#makes me want to see it explored as a silly slice of life

[darkwingsnark]

DR. Mario Universe Bowuigi AU

Random because of another night of being up from pain, but I wish there was more fan content centered around Dr. Mario Au shenanigans. With it being a more work-based medical drama, with maybe the idea that Luigi isn't a fellow doctor and just happens to be the brother of a world renown infectious disease specialist. Mario still has his rivalry with Bowser, just as co-workers with a competitive streak. Luigi visits the hospital often to have lunch with his brother at the hospital food court, more so as he can make sure his older bro is actually making time for it. He's known for being so into his work that he'll skip meals. So of course Luigi has heard his brother come home and complain about that no-good orthopedic doctor keeps dismissing his help when patients tend to have conditions that overlap-- like infections post operations. Or stuff like hearing about fights going down in the hospital during meetings.  So when Luigi breaks his leg, of course he's nervous when that means he'll be sent to the guy his brother hates. That he is told is very demanding and confrontational. Only for Bowser to be an amazing doctor, if blunt and sassy. And he recognizes Luigi as being the guy Mario has lunch with, putting pieces together when he sees his chart. Luigi expects Dr. Bowser to start treating him cruelly. To take out his aggression from Mario out on HIM. Only for Bowser to actually open up more and get chattier-- cracking jokes rather than keeping it strictly business. Well well well, after all that big talk from the guy, looks like there's something Mario CAN'T do: treat his brother. WELP, looks like I'm gonna have t'rub it in that jerk's face n' show 'im how it's done! Cue Luigi and Bowser seeing each other a lot more as Bowser-- from his own sense of pride and wanting to make Mario feel like utter shit-- taking on a lot more of the treatment than he would usually do. Usually he'd pass thing off to Resident Docs or physical therapists. But oooh no, not with THE Dr. Mario's brother! Gotta show that guy up! Luigi's gonna go home and have to constantly tell that clown how wonderfully he's being treated. Mario, of course, is frustrated on some level. But he can't complain when the koopa gets results. Seeing his brother heal and get better is all he really cares about.... Even if he doesn't like the fact he has to hear his baby bro talk about his obvious crush on Dr. Bowser, that he himself doesn't realize yet.

[notedchampagne]

What makes a tlt au work for you? Do u have any favourites out there/that you’ve thought of?

its hard because it can go down to the writing! i have a huge bias for things that put focus on the characters acting awful and driving the story forward- if a story has a plot thats great, but its the difference between "gideon and harrow keep meeting up at parties and fall a little bit in love every time" and "gideons angry she lost her childhood to the cult so she attends a party with the tridentarii to shotgun adolescent experiences, and harrowhark, frustrated that gideon is pulling on her metaphorical leash, follows to stalk her". the former retains a 5+1 fic format and is more bite-size, while the latter puts more focus into their growth as characters. im not great at articulating what i like specifically, but ill put my favorite fics below:

what if nona was dogs tugs at my heart: its post-canon, slice-of-life, and has a unique concept (said in the title). i judged a book by its cover because i thought the premise seemed too silly at first but ive been made a fool and its pet clown. it feels so true to nona the way its about all the things nona loves and how she gets to explore the world through new eyes. i love the way it explores characters softening up and getting hurt through a third person pov

we have always lived in the apartment by @thatneoncrisis i keep saying this but for the love of GOD guys this au is so good it makes me cry and feel such a deep catharsis from it. it takes gideon and harrow and the ninth as a cult and explores their struggle to adapt to a modern society when noone ever gets a break (WOW ITS JUST LIKE IN REAL L-). quinn writes the sides of griddlehark i think go overlooked in fanfic often: their codependency, their tendency to lash out when theyre defensive, their mutual paranoia and different coping mechanisms, harrows psychosis and gideons bitterness, their relationships to each other as being the only other person who really understands what the other suffered through. god. i feel lightheaded.

"but SAM, i dont like angst but i want to see this writing!" read gap between a tragedy and a comedy

"SAM, i also like when gideon and harrow are horrible because theyre maladjusted teenagers! but i want more antics where the characters drive things forward over angst!" read whats eating gideon nav

you just aint receiving is one of my FAVORITE modern aus of all time (and i heavily recommend the authors other fics as well!) if you really want to see how much i love this fic the fact that my comments take up the entire phone screen probably says a lot. its hard to put it concisely: it keeps harrows air of misanthropy and cruelty but redefines it as the result of her upbringing and personal struggle to live in a university while dealing with a backpack of mental illness and frustration. it changes gideons personality as the daughter of john gaius in a way that makes sense having her grow up with johns middling parenting skills and getting everything she ever wanted (connecting it back to kirionas personality in ntn!). it brings in side characters (specially palamedes. my beautiful boy palamedes) in ways that compliment harrow and gideon but not so obviously that they only exist to be supports. they have their own lives and ideals. its a modern au that brings in the boiling politics of johns cult uprising once again in a really novel way

semi charmed kinda life by @griddlebait. jesuchristo and all his middle names this fic is GREAT for you if you want a slice of life, coming of age type modern au that explores what its like for gideon and harrow if they actually got the space to see who theyd become outside of the stifling fate tlt has for them. as far as modern aus go im usually very hesitant to read them because im afraid modernizing the characters takes features away from their core but i really love and respect the way the author treats the 69ers with care and draws distinct lines that shows me how their grow and change while keeping a line to the anchor. also they write HIDEOUS (complimentary) PINING. DISGUSTING. some of these chapters were so chock full of dyke drama that they made me nauseous and whimsical. i think once a friend said this fic felt like if gh could be reincarnated and i like that descriptor a lot

til the cows come home is another postcanon fic that made me feel sick and crybabyish about it- i would definitely recommend it if you want to explore a happier ending with griddlehark! with this and what if nona was dogs the thing i like most about them is that they mix up vulnerability with pain and fear, so it feels more lifelike that way if that makes sense. i lost my taste in fluff fics over time but when its interspersed with struggle and characters causing problems because they cant cope with themselves it feels much more earnest and raw

this became very long. im not sorry

[wed-in-the-apocalypse]

Caught

Tara carpenter x reader

Drabble 2

----

2 months of dating Tara, it had to be the best 2 months of your life, but dating Tara also came with some difficulties, you see, it was hard not to tell absolutely everyone in the world about your beautiful, amazing, talented girlfriend: Tara Carpenter.

And this was one of those times.

You were hanging out with the core 4, along with Mindy's girlfriend and your best friend; Anika, and Ethan with Quinn.

You guys were walking in the city as usual, per Tara's request to explore the city, and of course you loved showing them around, but you weren't in the greatist mood, the problem was that Chad had been all over Tara the entire evening, you tried to keep your jealousness at bay, it wasn't his fault, afterall, your relationship with Tara was a secret, still you couldn't help but feel jealous at the sight of Chads arm slung over Tara's shoulder as he talked her ear off, but you tried not to look and kept going.

"Hey guys, Can we stop for some food?, I'm hungry" Ethan whined, "Sure, There's a pizza joint right here" Anika said, pointing at a small building, "There's alot of people in there.." Sam muttered, eyeing it wearily, "It's fine, I'll go in and grab some pizza," Quinn said from behind you, "Who has money?" "Oh, I do," You reached into your pocket and pulled out some 10 dollar bills, "Here" Quinn took it, "Thanks, Okay, What kinda pizza do you guys want?" "Mushrooms!" Chad exclaimed, "Pineapple is fine" Sam murmured, "Ugh, That's all so gross, Get some cheese pizza for me" Mindy made a disgusted look, (idk, mushrooms and pineapple on pizza is just gross to me) Quinn nodded and went inside.

You didn't have to wait to long before she came back with four boxes, "Thank god," Ethan whimpered, "Mmm, this is great" He said taking a huge bite out of his pizza slice, "Alright guys let's go back to the apartment" Sam called, so you all followed her back.

----

When you got back and Sam finally found the key you all burst in, Mindy crashing into the couch as a loud groan left her, and you chuckled, "My fucking ass is sore," Mindy whined, "Why'd we have to go ice skating?" "Because i wanted to remember?," Anika said flopping on top of her girlfriend, "And it was funny watching you and Chad fall" "Hey!," Chad protested, "It was slippery.." They countinued to insult eachother and you sighed, quietly slipping into Tara's room, you sat on the bed with a heavy sigh, trying to get the image of Chad catching Tara from nearly falling on the ice out of your head.

It wasn't working very well.

You groaned, falling back on the bed and putting your hands over your face, you couldn't hear the quiet pitter-patter of feet over the yelling and laughing, the door creaked softly as a small head poked through the crack, "Hey baby," A voice said softly, "You okay?, You were quiet almost the whole time we were out" Tara approached the bed, sitting at your side, "Yeah, i'm okay Tar, just a bit tired" You gave her a comforting smile, but she knew better, she raised her brow, you sighed, you both knew you couldn't lie to her, "I just.. it's silly but, it, hurts.. watching you with Chad, i mean, he acts like he owns everything! And i know it's not his fault, we're a secret but still" You sniffed, moving to face the wall. She put her hand on your chin, making you face her, "Y/n, I want you to know that i don't have any feelings for Chad, He's just a friend, And if you want, I can tell him that, Okay?"

Tears welled in your eyes at her reassurance, you sat up, smiling at her, whispering a soft, "I know", you leaned in, and she met you halfway. The kiss was like a promise, filled with love, and passion, words can't describe how you felt in that moment, you could cry, it was overwhelming the feelings you held for Tara. You kissed her with everything you had, telling her without words that you would be with her forever, because words didn't matter. You broke for air but she pulled you back in, this time with more hunger, desire, she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, your tounge swipping over her bottom lip, and she gasped, allowing your entry. Your hand snaked under her shirt, fingers softly scratching the perfect skin under her ribs, and she whimpered at the feeling.

You were to entirely entranced by one anothers beings to hear the footsteps approaching the door, you hadn't even noticed anyone else was in the room until she cleared her throat, you broke away. Anika was standing at the door, with the biggest grin on her face, "I fucking knew it!" Yours and Tara's faces were both bright red, from both emotion, and embarrassment. You stuttered out a "I-I-, Wait, you're not like, Mad?" Anika looked slightly confused at that, "What?, No?, I mean a little because you didn't tell me but no. I'm not Sam for fucks sake" A beat of silence passed, less than a second, as you both sat there in shock, "Okay, Well, I came to tell you guys that we're watching insidious," She went to leave, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Then she left you alone. Tara groaned, hiding her face in the crook of your neck as you laughed at her embarrassed state. She pinced your side, "It's not funny!" she complained, "Well it kinda is-" your sentence was cut short by Tara's lips on yours, she crawled back into your lap, and you happily shut up. "It's not funny" She muttered against your lips, "Okay, Okay, It's not funny" "Damn right" You chuckled at that, "Okay, I think we should go before they think we're having sex" You joked, and Tara nodded, sliding off of you, "Yeah, c'mon".

----

You walked into the living room, suprisingly no one looked at you differently, Chad looked at you and Tara with a hint of jealousy, and Anika smirked at you, but the others were busy watching the movie. You moved to sit next to Ethan, and Tara sat in the empty space next to you, subtly putting her hand on yours, in the dim light of the tv, no one saw as Tara leaned her head on your shoulder, Sam though, had seen it, giving you a slight smile and an approving nod. You smiled back, turning to the tv, you melted into Tara, feeling a wave of contentment wash over you.

Maybe this would work out.

----

sorry for procrastinating on this drabble <3

THIS TOOK FOREVER FOR ME TO DO WTF IM SORRYYYY

@caitlynskitten

@melrodrigo ?

@jenflirts

[sukinapan]

honestly would be pretty interested in hearing about all of them, if thats alright

it's no problem o( ❛ᴗ❛ )o i like talking about this

for context, apart from making personal art i'm also an artist and character designer at Smarto Club, so I don't know if these count as OCs but i have posted art of them here: Haco from >Bubblegum Galaxy and Teacup from >Teacup.

you can check the steam pages on those games for more info if u like. i love all my characters but i don't usually make personal art of these two since i already do it as my job.

my newest Smarto Club character is a bit different since she's more in the style of what i'm doing personally so i want to make more art of her soon. her name is Abigail:

she's a kid who likes reading about bugs and catching them but she never hurts them : ) this is a short game in early development but it's about catching creatures called angels. it's got horrorish vibes but i don't think the end result will be full-out horror, since it's also kinda silly...

then there's Peklo, it's a game for which i created the whole concept and story but the plan is to develop it as a studio at Smarto Club. i wrote more context for it on this post, but for the characters, they're my favorites to make art about at the moment. the main ones are Kiku (the cat) and Mi (the bunny):

i recently created these human forms of them for fun but i'm not sure whether i'll establish them as canon or not... they're trapped in limbo/hell so there's space for them to have a past human form. they don't remember their lives but Kiku feels a deep sense of regret about things unkown to her and wants to break out of Peklo. Mi feels trapped in an eternal sadness, she longs to see the ocean, she can always hear it but has never been able to reach it.

the antagonist in Peklo is a frog entity called Guppy but i haven't really shown him outside of his froggy logo

i also have OCs from my smaller games. there's Hlina that i created specifically for >this game that was commissioned to me for a zine. i don't have any plans to use her again for now but i might make more art of her in the future for fun. she's part of a strange dream realm and is hostile to the player:

there's iro from the >game with the same name who's my oldest game OC. i created that bitsy game for her story but she existed previously in my art degree final project, it was a version of the same story but just a section of it. it's a dream of mine to create a full-fledged 3D game for her some day.

she's a bit of a defective space exploration robot, sent to explore planetoid Iridium-3 in search of human contact. it's set in a future where humanity has dispersed among the whole galaxy so lots of groups have lost contact with each other.

my latest game OC is Michtat, a wizard cat that i created just for this silly zine.

lasty, there’s the characters from my comic that I’m working on, called The most distant planet. the main characters are Victor and Mitya, two 9 year olds whose families end up living together.

i'd say these are the dearest characters to me of all. i don't post as much of them because they're mostly in the shape of comic pages and it doesn't spark as much interest as my games. i love drawing them though.

they’re both little weirdos who isolate themselves and don’t fit in much with other children, so the friendship they develop is very special to them. they have almost opposite personalities where Victor (darker hair) is very shy and dorky but also very sweet to everyone, while Mitya mostly gives 0 fucks about what anyone thinks or says, he blurts out whatever he’s thinking and just wants to run around wild.

the story is mostly slice of life-ish but there’s also a science fiction element ^-^ Victor is obsessed with things like ghosts, aliens, etc but Mitya thinks it’s all just dumb tales.

another important character is Alyosha, Mitya’s 17-18yo brother. he doesn’t know how to talk or relate to his little brother and is kinda weirded out by him. they where very close when they were younger, but when Mitya was 2 he had an accident that Alyosha feels guilty about, and has been somehow different ever since.

he still worries about his little brother and how isolated he is, though. at the beginning of the story the two of them live alone with their grandma who does love them but has kind of a cold and distant personality. 

Alyosha was the type of kid to be considered “gifted” but now feels completely burnt out and had to repeat a grade at school. he felt so humiliated by this he eventually stopped going entirely, so he now works part time and just studies at home. he cut contact with his old classmates but he still has 2 best friends from the last few months he spent at school in the grade below, Manon and Min Na. they’re the kind of friends who just show up unannounced at his house and job, and are very involved with his family’s life.

i’ve also included Min Jie in some art, she’s Min Na’s younger cousin and comes into the story later:

i should have like character sheets and stuff for all of these OCs but i’m the kind to just jump head first into drawing/modeling lol, that's why i included all these finished illustrations.

i really wanna publish this comic, i’ve been working on it for a long time and i’m currently waiting for the results of a public funding application here in my country to decide what i'll do next.

hope this could be of interest (^人^) thanks for the ask!

[kiestrokes]

i like had this thought in the back of my head of like what ateez would be like with an S/O who has a physical illness bcs i actually have one which causes a lot of pain to my bones and i'm like in a constant state of pain and discomfort, been going on for about 12 years HELL YA ✊🏻, if i don't keep up on my meds (currently don't have the proper meds so it only tides me over for a little while-) then im basically fucked so IDK i feel like there isn't a lot of stuff written about this kind of stuff (im a sucker for shit i hardly ever am able to read abt) ALSO IM NOT 100% SURE IF YOUR REQS WERE OPEN BCS I DIDNT SEE ANYTHING POSTED ABT IT SO- YA- if you don't want to write it obviously you don't have to !! no pressure at all lovely

ATEEZ Caring for You: Chronic Illness Edition | SFW

Pairing: ATEEZ x Gender Neutral!Reader/You/Yn Rating: SFW Genre: fluff, slice of life, headcanons, imagines, scenarios. Warnings: chronic illness + immunocompromised talk.

🗝️ Note: Hey atiny anon! You actually asked the right person; I have fibromyalgia combined with a few other annoying chronic illnesses. Because you can't just have one 😓 I hope that you can find a decent fucking doctor and get on the proper medication soon. That's the biggest part of the struggle, finding a physician that will listen and is competent enough. I hope this was enough, I tried to assign each member a caring task that I felt fit them! Has not been beta-ed.

Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction; I do not own any of the idols depicted below. 

Seonghwa 

He’s here to help you prevent all the chronic pain that he can. Booking you massage visits. Trips to the hot springs. All the arnica rubs. Silly little games the two of you play, to keep your mind off the pain and depression spirals. His favorite is seeing who can build their new Lego set the quickest. Hwa is the biggest advocate for you, he would never return a dish at the restaurant when its wrong. But he will fight for you at every appointment, every pharmacy, wherever you need him to. Because he knows you've grown tired of fighting all the time.

Hongjoong

HJ's specialty is flexibility. You have a sudden burst of energy? He’s down to go explore that new pop-up market with you. You’ve come down with a bout of bone numbing pain? That’s cool, you’re getting changed into comfy clothes and piled up on the couch. Swaddled in your heating pad with all the snacks. Where he falls asleep on your shoulder. HJ never gets frustrated with your rapid change in mood or plans. Nothing but the most understanding partner you could ever have asked for, and boy is he so cute and snuggly when dozing on you. Small hands seeking your face for drowsy kisses that soothe your aches just a smidge.

Yunho

The quiet presence, the one who knows what you need before you say it. Passing you tissues, making you a cup of tea and most importantly holding you so that you can cry. Shedding angry tears about how frustrated you are with your own body for betraying you. For feeling weak. For missing out on things. He's gently calming every frayed nerve in your brain. Reassuring you that you're exactly where you need to be in this moment, and he will bring all of the fun to you. And he does, in small, manageable doses.

Yeosang

His way of caring for you is through caring for your outside. All the skin masks, hair treatments, skin softening lotions because if you feel cruddy, at least he can make you feel cute and comfortable. They do heal though, in their own way. The extra moisture of the humidifier and every cream and essence he buffs into your skin helps keep some of the aches away. Subsiding the itchiness of the nerve pain, just a little. And you can’t get over how cute Yeosang looks in each animal themed headband or with his hair tied back into teeny space buns or how nice his hands feel every time they glide over your skin.

San

Where Yunho is quietly attentive, San is passionately attentive. You cry, he cries (while holding you). Quite literally your pain, is his pain and he’s here to be with you through each step. No judgment is ever passed when he has to pick up your extra chores around the house. Because to him, that is the smallest act of service he can perform for you. San is the one who wishes he could take on your pain, that he could fight it and destroy it and it pains him that he cannot. So he will simply have to do everything else.

Mingi

He thrives on making you laugh and smile through tough days, because he understands feeling burdensome. Mingi never wants you to feel that way, he wants to make sure you verbally know that your presence is needed and welcome. His favorite thing is cuddled up in bed with you wrapped in your heated blanket watching shows. You looking so small in his arms, giving him the feeling of protecting something. He reassures you constantly, because he himself seeks constant reassurance. Mingi never tires of this, he will reaffirm every single self deprecating thought with a compliment even on his worst days.

Wooyoung 

He cares for you with his skinship, which is incredibly healing. His happy heartbeat encourages yours. His strong hands make you feel loved and needed. Who would cuddle him if not you? Woo often reminds you, whispering the phrase into your ear as he traces his nails through your hair, or while rhythmically drawing circles on your spine. Making you float into dream land and anchoring you in the moment with him at the same time. Woo also loves making you whatever dish you’re craving, knowing you need energy to fight off fatigue and pain. And cooking is one of his many, many love languages.

Jongho

Needing to hoard all the extra rest you can get; you seek out solace at Jongho’s place for nap time. Jongho has taken notice, he’s also taken inventory as to which blankets of his you prefer, the pillows that keep you asleep the longest, what temperature you prefer the room to be based on what you’re wearing. All your favorite snacks before or after. New blackout curtains. He’s made his place your ultimate nap zone. New heated blankets. Duplicates of your fave lounge wear and socks. And he takes his payment in cuddles. Holding you tightly in his bed or sprawled on the couch. Sometimes he falls asleep himself and flips you onto your back to bury into your side like a full-sized teddy bear.

© COPYRIGHT 2023 by kiestrokes All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be reproduced without written permission from the author. This includes translations.

[antimonyandthyme]

martian; retirement (as told by oscar)

They do a massive barbecue at the end of Seb’s visit. Mark’s steaks have been soaking in some special homemade marinade for precisely six hours. He’s got enough potatoes to feed a farm.

He forgets the salad.

“You forgot the salad,” Seb says. He sounds absolutely delighted. He’s sounded this way ever since Mark picked him up at the airport. But even more so at the moment. “All that talk about this being the best meal I’ll get this side of town, and you forgot the salad.”

“He’ll never let me live this down,” Mark says.

“I won’t,” Seb confirms.

Oscar owes it to Mark to help, just a little bit. “Isn’t there a Woolworths just around the corner?”

Mark’s face does something very funny. It takes a moment for Oscar to realize Mark’s sulking, like he’s genuinely upset he has to get salad from a store. Like it’s not going to be good for Seb or something. As if Mark could put a burnt steak in front of Seb, and Seb wouldn’t eat as if his life depended on it. How do you go from crashing into each other to this?

Seb checks Mark in the hip, and pries the tongs out of Mark’s unwilling hand. Oscar watches as their fingers tangle, not so briefly, before they separate. “I won’t let the meat burn, I promise.”

Mark sighs, and goes to grab the car keys.

“Do me a favour,” Seb says, “accompany him for me, will you? Don’t let him get lost at the salad bar.”

“Do my best,” Oscar says. Something in Seb’s tone makes Oscar look. Really look. At Mark standing in front of the chilled chafing dishes containing coleslaw and mixed greens.

At Mark staring right past, lost in thought.

Oscar reaches for a takeout container, and ladles a heap of Caesar salad in. Decides to get a little fancy and scatter some goat cheese atop. He clears his throat, and Mark nearly jumps.

“I’ve had this before,” Oscar tries. He’s gunning for it blind here. “Totally decent salad. I’m sure Seb wouldn’t mind.”

Mark lets out a small chuff of laughter. “You could give him a slice of toast and he’d thank you for it.”

“Okay,” Oscar says. He clicks the tongs in his hand for something to do. Ting ting. Then he reaches for another takeout container, and spoons the Thai salad in. The more the merrier, Seb would agree. “So why—?”

“I keep trying to convince myself this wouldn’t be the last I see of him for awhile.”

“It won’t,” Oscar protests. “He’s retired now. He has more time.”

“For his bees, and the sailing, and the exploring, and the whatever that comes after retirement. So what should I say? Stay here instead?”

There isn’t an answer for that. Oscar can’t pretend he’s ever wanted that of someone. Maybe someday. Maybe never. Seb and Mark don’t seem to be enjoying it. The wanting that of someone.

The containers are getting ridiculously full. Mark doesn’t reach for them yet. So, delicately, Oscar sprinkles a layer of sesame seeds on top.

“We’ve been apart so often,” Mark says, unprompted. “We’ve had our own schedules most of our lives, and this isn’t any different. I know I’m being silly.”

“You’re not,” Oscar says. It doesn’t feel strange, saying that to someone he looks up to in every which way possible. Someone in charge of his future. He wants that devastation wiped off Mark’s face. “I’ve seen how you look at each other.”

It’s how Mark’s gaze is turned upwards whenever Seb’s telling a story, like a plant searching out the light. It’s how Seb’s eyes dance across everyone in the room before landing on Mark. Floating away, then settling back. Floating away, then settling back again. It’s never grandiose declarations like, Stay here with me forever. It’s the drifting, through landscape after landscape, and the returning each and every time.

“Maybe,” Oscar says, “if you asked.”

“If I asked, he would.”

Which is why Mark will never. Oscar knows that much about love, at least. Something about letting go. He snaps the lids of the containers shut. Mark trails after him, and only shakes out of his stupor when Oscar tries to pay for the salads.

Seb greets them at the door with an anxiousness Oscar’s familiar with. Tongs in his hand, Ting ting.

“Did you get lost?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Oscar says. Next to him, Mark stiffens. “Do you know how many varieties of salad Woolworths has?”

Mark presents the containers to Seb with a flourish. Their fingers overlay. Oscar imagines pressing his own hands on top, like Stay, stay.

Stay if you know what’s good for you.

“Oh my god,” Mark says.

The barbeque smells as if it’s caught fire.

“You like your meat well done, right?” Seb looks hopeful. He also looks like he’s on the verge of panic. Like the brief moment away from Mark had done him in. Made him forget his name, and all that comes with it, reputation and inheritance and legacy.

That gaze of Seb’s again, darting away, lingering on Mark, darting away, lingering on Mark once more.

“One forgets the salad, and one forgets the meat,” Oscar says. He kinda wants to yell at them for being idiots. He’s almost embarrassed for them both. Mostly, he’s just hungry. “The two of you deserve each other.”

But Mark’s laughing now, and Seb’s joined him, shoulders shaking. Oscar grumbles and goes to rummage around the kitchen for something edible. No one has ever said ex-Formula 1 drivers were smart. They’ve spent too long driving around in circles to understand that the quickest way from point A to B is a straight line.

Hah. That’s a good one.

There’s linguine in Mark’s cupboard, and two tins of unopened tomato sauce. Nothing goes better with potatoes than even more carbs.

“Expired in 2021,” Seb reads.

“I don’t care,” Oscar says fervently. “Can I leave the boiling of water to you, or will you burn that too?”

“I like him,” Seb says to Mark brightly. Mark gives Seb a look, watery and resigned and so fucking fond. “You’ll continue giving him a hard time for me, won’t you?”

“Do my best,” Oscar says.

[zarchomp]

saw a post on tiktok joking about riley from inside out discovering Wattpad in the first movie and AO3 in the second movie which like,,,,, relatable middle school experience.

a bunch of the comments were saying stuff like "and just WAIT until she discovers chai". i didn't know what chai was, but i DO know that ao3 isn't as popular in a lot of fandom spaces these days so i checked it out, wondering if it was something new, but turns out it's character ai?

which is SO interesting to me because like,,,, the whole thing that i've always LOVED about fandom spaces is the act of mutual creation.

i feel like the thing that is so amazing about fandom isn't just that it's a continuation of the canon stories, but that it's an entirely different way to create relationships with stories. exploring your relationship to a character, as a consumer, and using that to become a creator. taking what resonates to you from the canon and further exploring that tiny facet of it.

i remember that post on here from about ten years ago that argued that canon which tends to be dark has a lot of fanwork that's more lighthearted (college aus, post-war slice of life stuff) whereas lighter canon material gives way to darker fanwork. that sort of relationship with the text, a willingness to explore it on all fronts, is what makes fandom kinda amazing.

the way that popular fanfictions completely recontexualize fanon as a whole. how popular pieces of fanart can affect the way the fandom interprets characters and their relationships to each other. fandom has ALWAYS been interesting because it's constantly building on itself. it's like one giant mass that's influenced by thousands of people and each of the individual ways that they resonate with the text.

to me, fandom was never a passive experience. growing up with a lot of mental illness, relating to people in real life wasn't easy. but in an online space where the only thing i needed to enter a thriving community was opinions on different characters and relationships, i could find a space for myself. i know a lot of fanartists and fic writers and general fandom people feel the same way.

and i was kinda shocked at the amount of people who go to ai for fandom. i know back when chatGPT first got big, a lot of people were using it to write fanfiction. and i just think is totally misses the fundamental joy of fandom. because like, i want to read something written by someone who cried while learning about sasuke's backstory.

i want to see art by someone who's stayed up all night scrolling ship tags on tumblr. the whole point of fandom, to me, isn't just that my brain latches onto *thing* and so i want more *thing* (which it does). but i want that more *thing* to be created by someone who has thoughts on the text. someone who watched voltron and said "yeah this is kinda cool but i have ideas about keith's characterization in season three that i think was underexplored in the show and i want to try my hand at it".

anyways, i am so appreciative towards anyone who's ever drawn characters in their styles, had them wearing silly costumes, put them in an pokemon au, started conversation about which college major u think the dungeon meshi characters would choose.

everyone who writes and creates original stories about ur faves suffering, bleeding, owning a pet store, celebrating their birthdays, having sex for the first time.

the act of mutual creation which defines fandom is incredible. the fact that there's a whole community of people who have different takes on characters, who hotly debate whether it makes more sense if the character with the canonically horrific backstory would still have that backstory in the modern day. it's what makes these communities alive, active places that you can explore. it's incredible.

the ability to see a text, and to create such a personal relationship with it that it sparks more creation. that's what it's about.

[specialagentartemis]

Double bingo!--quadruple bingo if the fics I read and commented on early chapters but haven't finished reading yet count! (in purple)

For the Murderbot Diaries @comment-bingo event.

This was a fun event and pushed me to read some of the fanfiction that I've been meaning to for a while!

Fics I read for each square under the cut:

Character Death: "Broken Half" by FigOwl. Beautiful and just. Sad. About Murderbot surviving and trying to make sense of itself after ART dies on a mission and Murderbot is stranded on a planet and has to look after the survivors. Novel-length. I'm moving through it slowly.

Crossover: "The Sherlock Society and the Case of the Lying Parents" by BWizard. Cute, surprisingly melancholy, presents some interesting time-travel emotions. Crossover with the middle-grade mystery novel "The Sherlock Society."

Comic: Murderbot September day 3: (Alternative prompt) “I don’t like you.” / “I know.” by @fascinatedfinch. What an excellent portrayal of this scene and Murderbot's processing during it!

Blood(c): "acknowledged (GP-53214680-J)" by torpidgilliver. Hit at the HEART. Aaaah. Ganaka Pit from the perspective of the ComfortUnits. Brilliant. Tragic.

Brainwashing: "Patient: GrayCris Assassin" by FlipSpring. One of my favoritessssss the evolving voice and the hovering, heavy question of what personhood and autonomy mean. Aaaa

Quote a Line: "Incident Report: Preservation Central Region Agricultural Fair, 7784-10-18 17:28:19.200-21:17:29.350" by BWizard. A cute slice-of-life about the Preservation State Fair.

Character Portrait: "read murderbot in a fevered haze so i could take a break from my irl obligations. here have these." by elms-art-gallery. Lmao. What a take on the eternal question of SecUnit Feet.

Posted/Updated This Year: "[Podfic of] An Arrival" by wilfriede0815. A podfic of my ficlet! A gift made for me! It's lovely.

Podfic: "[Podfic of] A Warm GrayCris Welcome" by wilfriede0815. ALSO a podfic of my ficlet, a gift made for me!! I'm so spoiled.

Hurt/Comfort: "things left buried" by beeclaws. Murderbot gets caught in a cave-in with Amena; she's not hurt, but it's trapped, and they have to talk about...... feelings. It's sweet.

Loss of Autonomy: "let this road be mine" by Anonymous. A really intriguing secret-construct fic.

Free Space: "Lean" by BoldlyNo. Indah... I love... her... and this is a great insight into her.

Kidnapping: "Weakness" by Flammenkobold. Fun and silly.

Malware: "[Podfic] Weakness" by blackglass, LRRH_Collabs (LittleRedRobinHood), elrohir, horchatapods. The podfic of the above. The reading enhances it in a delightful way.

Missing Limb(s): "Secondary Redundancies" by pineapplesquid. A heist novella! Three gets to go on a mission! Murderbot has to confront its own internalized ableism and SecUnitphobia! Well-constructed, well-written, engaging, often feels like I'm reading another entry into the series itself.

Respond to Someone's Comment: "Contents Under Pressure" by platyceriums. Murderbot has a panic attack about being put in a transport box. Full of feelings. The podfic of this is also very good.

Posted/Updated Pre-2022: "Contingency Plan" by Kiraly. Amena on a field trip to the space!Svalbard Seed Bank! Cuddling for warmth but platonic and very awkward about it!

Questionable Augmentation: "My battery is low and it's getting dark" by potatoturnipbean. YO. Brilliant, elegant brutality, great voice.

Betrayal: "PUoMNT Lost" by IHopedTheredBeStars. Really neat concept I've been itching to see explored - ART is, still, actually, university property. It's a vehicle. It's a piece of equipment. Its freedom is contingent on the university letting it do what it wants and not asking too many questions. That can't be trusted to hold like this forever.

[macawritesupdates]

Update 7/7/2024

So giving update on where the writing is!

JUJUTSU KAISEN LONG FIC UPDATES

THE YUUJI FILES: the next chapter is coming along quickly and I might have it updated very soon! It is a long chapter, but been a fun one to write! It has a focus on the Kyoto Crew which has been fun to give them some love and explore them more! Hopefully you all will enjoy the chapter c: The title of this chapter is THE DEATH GOD'S CURSE.... LESSON IN ACCIDENTAL SEDUCTION: Making good progress, it will update very soon as well. Just having some rough parts to muscle through. The fic is fighting me, but it is def the beach episode.... MIRRORED LIVES: Making good progress after the chapter got munched by a computer crash...hoping it can update soon! BROKEN IN WAYS NO ONE SEES: Very good progress on chapter and the update for it is arriving soon! It is a very fluffy chapter as eight, nine, and ten are angst...BUT that is the last bit of angst as after that, it is pure fluff from there until the end <3 HISTORICALLY INACCURATE: Working on outlining the chapter and getting an idea of how it is going to flow. I want to take care with this next chapter as I have two Sukuna to balance in it and wrap up a lot of the major points and themes. So making sure I hit all the right points. CAREFUL WHAT YOU JOKE ABOUT : Letting it sit a bit as not sure how to start the next chapter or what I want to cover save a few snippets. So letting it cook a bit longer before I tackle the outline c: MY HERO ACADAMIA LONG FIC UPDATES WHAT SACRICES HEROES MAKE THAT GO UNSUNG The next chapter is almost done and ready to go! This fic moves very slow to start as laying the groundwork carefully. More of the ships coming through, more of the plot starting to put itself down. This fic for me hits its stride in chapter five. That's when the angst is going to start getting punchy and the action ramping up! Still very excited to write this story out! A RUT TIME OF IT A slice of life fic with Kirishima, Bakugo, and Denki as a trio of alphas having the time of their life figuring out their social lives and dynamics. They are going to get into silly shenanigans. Not sure about ships for this fic, might just play it by ear and go with the flow, but more humor and characters interacting, so might be an easier fic to get into! JEALOUSY IS NOT A GOOD FRIEND A short fic of three chapters with a focus on Ochaco dealing with feelings and struggling with being a good friend and a jealous villain. A character study as I feel she doesn't get a lot of love/focus ; w ; she is my second favorite character so want to give her a little love! MORE TO COME! (Fanfics that will make an appearance soon) WHO'S A GOOD BOY (jJJK Fic; will start when Broken ends) Working on the final outline for the story and the chapter progression. I feel this one is going to hurt some feels as it is angst/hurt and Sukuna is a dog. Going to be an interesting read for sure!

LAW MEETS DISORDER ((JJK fic; will start when Historically and Careful ends) Still carefully working on putting this one together. It is heavy on the mystery and plot, so it takes a bit longer...but it is going to be packed with action more so than other stories!

CURSE. EXE ((JJK fic: still in development) This one is a slowly developing idea, just a concept for now, but going to be a future take and features omega!Yuuji this time c: REQUESTS Working on them here and there, but given I'm doing art fight, time not spent writing is being spent on art, so not much time for requests currently! They will come back though!

[saffronapplemanga]

Recent Read Manga Recommendation Round Up - Part 2

More manga I’ve been enjoying recently! Part 1 recommendation list here. Twitter link to this post here.

~Links to my other manga posts~ My personal favs/ones I super enjoyed will have a ✨ on them :)

Got more new titles and shorter reads this time around!

Some of these don't have official (or unofficial) EN translations since I read a lot of JP-only manga and I’d like to make people aware of those titles too! My hope is that bringing awareness to them will help get them licensed :) I guess if any sound interesting, ask publishers to license them! I’ll link any dedicated posts I have for each title.

PLEASE LOOK UP ANY TRIGGER WARNINGS!

HISTORICAL, DRAMA

✨Tenmaku no Jadoogar: A Witch’s Life in Mongol by Tomato Soup

(3 volumes, ongoing)

JP only. The first 5 chapters are up for free in JP here. English summary in this post

A learned Irani slave girl is taken captive by the Mongols in the 13th century and has to use her knowledge to survive. Well-researched historical fiction about Fatima, who was a real person in history. I wrote a long detailed post about it, so check it out!

DRAMA, ART

✨Untitled Blue by Natsume Yukiko

(3 volumes, ongoing)

JP only - English summary in this post

I fell for Untitled Blue SO HARD, and I need the next volume immediately. A suicidal boy who just wants to make art uses the name of a burnt-out prodigy girl to sell his works in anonymity. The found family vibes and feels are strong in this one... And there are some absolutely SICK pages in this.

DRAMA, PSYCHOLOGICAL, ROMANCE

Haru’s Curse by Konishi Asuka

(2 volumes, complete)

Available in English

A woman falls for her dead sister's man and we follow a story about guilt and grief. This is a well-written short manga that tackles touchy topics in a thoughtful manner.

PSYCHOLOGICAL, DRAMA, SCI-FI

Takopi’s Original Sin by Taizan5

(2 volumes, complete)

English available to read on mangaplus

A short manga that was quite popular in Japan by the same author of the currently publishing Jump series The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins, this title is a good intro into Taizan 5's work. The art is expressive, the page turn is used well, and it takes a look at human psychology through three children with complicated relationships and living situations.

LGBTQ, SLICE OF LIFE

Kawa yori mo Nagaku Yuruyaka ni by Yoshida Akimi

(2 volumes, complete)

JP only

From Yoshida-sensei of Banana Fish fame, this short manga predates her more well-known work and you can see her explore some of the themes and ideas that you'll often see in Yoshida's works. I didn't relate to the characters (Which is actually nice sometimes! Different perspectives are good!) and it's kind of a weird manga, but it got a few laughs out of me and it was cool seeing Yoshida experiment.

This is how he introduced himself to an American working at the base - WILD

COMEDY, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Let's Go Karaoke! by Wayama Yama

(oneshot)

Available in English

I've been eyeing this title for YEARS and almost bought it so many times. Finally read it and idk why it took me so long. A charming, quirky, silly, wholesome story about a yakuza getting singing lessons from a choir kid. There's a sequel that's currently being published, ファミレス行こ/Famiresu Iko/"Let's Go To a Diner," but it seems to have a slow release schedule and hasn't been released in volume form yet. I don't see it available to read digitally either so I guess we'll just wait for a tankobon release.

COMEDY, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Captivated, by You by Wayama Yama

(oneshot)

Available in English

A wholesome quick read that left me with a smile on my face. The characters in this manga are just sweet kids and it's delightfully mundane. I mean that in the best way. It was just so nice to read.

COMEDY, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Onna no Sono no Hoshi by Wayama Yama

(3 volumes, ongoing)

JP only

More of Wayama Yama's infectious brand of humor and fuzzy feelings that I'm completely in love with at this point. Read what I said for the last two titles - same good stuff.

DRAMA, SCI-FI, MYSTERY

✨Gene Bride by Takano Hitomi

(3 volumes, ongoing)

JP only - English summary in this post

Sci-fi title that slowly unfolds its mystery and features two incredibly charming characters with a hilarious dynamic and tons of personality.

DRAMA, SLICE OF LIFE

✨Ikoku Nikki by Yamashita Tomoko

(11 volumes, complete)

JP only

My current read!

15-year old Asa's parents passed away in a car accident and her aunt, Makio, who works as an author has taken her in. This series is so human and makes me feel too seen and it's too relatable... Gives me the warm and fuzzies but also makes me want to cry. I need Makio in my life tbh.

Just gonna leave this here...

[jackals-ships]

JACKAL I must apologize I was like I WILL GO CHECK F/O LIST because I am not 100% sure which bot you ship with (<- did not care about robots until suddenly I cared A LOT) though I thiiink it's Megatron bUT sorry if I'm wrong fkdjashkj BUT BEARING IN MIND I HAVEN'T FINISHED S1...I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SHIP(S) 👀 and perhaps read fic at some point if you are able to find it @goldenworldsabound

(<- did not care about robots until suddenly I cared A LOT) IS AN ENTIRE MOOD THO HFKF tfp is like some sleeper cell activation code i SWEAR,,, + ur all good !! i gotta fiddle w my f/o list a lil and then repost it bc i kept meaning to make minor changes an then forgor,

BUT ANYWAYS YES !!! he's also, hilariously, one of the f/os i have a physical lil guy of despite being not on my radar as long as like garrus hf

also a read more bc i woke up Rambly today <3

he gets to sit with the ponies :} bc he canonically likes mlp at least according to the lil ask Megatron bit + there was a whole comics crossover (2 I think actually?)

breakdown + knockout are also My Besties they started out as like kinda baby crushes <- local aro can't tell the difference between Feelings even in fiction more at 11 [lighthearted] before megs came for my braincell with the fuckin. steel chair HFJ so seeing you go 👀🥰 at knocks i was like FUCK YEAH LETS GOO !!! im dropping into his work station from the ships vents like oooo someone's got a cruuuuush ooooo you wanna be all (⁠ʃ⁠ƪ⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠）don't u knocks- (jackal is once again banned from the nemesis)

okay okay but; i rlly only have one fic Finished and luckily had the foresight to post it to AO3. it's a lil older so not totally in character + canon but still silly and cute hjfkd

NOW GETTING INTO MY RED STRING TERRITORY-

when i get into something with a lot of continuities i tend to kinda? squish em together? or take bits and pieces going >:3 my city now, so the jackal x megatron ship is Primarily TFP but ive also absconded with fun movie details (like megs being i think it was 30? 40 ft tall? Fuck Huge,,,,) and also bits of comics lore/designs (holomatter is an interesting concept and im chewing on Meg's as we speak. gnawing on his arm even-)

but regardless this ship is totally my Slice Of Life Comedy Hour Chill LoFi Beats type of ship HKF like im a sucker for darker stuff higher stakes but i think this one has 0 stakes

like. like jackal and megatron literally met because jackal enjoys long walks on the beach exploring places Away from the city and Generally Away From Ppl to just sorta vibe. and ofc the normal thing to do when coming across a Definitely Alien And If Not Alien Then Like Secret Government Ship is to walk away. NOT wander ur happy lil ass inside like :0 yooooo what do These buttons do

and then when you get kicked out instead of getting squished like the bug you shouldn't come back via the air vents. again. and again and again and AGAIN and AG- until the local alien warlord gives in and is like "yeah okay this is my life now ig???" (soundwave was totally helping them btw. he likes drama 😌 and also has his own human hi adri so he can't say shit-) (also I've never decided on the Actual number of times they break it, in my brain it keeps slowly going up jus bc I find the concept SO funny. pov you're an alien warlord worried you got alien rodents and oh no NVM it's the human again. FUCK-)

it's absolutely the slowest burn too bc Meg's Refuses to admit that he has a crush on the weird squishy thing that keeps breaking in (until he's decided they're dating. and doesn't bother mentioning this) while jackals just 🥰 hehehoho big robot friend who calls me scraplet and sweetspark and sometimes puppy 🥰🥰🥰 also threatened to kill any mech who was mean to me 🤔🤔 weird. aaanyways

THERE'S ALSO a running joke in my head of that "what do you have?" "A KNIFE" "NO-" but it's jackal running off with energon bc you can't SHOW ME a cool liquid and have me NOT want to drink it !! Just a sippy. jus a lil- we'll have the hospital on speed dial pleeeeaaaase-😭

anyways tldr jackal megatron is "I'm not trapped with him he's trapped with me yaaaay :D" and "robot google; weird fuzzy feeling in spark?? how to remove weird fuzzy feeling?? robot google human exterminator near me-"

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group K Round 1: #K2 vs #K7

#K2: A show where any universe/plot is possible

The series is based on a manhua where the main characters are drawn as stick figures, so they can be placed in any situation, essentially making different AUs canon while any genre is possible. Some of these stories have overarching plots (they’re sort of like actors), some are more slice-of-life, and some have more hard-hitting moments of angst or occasionally cute, romantic stories between the leads: the mild-mannered Beryl (Green) and the easily-embarrassed Sapphire (Blue).

In this show where each episode is set in a different world, how would they encounter each other time and again?

#K7: A story of children who want to be acknowledged

Painted in red, the word "VON" is all that is left behind after a terrorist attack on a nuclear facility in Japan. The government is shattered by their inability to act, and the police are left frantically searching for ways to crack down the perpetrators. The public are clueless—until, six months later, a strange video makes its way onto the internet. In it, two teenage boys who identify themselves only as "Sphinx" directly challenge the police, threatening to cause destruction and mayhem across Tokyo. Unable to stop the mass panic quickly spreading through the city and desperate for any leads in their investigation, the police struggle to act effectively against these terrorists, with Detective Kenjirou Shibazaki caught in the middle of it all.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#K2: Beryl and Sapphire (Xiaolü He Xiaolan)

Propaganda:

It’s genuinely just such a cool concept! Getting to see these characters in practically any story/setting while still featuring the (usually same) main characters means you still get attached to the main cast, but you really get a diverse range of plots and ideas.

You may find yourself getting super attached to one (as I did for the Robo-Beryl arc, because I liked the character of Robo-Beryl but I also found Sapphire’s shyness/crushing adorable), and many of even the shortest ones are really interesting.

The OP even features them as actors and the title cards are film clapboards, which is such a cool way to tie in the main set-up!

Plus, because the manhua features them as stick figures, Ocarina (the original creator of Beryl and Sapphire) has way more room to explore deep ideas or just silly jokes; the flexibility of stick figures means we get lots of deep, philosophical writing/dialogue, and the donghua adapts that quite well.

Beryl is fun and Sapphire is super cute, and I love seeing how they interact in different universes/stories (and yes, they are very shippable!). Their default design is technically male, but sometimes they’re female too.

Some of the storylines are also super creative and really really do just punch you in the gut with feels. I don’t think I’ll ever forget some of the more tragic arcs…

Yet at the end of the day, Beryl and Sapphire is a really cute donghua, with a lot of feel-good stories to it! It even finally came back after like 4 years with season 2, which focuses on one of the over-arching arcs (the Demon King Beryl one), and we’re still getting discussions of deeper ideas alongside comedy, and Beryl and Sapphire are as cute as ever!

The new art style is quite pretty and hey, if you’re a fan of the playful, teasing (yet still can be rather emotionally reserved) type and the easily blushy type, Beryl and Sapphire may just be for you! 😉

Trigger Warnings: None.

#K7: Terror in Resonance (Zankyou no Terror)

Propaganda:

The big thing to this show is that the directors are Shinichirō Watanabe and Yoko Kanno, aka the team behind Cowboy Bebop. But in all seriousness, the show still haunts me and the music can still bring tears to my eyes. The art is incredible, and the characters are tragic. The story is partially about hope and largely about kids wanting their pain to be acknowledged.

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Suicide

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

[peachymilkandcream]

Can you do a one shot of the modern head canon of Levi being a lawyer and Evelyn being a book writer.

Levi x Evelyn AU -> Written In Blood

(A/N: I was kinda hoping this would come out as a request, the idea of it was so cool part of me wanted to explore it further. If you can tell this is inspired off of American Psycho so that's kind of the vibes I wanted. Also part of me wants to make this a series as well...let me know in the comments if you'd want to see a full series once MHMM or Break Me Slowly ends!)

WARNINGS: implied noncon/dubcon, graphic descriptions of violence, domestic violence, manipulation, mind breaking, yandere behaviour/themes, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, misogyny, etc.

=============================================

Levi rolled his eyes, Hange was reading another one of those trash novels. She was obsessed with hopping on the newest trends of what "everyone was reading" despite it being pure rubbish. She could do this but couldn't be bothered to pay attention after asking him to lunch.

"Why did you invite me if you're not even paying attention to a word I'm saying?"

"Because I don't want to hear another court case told so boringly."

His eyebrow twitches. "Boring? You find a murder charge boring?"

"When you tell it using facts instead of the details of the actual murder."

"A murder case isn't supposed to be fascinating."

Hange rolls her eyes again, clearly tired of his excuses for why his job was enjoyable. "Look, tell it the way she does." She pauses to hold up the novel, some supposed to be eerie title with a crime scene on the cover. "Then it's interesting."

"You read trash Hange, although I'm surprised you're not reading smut this time." He pauses. "Unless that's what's in there-"

"It's not smut Levi!" She sighs. "Look, this one is actually good, you should read some of her work."

"If I had the time I wouldn't waste it on that."

She huffs again. "Fine, be miserable."

Levi suppresses the urge to sigh, but catches the author name before standing to leave.

===========================================

"A cold chill ran up her shoulder, the confines of the apartment never seeming so small until now. He was on her heels, walking nonchalantly like this is nothing but a game to him, the shining silver of the axe a stark contrast of his navy suit. The pounding in her ears cut short by the axe splitting the air and sinking into her neck, blood pouring-"

Levi looked up from the pages, mentally berating himself for getting distracted by a silly story instead of cleaning up. The body on the floor threatened to stain his tile if he didn't clean it properly, the dismembered corpse staring at him lifelessly.

To most they would say he had cut a young bright future short, but in his mind it was over already. Resorting to becoming a whore on the streets instead of settling down with a husband and having a respectable life. He had done her a favor cutting it short.

The body in the acid decomposing while he cleaned himself. He couldn't get clean enough, not because of the blood a viscera, but because he had to touch the woman to slice her open. Touching a contaminated woman was what disgusted him, he didn't understand how anyone could have sex with them. Truly there were deplorable people in this world.

Pushing those negative thoughts aside, he focuses on the kill itself, the most enjoyable part. Admittedly, this hadn't been his own method of killing, he had copied it from that novel, it was brilliant, he couldn't help but admit. He was getting tired of coming up with new set ups so it was nice to have some source material to work with. And the way she wrote things worked well, the sequences pulled off as flawlessly in real life as they were on paper. It was if she was writing for him, trying to give him inspiration to go further.

He had to find out more about her, Google searches came up quickly. Apparently Evelyn was successful in her career, writing many books to having well off blogs and social media platforms. She had amassed quite a following, which he thought usually women just did by being whores, but when she had a low cut shirt in a shot he didn't mind at all.

She was pretty, gorgeous, and a woman with a brain he took as a challenge. He enjoyed breaking women, but she couldn't be a target, too popular, he could get caught. No, he could enjoy her books and inspire his spree off of them, but that would have to be it.

=============================================

Levi couldn't get Evelyn out of his head, all of his crimes came straight out of the pages of her most recent writings. She was writing him, the main villian in all of her novels who hadn't been caught yet was him. Like she knew about his crimes and wanted to help him commit more. He need more, more ideas, he had upped the speed of his murders and now he was running out of material. He needed to get her to write more for him, he needed to have her come up with more brilliant ideas. To do this only for him, there would be copycats otherwise, he had to be the original, so he would have to have the only copy of her work.

He needed her.

A few more Google searches brought up an article about a stalker breaking into Evelyn's home, but that she hadn't moved due to the address still remaining hidden from most and the singular stalker awaiting trial.

This brings a smile to Levi's face, he would have to make an innocent visit and see if this alleged stalker had a good lawyer yet.

[bunbunbillion]

not sure if i already did this before here, but consider this a formal introduction to the transfer of my twitter media thread to tumblr. and im starting it with a really special one!!!

Tonight............. i finished Super Lesbian Animal RPG by Bobby Schroeder (@ponett / @slarpg) with my friends. I shared the experience with two who had played the game already, and another who was as blind as me.

i will say without going into at all, but if you are a gay furry (especially trans) and love stuff like sonic, or MLP:FiM, or just gay fantasy in general, go play this game. It's REALLY GOOD! going in blind was a treat. That being said, here's my thots.................. theres a LOT!!!!!

i didn't actually find out about SLARPG until i began reading the sonic archie comics a year or so back. i needed a reading order and by GOD did I find one. not to start this post about slarpg with a ramble about sonic archie, but it was genuinely such a great read, and all the stuff on Thanks, Ken Penders ( @thankskenpenders ), made it all the more enjoyable! that ASIDE it's also how i saw the author of the blog, who i realized i was following already for awhile, was making her own game! and one so shamelessly gay and furry as well! i was INSTANTLY interested...

after the game came out, it took me awhile to get around to it. it wasn't until someone very close to me got really into it that i decided i'd commit the time. it took 20 hours of gay activity, but i started it having silly fun voice acting a bunch of animals with my friends, and ended with tears in my eyes and love in my heart.

the game is written in a way that just gels perfectly with me. everything is both very casual feeling, but also genuine. it's never really ashamed of what it is, and that's all i can ask for from a game with a name like Super Lesbian Animal RPG.

The characters are easily the highlight of the game, never once feeling like simple cutouts or stereotypes. Everyone is just a delight to read. My favorites were easily Melody, Allison, and the man himself Javis. Being a gay ADHD filled bunny with a love for hitting things with sticks and hammers, Allison especially spoke to me.

The world of SLARPG is only seen through a small vertical slice, with the vastness left to your mind, which works very well in its favor. Slowly as you explore the areas your presented, you learn more and more about the world just through your own intuition. Discover the races that live on the planet, where the characters all came from to get here, the power structures put into place, how magic has effected such a modernized world. It makes you want to learn so much more, really. I found myself really interested in the vague lore we get of the supposed Gods that make up the powers of the world, which I hope can be further expanded on one day.

As a Video Game(tm), id say it does exactly what it sets out to do. I'm an RPG Girl, i love Figuring Shit Out in them. I play them headfirst and love to make strategies for silly bosses especially. SLARPG is a RPGM VX Ace game that doesn't exactly do anything CRAZY, as much as it does use its platform incredibly well. It is a SOLID RPG, it sets out to have a concise and simple battle system, with a lot of fun tools to play with. Even if I recognize all the scripts being used, how they get used always felt great. There were very few slipups in the way the game was put together when i played too, which as an RPGM dev, is always impressive to see. I think my only point of contention while playing was the random encounters getting a bit monotonous near the final stretch of the game, and the bosses being a bit too easy for my liking, but otherwise, mwah great rpg!!

one of the BIGGEST highlights, outside of the writing, is the amazing art, and i really mean it!! EVERY character has an amazingly cute character portrait, and every single sprite is so full of life! the backgrounds/tilesets tend to take the cake though, some of the best I've seen in a game like this personally. The dungeons are incredibly visually striking, and every single character design sticks in my head as memorable. MAJOR props to Javis and all his boys too. god bless those freaks.

and finally, i can talk about the writing in specific. it is... special. and i mean that in the best way i can. the story is pretty simple. Melody Amaranth and her girlfriend Allison Goleta join their friends guild to go on adventures, and are granted magic by their mage using a forbidden ritual. From there, hijinks ensue, involving a sociopathic VHS headed cipher-like individual, the worlds most jerkish butch, and a proclaimed Goddess of Magic coming for YOU!!! Despite all that though, the story to me felt focused much more on the relationship between the protagonists. Especially Melody and Allison.

I'm not sure how much I could go into specifics from memory alone, but it is... really good, what they do with the two main girls. Exploring the ways relationships blossom and mend. It's never all drama, nor is it all flowers. It's very real feeling. I connected to it a lot, in ways I never thought I could. Recently, I've been re-exploring my sexuality, what I want in romance, if I can even FEEL romance. This game helped a lot. It helped me be a lot more honest about my feelings, and let myself open up a lot more.

It wasn't just Melody and Allison either, there's multiple other great relationships in the games story. They're ALL adorable, and ALL amazingly written. We see a perfect mix of childhood love, new love, and trained love, each one shown with both strain, and triumph. As a girl who longingly read countless yuri manga and scoured plenty of garbage yuri anime as a kid desperately looking for something I could see myself in... and then this game comes along not only with that amazing representation, but two of the main characters are like VOCALLY transgender!! they don't play around SHTI!! This game is like a cup of cold, refreshing, root beer. god BLESS!!!!!

im about done rambling now though. if you got this far reading and still havent played slarp, WHATRE U WAITING FOR!!! GO KISS SOME GIRLS!!! GOD BLESS!!!!!!!

ADDENDUM: THE MUSIC FUCKS HARD AND CRAZY STYLE I ALMOST FORGOT EVEN AS THE TUNES PLAY IN MY HEAD!! THIS SHIT IS SOME REAL VGM CLASSICS OF ALL TIME

[ghouletteanon]

Mushy May: Day 24 - Tour de-stress

So @sonnenflamme mentioned they thought of Dusk aka the new ghoulette as a water/air hybrid, which gave me ideas that I wanted to explore. Prompt list for Mushy May can be found here, curated by the talented @forlorn-crows.

Relationships: Dusk/Mist

Summary: Dusk has had enough of touring after one week and calls her girlfriend. Slice of life angsty but with a mushy ending.

Word count: 1076

Rating: Gen

Dusk has been on tour for a week, and she feels like she can’t take it anymore. Everyone in the band had been wonderful to her, and the fans seemed to like her but for three rituals in a row she felt like there was something building inside her, gnawing at her and if she waits any longer, she will explode like a geyser.

Dusk locks herself in the bathroom of the hotel room she shares with Cirrus and Cumulus. She turns on the faucet in the bathtub, trying to drown out her voice with the sounds of running water as she calls the one number, she has saved on speed dial.

“Dusk! Oh, I’ve missed hearing from you.” Mist picks up immediately and Dusk feels like she can breathe for the first time in days. She had avoided calling her mate, only texting her as she had been scared that once she did, she would be overcome by longing.

“Hi Mimi,” the nickname slips Dusks’ lips and she sighs. It’s no use trying to hide her turmoil from the ghoul who had welcomed her topside when she was summoned as just another pair of hands to help at the Abbey.

“Oh, babe, let me just get to my room and we can video chat. Are the ghoulettes treating you alright?” Mist asks, and Dusk does not need to see Mist to know she is frowning. “I will kick their asses and sick Dew and Rain on them if they’ve been mean to you.”

“No, no, they’re alright. It’s just…” Dusk takes a deep breath. She hates letting her favorite person in the world down, but she must. She can hear Mist slam a door on the other side of the call. “I want to come home. I miss you so much and I love performing but…”

“I’m not going anywhere, but I’ll close this call and call you again over video, ok?” Mist says voice cool and collected, and Dusk has never wished more to be held by her mate. She always knew what to do and had a plan for everything.

“Okay, not going anywhere, love you,” Dusk mumbles into her phone and the call is over. She counts the seconds until her phone rings, her screen showing a photo of Mist making a silly face, in the middle of dyeing her death hawk.

“Oh babe,” Mist’s hair is in a sleek top knot instead of a styled death hawk and is wearing the work uniform of the library, but that does not matter to Dusk at all. She looks like a fallen angel, gorgeous in every way and Dusk wishes she could reach through the phone and hug her mate. “Talk to me, what’s wrong?”

“I just miss you so much and I wish I could share this with you,” Dusk sobs. She pushes her long hair off her face with her free hand, the other holding the phone shakily. She can see her ruined face paint in the small window in the corner of her screen, and it makes her cry even more. “The band is fine, but they’re not you. I want to come home to you and curl up in our nest and swim in the lake together.”

“I miss you too, but I’ve seen you perform, and you glow like nobody else,” Mist assures her mate. “Your talents serve the church and I’m so proud of you every night you climb up on that stage.”

Dusk shakes her head. She can hear the words, but she can’t listen to them. “I did not think it would be this hard when I took the job.”

“I know, and I found out I was not made for it either. But you finish your contract and then you come home to me, and we can teach music to all the kits in the nursery, right?” Mist tries to cheer her up, and Dusk must admit it works a little. Curse Mist and her knowledge of all her soft spots. “Are you ok if I call Rain and tell him to hang out with you or are you going to hang out with the ghoulettes tonight? Because you need a proper cuddle pile no matter what.”

Dusk considers her options. The ghoulettes are lovely, but right now her water side is calling to her. She has been indulging in her air side far too much lately. “You can send a message to Rain. I think I’m just going to soak and sleep in the bath tonight if he’s alright with that.”

“Thank you, babe,” Mist starts typing something and Dusk puts down her phone on the counter. She starts getting out of her sleeping clothes, not wanting them to get wet. “Alright, he’s on his way. Have you done any of the water exercises I told you to do after rituals?”

Dusk blushes. She had ignored them, as even thinking about water made her miss Mist. “I’m not going to lie to you and say I have. Blowing bubbles seems silly, and we haven’t had a hotel room with a bath before this.”

“No wonder you’re so pent up!” Dusk rolls her eyes at the patronizing tone Mist is using, even if Mist is right. “Why do I even teach you these things…”

Dusk lets Mist’s familiar rant roll over her as she checks the water temperature. She is already feeling better, and she begins sharing tour stories as they wait for Rain to arrive. Mist talks about her day at the archive and mentions how big the kits she’s been looking after in the nursery have become. Perhaps it’s not too bad to call Mist after all.

When there’s a knock on the door to the bathroom, Dusk is already feeling much better. Cirrus’ voice is heard from the other side, announcing, “Ducky, your favorite bass boy is here. He said there’s a water ghoul de-stress soak going on, you want to let him in?”

“One second!” Dusk picks up the phone again, blowing Mist a kiss and promising her to call every night instead. “I love you. I’m sorry I put off calling.”

“Love you, tell Rain I miss him and that I have comments about his performance!” Mist yells, and Dusk chuckles. Her girlfriend might not want to tour anymore, but she is still Rain’s mentor and it makes Dusk love her even more to know how much she cares.

[milkywaydrinker]

(Again, don't hesitate to tell me to stop if it's annoying you; I can always make my own sideblog to rant if I really need to.)

Your point on OK KO compared to Amphibia reminds me... I've never liked the claim that if TOH season 3 had more episodes, people would complain about the earth segment as much as they did Amphibia's. Because there's a very clear difference between the two.

For starters, despite its shortening TOH actually made room to acknowledge the emotional fallout of season 2. We got to see Luz struggle and cope, we saw how the other kids missed their families, there was still moments of legitimate seriousness and acknowledgement for what happened. Luz's repression was treated as an actual problem, and not a convenient excuse for the writers.

I think people would be way less critical of Amphibia 3A's slice of life aspects if it managed to at least acknowledge the darker parts. Before 3A, I absolutely expected the show to go back to some goofy antics because that's just how Amphibia works, and the season 3 intro made that clear; But I expected for the writers to at least transition us into that tonal shift, by giving us an episode for the characters to cope and reflect before they have fun fillers as a much-needed break.

The problem with Amphibia is that there is no transition; 3A picks up mere seconds after True Colors, and the tone has notably been shifted to something jarringly casual without any explanation for that change. There's a joke where Anne shows more emotion towards wi-fi than her closest childhood friend getting stabbed. And in spite of everyone insisting 3B would deliver on the much-needed angst and acknowledgement, Anne magically forgives Sasha for no reason, and continues to show no lack of concern for Marcy (in addition to 3B continuing the goofy antics until the last minute... We did NOT need Sprivy, nor for the lore episode about the prophecy to be taken up by a gross-out sequence).

If TOH's earth segment wasn't compressed, it's clear that we still would've gotten acknowledgement for the characters' trauma and some slice of life. Amphibia has a full third season and can only do the latter. Plus, your point on Ronaldo from SU brings up another difference;

People actually like Luz's friends. People are actually interested in seeing them interact, seeing them adjust to and explore the human world. The human world was a formative experience for Luz and essentially her backstory, whereas with Anne, it's mostly Sasha and Marcy, who are back in Amphibia. Luz's friends are side characters and yet are treated with so much more emotional depth, consistency, and weight than the Plantars; They're much more dynamic.

After the successive trauma of 2B, seeing these kids decompress actually feels earned; People wanted to explore their interactions with each other, various storylines! Luz and Vee being sisters, Hunter getting to be an actual kid after having been a child soldier all his life... Gus' reaction to the human world, given it's such a big deal to his character, or Amity and Willow rebuilding their friendship! The writers would've given us Vee and Hunter acknowledging their tense connection over the Emperor's Coven, that much was confirmed!

We actually wanted and needed to see these kids explore this new situation. But with the Plantars, we've already had two whole seasons of them doing the same old goofy antics, nobody really cared or was hyped up to see their reaction to the human world. At best there was their interactions with Anne's parents, but that part is brief compared to the rest of 3A. We didn't need to see the Plantars go back to being silly, we needed to see them be treated seriously too! And Anne, for that matter. Coming from someone who actually put in the effort to try and analyze and engage with the Plantars and appreciate them, it feels like the writers neglect fleshing them out as well.

TOH's slice-of-life feels earned and with characters people actually want to explore in different situations and interactions. With Amphibia, we finally began to delve into something more serious, only to immediately back out without any narrative nor in-universe transition to this casual tone. The fallacy that "People would also complain about filler if TOH's season 3 wasn't shortened" is always from Amphibia fans who are trying to defend 3A, and are disgruntled seeing their show compared to TOH, acting like it's a mystery TOH is preferred.

I do have some thoughts on this.

I pretty much agree with what you said. Allow me to go on a little tangent:

With how plot-focused most stories need to be right now due to the shifting format of distribution (the binge model and the generally shortened attention span of an average fandom) many people began treating SoL episodes as filler.

Now, what is filler really? I'm an old-school weeb, so that word always had only one meaning. A non-canon arc, something straying from the source material because the adaptation caught up.

In the context of something like Amphibia, Steven Universe, or TOH, it would mean an episode that has no bearing on the plot, something you can skip with no consequences to your understanding of the main storyline. By that logic not all SoL episodes are filler, in fact, if they lead to persistent character development, they can be more important to the story than anything else in the show.

The difference between TOH and Amphibia is mostly the quality of character writing. I joked with my friends that if TOH had a full s3 I would gladly watch a Hooty lore episode. I hard agree with the sentiment that TOH SoL episodes would land. They would allow for better pacing, we would get a proper set up for hard hitting emotional moments, a whole episode of lead up to Hunter getting a haircut, loaded with symbolism and his identity crisis. There's a lot to dig into with those characters because they have enough dimension to them to allow every single one to carry an episode if so desired.

With Anne and the Plantars, there's a very limited amount of things you can reasonably do before it gets old. To prevent it, they would actually have to make character development stick. They would have to build upon the lessons learned from previous episodes, they would have to write characters that Think and Grow. There are moments that show some of that, a genuine flash of something really good. There aren't many of them in s3 though. Static characters can work, many sitcoms have a cast of completely static characters that never really substantially grow or change. At some point you need to bite the bullet though, either you have a plot that hinges on substantial character development of your main cast, or you have a silly goofy "put the guys in a situation" show.

I've heard that Disney in fact meddled with the writing of s3. They had to lighten the tone, which is ridiculous when stuff like The Core still happened with a literal electric chair scene. The tonal whiplash is so severe many people expressed feeling as if they were watching two completely different shows. It's a fatal flaw that left neither side of the fandom satisfied.

Some shows feel like you could watch 10 more seasons of the same thing. I would watch endless spinoffs of TOH. I would watch more Adventure Time and I will watch Fiona and Cake spinoff.

I've had quite enough of Amphibia.