#sometimes you gotta get back to your roots i guess

[laurelwinchester]

Olicity stans on twitter are still spreading shit about Katie Cassidy. Now they're saying Laurel was supposed to die at the end of season one to have Tommy become the Dark Archer but Katie "got her laywers involved" and had it changed and that Stephen wasn't being paid fairly during season one because she was making them pay her more. I can't with the delusion.

lol wow they sure think katie had a lot of inexplicable and completely random power over at the cw.

anyway yeah that's bullshit. like straight up fanfic level bullshit. easily refuted bullshit. delusional is exactly the right way to put it. kind of pathetic really.

i mean yes i will admit i'm laughing at the whole ''got her lawyers involved'' part because it's so stupid it's funny but let's be serious for a second here.

katie cassidy was treated like garbage for eight years straight. eight fucking years. it was constant. it was relentless. i don't know how she put up with that - and if i'm being honest i also…don't know why - but she did. if she could just wave a magic wand and ''get her lawyers involved'' and end up with whatever she wanted, wouldn't she have used that power to idk get people to stop treating her like shit?

come on now.

it's like they don't even try to sound believable.

for real though imagine being a toxic olicity stan in the year 2023. what kind of tinhat nonsense is that. i know cringe doesn't exist but.....that's pretty cringe.

[yorshie]

11 & 10 with Raph, a sort of confession\first kiss type of deal please! I need my boy to discover being loved.

-justalotoffanfic ❤️

Oooooooooooooo. First kiss. I think you might like reading this if you haven't yet, But Also Thank You for Requesting on Blurb Day! Let's have Pining Soft Raph to fight off those Mikey Brooms for a bit, eh? (edit: uh..... I guess this turned out more pining Reader and hopeless kiss. oops) also, sorry i forgot to do this with the other side blog requests but @justalotoffanfiction

Being with Raph wasn't always....a straight line. The curve of progress sometimes doubled back on itself, or stalled for a bit before resuming at a glacial place.

It was easy enough to understand, you thought, watching him move purposefully through his workout, racking weights and eyeing the amount before he slotted himself underneath on the inclined bench. There were things you'd probably never know about, but the few big ticket items you had heard of left several things completely clear.

The Turtles had been hunted, and could be so again in the future. They weren't human, and people sometimes reacted badly to that. And the last thing, probably the root of your problem with Raph, was that there would always be someone 'better' for you, in his mind.

Someone that didn't live in the sewers, that didn't have a shell and a different amount of fingers, someone that didn't tower over you or place themselves in danger over and over again.

He was stubborn, you thought with an exhale, watching him knock off a weight from each side and slot himself under the bar once more, the suicide set causing his muscles to twitch under the exertion.

You watched the tensed line of a vein curling over his tricep, the little hollow below his elbow dipping in and out of existence with each flex. Your eyes followed the strain of his deltoid where it disappeared under his plastron-

"Whatcha thinking about, sweetheart?" His gruff voice called, words bitten short from exertion, and you blinked, pulled from your line of perusal.

"What?" You asked back, shifting in your seat, playing innocent even as you drank in his figure again.

"There's something rattling around in that pretty head of yours," He paused, knocked off another pair of weights, and you followed the beads of sweat running down the back of his elbow without conscious thought. "Gotta be something you're not telling me, isn't it?"

Your mouth pulled to the side, not quite a frown, not quite a smirk, and you finally stood when he paused once more, chest heaving as he re-racked the bar and glanced your way.

You could be stubborn, you reminded yourself, but another little voice echoed the words, sounding a lot more sure of itself than the immediate bravado. You could also push too hard.

"I just..." You trailed off, but Raph ducked a shoulder and leaned forward, resting his shell against the bar. He lifted one eye ridge towards you, clearly waiting.

When you still couldn't get the words out, he gestured you over with a jerk of his head, repeated the motion with more sass when you took too long.

When you finally stood in front of him, eyes taking in how his plastron swelled with each breath, the obvious way his arms had all but doubled from the exercise, you swallowed heavily.

Raph snorted at your ogling, one large hand coming up to tuck against your waist. "I uh," He tapped his fingers, slowly, against the back of your hip, obviously thinking, " I don't.... I really don't wanna end up doing the wrong thing here, sweetheart, but-"

He broke off, staring at your face, and you couldn't care less who moved first, just that you did-

And you were both stubborn idiots, it seemed, because you both bobbed when one should have weaved, and the first time you missed completely, lips nudging along cheeks instead of finding each other.

Your fingers found his jaw halfway through his eye roll, and his hand cupped the back of your head through exasperation more so than any tender feeling, but the tiny well of ire at how stubborn he was disappeared the second his lips landed true.

They were wide, and soft, and you could tell he was trying so hard to keep it sweet. After the third tentative scrub you finally lost your patience and opened your mouth to lick against his lower lip, and he pulled back with a grunt and a look in his eyes that promised retribution.

You grinned at him, feeling drunk, and a little bit stubborn yourself.

[elliesflower]

what's love? [ellie williams]

pairing; ellie x gn!reader

cw; angst, ellie and reader in a situationship(kinda), post-golf incident (joel mentioned), slightly au (still set in jackson, ellie never went to seattle), ellie doesn't open up ab her feelings :(

an; hello! first off, rest easy to one of the greatest to ever do it, miss tina herself. while listening to her today i felt like this song was very ellie-coded tbh nd i haven't been great lately nd just wanted to throw something angsty together for my baby girl :( (i know the song's vibe doesn't necessarily match the story's vibe but i'm meaning more the lyrics). also this is more from ellie's pov so reader is gn and has absolutely no physical descriptors!!

no smut, but like all my content please 18+ only, mdni!!!

Three little words. 

One big problem. 

What is it?

“Is this the end?” 

No, not those ones. It was something else, painful, and always dancing at the tip of her tongue, making tiny beads of sweat prick at her palms and a ball of trepidation sink to the pit of her stomach. They were cursed words, seldom given thought, and never spoken aloud. The underlying topic of ninety percent of all songs ever written, and movies produced—it was cruel, really, how there was no escaping it. 

“This can’t be the end…” 

Vision blurred by the thoughts of a thousand demons, Ellie muttered back into the void. 

“It’s not,” and her voice was so quiet, it very well could have been the wind pestering the trees outside her window. 

“It’s not…?”

Oh. Right. 

Movie. 

Your legs shifted under the shared blanket, and Ellie’s eyes refocused onto your folded hands in your lap. 

“Is there a second movie, or something?” Your voice was trembling only slightly, the emotional turmoil of the last twenty minutes of the movie lacing your words. 

Ellie shook her head again, as if it would shake her brain right out. She couldn’t help but to feel bad, having practically abandoned the movie as she stewed in her own emotions. There were so many of them, fighting to get out, clawing her insides every time she looked at your face for too long.

“Sorry,” she could blame her watery eyes on the movie. Push aside her feelings. Again. “No, there’s no second one. I wish there was, though.”

Ellie wasn’t much like an open book. Or, I guess she was a very specific kind of book. That one you fell in love with based on the dust jacket description, with her complex words and inexplicit detail, but every time you’d pull it down to read, something stopped you. Life gets in the way. You’d tried and tried, oh god have you tried, to open her up; to wear her down, pressing on her spine and dog-earing her pages, keeping her infrequent tipsy confessions and three-am sleep deprived rants in the back of your mind like a filing cabinet. Pushing, but never pressuring. Ellie didn’t like pressure. 

“S’okay,” your voice was always soft with her. Couldn’t be loud, couldn’t scare her away, because Ellie Williams could fucking run. Away from her problems, as fast as her legs could carry her and as far as her heart would let her. Despite her alienation, the empty bed permanently rooted in the hardwood of Joel’s house kept her coming back. “Did y’wanna watch anything else? I’m kinda tired.” 

Even the softness of your voice couldn’t conceal your hurt, that she was shutting down. Closing you off. Keeping you at a distance. Her heart twinged, but she couldn’t look at you. She looked down at her outstretched legs, the off-white blanket cascading over them, the piece of dust she could see out of the corner of her eye. Anything. Except you. She felt cold, but your body was warm, radiating and making her shift toward you subconsciously. She hated it. 

Why is hate so much easier to express?

“You have patrol tomorrow?” It was easier to just get technical, sometimes. You nodded, before stretching your arms over your head, a yawn escaping you. “Gotta be up at four. Wesley and Nia have the flu or something, so we have to head out early to swing by their posts, too.” Ellie nodded, absentmindedly picking at her cuticles. Ignoring the sweet smell of vanilla that emanated from your body as your arms went over your head. 

She was so proud of herself when she found you that bar soap out on patrol, neatly tucked away in a dusty white vanity. You were so happy, so grateful, always so grateful that she was thinking of you. That she perceived you in such a way.

And she almost fucking said it, that night. Almost ruined everything. Those three little words. She was high, probably on some weed, but also on how your eyes sparkled when you were happy, the way your eyes crinkled slightly at the corners and you shifted your body weight side-to-side excitedly. Your emotions were quite obvious, most of the time. It made Ellie want to cry. 

“That sucks,” she mumbled, and she couldn’t help it now. You were like a magnet, she was sliding down against the pillows, watching the credits roll on the small screen past the end of her bed. She could hear you breathing, deep and careful. On edge. Why were you so on edge?

“It does,” you agreed. Ellie didn’t look away from the screen. Sinking, slowly, slowly, slower...her head was resting near your rib cage, now. She could feel you breathing. And she felt you slide down to match her position, turning your body to face her, silently and without explanation. It was better that way. 

“You’ll sleep here tonight?” And it felt strangled, coming out of her throat. She didn’t need to say anything, though. Of course you were sleeping in her bed. Tonight, and the night before that, and before that…but she felt you nod against her side, and her arm slid up to allow you access to her chest. No explanation. Ellie was really bad at explaining. 

“You’re cold,” your voice was muffled against the fabric of her gray hoodie. Ellie almost smiled. Almost. 

“You’re warm,” she retorted, and she feels your heart pulse faster against the skin of your back. The movie’s end credits became the soundtrack to the night. Soft and pensive. Like you. 

Ellie watched as your breathing eventually slowed, your shoulders rising and falling rhythmically as you drifted away into sleep. She was always jealous of that, though of course, like everything else, she’d never admit it—how your tiredness always let you drift into a blissful dreamland, your right hand twitching where it usually sat curled loosely atop her chest as you slept. You moved a lot, she noticed, and talked sometimes, too. Sleep didn’t come easy to people like Ellie. 

And so, she was absolutely, positively, awake and conscious when you let out a breathy sigh in your sleep, legs twitching slightly against her bottom half before settling back into her chest. A whisper escaped your lips, so sweet it may have been laced with vanilla, too. 

“I love you…” 

But this time, Ellie couldn’t stop her tears.

[little-reader]

Woody Chp. 2

Masterlist

Carl Grimes x Male!Reader

If you were unaware, this is the second season of "The Son Of A Monster." You may not understand the following if you haven't read the first season. Thank you.

Warnings; SHORT MASTERBATION SCENE, Graphic Gore, Death, blood, Slow-burn, Sexual tension, homosexual relationship (If you didn't know), Cursing, Negan is the Readers dad, Enemies to lovers story. Fighting. Zombie Apocalypse. (The Walking Dead TV show)AMC rights, I do use the storyline and some scenes.

Carl ended up in the woods, a bag in his hand with water and food. He snuck out, there weren’t many people at the gate, so it wasn’t hard. He took the usual path when scouting out they would take a safe route, least walkers. He would just need to get back to the gas station he and his dad were near. He was then going to head into the woods, scope it out, and see if the man was really what he thought.

His feet crunched under his boots. Rick left that morning, by himself. The kingdom was ambushed, giving them limited personnel. Maggie wasn’t sure what they were going to do with the saviors, Aaron had a baby to look over,  and so far, they were winning. Negan hadn’t given up yet, even though he was surrounded completely by snipers and walkers. Carl wasn’t sure why they didn’t back down. He thought they were stupid for doing so, but nowadays, who wasn’t stupid?

Carl crossed very few walkers before he made it to the section of the woods near the gas station. He was able to avoid them, some trail, and got bored once he picked up his pace. 

The section was surrounded by trees and forest, allowing the man to get privacy and somewhat safety. Carl could tell this was it, there were two man-made human-sized toothpicks. 

His feet crept slowly, as the walker reached for a bag up high. He barely waited behind the tree, where he saw the man from before. He crept slowly and stabbed the knife into the walker's head, killing it there. Carl knew, or thought, that was the best time to make himself known. He took a slightly hesitant step, and gave a calm “Hey”, out to the man, who glanced in shock.

Carls hands wavered, and lifted, showing an empty hand and one with a bag in it. He took small steps, watching for roots but keeping an eye out. The man across from him stood in warning, nervous by the stranger. “I was my dad, they were warning shots above your head.” He said, still creeping closer, with a calm expression. He was trying to gain the man's trust or have the man not try to shoot him. It was time for him to introduce himself, this would allow him to bond, just a little, with the man. “Wasn’t shooting at you… I’m Carl.”

The man still didn’t fully let his guard down. He looked tired, hungry, and sweating nervously as he held his knife to his side, but pointed at Carl like he was a threat. He shifted on his feet, taking a slight step and glancing around looking for a way out or possibly more people. He pointed to himself, “Siddiq.” He said, a waver in his voice. 

Carl looked down at the bag, still slowly approaching, and handed it out. “Food and water.”

Siddiq looked confused, his eyebrows pushing together. “Why?”

Carl breathed in, stopping. “I guess, you were talking about something your mom said. About helping people?.” Carl paused and licked his lips. “My mom told me that you gotta do what's right. It’s hard to know what that is sometimes, but sometimes it's not.” Carl took a big step, then threw the bag to the man, still allowing a safe distance from him. 

The bag landed two feet from Siddiq. He looked down, up, and then basically crawled to it. Carl could tell what the man was going through, especially being alone out here, and either being too scared to look for food or being weak and unequal to fight for it.

The man quickly got the bottle of water opened, and gulped it, as some of it ran down his hands. He took a breath and put it down. “Thanks.” 

Carl smiled and nodded. “Glad I found you.”

“You went looking for me?” Siddiq asked, standing up, but still keeping distant. 

“Yeah, I scavenged the sardines and other stuff.” He paused once again, thinking over his words. “Me and my dad were in a community. I’m gonna ask you a few questions.” He needs to know if he really wants to bring the man with him. He started to, slowly, walk toward the man. “I need you to answer honestly, okay?” Siddiq gave the nod, and a short “Okay”, before he continued. “How many walkers have you killed?” There was no answer. “I know it's hard to-”

“237.” Siddiq breathed out, interrupting Carl.

Carl's head tilted with a surprised look, a slight grin on his face, “Really?” Siddiq looked at the walker he just killed, and replied. “Give or take a couple.” Carl continued with the questions. “How many people have you killed?” 

Siddiq swallowed. “One.” 

“Why?”

“Dead tried to kill him but… they didn’t.”

Carl nodded, peering at the ground. “You're making walker traps. Is that how you killed so many?” He questioned, gesturing to the trap, where the dead walker lay.

“It's only part of it… My mom thought, or hoped that killing them would free their souls.” Carl understood that. How, at first, people thought the person was still there. That they saw what they were doing, and wished they weren’t. “You know… maybe she was right.”

“Doing that, doesn’t it make things harder for you while you try to survive?” Carl asked, taking a step closer. 

“I, I don’t know, I… you got, you got to honor your parents, right?” Siddiq stated, giving his answer to why he was doing what he did.

“If I was honoring my dad, we wouldn’t be talking right now.” Carl joked, with a smile. “Or…” He thought about a week beforehand. About letting him go. His smile dropped. “I definitely wouldn’t be bringing you back to my community.” Siddiq looked at him in shock.

That's when they started to walk. He allowed Siddiq to grab his things and pack, even though he didn’t have much, and they set off. The night was approaching in only a few hours, and the fog started to set. It made it harder to see where he was going, but he knew the path well enough to get home. If he could get home, it was a known rule not to go out of the walls in fog because you couldn’t tell where a walker would come from.

Still, they walked on, stepping over logs without tripping, and up a hill when they heard the gargling from afar. They crouched down and tiptoed down the hill, stopping at a tree where they could see the walkers ripping apart an animal, blood covering them and the ground. 

“Hey,” Carl looked at Siddiq and took out his knife. “For your mom.” He stood from his spot and they both went towards the small herd, knives in hands. Carl carried his bookbag off of his back and sat in by a tree as they got closer. 

That was when one of the walkers turned and stood, catching the other's attention. They all saw the two and stumbled for the two, teeth and claws ready. Siddiq was able to kill the first one fine until another came right after. It took Carl a bit to kill the first as more started to follow. Carl wasn’t going to back down. He wanted trust, and he was going to earn it. 

Carl went to help Siddiq but was pushed into another walker. The walker was able to push him down onto the animal corpes, getting too close for comfort as he tried to push it away. His eyes widened as another came closer. Carl pushed the first walker off of him, for another to fall on him. The first, crawled to him, grabbing his clothes, the walker had his mouth an inch away. He knew in a second he couldn’t get the walker off on time.

Suddenly, Siddiq was pulling the walker off of him with a knife in the other. This allowed Carl to breathe faster than a car. His heart raced, and his eyes watered, but not to the point of crying. Carl wished a different boy was pulling that thing off of him. His hand clutched his shirt as Siddiq held his hand out.

Carl saw a slight image flash in his mind. It was not the hand of Siddiq, but nonother than Y/n fucking Smith. He wished. Full heartedly wished. The smile, the white teeth, the stupid fucking smirk, and the one closed eye due to the sun. But in the blink of an eye, reality hit again. The scared, blood-covered man in front of him, not his partner.

... A week ago

Bullets rang. He was on his knees one second, the next moving out of the line of fire as the war started, really started. It felt like slow motion. The movements, voices, and bangs around him.

He felt blood dripping from his temple where he slammed his head, making sure not to get shot. It was not going as planned. “Shit,” Y/n muttered, feeling the warmth on the side of his head.

He knew the plan well, and getting out of the shooting line was his priority. He felt the mud push under his fingernails as he crawled on his hands and knees, making sure to keep his backpack safely on. 

Y/n was able to make it to a wall, where the gate was kept. He had a choice, jump over it and dodge the biters on the other side, get in one of the cars without getting shot, or get eaten by the mob of biters Dixion was bringing down the freeway.

“Fuck. Motherfucker.” He cursed, looking at the cars leaving. His thoughts rolled. He had no other choice. He jumped the long gate, hitting the wires at the top, The wires slid down his face and cut through his shirt. “Ahhhh, shit.” He whispered and yelled, stomping his feet. He felt the burn on his face and arm as he secured his bag and ran for the hills.

Y/n had made it a mile into the woods before stopping. The pain wasn’t extreme, but it still hurt like a bitch. The gash on his arm wasn’t too bad, enough for him to get home fine but continued to bleed. “I'll be fine.” He whispered to himself, sighing. He remembered his backpack and grabbed it off his back. The med kit was safely placed in the side pocket. There were no bandages, and he wasn’t going to waste his time on making a line of bandaids. 

He sighed and placed the kit back in the bag. He would just have to hit one of the houses. And the closest safe house was only a mile and a half. “Shit dangerous…dad could come looking for me. They could get out of that mess, they will. That would just put him in danger.” His thoughts were loud as he set off deeper into the woods. 

He had a plan. Lose the tracks. He’d take the longer route just in case someone was able to find him or see him jump the gate. Then he’d make his way back to Alexandria. 

His feet stepped along the roots and dead leaves, making his way through the autumn air. It was getting colder and the only thing he had, was a thin shirt on. The house wasn’t so far, and he would be able to make it. That's how he kept his thoughts, golden.

Y/n whistled as he went, the little toon his mother once sang to him. The toon was light, and calming in opposition to his current situation. The whistling allowed him to slip away from the world, and forget about what happened, or forget the very situation he was in. He could hear his mother singing it. He could feel the sway of the rocking chair and the slight breeze of the porch breeze. Then the smell of rain, the drip drop on the AC unit, once helping him sleep, is now a nightmare to hear. 

Once, Negan, his mother, and he went on a trip to North Carolina, to see a War ship, it rained that day. They stopped nearby and grabbed a bottle that had a ship in it. He remembers sitting on the porch staring at it as it floated in the fake water, and moved with each shake but failed to never sink. His mother would say, “You are that boat, and you will forever be that boat.” Y/n never understood what she meant, he just stared at her, then right back at the ship with a smile. 

Those fond memories of the old world. The smell of his baseball games. The soil he slid onto, the mud that would track his clothes, shoes, and body. The icepacks or frozen peas his mother would gently apply on his bruises after each game as she praised her son for doing a good job, relating him to his father. The proud smile on both his parent's faces, as he hit his first home run, racing for the hills as his name was hollered by Y/n’s teammates. 

Before Y/n knew it, he was in front of the home, with his hand reaching into his back pocket to fetch the key. 

His arm still bled as he entered the house, not troubling himself to care as he made his way to the bathroom down the hall. He flashed on the lights, squinting as he looked up into the mirror, jerking at his reflection. He couldn’t exactly tell whose blood was on him, his, or someone else. However, there was a gash riding from the side of his chin to the start of his cheek. He realized the wound wasn’t too large, but it was the main cause of bleeding. Y/n searched through the medicine cabinet and used a cloth to wrap around his arm before laying out his supplies on the counter. He sat on the toilet, taking a cotton swap and gradually cleaning up the bloodied mess on his arm, wincing every occasional minute. The man skillfully sewed up the wound, the needle and thread gliding effortlessly through the flesh. With the task finished, he then moved on to carefully tending to his injured chin.

He made his way upstairs, not bothering to clean up his mess or the clutter he had made.

As he laid his head down on the pillow, which allowed him to sink in, he felt the weight of the past days lifting off his shoulders. The softness of the pillow provided a comforting embrace, easing the tension in his body as he closed his eyes. He kicked his shoes off, feeling the freedom of letting go of the day's conditions. With each deep breath, he felt himself slipping into a peaceful state of mind, leaving behind the rush and groan of the outside world. It was in this moment of quiet that he found comfort, in his bed, as it began to pass noon and go into the evening.

He felt himself sigh and roll over. His hand slid under his pillow, bringing out the small stack of papers. He moved them around until he found the picture of him and his mother. He ran his thumb over it, the corner of his mouth turning up. That smile reflected her own, the ice cream in her hands melted slightly. 

He could feel the slight ache of his arm, and chin, and the healing stab wound. With that slightly uncomfortable sting, he shifted back onto his back, staring at the roof, the old mold that dried out on the cracks that were engraved into the ceiling. Another thing to fix. 

Y/n moved his fingertips along his torso, making it ticklish in a way. His eyes closed as his other hand wiped down his face, feeling the prick of his forming beard, and entangled into his hair. He needed a shower, not that he could smell himself, even though he was probably used to the smell either way. 

He felt his fingers stop at the crack of his shirt, where his skin poked out from the stretch. He opened his eyes and sighed before moving his hand down, and slowly grabbing himself through his pants. One thing he was taught, don’t let your guard down when alone. He assured himself it was a fine, day, and he could hear outside. He swallowed, covering one side of his face with his hand, and rubbing himself with a groan.

⁶He breathed in, taking his hand to his face and spitting on his palm, then slipped his hand into his pants, and below his boxers as another groan fell from his mouth. His hand wrapped around his dick with a whine. Now, speaking of how he literally just got out on the verge of death, though he really didn’t care, it was a bit weird. He put it off. 

The room was filled with quiet groans and grunts as his palm lifted up, and then back down in a repeating movement. He could imagine Carl doing it, which he did. But he knew Carl was young, inexperienced, and a bit dumb, but who was he to talk?

He closed his eyes, imagining Carls had, a lot softer than his, but still rough in their own way. The nervousness, the hesitation, the slight stutter he had at certain points. It was cute, and hot at the time.

He swallowed a groan and pumped himself faster feeling the whine in the back of his throat. “Mother of fucking mary.” The curse fell from his lips as he gripped himself and groaned, head pushing back into the pillow and his teeth barring a grunt that shoved from his throat. Y/n bit into his tongue before it left his mouth and let another groan into his arm.

He would have melted under Carl's touch then and there. He let a moan slip from his mouth as he hit his peak. Stroking a few more times before letting go, panting breaths “Jesus.” He muttered, under his breath, feeling slightly embarrassed by how long he lasted. “You're a cunt.” He said to himself as he shifted in the bed and made himself comfortable.

He stared up at the ceiling, his finger circling his stomach. “What am I gonna do.” he groaned, finally closing his eyes.

--

@stiveroon

@ritospart

[currytantou]

[translation] Mayonaka Danshi Meshi audio drama / s1ep1 CVs: Uchiyama Kouki & Itou Kento

do not repost or use my translations! link back if you want to share. partial screenshot it allowed but blatant copy/paste is prohibited

Also x-posted on my wordpress page

Watch/listen here

0:12 (sound of typing on keyboard) Email to the other side…done. Documents for tomorrow…done. (watch beeps) Oh! Just in time. Alright, then! (clicks mouse then gets up) Hashida is signing off! Good work everyone.

0:50 What’s for dinner tonight? (phone vibrates) Yes, it’s Hashida. Thank you for your patronage. Yes.. (footsteps receding) Oh, the quotation estimate? Yes. I can confirm that on my side. Is it urgent? I can get to it. I’ll send it to you soon so please wait a moment.

(phone beeps) Change of direction, huh? Well, that can’t be helped.

1:35 Shoot. That took longer than expected. Can I make it in time before the store closes? My fridge is pretty much empty. At this rate, I might have to settle with eating box lunch from the convenience store. Please, make it in time! No, I’ll make sure to make it!

Ahh, I can’t make it! What to have for dinner? Should I just compromise today? Nah, I’m in the mood for Japanese food thanks to what I had for lunch. I’m not giving up now. I’ve no other choice. I’ll have to detour and go to the supermarket on the other side of the river.

2:29 No way…. How is this possible? I went to three different supermarkets and the fact that each of them ran out of vegetables… I was stubborn and ended up wasting my time. Should’ve used my time for something more worthwhile if I knew this would happen. (sighs) No point regretting over the past. Sometimes, incidents like this happen. Convenience- nah, I’ll settle with instant noodles today.

3:12 Finally home. It’s quite late already. Hmm, postage and letters.. hm? A delivery, eh? I got stuff delivered to me… That’s quite a big box. Oh? It’s from grandma! Huh? Did I ask her something?

I’m back~ (walks with the box and then opens the door) Heigh-ho..! That was quite heavy. What did grandma send me? (tears the tape) These are..! Lotus root, burdock and carrot! And plenty more! Oh, great! This box is full with veggies from back home! Feels as if grandma saw through me today! Talk about timing. Hm? Hold on. (checks fridge) Chicken and konjac jelly. Alright! I got ‘em. I can do this! I can make grandma’s chikuzenni with these ingredients. I don’t have to give up on eating Japanese dish! Thanks, grandma.

Still, I haven’t had chikuzenni in a while since I left home. I hope I can pull this off. Anyway, I just gotta try.

5:20 (pot boiling) First, pre boil the konjac jelly. I should prepare the rest of the ingredients in the meantime. Right. I should first peel the skin off. Get the carrot and lotus root done smoothly with this peeler. (peels veggies) Taro’s skin is thick so I gotta use a knife instead. (sound of cutting against wooden cutting board. Next, burdock. Just washing ‘em with water is enough, I guess? (washes burdock) That’d do. Now, I gotta cut these guys up. (cuts)

Grandma did mention that cutting uniformly matters in stews. When they’re different, the ingredients don’t soak up the same amount of flavour. Good thing I remember that. (continues cutting) What’s left are taro and soaked shiitake. Bite size cut would do.

7:13 Alright. Time to cut these pre-boiled konjac jelly. Evenly cut the konjac…nah, maybe I should try shred it roughly with a spoon. The sections are rougher than when cut using a knife and apparently this way, they would soak the flavour even better…but oh well, I can’t wait to try it out.

(water runs) Also, grandma’s chikuzenni isn’t complete without this…ginger. Ginger really makes so much difference. I’m gonna shred this guy thinly. (sound of cutting against board) Whew. Pretty much done with the prep for now. Next is the chicken. (brings out pot)

Sesame oil goes inside the pot and heats it up. (switches on gas) Add chicken and stir fry until the colour changes. (pot sizzles)

8:47 I guess this would do..? Then, I just gotta add the veggies that I cut earlier into the pot. (sizzles) Stir them until everything is covered in oil. Hm! This fragrant sesame oil aroma! How appetizing. Hm. Looking good. Almost ready. Add the water from soaked shiitake, sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar and finally, ba-bam! Thinly sliced ginger! Ugh! What am I doing? Alright. What’s left is to let it simmer well. Hm? I feel like I forgot something…? Oh, a lid! Gotta cover it with a lid. Without it, the flavour would be uneven.

(covers pot with a lid) That’d do. Hold on. I forgot the bean to garnish with at the end. I should boil some in the meantime. (sound of water running, metal pot and gas being turned on)

Hmm. About twenty minutes until it’s ready, eh? Right.. I made quite a huge serving. Maybe I should let Akira eat some. Bet he’s eating junk either way.

10:30 (pot boiling) Alright. About time it’s done. I wonder how it’d turn out? Whoa. Looks good. Salty-sweet aroma. This is the best! (turns off the stove)

(door opens then closes) Sudou: Yo~ Hashida: Oh, you’re here? Sudou: Hashi, this is not like back home. You better lock the door. Hashida: Oh, sorry. I forget sometimes. Well, not like I have anything worth stealing. Sudou: One thought he’s guarded but it’s the other way. Hashi, that side of you really never changes. Hashida: Really? I don’t think I am that unguarded. Sudou: Oh, whatever. That aside. That smells really good. Stew? Hashida: Correct. I made chikuzenni today. Using the recipe from my granny. Sudou: Wow, seriously? How delightful. Makes me feel excited. Hashida: You don’t look excited though. Well, that’s not important. I’m gonna garnish this so Akira, can you dish out the rice? Sudou: Okay~

(opens fridge) Hashida: I got some beer. You’re drinking? Sudou: Yeah. Bring ‘em out. Hashida: Hmph. Silly.

11:59 (arranges plates) Hashida: Alright. Now that everything’s ready. It’s time. Hashida & Sudou: Bon appetit.

(both started eating)

Hashida: Oh. The flavour soaked in nicely. Sudou: Hm. This is good. Hashida: I was right to tear the konjac with a spoon. They soak the flavour well and curl into a nice shape. Sudou: Hmm, that method is possible, eh? Actually, this really tastes like the one I had at Hashi’s grandma’s. That kinda makes me emotional. Hashida: Emotional? You’re exaggerating. Sudou: Nah, I mean it. Remember how Hashi’s family often feeds my younger brothers and I, since our pop’s always busy with work? So to me chikuzenni at Hashi’s place is what I consider a mom’s home cooking. Hashida: Oh, right. The only family I have is my grandma, after all. I suppose this meal is a mom’s home cooking. I’ve never thought of it that way. Sudou: You better appreciate her more. Hashida: I do! I mean, I don’t feel lacking despite the absence of parents. I’ve never felt lonely just because grandma’s the only family that I have. Hey, now! Don’t make me say something embarrassing! Sudou: Ah, I see. Hmm. I somehow get it. Hashida: Well, in other words, we should be thankful for the love from people around us. Sudou: Whoa. The way you worded it just screams old person. Hashida: Huh? Really? That was unintentional. But right, recently I do feel like I am an old man. Sudou: Hehe. Just kidding. If anything, you no longer seem immature. It’s crazy if you still act the same when you’re a brat. Hashida: I hope you’re right.

13:53 Sudou: Actually, having chikuzenni while talking about the past with you makes me feel like I just time slipped to when we’re kids. Hashida: Hehe! You’re right. We really played hard back then. It’s impressive how we didn’t get sick of it, even though we lived in the countryside. Sudou: Yeah. Oh, I’m recalling things. You’re quite popular among the girls since you’re casually nice to them. Hashida: Really? I think that’s normal. Sudou: How is that normal? Plenty of girls asked me to pass love letters to you. It was so annoying. Hashida: Ahh, that happened, eh? Heck, don’t be annoyed over something petty! Sudou: Nah, it was so annoying. You said you wanted to focus on the club and stuff. Turning them down half-assed. You’re making it awkward even for me too! How annoying. Hashida: You..! In that case, I’ve got something to say too! Did you forget how I had to let you sit on the back seat of my bicycle simply ‘cus you can’t ride it yourself? You can’t do that until 8th grade! There should be a limit to how unathletic one could be! Sudou: Not 8th. 7th grade! Hashida: Nah, you were in 8th grade! It’d be a problem if you still cannot cycle ‘cus we’re gonna commute to a further place in high school so I accompanied you to practice. Remember? Sudou: That was the 7th grade. Definitely not the 8th. Hashida: It’s not important! Sudou: It is. This involves my good name. Hashida: Heh. As always, you’re so oddly stubborn. Whatever. Uh, ah! Hey, Akira! You’re spilling so much! Gosh. Use this to wipe. You never grow out of it. Sudou: Oh, sorry. Hashida: I guess you can’t help when you stop focusing. But why can’t you control your mouth? You’re old enough, it’s about time you fix that habit. Sudou: Uh, you’re right. Hashida: Oh, almost out of beer. Should I bring more? Sudou: Hashi, I think you’re more like a ma than a pops…

Thanks for reading!!!!! I had this in draft since march lol :’) I translated this just because?? As a practice? Out of whim? lol anyways. This franchise is seriously underrated so pleaseee check it out. I doubt anyone translates this anyway so I did it. I hope this post let seiyuu fans who weren’t aware discover something new. So far, I’ve no plan to continue translating… (there’s four seasons. It’s hella long and I don’t think I can do this voluntarily) but commission is always welcomed!! ❤

[randomgentlefolk]

CPC CHAPTER 169

I swear I gotta put up a reminder or smth man I can't keep posting these posts just 2 hours before the new damn episode

(I must admit, making a review for this episode is kinda difficult)

ISOLDE TO THE RESCUE!! Also I just remember that Maria is still afraid (?) Of Isolde lmao XD

I was wondering where the old guard went :') the fact that he fell asleep during a WAR is honestly impressive though.

WAIT WAIT WAIT NO I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT LELAND BUT BLAINE???? BLAINE FELL??? But before I go to that I must say that plant holding Leland's leg is strong AF. What kinda root does it have...

The parallel of Frederick ripping his sleeves to cover Gwen's wound and then Gwen ripping Maria's blanket to save Leland.

WH. OHHHHHH. OH DAMN OH MAN. YOOOOOOOO. I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. Wait so I'm guessing here that Isolde forged Leland's signature? But when did she send that letter? Was it sent during the war? If yes then the process is really quick! It's just one day.

Honestly I'm so glad Isolde wrote that she's going to take the throne until her sons are ready because they CANNOT rule the whole damn kingdom right now with that mental state. And I honestly love the idea of all of them ruling the kingdom instead of just one of them.

WAIT WAIT WAIT This is what I'm getting but correct me if I'm wrong. I'm guessing Leland signed on the pastry catalogue and gave it back to isolde and that's how Isolde can forge his signature? That's actually really smart.

And she kinda bribed (more like raising their salary, really) the Parliament so they'd accept it right away!! Also by giving them more power! HAH And there's more power for Lavern lmaooo

Aaaannndddd the omniscient clam comment is literally just digging his own grave xd

HECK YEAH JERRY TO THE RESCUE!! FINALLY NAME REVEAL!!! Tho ngl I really thought the lemoncillo was for a molotov cocktail or smth XD

Syrah.............

WAIT DAMN ISOLDE HAS POWER OVER JUDGE, JURY, AND EXECUTIONER???? She really thought it through.

Damn...spoken like a true queen (and she IS a queen!). You go Isolde!!

Ooooh that sentence "what more did you want?".... Leland fr needed to hear that. I mean okay man I get it, your bestfriend said he doesn't need you behind your back and that hurts. Words can hurt like shit, I get it. But that does NOT mean you can just, declare a whole damn war. You can always, y'know, continue to live your life knowing there are people you SHOULD love and people who loves you. Also I gotta add that Jack was probably stressing the fuck out in that moment. His wife is literally dying, dude. There's a chance that he might say things that don't seem right because of impulsiveness. And y'know what if it really bothers you that much, COMMUNICATE. DAMNIT.

Did I say all of those right? I hope I did.

I gotta say I love Isolde even more now. That "off with his head" caught me off guard like I know sometimes we joke about that but I didn't actually think that would happen. Cpc is always about redemption and stuff after all. But now I'm genuinely wondering if Leland should actually be executioned. War, abuse, torture, those should get life sentence right?

So I'm guessing he's going to prison then? Fancy words sometimes gets me mixed up.

OH!! IT GLOWS BECAUSE OF HER KINDNESS, I'M ASSUMING? THAT'S AMAZING. Also the fact that she offered to help the man who just tried to kidnap her...We don't deserve Gwen fr.

So, uh...Blaine? Yeah where is he? I'm theorizing that the tent Nell moved will save him but he should still have some injuries. And the chances are he will break at least one bone. I don't think tents are that soft. But I'm willing to hope that he will be perfectly fine....physically.

Well that's all for now!

Mono out! (But still in to hear your thoughts)

[lou-struck]

Lap of Luxury

Atsumu Miya x Reader

~Atsumu is known for making impulse purchases to spoil you, sometimes though you need a reminder that you deserve it.

Warnings: Slightly suggestive at the end, alcohol use.

The moment your boyfriend was handed his first check as a professional athlete, you saw the way his eyes widened when he glanced at the number. He was expecting us to get paid a lot, but he didn’t realize that he was making that much.

That night, he took it upon himself to take you to the nicest restaurant he could think of. The kind of place where there were no prices on the menus. Not that it mattered to him, this was his way of thanking you for being there for him every step of the way.

You don’t remember much from that night, top shelf liquor and fine wine has a way of messing with the head. But you remember that when the check came your boyfriend signed without even checking the total. On top of the bill, he left an extremely generous check for your waiter.

It was so much fun, and you know your boyfriend likes to spoil you. Treating you to dinners like that more often than not.

Sometimes, you wonder if you deserve to be spoiled like this at all.

~

Atsumu Miya has never been very good at keeping secrets. His poker face is terrible and he just can’t help wanting to tell you about his surprises prematurely. So he can see the cute look of surprise on your face firsthand instead of waiting.

It all started around lunchtime, with you at work and Atsumu resting at home on an off day from the Black Jackals.

You’re sitting in your chair digging a fork into a ridiculously tasty chicken Caesar salad bowl. Just as you’re about to take a bite, Your phone dings.

And dings again…

And again…

With a huff, you place your perfect bite back into your bowl to see who is blowing up your phone. The Kissy faced emojis next to your boyfriend's contact image pops up on your screen.

Hey, baby guess what?

When ya get home I have a surprise! A good one too!

Don’t ask what it is though...

I love ya, Baby.

Scrolling through the messages a smile stretched across your face. You respond and get back to work hoping to get off as quickly as possible to find out what exactly your boyfriend has done this time.

You hope it isn't anything too crazy.

~

Your workday dragged on forever. As soon as your lunch break was over, you were bombarded with all sorts of tasks that kept you so busy, it knocked the thought of Atsumu’s surprise from your head.

By the time you walk through your front door, it’s late. An optimist may call it early the next day. But either way, it’s after midnight. When you see your boyfriend curled up on the couch with only a decorative pillow to keep him warm, your heart breaks a bit.

He chose to wait out here for you despite your texts saying that you would be late.

Closing the door as quietly as you can you make your way across the room to where he’s resting. His blonde hair is ruffled revealing the brown roots below and he drools on another one of your pillows.

As cute as he looks like this, you know that he would rather sleep in the comfort of your bed. He’ll feel a lot better for it in the morning if you wake him up now.

“Hey Tsumu, wake up.” You coax bending down and giving his forehead a little kiss.

Add the contact He stirs and blinks up at you sleepily. “Hey Baby.” He mumbles in a raspy voice. “Yer home late.”

“I know,” you say “I’m sorry it took me so long.”

“It’s m-kay,” he says grabbing your hand and giving it a little squeeze. “I gotta show you yer surprise tomorrow.”

Right, the surprise. With everything that happened at work, you forgot about it. You glance around the room not noticing anything out of the ordinary.

“Yea, that sound like a good idea. You say with a yawn. “But we should go to bed.”

“That's… good.” he slurs allowing you to pull him to his feet. “Makes more sense actually.” He wraps his muscles weight around you like a blanket as you practically drag the two of you towards the bedroom so you can get some much-needed sleep.

~

Normally you wake up with Atsumu clinging to you like a koala on a eucalyptus tree, but by the time you blink awake, your boyfriend's side of the bed is cold.

The lack of warmth makes it all too easy to roll out of bed to find out where he has gone off to.

From the living room window, you see what looks like smoke coming from the backyard.

Is there a fire?

Worriedly, you rush out to see where the smoke is coming from. As soon as you open the door you hear a soft humming sound. Turning the corner you see that there was no fire, and there was no smoke. What you saw was steam.

Steam coming from the hot tub that your boyfriend is currently lounging in.

A hot tub that was definitely not there yesterday…

“So?” Your boyfriend asks sipping on a Mimosa.

“Atsumu Miya, did you seriously go out, by, and set up a hot tub yesterday?”

“ I got it for us,“ he smiles “I got some champagne too!”

“But, isn’t this expensive?” You ask looking at all of the jets, and water features. 

“When yer with me, ya sit in the lap of luxury.” He grins holding out a flute of fizzy champagne towards you. The steam from the hot tub clouds the glass but the drink does look refreshing. 

When you don’t immediately reach for the drink, there’s a look akin to panic that flashes in his eyes. “Do-do ya like it?” He asks nervously. 

The damn brakes and you laugh out loud. “ of course I like it, this is awesome.“

“I’m glad! I knew you’d love it.” He says Splashing out of the water towards you, the warm water sprinkling your pajamas, but you hardly care.

“ I saw how much you liked the hot tub when we stayed at that Air B&B a while back. You deserve nice stuff,” he says leaning over the edge to kiss you. His lips taste like orange juice and champagne, but you know that it’s not the alcohol talking.

“I love you so much.” You murmur

“If you love me, then how about you get in here with me?” He winks playfully at you. 

“If I have to,” you tease giving him a quick kiss and turning around to change.

“Where are you going?“ he says trying to grab your wrist. “ you can go in like that, if you’re worried about your pajamas just take them off.”

Your hand hits the water and splashes him playfully. “We have neighbors Tsumu.” you giggle running into the house to get changed.

[enchiladalovingwriter]

Little La Reina - Part 2 (Alexia Putellas x Reader)

It was late and you weren’t expecting anyone. Especially since you had already put your daughter to bed, so your doorbell ringing was a surprise to you. You quickly made your way to the door, opening it without looking through the peephole so whoever was on the other side wouldn’t be tempted to ring the doorbell again and run the risk of waking up your daughter.

Alexia was the last person you expected to come face to face with. You couldn’t register the words she was saying because you were still in shock. You finally snapped out of it when Alexia place a hand on your arm. “Y/n? Are you okay? You look exhausted. I’m sorry to just show up unannounced but the thought of you spending the night alone after our win didn’t sit right with me.”

You were able to hear her words, but you still had yet to formulate a response. After a few more awkward moments of silence your brain had finally caught up and you were about to speak. Just then, little footsteps made their presence know along with a very tired voice.

“Y/n? I mean mom, the doorbell woke me up and I can’t go back to sleep.” Alexia stared at you in shock while your eyes were clamped shut for a brief moment. Once you opened them, you awkwardly said to Alexia, “excuse me please. Feel free to come in and make yourself at home.” Then you turned to your daughter and lifted her into your arms. “Hey kiddo, remember you can call me whatever you feel comfortable with. You don’t have to call me mom, okay?” The little girl nodded her head. “I’m sorry we woke you up. Let’s get you back to bed, yeah?” “Wait Y/n.” the five year old whispered. “Is that Alexia Putellas?”

You turned to where your daughter was looking, at the Catalonian who still appeared to be in shock. “Yeah kiddo, that’s her. You can go say ‘hello’ politely and then we have to get you back to bed, okay? You have school tomorrow.”

After you set her down, she made her way over to Alexia. “Hi Alexia, my name is Olivia and I’m this many,” she said while holding up five fingers. Alexia bent down so she was level with Olivia, “Hola Olivia. Wow, five?! That’s a big number.” Before Alexia could say anything else, Olivia did a small curtsy while saying, “I gotta go to bed now, but I’m glad I got to meet a queen.” Confused, Alexia asked the little girl for clarification. “People call you la reina. Y/n said that means queen.”

After you got Olivia back to sleep, you made your way back downstairs to explain yourself to your captain. Alexia was still rooted in the same spot you left her in, looking somewhat embarrassed and ashamed. “Y/n, I really didn’t mean to intrude and I didn’t mean to wake up your… um.” You politely finished for her, “she is my daughter but not biologically. Alexia, I thought you were out with the team. What are you doing here? And how did you get my address?”

Alexia realized how crazy she must have looked. “I was out with the team but it just didn’t feel right not having you there with us. I guess I was curious? I wanted to know why you never participate in team outings. Why you show up to trainings later sometimes, and why you always leave immediately after. I got your address from Jona. I feel like I’ve crossed a line here Y/n. I’m sorry, I should go.”

Before she could leave, you reached out and held her wrist. “It’s okay. It looks like you have a lot more questions. Now that you know about Olivia, I can explain everything to you if you want.” Alexia nodded and followed you to your living room.

[inmydr3amz]

The Secret Series characters as T.S lyrics bc I don't do anything else with my life

Cass and Yo-Yoji:

"Tendrils tucked into a woven braid Growing up precocious sometimes means not growing up at all He was chaos, he was revelry Bedroom eyes like a remedy" "Is it cool that I said all that? Is it chill that you're in my head? 'Cause I know that it's delicate" "You know how to ball, I know Aristotle" "And in a blink of a crinkling eye I'm sinking, our fingers entwined Cheeks pink in the twinkling lights Tell me 'bout the first time you saw me"

Max-Ernest: "No one wanted to play with me as a little kid So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since To make them love me and make it seem effortless" "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me At tea time, everybody agrees I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero" "I can change everything about me to fit in" "I'm still trying everything to get you laughing at me I'm still a believer but I don't know why I've never been a natural All I do is try, try, try I'm still on that trapeze I'm still trying everything To keep you looking at me" "Please I've been on my knees Change the prophecy Don't want money Just someone who wants my company Let it once be me Who do I have to speak to About if they can redo The prophecy?"

Cass: "'Cause they see right through me They see right through me They see right through Can you see right through me? They see right through They see right through me I see right through me I see right through me" "I just wanted you to know That this is me trying" "So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst And tried to tell the town" "'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did Lights, camera, bitch smile, even when you wanna die (...) Breaking down, I hit the floor All the pieces of me shattered as the crowd was chanting, "More" I was grinning like I'm winning, I was hitting my marks 'Cause I can do it with a broken heart "'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned Everything you lose is a step you take So make the friendship bracelets Take the moment and taste it You've got no reason to be afraid

You're on your own, kid Yeah, you can face this You're on your own, kid You always have been"

Lily: "I was tame, I was gentle 'til the circus life made me mean 'Don't you worry, folks, we took out all her teeth' Who's afraid of little old me? Well, you should be"

Pietro and Luciano: "I guess you really did it this time Left yourself in your warpath Lost your balance on a tightrope Lost your mind tryin' to get it back

It's alright, just wait and see Your string of lights is still bright to me Oh, who you are is not where you've been (...) Did some things you can't speak of But at night you live it all again You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now If only you had seen what you know now then (...) Who you are is not what you did You're still an innocent" "I miss the old ways You didn't have to change But I guess I don't have a say Now that we don't talk"

Cass and Señor Hugo: "Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead? (...) Were you writing a book? Were you a sleeper cell spy? In fifty years, will all this be declassified? And you'll confess why you did it And I'll say, "Good riddance" (...) I would've died for your sins Instead, I just died inside And you deserve prison, but you won't get time (...) And in plain sight you hid But you are what you did And I'll forget you, but I'll never forgive The smallest man who ever lived"

Yo-Yoji: "You got that long hair, slicked back, white T-shirt"

[jujumin-translates]

Citron | [SR] Festival of Blooming | Citron as Sakuya

Citron: Yawn…

Sakuya: Good morning, Citron-san.

Citron: Oh, Sakuya. You’re up very early, aren’t you?

Sakuya: Yeah! There’s a seasonal event at the daycare, so I figured I’d head out early to help get ready for it.

Citron: So that is why… That’s very admirable, Sakuya!

Sakuya: I do it because I care about the kids, it’s really not that much!

Sakuya: …Wait, it’s already that late!? I’ve gotta go, bye!

Citron: Take care, have a great day~.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Sakuya: I’m home!

Azuma: Welcome back, Saku. You must’ve been working hard considering you’re coming back at this hour.

Citron: Welcome home. You’re very late today~.

Sakuya: Ah, I was helping an elderly woman who was having trouble with her heavy bags.

Sakuya: And before I realized it, it was already this late.

Citron: You are very kind, Sakuya.

Sakuya: No, no, it’s nothing really!

Azuma: Omi saved some dinner for you.

Sakuya: Let me go change first!

*Door closes*

Azuma: How about you warm it up for him?

Citron: Leave it to me!

Citron: …

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Citron: The shopping is complete~!

Kumon: Today’s sale was crazy.

Citron: Hm? That voice…

Sakuya: “Together with rice cakes, ginger, beans, rice, and burdock root…” (1)

Citron: Sakuya is doing speaking practice.

Kumon: I think Sakuya-san always practices here. I heard that he sometimes practices with Nii-chan too.

Sakuya: “Make tea, make tea, make tea quickly, make tea…!”

Citron: …

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Tsumugi: As always, thanks for the help.

Muku: It’s nothing! Taking care of the flowers is fun.

Sakuya: Same here! Where should I help out next?

Citron: …

Itaru: Hey, Citron.

Citron: Itaru. Hello.

Itaru: …What are you doing? Is something wrong?

Citron: …Sakuya always tries his hardest.

Itaru: Ah, I see…

Sakuya: And, hup…

*Thud*

Sakuya: Tsumugi-san, I put the soil down over here!

Sakuya: Should I bring the fertilizer over? Ah, I’ll drop it off over here!

Citron: Sometimes I get worried when I see Sakuya alw~ays putting in this much effort.

Citron: I feel like one day he is going to suddenly run out of beam…

Itaru: Guessing you meant “run out of steam”?

Citron: But Sakuya always has such a sparkle in his eyes when he does something with all his might.

Citron: Remember how Sakuya always looks to the bright side. Even when he is on the edge of despair, he still tries his hardest to do something about it.

Itaru: That’s true.

Citron: I think that is why Spring Troupe and the rest of the company are able to live peacefully now.

Citron: Sakuya is what saved me.

Itaru: …Same here.

Citron: Sakuya’s effort is what saved everyone!

Citron: That is why all of us want to be the place where Sakuya belongs. And why we want to protect this place so much.

Citron: When Sakuya gets tired, I want to be the person that he can snuggle close to and rest… Do you feel the same way, Itaru?

Itaru: Of course. I’m in complete agreement.

Sakuya: Ah! Citron-san, Itaru-san!

Citron: Oh, Sakuya! Thank you for always helping with the gardening~!

Itaru: Alright then, how about we give our favorite hard worker some sort of reward?

Citron: I say sushi!

Itaru: That’s just what you want, Citron.

· • — ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • · · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • · · • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ — • ·

Sakuya: …Hmng.

Citron: I’m ready, Sakuya! You can open the door now.

Sakuya: O-Okay…!

*Door opens*

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Citron: Ta-daa!

Sakuya: Wah…!

Citron: How do I look?

Sakuya: It might just be because I’m not used to seeing you like this, but you look so different…! But it looks like the hem is a little short…

Citron: Cropped clothes are very in right now. All the girls in town are wearing them~!

Sakuya: Ahaha, I’m glad that you were at least able to fit in them.

Citron: …Actually, your jeans didn’t quite fit.

Sakuya: Eh, really?

Citron: My legs are too long…

Sakuya: Wait, so those are your jeans, Citron?

Citron: No, no! I stole these from Banri, his legs are just as lo~ng as mine!

Sakuya: S-Stole!?

Citron: Just kidding! When I told him I need them for the project, he lent them to me.

Sakuya: Oh, so that’s it. Okay, good…!

Citron: If I were Juza, I am sure that Banri would not have lent them to me so easily. So it was a good thing I am me!

Citron: Well then, no more messing around. Now for the part you’ve been waiting for!

Sakuya: Yes. Please go ahead…!

Citron: “I’ll practice hard again today!”

Citron: “I’ll start off with some speaking exercises! She sells seashells down by the seashore…!”

Sakuya: (From Citron-san’s point of view, I’ve been giving it my all since even the earliest practices…)

Citron: “The sale period is so short…! But if I run fast enough, I think I can make it…!”

Sakuya: (Eh, I even give it my all for things like this? But, I never thought I was putting that much effort in, but maybe I am…!)

Citron: “Well then, I’m off!”

Sakuya: (Dashing off as soon as I leave the dorm… I guess from Citron-san’s point of view, I really do give it my all.)

Citron: …How was that?

Sakuya: I never realized you paid this much attention to me. I’m a little embarrassed.

Citron: …I always think that your eyes sparkle when you do something with all your might.

Citron: I think it’s because you are trying your best to make hard times as enjoyable and positive as possible.

Sakuya: Citron-san…

Citron: Attracted by such hard work, everyone around you is willing to work a little harder because of you, Sakuya.

Citron: I was a little envious of that aspect of you, and it saved me a lot.

Sakuya: I saved you, but how did I…?

Citron: And I knew that since I was going to play you, I had to give it my all, just like you would, Sakuya!

Citron: And that’s why I even borrowed some clothes from Banri because I really wanted to recreate you perfectly.

Citron: Your all-out effort sparked a fire in my heart.

Sakuya: I just have to work so hard because of my clumsiness. That’s all it is, really…

Citron: Oh, you are unaware of it? Everyone is influenced by you!

Citron: But sometimes you go a little too all-out. And if you keep it up, you will run out of energy one day.

Citron: …So before that happens, I want to spoil you a lot as my roommate.

Sakuya: …Sure thing. Thank you so much.

Citron: Can I spoil you right now then? You can rest on my arm while I sing you a lullaby!

Sakuya: Eh? N-Now!?

Citron: Alright, I’ll make sure to become the master of spoiling for the future! I’ll become Azuma’s apprentice and work as hard as I can, please count on me!

Sakuya: Ahaha!

Citron: And finally, we must take the picture! Please take it for me, Sakuya!

Sakuya: Got it! Alright, 3, 2, 1… Say cheese!

Citron: What do you think? Of my full-force Sakuya Smile~!

Sakuya: Fufu, it’s perfect!

• • •

T/N:

(1) Sakuya is reciting a speech from the play “The Medicine Peddler” (外郎売), a kabuki performance from the 1700s. The speech is used for vocal and articulation exercises for actors and entertainers, similar to tongue twisters.

[chipped-chimera]

Just wanna say sorry to people over the past month ... months? That tagged me in WIP Wednesdays, I'm sorry I haven't really been doing much of anything creatively, feeling kinda rough 💀 But thank you so much of thinking of me, I love seeing everything that you do!

Partial? Explaination/Life Update under the cut I guess.

Hi! Hello. First off, thanks for being interested. It warms my heart people care about me so much, that I've made an impact and people are happy to see my stuff. I wish so badly I could be making stuff like this all the time! Doing those things (whether art, or modding or just my dumb screenshots) and seeing people enjoy what I was making really got me through the hardest parts of this year.

This year has been a massive turning point in many ways. It just hit me I MADE this blog this year like, holy shit guys! I've felt so welcome in the Cyberpunk 2077 space and consider a lot of people my friends, whether we talk outside Tumblr or not. I'm just so happy to see your posts and your thoughts! 💖 For someone who just through how life shook out to end up really socially isolated irl, you guys have helped form the bedrock of a place I can come back to that always makes me feel better.

It's why I wish I did more. That I could contribute to that more and in turn, maybe help someone else as much as it helped me. But it's hard. Really hard.

I have realised a lot of things about my life in recent months, and I think it's a good sign - that I'm in a more solid place mentally to unpack things that have been sitting boxed up for years because I was just too exhausted to deal with them. They've both been great to unpack ... but painful at the same time. It's kind of in moments like these my passion to create things starts to suffer. It's hard to muster up enough motivation sometimes to just do what I want to do because I'm constantly struggling with a brain and body that just doesn't do what I want it to do - and that fact often makes me feel even worse and want to do even less.

I'm kind of stuck in one of these spirals at the moment. I have some idea of the way out but ... I don't know. This might be a period of grief for myself or something. It took me a long time to realise I'd been lying to myself about a lot of things - stuff I'd did out of necessity for survival at the time, basically becoming water and pouring myself into whatever mold I thought would be safe, that people would like me in. Online spaces, that I carefully curate, detached from any real-life connection have been my home in the absence of feeling myself for so long - especially as the world around me shrank.

I'm hoping in the new year, as me and my psychologist start working on the C-PTSD that apparently had roots way, way deeper than I could even imagine - things might get easier. I'm hoping like hell that maybe my fatigue is connected, that it'll ease - because to finally, finally be in a place with a supportive parent who is attentive and I have the words to explain what I need, and for that to be respected - to finally be myself - only to be held back by my brain and body because the damage went so deep I just can't is agonizing.

I'm gonna keep believing that this is just the bottom of this mountain, this turn around point. It's gotta be, I feel like my entire life has been leveled. And I know it's not going to be easy to climb back up there, repair the damage, get where I want to be. I don't even know if I'll get to where I want to be but ... at least I'll be myself. For the first time in my life.

So um. Thank you. For being around. For being my foundation through this. Wish you guys all the best for 2024, and I hope I'll be able to share more cool things with you soon 💜🖤💜🖤💜🖤

Kery

[rubenesque-as-fuck]

Bruh you should just text date guy. If you feel shit about things the way they are now, don't let that be the precedent you set going forward. There's still a good chance he wants another date and will get back to you if you give him a nudge.

If it turns out you need more validation than this guy can provide... then yeah I guess you're back to swiping. But you haven't lost anything. It's gotta be less effort to find someone who already makes you feel good than try to change someone who doesn't.

You're doing great. I'm rooting for you 💜

(Also sorry for the unsolicited advice but reading your post was like hearing my own thoughts a couple years back and at the very least you deserve to know that your void shouting is landing with people that value you in this space)

Fiiiiiine I texted him! Lol we'll see if I hear back. I mean, I almost certainly will *at some point*. He didn't give ghosty fuckboy vibes, but it was clear he had a lot of other stuff going on too. I'm just terrified of being needy or wanting too much from someone else ever.

However I should probably ALSO get back to swiping because I already know that even if this goes well in the context of a FWB, that is ultimately just a stopgap measure and not what I actually want or have ever wanted. I want a real relationship with someone, an honest loving relationship where we are important and committed to each other and to building a life together. But since it seems like everybody on the apps is just trying to fuck, that's what I feel I have to settle for at this point. I've been single since getting dumped by my abusive ex over 8 years ago. I've had sex with one person in the last 7 years. I really, really tried holding out for the kind of relationship I actually want but now my pussy is full of dust and cobwebs and if I wait for too much longer to be touched by someone I fear it may shrivel up and blow away in the wind like it got snapped in Endgame.

(Also no worries, the advice is fine! I'm glad to know that the void shouts back sometimes.)

[12timetraveler]

All Hallows Eve

I can't find the damn post from last year so guess I'm making a new post

Some of the VDL boys react to having a witchy SO who is celebrating samhain (sah-win) or All Hallows Eve.

Notes:

The October full moon for 1898 was on the 29th, just before All Hallows Eve. So that year would have been a little extra crazy. So this takes place before Blackwater.

Note: I'm a firm believer that one's craft is very individual and no one is going to practice the same, so I tried to keep things general but there's no way I could cover the many ways people practice Samhain/All Hallows Eve.

Arthur

Arthur has seen enough crazy supernatural shit in this world that he doesn't even question anything about your craft. He's even taken you out a few times to try and help him understand the ghost in the swamp.

So when you tell him All Hallows Eve is a night where the veil is paper thin, and all sorts of things can happen, he takes it seriously.

The weeks leading up to it, send him out to gather any herbs or ingredients you need for your spells or ceremonies. he'll come back with saddlebags full-to-bursting.

He approaches you a week before and asks if you can lay some protections around the camp. He's seen too much shit and he doesn't want anything happening to his family. You assured him the odds are slim-to-none, but he still asks you to, just to be safe.

The afternoon of All Hallows Eve you and he ride out to a space far away from camp where you can do what you do that night. If you don't mind him watching, Arthur will sit nearby and respectfully watch. If you prefer to practice in private, he'll step away but stay nearby to keep you safe.

He refuses to participate in any sort of contact with the other side however. He may not be smart, but he knows not to mess with that shit and he's afraid he'll mess it up, even with your guidance.

If you're the type who needs rest afterwards, he'll take you to the nearest hotel and bundle you under the blankets and hold you close, protecting you from the worldly dangers after you've spent the evening dealing with the otherworldly.

If you're feeling like you just chugged an entire pot of coffee, he'll happily follow you across forest and meadow, staying with you and doing anything you ask (and I mean anything ;) sometimes after a spellwork you just gotta screw like rabbits)

John

John's a little quiet at first when you explain the upcoming day. He's always known you walked the path of the ancient ones, but it never really hit him that you were an actual witch.

After he gets over the initial pause, he asks if there's anything he can do to help with your preparations.

Be specific when you ask him to get you things. Mention you need crystals and he's probably gonna bring you back a shiny river rock.

He's got a lot of heart, just not a lot of knowledge on plants or stones. He'll happily get you other things that you may need. (Rabbit bones and the like)

He gathers a whole crate of empty beer bottles for you to fill with moon water. He takes you down to the river where you cleanse your jars and then fill them.

With Abigail's permission you painted Jack's face to keep him safe from evil. Jack thinks it's great.

That night John will happily take you wherever you need to go to do your practice. He'll keep guard, but he feels a little weird watching so unless you have something you specifically need him for, he probably won't watch.

If you're tired afterwards, he'll make a nice little fire and keep you warm.

If you're feeling your oats afterwards, he'll happily go do something. Rob a shop, get a drink in the saloon, whatever you're feeling.

Charles

Charles is immediately focused when you begin explaining the importance of the upcoming day. Having lost most of his culture, he knows how important it is to hold onto one's roots, so he'll do anything he can to help.

Tell him what herbs you need and he'll bring back huge bundles full.

Ask for a pelt to use for casting or an alter cloth, and he'll find you the best pelt he can, of whatever creature you need (rabbit, deer, racoon, fox, anything). The meat can go for your stew that evening.

Lament that you need your crystals and he'll take you out riding to local quarries, river banks, anywhere that you might find some.

Mention that you need something to carve, and he'll come back with saddlebags full of wild pumpkins and squash to carve.

He's super supportive. Anything you need from him, he's there.

He keeps track of the moon for you and helps you set up your jars to make moon water for your work.

The two of you leave camp early in the morning to find a good place for you to do your craft that night.

He's very respectful the whole time. Asks a lot if he can stay or if you need him to take a walk.

If you let him watch, he's mesmerized by your practice. It's so beautiful to watch. Whether your dancing naked among the trees or kneeling over a ouiji board, whatever your practices are, he thinks they're beautiful.

He does ask that you don't try to contact his mother on the other side, and you promise not to. He's not sure why, he just doesn't feel like she'd want to be disturbed. He also believes that she and his other ancestors watch over him so it's not really needed.

If you need rest afterwards, he'll bundle you up in a big warm pelt and curl up by the fire with you, holding you close as you drift off to sleep.

If you're wired after you're done, he'll do whatever you want to do. Though he does try to help you settle eventually so the two of you can get some sleep that night.

Hosea

Hosea certainly doesn't believe in magic. But he had a healthy respect for others beliefs and cultures.

So as Samhain approaches, he begins doing as much research as he can. He asks a thousand questions. What can he do to help? What herbs do you need for your spells?

You ask if you can put up some protections around camp, and he says of course.

Swanson may try and take them down, but Hosea swats him away, lecturing about how disrespectful it is.

"How would you feel if she went around pulling down your crosses?! They serve the same purpose, to protect."

Hosea surprises you with a box full of small, different colored candles which he bought from a traveling witch. And yes he actually bought them. You'd warned him about stealing from witches.

The night of Samhain, he takes you out to a secluded spot to practice your craft. He is fascinated, whether or not he believes in it.

If Bessie is waiting to pass on a message, he'll love to hear it. But he asks you not to call for her specifically.

"Let her get her rest. I'll see her again one day."

If you're the type to get tired after practicing your craft, especially on a day like this with so many spirits around, Hosea will make camp and wrap you in blankets before pulling you close and telling you scary stories.

If you're the type who will frolic in the forest all night, energized by all the power around you, he'll gladly follow, though he may doze off from time to time.

Dutch

Dutch is a skeptic for sure. He's a little patronizing about your practice at times. However when he sees how important this is to you, he's all business.

When you explain some of the more celebratory traditions of Samhain, he's more interested. The gang could always use something to keep spirits up.

He gets everyone involved. You all carve pumpkins to ward of spirits. The women make Jack a mask to wear on the day to hide him from evil.

Dutch sends Arthur to town to get some candy and you set up a little trick-or-treating route in camp for Jack to go tent to tent and get candy.

Dutch encourages you to do your practice in camp for everyone to see. If you're comfortable with this he'll be very excited.

If you're not comfortable with that, explain that it's very personal and he'll let it go, very understanding that some things aren't a spectacle.

That night, after Jack finishes trick-or-treating, the gang throws a party.

If you elect to slip out of camp to practice, Dutch will happily go with you to protect you, even if that's just standing with his back to you.

Yeah Dutch is a skeptic. Contact his mother on All Hallows Eve though and his tune will change.

If you're tired, he'll bring you back to camp and tuck you into bed before doing his rounds at the party.

If you're wide awake, he's happy to dance with you until the wee hours of the morning.

Javier

Javier was raised a good Catholic boy so he balks a little at first when you tell him you're a witch. But he knows you. You're not of the devil. So he agrees to help, though he's a little nervous about it.

Slowly he starts to notice similarities between Samhain and Día de Los Muertos.

The veil is thin and those from the other side can cross over. It's the same basic idea.

He helps you gather what you need for your practice, and you help him set up an ofrenda for his mother and father.

You manage to find some marigolds for him. And he finds you the herbs you need for your work.

The two of you opt to stay relatively close to camp, finding a nice spot in the trees just outside of camp. You spend the evening together, practicing your craft and celebrating his family.

Certainly Samhain and Día de Los Muertos aren't the same. Not at all. But the two of you find a certain harmony with the two, and enjoy celebrating in each other's company.

Sean

Sean gets really excited when you mention Samhain.

He may have been raised Christian, but his family was that wonderful Irish mix of Christian and traditional. He knows not to scoff at something like this.

If you celebrate Devil's Night, he's more than happy to go out and cause mischief and mayhem with you.

He "helps" you make soul bread. And by help, I mean he watches you, stealing bits of dough and wiping flour on your nose while talking non-stop.

The two of you head into town to buy pumpkins and turnips to carve.

Sean of course tries to stick his head in a hollowed pumpkin and gets it stuck. It takes John, Charles and Arthur 30 minutes to break it off of him.

But as the sun begins to set, Sean settles down some. He helps you set the jack-o'-lanterns up around camp to ward off spirits. Scuffs some dirt on Jack's face to keep him hidden.

When you leave camp with Sean, he's very respectful, keeping quiet for the most part except for the occasional "keep us all safe from the wee folk and anything else that's out tonight."

If you do any work contacting those on the other side, try to find his parents. He'll weep openly if you get a message from them.

If you're tired afterwards he'll snuggle you around the fire and tell you spooky stories until you fall asleep.

If you're wide awake, he'll happily get up to more mischief with you. Go get drunk or rob a house or anything really.

Bill

Bill tries. He really does.

But he's barely wrapped his head around "normal" traditions.

Witchcraft is above and beyond him.

Ask for crystals and he'll bring you a stolen diamond necklace.

"Diamonds is crystals ain't they?"

Yeah you'd better just go out and gather everything you need yourself.

He is remarkably good at wrapping herb bundles though. After you dry your herbs, you have him tie off your bundles.

When you invite him to come with you to keep you safe during your practice, he blushes 50 shades of red.

"Don't you... Ain't you gonna be... nekked?!"

Yeah Bill believes the stereotype that witchcraft is dancing naked in the woods.

If that is part of your practice, remind him that he's seen you naked plenty of times in bed.

If that isn't part of your practice, just explain and he'll calm down.

He's a bit jumpy when you go out that night. If you only do some spellwork, he'll settle.

If you start contacting the dead, he'll piss himself. He is very afraid of ghosts.

If you're tired, he'll carry you back to his horse and let you sleep on the ride back to camp before carrying you to bed.

If you're wide awake and horny after your practice, he'll chuckle and pull you close.

"Now I see what you dragged me along."

Micah

Micah thinks it's totally sexy that you're a witch.

He sees it as another form of rebelling from the norm.

He's probably not going to go pick your herbs for you.

But he'll ride out with you to gather anything you need.

I'll be honest, Micah thinks it's some sort of sex thing.

The image of witches dancing around in the woods at night while naked is definitely stuck in his mind.

Explain and he'll get it. Sort of.

Okay he'll probably never understand but if he likes you enough for you to be his S/O, he'll play along.

He might whine about it though.

He'll gladly go with you that night to keep you safe.

He's still half-expecting some sort of orgy.

But he'll keep guard and let you do your craft.

If you're tired afterwards he'll gladly snuggle with you by the fire.

If you're wide awake he'll gladly get up to some mischief with you.

[devondespresso]

1, 25, 81, 94 for the fanfic ask game! <3

KOKO HELLOOOOOOO ad thank you so much for the ask 💕💗💖💞💝 i went a little wild and had to reign it back in a bit and its still pretty long so apologies in advance

(ask game we're talking about is here but i also have questions next to the answers)

1. do you know how you want the story to end when you start, or are you just stumbling through the figurative wilderness hoping to find a road?

for the vast majorty of my fics i think i have a pretty good idea of where its going to go, i think because i get the ideas of these cool scenes usually set in act 2 or 3 or i at least the vibe i want from the start and The Point is usually clear the second i put thought into it. currently the only exceptions are 1) this super secret (woooo~~~) ficlet im working on that came from a prompt so i had to spend like 3 or 4 days writing it to properly understand the direction i wanted to take it, and 2) the steve henderson au, which is fucking massive already and it's even bigger in my head stnzgns. that one you obviously know how it ends y'know, it aint the steve henderson au if steve doesnt become a Henderson, but for all the arcs i have along the way it took a while to properly figure out what i doing and how to do that and im just now figuring out what that looks like for the first major arc.

so tldr: usually i know, sometimes i gotta figure it out, but i do need to have it figured out before it can really take shape

25. what’s your revision or rewriting process like?

oof ok so i tried writing this and good fucking god explaining everything i do in editing took up so much space. so this is the short answer for convenience but if anyone wants a long answer im foaming at the mouth to talk about writing stjsnystn (the rest under the cut)

the majority of my process is editing and sometimes first drafts are literally unrecognizable from the final. a lot of how i edit line by line is intuitive/vibes based, and whole scenes/arcs/pacing/flow/theme etc etc is based on a really deconstructed thought process for storytelling, to put it as briefly as i can (because this is one of the parts that got really long) its about The Why of everything going into the story. Picking details or making decisions not based rigidly on formula or trends but instead whats best for the kind of story you want to tell (and then making sure to implement it in a way that actually does that in the story).

for small works i prefer to just change shit as i see it and not worry about doing focused passes through the work, but in the steve Henderson au i literally cannot its too fucking big smhdmyxyn so in that case i do passes that span like whole writing sessions just hyperfocused on this one thing. one of my favorite passes is in-character passes where i pick one person (often dustin bc hes a main character), rewatch them a ton to get in their headspace, and go back and make sure everything they say or do fits them as if they were the sole focus if the story. I'll also do passes to focus just on medical accuracy, passes for a specific character duos to keep their story progressing and consistent, passes for ideas that stay between the lines making sure they stay consistent and understanding how much information im conveying, character's specific mindsets that their arc is about and making sure they dont have any unintentional exceptions, literally if its a thing in the text i probably need to do a pass for it so i know its consistent

also more lighthearted stuff tends to need wayyyy less editing time and its a more balanced half solo half beta process. the easiest was the claudia henderson drabble because it was really just a backstory with an active scene or two all rooted in her outside persective.

also sometimes i just start from scratch halfway through, like mr crayola henderson has one previous half-complete version in my doc fhdlas tho i guess thats how drafts are supposed to work

and this is the tldr im sorry i dont want to cut it down any more just read this one its my favourite fdhaskl

81. if you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of writing advice specific to you, what would it be?

honestly i wouldn't have much to tell them. i didn't start writing fanfic until july of last year?? something like that and i started with the steve henderson au. maybe don't write that one about the triggering thing lol.

actually wait no. id tell them its okay to abandon projects (and maybe tell them not to make some purchases dgnxngsyn) but ye i spent a while mourning projects because they felt like they ceased to exist, but i had several screenplay outlines that probably helped me a ton. in my writing and those experiences never leave me so their existence still had a purpose and value

tldr: dont write your very recent triggers silly goose, dont cry over abandoned art

94. do you prefer dialogue or description?

i definitely prefer dialogue, and with it action descriptions because i still think in movie-medium (tho i am getting better at understanding how the FUCK prose works and especially prose pacing oh my god why can't i just hold on an actors face for several seconds of silence gAAH!!). i like saying things without saying them, i like subtly building towards something body language until a snap, i looooove making blocking relevant in a medium where you're not even seeing the movement with your eyes, and i love getting into a characters head so far that each person has a different way to word something or a different detail they focus on or a certain tick that tells the other character whats in their head.

but i struggle with internal monologue sooooooo hard, its a practiced skill im actively working on to write a characters internal logic about something but still keeping it from being too on the nose about whats really going on. like i can do it but i struggle to fill page time with it because exploring ideas at least for me usually leads to the source and thats decidedly not where the characters going! its a tuesday afternoon! they're not unpacking shit they're trying to have a third coffee!! i also struggle finding the best words for the reader to feel the text, like idk man maybe im using the onelook dictionary wrong but it just does not get me what im looking for in under three looks zgnshnsyn

tldr: dialogue and blocking, good description is witchcraft

_

but yee thank you again for the ask dude!! this was so much fucking fun i fucking love talking about writing and the logic process behind everything. thanks anyone seeing this for actually reading this far 💕

[cinamun]

They don’t trust Hope. She left because she thought if she got some life experience or whatever went through her head, they would trust her more. Maybe she wanted to prove it to herself and her parents that she can do it. Now if it was Darren who would have put his hands on Hope like he used to do Indya (let us not forget) it would be a different conversation. They are a toxic couple that should’ve never gotten married, imo. To me they are facading “growth”. Again, I ask “where is it?” because whenever something comes up, they go back. That’s not growth. Is it because they live in a nice house and Indya is no longer using men? Is it because Darren is no longer punching people in the face? As a child, we want to understand where our parents come from and Hope is always “it’s ok”-ing and trying to be woke with her parents trauma. At some point, I believe we need to say, “So what about your trauma.” Why? Because at some point in this life, you need to be responsible for your own actions and words and not keep blaming what your mama, your daddy, the streets, who/whatever did to you. You need to heal it. These two have not dealt with any consequences of the b.s. they pulled to each other and now Hope and mostly likely Deera and DJ. You can not treat people any way you want to even those you parent. Hope can get the same treatment. She was disrespectful. They wrapped her so much in bubble wrap that she literally can’t live a life. Hope is going to get hurt anyway because that’s life. My point is so often we want to give grace to parents just because they are your parents. I’m SO over that. No amount of “sorry” can undo the harm that is done. There was a short story I read about a dad telling his son to hammer a nail into the fence whenever he was mad. Later he told him to remove the nails, while saying sorry. Although the nails were out, the residue is still there. I pray they can get through this, but something needs to change. When stuff like this happen, that’s why some parents end up being alone on their death bed and be wondering what went wrong. Or some kids hold stuff in and shows up in harmful ways such as self-harm. I think we’ve been giving them grace. I’m so sick it. I have no sides because everyone in this household is 1000% wrong. (2/2) Guess I had more characters allowed than I thought. XD. I am trying to root for them to be better but I am giving up Hope. I know for me I am forgiving until I get fed up. Then that grace turns to anger and I want to make others hurt 1000 times over. That's something I am working through. Human beings are trash sometimes. ><

Part one on the bottom. *cracks knuckles* Let's get into it:

I gotta say, if you haven't seen any growth from Darren and Indya throughout this entire story (started 7 years ago), I wonder if we're reading the same story! And that's not shade. The growth isn't just monetary. Its how they interact with each other in a way that is loving, nuturing and soft which has been woven very intricately throughout the story. Even Indya's mom showed empathy and warmth when she wanted to. I think you remember the bad things because they were very bad things so they stick out, but as Darren says, we prefer to leave the past right where it is.

A few things:

What they meant by "not going back" was infidelity, physical abuse, sleeping around for money, shooting people, you know... the life they were living. They haven't gone back.

Parenting level 9 is still there, in fact, Darren is level 9 as well. Even the best of parents have lost their shit with their kids.

"I got in one little argument and my mom got scared so she cussed me out and read me for filth when my siblings weren't there" (this is me, remixing the fresh prince theme song... work with me)

I honestly don't think the argument is strong enough for how this interaction with Hope is setting them back and continuing the cycle of generational trauma. This is the first time that Indya has reacted like this with Hope. Ever. And it wasn't for a minor offence, AND Hope clapped back a lil bit. Think about how many times they just ground her, or better yet, the time Indya didn't tell Darren about the weed, or the club...

Hope can't get "life experience" at 16 on the streets. That's what Indya had to do, that's what Indya and Darren are trying to prevent, right? So Hope didn't leave for that reason. And "she can do it" do what? Survive on the street? We don't want that...

We'll get into the trust part shortly.

Darren may very well still be punching people in the face.... I have no further comment at this time.

I would argue Indya and Darren are living the consequences of their previous actions by participating in the very difficult task of raising children to be healthy, happy, loved and cared for. They are not perfect, but you don't have to be perfect to be a parent.

I get how this situation is triggering. I truly do. I've also written these characters to behave in the exact way that they just did. I've also tried to be very clear about who they are. We are still learning who Hope and her siblings are.

Getting help, dealing with issues is something that happens throughout your life. You can get as far as you can, but I don't believe that you fix all your problems at any given point. Its progressive. So to say they should have "dealt with that" before having children, well... they did.

Its so curious to me that Indya has been cancelled by a few folks now for reacting in a way she was written to. And in a way that makes sense given the severity of what Hope did (everyone agrees it was very very bad).

I really like the nail analogy because even when you apologize the damage is still there. Like Hope, coming in the living room apologizing. She already damaged her parents. It goes both ways.

Finally, these little pixels are not the SimHuxtables as someone else put it. They are products of my wild imagination and there's no telling how they'll end up.

[pearblossommina]

ToG Read-A-Long, Crown of Midnight, day 8

50

Wow!

Wow!

(The dog is okay! Thank god!)

If there’s one thing that could make me like Chaol again, it’s the fact that he stopped at nothing to dive into a hellish dimension to rescue Fleetfoot.

Obviously I need some more detail about fae and what they are and why humans might fear and hate them.

If we’re going by ACOTAR rules, faeries never seemed to be all that different from humans, and the fear just stems from a centuries old war that might have carried with it a prejudice through the generations.

We kind of got a glimpse of the wider world in this story, but we haven’t really encountered fae or tales of their wickedness yet. But Celaena herself calls it “the monster unleashed” or whatever, so maybe they are worse than ACOTAR faeries, or maybe, she’s just been hanging out with humans too long and has internalized that self hatred. But I think she stands a good chance of teaching the world that faeries are just like humans, especially since she was able to mask herself as one and build all these vital friendships.

I dunno

I just hope that they don’t all start to hate her for something she can’t control.

51

RIP ARCHER

you were awesome until you killed Nehemia. If you’re gonna come between me and my princess, you gotta go, I’m sorry.

Still rooting for the Celaena dark path, even if it’s not what Nehemia wanted. Sometimes the darkness is the light, smh

52

Okayyyy

So she’s a Demi-fae

Chaol is being pretty sweet about it, honestly

(This is a more emotional breakup than the one she had with Dorian)

I don’t like how he gets to decide what to do for her, though. Like maybe ask her first, before you promise your dad you’ll un-abdicate and go home?

53

Well I guess it’s decided. In the next book we go to Wendlyn. Even Elena told Celaena not to worry about Wyrdkeys, or about King Whatever.

I wonder if Wendlyn’s king and heir will get names or if they’re gonna be vague unnamed characters, too 😩

54

Dorian and Chaol are fighting again

Boys

Please

Give it a rest

Celaena is going to fight for the rebellion, a promise to her best and truest love of all time, Nehemia, who died so violently, and came back from the dead so peacefully, and then left again to give her all these mixed up emotions.

(I love you Nehemia!)

(I hope we see you again, someday!)

55

I can’t beleive she’s leaving without Fleetfoot! (😭)

We are lingering so much on this last day, lol

Another breakup scene with Chaol and Celaena

What did she whisper to him - I wonder?

56

So she was secretly Aelin Galathynius!!!!!!

I’m very excited

(Girl)

Does she even know? Or does she have to discover it herself?

I feel like she had so many parts where she was like no one knows what happened to her. No one knows if she’s even alive or dead…

(I was like, she’s alive, she’s important, she has a faerie boyfriend and I’ve seen lots of kinky fanart of him) (I didn’t seek it out lol)(I just like to look at sexy nsfw faeries and everybody who draws ACOTAR fanart also draws TOG fanart) (lol)

I literally thought these books were about faeries, lmao, I did not expect the bait and switch of book one and two. But I was thinking maybe we were in a Feyre’s book/Nesta’s book type of deal. I was like we have to get through this weird worldbuilding and SOON we will go to the faerie realm

I CANNOT WAIT

TO GO TO THE FAERIE REALM

LET’S GOOOOO