#little sci fi/mysterious vibes here

[drowning-in-cacophony]

it/thing

Written for @flashfictionfridayofficial Prompt 218: How Do You Use 'It'?

[Summary: a girl ignores her impulses and prepares for her new fate]

Her fingers are guaranteed to stay at her sides, even as the tips curve slightly towards her palms as if to stop a reaching she’d never permit. Instead it’s her eyes that rove, that graze and brush and take in the whole… thing.

She’s not too sure there’s actually a word to describe it.

The room, at least, she can: oppressive. Like a chamber blooming off a cave’s narrow tunnels, with a ceiling curving and pulsing, no windows in sight and the only light comes from the thing, a lacing pattern like veins casting over her skin. It’s like stepping inside a balloon, for some unquestionable reason, and probably she should be running back out. Places that feel like this are never going to be safe; things that happen here are never right. These are the places of lifechanging events, the sort the people making don’t live to see what change they create.

But like her fingers stay at her sides, her feet stay firmly pointed inwards. Away from the only exit she can see, because though it’s there, open and waiting, she won’t take it. Can’t take it.

“How do you use it?” Quiet. Serious. Two words perfect to describe her in the last five days; possibly the two words that made her perfect to get to this position. Deeper inside this thing, he turns, eyes glinting in the darkness. The thing’s light causes a water-like ripple, dropping down his forehead and colliding with his brows.

“It’s simpler than it looks,” he answers with a ghost of a smile. “Quite intuitive, once you’ve settled in.”

It’s not quite an answer, she notes. In service of his want to be mysterious a little longer – up to this point, he has been the only one to work it – or in genuineness that there is no way to answer. To drive a car, you sit in the front seat. For this, maybe first look rings true, that there is no front seat.

Still, she wants an answer. Directions, something to grasp and work with. She doesn’t want to step in only in his shadow, letting him be the only way to settle in.

“How’d you do that, then?” She can’t make herself take another step closer – what if she disturbs something? – but she can set her mouth into a hard, challenging line.

Once more, his mouth twitches. Not a true smile, nothing more than a whisp. Under these lights, it fits better than it would outside. Like the swirling dimness befits controlled looks, thin expressions.

“Are you sure you want to know?”

Again, not an answer. This time her fingertips curl towards her palms with deliberate needed sharpness, to clench her fists in frustration. Is it not enough that she entered this place? That she’s gazed up and around at this thing, taken a breath and not turned and fled? She’d heard rumours that the two others they’d tried had done that. They’d looked at what she had, and chose whatever other options they could scrape, but she hasn’t. She’s still here, not running.

“Maybe you should trust our superiors. If they’ve let me in here, clearly they’re confident I want to know.” Her tone’s sharper, like the edge of her chin that she juts out. Can he see that, in this light? At least her voice is unimpeded; this whole thing doesn’t seem to emit any sound. It’s mostly a lightshow, pulses and waves that make her feel like there’s sound missing.

There’s no smile this time, ghost or not. There’s just a laugh, sharp as her tone, barking across the space. She jumps; controls it into a jolt of her shoulders, practically invisible.

“That’s more bite than the last two had,” he says with a wry shake of his head. “I think I might have offended you.”

Might?

“If you want to make it up to me, you should answer my questions.” She badly wants to fold her arms over her chest, a firm wall of steel, but it’s better keeping them at her sides. His eyes flick over her again – and how does she look, under this light? – before jerking his head at her. Gesturing her closer.

She doesn’t swallow, because she knew what she was getting into when she came in here, yet it does take a second more than she’d like to work her feet into the first steps.

“It works through here,” he explains as she slowly steps closer. It’s narrower, and it gets dimmer, further from the exit. The darkness swirls like a too-thick blanket; she doesn’t give into the impulse to breathe too quickly.

Instead she looks where he gestures, a part of the wall carved out, hollowed. It’s like a geode cracked, the thing bleeding in blunt chunks around the hollow, the place, she understands, that she is to control it.

Across, there is another hollow. His.

Claustrophobia rears to brush against the back of her neck, ignored like every other impulse she’s had since entering. Third time’s meant to be the charm, and she’s the third to enter. She’s the one who won’t let herself leave.

“It’s intuitive, once I settle in.” An echo, a questioning statement for confirmation. Either way, she glances at him, finding his eyes by the way the film catches the thing’s light. He nods, the ghost back on his lips.

“Don’t worry,” he tells her, a sentiment that doesn't help at all. “It’s not as horrible as it looks like it’ll be.”

[ostrichmonkey-games]

Itch.io Summer Sale

Time for the itch summer sale! I've put a selection of games and games-things on sale from now until July 13th. Check out the whole sale over here, and here's a few highlights as a little appetizer;

Vibe Check

Inspired by The World Ends With You. Survive the Watcher's Game in an action and fashion fueled bid at a second chance. Build and tailor your character by mixing and matching different brands, looks, and super-powered tokens. Checkout the quickstart-demo for a taste of what to expect!

Paktbound

A lean, action powered game inspired by Dishonored. Take on the role of the Paktbound, poor wretches who have pledged themselves to the service of the Stranger, as they tackle heists and hits in the rotten city of light and mirrors.

A Stroll Through the Patchwork Kingdom

A whimsical and surreal setting suffused with melancholy and dream-logic. Visit the ever-twilight town of Spindlecliff, the Court of the Weasel Throne, the Upside-Down Observatory, and more.

Anomalous Carbon Sludge

A system agnostic sci-fi adventure. Uncover the mystery of the catastrophic events that occurred at Deadrock Station, if you can survive the creeping alien, silicon-fungal network.

[ectomoog]

How to Get Your Friends into Doctor Who (2005) - A Guide

Ok I really like Doctor Who, and of course I like introducing people to it, but oh my god do you forget how randomly terrible and/or cringy and/or uncomfortably Moffat-esque some of the episodes are, *especially* when you're watching it with someone who has no idea what to expect.

SO I made a list of ten episodes that I think would be the best loose sequence of episodes for a causal introduction to the show...

But first, some requirements:

It has to be a one-off (NO TWO-PARTERS), low commitment, etc

It can't require watching previous OR following episodes to be enjoyable

It needs to actually be good

It needs to represent Doctor Who well

In a social setting where you're showing a group of people an episode, most of these would be fine. Watching consistently with one person however, loosely follow this order, and if your person decides at any point that they want to commit to actually watching the show, skip straight back to The End of The World and watch Series 1. Ok list time...

1. Rose (S1, E01)

I think Rose is the perfect episode of Doctor Who to start on. It's campy, it's fun and weird and it sets up almost everything you need to know for the Revival Era. You get the companion, the Doctor, regular Doctor Who tropes and themes, etc. Plus, if they can't get past the Mickey bin scene, this show probably isn't for them anyway.

2. Dalek (S1, E06)

Skipping a few episodes into Series 1, Dalek is a great way to get a feel for the format of the show, and also a great and intentional introduction to the Daleks. The Doctor and the companion turn up in a mysterious place and have to battle an alien force and really unlikeable one-off side characters, the works basically. It's a fun monster-movie of an episode.

3. Vincent and The Doctor (S5,E10)

Jumping a whole five series forward, Vincent and The Doctor is a notoriously heart-wrenching historical that I think is a classic (if a little indulgent) example of Doctor-meets-famous-historical-figure. It's nice to jump to a different Doctor and a different era of the show, to get a feel for its' diversity. Although there's a few moments relevant to the greater series plot, it's contained, very pretty, very sweet, and easy to understand.

4. Midnight (S4, E10)

Midnight just feels like an essential episode to be honest. A fantastic one-off sci-fi horror/thriller, with one of David Tennant's best performances, a great introduction to the 10th Doctor. It's a shame you don't get more Donna, but I think this one would be my go-to if someone asked for the best episode to watch stand-alone, just based on how genuinely great it is.

5. Heaven Sent (S9, E11)

Jumping to Series 9 with another critically-acclaimed episode, but also one that I think is an amazing introduction to the 12th Doctor. Heaven Sent is a little unconventional, and I'm not 100% sure it should be here, but it does give Capaldi a whole episode to just act his ass off, and he completely delivers. It's artsy, mysterious and dramatic, very much the high concept sci-fi style of Moffat's later scripts, so I think an appropriate watch.

6. The Voyage of The Damned (2007 Special)

If you're not in a festive mood, try The Lodger or Demons of the Punjab instead

The Christmas episodes are too iconic not to show, and as far as Christmassy vibes, celebrity cameos and whimsical concepts go, this one is a fun one. This is David Tennant in his prime, with Kylie Minogue, a massive budget and a romp of a script.

6. Blink (S3, E10)

I mean, duh, but genuinely I think Blink is just *too good* not to include. A tense, creepy, tightly-written piece of horror TV with twists and turns and drama, it's considered the best episode of Doctor Who for a reason, and along with Midnight is an amazing stand-alone episode. It's not super conventional, but all the timey-wimey stuff is very Doctor Who.

6. The Mummy on The Orient Express (S8, E08)

If you're a Tennant stan you could swap this out for The Planet of the Dead

This one is just a fun one really. The Mummy on The Orient Express is stylish and fun, with a cool concept and a little peek into a more complex Doctor-companion relationship. With a short explanation you can get the context pretty easily, and it's a good example of your typical episode anyway.

HOWEVER if you have time, there's a bunch of two-parters you should watch instead, like The Family of Blood, The Empty Child, Silence in the Library, even Extremis.

9. The Haunting of Villa Diodati (S12, E10)

Finally some 13th Doctor rep! This one has some of the strongest writing in the Chibnall era, and is a fun horror mystery that serves as a fun introduction to Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor. It has a little bit of series-wide arc, but that's okay.

10. The Church on Ruby Road (2023 Special 4)

If your person liked all those episodes but still doesn't want to watch 13 seasons of TV, just abandon ship and watch the 2023 Christmas special in preparation for Series 14 (or Season 1) in Spring 2024. The Church on Ruby Road is the beginning of the latest soft reboot of the show and has been explicitly created as a jumping on point for new fans. Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson absolutely shine in this special, it's fun and silly and in my opinion bodes very well for the next season of Doctor Who...

"in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important" - Bannakaffalatta

I hope that was a success! After all those episodes hopefully you either had a good time with whoever you were watching it with, or you've already moved onto Series 1! I'll be trying this out the best I can with my girlfriend this year, so look out, because I may be back with adjustments later...

[multidimensionalsock]

A list of indie games that take you to weird places with weird vibes.

My favorite genre of video game, go to a weird place and meet other weird people while you explore the weird little world and learn about the meaning of life.

Truberbrook

A sci-fi set in 1960s Germany. Quantum physicist, Hans Tannhauser wins a lottery he quite determinedly, did not enter, to visit the tiny, strange, remote and rather dead town of Trüberbrook. On your first night you have your research papers stolen, meet a woman who insists on you going up the mountain with her, and get far more than you bargained for in terms of multidimensional, universe warping nonsense.

Night in the woods

Mae, and anthropomorphic cat, drops out of college to come back to live with her parents in her dying home town in the American rust belt, for reasons she refuses to explain. Here she discovers that not only has the town moved on from where it was when she was younger, but the people have too, and she's forced to battle with this as well as supernatural dreams about instrument players, and a town full of a range of weird people that feels just as alive as she does and have their own stories and lives.

eastward

After the world was threatened by a substance called 'miasma', the lasting human population hides in cities that offer some form of protection. Your main character finds himself a miner in a controlling and subterranean town, knowing nothing of the outside until he finds a mysterious girl and takes her in. You go from being the best, frying pan wielding miner, to getting kicked out of the town into the wider, post apocalyptic world, exploring the weird settlements of the outside and making friends with equally weird acquaintances.

oxenfree

A group of 5 teenagers take the last boat out to an old military fort for an overnight party on the beach. There are legends about the island, that sometimes you can pick up frequencies to radio stations that don't exist, and that is how you unwittingly open a ghostly rift tied to the islands past, your friends start disappearing, and you need to solve whats going on by exploring the island, and the frequencies in the old military tech that haunt it.

disco Elysium

You're a cop, or rather the closest this unpoliced area of revachol can call a cop. You're drunken, and a drug addict, and a body has been hung on a tree outside for the past week, threatening to start a civil war between corporate and unions and minor militias for the past week, beginning to rot. As a husk of your past, apparently accomplished self (though you cant remember that, you cant even currently remember your own name after the bender you went on) you need to try and solve the mystery, alongside your partner Kim. Along the way you can also decide to join a union, or a bootlicker, a drug addict, or wear some very questionable clothing while telling a woman her husband died, all while being fully narrated to by 24 weirdly talkative voices in your head.

Everybodys gone to the rapture

This is a town with no people, just an empty place with the stories of those that were. In the shopshire countryside a town exists where everyone has disappeared, only bright orbs to lead you around the valley, listening to telephones, radios and recordings, as well as the lights themselves morphing into their human counterparts, to show the past events that led to everyone disappearance, symptoms of illness, before eventually fading, unexplainably, into lights, an infection created by a none human entity, a 'pattern', which can travel from human to human. A look at the tangled lives of humans in the town, and eventually how they reacted to their quarantine and those around them vanishing.

[queers-ahoy]

ket's 2023 favorite fanfiction reads!

here ye here ye! come one come all to hear about my Favorite Fics of 2023! A surprising number of these aren't even complete, but isn't that just how the cookie crumbles sometimes. I highly recommend all of these, completed or not! Most are Gentlebeard, but the last two are little wildcards! Fics that had their word count marked with an asterisk are incomplete.

Once Upon a Summer in San Francisco by samwise | E | 209k*

A charming and thrilling AU set in San Francisco in 1978. Ed, a career drug dealer, meets Stede during a music festival after getting drugged by his office co-workers. They become intertwined in a relationship that puts both of them in new territory. I think my favorite part of this fic is all of the music and fashion references, as well as how all the crew members (and others!) are woven into the story. All the side relationships are adorable, and Stede and Mary have an ADORABLE friendship that I can't get enough of.

2. In Favor With Their Stars by @mxmollusca | M | ~62k

This fic was my introduction to sci-fi AUs in this fandom! It's a gripping story that follows Ed, an engineer who finds himself awoken early from cryostasis on an "interplanetary research vessel" travelling to Jupiter's moon, Europa. Ed soon discovers that the ship's artificial intelligence, STE/DE, is likely sentient. Chaos and love ensues as they spend several months together, flying through the void. This story is uniquely multi-media, told through prose, code, poetry, audio transcripts, and even music!

3. Famine and Feast by zemph147 (@gaypiratebrainrot) | E | ~19k

This fic is a HILARIOUS and fascinating modern AU where Ed is the owner and head chef of his fine dining restaurant, Blackbeard. He finds himself full of renewed passion for his craft after tasting the menu of The Revenge, a new food truck owned by one Stede Bonnet. As someone who works in a kitchen and LOVES any media about food, this fic really indulged me. The description of every dish had my mouth watering!

4. Kalahari Down by @oatmilktruther | E | 31k*

Kalahari Down is a wild and stylized fic, written from Ed's pov as a 19 year old rancher working in Montana on Bonnet Ranch. When Stede returns home from boarding school, the two boys find themselves whipped up into a Brokeback Mountain-esque romance. However, canon-typical miscommunications make their journey a rocky one. This fic is INSANE in the way that it's written, and absolutely must be read in a southern accent (or at least, that's how I have to read it in my head :3). The series is smartly inspired by the eponymous album by Orville Peck, Bronco. Each chapter takes the name of a song written by him, and the vibes certainly shine through. It's hard to say since it's yet to be completed, but it's certainly lining up to be one of my favorite ofmd fics of all time.

5. Fine Wires by Nospaceforjack, ThePirateRoo | E | ~114k

Set in London, 1887, this fic follows the meeting of Blackbeard, the infamous burglar, and The Gentleman Thief, new to a life of crime. The two men are quickly charmed by each other, but their relationship becomes caught in the clutches of the law chasing them as well as Stede's need to prove himself. This story is charming in aesthetic, originally an AMAU, and is told through collages of images, letters, composed ambient music, as well as prose. The setting really comes to life with the mixture of multimedia content along with amazing description.

6. Liquid Gold by @perkynurples | M | ~79k

This is another modern AU that was originally an SMAU! Stede returns to his family's summer home in following his divorce from Mary in an attempt to reconnect with himself. He takes to beekeeping, a hobby his mother enjoyed in his youth, and it soon connects him to resident beekeeper, Edward Teach. They become swept into a honey sweet relationship where they uncover more mysteries than they ever expected to. This fic is ADORABLE as much as it is captivating, and as a beekeeper myself, this fic holds a special place in my heart <3

7. not pickles by smallestchurch | E | ~83k

Yay another modern AU! This one is an Ed pov, and really focuses on Ed's progression through his mental health struggles and such. Ed and Stede live in the same apartment building, and Ed finds himself pulled into Stede's adorable family, whether he likes it or not (he does). There's plenty of adorable Alma/Louis content in this one, and Ed is no surprise GREAT with kids. It's heartwarming, gut-wrenching, and tear-jerking all in one! Total triple threat.

8. the knife and the throat by darcylindbergh (@forpiratereasons) | E | ~35k*

This is a post-s1 canon fix-it fic that is just SWARMING with all kinds of delicious angst. After Stede fights to reunite with Ed, he finds that healing their relationship won't be nearly as easy as the gut wound he's given when he tries. This fic alternates pov, but I'm especially entranced by the way Ed is written in particular. This fic hasn't been updated in a while, but the author told me that they hope to complete it eventually! Finished or not, it's a great read.

9. if i was pure, you know i would by bitethehands | E | ~2k

Dead Dove: Do Not Eat! This fic is a delicious body horror one-shot where Izzy is immortal and Kraken era Blackbeard finds that *fascinating.* It's gruesome and horrifying and so well-written.

10. bend over, doll (it's all a game) by Sweveris | E | ~91k

Modern AU with a sick twist! Edward is the leader of a crime ring and married to Stede Bonnet. Ed is quick to discover that his husband is less than faithful, but decides to play along for a while, just to see where it goes. Everyone in this fic is TERRIBLE and it's AMAZING. I usually hate fics with Calico Jack in them, but somehow this one coaxed me into reading full chapters from his pov. There's also some really yummy Stizzy content that simmers throughout.

//And that's that! I have plenty of honorable mentions that I'll probably add soon, especially if people want more recommendations! Happy New Year, and here's to many lovely fics in 2024!

[digital-chance]

writeblr intro

hey i'm chance! i've done a writeblr intro recently but i didn't like it, so this is take 2. here's the old one.

─── about me -⋆⋅☆

name : chance

pronouns : they/he

likes : cyberpunk, romance, anime, kpop, music, history, design

age : 20

i tend to swear both on here and in my writing, so if you're sensitive to that, i don't think my blog or work is for you. i also use the word 'queer' a lot since i self-identify as such, when i do choose to self-identify.

i'm interested in so much, which would be impossible to fully state. there are so many new things out there and i love learning about them all!! this blog is mainly for writing but i'm not strict on that.

i also am pretty sure i'm neurodivergent (no diagnosis or anything yet) and tend to delve into hyper-fixations for weeks at a time. if i haven't posted for a while, it's probably because of one of my other hyper-fixations or school.

i'm going to college for my bachelor's in graphic design, which might make my responses during the school year delayed.

i'm always open to ask or tag games!! it might take me a few to respond but i'll respond.

─── writing -⋆⋅☆

you'll find a lot of diverse characters, the found/chosen family trope, romance or rom-com, angst, and references to actual history or historical events within my work. sometimes i throw in a little art fact since i'm an art student. in nearly every one of my works you can find a prominent lgbtq+ character, too.

i write for original works and fanfiction alike. i often alternate what project i'm writing on and tend to leave wips unfinished. there's no one specific fandom that i'm in since i tend to dabble in everything.

i enjoy reading all sorts of stories, but some of the tropes and genres that have a special place in my heart include:

[ genres : romance . action . sci-fi . dystopian . heists . cyberpunk . horror . comedy . mystery ] [ tropes : friends to lovers , enemies to lovers , fake/pretend relationship , college au , coffee shop au , domestic , fluff , angst ]

─── ⋆ looking for ⋆⋅☆

more writers to follow!

good vibes & friends

writing advice & critique buddies (will help critique ur work too)

─── works in progress -⋆⋅☆

nova futurum | original work | #wip: nova futurum

─── ⋆ status : brainstorming

a lgbtq+ mafia cyberpunk story with the working title "Nova Futurum." i've got the general information down and i'm currently working on fleshing out my main characters. for now it's in the very basic stages, but feel free to ask me about it or give any tips!

you still would've been mine | fanfiction | #wip: yswbm

─── ⋆ status : outlining, research, & writing draft 1

Steven "Steve" Rogers wakes up in the 21st century after crashing into the ice in 1942, leaving behind his life as the mascot of the USA along with his childhood in Brooklyn NYC. The Winter Soldier, a man left behind in the war recovers his memories as the man known as James "Bucky" Buchanan Barnes after meeting Steve in the modern time. Steve and Bucky recall their childhood and their experience in the war as they recover.

matchbreakers | original work | #wip: match

─── ⋆ status : brainstorming

xavier works at match breakers. instead of setting people up on blind dates, he goes to dates and breaks up the couple. all sorts of people hire him, disapproving parents, jealous ex's, and those scared to see their ex's angry side. what he doesn't expect is falling in love with one of his own clients.

scars of duty | original work | #wip: sod

─── ⋆ status : plotting

Lucian is a hero who protects the city of Haines and the other members of his hero's league. They're a small-name hero just trying to make do with what they've got. A villain new to the city shows up and shakes Lucian’s perception of their own superpowers and the world.

< tag lists: if you'd like to be added for any project, let me know. i'm not the greatest at remembering the tag list but i will try! >

─── ⋆ more of my socials & my design portfolio

[pinespittinink]

🌿 pinespittinink reintro 🌿

hello and welcome to my blog 💌 i'm easing myself back into writeblr and hope to meet some new people and continue to vibe as i always have on here. this is not my main blog, so while i may follow you, it won't be from this account. i don't follow or engage with minors; all my work is adult and queernorm unless otherwise indicated.

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a little bit about me: catherine ~ she/her ~ capricorn ~ pan & poly ~ 28 ~ 18+ only ➡  about page ⬅ ​

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i've been around here sporadically since 2018 and always tend to come home; i like prompts and ask games and tags and fun things. i write love stories in sci-fi and fantasy settings, and i'm working towards traditional publishing always. currently i'm querying my adult fantasy standalone, The Great Glavenisean Theater (The Night Circus x House of Leaves). i enjoy writing nsfw content, lush scene setting, and detailed emotional headspaces.

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🖋 my wips 🖋

the great glavenisean theater 🎭 {wip intro} {general tag} spec fic/fantasy standalone. a tailor goes to the big city and gets swept up by a phantasmagorical theater with an interdimensional portal in the stage, gets a crush on a cute guy working the rigging, and maybe starts to lose his mind as shit gets Weird™️

in the deep of the trees 🍃 {wip intro} {general tag} high fantasy, romantic subplot, standalone. (bi4bi otp). a social-climber uses subterfuge, blackmail, and murder to achieve his ambitions, and the court eccentric that he's in love with gets weirder and weirder when a new discovery is brought back by an exploration team.

star white 🌟 {wip intro} {general tag} romantic space fantasy, standalone. (gay otp) one man searches for the love of his life after he's been abducted by sentient dark matter, and spends millions of years travelling through space with a semi-organic AI ship.

solene's verse 🌊 epic fantasy, duology. (t4t otp) a young self-taught wizard makes a ton of bad decisions, as a group of ragtag youths from the cesspit of the world try to rescue the elder brother of one of their own from a tower of cultists.

the revenant (working title) dark fantasy, duology(???? who knows). a one-woman-war-machine who cannot die fights alongside her childhood best friend and lover and their loyal band of vagabonds to bring down the corrupt royalty desecrating their kingdom

the wasteland (working title) weird spec fic/dark fantasy, novella. a lousy hot-tempered fire elemental and a shitty light necromancer embark on the world's worst walking roadtrip to a castle on the wasteland falling away at their feet.

[odyssey solomon's wip - mad max fury road x the road x the locked tomb, post-apocalyptic fantasy. father and son against the world plus a weird shapeshifting bitch]

[gentle poly cathedral wip - romantic fantasy, novella. gargoyles and psalms and stained glass, my beloveds]

[soft poly space wip - romantic sci-fi, duology. androids and black holes and librarians, oh my!]

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🎐tag guide🎐

my writing 🌸 my edits  🌸 my poetry 🌸 sap spill 🌸 {original text posts, not always writing related} uwu romance 🌸 {umbrella tag for everything love and romance related} trope talk🌸 {umbrella tag. overlaps often with uwu romance} character work🌸 {what it says on the tin} compilations🌸 {tumblr web weaving posts} i live here🌸 {stuff i jive with on a molecular level}

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[ Romantic and indulgent prose full of filigree, worlds full of whimsy, mystery and a hint of danger, a core of tenderness rooted at the heart of every story. Your writing is always penned in the manner of a love letter not just to the craft or even as an ode to romance but to the subject of love in itself. ] – @aninkwellofnectar​ 🌹

“for whom / and to whom all this love, / all this light falling.” 

–@ragewrites, Film Still, for pinespittinink. 

[wormwoodandhoney]

heey laura!! may i ask/request you books that "warm the heart" bc the world is so chaotic that i need a getaway, like asap hehehe or a cozy vibes, kindness, you know?? *sighs* i need that hehe

absolutely!! i ADORE cozy, so this will actually be hard to narrow down. i'm not sure what genre of cozy you want, because cozy transcends genre, so here's a little bit of everything! if there's a specific genre you want, let me know!

fantasy & sci fi

the very secret society of irregular witches by sangu mandanna is one of my all time favorite books. about a lonely witch who is hired by a found family to teach their three young witches.

legends & lattes by travis baldree is the definitive cozy fantasy, about an orc who opens a coffee shop. very little plot, mostly vibes.

a proper dragon by eb wheeler is a regency fantasy romance with dragons.

a psalm for the wild-built and it's sequel by becky chambers is about a tea monk who meets a robot looking for the answer to the question "what does humanity need?"

romance

the banned bookshop of maggie banks by shauna robinson in which maggie agrees to help a friend run her bookshop in a small town dedicated to a historical author, in which the town's rules only allows books by this historical author or his contemporaries to be sold. maggie starts a secret, underground book club. maggie herself learns to love reading when she makes a deal with the handsome town grumpy man, who agrees to step out of his comfort zone if she reads his recommendations.

the neighbor favor by kristina forest is about a shy bookworm who asks her handsome neighbor for dating advice, not realizing he is the author she's been anonymously emailing.

you should see me in a crown by leah johnson is about a teen girl who reluctantly joins the race for prom queen in order to get a scholarship, and begins to fall for another girl in the competition.

the miniscule mansion of myra malone by audrey burges is about an agoraphobic woman who blogs about the creation of her beautiful dollhouse, only to get a confused email from a young man who lives in an exact, real-life replica of the dollhouse.

general fiction

someone else's shoes by jojo moyes is about two very different women who accidentally switch bags (and some very important shoes).

a man called ove by frederick backman is about a very grumpy old man who reluctantly befriends his new, chatty neighbors.

remarkably bright creatures by shelby van pelt is about a grumpy old octopus who reluctantly befriends his new, chatty human janitor.

i'm gonna stop there, but if you want more cozy genres (mystery, the controversial concept of "cozy horror", or i could even see if i could get cozy nonfiction), hit me up!

[frociaggine]

Any fiction recommendations? I’ve repeatedly read Locked Tomb, natch. I’d love something similarly brainwork inducing but maybe a touch lighter. Also not fantasy or sci fi…I need something to listen to while I do a ton of chores, and those can be hard (for me) because the unfamiliar proper nouns get confusing. :/

anon!! I'm terrible at reccing anything based on “if you liked TLT” because TLT is like five different genres in a trench coat, but I TRIED (⭐) Here are some brainworm-y recs that aren't sff — where by brainworm-y I mean that they stayed with me for a while after I finished them, but aren't overly confusing. (most of them are books, but available on audio)

Podcasts: a tumblr pal recced me the deviser based on me liking the eldritch elements of tlt; it's short and horror-y, and I really enjoyed it.

I haven't checked out the new TMA yet but I see many TLT peeps who are enjoying it (or S1 of the original The Magnus Archives could be a good entry point if you haven't ever listened to it)

TV: Unfortunately I hardly ever watch live action stuff BUT if you haven't seen either IWTV (the series not the film) or Yellowjackets, I do rec those! There's a lot of overlap between these fans and TLT fandom on my dash. His Dark Materials also goes hard and you might enjoy it (dysfunctional characters! worldbuilding! religious weirdness!) but it has more sff elements than other stuff I've recced. Oddball out of nowhere but The Great is a fun show if you enjoy the meme moments of TLT + people being gleefully horrible + having feelings despite your best intentions

Animanga: Utena (!!!!!) also Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, which occupies a very similar space to TLT in my brain

Books!

✧ I went through my “women unhinged” goodreads shelf and found some books that are avaliable in audio format, and might appeal. These are wildly varied in scope and ngl the criterion was just “at least one person (besides myself) who enjoyed tlt also this book” and the similarities stop there. It's all vibes baby! Still, I tried

my heart is a chainsaw by stephen graham jones (horror, slasher), bunny by mona awad (horror, wildly unhinged), the witching hour by anne rice (horror, gothic)

matrix by lauren groff (historical, lesbian nuns), anything by sarah waters (historical fiction + lesbians), rebecca by daphne du maurier (historical, gothic)

the plot by jean hanff korelitz (litfic, thriller), sadie by courtney summers (thriller, coming of age). anything by gillian flynn (thrillers with terrible women).

✧ I really enjoy Tana French thrillers for the strong sense of place, great prose, and the complete emotional turmoil of her character-centric narratives. If anything sounds up your alley, I enjoyed the witch's elm + dublin murder squad series. They're murder mystery procedural but the messy characters really elevate the novels. Available in audiobook also

✧ American Elsewhere, technically scifi but set in New Mexico. Somehow, cosmic horrors who have taken over a quaint little town and worse! They are enforcing HETERONORMATIVITY upon it! They also have tentacles. The main character rocks

✧ Sundial by Catriona Ward: insane, gripping psychological horror. A mother and her unsettling daughter take a trip to the isolate desert ranch where the main chracter grew up. Surrounded by unsettling science experiments

✧ A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan: when the parasocial relationship is so strong, it accidentally summons a hellmonster from another dimension

✧ SFF adjacent, sorry, but set in the real world (historical, tho) — Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge, a middle grade novel with fairytale elements that gave me more brainworms than any kids book ought to, mostly because I LOVED the main character. She occupies a very similar place in my brain as Gideon does. This is actually the only book on the list that I'm not sure is available in audio format, but if you get a chance and it's up your alley, I'd check it out

I hope there's at least ONE thing you'll like in here! lmk (also. lmk if you don't have access to a way to borrow audiobooks but would like to)

[nellie-elizabeth]

Doctor Who: 73 Yards (14x04)

I categorically refuse to call this "season one" of Doctor Who (2023) so just jot that down, Disney.

Anyway. I think I really liked this episode but also... huh? What is happening here?

Cons:

This is maybe the epitome of amazing setup, disappointing payoff. I was riveted the whole way through the run-time trying to figure out what was going to happen. I was scared of the creepy lady, I was intrigued by the Mad Jack story, I was waiting with baited breath for the big reveal. And then, the second the episode was over, I sat there thinking...

But wait. What? Does any of this make any sense at all? So, as far as I can tell, creepy old woman was Ruby as an old lady getting sent back and stuck in time somehow, sent to warn young Ruby to stop the Doctor from stepping on the fairy circle and breaking it, thus preventing her lifetime of loneliness as everyone she ever meets leaves her.

But... okay, what? What did the old Ruby say to everyone who came close to her to talk to her, that made them all run away in fear? And it wasn't just fear in the moment: Ruby's mother ran and then shunned her entirely and wouldn't ever speak to her again for the rest of her life. Why? What was said? We get no answer about this whatsoever. And was the Mad Jack thing just a coincidence? Did the circle that the Doctor broke actually have something to do with it? Why would that name be on the scrolls if it was something from the future? Did older Ruby... leave that message there? But that doesn't make any sense either, does it? How much agency did older Ruby have over what she was doing? Not much, it seems, since she just stood there and repeated the same series of gestures again and again. What was the circle, actually? Magically speaking? Did it send the Doctor somewhere specific? Just blip him out of existence?

The thing about this show is, I don't really care if the sci-fi or supernatural elements "make sense". You know? It's fine if it's all hand-waved away and purely vibes-based. And that's what I was feeling during the entirety of watching this episode. But... the whole time, you're waiting with bated breath to find out what's making everyone so afraid. What's sending them all screaming away from the old woman. The fact that that basic question is not answered is a serious detriment to the episode's overall quality. I don't want to be scratching my head and confused about the actual logic of what happened here, I want to be able to let it go. But the episode itself wants you to be hooked on the mystery, doesn't it? So I don't know. I found that quite odd.

Pros:

But as I said, all of these qualms about the episode honestly only hit after I was done watching. The experience of watching this episode, like, while it was happening? Definitely best of the season so far, in my opinion. Just very exquisitely done horror. The atmosphere building, Ruby's evolving relationship with her constant shadow, the way the Doctor kind of haunts the edges of the story but really Ruby only knew him for a little while so she has this whole life that has nothing to do with him... Kate coming in and that moment where you think "oh good, everything will be okay now," but then nope, Ruby is abandoned again... it was all so excellently rendered. The pacing, the build, the creepy creepy sight of the old woman in the distance, it never stopped giving me chills whenever we panned back to her. I spent the whole episode worried about the pattern breaking, worried about Ruby turning around to see the woman right beside her. And in the end, in the hospital, when that finally did happen, my heart was in my throat.

It was nice to have a Ruby-focused episode that wasn't just about her mysterious origins, but we still do get the hints here. She talks about how she's been abandoned by everyone her whole life. Her foster mother says that awful thing on the phone about how even her real mother didn't want her. She mentions to the caretaker at the end that she used to be able to make it snow. I do wonder if whatever the old woman was saying to everyone throughout the episode was something about what or who Ruby really is. It doesn't quite make sense and it's still not satisfying to me that we don't get answers within this episode, but I do suspect we're being set up for something there.

I really enjoyed the way Ruby framed this whole situation not in terms of the Doctor, but in terms of just... being her own person with her own unique challenge going on? She really was only with the Doctor for a short time, and while that relationship was super important to her, it also doesn't form the frame of how she proceeds with her situation. When I realized Ruby was just going to... get on a train and go home, I was at first really startled. But then delighted. Because... yeah! This isn't a story about Ruby sitting around waiting for the Doctor to show up and fix whatever has happened. It's not even a story about her trying to rescue the Doctor; she doesn't understand if he needs rescuing or not. She's got a strange thing happening in her own life, and she's trying to figure it out, and that's what the episode is about.

So many little details I really loved: the sinister evil of Jack as a politician, Ruby's slow infiltration, biding her time, then the moment where she takes her one shot to get rid of him. Using her constant horrible shadow as a tool to save the world. What a cool concept. I loved the rotating unsuccessful dates with various men, I loved them putting glasses on this actress's face and that being all they did to age her up into her forties. I loved the Welsh townsfolk in the tavern, the way they pull a collective group prank on her. The blend of harshness and yet care they show her at first, and then the dawning horror of knowing she won't be able to stay. Every haven she finds for herself must be temporary.

So yeah, I feel like this episode is going to be really hard to pin down in terms of my rating. On the one hand, while watching it I was thoroughly hooked, and I definitely think it's the best of the four episodes we have so far this season. On the other, it falls apart under even the slightest amount of scrutiny. I'm still looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for us down the line, though!

7/10

[unrefinedmusings]

Between the Shelves

Stephen Strange x Bookstore Owner! Reader

Hi! Posted part of this earlier, so here's the full chapter. There will be more parts to this, but this whole thing is just a fun way to explore writing again so I'm planning on keeping things light and smutty.

Part 2 Part 3

Genre: Smut, fluffy and flirty, a little bit of sitcom vibes???

Background: 

No Blip/No Snap, everyone is alive because I like them

Mordo reconciles with Stephen and the two of them plus Wong are the friend group of the century

America is here because she accidentally opened a portal and landed in MCU Stephen’s universe (no MoM plot points)

— — —

Strange POV

Most days, Stephen Strange is utterly grateful for Karl Mordo’s friendship. After making peace with his conflicted feelings and residual grief over the Ancient One’s death, Karl sought out Stephen and returned to Kamar-Taj. Their bond grew stronger day by day, battle by battle. 

The two of them and Wong proved time and again to be an excellent team in combat and in their duties to Kamar-Taj. In their downtime, they sought out each other’s company. With the addition of America Chavez to the sorcerors’ lives, weekly dinners had even become a regular event at the New York Sanctum Sanctorum.

Most days, Stephen Strange was ecstatic to call Karl Mordo a friend…but today was two days before his dear friend’s birthday. At America’s insistence, they were having a celebration. They agreed on a small party for Karl, just the four of them. Completely acceptable to Stephen, except…he still hadn’t found a gift. Although in his defense, there wasn’t a lot of time to shop in between combatting mystical threats, working with the Avengers (and subsequently thinking of snarky comebacks to Stark), and training with his newest multiverse traveling apprentice.

Stephen finally had a day off (as long all world ending beings did too) and so far, he’d spent an hour at the mall and left with no bags. He was walking back to the Sanctum hoping the streets of New York would give him some ideas. In the middle of an internal debate over whether or not a gift card would be too impersonal, he almost missed his answer as he walked by a shop window.

A bookstore.

Duh.

While the Sanctum and Kamar-Taj’s libraries did boast a huge collection of books on all things supernatural, they did leave something to be desired in the fiction department. Mordo would love a thoughtfully chosen book.

Stephen made his way inside and shut the door behind him, hearing the tinkling of the shop bell above him.

“I’ll be out in just a minute!”, he heard a sweet voice called out from the back room. The sorcerer took a moment to close his eyes and inhale the smell of old paper and wood, taking him back to his first few months at Kamar-Taj as a student. He’d practically lived in books back then, even using his astral form to study in his sleep. As he opened his eyes, they roamed over the massive shelves and display tables full of options for Mordo’s gift. The gears started to turn in his head as he browsed the store.

What genres would Mordo even like? Mystery? Thriller? Maybe not, our jobs give us enough adrenaline. Romance is out. A sci-fi or fantasy work would feel like too much of a gag gift. Historical fiction?

“Hi! How can I help you?” rang out in that sweet voice once more, from a much closer distance this time.

Stephen turned to find the source of that sweetness and his gaze landed on you, standing just a few feet away.

You were gorgeous. The golden hour light streaming in through the front windows onto your form wasn’t helping him catch his breath as he took in your lovely face, big bright eyes meeting his. Your long hair was pulled in a loose bun barely held together by the No. 2 pencil stuck through it. And that warm smile, although it had started to falter as your brow furrowed…

Oh god you’ve been staring too long. Say something!

“Hello!”

“Hi! Can I help you with something?”

God, that voice. Goddamnit, focus Strange!

“Yes! A friend’s birthday is coming up. I was thinking something from the classics would be a good choice for him.”

“Follow me!”

———

Reader POV

You had been logging some new inventory in the back room when you heard the bell chime. After calling out to them, you finished your task and headed out to the front. 

A figure stood by one of the shelves, perusing its contents with their back to you. They were tall, with a lean but muscular figure you could make out underneath the black cardigan and dark blue jeans. But what caught your attention was that thick head of hair…and maybe how nice it would be to tug on.

Stop it! You’re a business owner, you can’t ogle customers!

Snapping back into customer service mode, you let out in a slightly higher pitch than your actual voice “Hi! Can I help you with something?”, before they turned and you were met with cerulean eyes. Before you lost yourself further in those pools of deep blue, recognition hit you. 

Oh fuck, it’s Doctor Strange.

While you weren’t an Avengers fanatic, not following online fan pages and Instagram accounts like @avengersinthewild, you did have a slight fixation on the doctor with the magic hands. Your crush was just big enough that when the world’s heroes did show up on the news, you caught yourself paying a bit more attention when you caught sight of those gray streaks. 

Oh fuck, Doctor Strange is in my shop. Oh fuck, he’s hotter in person. Oh fuck, why is he just staring like that? Goddamnit, is there dust in my hair again?!

Your love of reading, the calming atmosphere of the shop and steady income it provided are all in the pros column of owning and managing a bookstore. The top of your list of cons was the dust your wares had a tendency to collect.

And now you look like a slob in front of a man you’ve five wet dreams and counting about…

A number that was sure to increase as he greeted you in a deep baritone voice. After learning the purpose of his shopping trip, you maintained enough professional composure to lead him to the classics section and help him browse.

———

Strange POV

As Stephen trailed behind you around the shop, he found himself locked in another internal debate.

Don’t look at her legs in that skirt.

But they look so good.

Don’t look at her legs in that skirt.

But it’s a short plaid skirt!

DON’T LOOK AT HER LEGS IN THAT SKIRT.

Fine, look at her ass in that skirt.

The sorcerer tried his best to ignore those urges. Luckily, shopping for Karl’s gift proved to be a healthy distraction. He exchanged ideas with you until deciding on Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. Stephen chose a navy blue hard cover edition with gold detailing and gilded pages.

“This was one on my favorites when I was younger,” he remarked while flipping through the pages of the novel.

“That makes it an even better gift. It’s a special gesture to give someone a piece of work that’s impacted you. It helps them understand you better,” you commented with a small smile. He faced you while you faced the shelf, putting back the other options that were considered.

Now that the initial shock at how attractive you were had worn off, Stephen was able to turn on his signature charm in an effort to flirt with you. 

“And what would I read to understand you better?”, he asked as he took a step closer to you. A small smirk graced his handsome face when he noticed you blushed at that, despite shrugging and keeping your gaze ahead. 

“What are some of your favorites?”, he probed further. You turned to his direction now that you finished returning the books to their proper places. He was leaning against the shelf, which did little to bridge the gap in your height difference. He didn’t mind, especially now as you looked up at him through your long lashes. Not to mention he was quickly losing all willpower to not outright ogle you, and from his angle he could see the tops of your breasts in the black v-neck sweater you had on.

Oh come on, is that lace underneath?

“I am the owner of a bookstore so that’s a tough question. Off the top of my head, anything by Jane Austen,” you replied. Your answer forced Stephen back to the conversation at hand and away from any intrusive thoughts about all the ways he could find out exactly what you were wearing underneath your outfit.

“So you’re a fan of romance then?”, he questioned with more than a hint of flirtation in his voice. 

You blushed again and replied, “I’m a fan of every genre. Jane Austen just came to mind first.”

“Or maybe you’re just feeling particularly romantic right now,” Stephen suggested with a blatant wink. He knew it was a bold move given the two of you had only just met, but was satisfied when you reacted by avoiding his eyes and biting down on your plump bottom lip.

I bet she does that when she’s getting eaten o—

“So your friend’s gift is taken care of,“ you began in a wavering voice, interrupting another wave of Stephen’s lust induced thoughts. “Is there anything else I can do for you today?”

“No, that was all.”

“I’ll ring you up!”

———

Reader POV

He winked! He fucking winked! THE AUDACITY!

You used professionalism as a distraction from the unholy fantasies spiraling through your mind about the delectable man who just had the nerve to wink at you. You couldn’t believe that this is what an Avenger was up to on his off days! You should sell this to a tabloid. 

The public deserves to know that their resident Bleecker Street magician is an absolute menace who spends his free time making local merchants uncomfortably wet. At 4 in the afternoon!

The two of you moved to the counter and settled on either side, pressed against it as close as possible. You processed the transaction in silence, but stifled a small whimper when your fingers grazed his as he handed over the cash and you felt the the scars on his hands. Imagining what those digits would feel like inside you was going to be a feature in your masturbation fantasies for at least a month.

“Thank you and have a nice day,” you said as you handed him a paper bag with his purchase and receipt. 

“Thank you for all your help today, Miss…”

“L/N, Y/N L/N”

“Y/N,” Strange said in a slow drawl, rolling around the sound of you in his mouth. “I’m—”

“Doctor Strange,” you interjected, slightly too eager. He had taken notice and was smirking at how flustered you were getting. In an effort to save face, you added on, “I-I’ve seen you on the news.”

And not in my dreams during last summer’s heat wave. I definitely did not have visions of you railing me face down into my mattress, only to wake up in the middle of the night a sweaty, horny mess, and then have an orgasm that was only mildly satisfying because my body was aching for cock instead of the bright teal vibrator I keep under my bed.

On the subject of masturbation, the doctor seemed insistent on gifting you more material for your solo sessions as he had now leaned in close enough across the counter for you to smell his cologne.

“Please sweetheart, you can call me Stephen.”

It took every ounce of willpower you had not to moan aloud. 

“Have a nice day, S-Stephen,” you let out in as firm a voice as you could at the moment.

He collected his bag, pushed off the counter and opened the door. You thought this hell of sexual frustration was over, until Stephen turned and gave you another outrageous wink.

A fucking menace.

Once Stephen left your shop and was out of view of the building’s windows, you let out the breath you’d been holding. You shifted slightly and took notice of just how soaked your panties were under your skirt. 

You groaned aloud to the shelves, “I just know his dick is big. I know it, I know it’s big.”

— — —

Strange POV

Upon arriving back at the Sanctum, Stephen quickly made his way to the study to wrap Mordo’s gift with the aid of a little magic. Once the novel was packaged in simple brown paper and tied up with a bow, Stephen placed it in his desk drawer until the upcoming birthday dinner. He spent the rest of the night in the library researching a magical artifact, only taking a break when Wong and America popped in and forced him to eat dinner. 

Thoughts of you remained at the back of his mind all night. He’d missed this feeling. For so long, he had been focused on his duties to the Avengers and Kamar-Taj that he made no time for even a little romance. Having gone without for so long, the sorcerer assumed he would be content sans a love life. However, just those few minutes of flirtation with you were enough to awaken the passion and heat in him.

As usual, Stephen decided to take a shower before bed. Completely bare and under the stream of water, he gripped his shaft and lost himself in the fantasies he had kept at bay since leaving your store. He stroked his cock and imagined you on your knees, your eyes shining up at him as you brought your pouty lips to where he was aching. You would start off slow, intimidated by the sheer size of him, and leave sloppy kisses on the tip. Inch by inch, you would take him into your mouth.

He leaned his head against the shower wall and groaned. The grip on his member grew tighter and his pace quickened. With one final tug, he finished with a vision of you gagging on his cock, your eyes filling with tears as you choked around him. 

Looking down at the cum that covered his hand and shower floor, Stephen thought of how much sweeter it was going to look smeared across your face. 

— — —

Reader POV

Across town in your cozy one bedroom, you were taking serious advantage of the magic man’s permission to use his first name.

“Oh god, Stephen!”, you cried out into your empty apartment. “Please Stephen, I’m so fucking close!”

In reality, your legs had a vibrator between them and were spread open on the rumpled sheets of your bed. 

In the vivid daydream that was bringing you to completion, they were wrapped around your favorite Avenger’s head while you sat atop your shop counter. You imagined the doctor’s rough hands gripping your thighs tighter around his face while his gorgeous eyes would be gazing up at you, witnessing you fall apart under his tongue. At the thought of his goatee dragging roughly against your clit, you came undone.

“FUCK YES STEPHEN! I’M CUMMING!”, you screamed. After the first two orgasms of the night, you had thrown any concerns about being perceived by your neighbors as a sex crazed banshee out the window.

— — —

A/N: They're just horny idiots, that's gonna be the entire plot

[mephinomaly]

[TL] BIOHAZARD/Chapter 5

[ This post uses Ois~su ♪ ]

Time: That night

Location: In living quarters of the AIIE experiment grounds

Rei: Uwaa, we’re having a sleepover with all of UNDEAD~♪

Fufu. The SS preliminaries was the perfect opportunity for one, but Kaoru-kun was thrown into a desert and separated from us.

I’m happy that the four of us can have a sleepover together peacefully– gah!?

Koga: ...

Rei: Koga? Don’t throw an omanjuu at me? Is this your way of telling me you want to play?

Koga: Stop bein’ so happy-go-lucky, vampire bastard. The hell you mean, pajama party.

Rei: Oya, how nostalgic. Could this be that you want me to call you ‘wanko’ for the first time in a while?

Koga: I ain’t callin’ you that for nostalgia purposes, I’m insultin' you.

Rei: How troubling. Please don’t take your frustrations out on me.

We’ve all given our consent to take part in this experiment.

We can’t complain now, can we?

Koga: We was basically forced to? If it hadn’t been us, it woulda been like, Ra*bits who haven’t done nothin’ wrong.

Then we’d hafta live with the knowledge that them lot are now the victims whilst we watch from the sidelines.

It’s better for our own mental health to just do it for real, right?

‘Cos I don’t like this at all. Don’t forget that.

Kaoru: Ahaha. It’s definitely a little off putting and shady sounding, but it makes for an interesting story, right?

AI idols and stuff– no, technology and science in general has come a long way. Really, it’s like an old sci-fi movie.

If this was just a movie, or even just someone else’s problem, I think it could have been a lot of fun.

Adonis: I also don’t feel great about this but I am interested in terms of the development of science and technology.

This is the future we thought of when we learnt about Voc*loid and drawing AIs, and it’s becoming a reality right in front of our eyes.

We’re now living in a near sci-fi world that people from the past could only imagine.

It’s like a dream, whether that’s a good or a bad thing.

I’m excited.

Kaoru: Ahaha. That totally has the vibe of a boyish heroic novel.

I don’t particularly like that sort of thing either. At the end of the day, I’m still the son of an academic who reached for the sea in search of romance and mystery.

Adonis: I also dislike jumping into areas I don’t know about.

Rei: If we think realistically, if we had refused to take part, there was the likelihood of RhythmLink turning their backs on us.

I suspect they would be rather unpleasant in the matter.

This is a necessary step so we are not thrown to the side. The compensation is rather impressive, and, in simple terms, profitable for us.

Well, we made quite the sum of money during the SS, so we have some to spare.

If an experiment such as ‘AI idols’ is successful, implemented, and announced to the world, won’t they look to us as we were the test subjects? Doesn’t that make this all worth it?

Koga: But this doesn’t solve the problem we’re havin’. They’re just killin’ time, it literally has nothin’ t’do with our situation.

This better not turn into a goose chase, wastin’ time runnin’ ‘round lookin’ stupid.

Rei: Umu. We should all brainstorm some ideas in order to solve the root of the problem, as Koga said. Fortunately, we have been blessed with plenty of time to do so.

Kaoru: Mmm… I was kinda on guard when they said experiment, but if they’re just asking us to stay the night here?

Rei: Umu. We will be given medicine, which will cause us to sleep for about half a day. In that time, via the devices connected to our heads, data will be collected and compiled.

During the time we are not asleep, we will exercise to prevent our bodies from weakening, and eat to keep up our energy levels. Let’s all get on, the four of us.

The testing period will last approximately one week. During this time, any other forms of work are banned, as the extra stimulus may skew the results.

Our phones will be confiscated, and we will be separated from the outside world.

Kaoru: Kinda feels like being a prisoner or a hospital patient… Welp, this’ll be easy money if all we’ve got to do is laze around.

Rei: Umu. I suppose we can take it easy. We will be paid regardless as to whether the experiment produces useful results or not, so it’s not a complete waste of time.

Fortunately, this location is better than a hospital or a prison.

Look, there are some cards and board games we can use to kill time. Let’s play until it’s time for us to sleep.

Koga: Ain’t you bein’ too relaxed ‘bout this whole thing?

Rei: That’s a good thing, is it not? I’ve been acting unusually mature since my youth, so I do not have many experiences like this. Such as having a sleepover with friends of the same age—

That’s why. I can’t be sure of the future, but I know I am very happy right now ♪

[ ☆ ]

Chapter 4

Chapter 6

[benoitblanc]

hey arwen, long time no see!! hope you're doing well! 💜

i know nothing about txf besides what i've gleaned from this hellsite which is a) mulder is a lovable idiot, b) scully both loves him (almost against her will??), and c) they literally invented shipping BUT tell me about your top 5 txf episodes!!!

hi mitali i have been EXTREMELY patchy on here lately haven't i lol. local woman appears on tumblr to write ten meta posts about the x files and then disappears again! i'm doing okay; my real life has been kind of chaotic (had to last-minute cancel a trip i have been desperate to go on for years so :/ but! on the bright side it means i get to see my flatmates sooner than i thought and i miss them even though i've been gone from my flat for like a week and a half lol). how have you been???

those are very accurate txf vibes but i will say that scully is a very active and willing participant in being in love with mulder even though he can be very very stupid at times lol. i hope you watch it someday- i think it would be right up your alley! kind of similar doctor who ecological niche of being weird, heartfelt, politically relevant sci-fi with no consistent quality or tone.

ANYWAY. top 5 txf episodes, bearing in mind that i've technically only watched up until the end of the fourth season so far; i'm just a ho for spoilers:

pusher (3.17)... what can i say about pusher that i haven't said already. a lot, probably, because every single day i log on here and i see someone's written new meta about pusher that makes the entire show make more sense. it's just... it's txf distilled to its barest elements. it's about trust and codependency and a supernatural force that is made all the more unsettling by the fact that at its core it is just some guy. it's funny and terrifying and heartfelt all at once. the russian roulette scene changed television

clyde bruckman's final repose (3.04) is also just so txf. darin morgan (the writer) tended to write episodes that were so absurdist they wrapped back around to satirical, but this is far and away my favorite of his because it's not too bonkers. i love coprophages and from outer space especially, but clyde bruckman is a little more grounded, and it manages to be sarcastic and sincere in equal measure. and i love when scully gets to solve the mystery

irresistible (2.13), which is famous for being pretty much the only txf episode where there isn't actually an x-file. and it's SO fucked up. it is hands-down the most fucked up episode of the entire sh- well. besides the episode that they banned from reruns for like a decade for being so fucked up, it's hands-down the most fucked up episode of the entire show

beyond the sea (1.13) and paper hearts (4.10) are thematic sisters so i'm keeping them together. they're both about choosing to move past grief instead of wallowing in it and choosing the future over the past. so what if a criminal says they can give you the answers you've spent your whole life chasing? what matters is that you're at your partner's hospital bedside when he wakes up from an injury, or that you save a little girl's life

right now? probably ice (1.08), because i just rewatched it with my flatmate (who is going through s1 for the first time and is almost as obsessed as i am). it's like if midnight doctor who and the thing had a baby. normally i think this slot would go to duane barry/ascension/one breath (2.05/2.06/2.08) or nisei/731 (3.09/3.10), which are the tightest, tensest episodes relating to the show's overarching mythology

honorable mention goes to elegy (4.22) because the a-plot is a very 90s depiction of neurodivergence and it's not the best-handled thing i've ever seen, but the character showcase of scully in the b-plot gave me fucking brain worms. i cannot stop thinking about it. it's haunting.

also, memento mori (4.14). vince gilligan and gillian anderson you're splitting my therapy bill

ask my top 5/10 anything!!!

[kae-luna]

🌃//Writeblr Intro//🌃

Hello! Welcome to my corner of the internet. I am Kae Luna. You can call me Kae or Luna. I am pretty new to Writeblr, so please bear with me.

╮ (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.) ╭

(Banner made with canva)

🌊About My Writing🌊

✨Genres: sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, action, drama, psychological, LGBTQIA+

✨Subgenres: dystopian, cyberpunk, biopunk, solarpunk, post-apocalyptic

✨Common themes: diversity, anti-capitalism, female empowerment

Links🌐

Since I like both anime art and storytelling, I'm planning to make light novels. Some of them may be short stories, standalone novels, or series. :3 Going to put some of them on Wattpad and Tapas.

I try to balance unique settings with complex characters.

🌊About Me🌊

I've been writing and drawing since I was little. And before I could write, I would tell my mother my story and she'd write it down for me. I've always had a crazy imagination. When I was a tween, I got into anime and manga, so I learned how to draw in that art style.

I am 25, queer-romantic asexual, and feminine-presenting nonbinary. I identify as both a girl and a demi-boy. You can refer to me as she/her, he/him, or they/them. I don't mind. I'm also white and have ADHD, dyspraxia, anxiety, and depression that prevents me from getting a "real" job.

I'm pretty shy and anxious, but once you get to know me, I may say some weird stuff and dad jokes. I'm a big nerd and simp as well.

I am also a Vtuber, but made this alt identity since I didn't think my work would fit that persona.

🌊About My Blog🌊

Here I am going to post about my WIP stories and some of my art. I will also reblog others' art and writing. Many aesthetics, fandoms, and other stuff may be reblogged as well with tags if it inspires my work.

Here I hope to find more creators to connect with and find some epic creations. Feel free to message me if you'd like, though I am kinda shy. :3

I am okay with:

✨Asks

✨Tag games

✨DMs. I'm happy to make friends. :3

🌊My Likes & Favorites🌊

✨Aesthetics/genres: vaporwave, cyberpunk, pastel, eco punk, nature, grunge, post-apocalyptic, solarpunk, steampunk, fantasy, LGBTQIA2S+

✨Movies: Alita: Battle Angel, Ultraviolet, Aeon Flux, Spider-Man 2, Howl's Moving Castle, Black Panther, The Matrix

✨Shows: Doctor Who, Stranger Things, Umbrella Academy, The Witcher

✨Anime: Death Note, Attack on Titan, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

✨Games: Skyrim, Baldur's Gate 3, The Sims 4, Minecraft, Fallout

✨Cartoons: Aeon Flux, Batman The Animated Series

🌊WIP(s)🌊

Ultra Drive - Intro Post | Directory Post

Links: Wattpad | Tapas (coming soon)

✨Genre(s): sci-fi, cyberpunk, action, drama, psychological, dystopian

✨CWs: government stuff, pandemic mention, gore probably at some point

When AlexiKa was a child, her world was changed forever when her family was forced to immigrate to the imperial city of Venicula after the Ebony Plague - caused by mysterious eumalyptus spores - infected her home town. Now a young adult, she works as a courier (and secretly an anti-corporation activist). When going on a delivery, she accidentally uncovers dark secrets and ends up infected with the same Ebony Plague that haunted her hometown as a child. But when she survives the illness and instead develops superhuman abilities, she joins a mutant resistance group to fight against the Veniculan Empire, the Gaia Corporation, and other mutants with immoral goals.

Adventures in Alsteria - Intro Post (coming soon!)

Links: N/A

✨Genre(s): fantasy, comedy, slice of life, action, adventure, LGBTQIA+

✨CWs: None ATM? Violence probably?

A trans femboy wood elf named Nel finds the homeland of his people - the rain forests of Falinor - and goes on an adventure to form a guild of adventurers! Still kind of in the vibes stage I guess, but I have some ideas formed for lore and characters. :> Something more cute and lighthearted for me to write in contrast to Ultra Drive.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't have much that I can share at the moment due to much of my writing being lost (school assignments or lost on old computers) or attached to other identities. I also had a looong writer's/art block.

[twigsandhearts]

Audio Drama Sunday

Subtitle: Cry goes slightly off-topic

For a while, I didn't get much of a chance to do anything but edit and write so listening to other shows was off the cards. Recently I've been trying to get back into it and it's given me the chance to get back in touch with some people and see what they've been up to creative-wise. So, here's my list of recent shows:

DO YOU COPY?

I haven't seen many people talk about this show outside of the creators but with season one out, it's an easy binge. It follows the audio logs of several different groups of people who stayed behind after a National Park's closure. The cast is small and easy to follow and the voices are distinguishable. It's set in a more supernatural America with a mystery void that seems to distort reality and contain cryptid-like creatures. Though some themes are familiar, the story feels original and I've enjoyed listening.

UNIVERSE 9/5

It's your alternate universe people switch out tropes, made queer sci-fi. The posting schedule feels a little random and the discord server seems to have already created its own community around art and animation but it's hard to tell where it's going quite yet with only 2 episodes out. It's a change of pace to all the horror shows I'm used to with being very much not horror and quite light hearted but I am enjoying it all the same.

YET ANOTHER DATING APP

It talks of a new dating app that more specific than ever before. It gives casual banter with a sci-fi twist in a similar vibe to LIFE WITH LEO(H) which I enjoyed. Yet again with only 2 episodes out it's hard to get the whole picture. It's a small cast with good chemistry and the sound design has been nice so far. I'm interested to see where it leads.

[beetlebethwrites]

hi hi! first of all I want to state how much I adore your IF so far, I haven't found many IF that are purely slice of life and I am loving it ❤️ 😍 💖 second! do you have any recommendations for IFs? I've just started moving away from the CoG forums and the content here on tumblr is just 🤌 but I'm not too sure where to start? tysm 😊

I mean, I have so many recommendations tbqh. It's a hell of a list and hopefully, I haven't forgotten anyone by the end. I would say that if you've been around for a hot minute you probably know most of these but I'm old and rarely see new stuff atm because I'm a busy bean so...

Recs under the cut;

@northern-passage is such an easy recommendation for me. I'm not super into your more 'classic' fantasy as a genre but Kit has really built up their characters to be something special. The concept of the hunter is a great one and the branching Kit does is insane. I'm so interested to see where it goes and also ready for it to destroy me emotionally.

I haven't played @speakergame in a little while but the cosy vibes I try to get into YLAF are also here. It's not slice of life but it's similar to that with a heap of supernatural stirred in. I'm also excited for @partiallystarsif, which promises to be a game that I've been wishing someone would write.

Project Hadea by @nyehilismwriting is one of the most top tier sci-fi I've read in a while. It has a great MC, a badass partner in Nash and also BUGS. Again, I'm super looking forward to seeing what happens in the next chapter after that cliffhanger. Shit is about to hit the fan and I am here for it.

@if-eventhorizon is written by actual love of my life Brigid. Event Horizon is your pretty typical crew in space doing stuff they shouldn't be kind of sci-fi and I adore it! Can't wait to find out what everyone has done in their past to be there and unravel the situation. Love it! Brigid is also an incredibly talented artist, also writes @if-closedloop and...

@if-lostbirds is again written by Brigid, and although they profess post-apocalyptic Western sci-fi to be niche, I whole heartedly disagree. I adore the writing in this one, they really did something there and I think everyone will get something out of this one. If you're looking for something a little different with fewer (but super meaningful) choices then this is for you! Also I did convince them to put the big worm back into it so... worm.

For someone who would say she doesn't like a western, @larkin-if is also a bit of me. It's got vampires and cool character dynamics between the Preacher (MC) and their father figure Wyatt. Not to mention the ROs are all really cool. I'm excited to meet Ace in the future but it's the whole plot of attempting to hide your true identity that really hooked me in.

@bodycountgame is currently on a little bit of a hiatus because Nell is super busy with real life 😷 but it's still a stand out fave for me, undoubtedly worth the wait. If you want something that's campy, written in proper British dialect and is basically love island with a hell of a twist then this is for you! I can't recommend body count enough, it's what got me moved way from CoG games and into this little community we have!

@thistooshallpass-if is an IF with some of my favourite characters (not hurt by the fact that thyme is also one of my fave people!) I can't wait to see where it goes as I've been promised angst and knowing them I have no doubt! I'm also mega excited for @writingnights because different takes on supernatural creatures is always fun to me.

When Twilight Strikes by @evertidings is popular for a reason. I'm a few chapters behind but just writing about it has made me want to sit down and catch up! Kristi's characters are fun and feel like people to me with their real quirks, which is always something I enjoy. I can't wait to solve the mystery with this one.

@attollogame is a pretty hard one to describe to me so I'd say just play it? The writing and lore surrounding it is so so solid. It's all pretty much just a vibe, and a good one at that. I am not up to date at all but everyone should be better than me and read it!

Golden by @milaswriting is amazing! It's a supernatural romance game and you can just tell that Mila cares so much about the characters she writes, it really comes through in her writing. She's also over at @milaswrittenworld and I'd encourage a follow all around because she is just a really lovely gem of a person.

I haven't read @ofna in a little while but I absolutely adored what I did read (god knows how many updates ago it was). The writing is amazing and, again, I can't wait to get to solve the mystery 👀

I've undoubtedly forgotten so many but these are ones that come to my covid addled mind 😅 I hope this is a good starting place for you, anon 💛