#or a link to the past. bc that's my dad's favourite

[myersesque]

hiiii so. i'm trying to get back into zelda. bc it means a lot to me, i just stopped being able to play the games as often as a kid so i fell out of it a bit yk? but i am in fact a link kinnie and i am in fact contemplating spending all my money on re-buying one of my favs from when i was little now that i have my own switch

[fangirl-dot-com]

(i’m talking about the fan interaction incident with yuki) // hello, i'm a huge lando fan, but i have no clue what you're talking about, could you please explain? bc you're like a favourite writer and i want to know what was so off-putting that he did😭 sorry if i do sound condescending but i'm being genuine right now😭

you don’t sound condescending at all!

so yuki had been asked about his contract renewal and was very excited to talk about it

but when he started talking, lando decided that it was a good idea to start taking things from fans and leaning down to give them stuff. and then yuki basically stops talking about his contract and says something along the lines of “well now no one is paying attention”

i get that fan interactions are the whole point of these meets, but lando could have waited until yuki stopped talking to get closer to fans. if yuki did the same thing lando did, he would get so much more hate for it.

and just the past few weeks lando’s done some others things like jeering on mclaren fans during the dutch national anthem in canada, and then also taking a jab at sebastian vettel as well. and the whole “if if if statements” he keeps staying like “if i had done this i would have gotten pole” or “if the safety car was deployed again, i would have won”

like max verstappen said “if my mom had balls she’d be my dad”

i’m not going to stop writing for lando. he used to be one of my favorite drivers, but now he’s really not

here are some links

https://x.com/riccevanswdc/status/1804085676704698413?s=46&t=5YOZp4wnTe2MYrPl8JLlgA

[trans-cuchulainn]

are there many shapeshifty guys in medieval irish lit and if so who is your favorite one? (I mean, besides the one your blog is named after, I know about that guy and his funky transformations, I just do not know much about other shapeshifty guys that aren’t french/english/welsh/norse)

the morrígan is probably the most notorious shapeshifter in the texts i look at: she often turns into a crow but also at one point in the táin is an eel, a heifer, and a wolf, just to fuck with cú chulainn. sometimes her transformations are definitely physical and sometimes they seem more illusory. some of them it's not clear if it's actually her or just a bird lol, that always cracks me up

we also have of course our bird men in togail bruidne da derga, where it is deeply unclear whether they are birds who can be people or people who can be birds. one of them is called nemglán, he heads up the "bird troop". (this story is the basis of my stupid bird dad support group yonec crossover fic lol.) birds in general are often connected to the otherworld and we have quite a lot of birds that are transformed people, often recognisable because they will be wearing or linked to another bird with a fine chain. in some later texts like oidheadh chloinne lir you also get people turned into birds by external forces

sometimes birds are also angels, or the souls of the dead, so people die and then their soul shows up as a bird – this is mostly in voyage tales. voyage tales in general get fucky with shape and form

there are some sort-of werewolves in acallam na senorach who transform with the help of cloaks – it's sort of the reverse of bisclavret bc they put the magic cloaks on and become wolves, rather than becoming them when they take clothes off

then you get the ageless immortal shapeshifters like tuan and fintan where it seems to be more of a reincarnation thing that they have been different animals in different lives and can remember the early days of the world as a result. similarly there's a story in which the two bulls in the táin have been lots of different creatures in the past, going all the way back to two swineherds

so yeah quite a lot of shapeshifting going on! this is a deeply non exhaustive list as well, this is just the ones i immediately recall off the top of my head and doesn't include most involuntary transformations (e.g. etaine and others). finn's wife was also a deer part-time, that's why oisín is called that, but i think that was a spell too not an inborn thing

i would say the morrígan is probably my favourite (if "guy" is gender neutral lol) but also i do enjoy the sheer ??? of everything going down in TBDD with the birdmen, nemglán etc because truly they explain nothing

[doodlegirl1998]

I think I figure out WHY the "Shig's reveal" and "dabi's reveal" makes me frown. Its bc Hori is shitting on Nana in a subtle way.

And before anyone says "I'm tripping" I can explain my case.

Look when we see the Dabi reveal, it was a result of foreshadow and was meet with importante for the story (😒alledgly as you know Hori...) so it was indeed a big moment. And note how it was Dabi who said who he was.

Now Shig? He is the grandson of Nana Shimura. What we know about Nana? 0. We do know A LOT about Endy, he is present figure in the narrative but...Nana Shimura? NOPE.

It was afo who told am who shig was(when Shig wasnt present) and again, what we know about Nana? What was foreshadow?

Look in my fics I do make the Shimuras be seen as quasi-royalty! But in canon....who fucking knows? No one seems to give a fuck when they died. Only AM cares for Nana's death and at the same time...he is ok in letting bk mock her(yes. Hori but please this is so insidious...bk is mocking the only female user. One who had a sad ending and...is being mocked by Hori's lover)

This should have been Shig's moment. After some development...after foreshadow and we see how the Shimuras were a big deal for the story/society...he reveals who he IS. But nope.

Hori:😍my lovet bk needs screentime.

Sigh

Hi @mikeellee 👋,

I feel like this links back to Hori just not really giving a shit about One For All or any of the holders except for the barest hints of plot.

Similarly, Shig Hori doesn't care all that much for in my opinion which is why we don't see too much in the way of development. Shig and his family should have got more focus, his orgins should have been built up and hinted at till we got given the pay off due to a flashback during the MVA arc. That would have made it much more impactful.

But Hori actually cares for and likes writing Bakugou and Endeavour who have less importance to the story and are his favourite "redeemed" abusers that he likes to glorify.

All this stuff about Endeavor, his backstory, his past - yes it gives him a reason for being the way he is 'obsessed with strength' but is it needed? No. Some people are just egotistical and driven - that's all Endeavor needed to be. This to me reads as Hori trying to excuse Endeav's behaviour to his family by saying "See look he's traumatised! Feel sorry for him!" when

There's no excuse for being a domestic abuser.

There's no excuse for engaging in a quirk marriage.

There's no excuse for beating and neglecting children

Or having children for the sole purpose of fullfuling his goals!

Or for pressuring a spouse to produce children until she gives him Shoto. (Rei literally said "No" to anymore children after Fuyumi and Endeav disregarded her wishes and made her have Natsuo then Shoto... That act literally made Endeav a rapist. So why is this still so up for debate among the fandom and why is Hori intent on redeeming him?!)

Also the translation of this is a bit up for debate so I'm not 100% on this - but if it is actually Enji's Dad who died trying to save a kid, that's some irony there since Endeav was trying to kill himself with Touya a while ago!

As for Bakugou, he has a plot armour on the level of a fucking Gundam. Logically, All Might would be furious at Bakugou disrespecting Nana that way and not just shrug it off. So to see All Might actually shrug off the insults to Nana in canon creates a very weird cognitive dissonance - isn't this someone All Might loves / cares for deeply? Wtf?

TLDR: The Shimuras, Shimura Nana, Shig and the One for All Holders deserved much more screentime, development and build up than they got.

Whereas both Bakugou and Endeav don't deserve all this focus.

[buried-in-autumn-leaves]

Exactly 1 (one) person asked ab my Baxter Ward fankids so here's the copy and paste from my note file <3 (Aurora is my OC for his route.)

This is going to be so disorganized so apologies in advance. (Also disclaimer Aurora and Jeremy aren't related, at least super closely maybe I'll change that, I just forgot that's also his last name and I don't feel like changing it.)

Baxter is a girl dad SORRY AB IT

They have 2 daughters- Eliza Ann King-Ward and Stephanie Autumn King-Ward.

I'm sorry but Baxter and Aurora are an upper-class white couple and I get to make them give their kids awful names.

I hyphenated their last names bc imo Baxter doesn't really want to abandon the link he has with his family. Not for them, of course, but because it would be meaningless. That name isn't theirs anymore, it's his, and it's always going to be linked to him no matter what. He's sharing it with his family in an attempt to change his own perception of it. Eliza is ofc named that for Liz <3 Her and Aurora are really close and I think it'd be cute. I just thought her middle name sounded cool and I wanted the girls to both have middle names that start with A. Stephanie is one name I just kind of picked randomly because when she's pretty young she starts just going by Autumn. (Which makes Baxter kind of emotional- can't imagine why.)

Eliza is a year older, but she's really reserved compared to Autumn who is really extroverted.

Both of the girls inherited Baxter's hair colour this is so important to me bc he doesn't like it ?? Like he dyes it because he considers it an imperfection but then the girls have it and he's like maybe it doesn't look so bad I NEED HIM TO HURT EMOTIONALLY.

Eliza and Liz are super close (big surprise there) and they are the dynamic ever. Liz calls Eliza 'little Lizzie' and purposely makes it confusing when the family meets up together. Autumn gets along fine with everyone, but Baxter is her favourite person. (No hate ofc, she's just a daddy's girl).

They're raised in California. Partially bc I want them to be close to Sunset Bird and partially because I know myself and I know eventually I'm gonna want them to attend SSB, so honestly just planning for the future.

There's also like a short side storyline where they're visiting Oregon and they run into Qiu and it's a whole thing but it's super cliché LMAO

Anywaysss that's all for now I will talk forever if I keep going lol, love love <333

[landhinlove]

The Don’t Worry Darling Premiere: A Summary

At the Venice Film Festival

FLORENCE BEING SO SASSY

Interviewer: “Your role is so inspiring”

Florence: “why is it inspiring?… I think it’s inspiring for a woman to say ‘no’ on and off camera”

They said she couldn’t make it to the press conference due to scheduling issues but she showed up 10 minutes after it started. The lead actress didn’t want to go to the press conference.

also these posts and the captions (Rebecca Corbin Murray is Florence’s stylist)

HARRY TAKING NOTHING SERIOUSLY

literally giggling at fans during the panel when Olivia was asked about the Shia and Florence controversy

this man did not answer a single question and he knows it (louis was spot on when he said “you do talk some shit in interviews” lmao)

Harry during the panel:

“Was that an answer? It was words.”

“what I like about acting is that I have no idea about what I’m doing”

“my favourite thing about the movie is that it feels like a movie”

During the interview with him and Chris Pine he went directly against what Olivia has said about the movie saying that it’s more misogynistic than feminist

NO ONE EXCEPT OLIVIA LOOKS LIKE THEY WANT TO BE THERE

Chris Pine is taking one for the team and being a neutral party (but still looking like he wants to leave). He was not asked many questions at all. Also he was the one to sit next to Olivia for everything

Gemma Chan was barely asked a question in the press conference and when she was she was reprimanded for being too quiet.

Harry doesn’t care at all about the panel, just talking and giggling with Gemma and the fans. He was asked the most questions of the actors and the only ones he gave a real answer for were about his fans and music

Obviously Florence doesn’t want to be there and wasn’t in the panel, but she’s also getting pushed to the side even though she’s literally the lead

REPORTERS WERE STOPPED FROM ASKING ABOUT THE SHIA AND FLORENCE THING

FLORENCE AND HARRY SLAYING WITH THE FITS

Harry giving Elton John energy with the glasses and just over all outfits. Or fruity Tony Stark.

Harry wearing a blue bandana during the press conference ;) (it’s technically a scarf but close enough)

Florence showing up in an adorable three piece purple shorts and blazer set (link)

Then she stole the show in the sparkly gown giving Marylin Monroe with the hair and diamonds

Also Gemma Chan is just one of the most gorgeous people to ever live and she slayed too of course because how could she not

Chris Pine and Nick Kroll hyped Florence up on the red carpet, taking pictures and acting like a proud dad

OLIVIA WAS IGNORED ON THE RED CARPET

Harry and Florence both went out of their way to hug everyone except Olivia, walking right past her. Neither of them talked to her, barely even looking at her

Harry stuck with talking to Gemma again, and flirting talking with Nick Kroll

When taking a picture with the whole cast, Harry’s as asked to stand next to Olivia and he refused. In this moment he also walked straight past her to fist bump Nick Kroll.

As they sat down for the movie she kept looking over trying to get Harry’s attention but he just stared straight forward or talked to Gemma

When the movie was over people only clapped for the actors, and all the actors were facing away from her and laughing with each other

Similar to Harry, Florence refused to make eye contact with Olivia when the movie audience was applauding her

HARRY AND NICK KROLL KISSED AFTER THE MOVIE. TWICE. LMAOOOOO

Olivia saw this happen and had a disgusted look on her face (link bc I can’t put any more pictures)

Edit: that not her reaction to the kiss sorry!!! Its after she was tried to get Harry’s attention and couldn’t

Also Harry and Nick 100% planned it. If you see the video they give each other a cheeky little look and go right for it. I am will to bet that Nick was like “you should just kiss me after because everyone will be expecting you to kiss her”

THE CLAPPING AFTER THE MOVIE WAS CUT SHORT BECAUSE FLORENCE LEFT

After about 3 minutes of clapping Florence started leaving and the rest of the cast followed. That’s a statement if I’ve ever seen one.

OLIVIA AND THE MOVIE ARE BEING EATEN ALIVE IN REVIEWS RIGHT NOW

(these are just a very few of the many examples)

Florence is praised for her performance, taking a bad movie and giving it her all

Harry is said to be sort of lost in the movie, not with terrible acting, just outshined by Florence’s performance. And yet it apparently still reads as a fan edit of Harry

The sex scenes that were so hyped up are supposedly very uncomfortable

So in conclusion the premiere was awkward and kind of a train wreck, as is the movie according to reviews. The actors in the movie showed up, slayed with the outfits, laughed with each other, didn’t answer a single question, not-so-subtly shaded Olivia and left.

[darkandstormyart]

Xicheng fic recs

(figured i might make a list of my own)

(to be expanded as i dig out more treasure/remember stuff)

in no particular order:

Deep as the Yearning Night by FreckledStarKnight

“At first, it was pure chance. The second time was accidental. And the third time? Well, they say the third time’s the charm, after all. Lan Xichen discovers that Jiang Wanyin sings beautifully and is immediately enamored by it. His pursuit of Jiang Wanyin’s secret talent leads to a discovery and a series of events that he did not anticipate at all. Not that he’s complaining, of course. He got what he came for and more. Or, how two sect leaders get together through the song called love. CQL-verse.“

post-seclusion lxc

trying to get jc to sing

bonus lxc & jin ling feels i hadn’t considered before

cute

Always use protection by hesselives

“In which Lan Wangji attempts to hire a new bodyguard for his older brother, a well-known traveling exorcist. Jiang Wanyin doesn’t even make his carefully considered list of Top Ten Candidates, and yet here he is.

Lots of wandering in the countryside, distant yelling, and mildly inconvenient spirits.”

bodyguard au

honestly just really intersting worldbuilding

Rewrite the stars by Arashii

“Five great kingdoms have been fighting for years and when the kingdom of Yunmeng is destroyed, the Crown Prince Jiang Cheng vanishes.In Gusu, Lan Xichen makes an offer impossible for Jiang Cheng to refuse. His life or revenge? There’s only one option and Jiang Cheng swears loyalty to the man he hated the most his whole life, the Crown Prince of Gusu, Lan Xichen himself.Written for XiChengFest2020 - Day 4“

ROYALTY AU ROYALTY AU

enemies to lovers!

flashbacks! i love flashbacks so much ohmygod

No paths are bound by Arashii

“In seclusion, Lan Huan has the support of a ghost no one has seen since the massacre of Yunmeng Jiang. His feelings start changing with the often visits and conversations they share. Before Lan Huan can confess though, he ascends, leaving everything and everyone behind him.

Two hundred years later, back to the Human Realm and without powers, the Martial God Zewu-Jun has a mission to uphold. His Heavenly Calamity started. The clues are little and the support comes in the most unexpected form, the current Ghost King: Sandu Shengshou. Now they need to stick together to contain a menace that is slowly growing.“

TGCF AU TGCF AU

ghost king jiang cheng come on

doesn’t follow tgcf plot, just the setup so no spoilers

jiang cheng gets the dogs and the xichen he deserves

once upon a dream by cafedeolla

“Xicheng soulmate AU

An au where your dreams are small snippets of your soulmate’s day. They’d show small things like buying coffee, reading a book, or hanging out with people from their perspective.

The problem was that people always have expectations and Jiang Cheng knows he always falls short of them. Time and time again.“

soulmate au, but being soulmates is more a problem than a solution

misunderstandingssss all over the place

now with a squel (in progress?)

Lan Furen series by jagaimocchi

“Jiang Cheng leaves Lotus Pier before the Wen Internment Camp and before the destruction of his home. When he meets Lan Xichen on the run from the Wens after the burning of Cloud Recesses, his plan to live a peaceful life away from cultivation sects is quickly derailed. Now, free to make his own choices, he cannot find it in himself to leave the other man's side.

With love, patience and time, Jiang Cheng finds his own happiness and peace with his past.“

have you ever wanted a fic where jiang cheng peaces out from home in search for a better life, bc he’s Had Enough??? jags got you covered

adorable xicheng

good uncle-dad-figure Lan Qiren

ongoing <3

Just around the riverbend by JungleJelly

“One day.

Jiang Cheng just wanted one day of peace and quiet, away from home, away from his responsibilities, away from his idiot brother and his nutcases of a mother and father. Just a few hours alone — him and a boat and nothing else.

Clearly, that was too much to ask for.”

now with a new story in the series which is adorable too!!!

mermaid!lxc need i say more?

Bad ideas (where they lead) by JungleJelly

“Jiang Cheng is a busy man. Fortunately, he is also a huge pushover when it comes to his sister, so when she recommends that he start doing yoga, he agrees pretty easily.Featuring Lan Xichen in yoga pants, Jiang Cheng’s inability to handle a crush, and, perhaps most importantly, a big fluffy dog.“

done for 2020 MXTX MiniBang

yoga instructor Lan Xichen

Jiang Cheng is: struggling with a crush on the yoga guy from youtube & very angry about that

If there’s a price for rotten judgement by TheWanderingHeart

“All Jiang Cheng wants to do is, well... his job, really. Other than that? Keep the city safe, keep his nephew alive, keep his sanity intact (if possible).

So when his brother calls with unexpected news, he knows all of that is about to fly out of the window.

***

[Every instinct is telling him don’t ask, you don’t want to know. By this point, Nie HuaiSang has scooted closer to listen. Jiang Cheng takes a steadying breath and pulls out his antacids. “What did you do?”]”

superhero au, come on

jc just trying to do his job in peace

(he can’t)

i love it so much oh my god *sobs*

The Form of Boneless Ice by TheWanderingHeart

“Mythical beasts have long ago been driven to extinction by the gentry — hunted for sport, but more importantly for their magical cores. Since then, there remains only one creature that has never been caught. The Jiang’s retreated a long time ago. Abandoning land altogether, they sought safety where the humans could not reach.It all comes to a head though, purely by chance. (Or is it by fate that a spontaneous decision allows for them to meet? If fate were a rock!) Jiang Cheng suddenly finds his whole life balanced on the head of a pin — on the flimsy promise of a human boy. In his opinion, things cannot possibly get worse!(But then they do when the Wens decide it’s finally time to search for the elusive merpeople, and suddenly nowhere is safe.)“

there she goes again, with another beautiful xicheng story full of awwww and mythology

actually one of the first xicheng fics i read

i chose it because there were mermaids

painfully accurate takes on Jiang family dynamics

kids! lots of kids!

Let me Slytherin to Your Heart by TheWanderingHeart

“Jiang Cheng never thought he'd return to Hogwarts, but in hindsight, he probably should have known that someday he would.With his nephew about to start school, he reluctantly takes his good friend's bad parenting? career? advice and ends up tumbling head-first back into the madness that he hoped he'd left behind... and rediscovering some feelings he thought he'd left behind too.“

Harry Potter au!

just really fecking cute

lots of snakes

[I am not going to link all of Jo’s fics, though I probably could, just my 3 favourites. UOSB is there by default]

Talent Hunt Crew Finds Angry Guy Shouting On College Campus, Recruits Him For Vocal Projection Abilities by oh_fudgecakes

“Jiang Cheng, resident Angry Guy and heir to a conglomerate empire, has never been the apple of his father’s eye. Quashed under the shadow of his brilliant brother, the music prodigy Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng sees his chance to turn things around when he is recruited by the All-Stars Lan Talent Hunt. One problem: he can’t sing to save his goddamn life.As he struggles to develop his nascent singing abilities, Jiang Cheng finds himself sucked into the whirlwind drama of reality TV, helped along by his adoring siblings, his irritable vocal coach Wen Qing, and strangely enough, the unfairly attractive host of the All-Stars Lan Talent Hunt, Lan Xichen. Somewhere in the glare of the stage lights and an unexpected first love, Jiang Cheng stumbles upon the thing he was searching for all along: the courage to dream — and to attempt the impossible.“

done for 2019 MXTX Big Bang

uuuuuuuuuuh i might have cried maybe

heartwarming? painful at times? lots of family love?

slowburn xicheng being lovely

The Provenence of Hope series by velithya

“A chance meeting on a night hunt sets a course of events into motion that will change everything. Featuring Xicheng getting together, recovery for Lan Xichen, healing for Jiang Cheng, and always, always, hope.“

got everything. feels. hope. love. ~~healing~~

A Small Measure of Peace by Sandstone112

“With his brother in seclusion, Lan Xichen finds himself in temporary custody of his nephew with little to no expertise in the child-raising department. Uncertain and alone, Zewu-Jun is willing to do everything to be the person Yuan needs—even if it means inviting Sandu Shengshou to a playdate.“

a loooot of adorable family times with jc and lxc taking care of their nephews

good grandpa lqr!

canon but fixed and less painful

🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋if you wish to avoid scurvy:🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋

Some day I’m gonna make you mine series by locketofyourhair

xicheng getting together through the years

friends with benefits but the real benefits are the friends we made along the way

Take me over (take me tonight) by velithya

jiang cheng has a tattoo and lan xichen doesn’t stand a chance

i'd be the sweet feeling of release (mankind now dreams of) by piyo13

two bros, chilling in a cave, no feet apart because they don’t want to lose their cultivation powers what are you gonna do

haven’t read yet and shame on me, but AM GONNA:

Upon Our Silver Bridge by TheWanderingHeart obviously

““When the path ignites a soul, there's no remaining in place. The foot touches ground, but not for long.” ― Hakim Sanai

**

Lan Xichen's sorrows have caught the attention of something. Unlike the adventures and foes they have faced before, there is no obvious enemy here to defeat. If this is the same thing they thought had taken Nie Mingjue's life, then he believes it is fated for him to die as well. Nothing can stop the black fire when it wants to burn.Jiang Cheng is sure his part in this is over. Wei Wuxian is back, his grand adventure concluded, and he'd never been at the centre of it anyway. So what does it matter what happens to him in the end? Slowly, he will come to realise that there will always be a battle to fight, a story to tell, a choice to make, and there is no such thing as an end to anything.“

it was difficult to do things in 2020 and few i regret not doing more than not reading uosb yet :’(

i will tho

Emergency Help Wanted by piyo13

“EMERGENCY HELP WANTED I lied when I got my job. I told them I had a kid so I could leave early from work to pick him up from daycare, take him to doctor's appointments, and occasionally miss a day when he's sick. Long story short, I'm in too deep. I didn't think it through. Looking to rent a kid for bring your child to work day. Must be a boy ages four to six, longish dark hair, likes soccer. Must also be artistic as the macaroni noodle paintings I made seem a little advanced for his age. Also, I will pay extra for someone willing to play the role of husband when dropping him off. He's a prosecuting attorney who often brings his work home. Message me for further details. Serious inquiries only.“

Running Our Hands Through Embers by MarvelousMar

“If asked, Jiang Cheng would compare falling in love with Lan Xichen to a moth inevitably drawn to a flame.It burned.***In which Jiang Cheng discovers that even death can't help him escape from his trauma, so he embarks on a quest to save the people he loves, fix what he can, make the love of his life fall for him, and maybe, somewhere along the way, do a little bit of healing.”

The Beginner’s Guide to Moving On by InvincibleMel

gone from ao3, but i think there’s a link with a pdf going around

[chicksung]

In some parts of the world, it’s cold and snowy, there’s fires warming their feet and warm mugs of hot chocolate nestling comfortably between their cold fingers. For other parts, the heat is ferocious, everyone is begging for that light summer breeze to wisp away any trace of sweat, and most of them are sitting in Christmas shirts and tank tops, shorts and flip flops.

While I’ve been on tumblr for a while, this year is when I really got serious about writing, and now, I’m gaining confidence in my writing once again, and people are enjoying the pieces I’ve put out. Through this journey, I have met some amazing writers and readers, artists and editors, but most importantly, people who share the same interest as me, kpop stans.

Here is just a short list of some of the amazing people I’ve met through this platform and how thankful I am to have these people

@joh--pping | @earth-to-that-asian | @orange-nimon-cross | @neocitybynight | @dearyongs | @astroboy-lele | @lebrookestore | @immabiteyou | @jenanimus-trash | @peachy-beomie | @pastelsicheng | @sunflowerhae | @bumblebeenct | @heartyyjeno

I’m sure that I’m missing some people, so if I haven’t listed you, don’t think for a second that I am not thankful for having you in my life, because it was you, dear reader, who has helped me so far and I hope to grow more in the new year.

Tagged by the wonderful and amazing Sunny @neocitybynight please check out Sunny’s works if you haven’t already because they are all masterpieces.

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 (or so) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want so we can spread the love and link each other awesome works.

Tagging: everyone who are tagged above if they have not done this already (but feel free to ignore this tag)

1. One Last Time - Park Jisung

My first time doing a collab (if my memory serves me correctly) and one of my longer fics (clocking in at 2.9k) This fic let me live out the childhood dreams that I never got to live (mainly bc my mum never let me go trick or treating 🤧) My favourite, not only bc it’s of my ult bias, but my favourite trope/concept

2. Pay Attention to Me - Liu YangYang

Another Halloween special, but with vampire!yy and his witch!s/o. A clingy vampire trying to pry cuddles from his witch partner but they’re in the middle of brewing a potion. This fic is so soft and cute and has a slight dash of humour in it

3. Strawberry Mentos - Huang Renjun

This was based off an audio I found on tiktok and it was so sweet and adorable and I couldn’t stop myself from writing MY UNDERRATED QUEEN LIKE PLEASE SHE IS ONE OF MY FAVES in which Renjun starts eating his crush’s favourite candy

4. Au Revoir, Solider Boy - Johnny Suh

I’m still not very experienced in writing angst, but I think this one came out really nice. Did I manage to emotionally break one of my best friends? Yes, yes I did (sorry Elle 😬) but I think the last line is the kicker

5. 1:03am - Kim Seungmin

Finally, something that isn’t nct on this list lol but one that I hold dear to my heart. I am a really sucker for dad aus and I absolutely love the idea of Seungmin and his journey in being a first time father

We all have drafts stored away in our devices that we are itching to release. Here are some chicksung works to look out for in 2021!

Drive Like a Girl - Zhong Chenle

In which Chenle is a racer and his biggest competition for the state title just so happens to be the best female racer who’s new in town

Monsters - Na Jaemin

In which you are dating a graffiti artist and your parents aren’t sure they like him

Special Delivery - an Dad!NCT AU

This is collaboration between me and a very dear friend/mother of mine, the wonderfully amazing @joh--pping We have spent many hours planning and dying over this series and we are so excited to release it! Look for to it!

And finally, I would like to thank every person who has read, liked or reblogged my works, thank you to those who liked my works so much that they clicked on that little follow button at the top of my page, and especially thank you to the amazing people who reached out to me, offering advice, support and even friendship. I can’t express in words how thankful I am towards you all and I have never been happier with what I’m doing. Without you all, I wouldn’t have improved as much as I have. Thank you, and I love you all.

All my love,

Sophie (@chicksung)

[gra-sonas]

Five favorite works in 2020

I wasn’t tagged, but it looked fun, so I’m gonna do it.

Rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (or so) favourite works you created in the past year and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought to the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want.

1 - this Malex gif set with a quote from The Old Guard

2 - this edit of a Vlamburn pic Jeanine shared (the edit is even used as the profile pic of the official Malex playlist on Spotify, so that’s pretty cool!)

3 - A Kiss a Decade in the Making, 5K Malex fic. Alex and Michael are actors. They’re cast for the pilot of a TV show about aliens. They’ll play lovers on the show and have to figure out how to create chemistry in a kissing scene that implies they’ve loved each other for a decade (if this set-up sounds vaguely familiar, you’ve guessed correctly 🙃)

4 - Sweatpants Dick, 3K Malex fic. Ngl, I still think this is the best title for a fic I’ll ever come up with, you can’t imagine how much joy it gives me to receive AO3 notifications stating that XY left kudos on Sweatpants Dick. Yep, I’m 12 years old and this delights me. 

5 - The World will be Different and New, 7.6K Malex fic. My contribution for the Malex Secret Santa exchange. I really struggled writing this (note to self:  don’t sign up for fandom events with a deadline in the middle of a pandemic, your stress levels will be Through. The. Roof 😳) bc my muse is a fickle thing, but I finished it and I’m actually really rather happy with how it turned out. With Vlamis so adamant about making Dads!Malex happen, I even felt inspired to write more in this verse (Just a Couple of Dads Catching a Buzz, 1.2K), and depending on how things go, I might add more in the future.

I wrote a couple more Tumblr ficlets in 2020 (which I will move over to AO3 eventually, sorry that hasn’t happened yet, I’m old and slow and I forgot 🙈), they are all tagged my fic, so I’m not gonna list them separately. There’s some Belmanes in there, also a Michael Sanders ficlet (bc it’s truly the best of Malex AUs, thanks, Lynne!)

~*~

As you can see, I wasn’t overly creative this year. Roughly 20K of Malex is something others post in a month, but like I said, my muse is fickle and writing is hard.

I got recently inspired to write a new fic tho. That one would be longer and probably multi-chaptered (aaaah, why I doing this to myself???). I’m currently mapping the whole thing out - which I’ve never done before for any of my fics, I’m very much a *sits down and writes the damn thing in one go* kinda gal, but since this would be a. more complex story, planning is required to figure out what happens when. Exciting, I hope I’ll get to writing the fic eventually. 🤞

Regardless of my creative shortcomings in 2020, I’d like to thank everyone who’s supported any of my “original” (LOL, if you can call them that) works. Be it by liking/reblogging here on Tumblr, or leaving Kudos or a comment on AO3. I appreciate all the support so much, especially when it comes to my writing. 

As a non native English speaker, I tend to struggle with my writing (A Lot™, on top of the usual “omg this sucks, I can’t write a sentence to save my life 😩” woes comes the added pressure of writing in a language that’s not really my own, very much an imposter syndrome situation tbh), it means the world to me when I get positive feedback. 🥺❤️

Not tagging anyone bc I’m pretty sure everyone else already did this, but if you want to do it and haven’t been tagged yet, I’m tagging YOU specifically. 

[tarredion]

2020 fic roundup

hiii! i was going to do this earlier but,, um,, i posted three fics in the final two hours of 2020 year (for me) so :D here is finally my fic roundup - in order from newest to oldest

i’ll be using the original summaries, wordcounts n ratings etc, some of the tags, link to the tumblr post and the ao3 link, and maybe add a note or two if i feel that’s not enough

this’ll be a long post so read below the cut 

(or go directly to my ao3 here especially in case you don’t want spoilers)

Fireworks up above

g, 341

NYE, established relationship, husbands, tooth-rotting fluff, kissing

Husbands Dan and Phil and their placeholder-apartment share a final NYE moment (aka 2020 NYE)

ao3 // tumblr

Quiet morning

g, 304

tooth-rotting fluff, lazy mornings, sleepy cuddles, established relationship, husbands, forever home

Dan wakes up in the forever home, Phil breathing softly next to him…

ao3 // tumblr

Shadows / nocturne / parting clouds

g, 2.7k

hurt/comfort, migraine, arguing, angst with a fluffy ending, established relationship, ii tour fic, alternating and outsider pov

Phil wakes up with a migraine, causing him to snap at Dan. Throughout the day, while visiting a city for the ii tour, Cornelia observes the tension, and eventually, the two of them console

ao3 // tumblr

A tub fit for two

t, 853

dnp, forever home, established relationship, husbands, fluff, bathing/washing, and more

there are certain perks that come with building your own (forever) house

ao3 // tumblr

Signals

m, 1.6k

texting, established relationship, food, domestic fluff, very light angst, sexual content

excerpts of dan and phil’s texts throughout the years

ao3 // tumblr

At the turn of a page

g, 1.2k

liveshow, 2020-ish, fluff, established relationship, forever home

Phil’s had his reasons for not continuing liveshows during lockdown, but they’re ready for a comeback—a domestic one, at that

ao3 // tumblr

Prickle on the skin, ache in the heart

t, 1.4k

2014, closeted relationship, bbc party, alcohol, vomiting, self confidence issues, jealousy, angst then fluff, happy ending

phil smiles wider, brighter. every day. every day, dan falls in love again. he can’t help but be a little jealous, not being able to say

ao3 // tumblr

It’s home

t, 2.2k

au ice-cream parlor, established relationship, pure fluff, slice of life

A day in the life of Dan and his smitten ice-cream vendor boyfriend Phil, living on the coast of Connemara, Ireland

ao3 // tumblr

Whisper of the heart

g, 976

established relationship, headaches & migraines, hurt/comfort, fluff, piano

Phil has a headache. Dan plays the piano and comforts him.

ao3 // tumblr

Slice of cake

e, 2.7k

established relationship, bday sex, 2016, face-sitting, rimming

Dan’s promised to celebrate Phil with nothing but the best this year.

Naturally, he buys himself a new skirt - but it’s not just to wear.

ao3 // tumblr

Supple thirty-two

this is a chaptered wip !! it’ll continue in 2021 (the update note is currently inaccurate)

-

3/32

t, 4k so far

slow burn, friends to lovers, love letters, secret admirer, fluff and angst, internalized homophobia, outing, coming out, queer themes, happy ending

A secret admirer sends flowers and letters to Dan over the years

ao3 // tumblr

Tenderhearted

g, 1k

2009, comfort/angst, sad but sweet, sleepy cuddles, separation anxiety

Phil doesn’t want Dan to go home. Dan agrees. Quite strongly, actually.

Feeling properly loved for the first time causes serious separation anxiety.

ao3 // tumblr

I’d marry you (with paper rings)

m, 4k

established relationship, fluff, domestic, proposal, sexual content

Maybe learning calligraphy was of greater importance to Phil, and them, than Dan first thought

ao3 // tumblr

Blue can be kind, too

this is my favourite fic of the ones i’ve written !! so far. it’s from the pov of kid dan so very tender and mostly very childish / undeveloped in the language, as if actually told from his brain (even though it’s third person)

-

g, 4k

kid!fic, dan and phil are kids, kindergarten, developing friendship, past violence and bullying, referenced homophobia, fluff and angst, sad and happy, happy ending

A tale of being scared, starting fresh, and making your first ever friends after experiencing violent bullying.

Or rather, four-year-old Dan’s first day at his new kindergarten.

ao3 // tumblr

Ablaze

e, 4k

established relationship, spanking, daddy kink, oral, aftercare

Phil’s trying to work; Dan’s being a brat. Things get heated, but not in a bad way.

ao3 // tumblr

The brightest shade of sun (I had ever seen)

g, 3.9k

friends to lovers, getting together, only one bed

one dawn on the isle of man can be enough to unite two craving hearts, even if a lot of heartbreaking thoughts are revealed along the way

ao3 // tumblr

Tracing constellations

t, 1.3k

established relationship, sleepy cuddles, fluff, banter, kissing

Two 6-foot men cuddling in a single armchair doesn’t sound like a good idea.

It isn’t, but dan and phil do almost anything for intimacy…

ao3 // tumblr

Between the seams

g, 999

established relationship, cuddling, fluff, fear, hurt/comfort

Bone-tired lovers meet thundering downpour, rediscovering the best way to confront fear in the meantime

ao3 // tumblr

Fjäll med stjärnor

this one is also a chaptered wip !! it’ll also be continuing in 2021, and probably beyond bcs it might be even longer than that

-

2/?

g, 9k so far

fantasy, magic, kinda historical fantasy, dan’s a dragon, and Phil’s human (at first), strangers to friends to lovers (eventually), fluff and angst, lots of descriptions

a human’s and a dragon’s paths crossing is unusual, but in this case it was in alignment with the stars and a decision as old as time itself  

ao3 // tumblr

It’s not a date?

chaptered wip to continue into 2021 too

-

2/4

t, 4.6k so far

there’s only one bed, bodyswap, didn’t know they were dating, friends to lovers, getting together, idiots in love, tatinof

On one hand, it should all go flawlessly. When Phil goes on tour with his boyfriend of six years, Dan, he books them rooms with only one bed. He’s not deterred by their quiet and nonsexual (monogamous) lovelife. They do things ‘normal’ couples do, just maybe not as often or intimately. He supposes Dan’s just taking it slow, trying to come to terms with his sexuality and so on. It’s okay.

On the other… Dan doesn’t know they are dating. He has a longtime crush on Phil that he thinks is unrequited, despite their mutual rather romantic and domestic behavior.

ao3 // tumblr

Fur-ever

g, 3.5k

tooth-rotting fluff, dog owners/dads, dog wedding, established relationship, alternate universe - different first meeting, howells and lesters

Dog dads Dan and Phil marry their dogs, in preparation for their own big day

ao3 // tumblr

The maestro and his muse

chaptered but completed!

-

4/4

e, 5.5k

friends to lovers, mutual pining, body painting, teasing, sexual content

Phil is a professional artist. He’s always wanted to try body painting, and now he gets to, for a naked photoshoot. Unfortunately, his good friend, muse, and crush Dan Howell is his model of choice. What could go wrong?

ao3 // tumblr

Lightyear groovin’

t, 4.6k

star wars setting,  dj Phil, waiter Dan, mutual pining, friends to lovers

In a galaxy far, far away, there’s an abundance of 70s clubs. On Krithoo, local party freak Dan Howell works as a waiter at an often overcrowded cantina, Virgo Volans. And maybe, just maybe, he has an infatuation with the extraterrestrial dj frequenting their stage…

ao3 // tumblr

A theism in evolution

g, 5.9k

gods au, enemies to friends to lovers, getting together, fluff and angst, emotional h/c, written entirely in letters, 1st person pov

The sungod, Phil, sends letters to Mother Gaia. He puts all his worries into words… even when he himself can’t see right through them

ao3 // tumblr

Little comfort card

g, 932

separation anxiety, established relationship, business trip, vidcon, fluff and angst, homesickness, comfort, post-coming out videos

Phil goes to VidCon alone. Cue separation anxiety, something Dan seems to have accounted for..

"The whole room felt too airy, and lacked that simple, aesthetic Dan-touch. It wasn’t quite home, so to speak."

ao3

Your hoodies (come wrapped around me)

g, 869

york hoodie, clothes sharing, fluff, moving, house cleaning

Unpacking for their move into bigger quarters, Dan finds an ancient treasure in the back of their conjoined closet.

ao3 // tumblr

Awestruck

g, 996

barista dan, youtuber phil, fanboy dan, crushes, getting together, strangers to lovers

Dan might meet his best customer at the end of his worst day, and get a little more

ao3 // tumblr

Rainbow, proud

g, 513

post-coming out videos, established relationship, domestic boyfriends, fluff, shopping

Phil really wants the corgi shirt, but Dan thinks he has enough already

ao3 // tumblr

A prickly considerate gift

it’s the piranha plant bouquet !!

-

g, 1k

2014, established relationship, Valentines day fluff, gift giving, flowers and language of flowers, brief depression mention, domestic fluff, nerdiness

Phil finds a substitute for real Valentine’s day flowers

ao3 // tumblr

Cherish the smile

g, 783

husbands, honeymoon, established relationship, fluff

Phil wakes on the first morning of their honeymoon; a new day to cherish Dan’s gorgeous, excited, smile

ao3 // tumblr

“Seriously?”

t, 3k

strangers to lovers, enemies to lovers sort of, getting together, angst with a happy ending, co-workers, non-youtuber au, and lots of other tags lmao

Prompt: Dan and Phil meet while candle shopping and one of them can't help but comment on how obnoxious/boring/etc the scents the other one is picking out are the time Phil met a totally-not-handsome stranger and only sort-of wished they'd never meet again. Tough luck?

ao3

The lovers (VI)

chaptered, completed !

-

14/14

m, 31k

friends to lovers, magical realism au, lots of angst but also fluff, happy ending (more important tags on ao3)

Dan, guardian of the forest, feels inadequate to love and of love. His best friend Phil loves him despite that.. but doesn’t know quite what to do when Dan becomes a hypocrite- playing with both their feelings

ao3 // tumblr

Colour me rosé

another chaptered wip !! though this one may not be finished in 2021, because i have so much on my plate then - enjoy what’s here though !

-

9/?

m, 13k so far

sugar daddy Phil, sugar baby Dan, phil is rich, eventually domestic, strangers to lovers, developing relationship and friendship, sexual content, fluff, a little angst, and like a lot lot more tags

nineteen-year-old Dan Howell is looking for a sugar daddy to help him achieve the dream of luxury and romantic affirmations. Phil Lester, newly 24 and very rich, is searching for a romantic and sexual relationship. When stumbling upon the other on the internet, similar interests and all, have they found their match?

ao3 // tumblr

Archaic Allure (sonnet)

so as it turns out, writing a fic idea can really help you out with your grade (and yes, this is actually a sonnet)

-

g, 104

poetry, reminiscing, fluff, Dan’s pov

Dan reminisces his love for Phil - sonnet version

ao3 // tumblr

Something in your name

t, 3.2k

implied sexual content, fanfic about fanfic, emotional hurt/comfort, separation anxiety, established relationship; and more

phil reads a y/n fic ; guess who wrote it

ao3 // tumblr

Ellie enchanted

g, 986

fluff and angst, happy ending, parent!phan, new child, adoption, established relationship, self-doubt, implied homophobia 

Dan and Phil pick up their adopted child

ao3 // tumblr

Chocolate swirls

g, 3.3k

parent!phan, snapshots, bday surprises, baking, fluff and angst, cake

Dan tries to surprise Phil for his 33rd. He fails, as humans do, but ten years later he has luckily got two adorable little helpers at his side. And maybe that makes everything just a little better.

ao3 // tumblr

Dan or Da?

on ao3 this fic is just called Da, so beware of that

-

t, 9k

parent!phan, friends to lovers, pretend relationship (not what you think), misunderstanding, getting together, implied sexual content, marriage, canon divergence, pov alternating

One day can change your life forever. For Phil, his daughter Mel, and Dan, who’d have guessed that day would be one when all they’ve planned is doing ordinary shopping together.

ao3 // tumblr

and that’s it!! thank you for reading this sweetums, and be sure to check out any of the fics

[tessiete]

creator tag game

Thank you, @kckenobi for the tag! And for the bonus fic rec list you included in yours bc, honestly, I just spent like an hour rereading all your fic and being amazed and touched all over again. ANYWAY.

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works! 

So, this is going to be difficult because I...did not write a tonne this year? I choose EVERYTHING! But here goes.

--

My (Current) Favourite: Just So, and No Clearer (Obitine, T)

I hated this fic while writing it. Every chapter felt like a chore. Every scene felt pointless. I didn’t know what story I was telling except that it was meant to be as revealing - or more so - of Obi-Wan as it was of Satine. And then, I hit the final chapter, and I was like “Oh!” 

This is probably the most complicated thing I’ve written, in that the poetry had to communicate something beyond the text, and that the story Obi-Wan thinks he is telling is unadulterated in that form, but the story Satine is living is something real, and less fanciful beyond it. I feel like I surprised myself with this one.

Biggest Lesson: One Human Thought (Qui-Dad & Obi-Son, G)

I’ve been writing this fic for 8 mos now (I think), and it shows. When I started writing SW fic this year, I thought I was pretty confident in my style - I wasn’t in love with my style, but I thought I knew it - and I thought I’d been fairly consistent in terms of quality after cutting my teeth on a bunch of fic in other fandoms. But this fic...I didn’t outline it. I didn’t have any grand themes. I didn’t directly adapt any major source (it’s inspired by Pygmalion, but the structure is distinct). I did not expect anyone to like it, or want it, or feel it. 

So, of course, it’s my most popular fic.

And I recently went back and reread the first couple chapters and, yeah, I think I am a different writer now. This fic taught me the importance of just Putting Something On The Page, how to write through the dry spells, trust that I could fall back on technique and practice when inspiration left me, ignore the need to Be Perfect, know that sometimes a sentence can just be competent, and that is enough. Not every word needs to be profound. This fic showed me that practice will outlast inspiration every single time. Which is neat, because that’s partly what it’s about.

Gateway Fic: The Eternal Spring (Padme Lives, Obi-Wan Has a Crisis, G)

This fic is my baby. It set the stage for everything I have written in this fandom. It’s the testing ground for the basics of almost every mainstay in my hc, from Obi-Wan’s voice, to his relationships and how he views them; from shared fanon content, and the expansive nature of fandom, to my own con-langs and worldbuilding; from the lore I wanted to keep, and how I felt about certain fan theories - I found Korkie here, guys! I needed him for plot, but then he showed up and just WAS Obi-Wan’s and I couldn’t let him walk away.

It’s written in the style most comfortable to me, and was the very edge of the nest from which I leapt.

Thesis Fic: Or Else I Shall Be Lost (Korkie is a Kenobi, Boil is exhausted, G)

This is a shout out to you, @mg024, because I mentioned that I have Many Thoughts about the narrative benefits of canonizing Korkie as Obi-Wan’s son. I will do that one day, I will, but in short - this fic.

This is my little field test of how I think Korkie best functions in a canonically plausible scenario. KEEPING THIS BRIEF, my feeling is basically, Obi-Wan would benefit as a character by having a son, and the narrative would benefit by his having a son. In this case, I used Korkie as a way to examine that transition between Anakin and Vader, exploring Vader’s jealousy, his relationship with Obi-Wan, his desire to possess something that cannot be owned, and contrasted it with Korkie’s inheritance being something he is worthy of because of his choices, not his blood. Korkie chooses to continue his father’s legacy, while Vader feels entitled to it. I think inherited legacy vs. chosen destiny is a pretty major theme in almost all SW stories, and for me, this is a facet of it that would benefit from exploration and has a vehicle that’s lying around IGNORED! How dare.

Guilty Pleasure: Rolling Hitch (Qui-Dad & Obi-Son, G)

Look, the premise of this fic is weak. The execution is inconsistent. But I want whump. I NEED WHUMP. And I am weak for platonic bathing, and sleepy times. The tenderness of care required to clean someone, the trust required to let someone else do that, the way peoples’ hearts are revealed in the way they sacrifice their comfort to assure someone else’s without thanks or notice…….this fic is for me, friends. If you like it too, then that’s a really lovely, welcome bonus! 

No pressure tags for some of my favourite people! @tree-scapes @outpastthemoat @acatbyanothername93 @duchess-of-mandalore @mahizli @pebblysand @kyber-erso @mg024 and one for @pomiar (who won’t do it, but should).

[elliethesuperfruitlover]

Creator Tag Game 2020

RULES: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works 💛

Thank you for the tag @joz-stankovich I’m really happy that I’m able to do this, and reflect. (I started posting fanfics in July, this is amazing for me.) Also, shoutout to @badsext, she encouraged me to start writing and I really appreciate her help. Forever grateful to that bean.

1. Sensual Soliloquies

I am JOYOUS, MEGA FUCKING JOYOUS about this fic. It was the first one I decided to write and post, and I’m really happy I decided to do it. It’s a bit long, I surprised myself with the amount that I was able to write. Especially coming fresh of a fanfic writing break for like 3 years. I had an idea, and I was able to write it out just how I wanted to, and the imagery I did is amazing.

2. (Not So) Quiet Night

I rarely ever write fluff, but when I do, I try to put as much as I can into it, just like I would smut. I also don’t typically write for Nathan, he’d never been my first choice for writing a fic, but I really liked how this turned out. I like the idea of Nathan being fluffy with a child, and trying his best to be a good dad.

3. I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

This is one of the fics I remember being very fun to write. I remember being so into this fic, and visualizing what I want to happen. It fit perfectly, and I had been meaning to write something for that song for months, actually. It’s so full of emotion, and the sounds just screamed “make it emotional, make it hot” to me. I’m very happy with that result.

4. Darling Nikki

I fucking love this fic, this one was my FAVORITE to write. I generally enjoy writing my fics, but I was beside myself with this one. I was hyperfixating over Prince, and his song “Darling Nikki”, and the music video. It just fit so well. I was blasting the song, and everything fit so well. I wanted it to be hot and heavy, as well as emotionally taxing and enjoyable. That one, to me, is just *chef’s kiss*.

5. Sweaty Coitus

This fic sprouted from a Thirsty Thursday, courtesy of Joz, and we were discussing sweaty sex, as you do. So, I decided to write a fic about it, and I also really enjoyed writing this one. I knew what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to include in the fic. I did just that, and sometimes I’m just baffled at how wonderful my mind can be. I shit on it quite a lot, and I really am annoyed with myself, but this one just made perfect sense. I really enjoy writing for Luba, and dear @super-unpredictable98 gave a small prompt and it just came together.

(I’m too tired for an honorable mention, I’m sorry lol)

Tagging w/o obligation (bc most of y’all have already been tagged): @badsext

[spelviin]

this has been sitting in my drafts for at least like a month because i basically just wanted to get my bonkers far-fetched theory out in writing somewhere and i never really intended to publish it BUT 

henry’s dad fact this week just made me kinda think at least some of it might have legs sooooo

my long-ass, incredibly unlikely Oak Theory under the cut

tl;dr

okay, so. 1939. one hildy russett makes the great decision to give her full-ass, real-ass name to the heart’s greatest desire casting director, aka full fledged (and likely high-ranking) member of the cult of the doodler

then proceeds to be used as a blood sacrifice in doodler summoning ritual 

ritual is kind of??? successful, but then stud convinces it to peace the fuck back to wherever it came from, the mystery box vanishes, the end

or is it????????

like, a cult that almost successfully summoned a chaos entity isn’t just gonna give up after one failure. fuck no. they’re gonna try again. which is where the facts get dicey, and my theory kicks in.

so the remnants of the doodler cult are disheartened by their near miss in tennessee, but they regroup and try to figure things out

the casting director recalls the name of the blood sacrifice, and the cult does some digging on her, until they find a scandalous secret in her recent past

a child, born out of wedlock, either given to an orphanage or being brought up by distant relatives or whatever. a child who is now connected somehow to the doodler by way of blood sacrifice magic or... something idk. told you this was dicey. 

anyway the doodler cult needs that baby for a future ritual. so the doodler cult gets that baby, either by adoption or more, shall we say, nefarious methods

they give the baby an alias, a new name. a powerful name. a name referenced several times in the script JJ abrams wrote when he was chanelling the doodler.  

oaks growin’ tall. oak ridge, tennessee. barry fuckin oak. 

doodler cult raises the baby in secret as one of their own, hoping to use his blood (aka hildy’s blood, aka possibly the blood of the unsung hero???) to take another shot at a summoning ritual

except as it turns out, barry can’t fuckin do shit, because he sucks of magic reasons idk

sooooo, what are we gonna do? give up? fuck no! we’re gonna get another fuckin descendant who can do it!

barry strikes out on his own, using the nascent hippie free-love movement in the 1960s to start up a commune that basically functions as its own branch of the doodler cult and tries to churn out a descendant with that eldritch x-factor

this is where our favourite nastyboy comes in 

henry grows up in the cult commune, raised from birth to succeed where his father failed

when he’s old enough, barry tells henry the truth of their mission, his birthright, and the important role he has to play in creating this new world. 

henry, being the sweet dude he is, is absolutely appalled by this. of course he’s not gonna bring about the end of the world, that’s so messed up!

they have a huge fight, and henry loses control. not in the way we’ve seen, but in a biiiiiig fuckin way. he gives into the chaos of his anger, and just blows. the fuck. up.

maybe he injures ppl with that eldritch energy he didn’t even know he had. maybe he injures barry, maybe even actually kills him. who knows? 

certainly not henry, because the trauma of it all is too much and between that and the Forbidden Eldritch Knowledge coursing through him his mind just shuts the fuck down 

he blacks out completely and wakes up naked in a forest weeks later, and we know the rest from there. mercedes finds him, they get married, have two beautiful boys who somehow inherently know the name and face of an eldritch abomination, and the rest is history

henry lives for the next 15 years as a normal, nerdy geologist dad. his mind literally can’t process the horror of his upbringing or the guilt of what went down after the argument with his father, so he packs that shit up tight behind a triple-locked door in his mind, rationalizes the extended blackout that lead him to his now-wife as nothing more than a bad trip, and moves on with his life. 

he raises his kids as best he can, without the stringent boundaries his overbearing father placed on him (or any at all) and, above all, refuses to ever express anger for fear of giving into the chaos and losing himself like he did before. 

which, i mean, kind of works??? except he basically ruins his kids in his attempt to protect them and sends himself down a toxic cycle of suppressing his feelings that just makes everything worse in the long run so i mean. not the best of strategies. 

anyways, that’s the background theory. in terms of what comes next, here’s what we know now:

barry seems stoked that henry’s brain door is starting to open and he’s “remembering who he is”

he also offered henry the chance to abscond with the twins, probably trying to use their powers for his own gain (bc as we know, the twins have magic too as confirmed by boreanaz and, in this ep, chekhov’s snake)

erin said that at least one of the anchor trails seemed to lead to a commune

barry’s in a place called oakdale or oakvale or something along those lines (similar to oak ridge, perhaps???) so by the sound of it, it’s possible he’s back to his old commune/cult-establishing tricks

also, interestingly, the only time willy has shown actual fear is when henry started to open the brain door and access more of his powers, which indicates he might have some idea of what’s going on there and it freaks him the fuck out 

also also, barry’s super fucking scared of willy

basically, i think barry wants to use henry and the twins in another summoning ritual with the help of his new commune/cult buddies, in order to a) succeed where he believes his mother failed in summoning the doodler and ushering in a new world, and b) use that eldritch power to get the upper hand in some sort of coup against willy.

i also think there’s some sort of link between henry’s powers and his anger (something to do with loss of control = chaos or smth like that? although that seems a bit toxic so maybe he just subconsciously believes there’s a link), and that he’s going to have to learn how to express both in a healthy way rather than, y’know. bottling it all up until he’s basically and incredible volatile molotov cocktail of dangerous eldritch energy they way he’s been doing it so far. 

...yeah that kind of petered out at the end there, but honestly it’s because i’ve put so much thought into possible backstory i have no fuckin idea what’s gonna come next. 

but honestly whatever it is, even when i inevitably end up being 1000% wrong about all of this, i’m stoked to find out

[vancilocs]

london trio and uuh reno and adele?

you thought i went to bed but it was me, dio

How did they they meet?

Flint managed to talk down a barfight where Scott would have gotten his ass kicked severely, they’ve been bros since. Rashmi came to London a little while later to join the knights there after her husband’s death

Yoga class

Who developed romantic feelings first?

Scott in a “nobody has ever been nice and patient with me”-way

Adele, Reno kept a little bit of distance because he didn’t want her to feel in any way threatened (my dude she was ready to climb)

Who is their biggest “shipper?”

Even when Scott and Flint were having the worst time in their marriage Rashmi would keep them together and ensure they talked and worked for their relationship, otherwise they all support each other

Probably Zoe, she knew how much Reno likes having someone to squeeze and after his little bi awakening was done really really wanted to be in a relationship

When did they have their first kiss and under what circumstances?

A few drinks down in candlelight Flint egged Scott on enough for him to take initiative. Scott and Rashmi kissed first under less nice circumstances bc he hadn’t talked to Flint about it first (he did forgive).

After like the second or third date, see Adele safely home and she utilized stairs to reach the man

Who confessed their feelings first?

Flint to encourage Scott, and later Scott at Rashmi who let him know she likes both of them

Adele was less restrained

What was their first official date?

They never really like agreed to go out, Flint just suggested they go to a comfortable, safe knight pub to sit down, eat, drink, and get to know each other

A movie and dinner date

How do they feel about double dates/group dates?

Not really their thing, hanging out at home is best

Sure why not, going out as a group with Zoe and Nina was probably pretty regular

What do they do in their down time?

Lay around, pet cats, cuddle, nap, Rashmi reads out loud to Flint, Scott just enjoys the company

Watch TV, cook, do yoga, look after child

What was the first meeting of parents as an official couple like?

Scott was terrified to meet Flint’s parents (not only because they were the former knight commanders in the area), but they got along fantastic. Flint has never met Scott’s parents but knows how shitty they are and he, his siblings and parents have vowed to keep them away (Rashmi also knows and agrees they’re awful). Rashmi gets along well with Flint’s family, the boys have never met hers but she speaks highly of them so they have no problem.

Both of their parents were pretty shocked by the sheer size difference but both also fell in love with their child’s beloved very fast, both Reno and Adele are polite and very loveable and seeing how happy they made each other sealed the deal

What was their first fight over and how did they get past it?

Scott has no self-esteem, is very mistrustful and just couldn’t figure out what Flint could want in him, it’s been a journey of self-acceptance and reassurance but with patience they’ve gotten over it. 

They didn’t really fight? If anything it was Adele being a very tired new mom who needed her husband home a bit more because she couldn’t do it alone (and of course he obliged)

Which one is more easily made jealous?

Scott who again has no self-esteem. They don’t make each other jealous though, nobody has a problem with the two others spending time together

Neither really, they’re solid in their relationship

What is their favourite thing to get to eat?

I respect myself enough to not look up what people in Victorian England ate

Reno is vegan, Adele was mostly vegetarian, so hit up some vegan places to look for something nice to eat

Who’s the cuddly one? What their favourite cuddling position?

Rashmi is the biggest cuddler, prefers to be squished between the men

Adele was cuddlier and could just lay on Reno’s chest he was big enough

Are they hand holders?

Not really, Rashmi might link arms with either one she’s out with

Very much so

How long do they wait before sleeping together for the first time? What’s the circumstances?

Flint gave Scott all the time he ever needed to get intimate so it took a long while, he may have taken a few shots of courage but Flint was very gentle. In general they’ve been very patient and careful getting into each others’ pants.

They waited a while, both had experience but neither wanted to pressure (nor were they in a hurry), just date for a while and do it when it feels right

Who tops?

Rashmi or Flint

Switch it up. Reno gets pegged

What’s the worst fight they’ve ever gotten into?

Flint was (understandably) mad about Scott kissing Rashmi behind his back but he was more sad, and not being able to voice his feelings really didn’t help. Scott was remorseful, Flint was angry and sad, Rashmi did her best helping a mute man talk to a deaf man, wasn’t easy. But it was mainly Flint scared he’d lose his husband and to know he wouldn’t was a relief

Reno might have switched to office work when he knew he’d be a dad but he would still sometimes help on the field and Adele (already hormonal) wasn’t a fan of that

Who does the shopping and the cooking?

Flint and Rashmi do the shopping and Scott and Rashmi do the cooking, Flint doesn’t entirely trust his hands around fire

They share seamlessly

Which one is more organized and prone to tidiness?

Flint can’t read anymore so while he cleans up, he doesn’t know how to sort the papers properly so he leaves that to Rashmi

Reno, Adele is a bit of a scatterbrain and does arts and crafts so she might leave her stuff around sometimes

Who proposes?

Flint proposed to Scott, both boys gave Rashmi symbolic rings

Reno did, very romantic

Do they have joined Bachelor/Bachelorette parties or separate?

Flint’s family focused on making sure Scott won’t puke and faint at the altar, Flint didn’t get rowdy but did share a couple of drinks with his brothers

Separate, nothing too wild but a bit of fun the weekend before the wedding.

Who is the best man/maid of honour? Any other groomsmen or bridesmaids?

Flint picked his good friend Charlie as his best woman, otherwise it was mainly his family in the big roles.

Adele had her friend as a maid of honour, Zoe was Reno’s best woman

Big Ceremony or Small?

Very small. Didn’t want to make it a big thing, it was big enough to get a priest who wouldn’t misgender Scott

Kinda medium, not super formal

Do they have a honeymoon? If so, where?  

None

A week in Samoa and a week wherever Adele’s from, share cultures

Do they have children? How many?

No kids, Scott never ever wanted to be a dad and later with his disability Flint wouldn’t have wanted either. 

They had one son who’s now an adult

[booasaur]

Have you seen The Half of It? It’s on Netflix now :)

____

Not yet, no! Now that it’s finally here, I feel oddly reluctant to sit down and start. Sometimes hype makes me really want to watch something, sometimes I’m scared to start and be disappointed or worse, love it and have no more of it. Also, you know. It’s a movie. I still haven’t watched A Secret Love either. (Or The Favourite or Carol or The Handmaiden. :x) But I hope you enjoyed it!

And another two anons (one is mildly spoilery and negative):

<tried to insert a read more here, it wouldn’t do it...oh...it inserted the link in the ask itself, freaking geniuses>

I just watched the half of it and it wasn’t bad? I mean towards representation is not the best movie ever but it was nice and like the way it was shot was great?

The half of it vaguely spoilerish if you haven’t seen it yet... I am so glad I found out ahead of time that this wasn’t a lesbian rom com Bc whew I woulda been pissed watching it had I not known that. As it was, I was honestly kinda bored a lot of the movie. I love Alice Wu and she made very lovable characters in Ellie & Aster, but this movie had so much focus on Paul. I’m sick of white boys dominating narratives honestly. He wasn’t a fresh character at all but he was still so much the focus.

These two came in so close together this morning, they made me laugh. You’re like two sides of the same coin, all, yeah, I guess it was okay??

To the first anon, heh, you seem unsure? You can like it or even love it without any issue! It DOES hit a lot of rep points, unless it’s willfully apathetic or offensive, I feel like you’re free to enjoy what it is more than add disclaimers for what it isn’t. If you enjoyed it, that’s awesome.

To the second anon, well, I get it. Maybe that’s why I’m not in a rush to watch. I’m not currently in the mood for a story that is basically, in Wu’s own words, an attempt to reach out to people who made Trump happen. And okay, that’s not fair, it’s so many more things, a coming of age story for an Asian American lesbian teen, the story of a second gen immigrant and her dad in a small American town, among other things, friendship between seemingly fundamentally different people, how to grow and learn past learned biases, even the effects of religion on Aster.  And heck, even if it were just the first thing, that’d be an admirable goal, let alone the many other things it manages to be to so many people. I’m not saying it has to be something different.

But if this movie has two main roles, to teach empathy to an external group and to be relatable to an inner group, it is...neither of those things to me. I’m a Southeast Asian American who grew up abroad, my experiences are very different from Ellie’s and while I have a bunch of guy friends, I don’t care about Paul. Which will probably change when I actually watch, the way I love Dutch and Johnny in Killjoys. Or currently, Isaac on Vagrant Queen. I end up liking a lot of male characters, tbh. I dunno. I guess it’s what the focus is Presented as. Ellie may be the lead of THOI, but a movie’s inherent lack of time forces Paul and their dynamic to be so central, and a part of me does resent that a bit. It’s sold as a different kind of love story, their dynamic itself is the main character.

It could be a combination of many things, a difference between what I want and what it is, the fact that it’s a movie and just didn’t have the time I like to develop. I really liked In My Skin, a TV show, and that wasn’t particularly relatable, I guess I’m more open to stories when the female lead is front and center in every way. The story is about her. It’s like in Stumptown, I FAR preferred the episodes that treated Dex as the main than those where Grey or Hoffman had some adventure and Dex was just, like, there. 

But annnyway. It’s fine, right, we don’t have to like everything. I get the FOMO, something like this is so big and the f/f community’s still so small, it’s hard to ignore it and everyone around us engaging with it in some way. But aren’t we reaching a point where we don’t have to like something because it’s f/f but can go on to something else? Well. I say that as someone who prefers TV to movies, because damn, pickings are slim if you want happy central f/f in movies. Honestly, that’s really what it comes down to, the issue isn’t this movie but that there aren’t enough f/f movies out there. Every one of these discussions boils down to that basic point, that this one movie shouldn’t be responsible for everything this industry’s failed to do. You don’t have to like this movie, but you should have the opportunity to watch more than one happy ending every few years.

[lcofowler]

THE CHARACTER STATISTICS

FULL NAME — leopold kristoff fowler

NICKNAME — leo pretty exclusively methinks........ one of his brother’s used to call him krissy to annoy him n stopped after leo finally punched him over it snickers

D.O.B. — november 12th, 1996

LINK TO THEIR PINTEREST BOARD OR TAG ON YOUR BLOG — board | tag

STAR SIGN / MOON & RISING — scorpio sun, sagittarius moon, virgo ascending

MBTI — estp - the entrepeneur

MORAL ALIGNMENT — chaotic neutral

MARITAL STATUS & SEXUALITY — single & pansexual

LANGUAGES — english & dutch

TALENTS / HOBBIES — guitar, bass, drumming, partying titters, soccer, wastes way too much time making tiktoks

TOP 5 MUSICIANS — creedence clearwater revival, dababy :/, elvis presley, run the jewels, glass animals

FAVOURITE BOOK — has he ever even read a book................. a genuine good question. definitely liked some comics tho, like the walking dead ones probs

FAVOURITE FILM & TV SHOW — hes tht person whose fav movie is like . step brothers or something. like i unironically think leo loves tht movie n im sry abt it. he jst doesnt rly care wht he watches at all bt stupid humour like tht wld probs entertain him enough if he was watching something on his own / was attached to the walking dead cuz of the comics but otherwise doesn’t watch too many tv, probs watches marj’s Soaps w her whenever he has free time

FAVOURITE VIDEO GAME — i dnt kno much abt video games. he was probs more of an outdoors than video game kid bt feel like he’d like games w a story like life is strange or dumb ones tht rnt taken seriously n u can jst play simply on ur laptop like coming out on top or tht old computer game façade

WHAT DID THEY DO THIS PAST SUMMER? — worked A Lot to make up fr the damage he’d done after his last Episode at a local grocery store, jst hung out n partied w friends mostly otherwise

WHERE HAVE THEY TRAVELLED? — florida n new york mostly in the states before connecticut, amsterdam a lot, greece and italy as well

DO THEY TAKE ANY PRESCRIPTIONS? — has been given a fuck ton of mood stabilizers to try n hes only jst recently started Actually taking carbatrol tht hes been prescribed after basically being begged to by his aunt n uncle

DO THEY HAVE ANY DIAGNOSIS’S? — bipolar i, adhd

FICTIONAL CHARACTER THEY ARE MOST LIKE? — stu from scream (minus the murder lawl), jj maybank from outer banks, valerio from elite, ransom from knives out (minus the murder once more this pattern is getting scary)

ARE THEY EMPLOYED? WHERE DO THEY WORK? — yes they work as a florist at his aunt n uncle’s flower store fowler’s flowers! steve was so proud of all his hard work this summer he promoted leo to supervisor! :D

WERE THEY POPULAR IN HIGH SCHOOL? — he was definitely talked about, but he also went to like 5 diff high schools, people jst basically heard rumours n saw the stupid stuff he did n if they stuck around to see it it was merely bc they wanted to see if he had the balls to go through with his next stupid plan instead of with the intent of friendship or anything like that

DO THEY DO DRUGS? — ya he kinda jst does wtvr

DRINK? — too much yes.

SMOKE CIGARETTES? — not as much as he used to

SMOKE WEED? — a bit mostly if someone else offers it up

WHERE WERE THEY BORN? WHERE DID THEY GROW UP? — he was born in tallahassee but grew up between there n manhattan a lot depended on wht parent wasnt sick of him yet titters

DO THEY PLAN TO GO TO GRAD SCHOOL? — he doesn’t even kno if he’s gna make it thru his undergrad

WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS POST-GRADUATION? — there are none..... he wldnt b surprised if he jst ended up working at fowler’s flowers fr the rest of his life hes jst so comfortable there n has no idea wht hes gna do.

PARENTS NAMES — renata & archibald (mom n dad), marjorie & steven (aunt n uncle, current guardians)

DO THEY HAVE SIBLINGS? NAMES & AGES? — Yeth theres augustus (28), mikhael (26), vaughn (21), n willhelm (18)

DO THEY HAVE PETS? TYPES & NAMES? — mitzie’s a tortoiseshell cat tht lives at marj n steve’s tht he does love quite dearly bt thts it

ARE THEY RELIGIOUS? WHAT IS THEIR RELIGION IF SO? — lawl no, his dad is 7th day adventist tugs my shirt collar but leo hated it growing up, is pretty spiritual tho thanks to marj n steve

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THEY SLEPT WITH? — god. a Lot. 100+ frankly idek........ he jst doesnt care.

WHAT VEHICLE DO THEY DRIVE? IF THEY DON’T DRIVE, HOW DO THEY TRAVEL AROUND TOWN? — he doesn’t have his own car but he borrows his aunt n uncle’s if they’re not using it, rides his bike around a lot

DESCRIBE THEIR FASHION — so . insanely all over the place. jst doesn’t care. once wore a pair of his aunts leggings to a fkin funeral bc he didnt have anything clean. wore a crop top he made with the words ‘this is what gay looks like’ to a job interview. a sweater that said ‘big dick is back in town’ to a family reunion after he hadnt seen his immediate family in like . a year. jst a lot of absurd thrift store finds n wtvr he wants. patterns tht dont match. very proud of his neon green dr martens w aliens on the side. anything loud rly.......

DO THEY PREFER TO BE BEHIND THE CAMERA OR IN FRONT OF IT? — either/or

DO THEY BELIEVE ANY OF THE STORIES ABOUT RADCLIFFE? WHICH ONES? — not really, but he pretends he does and relays them all to his aunt to freak her out bc she RLY believes them

DO THEY THINK THE MOTHMAN IS HOT? — yes<3

A QUOTE THAT DESCRIBES THEM — “It is an act of rebellion to remain present, to go against society’s desire for you to numb yourself, to look away. But we must not look away.”

A SONG THAT THEY WOULD RELATE TO — morning in america - jon bellion