserve all of this. Sigh.

tbh if we’re gonna run with that argument, i can say all that we know about taylor’s love life/ SO’s have been told through songwriting in her POV so like everything we know is solely from her perspective (so unreliable narrative?) which is why i always found it soooooo weird that swifties were SO obsessed with her exes and relationships in general bc all the info we ever get is from HER perspective so ofc it’s going to be jaded. like the whole speculation about the red scarf representing ts’ virginity and JG being the one to take it and how he got all this weird press about that like that’s SOOO weird. the way swifties just like treat taylor like her as if her life is a tv show and they created these assumptions and stories that just don’t exist solely based on some lyrics from a song from 2020. tbh i feel like these swiffers are gonna be sorely disappointed bc by the looks of it taylor’s just gonna bitch about joe and her growing apart and nothing saucier than that but im sure somewhere there will be a grey line thin enough for people to fight over.

and like tbh…..the lack of effort it feels like she puts into these albums lately makes me not even look forward to the new music. i literally never thought id say that, but the songwriting on midnights wasn’t my favorite and i feel like she’s just going to give us more shit like that but make it *dramatic* with the LDR- esque titles and synths so i’ll kindly take my time getting around to it. nothing about ttpd excites me. the songwriting already feels mid, album photoshoot+ merch/ vinyls are very lame (and excessive), the impending joe massacre swifties are already starting, none of it makes me feel good lol.

[melloggd]

Review: The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures

Capcom • Capcom • 2015 • Nintendo 3DS Played in The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles Read it on Backloggd: (x)

With every Ace Attorney I play, I become more and more aware of just how excellently crafted and set up that first game was with its original four cases. They may seem kind of quaint nowadays in terms of scope, but the pacing from case to case felt damn near perfect. A first case introducing characters, relations and game mechanics in a short-and-sweet way. A second case raising the stakes of the story and setting up things to come, remaining decently tame in solvability. A third case that introduces somewhat more elaborate schemes, whilst also giving you a break from the "main story" with something more zany, sort of helping you swallow the more outlandish murder method while also putting more focus on character dynamics than core plot progression. And then finally, a fourth case, that takes aspects from all of the above and combines them into one climactic final act.

For how tride-and-true the structure seems to be, the only games so far to really follow them are the first two games. With everything else: Trials&Tribulations, Apollo Justice, and indeed the game I'm gonna get to in a second, they've tweaked with this formula a bit. In my opinion its all been to somewhat mixed results, but with some really satisfying highs: T&Ts changes make it just the right kind of shake-up for a final game in a story arc, but it doesn't feel like it was thought through well enough, leading to a somewhat dragged-out middle half of nothing much happening. Apollo Justice's opening act is one of the best executed cases in the entire series and earns its far longer length by being genuinely climactic and affecting our characters in a noticeable way, but...then the second and third cases are thoroughly mediocre.

All of this is to say, that The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures is another one of Takumi's shake-ups to the original structure, likely the biggest one, and while its respectable in its ambition I can't help but feel like it stumbles just like, if not more, than the prior two games in doing so. Now of course, all of what I've been talking about has just been pacing and per-case quality: Let me just flat-out say that this game nails almost everything else it sets out to do. I finally do get the appeal and love for these games: The atmosphere of London, Susato and Naruhodo's banter, the music, the Jury system (mostly), the Deductions...Herlock in general! They were all absolutely stellar and it was easy for me to both see and experience why so many people have fallen in love with these games.

Yet everytime I think back to this game, specifically, on its own...it circles back to the story and its pacing, both of which still feel pretty half-baked to me. Don't get me wrong, its not thoroughly rotten or whatever, and Case 3 is one of my new all-time favorites. But then you have Case 1, that feels insanely dragged out despite not really doing anything to earn its length a la AA4. You have Case 2 that pulls a plot-beat that it in my opinion shouldn't have done until far later into the story, is overall mostly boring to play and predictable to watch unfold, and ends on one of the cruelest notes in the series that's brushed over weirdly casually. And then you have Case 4, which is quite possibly the most vapid and pointless case I've ever played in the series. It does nothing to forward any of the characters or raise stakes, it doesn't escalate the possibilities for how cases could be solved like the "typical" third case does...really, it mostly feels like its here for the sake of giving you another Deduction, which comes so early on and is so seemingly unrelated to the case that by the end of it you've pretty much figured out the whole (surprisingly simple) story of what happened.

Case 5 picks things up again as expected yet doesn't really...go anywhere. It takes up some interesting concepts to be sure, has some nice character moments and really funny parts, and parallels Turnabout Goodbyes with your relationship to the defendant. Yet the case itself was so thoroughly bogstandard and simple, with a character you have pretty much zero attachment to or against serving as the big bad antagonist. They did one somewhat-cool thing near the tail end of things involving a side character, but it felt far too late and as if the game could have made Case 2 and 4 build up more smoothly to this moment, rather than have "the core game" basically just be Case 3 and 5.

Character relations in general feel oddly unfinished here and there. SLIGHT SPOILERS: -Hosonaga just kind of disappears from the plot at a certain point -Stronghart doesn't do much other than tell you what to do and be the most predictable villain for the next game I've ever seen (written before playing Great Ace Attorney 2) -Kazuma doesn't get to do much at all before he's out and (unlike Mia) does nothing after that point beyond be flashback material.

And I get that its all for setup to a sequel, and its going to make that sequel a far better game, to be sure. But I believe each installment should still be a satisfying package on its own: Those loose threads should look good without being tied up by a separate game. And yeah, it does do a great job of investing me in the universe of these two games, and preparing me for things to come. I love these characters now and I'm already theorizing what all of these loose ends will lead to, but the game on its own, in my opinion needs more than that.

Last note on the pacing: The way there's not a single case with more than one Court or Investigation segment feels extremely bizarre to me. Rather than having cases split across multiple days with jumping back and forth between court and trial, it's all one huge block each per case. It's a bizarre break in the series' typically structure, especially given how Court sections later in the game end up dragging because of it. Case 3 somewhat makes up for it by making fantastic use of the evidence-examination mechanic, letting you examine the whole crime scene during the trial, but other cases (...4 and 5) feel like they do nothing but suffer from the lack of splitting court sections up properly. It also left me feeling like there wasn't as much investigating as there usually is in the series which, isn't really a complaint per se, but is just an odd thing to think about considering the game as a whole.

The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures is a weird little game. Simultaneously overachieving yet not doing enough, shaking up the formula yet paralleling past beats, and it has Herlock Sholmes in it.

The result is a game that made me fall in love with The Great Ace Attorney as a whole far more than it did make me fall in love with this first Adventure on its own. And if nothing else, that makes me thoroughly excited to play the sequel.

[Playtime: 30 hours] [Keyword: Unrealized]

[narastories]

20 questions for fic writers!

Thank you @septemberskye for tagging me <3

I'll tag @nijinskys @viole-n-ts @brotherhoodoftheblade and anyone who would like to do this.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 98! (The same formatting thing happened to me too lmao) I can't believe it's almost 100. It's especially fun because it's Yuletide season and the fic authors won't get revealed until January. Which means it will probably be impossible to tell exactly which one counts as my 100th fic and somehow I like that.

2. What's your total AO3 word count? For a second I thought I would have to add it up manually. Phew. It's 457,682.

3. What fandoms do you write for? The Fetch Phillips Archives, The Dresden Files, and the Lord John Series (Outlander). Sometimes a fic here and there for other fandoms.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? the hero's prize, A bed and a penny, whatever this may be, over the edge and out of sight, Love your enemy The popularity of a fandom or a ship + the age of the fic will always have a bigger impact on your statistics than the quality of your writing. Don't swear it too much.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes, almost always. I found many friends this way.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Probably "so cold". A short ficlet but it hurt lol

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?  I usually write happy endings so I can't choose ^^"

8. Do you get hate on fics? Luckily I wouldn't say I do. I've gotten some annoying grammar corrections, and deliberate misunderstandings about a ship, but nothing I would call outright hate in the comments. Oh, and there was that one guy who got their panties in a twist because I've written a male character as a witch. That was fun.

The silver lining in writing for small fandoms, rarepairs, and niche topics is that you don't get many eyes on you so you just statistically catch fewer dumbasses. But if you are getting hate, just remember: don't feed the troll. Eat the troll ;)

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes, I write all kinds of smut. Usually, my kind of smut is: - There is extensive set-up. I like to set the mood first, so unless it's a very short fic, there isn't any smut in the first 30% I would say. Even if I consider it a PWP there is usually some kind of set-up. - There are usually feelings involved. I like to focus on that, even if it's just a hook-up. - It's usually kinky. Not always, but I do write a lot of ships with inherent power dynamics or morally grey characters. And I'm happy to go all out there with the kinkyness lol

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? No. It's not my thing. But never say never because I actually have one idea for a fun little crossover...

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? OMG yes! Three of my ficlets from the Harry/Nic OTP challenge got translated to Russian and I'm so honored <3

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?  No... that idea gives me anxiety....

14. What's your all-time favorite ship? I can't answer this either. There are just too many ships that are too close to my heart. Especially since there are several rarepairs where I published either the first or most of the fics on AO3 for that ship... I simply can't choose.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I have one unfinished WIP on AO3, "over the edge and out of sight" which I know I will never continue (but I don't even want to so I don't think it counts as an answer). After that, I've stopped putting WIPs on AO3 in general ^^" From my WIP folder, there are several that I would love to finish, but I don't think I will: - I started a translation of my super old BJR/OC (Outlander) fic but I had a really hard time getting over the embarrassment of reading my old fic - I have a few snippets of a continuation for the J/J/J series (Outlander) and it would be very fun but I'm not sure if I'll ever be in the mood to finish it - I also started a modern Enjou/Aether fic (Genshin Impact) that would be super cute but it's probably too much work compared to my investment in that fandom

16. What are your writing strengths? POV. I think I'm good at showing the POV character's personality. And I sink my teeth into that deep POV and don't let go. You won't catch me slipping into a different POV in the next paragraph, and I'm sort of proud of that.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Plot? lmao It's complicated for me. I can't come up with an intricate plot before I start writing. I need to start writing and then halfway through move the puzzle pieces around. It's difficult for me to wrap my head around it. I also think that sometimes I get so focused on setting something up that I don't realize that the reader might think I'm setting something else up if that makes sense. That's definitely an area I could improve on.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I don't like it. I'm fluent in 3 languages and I've written fic in 2. But I don't like writing or reading dialogue in another language in a fic because I think it disrupts the flow of reading. For me, it's less about the fear of making a mistake in a language that isn't my native tongue (because this one isn't, for example, lol) and it's more about worrying that it won't be enjoyable for someone who doesn't speak that language. Even if you provide translations it's just a lot of effort to scroll back and forth.

A word here and there is fine for me, or if you can cleverly convey language barriers by adding a few sentences. But otherwise, I would just rather write what language they are supposed to be speaking in.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Uh I think HP, back in high school. But that just shows my age lol

20. Favorite fic you've ever written? That is so difficult to answer. It's either "put my heart in your pocket" or "moral compass for hire".

[tutuandscoot]

I finally watched and the waltz goes on for the first time I’ve been putting it off so long. And it was gorgeous! Not my top favorites or anything but god they know how to waltz. Such grace. What are your thoughts on it? I watched a few different versions and yeah they did struggle here and there. I thought the commentary for the worlds version was a tad bit harsh? But idk I for sure don’t have the best technical eye.

Yeah I really like that program. I think it’s so sweet. They changed it quite a bit between the GP series and the second half of the season. I really liked the qwerky touches of the first version with the fixed feet and playful moments between them- it was still a very traditional kind of dance but those little choreographic/story touches made it interesting.

They’ve aluded to this being quite a rough season with small injuries not to mention M + I splitting up so now both TS and DW had to share Marina as their main coach. I’m not to assume what specific difficulties all that brought them in their actual performances but yes it was clear this wasn’t their most ‘effortless’ season.

Like you I have hardly any technical knowledge but I do feel they were judged extremely harshly in general that season and were not rewarded for their creativity, innovation, along with the running theme of their career their superior chemistry not being accounted for in the performance score. As for the twizzles at worlds I’ve seen MUCH WORSE twizzle mishaps judged kinder (ie pc SD in 2018 SOMEHOW got lvl 4 which I mean if that’s not an indication of it being fixed idk what is!) I mean TS’s wasn’t even a mishap they only opened slightly off time to each other so not that I understand the scoring and requirements for various levels (and I haven’t looked at the protocols) but I would only say should be a small quality deduction.

My favourite overall performance of Waltz was 4CC it was by far the most effortless, joyous, they were so happy at the end. It was such a shame with what happened in the FD bc they were leading after the SD and I felt up until the mishap Carmen was going so well they should’ve won. I also really like the nationals skate and although I’m often bothered by Tracey Wilson’s commentary, when she starts saying ‘look what they’re doing..(I don’t remember what she says exactly) but what she’s getting at is like when I say that TS are just so much better than everyone else and a lot of it is these teeny tiny things like unison and connection and being true dancers that most people just don’t appreciate enough when the rest of us say that they are the best ever.

I actually started watching the SD from Worlds 2013 (it’s on YT with Czech commentary) and in regards to the Polka portion TS have so much more bounce, body movement, their edges are superior, elongation- syncopation and finishing their lines then speeding up on the quicker steps (while being perfectly in the music). The other teams I’ve watched so far are very bland, everything is on one level both physically and musically. TS always manage to make the compulsory portions highlights in their programs and make them memorable moments rather than boring steps everyone has to do.

I think this program was a great example of it not necessarily being their most memorable program or the one you think of when you say ‘VirtueMoir’ but at the same time it is perfectly them because of the way they dance- waltz can be considered quite boring but they really truly dance it- I love, I think it’s someone from BESP says it’s like a mini FD because you forget about the elements and just enjoy them dancing. It was a great character piece for them- not as obvious characters as say Carmen or MR but they really took you to that village setting- like the first act of Coppelia or Giselle. It also was another reason to highlight their versatility in their body of work, obviously they had no choice they had to do a waltz/polka but when you line all their programs up it’s not like they had done a very similar dance before of after it.

[maraudersftw]

Hi Claudia!!

First of all, Happy Diwali. It must be really weird not being with your loved ones during Diwali festivities. My favourite form of escapism is reading, while songs are playing in the background or drawing something(from reference) while listening to a podcast.

What are your favorite tropes (outside of jily and fan fiction in general) ? Are they different than the jily ones? I can guess you do like found family, cause you love marauders.

Is there any book and fanfic story you're reading? Or you last read?

What genre do you lean towards more, fantasy romances or romcoms?

Did you listen to midnights? Which is the lyrics you felt most connected to? (If you did, if you didn't, then, what's the lady lyric you felt most connected to?

And a prompt: James has a pet cat, Lily hates them, (Sirius doesn't hate her) her first visit to his house is during seventh year, when they've just started dating. (Sorry, i wasn't able to come up with anything else😅)

-G 💗🤍

Hi, lovely! This is the kindest message ever, thank you so much for all the brightness here 💖 That's a very cute prompt, I'll try and put together something for it xx

What are your favorite tropes (outside of jily and fan fiction in general) ? Are they different than the jily ones?

I absolutely do love found family <3 They're not very different, but outside of jily, I also really enjoy reading about kickass female protagonists and tropes like fake dating, office romances, beach/summer romances, and enemies to lovers. Also, any good psych thriller that can make me go "what the fuck" at the end is an instant favourite.

What genre do you lean towards more, fantasy romances or romcoms?

Can I say all? Because it's all. My love for books really depends more on the writing and storyline than the genre.

Did you listen to midnights? Which is the lyrics you felt most connected to?

Absolutely! Midnights has been playing on repeat for the past three days on my phone/laptop/speaker. SO hard to pick a single lyric because ts has really outdone herself with this one.

I don't necessarily relate with this one the most, but it hits quite hard (from would've could've should've):

And I damn sure would've never danced with the devil at 19 And the God's honest truth is that the pain was heaven And now that I'm grown, I'm scared of ghosts Memories feel like weapons

But if we are talking about the one I related to the most, it's this one from Anti-Hero (because I'm quite tall and often feel this way hahah):

Sometimes, I feel like everybody is a sexy baby And I'm a monster on the hill Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city

[jeanmoreaux]

this is a controversial take i think but lemme say how much i appreciate actual deluxe editions™️ of albums like Maisie Peters' from The Good Witch Deluxe (Truth Is, and The Last One are my favorites on repeat but ALL the extra songs I adore they all have different POVs and are at different stages of nostalgia /hindsight from her) --- and Noah Kahan's extra songs from his extended version straight up killed me on the spot they're all amazing and make me wanna scream into the void

....and I know we've been spoiled with Taylor's re-recordings but i am very much disappointed with how the deluxe version of 1989 is literally just Bad Blood with Kendrick Lamar ( I LOVE HIM don't get me wrong)

^ and i say this as a veteran TS fan i promise you 😂 its mostly been underwhelming to me honestly she just sounds monotone in most of the songs in the re-recordings (I'll never forgive how Better Man sounds...so mediocre) which is why i try to play the Vault tracks more

oh i am always a fan of deluxe albums, even if i only end up liking one of the extra track jhgjhgh. always happy to have more music from artists i like!!! also the extended version of stick season is a masterpiece to me. ever song is So Good.

well, when it comes to taylor's rerecordings they all feel like deluxe albums to me bc of the vault tracks. and i mean this time around the actual deluxe tracks are on the regular versions too!! very interesting to see how differently we feel about the rerecording. it all come down to preference i guess. i love them all very much and i am not disappointed at all (maybe some songs here and there but not in general). but i absolutely get what you mean. the og versions are sooo burned into my brain i def need a couple of listens to get used to the rerecordings, but then they sound almost identical to me. i have to admit better man is not on my regular rotation so i don't have an opinion, but i am sorry it did meet your expectations. it's always a little frustrating when that happens. ngl i feel a little bit like this about ikywt and wanegbt even tho i do not dislike the rerecordings there is just Something missing.

[timandlucy]

hi suz! it's been a bit since i last checked in. i hope you're doing well!

i agree, the reveal of nancy being lucy's baby and all of 1x16 in general is one of my favorite things from the show, it was so perfectly done. and i do love the death curse storyline. 4x01 was immaculate, it really was. i think my favorite will forever be season 2, specifically 2x18, that one just hits every time. but i truly think s2 is one of the best seasons of television like ever. she's that girl.

sooooo, i know that you're a fan of taylor swift (so true so true) and i was wondering what your favorite album(s) and song(s) are, and if there are any taylor songs that you really associate with nace or any other nd characters?

sending you lots of love and good vibes - secret sleuth 🔎🧡

I'm doing well, thank you! It's kind of a meh week, but it's almost over! Hope you're doing well too! 💛

I do love season 2, but there are certain things in s2 that sometimes make me mad/sad, so it's a roller coaster. Like Drew Crew's treatment of Nancy at the beginning of the season, and overall really bothered me a little. But they had some strong episodes that I absolutely adore, and I thought the wraith storyline was so well executed. I wish we'd have seen more of the aftermath though? (look at me ramble away again)

Omg, whatever gave you that impression 😂 it's not like I talk about her constantly 🙈 ooof, asking the hard questions I see! So my fave album is always gonna be Reputation. It came out at a very low point of my life and I really related to it so much. Rep is always gonna be that bitch 😎 As far as the songs go, my fave is The Lakes, idk it just makes me feel soft and happy. I also adore ATW 10 minute version.

I'll always associate The Great War with Nace. It's their anthem. And ours. 🥺 I'm always a firm believer that every TS song can be adapted for any ship, but there are some I 100% connect with them, You are in love has some lyrics that always make me think of nace, and so does Long Story Short (long story short it was the wrong guy / And he's passing by / Rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky / And he feels like home). Exile and I almosr do when I'm feeling especially angsty about S4. Timeless got me through the darkest s4 moments so I'll always associate it with them. And for Nancy I always think of her when I hear You're on your own kid. And State of Grace for Ryan and Lucy 😭.

Feeling sorry you asked yet? 😂 Can you tell how much fun I had answering this? 💛

Sending lots of love your way. I personally don't celebrate it (it's not a thing here) but if you do, Happy Thanksgiving!

[bastardsofravenkroft-blog]

speak now tv for me on first listen:

in general:

i love the heavier and more unfiltered (?) guitar work, it suits speak now soooo well. hate whoever the backup singer dude is. their voice is not good with hers imo, its really throwing me off. i dont like how quiet her secondary/backup vocals/‘improvs’ are either. its hard to tell if i like the mix or not yet bc its just different yk

in specific:

i like all the vault tracks. theyre good. anyone who thought castles crumbling would be scream-y i have full rights to call you silly. i can see you was way more of a banger than i thought it would be.

fucking hate mine. i will not be listening to it i dont think. which is the first rerecord i absolutely cannot stand. remember when big wigs came up on you belong with me tv and said its a totally different song and thats me with mine. its awful

sparks fly - pretty good overall, doesnt quite match the heart of the og but i think thatll be a running theme unfortunately.

back to december - perfect. theres a sorta loud like horn or something after the first chorus but its fine. very good taysquared fans are FED.

speak now - perfect. solid. nothing to say bc its a pretty nothing song really but its great.

dear john - honestly was just okay until the middle really. then she really gets into i feel, and it fucking hits. the girl in the dress wrote you a song. and you shouldve known.

mean - i love it! sounds like how it did when they played it live. its fun

the story of us - meh. its not bad at all but its not like. magical either. i like the og better but this is still perfectly listenable

never grow up - three times as good as the original. listening to this was like hearing it for the first time at 14 when someone had one of the most prevalent thoughts in my head into one song.

enchanted - the model rerecord (kinda). this is what they should be. not all of them are going to be exact remakes, but this one is pretty damn close but still has its own personality. WIN.

better than revenge - BANGER. THE FUCKING BACKING VOCALS. i dont mind the lyric change, its hers to change, and i dont think thats much of anybody’s business. shes come to terms with the way she treated another woman when she was 18 and i personally wont shit on her for that. and she couldve intentionally made it shit so a lyric that still works well and illustrates the picture? yes please

innocent - better than the original. better. esp the bridge. no more words cause i will be crying. (also i didnt know for years this shit was about kanye and ngl that did sour it a bit but its MINE so I WILL NOT BE CARING. ty)

haunted - ehhhhh. this is one of my favorite ts songs literally ever bc i was born and raised to be an emo piece of shit, i love the second half, but im not sold on the first half. i hope this is one that mega grows on me, and im still so fucking disappointed not to have an acoustic rerecord :( hopefully itll be added later bc its so fucking good

last kiss - the two seconds of waiting for this to play were like every first day of school all over again. but like enchanted its stellar, she got into it from the beginning and i always forget what an amazing song this is until i listen to it again. i wrote this song out in full at least five times in the journal i had at the time. i really love this version just as much.

long live - so fucking faithful??? WHERE WAS THIS ENERGY FOR MINE??? UGGHHHHHHH anyways shes cute! i like. not super attached to this song anymore but i like this way more than the og even i think. a spruce up was what it needed for me i think

ours - its really really different, and i have no feelings really bc ive never really liked it lol. it flows better i think now, but its still a boring weee im in love song so eh

superman - i really didnt listen to this lmao, it didnt deserve to be on any version of speak now imo, esp now hearing the vault tracks, i wouldve liked foolish one more (timeless is more red to me, she was a bit too immature for when emma falls in love and castles crumbling to sound right, and the other songs were too pop for speak now really)

no matter what though, red and speak now will never be replaceable for me. i love these versions but listening to the originals as a young teenage girl and feel heard and seen in ways i never had been before and working through so many complicated things with the help of those songs is something the rerecords will never have.

also whoever said she could remove one of her best songs from arguably one of her best albums.

[phoebe-delia]

Phoebes did you notice that most of the song prompts are odd numbers? I just think it's kind of neat! But for some lovely chaos in the stats, let us please have song no. 10? Also your doing this is a wonderful gift to the world and I adore you so so so so much

@rockingrobin69, Robin, my darling, hello. First of all, I'd noticed that the first ten or so were mostly odd numbers, but after you pointed it out, I realized how many odd-numbered ones I'd done! How funny. Also, before I get to tell you what song you've selected, I want to say that you and your writing are the true gifts and the feeling is very much mutual, my love. I cannot thank you enough for your constant love, support, and friendship. I absolutely adore you. <3

Another funny thing, Robin, is that you've managed to now select two out of my top three all-time favorite songs by Taylor Swift. (song prompt 3 was, ironically, my 3rd favorite TS song: "it's time to go.") But here, you've requested song 10, which is my number 1 favorite Taylor song of all time: "All Too Well."

The trouble is, I've already written one fic to this before. But no matter! I will persevere. This is technically a sequel to the original fic, but you don't have to have read it to understand this one! It is highly likely when the 10-minute version of All Too Well comes out that I will write a fic to that, but since it's not out yet, here's this. CW: post-breakup, potion/substance addiction, bad coping mechanisms, potions overdose; but there's a hopeful/happy ending!

Paralytici Memorias means "paralyzed memories" in Latin, if Google Translate is to be believed. And finally, an enormous, gigantic thank you to my big sis @avenueofesc for making this coherent and much better.

It wasn't a substitute by any means. It would never replace what it was made to mimic. In some ways, it was hopelessly inadequate.

But it was all he had: just the potion and his memories. If Draco's mind insisted on torturing him by reliving the best moments of his life in sepia-toned images, at least this way he could delay the crushing reality a little while longer.

Paralytici Memorias was his greatest triumph and biggest mistake. At first, he blamed it on completing his due diligence; every good potioneer should know and test the effects of their potion.

But then one test turned into two. Before he knew it, Draco spent the better part of his days coming in and out of deep periods of sleep, reaching for the vial every time his eyes opened to the sight of his empty flat, his engagement band on the coffee table next to him.

He wondered what Astoria would say if she could see him now. If their current level of communication as soon-to-be-weds was any indication, their marriage contract was more of a business venture than a romantic one.

After all, as long as he had a pulse, sperm for insemination, and a sound enough mind to sign over half his vaults, he'd have done his duty as her future husband as far as she was concerned.

"You'll forget about me, I promise."

His own words—written on the parchment he'd sent off with his owl before he could stop himself—were burned into his memory. He still remembered the searing pain in his chest as he promised the love of his life that what they'd had could be forgotten. In breaking Harry's heart, and in shattering his own, his only consolation was knowing that Harry would be happy eventually; that Harry would move on and find someone with the freedom to love him the way he deserved, someone who could offer the intangible riches in which Draco had always been impoverished.

As he reached for the vial that afternoon, it was to remind himself of the priceless love he sold for the price of his heart.

The potion’s effect was hazier than a Pensieve, but this way he could see the memories from his own point of view; could relive it in his own skin. Still, his mind couldn't do justice to Harry's eyes, the bright sound of his laughter, the warmth of his skin.

They were in Harry's car, the name of which Draco had never bothered to learn, too terrified and fascinated by the contraption. He yelped when Harry took a hand off the wheel to grab Draco's shaking one in a reassuring squeeze.

"Hands on the wheel, Potter!"

"I've got it under control, love. You watched me put the protection spells on the car myself, and it would be perfectly safe even without them. I promise I won't let anything happen to you," Harry said without an ounce of condescension.

Draco exhaled shakily, "If you say so."

"I do. Now, why don't you tell me a little more about where we're going?"

"Have you forgotten already? Honestly, Potter, your memory is abysmal."

"I haven't forgotten. I just like hearing you talk."

Draco valiantly didn't blush. And while he described the beauty of the Cotswolds, he found himself mesmerized at the red and orange leaved trees that lined the road as they drove out of the city and into the peaceful countryside, with its steady beeping noise.

Wait…that wasn't right. Why was it beeping?

"Potter, there's something wrong with the car."

"Draco?"

He squeezed his eyes shut tight before he opened them, blinking as the unfamiliar room came into focus. He could feel his pulse pounding in his head as his mind raced in a heady mix of confusion and anxiety. What happened? Why wasn't he in his flat?

"You're in St. Mungos."

Draco's head nearly snapped as he turned to look at a pale-faced Harry sitting in the chair next to his bed. Near Harry stood an unfamiliar woman scribbling on a clipboard. She reached over onto a side table and handed Draco a paper cup. The water was cool, a relief for his parched, sandpaper throat.

"Mr. Malfoy, how do you feel?" She asked after he handed the cup back to her.

Draco closed his eyes to stop the room from spinning. "My head is killing me and I'm dizzy, but I'm okay. What happened?"

"Your fiancée found you unconscious in your flat. We completed a blood test and couldn't match the substance to anything we know—"

"I invented it," Draco grumbled. "Where is Astoria? Harry, what are you doing here?"

The healer pressed her lips together. "I'll leave you to gather yourself for a few minutes, but I'll be back soon to ask you more about that potion, and next steps from there, alright?"

Draco nodded. "Thank you, Healer...?"

She smiled. "I'm Healer Rostova. Press that pager if you need something, but otherwise, I'll be back in a little while." With that, she left the room, the door clicking softly behind her.

Draco turned to Harry, who regarded him with wide, worried eyes. "What happened? Why are you here?"

Harry bit his lip. "Astoria found you unconscious on your couch. She brought you here and then she, well...She called me."

"She—what?"

"She called me. She said you were in the hospital, and I didn't really think much beyond Apparating here."

"Why did she call you?"

"She said you were...talking in your sleep."

Draco blushed. "Oh."

"Yeah," Harry let out a humorless, breathy chuckle. "She figured it out, I think. She said to tell you that she's having her parents terminate the contract."

Draco closed his eyes, letting his head thud against the headboard and then instantly regretting it, gritting his teeth against the sharp pain. "Great. I bet Mother's furious."

"She'll come around."

"You don't know that. You don't know her."

"No, I don't, but hopefully she'll want you to do what makes you happy."

Draco clenched his jaw and looked away. "Happiness is easier to manage when it's artificial. I ran away from the only thing that ever brought me close to real happiness. I can't handle it."

"Then let's manage it together."

Draco closed his eyes, kept his head turned.

"Draco, look at me."

Slowly, Draco forced himself to look at Harry, opening his eyes to let the other man see the tears beginning to well.

Harry's expression was as pained, yet kind. "Do you have any idea how agonizing it has been to miss you?"

Draco's chest seized, sharp with regret. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I thought it was what's best for both of us, I—"

"Shhh," Harry leaned forward, rubbing a soothing hand over Draco's. "We'll make it okay. We'll figure this out together, alright?"

Draco kept his eyes open, let himself enjoy happiness in full color. "Okay. Together."

Send me an ask about Harry Potter, broadway/musicals, The West Wing, and/or Taylor Swift! Or just about life in general :).

Also, I have a playlist of my 99 most listened-to songs of the year so far. Pick a number 1--99 and send me an ask and I'll write you a fic based on it!

[yeahlenas]

yelena belova | best fanfic recommendation list

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

welcome to my masterlist of yelena (and natasha) centric fanfiction - there’s not too many out there, but i suspect the tag will explode after the movie finally comes out. but until then i thought i’d share with you the works i’ve found and that i enjoyed immensely!!

this list includes fics with yelena as the main character (not too many), and others where yelenat is the main pairing (romantically/platonically), or yelena is not the main character but still is important and featured.

hopefully this list will give you some new epic content and inspiration for your own works! (cause let’s be honest the internet needs more of these incredible characters)

my own works:

starting this off with some shameless selfpromo hehe ≧◡≦. i never really wrote fanfiction before the character of yelena came and gave me so much inspiration and motivation!! 

if i had to perish twice (edge of tomorrow au) 

status: completed 1/1 words: 19,549 

a loooong and good one (unbiased) to get you started!! this is by far the longest piece of writing i’ve ever done and i’m super proud of it! this is an au of the movie edge of tomorrow, and yelena is the main protagonist. there is also implied stucky and a lot of the avengers show up throughout. yelenat is the main pairing! you don’t have to watch the movie to understand it (i hope), i’ve tried to explain it in the fic to the best of my ability! (that being said, watching the trailer helps and ofc the movie is the very best option, it’s on netflix!)

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26082565

i tend not to weep

status: completed 1/1 words: 3,166

natasha and yelena’s cover is blown, and when they escape their plane is shot down - injured yelenat, hurt & comfort and angst.

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27334447

i’ll be the actress (starring in your bad dreams)

status: completed 1/1 words: 2,610 

two russian assassins walk into a bar. it doesn't go how either of them had planned. 

a crossover with killing eve, in which yelena meets the mysterious character of villanelle during a mission.

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29617044

you’ll have a good time with all of these amazing fics:

drip (that’s the sound of your ledger) | LOVE THIS ONE

“ There were whispers, after S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fall. They followed Natasha wherever she went, until she could ignore them no longer. 

Welcome back to the Red Room.”

status: completed 13/13 words: 86,222 author: songofdefiance

THIS. this fic came out of nowhere and hit me until i was down (and then some more) with the pairing of nat and sharon which i didn’t know i needed!!! great twists, fun adventure, and yelena is giving me all the feels in this one. high re-readability!! the entire fic is incredible and 10000% worth your time - it is also the first in an incredible series, and yelena features more heavily as we go along. i wish i could read it for the first time again!!

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4156134

part one of the this won’t end with a whimper series: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4156134

black widow: from brooklyn with love

“Rosa Diaz thought her past was dead and buried somewhere out in the Siberian tundra. But when Natasha Romanoff shows up at the 99 with a smile and a bundle of secrets, she knows she has no choice but to finish what Red Room started.”

status: completed 12/12 words: 37,573 author: wonderlander090

i love brooklyn99. i love yelena and natasha. the genius of wonderlander090 wrote a fic of everyone together and it’s SO MUCH FUN! features badass ladies, red room feels and overall epicness.

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13387431

black widow

“After she released every piece of her secrecy to the world, Natasha Romanoff flees to get back her feeling of being a competent spy. Unfortunately, her old enemies have resurfaced, and have plans that force Natasha to meet old partners and old horrors. “

completed 17/17 words: 58,155 author: clarkesjade

the author’s wonderful take on the black widow movie. personal stakes, dark enemies and espionage with the great trio of nat, yelena and bucky against the world.

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17284406

taipei

“Yelena is nowhere to be seen, and considering the circumstances, Natalia knows far better than to presume that means she made it out.”

status: completed 1/1 words: 1,518 author: novoaa1 (@ultralightdumbass)

yelenat banter, the best banter there is!! in which yelena and natasha’s paths crosses on a mission. 

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24994090

part of the chance encounter series: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1809355

remember when we used to play?

“Natalia loves Yelena as fire loves innocence. It destroys and ruins and is doomed.”

status: completed 1/1 words: 2,315 author: hellotomyoldheart (@hellotomyoldheart)

a couple thousand words to step on my heart a couple thousand times :)) a yelenat with red room feels, and just a shit ton of feels in general lol help

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21664936

youth (makes fools of us all)

“In 1994, a young Widow is assigned an important mission playing the wife of the Red Guardian. In 1994, two students are selected to accompany them.In 1994, against all machinations of the Red Room, a family is made.“

status: completed 1/1 words: 4,871 author: sanctuaria (@aleksandrachaev)

no words for this beautiful piece!! with the release of the new trailer something like this is canon now, and the entire idea of pretending to be a family and then natasha and yelena becoming one in their hearts is just OWWW, run me over instead, it’d hurt less

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23954776

what a wicked game to play (to make me feel this way)

“after you win the games, you lose.” hunger games au.

status: complete 1/1 words: 60,545 author: taylorswift (not THAT ts haha (at least i dont think so??))

this is a clintasha au, so don’t expect tooo much yelena. i love the relationship between yelena and nat in this one though, so here it is!!

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24957505

you made it this far (just a little bit more)

“I'm dead, Yelena says, I killed myself in that room, Natasha didn't need to shoot me for that, and isn't sure it translates.”

status: completed 1/1 series 3/3 words: 35,939 author: notcaycepollard (@notcaycepollard)

yelena is the main character in part 3 of this time travel fix it series. feels a bit au because (obviously) a lot of things were changed and their lives end up being very different. very happy take on everything and if you want some good old serotonin and good times for our characters, this one is so good!!

read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27913387

part 3 of the a flame in two cupped hands series: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538677

the end (for now) (◕︵◕)

as you can see i get all my yelena fics from ao3, i think that site is just so wonderful and easy to navigate!! i’m updating the yelena tag often, and i’m constantly looking for new good fics to share - so if you’re interested, bookmark this/follow me for future updates! if you have any personal favorites from ao3 that i’ve missed, or from other sites, do not hesitate to share them with me so i can update the list!!

(also i tried to tag the authors i could find on tumblr but idk if it worked?)