#otp: your song is not yet written

[hopelessfandomfreak]

I’m not the only one sensing the possibility of romance between din and bo-katan, right? I don’t watch star wars for the romance plots, but I’m honestly kind of on board with this one

[justanotherdinboshipper]

A messy sketch of Dinbo 🥰💖

Just really want to try drawing one of my ships in this style and pose:

[famousflowermagazine]

i actually liked how open ended the finale was, i mean would i have liked for dinbo to explicitly canon yes i would , but we got such a good build up of their relationship from where it was in season 2 they were both able to see each of their points of view, by learning to work together with bo’s nite owls and din’s covert. both their clans are now united together.

i know some people are disappointed and it’s okay to feel that way but their build up was not for nothing.

i know it will be long while till we get season 4 but i can not wait for the fics that this fandom with come up with that will make the wait go much quicker.

[queenlua]

this dude’s wikipedia entry is the most buckwild nonsense i’ve seen all week

ok, you know you’re in for a good time when this

and this

are the first two things you see, right?

tl;dr, John R. Brinkley was the early 1900s version of quack-doctor-meets-Rush-Limbaugh; his big thing was these goofy surgeries to restore male verility by implanting them with goat testicles.  which is extremely funny except for the part where people died!

normally THAT would be the craziest shit a dude had going on, and yet—

well, okay, first, let’s hear about the dude’s dad:

Brinkley senior's first marriage was annulled because he was underage.[3] After he reached adulthood, he married four more times, and outlived each of his young wives. 

five marriages!  holy shit.  was the dad poisoning these women or...

anyway, Brinkley himself has a similarly messy love life.  for instance, here’s one way to handle a divorce:

Sally filed for divorce and child support, but after two months of payments, Brinkley kidnapped his daughter and fled with her to Canada. Sally Brinkley, unable to obtain an extradition order from Canada, dismissed her suit for alimony and child support, allowing Brinkley to return to Chicago with the child. 

In Memphis, Brinkley met 21-year-old Minerva Telitha "Minnie" Jones, a friend of Crawford's and the daughter of a local physician. On August 23, 1913, after a four-day courtship,[14] Brinkley and Jones married at the Peabody Hotel, even though he was still married to Sally Brinkley. Minnie and John Brinkley honeymooned in Kansas City, Denver, Pocatello and Knoxville. Brinkley was arrested in Knoxville and extradited to Greenville where he was put in jail for practicing medicine without a license and for writing bad checks.[13] Brinkley told the sheriff that it was all Crawford's fault, and gave investigators enough information that they were able to arrest Crawford in Pocatello. The two former partners met again in jail.[13]

imagine your OTP...

in addition to all the goat gland transplants Brinkley was doing, he started concurrently running a radio show, which sounds like such a DELIGHTFULLY mixed bag of material:

Brinkley spoke for hours on end each day on the radio, primarily promoting his goat gland treatments. He variously cajoled, shamed and appealed to men's (and women's) egos, and to their desire to be more sexually active. In between Brinkley's own advertisements, his new station featured a variety of entertainment including military bands, French lessons, astrological forecasts, storytelling and exotica such as native Hawaiian songs, and American roots music including old-time string band, gospel and early country.[32]

life before podcasts...

also, it’s kind of interesting to see an early predecessor of the whole “truth is paywalled but the lies are free” phenomenon here:

Fishbein's interest in putting Brinkley out of business grew and he wrote more articles featuring stories about people who had grown sick or died after seeing Brinkley. But the [American Medical Association] journal's readership was mostly restricted to other doctors, while Brinkley's radio station poured directly into peoples' homes every day.

eventually, Brinkley’s empire of lies collapses, and good riddance, but also i gotta admire his absolute determination to keep going anyway:

Brinkley reacted to losing his medical and broadcast licenses by launching a bid to become the Governor of Kansas, a political position that would enable him to appoint his own members to the medical board and thus regain his right to practice medicine in the state.

“i would simply become the government,” said he

and he goddamn near succeeded, too, if it weren’t for a rude twist of fate:

Three days before the election, the Kansas attorney general (who had prosecuted Brinkley before the medical board) announced that the rules surrounding write-in candidates had changed, and that the doctor's name could only be written in one specific way for the vote to count (as J. R. Brinkley). As a write-in candidate, he received more than 180,000 votes (29.5 percent of the vote) and lost to Harry Hines Woodring, later Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.[42] An article published at the time in The Des Moines Register estimated that between 30,000 and 50,000 ballots were disqualified in this manner. Woodring later admitted that had those votes counted, Brinkley would have won.[43][44]

anyway, he gets so big mad after all this that he moves to the Mexican border, where the Mexican government is VERY eager to help him build the Most Enormous Fuck-You Radio Station In History:

The Mexican government, eager to get even with its northern neighbors for dividing up North America's radio frequencies without giving any to Mexico, granted Brinkley a 50,000-watt radio license and construction began on XER, his new "border blaster" across the bridge from Del Rio in Villa Acuña, Coahuila (since renamed Ciudad Acuña).[16] As construction got underway, Fishbein and the U.S. State Department desperately searched for a way to shut Brinkley down. [...]

Though Brinkley's American radio license had been revoked, XER's signal was so strong that it could still be heard in Kansas.[49] In 1932, the Mexican government allowed Brinkley to increase his wattage to 150,000 watts. Several months later, Brinkley was allowed to increase to one million watts, "making XER far and away the most powerful radio station on the planet" that, on a clear night, could be heard as far away as Canada. According to accounts of the time, the signal was so strong that it turned on car headlights, made bedsprings hum, and caused broadcasts to bleed into telephone conversations.[50] Local residents claimed to not need a radio to hear Brinkley's station; with ranchers claiming that they received it through their metal fences and in their dental appliances.[51]

jfc, USA, maybe you should’ve fuckin been nicer to Mexico is all i’m sayin

anyway he’s big rich for a while but then he dies penniless with a bunch of counts of mail fraud against him, so.  about what you’d expect.

(big thanks to this rando blog post for alerting me to this dude’s existence, lol)

[kyouka-supremacy]

Fukuchi for the ask game please!

Fukuchi, sure!

Favorite thing about them: Causing Akutagawa to die for Atsushi I think he's a very well written villain!! He's sympathetic and likeable and his motivations are sincerely noble and understandable. His plan fell a little short, but that's just bsd for you ahah. I like how he poses real and relevant political questions, I dig any sort of political discussion. Overall, he's just a character I have lots of fun to reflect over and talk about, but that's primarly due to being a politics nerd pffttt.

Least favorite thing about them: I find some of the gags he gets into quite unpleasant, it's not for my taste personally.

Favorite line:

Self-explainatory. But like, something that actually has to do with Fukuchi...

It's just, I get the sentiment? Like, I get the feeling of being willing to do anything if it's to save even one single person.

brOTP: Sorry for being predictable, but highkey Fukuchi and sskk lol. Because Fukuchi seems to care about them /so much/. I find it a truly moving part of chapters 84-88, how Fukuchi doesn't want to fight even more than sskk themselves. He's genuinely sorry for them. He offers them heartfelt advices. He waits for them, he gives them time to regrup. He offers to spare one of them. Fukuchi has been a kinder mentor figure to Akutagawa in twenty minutes than Dazai has been in six years. He compliments Akutagawa and acknoweladges his value and spares him words of respect even after his death. I just,,, in a perfect world he would have loved them dearly, and be the first supporter of their union.

OTP: I REALLY like Fukuchi and Fukuzawa. Tragic yaoi FOR REAL. Very characters who aren't canonically gay but whose behavior just makes so much sense if you read them as gay. Also my other personal shipped them before they got popular. They just care about each other SO MUCH they didn't ever denied it and yet are forced to be on opposite sides... Ultimate star crossed lovers fr.

nOTP: Nothing. I need to delete this section.

Random headcanon: I can't think of anything of a proper headcanon, but I feel like he's looked to Fukuzawa and Ranpo many times and intimately wished they could have created a family together. I feel like the chapter 83.3 cover (the one a little further below) is exactly what Fukuchi would have dreamed his life to be if the world was different.

Unpopular opinion: I'm glad he killed Akutagawa. Duh. I've said this so many times but the “I wish Akutagawa didn't die” is a sentiment I really can't share.

Song i associate with them: I can't believe I could actually think of something, but Knife by rerulili is perfect as the love triangle / katanas / dying in your gay lover's arms story.

Favorite picture of them:

Favourite panel from the manga:

Favourite illustration:

Favourite illustration in the anime art style:

Send me a character?

[moonsharky]

hi pookie, you better be writing 👄👶🍎

these emojis are so fucking random i chuckled. i am defs writing bub, sometimes i will break for a few minutes bc my brain or fingers need a break from my keyboard 😂 (phone is different, dont @ me)

heres a sneaky for u 💚

As he squints at the notification glowing on his screen, a surge of frustrations washes over him. He furrows his brow, trying to recall if he recognises the sender's number. The digits seem to taunt him with their familiarity, yet they remain elusive, just beyond the grasp of his memory. All he can discern is the Los Angeles area code, a piece of information that offers very little solace in his quest for clarity.

edit: im so dumb and didnt realise the emojis were for the ask game so here is my edited response:

👄 Your OTP are having their first kiss. What song do you imagine is playing?

none tbh. i imagine its either really quiet, so quiet you can feel the tension, can hear shaky breaths, can focus on the way you can hear their hands on one another. or its a musical score, written specifically for them, soft and emotional ofc.

👶 Fankids: How do you feel about them? Would your OTP have them?

well they already got christopher, so that answers the last part. but i am also a girl dad buddie truther fr. maybe they have their own, then later on, they foster kids. but they foster the older ones, the ones that nobody else wants bc of their ages or bc of their "troubles". they would want to be a safe place for these kids who have nobody else, giving them love and a home.

🍎 What's something you learned while researching for a fic?

that usa mobile numbers have area codes?! and that its different for different cities? not just the states? that is such a wild concept to me. all mobile numbers in aus just start with 04 (or +614)

fanfic writer emoji ask game part ii

[swaps55]

speaking of ur playlist: every time I hear a banners song I think of sam and kaidan 😭 I started listening to them bc of you and even their newer stuff that isn't in your playlist makes these dorks appear in my mind's eye

(also have you shared the yang gang's drink recipes yet? im Intrigued)

Oh gosh, BANNERS. I don't know if I've ever heard a Banners song I couldn't make an OTP song. I have half a first kiss AU written to In Your Universe. Do I have a story for it? Nope. But the vibes.

The drink recipes! All courtesy of @pip-n-flinx.

Clay Beaudoin's Paloma

Muriel Aslany's 151 Swizzle

Alma Ingram's Egg Nog & Kara Pendergrass' Firestorm

Kaidan Alenko's Sack Sipper (scroll down to the bottom of the post)

Sam Shepard's Govorkam's Roar

[my-castles-crumbling]

💖🤩🔮👄🙊🙌👶🟥🏡💪🚿🍎🥘🎬

a lot of questions lol, sorry

💖 Which of your fics is your pride and joy? Probably Long Story Short, because I worked on it for so long, and it helped me through so much.

🤩 What's the most meaningful comment you've ever received? The comments on LSS that say it helped people work through things, too. Those make me feel so honored. Also, @starchasersunseeker always leaves amazing comments. I look forward to them so much!

🔮What's your favorite plot twist you've ever written? Actually, my favorite one has been brainstormed but hasn't been written yet.

👄 Your OTP are having their first kiss. What song do you imagine is playing? Enchanted- Taylor Swift

🙊Your coworkers or classmates stumble across one of your fics, but don't know you're the author. Do you fess up? Or keep quiet? Hahahahaha absolutely not.

🙌What's a line or paragraph of yours that you're proud of? I'm pretty proud of my most recent chapter of Clandestine!

👶Fankids: How you do you feel about them? Would your OTP have kids? I have no idea what fankids are lol.

🟥How long do you spend in edits? I re-read twice- once in the document to add/take away and once on AO3 to do final edits while adding formatting.

🏡What is your perfect writing envrionment? At home with music!

💪What motivates you to write? I think it's a mixture of brainrot, the enjoyment of healing through writing, and the wonderful comments/love I get from people who read.

🚿Where do your best ideas seem to strike? While listening to music, I think. Or while talking to @starchasersunseeker and @beautyoftheships

🥘What wip are you most excited about? Clandestine, definitely

🎬One of your fics gets turned into a TV series. Which one is it and what network is it on? Probably LSS because it's my only finished longfic lol. I have no idea what network, though.

<3 <3 <3

[positivelybeastly]

Did you see Gillen and Brevoort said Beast (used to be/could have been) was the most romantic x man? Veeeeery interesting. Gillen seemingly wanted to redeem beast in SWORD through his love for Abigail but feels that’s been taken off the table at this point. If only there were some other person he held near and dear to his heart who might be able to give him both love and time to grow past this unfortunate moment

"I'm through with love hangovers,

It's best that I stay sober.

No rolling in the clover,

No Gretna Green trip over.

No honeymoon in Paris,

I only feel embarrassed for the,

Cool cats,

The charmed kittens,

Both smitten by the love songs

That he's written.

Caught in the sights of a,

Deadly sniper:

The magic piper of love.

The magic piper of love.

Of love, of love!"

Anon, you beat me to this - the instant I saw that thread on Reddit, I was just besides myself with jimmy legs because I wanted to get back home and post about it immediately.

SO. CONTEXT.

Over at AIPT Comics, they have this segment called X-Men Mondays, where they'll send out various themed questions to people at the X-office to answer, usually as just kind of a fun, fuckabout sort of thing.

Today's was Valentine's Day themed, because, well, it's the 12th of February, there's not a ton else to talk about.

The question naturally came up.

AIPT: Who, in your opinion, is the most romantic X-character? (And why?)

Everyone gets a look in, from Xavier to Wolverine to Havok to Mystique, but. Okay, so, like. Kieron Gillen answered four times in this thread, and most of it was just funny answers, but in response to THIS question, he said this in response:

Kieron Gillen: You know, Beast in the timeline where my S.W.O.R.D. got past issue 5 would have been good for this, but the timeline we ended up in had (er) somewhat less romance interested Beast. Perhaps someone could go back in time and try and do something about it. “We have to time travel to save Beast!” “Why? Is it all his genocides?” “No, he has to carry on devotedly making blueberry muffins.”

. . . . . . . .

Ladies, gentleman, non-binary individuals. S.W.O.R.D was cancelled 14 years ago. It died in 2009. But Kieron Gillen refuses to stop being salty about it, and you know what? You know what? Fucking good for him, because I'm fucking salty about it too!!!

But, like, this is such a wild answer to me! Just, unprompted, one of the premier comic book talents of the day just being like, hey, fuck you all, I really liked my little Beast-Brand OTP book. This man is one of my people, I know this. Well. I already knew this, to be fair, I got him to sign my trade paperback copy of that exact series, but that was over a decade ago, and he's STILL flying that flag???

HE REMEMBERS THE MUFFINS.

LOOK AT MY FUCKING OOC TAG.

IT'S OUTOFMUFFINS.

Then Brevoort, who, by the way, is the incoming editor for the X-Men books, said this:

Tom Brevoort: Back in the day, it was the Beast, before he threw over human needs and desires in favor of science. Nightcrawler also had some moves, but he doesn’t really use them as often anymore. So these days, Gambit is the clear winner. Angel wants to be, but he’s mostly all talk. But Gambit thinks about this stuff.

These are.

Interesting comments.

Beast literally could not be less relevant to the wider Krakoan story arc. X-Force exists in its own little bubble of black ops and body horror, and yet, unprompted, both one of the headline members of the talent (who has made sure to put Hank and Abigail in books for no real reason other than he likes them) and the incoming editor are both like, y'know, Hank was a real romantic back in the day. There's some affection there. It gives me hope. It makes me smile.

Now, I hasten to point out, this is not #WonderbeastConfirmed. We have no idea how these last two issues of X-Force are going to play out. But it is.

Interesting.

Oh, I also want to take a moment to call out Anthony Oliveira, who said this:

Anthony Oliveira: If you want the truth, you go to Emma. But nobody wants the truth. So they go to Jean, who can throw you a reality TV and ice cream pity party like you wouldn’t believe. She has those top-of-the-line flowy pajama pants that facilitate conversation, you know? Worst is Hank McCoy, who has been giving bad advice for decades before his war criminal era. One time he took Angelo Espinosa on a car trip that bummed me out so bad I’m still thinking about it 30 years later.

THAT bummed you out, bro?

Pssh, okay, dude.

Anyway.

Kieron Gillen remains my guy.

[redhairedgirl95]

Tag game: Tag nine (9) people you want to get to know better

Tagged by: @imhereformr (thank youuuuuu)

Three Ships:

Stella/Brandon (Winx Club): They've been my OTP since I first saw them on TV in 2004. I've been unable to "not" think about them since then, and then I turned to Tumblr Winx and to Ao3 Winx ... and that got me into writing multi-chaptered Brella centric fics, so ... yeah, I love them.

Stella is all the things I've always wanted to be as a little girl: charming, exceptionally beautiful inside and out, loyal to the core ...

Brandon is just the best guy. THE BEST.

And I love them. Forever

Rogue/Gambit (XMen): The untouchable woman and the sluttiest (affectionate) man to ever walk the Earth? How could one not love them!!! Though their interactions are almost always tainted by miscommunication and consequent angst (which I love, yet seeing them just being happy would be better), they are meant for each other. Also, they've been living in my mind rent-free for a long time. And should live in yours too!

Angel Dust/Husk (Hazbin Hotel): This is a new one, but it's meant to stay. I've only recently hopped on the train of Hazbin Hotel and I've fallen in love with those two poor non-owner of their souls. They make me suffer, laugh, and cry. I LOVE THEM AND WILL PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS.

First Ship:

Hermione/Ron (Harry Potter): I don't know if it's the first, but it's definitely the first I've written about! They complete one another <3

Last Song:

Addict from Hazbin Hotel (from before Hazbin Hotel)

I can't stop listening to Hazbin songs (and I don't want to) and this is so ICONIC.

This is the mantra, this is my life you're playing with now till the end of the night

Surrounded by fire, the passion ignites, a hit of that heaven and hell, a helluva high

Last Movie:

I'm not much for movies, series are more my jam, but, when I watch a movie, I prefer doing so at the cinema. The last on eI watched was Poor Creatures and ... sorry, I didn't like it :(

Currently Reading:

many things. the last one I started was Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson on Audible. I've only listened for half an hour. We'll see how it goes.

Currently Watching:

many thingsssssssssss. I'm trying to finish Echo, The Crown and Community. But I guess I'll rewatch Hazbin Hotel.

Currently Drinking:

Peach juice.

Currently Craving:

Inspiration for my fics <3

Tagging: nine people are too manyyyyyyyyy @stellasolaris @justlikemagix @brellasblog @prostoartist @crazy-queen-winx @moonstream-05 @dragonfly0808 @shiningclown69 @charmixpower

[hopelessfandomfreak]

we got our dinbo keldabe kiss and you can NOT convince me otherwise

these images are terrible quality, but you can clearly see in this first picture the silhouettes of din and bo, and the space between them

this whole force shield sequence happens over a few seconds, but as it continues, we see this

din and bo are much closer together here. could it be that they were just turning to look at each other and it came off this way because of their silhouettes? sure. but then there’s these two shots

their foreheads are TOUCHING here, without a doubt. maybe we didn’t get a proper farewell and promise to see each other again scene in the finale, but we got the keldabe kiss, even if was heavily obscured. if you disagree, that’s fine, but you can argue with the wall

[baronessblixen]

Valentine's Day Is a State of Mind

Made it just in time! Here's my Year of the OTP fic with the prompts: Valentine’s Day / different / “If I kiss you now, will you shut up?”

Set in season 7, fluffy fluff-fluff. Wc: 1,274

Tagging @today-in-fic

She’s asked Mulder several times where they’re going. Each time she does, he just grins at her before he returns his gaze to the road. It’s a case, he said earlier when he called her. One of utmost importance, he’d added when he picked her up. One – and he made sure to emphasize it – that requires casual clothing. He knows how much she hates dressing casually for a case.

What if they have to deal with authorities? It’s different for him, of course. No one bats an eye if he shows up in jeans and an old t-shirt. No one will take him less seriously if he wears whatever he wants. But Mulder assured her that they would not be dealing with authorities today.

As suspicious as it all sounded, she was in right from when he said 'Scully, it's me'. Her partner of six years knows her all too well and he knows she’s too curious to pass up an opportunity to investigate a potential x-file. So she dressed casually, yet smart, and got in the car with Mulder.

“Why don’t you just tell me where we’re going? Where is the file?” She tries again. They’ve been driving for a good twenty minutes by now. Mulder is in a good mood, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel in rhythm with whatever song is playing on the radio.

“Just be patient,” Mulder says with a laugh. “We’re almost there.”

“We are?” She asks, looking around. It’s a lively area, full of cafes and restaurants. No wonder Mulder asked her to dress casually. She would have attracted way more attention in one of her suits here. A moment later he parks the car and they get out.

“So Mulder,” she says, their arms brushing as they walk. It’s cooler than she anticipated, the February air biting into her skin and she cherishes the warmth he gives off, even through his clothes. “Fill me in. what are we doing here? Where are we going?”

“Well,” he says. “Dea Mon.”

“Demon?” She asks, blinking at him. “This case is about an alleged demon?” He smiles when she says ‘alleged’.

“No, it’s Dae Mon.” He points at a restaurant where the name Dae Mon is written in bold, creative letters all over the window front.

“There’s a demon in a restaurant? Mulder.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest. No wonder he didn’t explain where they were going, or why.

“Scully, no.” He laughs again, delighted by her confusion. At least one of them is. He puts his hands on her shoulders and just for a second, she flinches. It’s not his touch. Never that. But they’re in public. They’re here on a case – however ridiculous it may turn out to be. When they started this thing (undefined, still), they made a pact that it would stay inside their four walls. Meaning his apartment and hers. But his hands are warm and big and she doesn’t find it in her heart to remind him of the rules.

“There’s no demon,” he says. She glances back at the restaurant. “It’s Dae Mon,” he repeats. “Two words. There are no demons, monsters, or other otherworldly creatures here. I promise. Only food. It is, however, open-minded cuisine.” His grin is not as self-assured as she’s used to and she’s still trying to understand what he’s saying. It can’t be what she thinks he’s saying, can it?

“There’s a case,” she says, not asking. He said there was a case. An important case. But his grin turns sheepish and it all starts to make sense. “There’s no case, is there?”

“Well, maybe the food is an x-file. We won’t know until we try it.”

“You brought me here under false pretenses.”

“I did,” he admits. “But I did it with the best of intentions. I heard you on the phone with your mom the other day.”

“The other day?”

“Okay fine, it was three weeks ago. Anyway, you were talking about going to a restaurant and how you haven’t been to a fancy place in ages and I thought, hey, as your bo- your partner?” He sighs before he goes on, “as your Mulder, I should do this. Remember when I asked you about having dinner the other day?”

“That was… also three weeks ago.” She remembers now. It was some time after her phone call with her mother. Mulder asked her if she wanted to have dinner with him. There was no mention of a restaurant. They had take-out at her place and he stayed over for the first time. The memory shoots heat through her whole body. The way they kissed in the darkness, fumbling like inexperienced teenagers and giggling all the way to her bedroom. How could she possibly forget that?

“As you maybe know,” he says, clearing his throat. “I’m a bit rusty when it comes to… dating.” There, he said it. The term they’ve been avoiding these last couple of weeks. Dating. That is what they are doing. Or trying to do.

“I haven’t noticed,” she says truthfully, but Mulder snorts. “Mulder, I’m as rusty as you are.” Which might explain why she didn’t see through his plan. “So is this a date? There really is no case?”

“There’s no case,” he confirms. “It’s a date if you want it to be. I didn’t want to pressure you, but I did want you to have the experience of going to a fancy place and eat good food.”

“Mulder,” she says softly, feeling her throat constrict with emotion. His hands are still on her shoulders, but she steps into his personal space and leans against him. Rules be damned. She presses a gentle kiss to his lips, like an appetizer. He’s still smiling with his eyes closed when she leans away again.

“This isn’t how I planned it.”

“You could have just told me, you know. Asked me to go out.” Like an average couple, she thinks. But they aren’t average. Never were, never will be.

“That would have been way too easy. And the reason I didn’t say anything is… I planned this for Valentine’s Day.”

“Mulder, Valentine’s Day was two weeks ago.” They shared a cupcake that day and made eyes at each other during a boring meeting.

“I know. They didn’t have a free table for Valentine’s Day but I didn’t know that because I’ve never asked a woman out for Valentine’s Day.”

“Never?”

“Never, Scully. So you see, with Dae Mon being new and trendy, they couldn’t tell me when they’d have a free table and I told them to put me on a waiting list. They called me earlier and said they have a table so…”

“You made up a case,” she finishes for him.

“I did. I didn’t mean to blindside you. I knew you’d be up for a case so I figured that’s the safest option to get you out here. I knew you’d love this place, but you know I do my best convincing face to face. Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“If I kiss you, will you shut up?”

He gives her a full grin, tugging her close to him before he says, “you know it’s the best way to shut me up. Happy very late or very early Valentine’s Day, Scully.”

She seizes the opportunity and his lips, smiling as he moans into her mouth. It’s not just the best way to shut him up, but her favorite, too.

[lovelykhaleesiii]

👄🔮🤷🏼‍♀️ for the ask game<3

👄 Your OTP are having their first kiss. What song do you imagine is playing?

anything Lana Del Rey (something like Yes to Heaven) or CHIHIRO Billie Eilish. depends on the context, like if they’re enemies to lovers etc.

🔮What's your favorite plot twist you've ever written?

I haven’t really done a lot of plot twist type writing yet, as I’ve mostly done one-shots. I have something in mind for my werewolf!Aegon ii Red Riding Hood AU but I won’t spoil anything 🤐

🤷‍♀️What's a fic you didn't expect to be popular, but really took off?

honestly anything chubby!aegon ii related. I thought it was a very niche, kink-specific "genre" and I only knew of like one or two people that were into it. specifically this one-shot I wrote about Aegon's belt snapping in court from being too fat & summoning his wife to fuck the humiliation out of him.

fanfic writer emoji ask game

[nuatthebeach]

2022 Wrapped

Tagged by @corneliaavenue! You're a lovely thing <3

Oof, it's already 2023, isn't it? Oh, well.

Post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

it's gonna be 4 now lol.

persist and resist the temptation to ask you - this one is perhaps the most authentic, soul-pouring fic i've ever written. and the one i'm most proud of because of my growth in writing prose and pacing overall. there were many times i would huddle with a blanket in a dark room (💀) simply because of how much i was feeling in the moment. it was the most visceral experience i've had writing so far.

like passing notes in secrecy - i would say that when i finished persist, i was in this writing craze/high in that i simply wanted to write anything since i finally felt like i was on a roll, but that wouldn't do this fic - and my work - justice. because persist was so angsty, i desperately needed to write something that was light and fluffy in consequence for my own sake. i'm very happy about the banter and humor i was able to apply to this OTP; it was pure serotonin, and i hope it was the same for others.

Midnight - my first hinny smut!! aka i took my headcanon of switch!hinny and really ran with it. though i no longer have the same exact headcanon about the two of them, i'm still really proud of how steamy this turned out. and i have a feeling all the private bookmarkers do too 👀

you knew that i'm a mastermind, and now you're mine - man, the sheer power tswift holds on all fic writers everywhere. the aim was to use this song ("mastermind") in irony to show how the wizarding world perceives ginny relative to her relationship with harry. and because ginny is such a force of nature, she and the press manage to come to a certain albeit amusing level of agreement (a true mastermind har dee har). it's a bamf character moment for her, and she owned every second of it.

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year

you reminded me to open up my google docs for the first time in a month! phewww.

premed hinny!rivals to lovers fic - snippet here. my final fuck you (and extremely reluctant thank you) to undergrad in the form of my OTP. fic is fully outlined and ready to be written if only i could give it the time of day 😭. but now that i have a lot of time opened up for me in the next several months, i'll finally get to it! fingers crossed

anniversary hinny smut - hinny roleplays as strangers in a bar, and let's just say we'll stick the art of acting to the shitty movies. a whole ass page written so far, so i take that as a win!

a somewhat angst, somewhat crack fic... i uh... have the most written for this wip so far of all my wips and im both proud and mortified by that. let's just say it's a story of how hinny finds themselves back to each other postwar... and the path is not exactly a straight route. playlist is a wip as well.

another crack fic because apparently that's all @takearisk-ao3 and me are on... though it's more accurate to say i helped to brainstorm and Hannah, the brilliant Executioner. to quote Hannah's post... "no comment."

im adding a fifth one because why not. hinny!vampire au. though there's only been half a page written for it so far, and hence a lot of white space, im so, so ready for the tools of creativity to lead me to more crackheadery that ive yet to discover. (like i needed more to start with.)

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

i think my writing comes off a bit "cleaner" now? there's more of a coherent plot, resolution to my fics than most of the simple "slices of life" that i wrote more of last year.

i'd like to think the dialogue comes off more natural now too. im finally getting the hang of doing more "showing" than telling and implementing symbolism and metaphors when trying to display a broader theme/concept.

im able to sit with fics and be at ease with the fact that im not going to have the right answer immediately. that i have to wait before i can post to make it better. i started prioritizing quality over mass production - and while this is still something i struggle with a lot of the times - i feel like this is a bit of a step up from last year. and most importantly, i learned that rewrites - not just editing - may be necessary too, and that is okay. that does not make me a bad writer but (hopefully) a thoughtful one.

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year

to not constantly compare myself to other people's writing. focus on how i can improve myself without being intimidated by all the works of the many amazing writers in the fandom. to finally put words on the page fearlessly and authentically, like i felt i did with persist.

to take more risks. keep putting my characters in uncomfortable situations and testing out how they can grow from them. to not feel limited in my writing just because in my young age i havent experienced them. to push my boundaries more. (i thank @fairsquare16 @takearisk-ao3 and @narukoibito for encouraging this and the first goal every single time i feel even the slightest bit down about it; they're also the reason im still entertaining all these crackfics so put the blame on them when they eventually come out)

and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year

my fucking answer to this changes every two seconds...not for any other reason except that it's my biggest conspiracy theory that i have early, early onset dementia and can't for the life of me remember. here's one for now:

Like the story, the moral is just as simple: love unconditionally, act irrevocably. One shouldn't fear wearing their heart on their sleeve if the alternative is to never plant, water, and bathe it with the light of day.

After all, what are mistakes if not signs to grow?

Tagging

@narukoibito @heartstopping-waves @ashotofogdensoldfirewhiskey and whoever else would like to do it (i truly mean that)!

[longbobmckenzie]

20 questions for fic writers

Thanks for the tag, @rebelrayne!

How many works do you have on ao3?

I've got 40 which is still wild to me

What's your total ao3 word count?

970,161 - I'm inching closer to the million word mark (and have the remaining 30k needed in my drafts just waiting to be published)

What fandoms do you write for?

Love Island the Game, and I'm working on my first oneshot for the Romance Club fandom (Song of the Crimson Nile)

Top five fics by kudos:

Whiskey & Scotch (it'll never be surpassed)

it's just a crush

Amelia Can't Win (the S6 effect, I still can't believe this one is top 3 already ahead of a few of my other chaptered fics)

not the only one

Convince Me (the only oneshot in my top 5, the effect of writing a smutty oneshot while season it's about is still ongoing)

Do you respond to comments?

Absolutely!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I have a few contenders here but I'm gonna go with anatomy of a heartbreak. it's literally in the title, so you were warned

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

erm, most of them? some of them even end with a happy ending, if you know what I mean 😏

Serious answer though, probably it's just a crush, because not only did it end the misery I put my readers through (it's a slow, slow, slow burn, folks), but I think it's the only one of my fics that ends with a proposal (I think. I've written 40 of them, you can't expect me to remember them all, can you?)

Do you get hate on fics?

Yep, every time @mrsbsmooth reads one of my unfinished drafts and gets mad that it's not finished yet /j

But actually, surprisingly, no. Either I'm not relevant enough for the haters to notice me, or everyone's scared of me.

That or I don't write anything controversial enough to warrant strong opinions 🙃

Do you write smut?

Yes, although I hate myself every time because I suck at metaphors and pretty words and all the stuff that really elevates other writers' smut

Craziest crossover:

When the Dead Come Knocking is LITG x The Walking Dead

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of, but I'd probably be more flattered than anything (nah probably not, I'd come after you with guns blazing)

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

*sigh* I started a collab on a oneshot before but my cowriter ghosted the fandom. It was a Kassam x Felix undercover spy ETL with Chelsea as a crime boss and it would have been hilarious

All time favourite ship?

I mean, obviously Henrik/me. I mean, Henrik/MC. But if we're talking 2 LITG characters, then Henrik/Lucas is OTP

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Technically this is not applicable - I have every intention of finishing my 3 active WIPs (Whiskey & Wildflowers, Amelia Can't Win, and Luc & Hen's Sexcellent Kinkventure), and I prefer not to start new chaptered fics until I finish other ones (which often means my fics are in the idea stage for literally years before I even start writing them).

That said, I have a few chaptered fic ideas in various stages of production that I'm not sure I'll end up writing. idk if those count as WIPs (one of them is half-outlined and I've jotted down a few paragraphs, but I have to rework it)

What are your writing strengths?

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. I've been told I'm good at pacing, and I've been told I'm good at angst - but what strengths make me good at those things are, I don't really know.

Oh, wait. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation. I rock at those.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Dialogue, for one. My biggest struggle in all of my fics (and what I find extremely daunting when starting something new) is dialogue. I never know what my characters should talk about when it's not distinctly plot-related, especially group scenes. Some people are so good at writing fresh dialogue that just breathes so much life into the characters and displays their personality and keeps the reader engaged, and that's something I'd love to do better (both in fics and in real life, tbh - I'm a wallflower)

Secondly, character development. I've literally written over 500k words for one of my OCs, yet I hardly know who she is outside of the villa. I know her struggles and much of her backstory, but I don't know what her hobbies are, what gets her up in the morning, what she likes to eat, what she listens to, etc. I think this also plays a part in my dialogue struggles - it's hard to write characters if I don't know them

Third, and related to number two, is character arcs/relationship arcs. Sure, I can come up with a storyline and write it in such a way that it's enjoyable. But what makes a story extra compelling is the character arcs, watching the characters grow and learn things about themselves and seeing how that meshes with another character and their flaws/strengths and it all comes together like puzzle pieces. I'm not good at that, but I want to be

tl;dr - my biggest weakness is that I'm not Emily Henry

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

My favourite love interests are Swedish and Portuguese 🤣 and yes, I love having them slip into their native tongues every once in awhile, or use terms of endearments, etc. I try to be as accurate as possible and give the readers a glossary (though sometimes I'm lazy with that), but it's also usually just little things that you can kind of tell what they're saying from the context

First fandom you wrote in?

Love Island the Game. Other than RC, it might be my last, too

Favourite fic you've written?

I hate this question 🤣 I have 40 fics and I love them all in their own way. It's like asking someone to pick their favourite child

tagging @eskiix, @lucas-koh, @squirrel-fund, mymindalwaysgoesblankwhentaggingpeople, sojustdoitifyoureinterested

[invisibleraven]

I really wish it was only me and you

Written for the Year of the OTP challenge prompt:blind date/meet cute

On AO3!

Short and sweet this month, but I thought this was a fun concept and was in the mood to write some more Sweet Tarts, so I hope you enjoy!

“No.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Julie protested, stopping Carrie from shutting the door in her face.

“No, but you have your ‘I need a favour’ face on,” Carrie replied.

“I do not have a favour face!” Julie argued, then deflated. “Okay, so I do. But you don’t know what it is yet!”

“I’m still saying no beforehand,” Carrie said, once again trying to shut the door, and scowled when Julie didn’t move. “You’re not going to let this go are you?”

“Nope!”

Carrie gave a beleaguered sigh and opened the door, letting Julie in and fetched them both water, knowing that Julie was the dog with a bone-she wasn’t letting Carrie turn her down. “Fine. What do you need? Donation to a charity? A dress for your next awards ceremony? The name of my lawyer?”

“We’re not the same size, so no to the dress, and I have my own lawyer,” Julie replied.

“So am I getting my check book?” Carrie asked.

Julie paused, playing with her fingers, eyes avoidant, and immediately Carrie knew this was a personal favour. “Do you need an alibi?”

“What? No!” Julie said and then laughed. “I wanted to set you up on a date!”

“Absolutely not,” Carrie said firmly.

“Carrie it’s been over a year since you and Felipe broke up,” Julie said. “Time to get back on the proverbial horse.”

“The horse and I are better off as acquaintances,” Carrie replied. “The kind you nod at but don’t stop to talk to when you see them.”

It wasn’t that the break up with Felipe had broken her heart or anything, but Carrie was kind of jaded with the whole dating thing. Guys wanted you for your money or your name or your body, not for you. They demanded your attention which she could use to work, both on her songs and herself.

Try explaining that to Julie though, who had been with Luke since they were practically kids, blissfully happy and ready to tie the knot in a few months.

“Carrie,” Julie said, reaching out and laying a hand on her arm. “You’re lonely, no matter what you say. And I want you to find someone who will worship you, make you as happy as Luke has made me.”

“And you think your prospective date might be it?” Carrie asked, sending Julie a judgemental look.

Julie just shrugged. “I think you’d hit it off, but all I’m asking is you give him a chance. One dinner date.”

“Coffee,” Carrie argued.

“Lunch,” Julie counter offered.

“Fiiiiiiiine,” Carrie sighed, ignoring the jubilant look on Julie’s face. She was becoming a soft touch she swears. “But when this fails spectacularly, which it will, I reserve the right to follow you around and repeat I told you so ad nauseum.”

“I look forward to the attention,” Julie preened.

“So do I get to know anything about this guy?”

“His name is Reggie.”

~

“Absolutely not.”

“Come on Reg, it’s one lunch date!” Luke whined.

“Do remember the last date you set me up on?” Reggie asked with a raised eyebrow. “Zelda? Or how about Ashleigh before that? Or Talia before her?”

Luke winced at every name. “Okay so my track record isn’t great, I’ll admit. But this one is all Julie. She thinks you and this Carrie girl will really hit it off.”

Reggie slumped at that. He was unable to deny Julie anything. Luke had introduced them when they had started dating, and Reggie had been fond of her ever since. They hadn’t seen each other much other than video calls since he had been in Georgia looking after MeeMaw, and then settling her estate. So it kind of raised his hackles for one of the first things she did when he was back was to set him up.

“She does know I am perfectly capable of finding my own dates right?” Reggie asked, trying to deflect.

“You know what Julie is like bro, she wants everyone to be happy, and she thinks you’d find happiness with her friend,” Luke said with a shrug. “I just go along with whatever she wants. Happy wife, happy life you know?”

“You guys don’t even need the wedding, you're already so married,” Reggie joked, playfully slugging Luke in the shoulder.

Luke sighed, a dopey expression on his face. “She’s the music of my life Reg.”

“Sap.”

Luke grinned. “So what am I telling Julie about the date?”

Reggie groaned. “Ugh I hate blind dates. I really don’t want to.”

“You gonna tell Julie that?”

Reggie groaned even louder at that. “No because she’ll break out the puppy dog eyes and she knows I’m powerless against those. Tell her one lunch date. And when it blows up-which it will-she’s not allowed to set me up again for at least six months.”

Luke laughed at that. “Bud if you think she’s letting you come to our wedding stag you’re crazy. But I’ll pass the message along.”

Reggie rolled his eyes at that. At least for the wedding he could convince Flynn to go as his date, in a sort of aro-bi solidarity pact.

“So what do you know about this Carrie girl?”

~

Coffee. Carrie needed coffee if she was ever to survive this day. She was really regretting letting Julie set her up. She could be home, in her sweats, enjoying a leisurely morning watching Bake Off reruns and a face mask. But no, she was a good friend, so she was out before noon; in a cute outfit, hair and face done up, and ready for a truly awful date.

Julie is gonna owe her so bad for this.

She was at Jitters, her favourite spot, ready to order the biggest, strongest drink she could, loaded with sugar to help her through. She might even get a pastry, just as a treat. Heaven knows she wasn’t sitting through dessert as well as lunch.

“And a cinnamon roll too please,” Carrie said, hearing the exact same phrase from the register next to her, a very cute guy placing an order.

“Oh I’m sorry we only have one roll left,” the barista said apologetically to Carrie.

The guy turned to her, sending her a crooked smile. “I suppose as a gentleman I could share the roll.”

Carrie snorted. “A real gentleman would offer to give me the whole thing.”

“Pity it’s such a good roll,” he replied. “What’s your next favourite? I’ll buy that for us to split too if you let me have half the roll.”

“Well how can I reject an offer like that?” Carrie replied, paying for her order with a healthy tip, standing off to the side to wait for her drink. Blushing a little as the guy stood next to her, close enough to see the springtime green of his eyes, the rosy pink of his blush, the golden constellation of freckles across his nose and cheeks. “So do I get to know the name of my saviour?”

“I can give it to you with my number if you want, or maybe even treat you to something more substantial than pastry?” he offered, waggling his eyebrows and giving her another cheeky grin.

Carrie’s shoulders sagged at that. “If you had asked me on any other day I’d be saying let’s go. Enjoy the pastry on a blanket in the park or something. But I have a lunchtime date, one I can’t cancel. Otherwise I would.”

“Seems we’re in similar boats,” the guy said, a look of disappointment crossing over his face. “Meddling friends?”

“The worst kind,” Carrie admitted. “So you’d give up your chance with this mystery girl for one with me?”

He leaned in closer, so close Carrie could smell the leather of his jacket, his woodsy aftershave, the fresh scent of his fabric softener. Clean and like summer, a welcome change from her usual; guys who wore enough Axe to drown a man and always affected her allergies. She wishes she could wallow in him rather than go on some date with a guy who could reek of whatever noxious scent they thought appropriate. Sure she knew Julie would never set her up with a guy who didn’t bathe or anything, but still…

“For you doll? In a heartbeat.”

Carrie giggled. “You don’t even know me.”

He smirked once more. “But I’d like to. So can I give you my number anyways? So if this guy turns out to be a dud you can call me?”

“You’re hoping my date will be a failure?” Carrie asked, arching her eyebrow.

“Aren’t you?” he replied. “I know there’s no way the girl I’m supposed to see could ever measure up to how enchanted I am by you.”

“One part of me is wishing you were more of a jerk so you’d stand her up and take me out instead,” Carrie said. “But most of me is glad you’re living up to your title as gentleman because I could never date a guy who ghosted me.”

He snapped his fingers in an ‘oh darn’ gesture and glanced at his watch. “I unfortunately have to go. So, what do you say to getting my number?”

Carrie was so so tempted, but it almost felt disloyal to take him up on his offer when she had Reggie waiting on her. “How about we leave it up to fate? If our dates are bad we meet up for ice cream at Scoops Ahoy down on the boardwalk at five?”

“And if our dates go well?” he asked.

“Then it was never meant to be,” she replied, leaning in and gave him a lightning fast kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I hope it is though.”

“Me too,” he replied, and dashing off, with Carrie watching him go. Sighing and shaking herself before hearing her name called, and looked to the counter. He had left her both treats, and she grinned, wondering if they would keep until five.

“Can you tell me his name?” she asked, sipping on her coffee, relishing the rush of the caffeine.

“He said it was Elton?’ the barista replied. “But we get a lot of fake names here, so take that with a grain of salt.”

She nodded-she had given a fake name a time or two, but it didn’t help her solve her mystery. She glanced at her watch-well she had a little over six hours to wait-she really hoped she would find out then.

~

Reggie cursed himself as he walked away from the coffee shop. Gosh that girl was gorgeous! And the confident aura surrounding her drew Reggie in like flies to honey. He had been a bit disheartened when she turned him down, but then she had given him hope with her proposed later meeting. A meeting he sure as hell would be going to, because there was no way this Carrie chick could measure up to the goddess he had just left behind.

He hoped she liked the treats-even if now he was wishing he had stayed to collect half the cookie, aching for a bit of a sugar rush after the way her kiss had amped him up for something sweet. But of course he had to get to his appointment on time- Dr. Butler didn’t like to be kept waiting.

Plus she had managed to squeeze him in for a last minute session today, so there was no way he could cancel. Plus, even though she was his therapist, Pepper was also a friend who would definitely give him some advice regarding the whole date situation he found himself in.

“You’re late,” Pepper said, barely looking over her glasses as he sat on her ridiculously comfortable chaise.

“Only by like, a minute Pep, come on.”

“Did you bring me a pastry?” she asked, handing him a water bottle, knowing Reggie was no fan of coffee but usually stopped by Jitters before their sessions for a treat, and brought her one as well.

“I forgot,” he said, avoiding her eyes.

“That is your lying face,” Pepper said with a hum. “What’s her name?”

“I didn’t get it?” he said sheepishly.

“Well I suppose you had better tell me about that before your date,” Pepper said, sitting back and taking out her notebook.

Later, Reggie had a bit more of a bounce to his step as he headed to the pop up Filipino restaurant Carrie wanted to meet at. Julie had mentioned her dad was part Filipino, and this chef was an excellent one. He had checked out the menu and there were a couple options he’d like to try. So even if the date was awful, hopefully the food would be good.

He decided against flowers-too ambitious for a lunch date. But he did grab a single hot pink gerber daisy from a bodega on the way-he’d get a bigger bunch if he ended up going for ice cream with his mystery girl later. She deserved the effort at least. ‘

Reggie got there a few minutes early-and debated waiting outside, but since he had no clue what Carrie looked like-Luke and Julie thought the true blind date experience would be fun-she could walk right past him and he’d never know. He walked inside and asked the hostess for the table under Peters.

“Your companion is already here,” the hostess replied. “Right this way.”

Reggie nodded, clutching the stem of the daisy tighter, wondering yet again what he had gotten himself into. He just had to remember it was only lunch, and then he had the afternoon to while away before heading to the ice cream place and hoped he saw a familiar head of honey coloured hair and enchanting brown eyes there.

Only that same hair and eyes were sitting at a table, all by herself right in front of him. The table he was being guided to, and he swore the smile broke his face it was so wide. “Carrie?”

She looked up at him and beamed. “Reggie…oh I get the Elton thing now,” she said with a giggle.

He grinned as he sat down across from her. “Yeah, my mom was a big fan, but my dad hated the name, so they went with Reginald.”

“I’m named for Carrie Fisher.”

“Badass.” They fist bumped at that. “Please tell me you don’t like the prequels though.”

“Ugh no!” Carrie replied. “Original trilogy or bust!”

“Marry me.” Reggie joked, handing over the flower and bit the inside of his cheek as she smelled it, the colour of it reflecting on her face.

“Let’s start with lunch,” Carrie stated primly. “And then we can see.”

“Anything you recommend?”

In the end, they ended up sharing Reggie’s pork belly tacos and Carrie’s lumpia, plus taking sneaky bites from the pasty Carrie had smuggled in her purse. Talking and laughing the whole time. Playfully arguing over who footed the bill, with Carrie winning.

“You bought dessert, and ice cream is your treat, so it’s only fair,” she stated.

“We’re still getting ice cream?” Reggie asked. “I thought that was only if the date was a bust?”

“I changed my mind,” Carrie said with a shrug. “Plus we can walk there, keep getting to know each other. But if you like mint chocolate chip we really are done.”

“I’m more of a strawberry guy myself,” Reggie admitted.

Carrie smiled even wider at that. “What do you know? So am I.”

The ice cream was sweet and satisfying, but not as much as the wealth of kisses they exchanged to end their night several hours later. And they both agreed they would reluctantly have to thank Luke and Julie for setting them up. But they would never be allowed to do so again.

Nor was there ever any need, which Julie and Luke crowed about in their joint Maid of Honour/Best Man speech at Carrie and Reggie’s wedding a few years later.

Carrie shook her head and sighed, but nothing could erase the smile on her face-especially when her brand new husband fed her dessert-cinnamon rolls instead of wedding cake, with ice cream on the side.