#so much effort was put into it and I’m so grateful for every single person that worked on it

[kissnpunch]

imagining creating a minecraft server where the streamers stay together talking theories, they’re so into the lore and events they got the past weekend talking through discord at late night, after that just playing random games, some of them off stream, because they ENJOY and LOVE to talk with each other. imagining creating a minecraft server where everyone can talk and have a solution if they have a problem instantly, they try to communicate every single thing if is uncomfortable for them to do. with different languages, cultures, personalities, time zones.

qsmp is something just alex would create, and the admins put so much effort into everything, every small detail, attending everyone. i learned so much with them, i’m so grateful to follow this project.

[felassan]

Snippets. 🐺💜

Corinne: "PC has been a priority for us! It’s heartening to see so many PC champions on the team working hard to make this a great experience" [source]

Corinne: "Enjoy shield-bashing and drop-kicking hurlocks off the ramparts! Don’t forget to toss that shield around too" [source]

User: "I love that they chose a no mage party to showcase. 😂 The two companions thing had me a little worried that I’d have to take a warrior and a mage into battle with my Rook rogue all the time." / Corinne: "We know players get attached to certain characters, so while there are benefits to having one of each class, it’s completely viable and intended that you can find synergies with a variety of party comps" [source]

Each Background has a specific last name, very much inspired by the approach in Origins [source]

Corinne: "We’ve put a lot of effort into ensuring our gameplay and customized difficulty options allow players to find something comfortable and engaging for themselves. I’m sure you’ll do great! It was one of the biggest challenges in designing the combat system, as we know the Dragon Age player-base has a wide range of motivations and expectations." [source]

Corinne mentioned to a user who said that they prefer a warrior/mage experience but without all the slash and spin of rogue attacks that they might enjoy the Warrior Reaper spec [source]

Hrungr noticed that it looks like you can hide your armor as well as your helmet [source]

Mary: "True fact: For the longest time, in the DA writers' pit, we had "It has been __ (usually 0) days since someone mentioned cannibalism" on the whiteboard." [source]

Gabe, posting the release date reveal trailer: "My friends, I have made an effort to avoid shilling too much here so that when I do, it'll be worth it. I love this game and the team that brought it to life so much." [source]

Bryce: "if I may workpost for a sec, I'm forever grateful for days like today when I get to gush about dragon age with the fans this community is so welcoming and my heart is so full today 💜" [source]

The ray-tracing NVIDIA video from earlier this week that showed mage combat was showing early-on mage combat [source]

Blair: "the achievement names include some personal career highlights for me." [source]

Trick on the podcast: "The [DA:TV game] writers were pretty tapped with other stuff at the time, sadly, but I think it came together great." [source]

Though neither option is wrong or evil, making Cole more human in DA:I leaves him sadder [source]

John: "honestly it’s a very strange feeling to go from a half decade of ‘dragon age? maaaaybe we’re making a new one? tee hee’ to actually being able to talk about it" [source]

John: "been busy all day so I just got to read some of the reactions to the DATV combat showcase. I am incredibly proud of this team and I’m thrilled to see people excited about it. even after spending every day with it for the last 5 years I still love playing it." [source]

John: "being creative director means i work with pretty much every single department and team on the project. everyone brings creativity and innovation to their roles and the project would be nothing without them (and it)" [source]

John: "am I playing our game for fun on a Friday night, I certainly am. romancing my own companion to do one last check to make sure all the conditionals work. folks it is a very strange thing" [source, two]

[jiminrings]

in vain aka sugar baby (but not really) jungkook drabble series sneak peek

pairing: jungkook x reader

glimpse: jungkook likes the finer things in life, and you don’t like being lonely.

alternatively, jungkook’s your sugar baby — except the only thing he needs to do to get paid is to be your friend.

“Nope. No sex at all. No kisses or hugs or anything like that.”

A sense of pride almost fills Jungkook, almost, when he sees Namjoon’s face fall and twist both in amazement and confusion. It’s not that Jungkook thinks he’s better — he already knows it himself. He feels proud to have proved Namjoon wrong when he said it to his face that absolutely no one would pay for his snotty personality.

“Then how come you’re her sugar baby?” Namjoon asks, his hunger for the pasta he ordered (and waited for twenty minutes to arrive) subsiding. He doesn’t get it at all, not one single bit of him believing that Jungkook landed a sugar mommy that simply just wants him to be there.

Jungkook shrugs as if it’s the easiest thing to answer, the arrogance flowing through him like the breeze that goes through the door when you open it. Namjoon’s eyes turn out of instinct and while he had paid no attention to you initially, he does now when you’re walking towards them and his friend can’t see to shut up.

“I’m just there for company. She’s just alone and weird, I guess.”

Namjoon nudges him to stay still and stop talking with everything he could muster in one simple shove to his side, his mumbling too quiet for someone as dense as Jungkook to understand.

“What did you say?” Jungkook asks out-loud as if it pains him to not turn every single thought in his head into a literal speech bubble, turning his head abruptly. He finds himself face-to-face with you, only hovering awkwardly after catching wind of what he just said.

Namjoon, however, doesn’t even seem to meet his eyes — neither does Jungkook with yours. He turns back to his friend without a single acknowledgement to you, continuing to run his mouth as if you weren’t there in the first place.

“What are you so worried for?” he furrows his brows, going back to his laptop as he types gibberish to make it seem like he’s doing something important. He’s not bothered — not at all. “Y/N already knows I don’t need her like that. I’m only after her money, not her.”

The lump that appears in your throat is automatic because Jungkook is like this and you know it. He’s bumped into your “friends” (the better term would be acquaintances-I’ve-made-emptily-out-of-social-obligation) a few times already and he’s never been this rash with you, yet the first time that you see him with his friend, he makes you feel the smallest that you’ve ever been.

“Oh my god, Jungkook. Watch your fucking manners,” Namjoon grits immediately, the lack of Jungkook’s respect for you and perhaps for everyone else grating his ears. He clears his throat and straightens himself, much to his friend’s annoyance, before putting his hand out. “H-hi. I’m Namjoon, Jungkook’s friend.”

“Hi, Namjoon,” you greet courteously, your embarrassment burning away the longer that you’re distracted from how Jungkook’s regard for you to your face and to everyone else is the same. He’s always been transparent with you, unable to sugarcoat his words.

Simply put, Jungkook doesn’t like you. He means it when he says it to you casually right after you crack a joke in the middle of watching a movie, and he means it when he’s talking behind your back to Namjoon.

“Why are you here?” Jungkook asks, the bored look on his face striking right through you. You feel alone again despite being in a café full of people; even when you’re faced with him.

“I was thinking we could maybe get dinner together?” you ask even if it takes up all the remaining courage in you, the majority of it consumed when you put an effort into dressing yourself up today — for him.

“Busy,” Jungkook huffs, resting his chin on his palm. He stays seated throughout while you’re just standing there, waiting to have a shred of significant acknowledgement. “Can I have some money to get dinner with Namjoon instead?”

You shouldn’t be surprised anymore, not at all. Because while Jungkook isn’t consistent on keeping his end of the bargain, you keep yours loyally. You don’t want to be at fault and the raving urge in you to always keep people appeased overtakes you.

“Oh,” you mumble in realization, fumbling to open your bag and fish for your wallet. “Y-yeah, yeah. Sure.”

On the other hand, Namjoon can’t resist any longer. He physically can’t contain himself anymore, the breath that he’s been holding finally giving out because he can’t bear to see you like this because of Jungkook.

“Actually, count me out,” he interjects, ignoring the offended gasp he gets. He turns to you much more gently compared to the vitriol he has for Jungkook. “Are you, uhm — do you still need someone to eat dinner with… Miss Y/N?” he asks politely, wringing his hands together underneath the table.

Your mouth dries at his address for you and even more at his politeness, the realization that Namjoon’s actually kind to you despite only meeting you minutes ago hitting you belatedly. “I-… I do, yeah. But you don’t have to-…”

“No, no! I insist,” he scrambles to get out of his seat, intentionally hitting Jungkook on the bicep as he slings his backpack on his shoulder. “Some people don’t do their jobs correctly and could be a total asshole at that.”

Jungkook scowls at what’s clearly the dig for him, his annoyance running deep when you stay frozen.

Deeper when you snap out of it and nod your head shyly, and the deepest when you actually leave him.

It seems like fate’s fucking with him because as much as he should feel elated that your weekly transfer to him comes in now of all times, he doesn’t at all. He feels bad and he doesn’t ever feel that way. He’s never been left before; not like this at the very least.

You whisper to Namjoon on the way out, the reminder that you were embarrassed in front of him and probably to the curious patrons in the café staying vivid in your mind. “I’ll pay you. I’m sorry for taking up your time.”

“You don’t have to at all, miss. I promise,” Namjoon assures you as he opens the door for you, the two of you waiting side by side as you wait for your driver to go around back. He respects you but he’s comfortable already; enough to open up out of the blue. “You know, I’ve had… a sugar mommy in the past. You’re Jungkook’s first and really, I apologize for how rude he is,” he clicks his tongue, shaking his head in disapproval. “You’re not making him jump through hoops or force him into doing things or anything like that. All you’re asking for is companionship — I’m sorry that he’s bad at it.”

It stays quiet between the two of you until you find the right words that won’t make you want to crumple to the pavement out of shame.

“You don’t have to apologize in behalf of him.”

“I feel like I need to,” he trails, an uneasy chuckle leaving him. “Jungkook doesn’t ever apologize for anything.”

“Oh.”

The knot in your throat untangled minutes ago but it comes back again, this time for less pitiful reasons. “You’re really nice, Namjoon. Please tell me if you ever need anything,” your breath hitches in fear of overstepping, yet you push through anyway. “I know you’re already familiar with this uhm, this situation — and I’m still sorry for asking-! But do you… need money?”

Namjoon laughs heartily, genuinely — not mockingly like how Jungkook does.

“Yes, I need money,” he confirms breathlessly in between chuckles, sneaking a smile from your lips. “But I’d much rather give you companionship for free. I bet you’re already blowing through money with Jungkook who doesn’t even say thank you for anything.”

“Jungkook’s my first sugar baby too,” you meekly counter, shrugging your shoulders. You feel oddly brave in a burst of energy, partially influenced by how Namjoon didn’t even skip a beat from preventing Jungkook to make an even bigger fool out of you. “I mean, there’s nothing wrong with having two sugar babies right?”

Out of the entire time that Namjoon’s been with you, he’s actually speechless for once and not the other way around.

While Namjoon seriously considers your offer though, Jungkook stews in his own anger. It’s too potent and too irrational, he thinks it might be jealousy.

.

.

.

dun dun DUNNNNN!!! so far, there are five chapters of IV up :D if u wanna read them now + gain early access to general fics + read exclusive content — subscribe to my patreon :D

also, to get ahead of questions, i'm not yet sure if i'll also post in vain here on tumblr :O but IF i do though, it'll be around mid-2024!! :D

[perfectimaginary]

I wanna be with you everywhere.

Pairing: mingyu x reader

Tags: fluff, cute!mingyu

Summary: café AU where you have a little crush on Mingyu (so is him)

w/c: 1.4K

a/n: I thought about this while listening to Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac so enjoy reading while listening to it too! And let me know if you liked it or not I would love to know <3

Can you hear me calling out your name?

You know that I'm falling and I don't know what to say?

I’ll speak a little louder, I’ll even shout

You know that I’m proud and I can’t get the words out

The air feels different this morning, it's gotten colder these past weeks, autumn started to feel like it and If Mingyu didn’t make the decision to grab that hoodie before leaving he would be freezing. And so, just like every morning, before going to his usual classes, he entered the same café he went to for the past months, even if he wasn’t very fond of their coffee he could at least have a glimpse of you.

Oh right. How could he forget you?

He remembered it all too well, the first time the bells chimed above your head and saw you, he thought that you might be the cutest person he’s ever seen. He could describe in detail the exact sundress you wore that day, this little pink dress he swears. He never saw someone wearing it better than you did.

You had that effect of walking in and the people around you smiled instantly, you were like a warm hug during a cold winter night, by simply smiling and making everyone's day just a little bit easier. He knew it just by the smile you gave every morning to the waitress and since this moment, he hadn’t stopped thinking about you, and every morning he looked forward to seeing you, even if he wasn’t very cautious about it.

Oh, I

I want to be with you everywhere

Oh, I

I want to be you everywhere

(Wanna be with you everywhere)

And you knew it, because you did the same. How was it possible to not look at him? He looked effortlessly good every time you caught a glimpse of him, you were pretending to be engrossed in your book but truly you didn’t read a single word that was in.

Every now and then, between pages you looked up and saw him peeking at you so you smiled, and god he was beautiful. And every morning for the past months you had the same routine, waking up and taking much longer in the shower, putting a little more effort in your makeup and outfit wondering if he would like it. And of course he liked it, he loved the way you matched your earrings with your makeup and every morning he would ask himself which color you were going to wear today.

Something’s happening, happening to me

My friends say I’m acting peculiarly

Come along, baby, we better make a start

You better make it soon before you break my heart

Exams were coming sooner than you expected, nights were getting shorter and the stress was growing quicker than you thought. One morning you forgot your book at the café, and obviously, it was Mingyu who picked it up. He was so stressed about it that he couldn’t sleep that night, asking himself if he should have run to you that morning to give it back to you.

The next day, Mingyu watched as you trekked through the café, strands hanging around your face and your attempt to cover your exhaustion with makeup, wearing more casual clothes than usual. He saw you asking the waitress about your book and he immediately felt guilty, so when he jogged towards you with it in hands you almost cried in his arms. But you were so grateful he gave it back to you that you had to buy him coffee, how convenient it was for the both of you, even if he didn’t like coffee that much he kept drinking it anyway, slowly, so he could take his time listening to you talked about how stressful this whole situation was for you, losing your book the day before the exam, and so he listened.

Oh, I

I want to be with you everywhere

Oh, I

I want to be you everywhere

(Wanna be with you everywhere)

It soon became a routine, every morning he would wait for you in front of the café so he could open the front door for you and get a few more minutes by your side. Even if it was raining, he didn’t care. You talked so much, and he loved it. Every little detail that he could learn about you was so special for him, you went to your favorite italian restaurant last night? He would write the name so he could take you on a date. You loved a book? He would read it to talk about it with you next time. And everytime he does it you fall a little harder.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, you became friends so easily, having so much in common but at the same time being so different, like how he would love to take photos of you and you laughed because you said that you didn’t like yourself in photos and he told you how beautiful you were. You sank a little bit more.

And when he finally asked you on a date on a Tuesday morning, sun peeking through the windows of the café, the only day of the week where the rain wasn’t pouring hard. ‘Date?’ was written in a caramel macchiato made by your favorite waitress who was more than excited to do this when Mingyu asked for it in secret to surprise you. And when you said yes he was so excited that he spilled half of the drink on the table and you laughed so much it hurt your cheeks the whole day.

Can you hear me calling out your name?

You know that I'm falling and I don't know what to say

Come along, baby, we better make a start

You better make it soon before you break my heart

And when Saturday came, dressed in your little pink dress he loved so much, he bought you your favorite flowers, white lilies. Because of course, he would remember it, why wouldn’t he? And he took you to his favorite restaurant saying next time he would love going to your favorite one too since he loved Italian food too. The night went too fast to your liking, and so was for him.

How easy it was for you to just tell everything that came to your mind without feeling too much for him, how easy it was to just be yourself without worrying if he was bored of you and, of course he wasn’t. He would look at you so thoroughly even when you say the silliest thing that came to your mind, he was so much. So much more than just a simple crush you had on a man you met in a little café. He was maybe too much for you. Too tall, too large, talked too fast, too handsome. And god how exciting this was. You loved it so much more than you expected it, every minute spent with him, every message exchanged between the two of you at night telling each other’s day. When it went bad or good, or both.

He was so deeply in love with you he thought that he might lose his mind, the way your eyes sparkled when you're talking about something you love, or how you pick at your bread during dinner when you talked about how stressful your exams were. And he swears he never met anyone as funny as you. You're so gentle and caring that he thought his heart might explode even the way you lean on the table to hear what he said, how attractive you were.

The end of the dinner results in you both taking a stroll in the midst of the late hours of the night, heart pondering with the wind whistling to fill the silence between the two of you. It wasn’t bad though. Just the two of you, hands brushing and cheeks blushing. Neither of you tried to do more and it was fine. Talking about how good of a night it was and how you loved it when he almost dropped the plate on the waiter, and how he loved your dress, telling you the first time he saw you with it and that it was at this moment he had a crush on you and you laughed, taking his hand in yours. You had so much time together from now on and the night had only started.

Oh I

I wanna be with you everywhere

Oh I

I wanna be with you everywhere

Oh I

I wanna be with you everywhere

Oh I

I wanna be with you everywhere

(I wanna be with you everywhere)

[familyvideostevie]

hey.

okay. hello! i'm back. :)

maybe you noticed, maybe not, but i have been away for a while.

i wish i could say i've been out living my life, so caught up in happiness and joy and loving each day that i've just not had time for tumblr. but....that is not true. i have been having a tough time! being away has been good, as i've had time to do other things that i like and to put energy into my own well-being, but it hasn't been the best time, I'll tell you that.

i peeked on the dash every now and then to keep my queue full and reblogged soothing things to my main blog and tried my best not to feel guilty about it all (i was also booping on April 1 lol). i just...I really needed a break. i've really enjoyed being here the last six or so months as i've changed my blog and entered the pedro/tlou space but i've also felt so, so alone.

and i know that it doesn't really matter!! like, we should all take breaks and go outside and all that stuff. and I know plenty of people are not very active, but this blog has been such a vital part of my life and happiness since I started it almost two years ago, so any lapse in activity feels like a loss. I've met lifelong friends and flexed my writing muscles and learned a hell of a lot. the fact that I have started to feel isolated and alone on here is a sort of personal betrayal, and there is no one to blame but myself.

So, I’m pulling back.

it means a few things — i don’t know how much writing I’ll be doing from now on. For Joel, especially — it’s been wonderful to meet folks in that community but it has also been really detrimental to my passion for both the game and writing. I’d like to return to some other characters on my masterlist, but we’ll see. I’ve got endless personal projects away from tumblr that I want to pour love and time into (my non-reader fics, my newsletter, a romance novel, a sci-fi novel, poetry, etc). I need to fall in love with my own work again.

it's a me problem, I want to stress that. i'm working on it! irl stuff has been kicking my ass. I've had a really, really hard winter and my mental health has suffered probably more than ever before. i let things I love -- like this blog -- fester and become negative and no longer being me joy. writing became stressful and difficult and I was focused on notes and interaction and looking around me and seeing success and then looking at myself and only seeing lack.

but that's why I took a break! i am getting help and support irl, i am putting in the time and effort to feel better about being alive and to be a better friend and person all around. And I want to tell you all about it because I am so grateful for your time and attention and support, even if we’re just strangers on the internet. i know this probably seems silly -- who cares about a fanfic blog? well, i care! i care a lot! it matters to me and therefore it matters!

anyway. on to the important stuff. here I am! and here's what's going to happen on this blog:

I am working on replying to asks and reblogs and comments I missed. Thank you for being patient with me! I don't know if I'll get to them all but know I see them and I am honored every single time.

I made a totally separate ao3 account with this blog url. I'm working on uploading everything I've posted here onto there and hopefully will continue to crosspost. It is going to take a long, long time, so please be patient! (you can follow my other ao3 here for my non x-reader fanfic).

I posted this fic! Jackson!Joel pulled me back into his world. It’s the first thing I’ve written in ages, so let me know what you think. as of now it's the last planned fic for that series, but who knows!

I hit a milestone while i was away that I am absolutely blown away by. I'm planning a celebration around it sometime this spring (hopefully) and I’d love to see you participate :)

lastly, thank you so much to my friends for letting me complain, whine, winge, etc. I am so sorry for missing all of your work, your celebrations, your bright energies, and all the rest. i am so sorry if it seemed like i was ignoring you. you are my guiding lights, my silver linings, my touchstones. you make me want to be here. i will try to make it up to you!

I want to be online less but make sure I’m connecting more in the moments that i am here. I want to pressure myself to write less and not feel bad that I’m not engaged all the time. I want this blog to once again feel like a place that nourishes me and not sucks me dry. i want to stop feeling like shit about all of it!!!!

so. come hang out in my inbox, my dms, let me know what you've been up to. I am really sorry for missing so much. thank you for sticking around. <3

[peachdues]

Can I be pathetic on anon for a minute? “The Greatest War” might be- and I say this with my FULL chest, bearing in mind- the single greatest fic I’ve read in a decades worth of fanfiction experience. It’s is novel length and you’ve given it to us for free? I’ve never been so lucky to be born within the time frame of this masterpiece.

You honestly captured Giyuu’s personality perfectly, and the fact you did genuine research on Shintoism and the Miko traditions and tailored the information to fit the fic (no, work of ART) is ingenious.

I keep coming back and re-reading. It’s like a new strain of black tar heroin. Each word just sends me further and further into an addiction of your writing. I’ve DEVOURED all your work. You have such genuine talent.

Thank you, sincerely, for sharing your work with us.

Every so often I receive an ask that truly renders me speechless, and this is one of those asks.

I’ve had this in my inbox for a few days because I genuinely didn’t know how to respond. “Thank you,” doesn’t seem nearly enough. Quite honestly, this brought tears to my eyes.’

Fic writing is a hobby, but you, anon, are the reason writers like me keep going. TGW took a lot out of me — not only because it is based on a character is sort of tricky to write, but also because I really did try to put in as much effort into my research in an area I admittedly didn’t have a lot of knowledge/background in. It was a labor of love though, and I adore the story.

So that you read it and took note of all these things means the world to me. I can’t thank you enough. Thank you for taking the time not only to read it, but for taking the time to then share your thoughts with me. I will be printing this ask out and framing it on my wall.

For real. I’m so emotional over this rn. I’m so incredibly grateful.

[starbeltconstellation]

HEYYYYY!!!

i hope you’re well ❤️! i just wanted to come on here for a second to express how grateful im currently feeling for your story. i found it on ao3 a couple of days ago (wish i would’ve found it earlier but now i got a nice chunk of chapters to read through and hyper fixate over 😄😄) and i have been obsessed ever since. genuinely, you’ve made my august with this story.

this story feels so special to me. i’m so excited and giddy everytime i open the website back up to continue reading it (mannn i never wanna finish it) and it’s like the best part of my day.

i just wanna say that you’re a mf-ing genius. a. genius.

everytime something happens in the story i genuinely GASP. LIKE OH MY GOSH. im going insane over this fic. (the theories are bubbling inside of my brain about melanie and what’s gonna happen later on, i also love reading about people’s theories too man its so nice to see how invested everybody is cuz girl I AM.)

this story, man, it’s GREAT. it’s not only very well written, which im sure everybody appreciates as the flow is so nice, but it is also exciting, intense and beautiful. every single character had been on point, mischaracterising isn’t in your vocabulary. it’s like you know these lot personally. but anyway, it is a pleasure to read, like i said, VERY exciting and entertaining. i love our girl mel so much, she is so relatable and honestly just so real 😭 her reactions to most things are so valid like, girl same! she’s amazing, i don’t think i’ve ever encountered an OC as interesting and cool and well written as her. her whole storyline is just insane, bless her having all of this pressure and stress on her too lol 😭😭😭 but what can she do ahah, i mean?! the scene with the shopkeeper telling her to go back to her world had me absolutely stunned i was SHAKING. but i do think she made the right choice, she’s so strong.

like despite the fact that she knows all the hell she will have to endure there, she DID chose to stay, which is such a sacrifice. man i just wanna hug her and say thanks (i am not in the star wars universe but …)

everybody else too though, like ahsoka, obi-wan, anakin, the clones, mace, etc.. are also really cool to see the OC interact with, this is such a comfort fic for me, genuinely. it feels like i know them personally through this fr 🥲🥲🥲

i love reading the other’s comments on your story, it’s so nice to see this community form😭 like i’ve found my people LOL

thank you for feeding our star wars and anakin obsessions with your lovely story, i can’t get enough of it i swear im making a playlist for melanie as we speak.

anyhoo, just wanted to let you know how much i love this story and how much i appreciate you putting effort into creating something we can all take comfort in <3 i hope to stay and interact a lot more as i go on about reading the story!

Ahhhhh, oh my goshhh. Thank you so, SOOOO much, my dear little commenter. Haha. 🥺🥹❤️ This message was a big surprise when I first received it (which was a while ago, I know. 😭😅 I’m really sorry for the delay in response. Life gets the best of me at times. I’m trying to catch up on my asks), because at that time, I was still stuck struggling on the final bit of my huge whopper of a chapter that is now FINALLY out. ✊😖 Haha. And I just want you to know that your comment was SO helpful and motivating to me. Like… I’m not even joking. 😭 Your comment and a handful of other loyal readers (like my dear @ensomniaa ! 😌😆❤️) are probably the main reason I was able to trudge through my writer’s block and depression to get out the next chapter. So, just… thank you. 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for taking the time out of your day to write out such a long and in depth comment with such gushing words about my work and about how I’ve been writing the Melakin romance dynamic. It makes me feel like my writing isn’t half bad. Haha.

I always like to take my time responding to comments, because I feel I should always take the time and care to write out a detailed response that isn’t just copy pasted. You all take the time out of your day to comment to me, so it’s only fair I do the same! 🥺💕💕💕 So… my point is… I’m SO sorry this response took so long. 😭 I hope the wait time won’t have discouraged you from messaging again in the future. They truly do bring me such a big smile. And while I might not get to asks or comments immediately—ALL of my reader ducklings WILL eventually see a response. 😭💕❤️ I have made that my life’s goal. Lol.

Now, onto the ask! 😁✨💕 I’ll put the rest under a read more.

I’m soooo happy to hear that you’re so obsessed with my story and that it made your August! 😁✨❤️ Haha, it’s always exciting when I see someone new has stumbled over my fic. And I feel you with that hyper fixation. 😭✊ I’m BEGGING for my brain to give the SW hyper fixation back to me so I can churn out chapters at the speed of sound like when I did first starting this massive project. Lol. 🫠 So far… it’s still not working. But don’t worry! I shall NEVER abandon this story. I swearrrr, this thing will be my magnum opus. 😭✊Loool.

The fact my writing makes you giddy??? 😭 The fact it makes you theorize (which I ADORE when my readers do and ramble in the comments so I can muah-ha-ha to them. 😈😈💕😂) and gasp out loud?? 😭😭 The fact that you ENJOY reading through the different comments and seeing other readers’s theories and reactions?? 😭🥹💕❤️❤️❤️ You are what us writers call a rare GEM, dear reader. 🥺🥹❤️ To not only LEAVE a comment, but also just how you seem to genuinely enjoy commenting/reading other commenters’s thoughts because it feels like a fan community?? (And how SWEET to say I’m a big enough writer to have a little community. 🫠 I’m cryingggg. 😭❤️❤️) The fact you think I’m… a genius?? 🫣🥺😭❤️❤️❤️ (Idk about that, but I’ll put aside my anxiety issues. 😌 It is a lying liar who liessss).

Thank you. Thank you from the very BOTTOM of my heart. Idk what else I can say besides that, because rare reader gems like you keep us starving writers chugging along. 😭✊❤️

I’m SOOO glad you feel like everyone is in character. 😭❤️❤️ I worried about that a LOT. Especially for Anakin and the clones. There’s just a certain way about them that you have to get right, or they become 2-dimensional if you don’t write their little quirks and ticks. And I LOVE getting to explore the clones’s and Mel’s sibling-like relationship. 😭 I based most of their personalities on how they act around Mel off my annoying brother (affectionate 😌💕😂). I’m also so happy you feel the Jedi are also in character as well, and that it feels like a comfort to read them, like you’re learning about them along with Mel. 🥺💕 That was actually a lot of the idea with this fic (besides me living vicariously through Mel to romance Anakin, of course 👀😂❤️) over how I would slowly write scenes to SHOW the audience the misconception about the Jedi/their culture/certain characters. I didn’t want to PREACH to them. I wanted to present them with the evidence that maybe the Jedi aren’t “repressive” and “emotionless 🙄🤢” as they might’ve been led to believe by a big chunk of the fandom’s harsh perception. It would be like it was happening in time with Anakin as his thoughts change into something better and less self centered.

And I HAVE actually received a comment on Wattpad from a reader that my fic helped change their minds about Mace and the Council! 🥰🥰❤️ And it was just… such a joy to hear. 😭❤️ That’s the idea with this fic. I hope to reach across the aisle towards EVERYONE—maybe anti Jedi fans will read my work and have their minds changed about their culture. Maybe someone who despises Anakin to the bone will read my fic on a whim and slowly grow to care about him/see the humanity underneath the surface, just like Mel has. And maybe by the END of this fic… I’ll have convinced some people that the Jedi are not at fault for their own genocide by “failing” Anakin—because the truth is that it was HIS choice. Maybe by the end of this fic, there’ll be fans who’ll read the work and grow to see that you can love a character while still criticizing them/knowing they’re in the wrong (ie; Anakin 😔💔), while ALSO still acknowledging that he went through such horrible trauma as a kid while a slave on Tatooine… but it still DOESN’T absolve him or give him the right to hurt others just because he’s hurting himself.

That’s what this fic is all about, after all. GENUINE growth and change. Not placating a man by changing a few moments that he won’t have to go through in the timeline that will suddenly make him all “warm and fuzzy inside” and see the light. TRUE redemption and change means that Anakin will have to grow and ADMIT he was wrong while not becoming defensive when his actions (*cough* the Tuskens *cough*) are brought to light. Essentially, I’m trying to “Zuko-ify” him. (Loool, I know. Pretty high hopes for myself there. 😭😂❤️)

I’m also soooo happy you love and relate to Melanie so much. 🥹❤️❤️ Almost all readers have told me similar things, and it’s so wonderful to know that I’ve made a character that has been accepted by a small portion of the “SW/Anakin fandom”. 😆😁💕❤️ Mel came about when I was one day reading over an isekai story and just… not being able to fully immerse myself, because the OC’s reactions just didn’t seem realistic to me. 😭 And so I remember sitting down and imagining how I would react in such a situation (immediate freak out/think I was dreaming/would run in terror from Anakin’s hot ass at every opportunity 😌❤️‍🔥😂), and then that’s how Melanie Bains came into being! Haha. ❤️😁

So, while Mel IS somewhat of a stand-in for the audience (it IS an isekai fic after all 😭🤷‍♀️), it was still very important to me to make her three dimensional and—while yes, very relatable—also make sure she became her own character who could grow into herself. So a hero’s journey was important, along with giving Mel an antagonist (The Shopkeeper) separate from Anakin’s antagonist (Palpatine), because it was SOOOO important to have Mel have her own character arc/story AWAY from Anakin. It was important that Anakin wasn’t ALL she was about. Mel has friends (Ahsoka/the clones), she has her own plan she’s dealing with to try and save the galaxy while barely giving Anakin a second thought besides terror at first, and most importantly—Melanie is NOT begging Anakin to change. That was soooo important to me. She doesn’t have TIME to beg him to change. There’s too much at stake already, and if Anakin changed FOR Mel, it’s not even true change in the first place. Instead, as you’ve probably guessed from my latest chapter, Mel is INSPIRING him to change himself, because of the qualities about her he is coming to admire which in turn makes him take a look at his own selfish actions. This is always where I think “bad boy/I can fix him” writers get things lost in translation. It’s not true redemption if they change FOR the girl, because—as the Marvel movie Shang-Chi has recently shown us 🥶—if the girl ever dies… then the “bad boy/villain” goes right back to being evil. 😭🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️ What REAL redemption would be is meeting someone you grow to love who INSPIRES you to become a better version of yourself—not FOR them—but because you want to become someone like them. You want to stand by their side in the light and feel proud.

Anyway, I feel like I’ve ranted a lot. 😭😂❤️ But I just wanted to thank you soooo much again for your beautiful words that were so kind and truly brought a ray of light to my dreary days! 😭😭❤️❤️❤️ I only hope my long response time doesn’t discourage you from writing me messages in the future. 😅😓😭🫠 I’m so sorry again for the long wait.

But I have ADORED rereading your comment these past few days while I’ve been writing out my response. It’s so thoughtful and long and in depth and I lovveeee itttt. 😭❤️❤️❤️ THIS is what feeds our writer brains. Haha.

A playlist sounds awesome! 💕💕💕💕💕 I already made one for Anakin and Mel and the Melakin romance, as you can see from my last response. But I would still ADORE getting to know songs that you think fit with my fic and Mel and Anakin’s journey! 😭❤️❤️ If you ever do make it, please hit me up and send a linkkk! 👀👀🙏

Thank you so much again for letting me know my writing brought you such comfort. 😭💕 I hope you’ll stay and interact more as well! 😭❤️ I always love hearing theories or getting a comment to see a reader is rereading or that two readers are discussing something about my fic together. Haha. 😄✨❤️

And so, I suppose I’ll leave it here! I ADORE you and love you so much, dear reader. I am picking you up and hugging you like a stuffed animal. (Glomp!) 🤗🫂

I hope to hear from you again soon! 🥺💕 I’m so sorry again for the wait. 😭

And now… off to reply to four more asks. Lol. ✊

Gotta blast! 🏃‍♀️💨✍️👩‍💻

-

To any readers that stumble across this and are curious enough to check out my fic:

-

Tags:

@ensomniaa

@heartfairy

@fangirlteallie

@lemons-2-limes

@shoniwake

@silverwoodj

@lexskiss

@selenaftmarvel

[joeliz99]

Getting the Falcon Role- Danny Ramirez

Description: Danny gets exciting news regarding his career and the first person he delivers it is his wife.

Warnings: None, Pure fluff

—————————————————————

“I made you some breakfast so you can take it with you. Try to eat something before the audition,” I say, standing in the doorway of the bathroom, watching Danny focus on his reflection in the mirror.

A few seconds pass in silence. His brow is furrowed in concentration as he struggles to get his hair just right. I step closer, reaching out to smooth the back of his head, and press a light kiss where his neck meets his shoulder.

“You’re going to do great… Don’t stress about it. They’ve worked with you before, and they know how talented you are,” I reassure him softly.

“Yeah, I know,” he replies, his voice coming out almost too cockily, with a hint of bravado that doesn’t quite mask his underlying anxiety.

I catch his eye in the mirror, giving him a teasing look. It only takes a moment for him to notice and turn to face me.

“I’m sorry. I’m so nervous I could shit my pants right now. I don’t even know what I’m doing with this,” he says, gesturing vaguely to his hair. I raise an eyebrow—he looks perfectly fine to me.

“Alright, sit down. I’ll handle it for you,” I offer.

He sits obediently, allowing me to stand between his legs to get a better angle on his damp hair.

“Just don’t use too much product, okay? I want it to look natural,” he murmurs.

“I’ve got it,” I assure him. A couple of minutes pass in silence before he speaks again.

“Babe, I don’t want it to look too neat. Don’t overdo it,” he insists, his nerves peeking through.

“I’m not overdoing it. Just relax,” I reply calmly.

Another couple of minutes pass before he interrupts again.

“Can I see? I just want to—”

“Danny! Can you please let me finish?” I interject, laughing. “I’m literally two curls away from being done. Chill! I’ve done this a thousand times.”

That’s enough to silence him, though I can tell it takes some effort. When I finally step back and let him see the finished result, he breaks into a reluctant smile, realizing he has no complaints.

Ten minutes later, he’s ready to leave, having spritzed on some cologne and put on his wedding ring along with the two chains he always wears.

He doesn't want to eat, but he won’t refuse the breakfast I made, even if I know he won’t touch it until after the audition.

Before he leaves, we say a quick prayer—something he’s grown accustomed to over the six years we’ve been together.

I pull him into a tight hug, wishing him all the luck in the world, then rise on my tiptoes to give him a few light kisses. He thanks me, still holding me close, and before stepping back, he gives me one more kiss, deeper and more lingering.

“I’ll let you know how it goes. I love you,” he says, his voice filled with sincerity.

“I love you, too,” I respond with a smile as I walk him to the door, watching him until he disappears into the elevator.

Hours later, we speak on the phone. His voice is noticeably more relaxed and cheerful than it was this morning.

“I think I’ve got a good chance. They had a lot of positive things to say, you know? And Sam told me the role is pretty much mine. But I don’t know… I don’t want to get my hopes up. Or maybe just a little,” he says, grinning at me through the phone camera. I can’t help but smile back.

“I mean, if Sam said it, why wouldn’t we believe him, right?” I reply encouragingly.

“But we could just be delulu right now. Sam loves me. That’s definitely something he’d say,” Danny laughs.

“Who cares? Let’s be delulu, then. Nobody can play that role better than you.”

_________________

Time passes by and Danny keeps working harder every single day. New projects keep coming his way, and he is profoundly grateful for every opportunity. After so many years of navigating an industry with limited roles for Latinx actors, this is a major breakthrough.

Nearly four months after the audition, he finally receives the news he had been waiting for during a meeting with the production team and his agent.

As soon as Danny steps out of the building, a surge of adrenaline pushes him forward. He sprints down the bulding, his heart pounding in sync with his racing thoughts. He hardly notices the people he weaves through, the city blurring around him as he focuses solely on getting home. When he reaches our front door, he bursts through with such force that the door almost bangs against the wall. His bag slips from his shoulder and thuds to the floor, forgotten in his excitement.

“(Y/N)! Baby, where are you?!” he calls out, his voice carrying a mix of exhilaration and urgency.

I don’t hear him at first. I’m in the studio, headphones on, fully immersed in the process of layering tracks, the bass reverberating through me. It’s only when I catch a faint sound through the music—a distant, frantic shout—that I pause, lifting one earphone.

He bursts into the office/studio, his face flushed, eyes bright with an intensity I haven’t seen in a while. I swivel around in my chair, startled by his sudden entrance.

“What’s up? Are you okay?” I ask, concern flickering in my eyes as I take in his breathless state. Before I can react, he scoops me up from my chair, lifting me off the ground with an unexpected burst of strength. I gasp, caught off guard, my hands instinctively clutching his shoulders.

“I got the part! They just told me! I’m going to be the Falcon, (Y/N)!” he exclaims, his voice a mix of disbelief and euphoria, the words tumbling out in a rush.

“Wait, what?” I blink, trying to process what he’s just said. My eyes widen as his words sink in. “You got it?! Shut up!”

“I got it, baby!” he shouts again, his joy utterly infectious. A laugh bursts out of me—a mixture of relief, pride, and sheer happiness—as I wrap my legs around his waist. I pull his face down to mine, capturing his lips in a quick, jubilant kiss.

“I knew it! I told you you’d get it!” I whisper breathlessly against his lips, my fingers running through his hair. “There’s no one better for the role than you. You have no idea how proud I am of you.”

He grins so wide it lights up his entire face, his eyes glistening with emotion. He presses his forehead against mine, letting out a shaky breath before leaving a tender kiss on the tip of my nose.

“I still can’t believe it,” he says, his voice softer now, as if speaking any louder would shatter the moment. “This is such a big deal. I have to call Mom, Glen, Paola...” He starts listing names, his excitement bubbling over.

“Do you want to make a list?” I tease, a laugh escaping me as I watch him roll his eyes playfully, still wearing that incredible smile. “Call them. They’ll be over the moon.”

“Yeah, I’m going to do that. I can’t wait to see Glenn’s reaction.” He chuckles, heading towards the door but stops mid-step, spinning around again.

“Oh, and Sam wants to celebrate tonight with some of the team. Maybe go out for drinks or dinner. You’ll come, right?”

“Absolutely,” I reply, my smile mirroring his. “I should be done with work in a couple of hours, and then I’m all yours.”

“Okay.” He smiles again and as he reaches the door; his body turns around and walks back to where I still stand, wrapping his arms around me one more time. His voice softens, “Thank you for being my rock through all of this. I really appreciate all your support.”

I hug him tightly, feeling the warmth of his words. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Te amo (I love you)."

“Yo también te amo (I love you too),” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion.

He finally leaves to go tell the others, and I watch him go with my heart still full of excitement for what this meant for him.

[asukiess]

Fanfiction Year in Review 2023

happy new year. I’ve never filled something like this out… but  as I published more fics last year than I did in 2022, and I have as many WIPs in the works right now, it seems like a good idea so I can reflect next year 😌

(thank you to kasienda and bbutterflies for tagging me in their posts!)

1 List of fics completed this year in the order they were finished:

sunblind - Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi

hearth – adrinette, adrien & emilie

switching shenanigans - Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Félix Fathom

the clouds above (opened up) – emonette & emodrien

backwards walk – ladywalker bed sharing!!!!!!!!!

back to you (just one last time) – ladywalker bed sharing (spicy) !!!!!!!!!!!!!

a rose by any other name – loveydrien <3

2 Number of words written: 

Published: 47,661

Unpublished: 67,068

Knowing I’ve written over 100k words in a year is pretty cool! Especially since I only wrote 20k the year before that. I wrote all the wip titles down in a spreadsheet at least.

3 Your most popular fic:

I think the clouds above. I definitely did not expect that kind of reception when I first published it! I’m really thankful people still checked it out after the Paris special aired, too. It was one of the more fun fics I wrote, and I feel I actually don’t talk about how much of an Adrinette girlie I am. Even pre-reveal Adrinette is incredibly meaningful to me! I wrote this fic in a few hours and I was buzzing with excitement.  I have another Paris special idea, but it’s… very much an AU I feel. Like it would be somewhere between the clouds above characterization and more canon compliant. So I am not sure if it’s something worth pursuing.

4 Your personal fav:

BACKWARDS WALK SWEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually didn’t know if I’d ever write Ladywalker again after TBSYM? I had small ideas but something switched in me honestly after allowing myself to like… write them in a trope. I’ve reread this fic so many times and it still gets me at all the emotional beats, and I feel the prose is strong in this one. Sometimes I can get a little wordy…! Anyway. this is when I felt I could write them again, and write more.

5 Your fav scene:

Published: I think the last scene of a rose by any other name.

Unpublished: I think this takes the cake

6 A fic or scene that challenged you:

Honestly, almost all of hearth. I took like, a six month break from writing it. Came back to it because it kept itself burrowed in my mind, but I redid the beginning like, three times? And I feel the ending is not as strong as I want it to be. I don’t think I’ve actually ever reread it, either. I won’t say I dislike it, but I think it was one of the harder writing projects of the year for many reasons.

The good: the Adrinette is exactly my comfort flavor. I’m proud of the statue scenes.

The bad: the pacing, the plot is a little loose, the prose can be a little ‘can’t see the trees through the forest’ for me, the ending….

The comments on it, however, have been some of the most meaningful things to me, and I am endlessly grateful!!! I almost feel like this was such a tumultuous work for me, that every thoughtful comment that called it poetic, that they wanted to savor it, meant a lot to me.

7 A line of writing you’re proud of: 

I could not pick just one. I got lost in my WIPs for like half an hour.

8 A comment that touched you: 

how do I choose?

All the comments on hearth, as I said. I can’t put into words how I feel about this fic, but I see the reflection of the effort and love when I read hearth’s comments. I could not pick a single favorite out of all of those…!

sunny who has graced not just me, but a wide swath of creators and artists with their thoughtful, engaging comments. I could not for the life of me choose just one, but maaaaybe:

Everyone who left tags in reblogs like “NEW ASUKIESS FIC?” or when whiskers complimented my ladywalker.

When piso said the following:

And huey’s comment that just. It connected with me SO MUCH because they GOT IT. sometimes you just get a comment and all you can do is a funny little victorious dance and shake their hand because yeah. Yeah.

All of kasienda’s comments. Literally starstruck is all I can say hehe.

Oh and ALSO when rosekasa said this.

10 Your proudest accomplishment (that one scene; finally finishing that one fic; posting your first fic; etc):

honestly just creating through a lot of life bullshit lmao

11 Do you have any writing goals for the next year?

I really don’t know! Knee-jerk:

Publish as many fics while keeping them solidly confident. Things I’m proud of.

Write a fic in the shape/form that I absolutely adore: non-linear, short chapters. These are vibe-excellent fics. Need to write one like this.

Balancing angst with fluff.

That’s about it really! <3

12 Anyone you would like to thank?

All of the littlebugs for sharing all their behind the scenes of creating; for offering support; for always been a positive support system; for always sharing in celebrating others wins and comforting when things are bad. I’ve actually never been apart of a creating community like this, and it was not only eye-opening at several points, it was quite a turning point for me, creatively speaking.

piso and blu for creating Loveybug and sharing her; for being just as brainrotted about Catwalker; for always being such wonderful people; for pretty much…everything?

sunny for yknow. all the things I’ve told you in the past six months! <3

mostmagical, bbutterflies, neurovascularentrapta, for being SO supportive and going wild with me over ideas and being SO SWEET!!! I appreciate you all enormously.

Literally everyone who has sent me a comment, on ao3 or in my inbox, or even just shared my work for others.

[ventiij]

getting back w fang

excuse my typos but i don’t really give one or two

.

ok just imagine: it hasn’t been long since you giys vroke up, okay?? like about a week or so. and your friends convince you to go to a party you KNOW he’ll be at. but you can just ignore him, right? RIGHT??? NO! 😊

because if any poor soul tries something funny around you wohoah 🤯

no but jokes apart. hear me out. let’s restart.

.

it hasn’t been long since you and fang broke up.

he just couldn’t sit with it. heck no. he wasn’t losing you over some petty argument over his jealousy, he can change, no biggie. (he can’t)

so of course he’ll try to see you in every single occasion he could. and today..

boy you looked stunning to say the least.

he could’ve sworn you weren’t this pretty before

and that fit? did you have it before?

bought it for the occasion perhaps?

maybe you were trying to get him to look at you just as he was with you.

eventually, you gather someone else’s attention too.

and of course, he can’t help but feel like his insides are boiling when he sees someone else get a little too comfortable with you, YOU! his pretty thing. not anyone else’s.

he just wants to pout and act sulky while you hold onto him and giggle as you used to.

so, when you put barely any effort to shake the person off, he’s pissed.

he should be the one to talk his way back to your heart.

that’s why he decides to approach you! 🤯🫨

he doesn’t exactly look friendly when he litterally shoves the other person off of you! but un yeah you’re pretty sure he hasn’t stopped caring after this.

you’re grateful he’s doing something. sure, annoyed at his presence, but..

HIS FACECARD NEVER DECLINES OH GOD😭😭😭

he loves you so much. and you do too…

.

it’s basically no surprise to anyone that after barely an apology you guys are making out in a corner again!

“you’ve got some damn explaining to do…” you say between kisses. it felt more like he was eating your face… but it was cute in a sort of way. he missed you, and you can tell.

“you too. who was that before?”

he answers, annoyed and breathless from the continuous kissing.

.

so likw you had a great time at the party 👍

i’m bored and my sleep paralysis demon is the only one who keeps me company bye 🙁

[wyattjohnston]

you're the king, baby i'm your queen - erik johnson

series: only all the time

note: hope you like fluff

word count: 1,392

The boys had been left behind at the Arena to celebrate in the locker room and the families had made their way back to the hotel where they made sure to start celebrating without them. The hotel party was no match for the free-flowing alcohol that was certainly turning the locker room into a swimming pool, but they were putting in a fair effort to match them.

When the boys did inevitably trickle in, all red-faced and wobbly, they were met with cheers and more alcohol. By the time Erik and Gabe arrived with the Cup Gwen was close to losing her voice.

She threw herself at him, having the wherewithal to keep her feet on the ground because she didn’t trust Erik to keep her up right in his state and she wasn’t in any position to balance them either.

Erik pressed his face right up against Gwen’s, forcefully tuning out the rest of the party.

“I’m gonna do it again,” he told her. “We are gonna do it again.”

“I know, baby,” Gwen said happily, kissing him so lightly it was more a breath against his mouth. “I’m so proud of you.”

In a moment of drunken solemnity, he said, “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“You absolutely could have,” she laughed, moving her thumbs under his eyes, “but I’m glad that I was here to see it.”

He was visibly exhausted, as was the rest of the team, and despite the alcohol running through his body he moved with a stiffness that came from playing through pain. The breakdown of all his injuries but his knee had been causing him enough grief that he’d brought it up during the week so she’d been focusing on it and, despite her own drinking, she was having trouble not focusing on the way he was favouring it.

So, she tracked him around the room as he greeted every single person who hadn’t yet disappeared to their beds, drunkenly thanking them for their support and, in the case of parents, for raising their boys to be the hockey players they’d become. It was as heart-warming as it was amusing.

“What are the chances that Erik goes to sleep at all tonight?” she asked Mel and Sawyer, Bo’s girlfriend, who both looked like they were ready to call it a night themselves.

“If any of them get any sleep it’ll be a miracle,” Mel said, only to fondly roll her eyes when Gabe shouted her name across the hotel’s conference centre and wildly gestured for her to join him.

“Why do you call him Erik?” Sawyer asked. “Everyone else calls him EJ.”

“Yeah,” Gwen said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “that’s exactly why I call him Erik.”

Sawyer commented on it being so cute and so romantic and maybe I should call Bo ‘Bowen’—and Gwen didn’t want to be rude, but she was grateful when Sawyer disappeared shortly after to find Bo.

The reminders that she was getting older were becoming more and more frequent with the ages of the team seemingly drifting downwards—she wasn’t quite ready for her mid-life crisis to occur at thirty-three before she was even married and certainly not before she’d had any kids.

Mel returned to her side, though, and they stood in the corner looking very much like they were the women behind the Cup run. It had been a startling realisation for Gwen, who hadn’t spent all that much time around hockey given how long she and Erik hadn’t been together—in fact, they weren’t even at a point where their time in a relationship had exceeded the time they were broken up. All the ‘Better Halves’, as the social media crew called them, were treated with respect but there was something about Mel and Gwen that was venerable.

“Queen Melanie Landeskog looking over her subjects,” Gwen said, a long standing joke between them.

“Her Royal Highness, Gwendoline King, always right by her side,” Mel said back, swaying into Gwen playfully.

“Of course I’m by your side, I wouldn’t be here at all if it weren’t for you. Twice.”

“I’m glad I get to do this with you,” Mel said. “It feels silly because the boys are the ones who did it, but I think it’d be pretty hollow celebrating it if you weren’t here.”

Gwen pulled Mel into a hug, both of them swaying off balance at the suddenness of it. There was something to be said about platonic soulmates and they were each certain they’d found theirs.

Across the room, Erik drifted away from the Cup to let Newy have another turn hugging it. Gwen made eye contact with him, her heart racing when his smile grew impossibly bigger at the sight of her.

He raced towards her, his hands on her cheeks and brought her mouth closer to his in a breathtaking kiss, she gripped the front of his shirt just to keep steady as her feet left the ground before she was ready.

He started speaking before she was even back on the ground, “I’ve borrowed this. The real one’s at home and it’s the first time I’ve left home without it but this feels right.”

“How drunk are you?” Gwen asked, patting his cheek.

“Very, but—” Erik sank down to one knee, Gwen was largely concerned about the aching he’d been complaining about, and it took the sudden silence around in the conference room to make her realise what Erik was doing. “—I’ve made you wait long enough. Gwendoline Eileen King, will you marry me?”

“Erik, are you serious?” she asked breathlessly, before realising what he’d said at first and asked, “Who’s ring is that?”

“Mel’s. She’s going to want it back but I promise the ring I bought you is way better.”

Gwen stared down at Erik, at his stance, at Mel’s ring in his hand and shook her head in disbelief, “Jesus fucking Christ, Erik.”

“Can I get a yes? I can’t feel my legs.”

Gwen reached forward without hesitating to help Erik to his feet and cringed at the pained noises he made.

Erik, once standing, held the ring out to her again, pinched between his thumb and forefinger, and bowed his head to prompt her for an answer.

“Yes, Erik,” she scoffed because he surely knew the answer, “of course I’ll marry you.”

Erik slid the ring easily onto Gwen’s ring finger but she didn’t even look at it—it was symbolic, anyway—before she threw herself at Erik and trusted that he would catch her. He always caught her.

The room erupted, the complete silence shattered between one second and the next; Gwen didn’t open her eyes or break their kiss.

After being woken up only maybe two hours after going to sleep by Gabe at their door with the Cup, Gwen showered and changed with one eye open while they goofed around.

Though she had only worn Mel’s ring for a matter of minutes—Gwen wasn’t going to be the person who lost Mel’s engagement ring—her ring finger still felt like it was missing something. She walked out of the bathroom still looking at her finger, getting caught by Gabe who was trying to pass back through to the hallway.

Gwen laughed out loud when she saw that Erik had been left with the Cup in bed, naked only covered by the bed sheet.

She laid down in the empty space on the other side of the Cup, brushing her fingers over the names that were already on the cup and trying to imagine what it would feel like to brush over Erik Johnson.

Erik caught her hand, lifting it to his mouth to kiss the back of it, and asked, “Do you want to get married this summer? I’ve made you wait so long.”

“Erik, baby,” Gwen cooed. “I’ve known you and loved you for ten years; I would have married you in that first year if you’d asked and I will marry you if it’s the last thing I ever do. But I have waited all these years and I want my dream wedding.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“You’ve waited for me for so long that it’s my turn to wait for you, right? Everything from here on out is about you, Gwen.”

The ring Erik left at home (incl. wedding band)

[brokenmusicboxwolfe]

Funny how little things can completely change your reaction to something.

I got a Christmas card with some money in it. I was stunned. No one gives me presents.

You see. I had resigned myself to the fact that the only way I’d get gifts would be to wrap the stuff I got at the convention back in August. I hadn’t had time to look at it, so it would feel a little like a gift. It’s what I do for gift events. I fake it so don’t feel too unloved.

But now I had a REAL gift. Someone had sent this to me. I was giddy.

Until the panic set in. I didn’t have a gift for them. We are friendly enough for Christmas cards, but I had no idea it was proper friendship with the expectation of gifts. It was too late to make something, I can’t afford to buy things, and I gave some of my jelly already. What to do?

Then I bumped into them at the post office. I gushed my thanks, how much it meant to me. When it’s the only gift I’m getting this December I REALLY wanted to gush…

They said, well they had wanted to give a little to those in need at Christmas. They had prayed for guidance to decide who around here needed it the most. And then she thought of me and it was decided.

Oh.

They were so proud of themselves, grinning ear to ear, so generous and kind and glowing….and I was withering up inside.

Friends. I thought it was friendship, not charity. But I was just the most desperately pathetic person they could think of.

I felt awful. Ashamed. Alone. Achingly alone.

It’s funny. When people have given me money through my ko-fi it NEVER felt like this, even though they gave more than was in this card.

See, when I get money through ko-fi I feel like, in a way, I am giving them something too. The folks that give that way must have seen my Tumblr. Theoretically they like at least some of what I post, and what they have given allows me to keep posting. It’s almost transactional. I’m grateful for every single penny and wish I could repay them, but I don’t feel diminished.

I guess it’s like this, if a street musician is playing and you put money in their hat they feel both grateful for the money AND glad you liked their efforts. If someone is taking a nap on a bench and someone comes along shoving money in their hand because they look so desperate, well they are grateful but they might also suddenly realize people think they are a beggar.

I know how ratty and pathetic I look. I know how desperately poor I am. Still I’m not a beggar yet. Despite my need for money, what I want isn’t charity but friendship. Charity has superiority and saviors, but friendship has equality and shifting roles. I don’t want to be trapped as a “poor thing”, the victim, the taker….

You know, I spent forever today trying to give away cookies I baked. It was just like with my jelly. Even when I have things to offer, sweet things offered just so for once I get to share something, no one wants it.

So maybe I am not worth much. A charity case if the mood strikes, not even an after thought the rest of the time, with what I have to give of no interest to anyone. But…

Not yet a beggar.

I couldn’t refuse the gift. It would be hurtful, and I never want to be hurtful. I couldn’t say I didn’t need the money when I very obviously need every penny I find. I am too honest to lie.

So I smiled back, hiding how I felt.

I didn’t say, “ I’m glad it makes you feel good, because suddenly I feel like nothing. Trash on the side of the road level nothing. Certainly we are not friends. You could have kept your money if we could have been friends. Just the damn card had meant a lot, and you ruin it all by adding one bill and telling me how needy I am. Sympathy is fine but FFS I don’t want pity! Don’t you realize how much that hurts?”

I say “Thank you.”

They will never know I cry about it later.

[k-tarotz]

Feedback from our lovely costumers!

Thank you everyone who purchased from us, it was such a big pleasure to read for each and everyone of you! We are very grateful that we gained so many lovely costumers, despite that we didn't start this blog too long ago. We will continue to do paid readings with a lot of effort and love, this is only to show the feedbacks that we got so far, our journey is still long! We will be looking at this post ourselves often too, the feedback we got was lovely, each one. We are very grateful, thank you once again to all of you <3

p.s we won't be tagging anyone or saying the user/names out, to protect the privacy of our costumers!

Feedback: I had so much fun with the tarot reading you gave me! It was very detailed and makes me excited for what’s to come in the possible future! After reading it I’m excited for the other tarot reading that I purchased haha

I read the reading and it was really fun and relatable. I like that you include the cards you pulled and explained it. I know some tarot readers don’t include cards but tbh I like tarot readers that are transparent with the cards they pulled and explain it to their clients. The reading is very detailed, there are parts that I don’t expect you guys to include idols as examples but you did anyway. It was a very detailed and organized reading. When I first read it, I thought you guys are describing me instead of my s/o because the fashion style and some personalities are very me But as I read further, I noticed that there are things that stand out and definitely is not from my energy. Overall, I love the reading a lot!

i want to start off by saying that the cards and your intuition absolutely nailed everything, and i really do mean everything. i love how the reading started off with my view of him and every single thing mentioned was so accurate!! jake really is someone who is kind and lovely in my eyes. i also truly do adore and dote on him and admittedly do want to be close to him if that could ever be possible. and no lie, i do pay attention to him the most. while i do love enhypen as a whole, he’s the one who takes up most of my heart. i really can’t thank the both of you enough. the reading from beginning to end paints such a gorgeous picture of my possible dynamic with him. it felt like a personalized fairytale, which i adore 🥰 thank you as well for including a list of cards that were pulled for the reading. getting emotional all over again that the lovers appeared for us.

Wow. Your reading was AMAZING. I felt warm inside and I can't help smiling. It resonated so well. Everything you said was so fitting and I greatly appreciate it. I can not even begin to put into words how much I really love this reading ❤️ So good. I actually started tearing up on the views and passions on life. Very beautiful reading. I'm forever grateful 🙏 Wow. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your readings. They have been so lovely. This definitely won't be the last 💖 I feel like your readings always really resonate with me and I always feel a warmth when I read them. And your always very kind with your readings

Hey, I got my reading! It was very nice and resonated a lot. A lot of what you said is something I've been hearing on tarot videos over the past few months. I like his personality, he seems to be quite calming. And you described me so perfectly with the "how they view you" part!! I'm loving it <3. Thank you so much!! Really. I have been very heartbroken before and I am still kind of hopeless about love. But I have faith. I've been watching a few FS readings and it helped me affirm my faith. The reading you did really confirmed my own intuition and the things I've been hearing over general tarot videos. It helps so much <3. My heart feels easier now!

Thank you all once again. It's really so fun and nice to read and communicate with you, it's been a pleasure for us, we hope we can continue making readings for you in the future and for others as well! <3

- Hun & Candy

[mattspoetdepartment]

Hopefully he gets back on one day but realizes that fans aren’t friends. He seems like he feels indebted to anyone who supports him. Like he makes such an effort to remember names and information about people he meets. The way he gave Nemo and Ky their flowers at his concert. The way he also mentions various friends in his interview. How he also gives credit to his mom for putting him onto hip hop in every single interview. I really admire that about him. I just hope he realizes that you can be grateful for support but not let people step on you just because they’ve supported you. And not everyone supports you for good reason. Because I’m sorry the nasty things those girls have said, you can tell they just enjoyed getting attention from a celebrity but didn’t actually treat him like a person with feelings. So may he get back on and refresh his followings and actually have a good time on Twitter. Because I can also tell he misses interacting with fans like he used to.

There is legit so many good things about Jack…

The love he has for his hometown and the love he has for his friends and family has been something I love so much about him. And the way he provides for his people and everything is just so endearing.

He always makes sure everyone is good and makes sure everyone on his team is taken care of.

I know the things I said are corny but they are true…watching these interviews like the one from Zane Lowe was just very telling to who he really is and you can just tell he cares so much about the people around him and care about his fans a lot.

I can’t stand the hate he gets because he definitely does not deserve it whatsoever

[imma-dragon]

Sage X Luca

Word count: 1.7k

A man with a navy blue suit walked into a high-scale restaurant, confidently walking up to the hostess stand. His light, blonde   nodding to the waitress behind the podium. “Reservation for two- the name’s Schafer.” He was led to a back table, quite private in comparison to the other tables in the venue. He sat down and looked around, waiting for his significant other to show up. It was nowhere near their first date; quite the opposite, actually. They’d been going out for almost three years now, and his partner consistently managed to impress him.

 Years of dates and meet-ups, and they’ve been late to almost every single event. Without fail. He’s taken to telling his partner the time of an event 30 minutes early, in the hopes that they might be on time. They caught onto that, unfortunately. Apparently their own family tried the same thing. 

Checking his watch, he sighed and rubbed the stubble on his jawline. He was worried the bouquet he’d brought would lose the zeal before his partner even arrived. He brushed his fingers through his blonde curls, loose spirals that fell down to his shoulders. His deep green eyes scanned the venue; still no sign of his partner. He checked his watch again. Ten minutes. He smoothed out his suit, a nervous habit of his. 

Rapid footsteps caught his attention, bringing his gaze up to a slightly out of breath person. A lopsided smile crossed his face at the sight of his partner. “Sage!” He stood up to greet his partner, kissing them and sinking into a hug with them. His hugs weren’t describable with words. Sage’s hugs were like a warm blanket just out of the dryer, or the first sip of a hot drink on a winter's day. They smelled of eucalyptus; their favourite smell. 

“Hey, Luca�� sorry I’m late, I had to iron this because apparently it’s unacceptable to go out with wrinkles in your clothes-” 

They scoffed, shaking their head and sitting down. Luca chuckled, giving them a knowing look. 

“You talked to your mother before the date, didn’t you?”

Sage had a guilty look on their face, and they fiddled with the sleeve of their jacket, sniffling a little. It was a small action, one that was barely noticeable. 

“...No…” 

Luca just shook his head, reaching across the table to lace his hand in Sage’s.

“Hey, I think it’s sweet you talk to your mother every day. She has sound advice, you know.” 

Sagejust rolled their eyes, leaning back in their chair. They sniffled again. It was a bit more pronounced this time, and caught Luca’s attention. He cocked an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. 

“She just worries too much.” 

Sage says, though there’s a loving tone to their words. Luca gasped suddenly, startling Sage in the process. 

“Oh!!! I almost forgot!” He bent down in his seat, reaching for the bouquet. Sage placed a hand over their heart, exhaling sharply. “Jesus, Luca –” He smiled apologetically, and revealed the bouquet. 

“Sorry… Here, these are for you. Sage for my Sage.” The purple flowers were tied with a sage green ribbon; just the attention to detail that made Sage fall for Luca in the first place. Luca had a proud grin on his face whilst Sage took it, examining it with a lovesick grin. “Oh, Luca– I love it…you-you shouldn’t have…” 

In their mind, alarms were going off. 

‘Oh no. This isn’t good... He put so much effort into this. If he finds out I’m allergic, he’ll be crushed–’

“Sage? You there?” Luca chuckled, looking quite proud of himself.

 “Get it? Sage….for MY Sage?” 

Sage laughed, a little too loudly in their opinion, scratching the back of their neck. This earned them an odd look from Luca, but the conversation was cut short when the waitress came over, inquiring about entrees. Luca breezed through the conversation, letting Sage sit in silence. This dynamic was favourable for both of them. Luca was the chatty Cathy in the relationship, whilst Sage tended to let actions speak louder than words. 

But there was another reason Sage was so grateful for Luca’s commandeering of the conversation. A vicious tickle blossomed in their nose, and it was all they could manage to not sneeze all over everything in the general vicinity. They leaned their elbow on the table, their hand covering the lower half of their face. 

As soon as the waitress walked away, Sage grabbed the cloth napkin in front of them, messily stifling into it, surprising Luca. 

“HH’KssH! H’etSSH!” 

Sage blew their nose, ducking their head in embarrassment. 

“Sorry… I didn’t mean to…” 

“Bless you… you alright?” 

Luca asked, clearly concerned. It was subtle, but the signs of fatigue were there. The slow, tired blinks, the slight sag in their shoulders. Something was wrong, Luca could tell. But what? 

Sage nodded, setting down the napkin with a sniffle. Their nose had a hue similar to that of a dahlia. 

“Yeah…sorry. Just a random sneeze, that’s all. Anyway-” They sighed, desperate to change the subject. “How’s the shop?” 

Luca brightened up at the subject, happily accepting the topic change. Luca was a man of many passions, but his flower shop was one of the biggest prides in his life. Luca could talk for hours on end about the shop and all the different types of plants he’s acquired over the years. 

And Sage would know, Luca has talked for hours. They once timed it. 

Sage could drown in those tropical green eyes, so full of vivacity and enthusiasm. They could lose themselves in the way he waved his hands around, demonstrating the approximate size and shape of the newest plant he got in. Sage melted as Luca’s lips turned upwards in a crooked smile whilst he described the feeling of bringing a dying plant back to life. Sage was so distracted by Luca’s infodump, that the next sneeze nearly caught them off guard. They turned in the middle of his sentence, hiding behind their hands. 

“H’utttshoo! E’kstshu! H’iitishh!”

Luca stopped in his tracks, watching his partner fall victim to this seemingly endless itch. Luca’s face contorted into one of concern. “Bless you. Are you sure you’re okay, Sage? Are you getting sick?” 

Luca reached across the table, placing the back of his hand on Sage’s forehead. Nothing. Sage pulled back, shaking their head. “Ndo.” 

They said, trying to hide the congestion that had crept into their voice. This caught Luca’s attention big-time. His frown stayed as he pulled his hand back, examining Sage again. Something was definitely wrong. 

“Sage…” Luca started, in a tone that said, ‘if you lie, I’ll know’, “Is something wrong?” Sage looked everywhere but Luca. “Ndo… ndothigd’s wrong, I’m totally- total-hhih…hh-fide!” During this time, Sage fished blindly for the cloth from earlier, grabbing it and quickly bringing it to their face. 

“K’etsshu! H’ktsshu! Aa’tshheww!” 

Luca couldn’t do anything else but watch. Three typically was their max, so Luca continued. 

“Sage, you’ve been sneezing all night-” 

Luca was cut off when Sage held up a finger.

‘No-hhihh-t done-! K’atttshu! Att’shu! God-” Sage looked exasperated more than anything. Sage noisily blew their nose, forgetting where they were for a moment until they got side-eyed by a couple of nearby patrons. 

Luca leaned in, whispering. 

“Sage- what is going on with you?” 

One guilty look towards the bouquet later, and Luca put two and two together. Mouth slightly agape, he leaned back, almost as if in shock. He looked from the bouquet to Sage, then back at the bouquet. He stood up, grabbing the bouquet and disappearing for a moment. Sage just sat there, feeling a little guilty whilst Luca got rid of the bouquet. 

Once he returned, he didn’t sit back down. Instead he motioned for Sage to get up, which they did, silently. Luca grabbed Sage’s hand, a small reminder that Luca didn’t, in fact, hate them. Once in the car, Sage couldn’t help the tears that welled up in their eyes. 

They cast their gaze towards the ground, sniffling a little. Luca glanced over and frowned. 

“Sage… my love, what’s wrong.”

They looked up, trying to unsuccessfully blink away the tears. 

“I’b sorry –  I ruined everythidg.” 

Luca looked crestfallen. He reached over, cupping Sage’s cheek. 

“Hey - Hey, look at me.” Sage met Luca’s gaze, and that was it. Any chance of keeping their composure went out the window. “You have nothing to apologise for. We’re going to get you home, and in a nice, hot bath. Alright?” 

Luca smiled softly while wiping some of their tears with his thumb. Sage burrowed their face in his hand, relishing the touch. They stayed like that for god knows how long, before Sage had to pull away again. 

“H’ettsh!” 

Sage groaned, closing their eyes and rubbing their temples. Luca snickered softly, starting the car. 

“Let’s get you home, okay?” 

Sage nodded, nearly falling asleep on the way home. Luca parked the car, gently nudging them when the couple got home. Sage made a small sound of displeasure, but got up anyway. They really wanted that bath. 

Luca ushered Sage into the bathroom, wasting no time in starting the bath. Soon enough, the water was steaming, leaving Sage a sniffly mess. Luca led Sage by the shoulders into the bath, smiling a little when Sage let out a moan of pleasure at the warmth. Sage just sat there, sniffling, while Luca gently massaged their muscles. When Luca pulled back, Sage whined. 

Luca just sighed softly, shaking his head whilst undressing. 

“Calm down, I’ll be there in a second.” 

And that he was, climbing in just a moment later. Sage leaned back against Luca’s chest, letting him massage their hair. Sage was almost completely relaxed against Luca, until-0 

“Hhih-Hkshu! K’tsssh! T’issshiu!” 

There were no tissues, so they just sneezed out into the open, the spray settling gently atop the water. 

“Mmm…Bless you, Sage. You wanna get to bed, love?” 

Sage nodded, but didn’t move. Luca chuckled, sliding out from behind Sage, helping them out of the tub and drying them off. The pair headed off to bed, Luca blessing Sage all the way to their bedroom.