#plus teen wolf references

[achingly-shy]

THE DOOR WAS AJAR SJDJJSJSNSNS

[kaesaaurelia]

soooo I just finished watching that star wars hotel video and oh my god the fire safety what the fuckkkk

BUT ALSO if you are some kind of weirdo who watched this (or the evermore video) and was like "man I wish that thing existed but was good," I... can't help you specifically with Star Wars (or generic high fantasy settings) but if you are an adult or a family with teens (who are okay with some mild references to sexuality in a coming-of-age context -- which honestly would go over the heads of most kids too young to deal with them?), don't have issues with darkness, flashing lights, or potential immune issues due to touching touchscreens, and enjoy a little light cosmic and/or implied body horror I highly highly suggest going to Omega Mart next time you are in Las Vegas. It is surreal and fun and while I definitely ran into some issues there with 1. going down the story path I didn't mean to go down and 2. LOSING MY EMPLOYEE ID CARD (to be clear I did not work there, in the fiction of the game all guests are Omega Mart employees), there were helpful (actual) employees there to jump in and help me without breaking immersion at all. They were great.

There are some pathways (physical pathways) that require an ability to climb stairs but there are ALWAYS multiple paths between two points so while you might not be able to crawl through the tunnel and then climb the rope from [spoiler place] to [other spoiler place] or do the slides, you can still physically get to the plot-important places and I think at most people who can't do stairs miss... some kind of pointless music machines? (Which I had fun with ngl but I fucked around with them for like 10 minutes more because I was in the area looking for my lost ID badge and asking if people had found it.) I haven't been to the other Meow Wolf installations but I would love to go given the chance.

And if you really want a themed hotel... well, you can't find an eldritch dimension-hopping supermarket-themed hotel, no, but if you stay on the strip there's going to be a lot of neon and trying to sell you things, and also optionally a theme, so like. That's not dissimilar.

Fire safety both at these Vegas hotels and at Omega Mart will be better than crawling into a small closet with 4 of your closest friends and hoping to not die, also. And a substantial amount of the story of Omega Mart is "wow corporate greed does ruin everything," so if you liked the video you probably will also like this.

[Edit: also to be clear I don't really think Omega Mart is small-child-friendly, but mostly because it's a lot of reading, and the bulk of it is either corporate memos or a teenage girl's diaries. A lot of the stuff I found most engaging was exploring the strained intergenerational family dynamic between the girl, her mom, and her grandfather, something that small children would find either boring or upsetting or both. It's not the sexuality that's the issue, it's some offscreen implied character death-but-not-really (that not-really doesn't make it better!) and just plain bad parenting, plus the broader theme of a greedy grocery chain turning ancient mystery and natural wonder into queasy reality-breaking horror.]

[sweetadonisbutbetter]

Show/Movies I would show the Helluva Boss characters

This is rlly random but this started with the thought of Blitz liking MLP and kinda spiraled from there.

Blitzø

MLP: I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I think he would like the ponies and the whole friendship thing. Actuakky think he would bully a brony to get a figure of his favs (and tell them to shower). He would probs love Pinkie Pie. (this stemmed from This Day Aria playing lol)

Spirit: horse.

Loona

Teen Wolf: A show I know nothing about. Just would show it to her. This would probably get me killed.

Alpha and Omega: I wouldn't even get to 10 minutes in the movie. I am dead

Moxxie

Steven Universe (both the shows and movie): Purely because of the music. If anything, he would also enjoy the animation and he would LOVEE Pearl. He would create a teir list of all the songs and rate them.

Sooo many movies to show him, but I would show him, but I have to say Chicago. Once he learns the songs it's over for literally everyone.

Millie

Tbh not really a show, but any crime documentary or documentaries with the baby animals.

Selena (1997): I think Millie would LOVEE Selena, and I also want to instill the hatered ofYolanda into her. That woman could never have too many haters.

Stolas

Any historic romance drama (like Bridgerton): We already know he loves telenovelas, so I also think that he would love the messiness of the relationships. You know how in every season, the main couple would have an arguement and not talk for a while? He is sobbing like a baby LMFAO- Also would show him any romance K-drama, esp the BL ones.

Moulin Rouge: Kinda historic, but mainly bc it has main character death lol he would also enjoy the music.

Striker

Moonshiners: I have no idea what this show is about, probably about people making moonshine. Never really watched it,but I have seen glimpses of it when my grandpa would watch it. Think because of it, he would probs try to make his own moonshine.

The Godfather: He would probs like all the violence lol. it just fits him idk kekw

Asmodeus

Grey's Anatomy: Not because it's a doctor show, but because it's SOOO MESSY LMFAOO- Have y'all seen that one tik tok of the person with the chart of who slept with who? That would be Ozzie. Also think he would love the drama.

(This is for both him and Fizz) Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Do I need to explain??

Alt: Burlesque: rlly don't know how to explain this one

Fizzarollie

Any old cartoon: I think he would like the loonyness of the charaters and would probs would us some of the gags.

Refer back to Asmodeus

Alt: Adam Sandler movies: i just find them funny, plus some of his romance movies are cute

[gilly-moon]

Random Danny Phantom thought -

Still to this day, I don't associate DP with the superhero genre. It wasn't until I got confused by the DPxDC crossovers happening lately that I went "oh....right. Danny technically is a superhero, isn't he?"

Maybe it's because to me, Amity Park always felt like some little middle-of-nowhere city that thought it was way more important than it actually was. Danny, Sam, and Tucker just felt like a weird little crew of paranormal investigators or cryptid hunters, not a superhero and his assistants/sidekicks. Even though they definitely make references to being sidekicks in the show.

Also Vlad wasn't some world-altering supervillain, he was just after the Fentons. Plus, no one in the city even knew Plasmius existed for the first two seasons. Yeah he did a bunch of robberies or whatever to get rich, but that happened prior to the show. During the show's course, his antics really only effect the Fentons until season 3 (and even then - he became mayor JUST TO GET BACK AT DANNY...and we don't talk about Phantom Planet anyway lol.) Again, not exactly the kind of villain that my brain would connect to the Joker or Slade, yknow?

I guess in terms of genre, it fell closer to something like Teen Wolf in my brain? Or even Supernatural. I didn't associate it with other superhero shows like Teen Titans or Young Justice that I was watching around the same time.

Anyway, I'm curious if this happened to anyone else or if I'm the only one who really can't vibe with all these DP x bat fam crossovers simply because my brain can't make the Danny = superhero connection.

[sterek-and-stuff-events]

Welcome to the first event!

Now until July 31st!

If you were considering doing something, but were too busy, etc, before or if this is your first time hearing of it, good news: You have a whole other month! (Until the day before the next full moon.)

This will take place between the dates of the next two full moons: June 3rd and July 3rd. (Edit: Now until July 31st!)

June’s is the Strawberry Moon, also called the Rose Moon and the Hot Moon.

July’s is the Buck Moon, also called the Hay Moon, Thunder Moon, Herb/Wyrt Moon, and Claiming Moon.

Depending on the region both are also known as the Mead Moon, hence the name and theme of the event. (The Mead Moon can also refer to the full moon closest to the summer solstice, which is in June most of the time, but is in July this year.) 

The summer solstice is June 21st, Midsummer Eve is June 23rd, and Midsummer Day is June 24th.

There are 3 ways to participate: fic, art or playlists involving 3 or more of the 21 prompts:

3s and 7s, self-expression 

Creative number 21

Fall into Altered Reality 

Frightening, enlightening or fun

 

Aphrodisiacs can induce

lovers, friends or strangers to fuck

The avatar of a dancing deity

Becomes a velvet antlered Buck

 

A courtship hunt before the Claiming

Games and riddles with the Fae

On the night of the next Full Moon

Rendezvous for a roll in the Hay

Herbs and nectar for a Honeymoon 

Converts Hot water into Mead

In the light of the Midnight Sun

A mischievous Midsummer Night’s Dream

Rumination, rambling, and Revelry 

A Ritual at the Rose of a thousand thorns

A Solstice feast of wild plum and Strawberry

Awaits between rainbows and dark Thunder storms

--Event info below--

Rules and requirements:

New or unpublished works are accepted for this event. Feel free to combine with other ongoing or upcoming events.

For Writers:

3,000 words minimum using 3 or more of the 21 prompts. 

This can be one work or multiple works of at least 1,000 words each. No maximum for word count or amount of works. 

For Artists:

Use 3 or more of the prompts to create visuals (drawings, gifsets, manips, vids/edits, moodboards, etc.) Can be one work or multiple. 

For Mixers:

There are 2 options for standalone fanmixes:

Use 3-7 prompts to make a playlist of 21 tracks. At least 3 tracks per prompt used. (For example: A playlist with 4 prompts — 5 songs for Rose, 7 songs for Full Moon, 3 songs for Thunder, and 6 songs for Altered Reality.) Arrange them however you like: all grouped together in segments, whatever flows best, randomly, etc.

Make a playlist of 21 songs with 1 song for every prompt in any order.

If you’re attaching a playlist to a fanfic or art post:

Do whatever you want, but you get extra cool points for 21 tracks and including 1 or more songs for every prompt that you use and/or 3 songs for at least one prompt.

Put your playlists on Spotify, YouTube or both so I can listen to them. 😉

Content:

This is an event for fans of Sterek, but it’s Sterek & Stuff for a reason. I’m a multishipper and some of you might be too, so the deal is if you pay the Sterek Toll you can do other Teen Wolf ships (or pre-ships and gen) in separate works in your series should you desire.

The Sterek Toll is:

At least 2 prompts and 1,000 words of Sterek for writers.

At least 2 prompts and 1 piece of art for artists.

Music is generally up to interpretation so unless you go out of your way to say it’s not for Sterek don’t worry about it, lol. But if mixers want a toll too then it’s 2-7 prompts and a 14 track playlist.  

All Sterek all the time is of course always welcome and there will be a Sterek Only subcollection on AO3 and separate Sterek and NonSterek posts on Tumblr. (Assuming anyone does NonSterek, lol.)

To count as a Sterek fanfic Stiles and Derek have to be together by the end of the work. The story should focus on them, but feel free to include other characters too. 

Sterek Plus and Sterek Poly go in the other ships category and is subject to the Sterek Toll.

Allowed:

Any background ship.

Crossovers as long as the focus is on Sterek (or other TW characters if you’ve paid the Sterek Toll.)

Angst, whump, and dark themes as long as the story (the last related work if it's part of a series) ends on an upbeat or hopeful note and there’s nothing from the Nope section.

Nope:

No permanent death of Stiles or Derek. If you’re doing a series in the same setting they both have to be alive and together (or have the possibility of being together in the future) in the last related work. This applies to other TW works too. (No permanently killing off whoever is in any other main ship either.)

No miserable, tragic endings. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect and happily ever after, but the last related work should at least have a hopeful or “we’ll make the best of this shit” ending for Stiles and Derek (or other main ship.) 

No explicit descriptions or depictions of sexual activity under 16. (Kissing, dating, references or vague descriptions are okay.)

No bestiality. (As in regular animals. Xeno /Tera with beta or full shifted Derek, Stiles, etc, is okay.)

No scat.

No death or gore fetishes. (As in rotting corpses and gaping wounds and stuff. Bloodplay is okay.)

No Real Person Fiction.

Make sure to tag accurately!

Posting:

The event starts at 5:30am PDT (12:30pm GMT) on June 3rd so please don’t post before then. 

Now officially ending at 11:59pm PDT on July 31st (6:59am GMT on August 1st,) but late posting accepted.

On Tumblr:

Tag your work here with #mead moons and #mead moons (prompt) for each prompt that you use. (Ex: #mead moons fae.) At @sterek-and-stuff-events. 

If you’re doing multiple works put links to the previous works in each new post. The requirements (3 prompts, 3,000 words for writers, etc) have to be met by the end of the event.

On AO3:

I’ll post the links to the AO3 collections on the morning of June 3rd. There will be a main Mead Moons collections and subcollections for Music, Art, Stories, and Sterek Only works. 

If you’re doing multiple works put them in a series. (Mead Moons or something related to your prompts.) The requirements (3 prompts, 3,000 words for writers, etc) have to be met by the end of the event.

Post your works to the main collection and relevant subcollections below.

The collections:

The main collection. Everything goes here.

Sterek only works.

You’ve reached the end!

Once more the prompts are: 21, Altered Reality, Aphrodisiacs, Becomes, Buck, Claiming, Fae, Full Moon, Hay, Herbs, Honeymoon, Hot, Mead, Midnight Sun, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Revelry, Ritual, Rose, Solstice, Strawberry, and Thunder. (They're up to your interpretation!)

Thanks for checking out the event. I hope you enjoy creating and/or reading, looking at, and listening to the works! 

I'm @triskhellion

Discord.

[redfurrycat]

May i respectfully ask how you can enjoy a ship if u didn't see the show for canon's sake?? 😄👀

Hey Anon! :)

Talking about Sterek are we, right?? :D

Upon reading your ask, I reflected on how I got into the Sterek fandom in the first place, and wow what a nice journey down the memory lane!!

Short answer to how I can enjoy a ship if I didn't see the show?

COLDFLASH.

Confused, are you? =D

The longer version of my babbling is under the cut, and so very sorry about that, coudn't help myself! :D

In case you don't know about the Coldflash ship, Anon, just a quick word. Tis the hero/villain ship from the Flash tv-show, aka Barry Allen/Leonard Snart.

THEM:

I started following this ig account ss.sterek [@holycafe if I'm not mistaken], liking all the coldflash posts, then getting curious about their other posts as well.

This is how Sterek came to be.

At first, it was a polite indifference, but the more I saw the sterek posts the more it got interesting to me, until one day I started searching for any Sterek content.

Until I started searching for any content on Tumblr, specifically.

Until I liked so many incorrect quotes and crack posts about this so-called Sourwolf and Spaz.

At some point their dynamic became SO addicting, I decided to start reading fics.

Did I understand any of the mentionned canon? Heck no.

(The Teen Wolf Wiki Page was a huge help in that regard, explaining to me what a kanima or a nogitsune was for example.)

Still, I remember the first fics I read were about Stiles being Pack Mom to the Wonder betas!! =D

Also fics closely (ish) related to canon...So yeah they always referred to stuff happening in the show that I usually didn't get...

With patience, some research, and LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF FICS, I began grasping things and characters surrounding the Sterek pair.

So I may not know about the Derek and the Stiles from the show, but I know of the fandom version of them.

Beleive me, it puzzled me how big it got to me. (BUT I'M LOVING IT!)

Like I probably have 2,000 bookmarked Sterek fics on AO3 plus the ones I've yet to read on my marked-for-later and the other ones I read without bookmarking them (rookie mistake xD).

I think the writers and the Sterek content creators have taken the grumpy-sunshiny & dry-sarcastic dynamics and wrote....how to say it? almost different characters than from the show? To the point I didn't need the show to understand them.

Nor did I wish to.

Actually, I tried watching after S06 got out, but didn't last more than 15 min maybe? My brain was too wired up on the Sterek vibe to fully appreciate the show. (Maybe my teenage ass would have liked it... But as I was watching soooo maaaaany tv-shows already, it was impossible to start watching Teen Wolf, and when I first heard of Sterek I was at Uni and really didn't have the time - But OH LORD THE NUMBER OF FICS I READ... My life saver to countless sleepless nights unable to close my eyes xD)

I've only watch THE famous Sterek Supercut!!!! :D <3

I don't know if you are aware of my Tumblr really, but if you are, you may notice I'm VERY MUCH INTO PLANES AND PILOTS these days... (okay it's been a year)....

YEAH YEAH YEAH TALKING ABOUT TOP GUN AND TOP GUN MAVERICK AND BLONDE AND BRUNET PILOTS SO WHAT OF IT?!

*I'm super chill, whatddyamean???? :D*)

Make NO mistake though, Sterek is still a favourite pair of mine, and I AM OH SO GLAD to see old and new content popping up in my dash. Still reblogging and reading!!!!!!!!!

ETERNAL STEREK!

Thank you to the original account that got me into Sterek. Thank you to THE STEREK FANDOM FOR CREATING THE MOST AMAZING CONTENT AND FICS.

Dear you go, Anon, rambles over. :D

(((I started writing the reply in the morning, and it is now the evening. I got distracted by real life stuff in the middle, and I AM EXHAUSTED. I hope you can make sense of all the babbling (or word-vomit, more like it.) I won't be reading again cause otherwise I'll keep adding stuff :D))

Have a good day Anon! ;)

[pottersfieldcustodian]

(This is I think vague enough to be considered spoiler free: aside from a small hint at who the secret villain is, I don't discuss any major plot points or really even reference anything.)

I think what's throwing me off about Teen Wolf: The Movie and what I'm hearing/seeing about it is that it feels like a continuation of early Teen Wolf; mostly season 1 and 2 with obvious elements of season 3.  

When I heard there was going to be a Teen Wolf movie I assumed it would pick up with the season 6 cast and set up. But the characters are distinctly not there and that definitely is not what the plot is about: the movie has nothing to do with Monroe or werewolf hunters which is what season 6 sets into motion. 

Moreover, returning characters like Jackson and Derek are not really season 6 characters. Plus there's the return of a very recognizable individual from seasons 1-3 who died. 

Opposingly, Theo and Corey are absent despite having direct ties to the other main characters.  Even recognizable season 6 side characters like Nolan are absent which takes away from the surrounding world of Teen Wolf, making it feel almost devoid of the familiarity we left off on. 

I know Liam, Mason, Malia, and Parrish as well as other late game characters are there but the version of them we seem to be getting isn't really them.  Especially with Liam and Mason, their stories don't align with the trajectory they were headed toward when the show ended. 

It just feels like this is a season 1 or 2 spin off with later season characters coming in as if they are different or new people (rather than recognizable continuations of who they were when the show actually ended?).  But it's also lacking in certain early season elements? As if its aiming for the wrong mark but also missing its intended target? 

I guess what I'm saying is Teen Wolf changed over the course of its run time and as someone who watched it as it aired, my expectations and understanding of the show changed along with it. 

So, to have what should be a natural progression of the show instead seem almost like a return to a version of Teen Wolf that hasn't existed for a long time, the general idea of the movie ends up coming off as weird to me.  If that makes sense?

I don't know if I've articulated that well or if I hit on all the factors that best illustrate my point but thats how I'm feeling so far.

[scribeoffate]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ❤

Thank you! These are not necessarily in order: his father's monster: this is my mini bang fic. i spent a lot of time on it and really adore the concept and the exploration of this relationship.

Deucalion's Progeny: this is my most self-indulgent teen wolf fic. the primary focus is Scott/Deucalion but there are tons of other pairings that are explored in the fic. It's also very, very dark. Pleas mind the tags.

halloween: this is post-canon, scott and kira are married with kids, kira centric JOY. i love this fic so much. if this list were in order it might be at the top.

Dearly Beloved: this is a really adorable take on Scott and Theo getting playground married. I love how many little pre canon things I got to slide in there and ngl I had so much fun writing this one. (i just) died in your arms: this is a Paige-centric story about her death, i really like this fic because i felt like it accomplished what i set out to do. plus again i made a lot of really fun pre-canon references. i do enjoy pre-canon very much it seems.

[sonknuxadow]

Part of me wonders, since I love love love! Halloween and Ive been binging Halloween music, if they'll do the obvious choice selection of having a weresonic wearing a varsity jacket and sneakers in reference to the popular teen wolf look for Sonic Dash/Forces Battle for Halloween. Plus it'd be cute, and it wouldn't go against any mandates. Also I miss werehog, also, very important to note.

omg little outfit for werehog would be so cuteeeeee i feel like its not very likely though considering werehog is already a variant of sonic. but then again they did a variant of lancelot who is technically a variant of shadow and also a variant of movie knuckles who is a variant of knuckles and like 3 different versions of super sonic so i guess its not impossible

[ailelie]

Rec List: Long Time Travel Stories

I tend to read by tag rather than by fandom these days and one of my favorite tags is 'time travel.' These are all lengthy complete stories that feature time travel. This list is multifandom and only contains fics I enjoy, many of which I've read multiple times.

All of these stories are over 100k and complete, have happy endings, and, with two exceptions, involve canon characters traveling to and changing the past. One exception is a time loop and the other uses time travel to change canonical relationships without otherwise changing canon.

Some of the stories on this list do belong to the Harry Potter fandom. I do not support J. K. Rowling, but I do appreciate the creative works people have made within the Wizarding World. I have separated the Harry Potter fics out into their own section at the end, however, so that you can avoid them if you so wish.

These are in no particular order.

Time Flies Like an Arrow by Katlou303 (Naruto; 240k)

I re-read this fic frequently. Sakura, age 4, starts having dreams of a future in which she died. Eventually she learns that her future self has traveled to the past and taken up residence in her mind, replacing Inner. Sakura, emboldened by her dreams and by the knowledge she gains from them, decides to change the future one new friend at a time. Sakura is absolute sunshine in this and watching everyone react to her is gold. Instead of going grim, this story veers hard into optimism and Sakura makes changes by being friendly and open to everyone. While this story does have an unfinished sequel, the main story is complete and enjoyable on its own. This story is gen and Sakura’s primary friendships are with Naruto, Ino, and Shisui.

leaves too high to touch (roots too strong to fall) by OllieoftheBeholder (The Magnus Archives; 299k)

Jon and Martin travel back to the first year of the podcast and share the secrets of the future with their younger selves, Tim, and Sasha. After hearing about the horrible future, Tim turns full on caretaker mode and all of the assistants start helping with the statements to lighten Jon’s burden. They never realized that, by doing so, they’d start to collect some Archivist powers of their own. This is a fantastic take-down of Elias. The primary romances are future!Jon/future!Martin and a slow burn Jon/Martin/Tim.

Hunting Pains by Ragga (Teen Wolf; 230k)

After everyone else dies, Stiles crafts a desperate ritual to turn back time and heal the nemeton. He ends up in the past before his younger self is even in school yet. After stopping two hunters from killing a couple of werewolves, Stiles ends up the official mentor of a teenage Kate Argent who he is tasked with taking on an educational road trip. Along the way, he and Kate pick up a couple more of his future enemies. This story includes a slowburn Stiles/Peter Hale (quick initial attraction that is immediately diverted followed by slow developing friendship and relationship) and a Stiles dealing with survivor’s guilt and PTSD.

Viper in the Grass by elegantflipflop2 (The Untamed; 130k)

This fic also involves a bit of dimension travel. Jiang Cheng travels back to before classes in the Cloud Recesses. The only catch is that he has traveled into a world where Jiang Cheng is a cis woman. I’ve talked about this story before and I think it handles his body dysphoria rather well. Plus, as family members and close friends learn of the time and dimension travel, they start referring to him as a man where others not in the know cannot hear. This is a Jiang Cheng/Lan Xichen romance.

Cursed Couple by shorimochi (The Untamed; 121k)

This fic has Lan Qiren accidentally traveling back to his youth when he trips over an unfinished array Wei Wuxian had been working on. His nephews are not yet born; his brother hasn’t even met his wife yet. After a chance meeting with Wen Ruohan, who isn’t how he expected, Lan Qiren confides in Wei Changze. Wei Changze suggests seducing the potential enemy to keep him from becoming the monster of the Sunshot Campaign. Lan Qiren is appalled by this plan, but ends up unintentionally following it. This story is crack. It is absolute, OOC crack, but it is incredibly fun to read. The primary romance is Lan Qiren/Wen Ruohan.

Let’s Stop the Time Warp (Again) by lettered (MCU; 113k)

This is technically part of a series, but you can read this one by itself. This is also the sole time loop story on this list. Steve Rogers keeps repeating the day. The reason I included this is because, instead of Steve having to find some way to break the loop on his own, everyone else gets involved. It becomes a huge project with all the scientists working together and the non-scientists coordinating the build efforts. I like this story because it is all about problem solving and people being good at their jobs. All romance is background.

Focus, then Refocus by jimmythemystic (Naruto; 193k)

After Kakashi and Sakura die, Naruto sends Sasuke to the past to fix the future, but he overshoots and Sasuke lands shortly after Sakumo Hatake’s death. Sasuke ends up basically adopting Kakashi as he plots how to overthrow Danzo and stop Madara. This story does have a period of torture, but it isn’t gratuitous. Instead, the author focuses on Sasuke’s thoughts and the aftermath. There is also one child death. All that said, this story does end happily. The primary romance is Sasuke/Sakura.

Back from the Future: Episode VI The Clone Wars by Ariel_Sojourner (Star Wars; 108k)

Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader return to the Clone Wars era and end the war, basically by just declaring peace. No one knows how to react to Luke and Vader. This is a really fun story to read. Ships are Padme/Anakin and some Obi-Wan/Satine.

The Desert Storm by Blue_Sunshine (Star Wars; 1,144k across 24 works)

This epic (and complete!) series has Obi-Wan traveling back to his youth and taking himself as a padawan learner. The older Obi-Wan poses as Ben Naasade, a Mandalorian Jedi, returning to the temple after a long time away. He holds his younger self to a high standard, leading the younger Obi-Wan to grow in ways his older self never did. This is also a great series because Shmi Skywalker becomes a Jedi and teaches the younglings how to survive. Romance is mostly background, but there is Obi-Wan/Satine, Shmi/Tholme, Ben/Jango (FWB), and Ben/Fay.

Lynchpin by ShanaStoryteller (The Untamed; 103k)

Nie Huaisang discovers a way to travel to the past. As he has to manage the array, he cannot go back himself. Instead he sends Jiang Cheng on the condition that Jiang Cheng saves his brother. Jiang Cheng travels back to when Wei Wuxian returns from the Burial Mounds the first time to help with the Sunshot Campaign. This time, with the knowledge that he has Wei Wuxian’s golden core and his lack of support led to Wei Wuxian being isolated and vilified, Jiang Cheng stands by and supports his brother. Some Wei Wuxian/Lan Zhan and Jiang Yanli/Jin Zixuan and a touch of Jiang Cheng/Wen Qing at the end. The focus, though, is really on the bond among Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, and Wei Wuxian.

Teach the Padawan. Save the Galaxy. by alexjanna91 (Star Wars; 387k across 4 works)

While this series is not complete, all four works within it so far are. This is another story in which Obi-Wan travels to the past and becomes his own Jedi Master. You’d think this would get repetitive as a conceit, but it really does not. In this, older!Obi-Wan returns to the past shortly after Obi-Wan has been abandoned by Qui-Gon Jinn on Melida/Daan. He helps the Youth win and returns to the Temple as Obi-Wan’s master. The fourth story covers the first film of the prequel trilogy.

To Fix Your Twisted Reflection by Dgcakes (The Untamed; 173k)

This is actually the first fic that I read in this fandom. I have not consumed any of the canon for this fandom either, so this was my very first taste of it. And, naturally, I started with a somewhat rare threesome story. In this Lan Xichen sends the spirits of Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue back to before Meng Yao was kicked down the stairs of Koi Tower. Together they work to minimize the damage of the Wens and form a healthier relationship between themselves and Lan Xichen. The friendship then shifts toward romance. The romance is Nie Mingjue/Meng Yao/Lan Xichen.

The Fifth Act by Sinnatious (Final Fantasy VII; 161k)

Cloud Strife accidentally travels back to the past and decides to make a better future by killing Sephiroth. But nothing quite goes to plan, even if it all works out in the end. Ultimately, he does bring down Hojo and prevents Sephiroth’s corruption. This story is mostly gen, but does include Zach/Aeris.

reverse by blackkat (Naruto; 386k)

Naruto sends Kurama to the past to change the future. Kurama, now bound within his own mortal body, is furious about Naruto’s sacrifice. He travels to Konoha, posing as Naruto’s uncle. When he is denied contact with Naruto, though, he steals the young boy and goes on the run. After that he keeps collecting jinchuuriki to protect them from the villages that mistreat them and the nascent Akatsuki that would destroy them. This story is filled with light moments and hard battles. The first half of the story focuses on Kurama collecting and protecting the kids. The second half focuses on stopping Zetsu and Madara. Though mostly gen, this story does include Kurama/Kakashi and some background romances.

A Narrow Bridge by FrameofMind and Jo Lasalle (The Untamed; 700k)

Before Wei Wuxian returns via Mo Xuanyu, Lan Zhan finds a way to return to the past to undo one of his greatest regrets--letting Wei Wuxian go into the Burial Mounds with the Wen without him. Traveling back to that moment, instead of stepping aside, Lan Zhan joins Wei Wuxian. This journey to the past is not without its cost, however, but I won’t spoil what exactly Lan Zhan pays. Lan Zhan knows he is in love with Wei Wuxian, but is uncertain of Wei Wuxian’s feelings toward him. The relationship is a slow burn with much mutual pining. With Lan Zhan’s support, Wei Wuxian handles the future better, ensuring that both Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian live. Lan Zhan finds an unlikely ally in Jiang Cheng. The primary romance is Lan Zhan/Wei Wuxian, but there’s some Jiang Yanli/Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng/Wen Qing as well.

Don’t Look Back by acuteneurosis (Star Wars; 460k across 5 works)

This series is incomplete, but the first two works in it are complete and the third was most recently updated on 12/3/2022. The other two works in the series are tumblr prompts for AUs and alternative povs. In this series, Leia travels to the past, saves her grandmother, and becomes an aide to Padme. Leia is exceptionally competent and does her best to outthink Palpatine at every moment. The series is well-written with an excellent Leia characterization. While mostly gen, Padme/Anakin is a key romance in this.

Reprise by Elfpen (Star Wars; 548k across 4 works and 1 short scene)

While this series is incomplete, the fourth and final story was last updated on June 2, 2022. This is another story in which Obi-Wan travels back to his padawan days, but, in this one, he doesn’t become his own master. In this story, the younger Obi-Wan knows from the start that Ben (as the time traveling version goes by) is himself from the future and always has to consider who he could become as he tries to figure out who he is at all. This story is gen.

Harry Potter Recs

Hero of the Story (364k)

In a future where they never found the last two Horcruxes and Ron died, Harry finds a Dark spell to be reborn in the past. When they’re ready to leave, Harry ends up protecting Hermione so that she can travel backward alone. Hermione wakes up an infant and the baby sister of Peter Pettigrew. This story features a sympathetic Peter who remains in the light thanks to his little sister. Hermione grows up, planning how to stop Voldemort in the future, and ensure a good life for Harry. She never planned on falling in love with James. This story features a one-sided James/Lily, James/Hermione, and some Lily/Severus. This story also always makes me crave some Regulus/Hermione, so I often chase it with Oblivion below.

Have Your Cake and Eat It by Cunegonde (120k)

Remus Lupin dies and then wakes up in his dormitory at Hogwarts. Believing it to be a dream, he decides to change some of his old regrets. After a few days, though, he realizes he isn’t dreaming and he has changed the future. The primary romance is Remus Lupin/Severus Snape.

Silhouettes by nauticalparamour (109k)

In a future where Harry Potter didn’t win, Hermione Granger decides to go to the past, infiltrate Pureblood society, and take the Deatheaters down from the inside. To help her navigate Pureblood society, Theo Nott agrees to become her husband. This is a spy story with a slow-burn fake/pretend romance. Hermione and Theo never return to the future (other than by aging into it) and their presence doesn’t stop their younger selves from being born. The romance is Hermione/Theo, though there is a little bit of Hermione/Lucius thrown in.

Oblivion by nauticalparamour (103k)

Kreacher tosses Hermione into the past so that she can save Regulus and destroy the locket. When Regulus takes Hermione to his home after she saves him at the cave and they get caught, Hermione lies about being a Pureblood to his parents and everything begins to snowball. This story focuses on destroying Horcruxes, killing Voldemort, and developing the romance between Hermione and Regulus.

Falling Through Time by wittyhistorian (353k)

After winning the war as in canon, Hermione goes skiing with her parents and, during an avalanche, accidentally falls into the past, waking shortly after Sirius’ death. While she initially tries to adhere to the timeline, she keeps accidentally changing the past, including starting a relationship with Fred Weasley. The primary romance is Hermione/Fred.

No Difference by attackfish (102k)

This is another one of the exceptions. In this, Harry travels to the past, but rather than changing the future, his actions change the tenor of relationships in the present. Basically, Harry, in his seventh year, goes back to 1959 where he falls into a relationship with Eileen Prince. The time travel all happens within the first few chapters. The rest is dealing with the fallout. Relationships are Harry Potter/Eileen Prince and Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley.

[taytjiefourie]

hi im writing a character who is really into films and all that stuff so i want him to reference films in conversations and be really knowledgeable about it obviously but im not a film enthusiast so i have no clue where to begin !

Hey there! My advice to you is to do plenty of research - but don't worry, I'm here to help you out with that! Personally, I'm more of a book person myself and tend to doze off during movies, but I can give you a great starting point. You could begin by googling a list of movie or book characters who are also movie enthusiasts. One example I can give you is Stiles Stilinski from Teen Wolf, but there are plenty of others out there to inspire you!

As I go through this post, I just want to clarify that when you said "film," you meant "movie," right? Just want to make sure we're on the same page! But if you did mean "film" in the more technical sense, then there is a difference between the two, but don't worry - my advice still applies! The only thing is that the suggested websites I mentioned are more geared towards movies than films, so keep that in mind.

One thing you could consider when writing a character who's really into movies is to give them a specific genre, or a few genres, that they're particularly passionate about. After all, no one likes every type of movie, so it'll make your character feel more relatable and real. Maybe they're into classic films, or animated movies, or horror films - the possibilities are endless! Once you've figured out your character's preferences, the next step would be to google for lists of famous movies in those genres, ranging from well-known to more obscure titles. Even if you're not interested in watching all of the movies on the list, you can usually find good summaries online to get a sense of the plot and characters. Finally, you can dig deeper by googling the best quotes or lines from those movies, which can add depth and authenticity to your character's references.

Another approach you could take when writing a character who's really into movies is to choose specific genres that they enjoy, and then search for movie references as needed. So if your character wants to make a reference to a classic movie in a particular context, you could try googling "classic movie reference for saying 'no'" or something similar to find some inspiration. This way, you can add in references that feel authentic and meaningful to your character without having to do extensive research ahead of time.

Also keep in mind when writing a character who loves movies is to show that love through actions and not just dialogue. For example, your character could show excitement when they see movie-related merchandise in a store or online, or they could gush about their favorite films to a friend. Their room or house could be decorated with movie posters, and they might own clothes that reference their favorite movies. Additionally, your character could attend events or film festivals to immerse themselves in the movie world. Remember, people don't just talk about the things they like - they often show it through their behavior and actions too!

If you're looking for some helpful websites to research movies for your character who's really into them, I've got a few suggestions for you! Or Google does since that's what I used to find them.

IMDb: This is one of the most comprehensive movie databases out there, with information on movies, TV shows, and celebrities. You can use it to research movies, directors, actors, and more. Plus, IMDb has a user-generated rating system, which can give you an idea of how well-received a movie is.

Rotten Tomatoes: This website aggregates movie reviews from critics and audiences alike, giving each movie a "Freshness" score. You can use it to get a sense of how well-received a movie is, and to read reviews from professional critics and everyday moviegoers.

Letterboxd: This social networking site is specifically designed for movie lovers. Users can rate and review movies, create lists, and follow other users with similar tastes in movies. It's a great resource for discovering new movies and getting recommendations.

Film School Rejects: This website is dedicated to movie news, reviews, and analysis. They cover everything from blockbuster movies to indie films, and offer thoughtful commentary on the film industry as a whole.

ScreenCrush: This website covers movie news, reviews, and features, with a particular focus on the blockbuster movies and franchises that dominate the box office. They also offer plenty of fun movie-related content, like quizzes and opinion pieces.

Collider: This website covers all aspects of pop culture, including movies, TV shows, and comics. They offer news, reviews, interviews, and features, and have a particular focus on genre movies like superhero films and science fiction.

The American Society of Cinematographers: This website is a great resource for learning about the technical aspects of cinematography. Your character might enjoy reading about lighting techniques, camera angles, and more.

No Film School: This website is a community for filmmakers, with articles and resources covering all aspects of the craft. Your character might find useful tips and tricks for making their own movies, as well as insights into the technical aspects of filmmaking.

The Criterion Collection: This is a collection of classic and contemporary films, many of which are critically acclaimed. Your character might enjoy browsing the collection to discover new films to watch and learn from.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: This is the organization that runs the Oscars. Your character might enjoy reading about the technical awards, such as Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound.

Your message put such a smile on my face! I love helping out and it was so great to see you asking for advice. It's always inspiring to see writers seeking to improve their craft. Remember, if you ever need more writing advice or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out again. I'm here to support you on your writing journey!

[rfaromance]

mysme cast as neopets

once again, I am highly qualified, as my neopets account is old enough to vote in the USA.

Yoosung: Starry Poogle! He is "Shooting Star Yoosung" after all, and Poogles are described as a pet that looks like a cute and cuddly dog-esque creature... but with extremely sharp teeth! Yoosung is a puppy boy, but he can get snippy and protective!

Zen: White Lupe. He's clearly a wolf boy. Lupes are brave, loyal, and perhaps a bit too confident. Zen seems that way at first glance, but his confidence is largely a ruse! Hug your local white-haired beast today!

Jaehee: Striped Nimmo! Nimmos are intelligent, spiritual creatures who value peace and harmony. However, they have quite an affinity for martial arts! Perfect for our witty, religious judo queen. I imagine that Jumin required her to paint herself yellow (a basic, default color) before starting at C&R, but in her good ending, she paints herself a sweet, soft striped color!

Jumin: Silver Shoyru! (Yes, because Zen disdainfully refers to him as "born with a silver spoon in his mouth.") Shoyrus are adept flyers, so maybe Jumin missed that gene with his driving skills. More importantly, they are fiery creatures who are fiercely loyal. If you treat a Shoyru right, you have a friend for life... but if you mistreat him, he will never, ever forget it.

707: Camouflage Kougra. He's clearly cat-coded, so the playful, wild Kougra who LOVES to pounce with his big paws is perfect! However, he's camouflage colored not just because the reddish and orange hues match his hair, but because Seven is cursed to a life in the shadows, always needing to blend in and never to exist freely....

V: Maractite Ogrin! Ogrins are shy at first, but once they're comfortable around someone, they're friendly and chatty! They're also highly curious and bright, and they love to ask questions as well as go for long nature walks to observe their surroundings. How perfect for our artistic photographer? Also, V was sassy and rude as a teen, and I think I can see him asking prying questions to be a brat back then! Maractite is interesting because when it's used for a weapon, it cuts through water with ease and is extremely sharp and durable... but it erodes quickly on land. Sounds a lot like V, powerful and bright in certain settings but fragile when out of his element.... (plus the colors are minty).

Ray: Plushie Cybunny! Ray is clearly bunny-coded. Plus, Cybunnies come from Terror Mountain, and "Ray" did not exist until Mint Eye, which is... onba mountain! A plushie looks sweet and non-threatening, right? You can trust him. :)

Suit Saeran: Skunk Wocky! While Ray is bunny-coded, Suit is certainly cat-coded. He'd be perfect as a Wocky, which is a bold, adventurous Neopet... perhaps too daring for his own good! He'd take the black and white palette to look powerful, akin to his suit.

GE Saeran: Faerie Usul! Usuls are friendly and brave, and they are extremely loyal. Saeran devotes himself fully to the people he loves and the causes he believes in. But he's also selfless to a fault, so he'd be an Usul, which is a Neopet known to be the first to share food with their friends once winter hits! He'd be Faerie because he's pretty, and because he's finally free to touch the clouds.

Unknown: Wraith Jetsam. Mean, unfriendly, vicious. If you can earn his favor, you have a powerful ally. Otherwise? Prepare to be eaten by the Void.

SE Saeran: Cloud Kacheek. Kacheeks are peaceful and shy, avoiding violence whenever possible. They also live in meadows! SE does not want to mingle and definitely wants to avoid conflict. His brother won't always let him outside to look at the clouds, but at least he can paint clouds on himself.

Vanderwood: Electric Zafara! Zafaras are adventurous and can be found anywhere in Neopia; nobody quite knows from where they originate! Similarly, we don't actually know where Vanderwood is from, although many of us have theories! Zafaras are also said to bring good luck if you're kind to them. While Vandy may not be a lucky fellow, the people around them somehow fare better when he gets involved? Electric color is self-explanatory.

Rika: Faerie Korbat! Rika is a person who is simultaneously intimidating and alluring, and I think a Korbat with faerie wings captures that essence! Korbats are friendly and welcoming, even though their appearance may frighten others. They're also inquisitive and have sharp senses, allowing them to learn a lot in a short time. It also makes sense that Rika, a nocturnal creature, would crave love from the sun so desperately...

[reality-warp]

Zuzana | Asmodeus Tiefling | Ranger | Chaotic Good

“I did what I had to keep us all alive. If you’re expecting an apology for that, you’ll be waiting until Avernus sprouts daffodils.”

Zuzana is probably one of my favourite DnD characters I’ve ever played as. I originally made her for a Decent into Avernus campaign, and now I can’t wait to play as her again when BG3 comes out in just a few days. 

I’ve added her (slightly long) backstory summary below, partly for my own amusement, but also since everyone else on the hype train seems to be sharing too:

Pale Huntress

Zuzana (affectionately called Zana by her few friends and family) was born the elder of a set of twins, her brother Zane being born just five minutes after her to a human farmer and his tiefling wife. They grew up pretty humble, rarely going beyond the boundaries of their family’s orchards, paddocks and the surrounding forests. As a result (plus their infernal heritage) the twins didn’t have too many friends and were damned near inseparable as kids. Zane grew up to be accomplished with caring for and riding the horses their family bred, while Zana became a dab hand with a bow and arrow – learning to fend off wolves and livestock rustlers alongside her father, as well as hunt for game when harvests were bad.

The twin’s mother passed away when they were in their teens, and after a few hard winters following her death, the family began to struggle to keep food on the table. During one of these harsh winters, while out hunting the twins stumbled on a caravan of merchants passing their farm being attacked by a starving wolf pack. Between them they managed to fight the wolves off, and offered shelter at their home to the ones injured in the fight. One of the injured men — a red dragonborn called Ferrovax Ironhide — turned out to be an mercenary associated with a guild in Baldur’s Gate. After seeing the twins fight together, he told his father than he saw a lot of potential in them, and offered to take them with him — promising to sponsor and mentor them, as their potential was wasted out on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

Despite not wanting to leave their father, the twins were interested by the idea, and were eventually convinced to accept by their father — who realized that, despite not wanting to lose them, his children were being offered the chance at a better life. So hesitantly, both Zana and Zane accepted, promising to come visit as soon as they were able to. They left with Ferrovax after he had recovered fully, and made the journey to Baldur’s Gate with him. What they didn’t learn until they got there and began their training, was that while Ferrovax was indeed a mercenary associated with a guild — but the guild in question was actually an underground gladiator stable who’s participants fought in Zhentarim fighting pits. And because the twins were unable to read their “contracts” properly, they had no idea until they’d signed them that they’d been tricked into indenturing themselves to Ferrovax for the cost of their “training and upkeep”, effectively making them his property until they paid it off. 

For almost three years they were made to fight in a variety of underground fighting pits, sometimes against monsters, sometimes against other gladiators, but they were always entered as a pair fighting alongside each other. They became relatively well known as a “matching set” referred to as “The Pale Twins”, but according to Ferrovax the “cost of their upkeep” just kept going up, no matter how much money they managed to make fighting in the pits. Eventually the twins realized that Ferrovax was never going to allow them to pay off their indenture as they were too valuable to him now — he’d just keep finding ways to push the debt up until they eventually died fighting in the pits. So they, along with a few other indentures in the same impossible position, planned a mass escape. WIth the help of one of the spellcasters in the stables they managed to escape their cells one night, find and destroy their contracts, then made a run for it.

Unfortunately just as they were making their way out, they were spotted and chased down. Zana managed to make it out, but Zane was caught and subdued – but not before shouting at her to keep running and save herself. With no other choice, Zana was forced to reluctantly leave her brother behind and flee.

For several long months she could only run and hide as pack after pack of bounty hunters was sent after her. She was forced to hide out in the wilds, and by the time they started to give up the hunt and she was able to sneak back into the city, she’d completely lost track of where Zane was. Only after a year after her escape did she finally hear rumors that Ferrovax had been forced to sell Zane’s indenture since he was no longer as profitable in the arena without his “matched set” sister. She spent months trying to track Ferrovax down, and when she finally did, she discovered that the loss of so many of his gladiators had cripled him financially. He’d been reduced to begging on the streets of the Outer City, and when Zana confronted him about what happened to her brother, he admitted that he had indeed sold Zane to a Zhentarim slaver in the city of Elturel…

Just a week before it fell into Avernus.

Decent Into Avernus

Desperate to rescue her brother from hell, Zana found and immediately joined up with a small group of other adventurers – a goliath barbarian called Kharv, a half-elf wild magic sorcerer called Elias, necromancy specialized wizard gnome Norman, and a half-orc cleric Syll. All of them were fixing to go to hell (pun totally intended) for their own reasons, and decided to team up so they’d have a better chance of not only surviving the trip, but also saving Elturel. 

Through various shenanigans involving discovering a cult hidden under one of the Duke’s estates, the group managed to get transported into Avernus – the first layer of hell, where Elturel had been dragged – and in the process of finding their way through the hellscape of the Blood War, the party discovered that Zane had been taken along with some other Elturel survivors, and had been forcibly thrown into a meregon’s fighting pit at “training practice”.

The party arrived at the devil’s arena just in time to save Zane from being killed, reuniting the twins for the first time in over a year of being separated. (Zana’s first words upon hugging her brother again were “Don’t ever try and sacrifice yourself for me again, you absolute prick” through a shed load of tears.) After rescuing and being reunited with her twin, Zana and Zane join the rest of the party on the months long mission to bring Elturel back to the material plane. 

After managing to return to Faerun, returning Elturel back to its original position on the map, and recovering for a few months, Zane and Zana – plus Zane’s new boyfriend, Elias, who’d started growing close during the trip across Avernus – decide it’s time to make the journey back to their family home to reunite with their father. By then it had been almost five years, and the two of them had been through so much, neither were sure how on earth they were going to explain to their father what had happened to them. Between the twins, they made the decision not to tell him, worried that the guilt of sending them away to such a fate would crush him.

So the twins returned to their childhood home to the delighted shock of their father, who was beyond overjoyed to have his beloved children home once again.

No Longer Who We Once Were

For five years the twins remained home again. In their time away their father had managed to build the farm back up again after the difficult times, but he was getting old and weary, so Zane and Zana took over a lot of the workloads. Zane and Elias become engaged, their old adventuring friends sometimes visiting, and despite the peace and joy of being reunited the twin’s father became more and more frail. The weight of hard years tending the farm alone, and missing his wife and children had weighed heavy on him, and eventually he passed peacefully one winter with Zane and Zana both there with him. 

With their father gone and no longer in a position to keep the secret of what happened to them, Zane and Zana decide that what they experienced in Baldur’s Gate and Avernus had left too many scars on them to lead a quiet life as farmers. Not without their father there as an anchor. They scatter their fathers ashes in the same woods where they scattered their mothers, and began preparations to sell the farm and set off to find what they’re meant to do next. 

Zana expressed her wishes to return to Baldur’s Gate and try to track down some of her old friends from the Avernus mission (who had all gone their separate ways after returning to Faerun). Zane and Elias agreed, but also wanted to go and visit Elias’ family in Waterdeep first to tell them about the engagement in person. The twins realize that they can’t realistically be joined at the hip for the rest of their lives, so they agree to willingly split up for the first time, albeit temporarily. The plan was for Zane to go with Elias to Waterdeep while Zana would head to Baldur’s Gate to pick up their old companion’s trails ahead of them – all of them planning to meet up in Baldur’s Gate in a few months time.

The twins exchanged Sending Stones made by Elias so that they used to keep in daily contact, speaking every night at the same time after heading out in their separate directions. 

Only when  Zana stops responding the day after she arrived back in Baldur’s Gate does Zane realise something is very wrong, both him and Elias immediately setting out to go find out what the hell has happened to her. 

What they find when they get there, I suppose we’ll find out soon enough…

Extra character notes:

Zana and Zane were both about 20 when they left home with Ferrovax. By the start of BG3 they're around 30.

Both twins are both very pale grey, even for tieflings, with white hair, bone grey horns and yellow eyes. They also look so similar that at a distance it’s difficult to tell them apart. They’re even the exact same height and have almost the same horn shape too.

When they were being trained in the gladiator stables, Zana (who was already good with a bow) was made to be a ranged specialist, while Zane was trained as a close-combat fighter. Class-wise, Zana is a combo of Hunter Ranger and a little bit of Rogue, while Zane is a Battle Master Fighter who’s preferred weapon is a glaive.

Neither twin learned to read or write as a child. When they were living in the gladiator stables, one of the other indentures (a former scholar of Candle Keep) helped them to learn the bare basics. Zana was a little better at it than Zane, but she’s still not great and is very sensitive about how slowly she is to write and read.

Zana keeps sketch journals as a way of managing stress. She draws people she meets, places she sees, and presses flowers and herbs between the pages to keep for later. After escaping the nautiloid, she buys and starts keeping a new journal as a way of taking her mind off things – and just in case she dosen’t survive, Zane will have something of hers to find out what happened to her.

I like to imagine she’s by far the best cook in the entire camp, barring maybe Halsin and Jaheira. The girl has been cooking food she’s hunted over a campfire since she was a child, and has had to figure out ways of making palatable meals out of scraps for half of her life. Astarion still likes to complain that there’s never enough seasoning in her food though. (Z: "Eat your desiccated fruit rations and be grateful, you prissy git. It's miles better than anything you could make, and you know it.")

While she was somewhat well known in Baldur’s Gate’s underground as a gladiator for a time, it was only in combination with her brother as a “matching set”. Without him, and all this time later, she’s not really recognised as much, and far prefers it that way. (In our Decent into Avernus campaign one of the Flaming Fist recognised her and asked her if she’d sign one of his shoulderguards, much to her mortification.)

I’m specing her as a Hunter subclass, but depending on how her story run goes I may take the Gloom Stalker subclass instead. I headcanon that the insertion of the tadpole has messed with her focus and combat reflexes, hence why she’s back at Level 1 despite originally reaching Level 8 during Decent into Avernus.

In my mind, Zana wore her Sending Stone on a cord around her neck, and when she was teleported onto the nautiloid, no magic items could come with her. Her Sending Stone is likely still lying in a gutter somewhere in the Lower City.

[amethystina]

First Lines Meme

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favourite authors!

@miss-ingno did this (a VERY long time ago) and tagged anyone who wanted to do it, so here I am! It sounded like a fun way to look at how I start my fanfics. I will be skipping over ficlet collections and sequels in a series, since I want the FIRST first line of the fanfic. A different POV for the same story will be seen as its own fic. I won't limit it to any specific fandom, though (honestly, there's only one I've even written more than 20 fics for x'D ) and they will be listed newest to oldest.

It’s long, though, so I’ll put the actual results under the cut! :D

1. Until Death Do Us Unite, Strangers From Hell The day after Jong Woo was released from the hospital, the dead rose from their graves.

2. Who Holds the Devil, The Devil Judge Ga On was tired.

3. Gravitational Pull, The Devil Judge Ga On's heart wouldn't stop racing.

4. Talk to Me, The Losers Jensen had always known that he was, on average, more talkative than most people.

5. Twice Is Enough, The Avengers The first time Bucky saw Anthony Stark, the man's brilliance left him breathless.

6. Say You Love Me, Teen Wolf The thing Stiles probably hated the most about Derek was his ability to leave him speechless.

7. Siren Song, The Losers Carlos stepped inside the dimly lit pub and tried not to wrinkle his nose in distaste.

8. And Time Again, The Avengers On average, Tony would consider himself a pretty observant person.

9. Jigsaw, The Losers It might sound like a terrible cliché, but Jess knew long before Jake, himself, figured it out.

10. Trust Is Earned (And Sometimes Given), The Losers Cougar knew he only had himself to blame.

11. Plus One, The Avengers Bucky took a deep breath and pushed open the door to his favorite bar, instinctively relaxing when the familiar smells and sounds washed over him.

12. Nethermost, The Avengers "If you're going to be blowing bubbles for the rest of the night, can I at least get a gum too?"

13. Five Times Cougar Thought Jensen Was Bad at Flirting and One Time He Didn't, The Losers "Oh no, here we go again." Pooch shook his head and, with a grimace, looked away in secondhand embarrassment.

14. Let's Build a Happy Ending (For You and Me), The Avengers Bucky would be lying if he said that he wasn't worried when Steve brought him to the Tower to meet the rest of the Avengers.

15. Let It Grow, The Avengers Tony stepped inside the flower shop on pure impulse.

16. Where You Belong, The Losers Jensen knew from experience that being transferred to a new team could be jarring at best and traumatic at worst.

17. A Future With You (Is My Happy Ending), The Losers "You look really tired."

18. Tech Support, The Avengers "Sir, another call on line eight," JARVIS announced.

19. There Be Dragons, The Losers Cougar, like every other living human being, was aware of the existence of dragons.

20. Losing You (Is My Supervillain Origin Story), The Avengers Of all the terrible things Bucky had done, this might actually be the worst. _____

As for my reflections, I'd say that I usually try to keep my first lines relatively short and to the point. Often a statement or action of some kind that can usually be followed up with a question of "why?" or at least spark a desire for some further explaining. I try my best to hook a reader from the first line, I guess? And give them a reason to keep reading because they want to find out what that first line was referring to.

Since these fics span five years (the newest a WIP I started in 2022, the last written back in 2017) you can also see that I don't use dialogue as the first line all that much anymore. To be honest, I think that's mainly because of the length of the fics, though. It's an easy way to start the shorter ones and I was a lot more prolific back in the day, though most fics were also a bit shorter.

I also have a tendency (with some exceptions) to mention the POV character in the first line, since it's a good way to establish who we're following.

My favourite first line out of these is probably:

Cougar, like every other living human being, was aware of the existence of dragons.

Because it establishes:

A) The POV character

B) Dragons exist in this world

C) Humanity is aware of them existing

D) And Cougar appears to be rather blasé about the whole thing

This one is a very close second, though:

The day after Jong Woo was released from the hospital, the dead rose from their graves.

Because it establishes:

A) The POV character

B) The specific time it's set in relation to the canon timeline (if you know, you know)

C) Oh fuck, there are zombies

D) Yoon Jong Woo just cannot catch a fucking break

I very much enjoy the challenge of forming a first line that conveys as much as possible, though it obviously depends on the story if that's possible or not. Still, it's very fun to try and come up with one :D

And, finally: if you want to do this, consider yourself tagged!

[mediacinemtographyartetc]

Movies that SHOULD'VE been GAY

Okay I've noticed [not being spiteful just a meh observation] that movies that have men being friends become a ship that still seen as gay to present time but lesbians??? not so much i.e [Lost boys micheal and david, interview with a vampire altho that IS gay and teen wolf stiles and derek, sherlock holmes, supernatural harry potter and draco the list goes on]

So HERE is the queer rep for the ones who refer to themselvs as gals of feminine heres the lesbian stories for you!

Bring it on.

Missy and Tuarences should've been gay altho the brothers hot too tuarence is a perfect Bisexual representation. Plus all the girls in this movie? Pretty sure I had a crush on.

Next is Bride wars.

The fact that in the beggining of the movie the two girls we're playing 'marriage' where one is the bride and the other is the groom and they've been 'dreaming' of their dream wedding and both were proposed and their marriage happened at the same time. Both of them had a fight but only one's marriage ended because her husband was a dick. But overall the fact that they were close, got made up, knew each other so well and then ended up pregnant at the same time made me think they should've just made the movie gay and show that even lesbians will clash on deciding their wedding and since they 'shared' everything this moment will be a next step of them embracing their individualty and being better for it.

Next up is "The Holiday." A movie where two women have issues with their relationships and have 'break ups' and end up swapping homes to get away from it all. I would've loved if the two became pen pals and ended up stepping in each other shoes and found themselves knowing a person from their house and gettig closer to them by their friends, neighbors, family and found that the two have a lot in common and find that both became the 'escape' the other needed [but I do love Jude law in this film especially since he cried we need to bring back healthy relationships or seeing men being vunerable because it was so refreshing back then]

Oceans 8

These two need I say more? Overrall in the story its great that blondie had bruenettes back and even was there as her rock every step of the way, both were equel powerhouses and complete badassas through the whole movie. Wish it was official but to me they're married your honour.

Death becomes her.

This is SUCH a gay movie, if you watch it there is SO much clevage and it feels so gay when both of the women end up living forever and eternity the fact that they tried to hurt one another over some man and the fact that madeline was hurt by the others words because she was called 'cheap' and took it to heart she is so insecure and unloved and yet giner snaps [forgot her name] was obsessed with her to the point where she even drove her inmates mad when she wanted to talk about her, the drive to kill her- then made up then living with her years later [if it wasn't for the message in the end that they were miserable and the guy was happy even tho he kinda ruined their lives he DID choose madeline a women he just met over his fiance and then became drunk because she was awful?] oh well still think the movie was queer.

Mean girls

Rewatching the movie and the musical I can't help but think that a three way love triangle of Katie, Erin and Regina would've been perfect, a coming of age and even dealing with their sexuality as well as the drama of being friends someone like regina and hormones all over the place. Love and hate is usually one and the same thing and pig tail pulling has always been a thing when someone has a crush but as no way of expressing that which leads to confusion. Regina had no interest in erin but only did that to hurt katie and dangle him in front of the other even going as far as saying that she would rather break things than share them with others. The relationship of katie and Regina turns from one of a power imbalance of ruler and supporter to two queens who are equel and think that every one loves them and wants to be them even though everybody hates them. Going as far as revenge but even though Katie had hurt regina she still felt guilty and went as far as to mend that friendship even though regina is a 'mean' girl as is katie at least the two were able to come to a compromise and grow from it and even forget the crap they did to one another over some guy.

[Unlike Janice no offense but as I'm older I can't help but dislike janice and see her as a pick me quircky girl whose honestly no different than regina but is worse because she never apologised or even thought she was wrong and was never humbled like the other characters were]

Mortal Instruments

It would've been better if Clary and isabelle were a thing [no offense to mortal instrument fans] But in the books from what I remember isabelle was a bit bland the only redeeming thing about her is that simon wanted to date her and when he lost his memories isabelle became umbearably weird about it. Isabelle is bland and Clary is an idiot [and if jace and simon were a thing that would be awesome]

Overall if the two were a couple it would make sense for isabelle to take that role of protecting clary because she was raised as a mundane and Clary trying to help isabelle to make the lightwood name have respect it would ALSO be a cool story for the other to look down on them and see that history was repeating itself saying clary is JUST like valentine and isabelle was another follower and the two had to prove that its not the same as the past and that they are 'not' their families but they're own indivual person.

But I only say this because the incest plot was garbage and the whole.

"Jace Feachild, our mom had a BOX of all your things and mourned you!" She said this to Jace. Then when she found out they WEREN'T siblings went to freakin Sebastion and was like.

"JACE our MOM had a bOx oF aLl YoUr tHiNgs and mOurnED yUU!"

She is so goddamn stupid it hurts.

The craft.

Sarah and Nancy they're relationship is NOT that different from Mean girls regina and katie altho both are similiar to a narcasistic relationship of love bombing one moment then wanting to destroy your life the next. The craft is a darker version of mean girls on taking it too far but the whole "We can only have unproblematic queer rep where its not a bad relationship because it fetishises queer bleh-" Its bullshit, why is it that heteros can do whatever and its just a story a romance, a warning a psa to look out for. But in lgbt it has to be on 'brand/child friendly/ unproblematic.' Thers sin city, watchmen jessica jones and netflix YOU but god forbid we have a dark horror romance with queer characters its homo/trans/any/phobic.

Bend it like beckham.

It just...would've been SUCH a good freakin movie if they made it gay. Like I get it y'know but why do they make hetero relationships so goddamn bland I'd rather they didn't have any relationship/romance at all if they cant even make it interesting or even want me to imagine something else even better like pairing these two together. The takes on prejudice, sexism, sterotypes that if girls like football they're 'dykes'

Barbie movies: NAME ANY BARBIE MOVIE.

But what comes to my mind is Princess and the puaper or Barbie and the diamond castle. Just blond barbie with brunette barbie. They even bring in twins or other love interests that just are there [which is refreshing when other movies the girlfriends/love interests are just a prop and are about as interesting as an outdated typewriter.] But overall the relationship the two have when in pauper both have a connection and the other one is trying to pretend to be the other even though she could've walked away and the diamon castle they're both roomates. And And Babie and fairytopia- I swear this is THE lesbian movie, the blue fiary, the evil green one and even the blue mermaid like I can't and the fact that this bitch gets 'RAINBOW' wings in the third movie is just bonkers its so gay I feel like I'm being insulted its like these movies are MOCKING me. I'm in a desert parched, no water and they just TEASE a droplet of water and I get slapped in the face with that fucking HETERO shit. I don't care that its for kids if the mermaid can whine that her darling mermaid prince is someone she loves why can't she like ladypuff?????

Stick it.

The potential enemies to loves of johanne and Haley. And haley is such big LESBIAN energy. I was obsessed with this movie as a kid and teen and now as an adult kinda think. Holy shit that makes so much sense I am so dumb ^^; the growth these two have where Johanne changes sides and starts to understand and even get along with haley and how haley even approaches Johanne of her overbearing movie and they way they just banter and snap of each other is amazing [but overall johanne or joanne however you spell it having a simp of a boyfriend is what she deserves at least her hetero relationship doesnt make me want to gag and cry that it could've been better]

Van hellsing.

Just these two, the vampire hunter and the vampire its simply meant to be but ginger snaps here is so heckin annoying [the first bride who died I had a huge crush on now that I realise] the fact they know each others names, how they speak to one another how they fight and that hevera? I think her name is ALWAYS teases and plays with anna. I just so much sexual tension between the two and ugh I just wanted bride Anna I even think avara hevera w/e her name is probably wanted it too XD

Pitch Perfect.

Both rebecca and Ginger snaps [I am so sorry] Are obs a couple, the way ginger was obsessed the naked Shower scene and said I'm confident and then the fact that they become ROOMATES and the boyfriend from the first/secondish movie just disapears and we never noticed because w/e movie buff he was obs dating benny so its fine. Movie guy made a disapearing act with his magician friends thats cool. The fact that the two are still together and performing and singing even years later one wants to make music while the other is a singer I don't get why becca couldn't just work with her group and make her own songs and original stuff she was able to make music for celebs but I guess comedy movies go in a downward spiral where funny haha jokes have more priority than plot.

Once upon a time.

Having Emma and regina a couple just makes sense, Emma became a VILLAIN so regina could have a happy ending. The way they both bounce off each other and even stay consistent even though their partners keep changing. Both are moms to their son henry so co-parenting right there! The fact that Emma is a savior BUT is also a character in a fairy tale story having both fight for their happily ever afters but also their fairy tales of having a queen and princess get together has NEVER been done. its always prince charming or defeat the evil villain so fighting for their ending is also fighting against fate to change the 'rules' of what a happily ever after really is.

Bit of a weird one but if you played the game of Tomb Raider legend I absouletely LOVED the concept of goth punk angry girlfriend and Lara being a thing. its like a dark twist of lovers to Enemies, completely toxic and betrayel, of two people who are archeologists and brilliant women who are trying to hunt for the sword of excalibur. Amanda was betrayed by Lara who didn't go back down to save her, and was truly bitter over her feelings then being enraged at Amanda for killing her movie in the past wish the sequel to this game wasn't on xbox or the freakin wii then realised the story went too dark and garbage like a terrible dc batman movie but alas I love the concept of these two...

She's the man.

No matter how you slice it this film is GAY [Yes I am aware that most queer people do not want this film to be rep it feels problematic I get that but I choose to think positively]

The fact that the main girl feels like a trans character or if not has a more better relationship with olivia and it comes across as queer, her infatuation with talyor but presenting as a man comes across as gay. Either way- she could be seen as a butch lesbian or a transman and it would've been a good movie to explore those themes but nope back to heteronormaty I guess but overall with these lists I don't want a reboot of these movies and MAKE them gay I want shows like it that is a similair story line but is gay.

The truth is movies can come out and be original but still have elements of nostalgia or 'reboot' energy. Like ready player one feels like a back to the future vibe, how Free guy is just lego movie and Red notice is a mixture of indiana jones or other national treasure movies.

What I love about this list is that even tho some have similaraties all of these people/couples are so unique and different but when I see shows that ARE lesbian/queer I can't help but feel a bit...meh about them. It feels like a hetero couple that isn't written well and they barely have personality at all or sometimes one girl is a complete bitch while the other is a 'sterotype' to what a lesbian is. Sure people outside the internet do have mannerisms that can call into the catergory of an 'archetype' but its worse when a movie comes out and it feels more like cringe propoganda I want to turn my brain off and think man this is gay and I love it.

Not wanting to turn the movie off or walk away in embarresment that when anyone online does queer stories/analysis etc they just hit it spot on.

Loki being nonbinary? That feels right. Velma being Bisexual? Also feels right. Gaston and Laufee being gay? Thats just facts.

But when Media does it it's like they veer of and just miss the mark like the have the spirit but it just doesn't feel queer. Watching old movies from the 90's to 2000's just had GOOD queer subtext and felt more relatable and better written than...whatever the heck we have now. I just miss classic rom coms about a story like, 13 going on 30, rent, ps I love you, think like a man act like a women. Just a normal story with narratives that go in a weird direction or even a movie with MULTIPLE couples to have a contrast on how different people have different relationships. Either way I know youtubers/tik tokers do queer stories WAY better than any proper media service so at least I know I'm getting rep somewhere.

[kenisle]

question for anybody who has a twin or knows somebody who does:

i’m writing a teen wolf fic featuring Ethan referring to himself plus his identical twin Aiden in the third person.

would ethan be more likely to say “me and my brother” or “me and my twin?”

some context for ppl who are not familiar with the characters:

aiden died 1-3 years prior (i can’t remember how long exactly)

they have no other siblings mentioned in canon

in this scene ethan is conversing with his boyfriend and also a guy he just met with whom he has some friends/acquaintances in common. both are aware of aiden and his death

i ask because, to me (someone with siblings but no twin), “me and my brother” sounds more natural; however, the few people i’ve met who have twins will usually refer to them as such, so I’m not sure which to write. would appreciate the input. thanks!