#rubywrites

[rubylovessharks]

When you are sick

Zhongli x reader, reader is GN, reader is sick. this is just fluff bc i was sick not long ago and was thinking about Zhongli so I kinda wrote this of off myself it's a small fic i know (i dont think you can even call it a fic)

You were laying in bed as your beloved handed you some hot tea that he brewed a few minutes ago. "Careful. It's still hot." He tells you as you take the cup in your hands. He sits down on your shared bed and takes one of your hands and intertwines it with his before speaking yet again. "Love I told you not to wear so little or you'll catch a cold.. You went out just when it was going to rain." As you blew on your tea you reassure him that you are fine. "It's just a little cold" you tell him, yet he looks at you with concerned eyes. "You may be correct but as we both know humans are a lot weaker then none, so I still do not know how much you can handle." Sometimes your boyfriend doesn't get that humans aren't THAT weak to the cold, or perhaps he cares for you deeply that he overreacts to such minor things. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Especially since I have you." You give him a smile and he gives you one in return as you both sit there in your shared bedroom in peaceful silence.

[red-handed-tamarin]

Could you please write some hurt/comfort wincest with Sam witnessing dean get a head injury and then helping and taking care of dean?

I'm taking requests!

[generalgloss]

Nelly in Wuthering Heights

The Gothic nature of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte necessitates darker, perhaps even morally ambiguous figures. While Nelly, the Earnshaw servant, supposedly has their best interests at heart out of both her sense of duty and human empathy, she makes many morally suspicious decisions throughout the story. Through Nelly, Bronte employs characterization and point of view techniques to reveal Nelly as an ambiguous character in the field of vices and morals, ultimately hinting at how bystanders to major events can have an inflated sense of self-importance.

Nelly first appears to be the paradigm of a nurturing and caring housekeeper, with both the Earnshaw's and Linton's best interests at heart. As a servant in both households, Nelly was responsible for raising both Cathy and Hareton when their respective mothers died. Despite her lowly societal status, Nelly raised both as a mother ought to, describing Hareton as a lovely boy and Cathy as an angel. Thanks to Nelly's kindness, neither grew up without female love in their lives. In fact, Nelly even said that to see their union in marriage would be the "crown of all her wishes." Nelly's willingness to raise someone who is of no relation to her and for whom there is no guarantee she will receive anything in return speaks to her generous nature; she cannot possibly be a wholly corrupt person.

When it comes to the execution of such intentions, however, Nelly often finds herself making decisions that reflect her clouded judgment and difficulty to distinguish right from wrong. At Thrushcross Grange, for example, Nelly sees Catherine fall ill over the course of a week but opts not to alert her husband Edgar to her failing condition. This action stems not from ineptitude as a caretaker for the Lintons, but a grandiose sense of self-worth, for Nelly had decided for herself that Catherine was faking her consumption. Aside from her incessant need to insert her opinion where it isn't required as a servant, Nelly's failure to report on a wife's illness to her husband when it has reached life-threatening status strays beyond the ill-advised ignorance of a moral obligation into the definitive moral crimes of purposeful negligence and apathy to one's suffering. This negligence leads to Catherine's early death as she is not able to receive medical assistance and Edgar's sorrow at not being able to spend sufficient time with her before the bereavement. More ammunition with which to question Nelly's character comes in the nature of her reaction to her mistake: callous, with no shown remorse for her deeds. In fact, Nelly goes so far as to justify her actions and claim that Catherine's passing was imminent and her actions would have made no difference, when in fact there is ample evidence that her condition could have improved if Nelly had not dismissed her symptoms outright. Her point of view on the matter despite the objective facts pointing to her lapse in judgment also generates suspicion in Lockwood and the reader's mind about the reliability of her moral compass and thus in this instance she is invalidated as a truthful narrator.

By playing Nelly's positive characterization against her seemingly morally faulty opinions and point of view at certain points in the novel, Bronte explores the complexity of the bias that can be generated out of a false sense of one's relevance in a situation. Thus, Nelly can be seen as both a meddler who caused Catherine's death and the warm matron who mothered her daughter expecting nothing in return, and is conclusively ambiguous.

[morganmaietto]

Major Update (Just Life Things)

Hello hello!

First I just wanted to come on here and tell you guys that my house was struck by lightning caught on fire and is unsafe to live in. No injuries and all pets are safe, my family and I are staying at a hotel for an indefinite period of time until their insurance can get a rental.

And lastly, I’m working on chapter 16 of The Mirror Effect and I’m planning on finishing it hopefully before leaving the hotel.

[deliciousangelfestival]

My Soulmate Died

This drabble is based on the Every Time You Lie series.

A/N: I suddenly came up with the scenario of why Ransom never meets the reader again.

Ransom, who became a high-profile businessman and art collector in Europe, was interviewed about why he is still single.

Interviewer: "Mr.Drysdale, any thoughts on why you haven't settled down yet?"

Ransom (looking at the camera): "Well, probably my soulmate died, or she married a loser. I'm just waiting for her to be single."

Meanwhile, Lloyd somehow came across the interview and promptly blocked everything, ensuring his wife would never see it.

What do you guys think? 😆😆😆

@rubywrites-4,

@marigarcia07,

@chemtrails-club,

@barnescamboy,

@esotericgalaxy,

@inlovewiththefictionalcharacters,

@buckysteveloki-me,

@xcaptain-winterx,

@magnificentsaladllama,

@bagoffeelings,

@darkofimagination,

@cherrybubblebullet,

@starsofcloud ,

@thatzolagirl,

@notathingjustthere,

@realm-of-azrael,

@roxyfan14-blog,

@ladyvenera

@pattiemac1

[toribookworm22]

One Big:

Whatcha Been Writing

In the spirit of actually cleaning up my hoarded tags, I am combining not 1 but 52 Last Lines, Heads Up Seven Ups, and other miscellaneous related tags into a mega-share.

Thanks @thepedanticbohemian @writeintrees ×2 @saltysupercomputer ×2 @winterandwords ×3 @oh-no-another-idea ×3 @writernopal @pluttskutt @late-to-the-fandom @akiwitch ×3 @ashen-crest @sunset-a-story @ashwithapen @briannaswords @flock-from-the-void @bubbles-the-banshee ×2 @kaiusvnoir @scifimagpie @chainsaw-raven @axl-ul @primroseprime2019 ×3 @acertainmoshke @magic-is-something-we-create @rubywrite @reading-by-the-pale-moonlight @sam-glade @galactic-mystics-writes ×2 @authoralexharvey @frankensteinshimbo @sergeantnarwhalwrites @surroundedbypearls @frostedlemonwriter ×2 @theunboundwriter @sparrow-orion-writes @forthesanityofstorytellers @buffythevampirelover @digital-chance ×2 @cljordan-imperium @olivescales3 for all your tags!

I am just leaving one giant OPEN TAG!! ♥️

And for my share, have an excerpt from Chapter 10 of the second book of my Secondary Series. 🙃

The guards stationed at the entrance barely have time to see us before J has a knife in each of their throats. She retrieves them before they’re even dead as Vieve forces the doors open.

I want to be angry. Or shocked.

But all I can see is Edward frantically trying to save me while I died on some expensive rug. He’s the only person who’s actively and always chosen me.

Who has ever chosen him?

The wind is even fiercer than before. But before I can even dread the trek back to our safe house, there’s a vehicle pulling up and a voice calling out, “Get in!”

“Courtney?” I dare to ask.

Her bright head of hair appears from the driver’s side as the back is opened up. “Hey, there. Let’s catch up on the road, barkeep.”

We all collapse against the thin walls of the transport, a woman in white reattaching the flap before calling out to Courtney, “All clear, let’s go.” The engine revs, and we start an angry path forward. 

The sudden movement rolls my stomach and I fall onto my hands, spitting up more bile and poison. After a couple of heaves, I feel a hand softly press into my spine. It almost makes me feel safe. A gentle hand when I’m hurting, a soft towel wiping at my mouth, two voices I never get to hear again. Then I throw up again.

“Hey. You’re alright.” I glance up at Edward, his legs thrown out beside me. His face is already scarred from where the gag dug in. I want to say something, but I can’t figure out what. I’m just seeing him fall into the grass and seeing his sister get up and never come back and taking one last look at his sleeping form in his bed. “We made it out.”

The woman in white kneels in front of me with a scrap of something and starts cleaning up my mess. I stop her with a quivering hand. “I got it,” I say.

She smiles at me, even if her bright star-shaped eyes are almost empty. “I don’t do anything I don’t want to do anymore. Courtney helped me. Let me help you.”

The fabric rustles and shifts, revealing the front of the vehicle and Courtney’s back. “Seriously. What were you guys doing there? I didn’t think you were going to make it out. Especially after Ani went down.”

“Supply run,” Casa tells her.

“You went to Alswik for supplies?” Courtney asks, incredulous. “Don’t you still have a contact at the base?”

Edward’s hand falls from me. “Don’t work with them anymore. And you’d be smart to do the same before it gets you killed.” He watches Ani kick the vomit-stained fabric into the corner of the vehicle. “You and the people you love.”

Without slowing down, Courtney takes a long look back at us. “Thanks for the concern.” She looks back at the road. Ani walks carefully to the front to sit as close to her as possible. “Now where am I dropping you off?”

…

I offer to help Ani hide the vehicle under a cover of leaves and brush as best as possible while the others plan routes to the safe house and the ship. It’s not safe to travel in a big pack when Alswik could possibly have people after us. Or Insignia could have people on their way. While we work, I hear Edward pull Courtney aside, his voice low but insistent. “Listen. You are more than welcome to stay the night on my ship before you keep moving. But you breathe a word of this to Kat and I’ll have you boxed up and sent to Adenrore.”

“I just came to get Ani, Rescue. I’m not here on her orders. Or anyone’s.”

“I can’t risk you traveling with us.” He glances at the woods we’ve stopped in, halting on me for a moment. I snap my gaze back to the brush I’m pulling over the wheels. “And you shouldn’t risk it either.”

J and Vieve take the woods, Edward and Casa following the stream nearby. I offer to travel with Courtney and Ani through the overpass.

There’s still something in my system, even as the daylight fades away. I’ll probably be throwing up through the night, too. But at least the last thing I saw wasn’t the terror in Edward’s eyes. Seeing him worried like that is a fate worse than death. But it’s all I can think about as we walk over dirt and grass and rocks. All I can think about is how Imre made sure Edward was always front and center in front of him, how desperate he seemed to ignore everyone else. How badly I failed at keeping him safe.

“He’s going to get you killed,” Courtney says.

The sun has just begun to set and I can see the cabin Edward calls their safehouse emerging from the thick of the trees below us. I think of all the times Edward has been the one at my side, wrong or right or everything in between. “I’d follow him anywhere,” I whisper into the wind.

Courtney just sighs. Like that’s the response she expected. Dreaded. Something else. I don’t know what kind of history they have, I don’t know who Kat is or why neither of them seem to be working for her anymore. But I do know Edward. “And that’s why.”

[winterandwords]

Last line tag

I was tagged by @tabswrites, @rubywrite, @wmlittlemore-is-writing, @indecentpause, @kaiusvnoir, @forthesanityofstorytellers and @sarandipitywrites to share my last line. Thank you!

This is from Project Aria...

So casually and with nothing more than a stretch and a crack of my knuckles, I ask for two sugars in my coffee and resolve to destroy my family.

Tagging @ahordeofwasps, @alinacapellabooks, @ashfordlabs and @authortango if you'd like to share your last line, with an open tag for anyone else who wants to join in 💜

[axl-ul]

Character Inspiration

Thanks for the tag @toribookworm22^^

Soft tags: @rubywrite @olivescales3 @lexiklecksi @missaddledmiss @mariahwritesstuff @sam-glade and an open tag.

Also, this is going to be a longer post since I haven't been posting much in general recently. I also prety much enjoyed doing this tag. So I thought about making another part with another set of characters in the future.

Rules: Pick a character(s) from your wip(s) and tell who they were inspired by or from.

Ulfrika Výtaušeimová - her sort of harsh personality is basically mine with slightly more (read: A LOT more) salt. Her physical design, though, is mostly inspired by an illustration of a revenant I saw in one of the book with legends about folk creatures I own. When I tried to draw her for the first time, though, I didn't know what sort of a reference pose I should pick. So I used my own reflection I took a photo of. So I guess that some of my features also exist within this character.

Márgerdra Výtaušeimová - she has a few inspirations, like Helga Sinclair from Atlantis the Lost Empire (I liked that mysterious femme fatale aura), young Anita Ekberg as I she had the facia features closest to those I could think about when it came to Márgerdra. Some of her abilities and skills are based on the creatures from Slavic folklore. Like the inspiration about Márgerdra's hair storing some of her power and life essence is tied to the folk stories about 'rusalky' (a type of a water fairy or a nymph which appear in many stories here) and 'víly' (basically forest fairies or maybe even dryads (???) which look human but have magical abilities and can be mischievous, malicious or just minding their own business).

Master Kogar Výtaušeima - his personality doesn't have an exact inspiration, I just imagined what the most chill and cool dad would be and went with it. Cold-hearted asshole on the outside, a huggable teddy bear around his kids. His physical design, though, relates a lot to Karl Urban since the guy looks both young and old (this sounds weirder when sai outloud but whatever).

Miss Yawen and Golden Wind Viper - even in physical form these twins might have a few snake-like features since they actually are snake demons.

Ereanth - although he may not appear that much in my wips, I took the inspiration for his name (and partially for his appearence, too) from Eredin from the Witcher books. Although, his personality is much different. Though, I didn't take much inspiration from around when I was coming up with his behaviour and so on. It sort of came naturally because I wanted some contrast. Oh, and maybe there's a slight hint of Tom Hiddleston since the guy has quite an interesting facial structure.

Faust/Gemini/the Twin - the strange sentient structure in Ulfrika's chest has a few inspirations one of which is the tale of Dr Faust and Mephistopheles and the tale of Pan Twardowski. Ironically, Ulfrika was nicknamed by a few nobles as Mephisto or Pale Devil despite the fact that she fulfills the role of Dr Faust much more. On the other hand, Ulfrika did use the surname Twardowska while living abroad for a while as a cover. The inspiration for the design comes from the game Blasphemous since I found the character of Nacimiento one of the most intriguing and tragic ones.Another inspiration for the character comes from Edward Mordrake (the Two-faced Man as he might be better known).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taglist (let me know if you'd like to be added): @vanessaroades-author @rubywrite @aohendo @rbbess110 @jgmartin @outpost51 @athenswrites @kainablue

[junypr-camus]

Badly Summarized WIPs Poll Tag!

Thanks for the tag, @mysticstarlightduck (poll here!)

Rules: Pick a bunch of your WIPs and summarize them as badly as possible

tagging (no pressure): @simonnebethel, @rubywrite, @lookingforlifeoutthere

[thesorcerersapprentice]

Thank you to the fabulous @that-cyber-writer for tagging me in this Writing Questions Tag Game! D.M. Foyle, as @that-cyber-writer is also known, is working on a nail-biting crime thriller entitled Tangled Wires starring Raz, a brilliant hacker on the run from the Russian mob. Interested? Go check out Tangled Wires and all of Foyle's projects here! I'm tagging (no pressure!): @inkovert @outpost51 @aquadestinyswriting @merlina87 @sarah-sandwich @lucianinsanity @winterandwords @threeking @avrablake @the-finch-address @thawinoakenshield @the-down-upside-finch @lunarmoment @sodaliteskull @kingkendrick7 @harps-for-days @cee-grice @tate-lin @rubywrite @poppy-in-the-woods @hippiewrites @the-down-upside-finch @lexiklecksi @linaket and anyone else who'd like to participate!

✦ What is your absolute all-time favourite idea you’ve ever had?

The one that inspired the novel I'm writing right now, The Sorcerer's Apprentice! Initially, I just wanted to explore the relationship between two individuals at completely polar opposite moments in life: one, an elderly character, preparing to die and looking back; and the other, a youthful character, just beginning to come into their own, in early adulthood, still figuring out who they are and what they believe in, facing forward. It would be a lie to say that the novel isn't still very much built around this dynamic, between the elderly sorcerer Valeriano and his young apprentice, Altaluna. But it's grown from the original idea to incorporate issues and topics I hadn't expected; climate change, environmental disaster, colonialism and neocolonialism, the body as a machine, contemporary theories of perception, abusive family dynamics, and more. These topics and their associated plot/world ideas are likewise what makes The Sorcerer's Apprentice my favourite written piece to date. It's like the more I dig, the more I enjoy what I'm doing. If the first idea was compelling but lukewarm, the accumulation of ideas that has ensued as I attempt to do the initial idea justice has taken it to the next level.

✦ Is there a question you’ve been asked that really stands out to you and that you still think about sometimes?

Not that I can think of off the top of my head! Sorry :S I wish I did.

✦ What is your favourite part of being a writer? What parts could you take or leave?

The trouble is, you can't have any of it without all of it, so this is a bit of a trick question, to which I don't really have a clear answer. I love it all. I hate it all. I struggle every step of the way. And I have the time of my life, always.

✦ What is your greatest motivation to write/create?

It's changed over the years! As a child, I just liked exercising my imagination. In my teens and early twenties, I wrote to escape or to envision the life I wanted, the person I wanted to be, and how I wanted to be perceived by others. Now, my greatest motivation is rage. I am one very pissed-off adult lol I suppose the difference is also that now I actually have something to say, something I feel is worth saying. And I feel that very strongly, which helps me get over the bad days at the desk where no words are coming or where I doubt my capacity to write at all. Because it doesn't matter. This -the message of my novel- has value to me. It's more important than my small personal feelings of insecurity or ups and downs. So I'll find a way. That's my motivation. It's not really that I want to write, it's that I have to. It's that I can't live in a world where this isn't said ~ and where it isn't said the way I'd like to say it.

✦ What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever read or been given as a writer?

The best advice I ever received was from a world-renowned author in his 90s who told me that it (writing) never gets any easier, so basically, your choices are either quit or keep going with the knowledge that it's never going to magically turn into a picnic, no matter how much experience/talent you have. I also got some lovely advice a couple years ago from (I think?) Anne Lamott in her writer's memoir Bird By Bird. In one of the chapters, she mentions that if you lack inspiration, you can always write to get your own back, aka. you can always write as a way to avenge yourself. And that just flipped a switch in my brain. I don't think I'd be writing The Sorcerer's Apprentice without that little seed she planted.

✦ What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out writing?

Nobody knows what they're doing. You'll never be more prepared than you are right this minute. But also, you have to live a little before you can know what you want to say ~ the same way you have to live a little to figure out who you are. Writing is organic. It grows with you. You have to let yourself grow, so the writing can follow.

✦ What is your favourite story you’ve written to completion? Link it if you’d like and can!

I don't have a favourite completed story to share, so I'm sharing a link to my current WIP, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, a fantasy novel exploring the interplay between colonialism, capitalism, and environmental catastrophe through the fraught relationship between a mysterious sorcerer and his protogé.

✦ Which of your characters would you say has the most controversial mindset? Why do you say so, and how do you personally feel about their ideals?

Valeriano, the antagonist of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, is the only character I've ever written whose views are absolutely despicable in almost every way. I'd be very concerned if my readers don't find his mindset controversial. The man is sexist, racist, and classist; he discriminates against any LGBTQ+ classification that isn't his own (biphobia, anti-lesbian, etc.), he's morally perverse, and he bristles with a sense of in-born superiority. In short, he represents the polar opposite of my own personal views and ideals.

✦ If you, when you first started writing, met you now, what would younger you think?

A younger me would definitely not recognise me, let alone understand why I'm writing what I'm writing. And that's how it should be! I'm glad little me enjoyed a time when all that mattered were unicorns and fairies, and the world was bright, open, and good. I wouldn't take that away from little me for all the world, not for anything. Plus, I have the lingering feeling that little me would be proud of me anyway. Even if she doesn't quite get it. She'd trust me and my choices. We'd be different, but we'd be cool, you know?

© 2024 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. All rights reserved.

[csdarkfantasy]

Heads Up Seven Up

Thanks for tagging me @alinacapellabooks! 🖤

Here are the last 7 lines (so far) from my WIP, Book 2 of the Bane of Blood anthology.

⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

She picked the largest and richest red rose from the courtyard garden and fashioned it into a corsage.

“Mamá is more partial to roses than orchids, anyway,” she said, as she pinned the corsage to his lapel. 

The old man grinned. “Is she now?”

Rebeca only smiled. Red roses were her mother’s favorite flower. But if her father hadn’t troubled to remember this by now, she supposed he never would.

⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

Tagging @excessive-vampires, @rubywrite, @sevenscreaminglizards, @elaraslove and whoever else would like to share lines from their WIP! 🖤

[red-handed-tamarin]

Once upon a time, a sea prince and a sea witch ventured to the surface together. But when the sea prince gave his heart away, the sea witch saw the pain it would cause and swore to remain resolutely alone, never to know love's softening touch upon her fierce and predatory heart…

[gummybugg]

🎉Get to Know My OC🎉

Thanks for the tag, @rickie-the-storyteller! Check out hers here (I really love it)! For this round, I am choosing Blair from my WIP Crater City.

I am also tagging these people if they wanna have at it: @rubywrite @flock-from-the-void @my-cursed-prince @new-royston-cursebreakers @zestymimblo and @sam-glade!

There is a small Content Warning, so I slapped them in the tags.

...

In a small, concrete room sits a young man bound by ropes. He is slouched in a folding chair in front of a thick, wooden table. The spotlight that aims directly on his body accentuates his warm features: deep, brown hair that goes down to his neck, blush from acne scars, and a bit of stubble. He wears a pair of heart gauges, an aviator jacket, crocs, and jeans that look like they've fought in the nuclear war and come back to tell their tale. But alas, we are not interviewing a pair of distressed pants today.

He is beginning to come to after being knocked unconscious for the past 45 minutes (Well, it’s better to be safe than sorry).

Blair: Where the fuck am I? (he blinks, confused) Wait, am I being interrogated for my crimes? Now? (he squirms in his chair) I refuse to speak to a lawyer until proven guilty!

Elijah: Blair, listen! If we just do as we're told, we'll be fine.

Blair: Elijah? You’re here, too? If I find out they hurt you-- (nearly tips over in his chair)

Elijah: No, I'm fine, I promise! Let's just get this interview over with so we can leave. Ok?

Blair: Yeah, whatever. But if anyone hurts you (The rope that tie him to his chair drop off his body all at once), I will smash my way through that mirror, grab them by the neck, and--

Me: Ok, ok! Let's get the interview started!

...

[1] Are you named after anyone?

Am I? (Blair looks around in thought.) I don't think so, the last I checked.

[2] When was the last time you cried?

(Blair sighs, throwing his hands on the table. You're sure things are about to get juicy.) Blair: On my way over here, actually! Some cop threw some tear gas at me. (pauses) Nah, I'm just kidding. I was actually having a panic attack about something...(Blair pauses to remember.) I think it was about how if Elijah somehow wound up in heaven and I didn't, would he just leave me behind or bunk with me in the pits of hell? I called him in the middle of the breakdown and everything, and he told me that he's not sure if there is an afterlife, but even if there was, he wouldn't leave me for a bunch of glorified bed sheet-wearing prudes. Then someone came up from behind me and smeared my face with a cloth, and that's how I ended up here! Elijah: (directly into the microphone from the booth) Me and Blair trade existential crises like trading cards. It's become our new favorite Saturday night event.

[3] Do you have kids?

Blair: Rose and Elijah said I shouldn't be trusted around other small, chaotic humans like myself because the last time that happened, an entire fifth-grade class started a traffic light rights campaign. Traffic was backed up for weeks because we “planted the seed of rebellion” in the minds of children. Elijah: No, the police said you "planted the seed of rebellion" in the minds of sentient bots, which I'm not sure how you managed to convince them to rebel in the first place. The children just started a new religion after the streetlights. Blair: I think what started it was when I was driving this parent and her kid somewhere and I cussed out someone driving in front of me for not respecting the traffic light when it told him to go.

[4] Do you use sarcasm?

Blair: Sometimes, yeah, but doesn’t everyone? Like what even constitutes sarcasm, are there actually people who don't use it at all? That seems impossible. Is this a trick question? Like can--is that an amount I can measure? Like ok, so, if one entire day equals a gallon and I speak like probably six gallons, but super fast, as I tend to, then in order to measure how much sarcasm I use would probably be between three cups out of that. So to answer your question, I think so. Maybe? Sure. Elijah: What about for our metric system users out there? Blair: a few hundred milliliters? Fuck if I know. I didn't know I was gonna be quizzed on math equations. Me: The U.S. still hasn't fully converted to the metric system hundreds of years in the future? Elijah & Blair: Nope.

[5] What's the first thing you notice about people?

Blair: The way they sound or act. I can tell if you're gonna be a condescending ass wipe before you even speak. Like for example, the people who dragged me here reek of stomach acid and gravel. But Elijah’s general vibe is like yellow with little bursts of bright light and swirls, like an old-timey screen saver. Elijah: Like the ones you'd find on my uncle's computer? Blair: Is he really that old? (They both laugh)

[6] What's your eye color?

Blair: Black or brown. I'm not sure, I just stare in the mirror and then when I look away, I forget immediately. Elijah looks at them a lot, ask him. (he gives a sly grin at the one-way mirror) (Elijah turns bright red from behind the glass) Elijah: Next question!

[7] Any special talents?

Blair: I do knife tricks with my balisong! Elijah: And he texts me for bandages every other day, so I have essentially become his bandage delivery guy. Blair: Elijah, tell them how you got me Hello Kitty bandages to “deter me from practicing.” Elijah: I…yeah. That didn't work. (Blair raises his hands to reveal neon pink fingers.)

[8] Scary movies or happy endings?

Blair: Scary movies because me and Rose and Elijah used to watch a bunch of gorey sci-fi movies together and laugh at the special effects. Or, at least me and Rose would. Elijah got angry we didn't take his nerdy movies as seriously as he did. Elijah: You just can’t appreciate old cinematography! Blair: True cinematography is The Dinosaurs Before Time. But you wouldn’t know since you always cry five minutes in and then we have to turn it off! Elijah: (standing up) Nuh-uh! Blair: (walking closer to the front of the room, imitating Elijah crying) “He was born ten minutes ago and now his mom’s dead?!” Elijah: (imitating Blair’s voice) “Yeah, that’s sad and all, but I think I could take on a T-rex with my bare hands.” No the fuck you could not! Do you have any idea how huge those bitches were? It'd eat you in one bite! Blair: Wow, you’re saying that just because I’m short I couldn’t do it. Low blow, Elijah. (The two, now inches apart the mirror’s divide, bicker about the logistics of fighting a dinosaur and how fighting a rooster technically counts because if you ever had a rooster chase after you, it’s scary af.) Me: Andddd, moving on!

[9] Where were you born?

Blair: On the outskirts of Crater City in some podunk. It should still be there, it's where my mom and my old neighbors lived. Things were so much more friendly back there, which is a huge difference from living in the city. Elijah: It’s crazy to be able to smile at someone on the street there and not get a death threat. Blair: Yeah… (he reminisces) Elijah: Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Blair: We should buy 400 acres of land and become farmers after this whole thing blows over. Elijah: (laughing) And raise a rooster army to protect our crops from mutants! (They bounce eagerly at the prospect of changing their names and living a peaceful life in the country.)

[10] What are your hobbies?

Blair: I practice tricks with my balisong, piece together little bots as pets, draw cartoons, and play video games. I also collect soda tabs, scrap metal, car keys, keychains, road signs… (Blair counts on his fingers) Elijah: Did he say road signs? What he meant was abandoned materials left for dead! Perfectly legal stuff here! (he laughs nervously.) Blair: I also collect our wanted pictures because I think we look sexy in them. Elijah: Blair!

[11] Do you have any pets?

Blair: I don't have a "pet" pet, but Elijah does! Or used to! I'm not sure what happened to him. He was a hamster named Clip, short for Noclip. Maybe that's why he's still missing. Elijah: Yeah, I'm not sure what happened either. But he usually turns up when Blair visits. Blair: It’s cause I’m the cool and estranged relative who brings gifts every time he comes over. Elijah: And by “gifts” he means chip crumbs on the couch.

[12] What sports do you play/have played?

Blair: I've played volleyball for a bit in high school until they banned me from the team for spiking the ball too hard. But if the opportunity presents itself, why not take it? Elijah: You gave four people concussions in one season! (Elijah laughs at the absurdity) Blair: They made fun of me, saying I was so short I couldn't hit over the net! It's not my fault they underestimated my skills.

[13] How tall are you?

Blair: 5' 5." There, I said it. Now we can move on! Elijah: Your Honor, he’s lying under oath, he's actually 5'3.5”! Blair: I can detest! Elijah: You mean “attest”? Blair: Hand me a fucking ruler right now! (Blair is provided a retractable ruler to measure his height) Elijah: Blair, turn it the other way. Blair: No, see? I am 5'5," and there's nothing you can do about it! Nothing! Unless you want to come over here and measure me yourself. (Elijah covers his face in his hands.) Blair: It's kinda suspicious he's so determined I'm shorter than I say I am. What, is he measuring my height in my sleep? I dunno, man, that's kinda weird.

[14] Favorite subject in school?

Blair: Robotics club counts, I'm pretty sure. Me and Elijah signed up for it and that's how we became best friends. It was the only class the teacher didn’t yell at me for slacking off or falling asleep in. Elijah: Because it was the only class you actually liked. Blair: Yeah, and the teacher even helped me get a scholarship because she said I was a great asset to mankind or whatever. But I think she was just being dramatic. Elijah: You managed to make a living driving people around in hijacked auto cars, I think it’s safe to say you’re not a complete idiot. Blair: Only a little. Elijah: Yeah, we’re pretty stupid. But not that stupid.

[15] Dream job?

Blair: I think I'd like to still build bots but definitely at my own pace instead of at a factory or business. It's too stuffy in places like that and it gets too repetitive after a while. Elijah: (confused) Blair, your passengers offer you to do contract work all the time. Blair: Elijah, Elijah. I don't think you understand... (There is a long pause.) Elijah: Are you gonna finish that thought? Or did you forget it halfway? Blair: No, I just didn't care enough to finish what I was gonna say. Hey, you wanna get some curly fries after this? All this pouring my life out shit is making me hungry. I almost forgot why I was even here. (Blair stretches) Oh my God, actually, you guys should interrogate Elijah next! I wanna see how long it takes for him to crack under pressure. Elijah: Blair, those questions were hardly invasive. Blair: I think you should throw some hardballs at him. Like do you eat oatmeal with a spoon or fork? Do you salt your watermelon or eat it unseasoned? Do you wash your rice with soap? Elijah: Who the fuck washes their rice? (Blair wears a look of abject horror.)

Me: And that is all the time we have for this interview! Thank you for your participation, Blair and Elijah! Now, if you could make your way to the exit—

(Elijah hurries out of the studio, followed by Blair, who has burst from the interviewing room. Blair chases him down the hall to the exit, all the while shouting a step-by-step guide on how to prepare rice. You have a feeling his ancestors would be very proud of him, if not for the atrocities he has committed.)

...

Crater City taglist (ask to be added/removed): @writeouswriter @lyra-brie

[morganmaietto]

It’s been awhile… A Few Announcements

Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on here sorry about that. Classes were a lot this year along with a few health issues, but I’m okay now.

Getting to the announcements:

I changed my name on here, I don’t mind if people still call me Ruby though! I decided I wanted to rebrand myself and use this name as my official author pen name.

While I may not be actively posting on here, I have gotten back into writing The Mirror Effect and I’ll be finishing the first draft this year! I’ll occasionally post some short stories on here, I’m planning on finishing Otherworldly as well.

I’m probably not going to be able to do tag games, but feel free to keep tagging me! I love reading your posts! I’m also still keeping my ask box closed also for a bit longer.

Honestly I think that’s it for now, I’ll post another update on my progress soon, I hope everyone has a great day/night!

[clairelsonao3]

Nine People Tag

Today's tag game is blissfully short and that's good because, unlike pretty much every day for the past 2 weeks, I'm actually WRITING!

Thanks to @coffeewritesfiction (post here), @the-broken-pen (post here) and @mysticstarlightduck (post here) for this one!

All the versions of this I was tagged in had different questions, so I just picked and chose which ones I wanted to answer (i.e. the easiest ones). Feel free to do the same!

LAST SONG: "Safe" - Shook Twins (Current song, actually ... good soundtrack for writing.)

LAST MOVIE: Misson Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (Yes, in the cinema!)

CURRENTLY WATCHING: Is it Cake on Netflix. Ridiculous show, but nice to fall asleep in front of. (I don't have the attention span for any scripted series).

CURRENTLY READING: Staged by Kim Fielding, which I stumbled upon just last week and had to download as soon as I saw what it was about.

CURRENTLY CRAVING: A trip to Paris.

LAST THING YOU SEARCHED FOR WRITING PURPOSES: How gauche is it to add ice cubes to bourbon?

I'll just gently tag some of the usual folks on this because it's short and you can do it even if you've already done it. But by no means do you have to do it at all!

@starlit-hopes-and-dreams @hd-literature

@little-peril-stories @tabswrites @late-to-the-fandom @rickie-the-storyteller @rubywrite @writingforjoy

[emberlyric]

OC in Three Tag

I was tagged by the lovely @pandoras-comment-box! Thank you!

Rules: Share 3 pictures that represent an OC

*goes to scour my characters’ Pinterest boards*

Going to pick Lumir for this one. He’s one of my most intriguing characters because I just love his identity issues brought on by the fact that he has no set/default face because of his mutation, which forces him to cycle through appearances at random. He has nothing that marks him as “me, I’m Lumir, this is what maks me me” and it really messes with him, wearing a different face every hour or so. He’s also kind of a prickly dick (which makes me love him more lol).

His other mutation is a perfect, unflawed memory. This also messes with him lol.

These two powers might have made him only a Class B anomaly, but it also made him a perfect assassin. See why this guy is one of my faves?!

So; going to screenshot some pics one sec

Taken from Lumir’s Pinterest board, this pretty much sums him up.

Thank you again @pandoras-comment-box !

Tagging @rubywrite @my-cursed-prince @frostedlemonwriter!