#sorry for posting a bunch on incomplete works lately

[pers-books]

20 Questions fic writers' Q&A. I was tagged by @meluisart (thanks pal - sorry I forgot to mention that in the first version of this post!)

1 - How many works do you have on AO3?

661 (one more than the last time I did this meme in Nov 2023!)

2 - What's your total AO3 word count?

2,444,608

3 - What fandoms do you write for?

Most recently Berena (Holby City) and Original Fiction. But I’ve written very little since losing my mum in April 2023.

4 - What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Letters to a Naturalist (Holby City) (30,350 words)

Jason Haynes: Matchmaker (Holby City) (17,560 words)

The Red String of Fate (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)) (51,896 words)

One Life Stand (Holby City) (33,815 words)

The Hacktivist, The Agent, and the Clairvoyant (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Thor (Movies)) (35,849 words)

5 - Do you respond to comments?

Hell yes, always.

6 - What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Still this one:

Lascia Ch'io Pianga (Let Me Lament My Cruel Fate) for the James Bond (Movies) fandom. Although it does have an ambiguous ending, almost everyone who commented on it said they assumed that Bond & M both died.

7 - What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

The vast majority of them have happy endings as I rarely write sad ones.

8. Do you get hate on fic?

Used to back in the day when I wrote Ten/Martha fic for Doctor Who. There were a lot of Doctor/Rose shippers who hated my pairing with a passion and didn’t hesitate to share that hate instead of just staying in their fucking lane and using the back button/scroll button. Bunch of snowflakes.

9. Do you write smut?

Used to, not so much lately.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I have done, yes. The craziest one is probably the Doctor Who x Wallace & Gromit one.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yup - a few years ago someone translated one of mine into Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

A long, long time ago.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Eh, I don’t have just one - given I’ve written for 20 different fandoms over the last 16 years.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but probably won’t?

Oh, I’ve no idea - I only have one incomplete WiP actually posted on AO3, but I’ve no particular desire to finish it, especially given it’s 6 or 7 fandoms ago!

Of course, I have a whole heap of WiPs on my hard drive, but I doubt I’ll get to finish any of them.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Goodness knows. Someone else would have to answer that.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I have been told I write too much. Ironic, really, given how little I’ve written this past year.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I’d do it if it’s needful, though I don’t think I have.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Doctor Who!

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Eh, no, I don’t have a favourite fic - I’ve liked every fic I’ve written as I was writing it and I’ve occasionally re-read some of my own fic just because.

Tagging, with the usual caveat that you don't have to participate if you don't want to! @slightlyintimidating @doctorjameswatson @jinxedwood @bonnissance @ariverandasong @daisydoctor13 @fortytworedvines @onaperduamedee @hokuspokusthings @ceridwyn2 @thisbluespirit and anyone else who wants to participate!

Questions to respond to:

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

3. What fandoms do you write for?

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

8. Do you get hate on fic?

9. Do you write smut?

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but probably won’t?

16. What are your writing strengths?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

19. First fandom you wrote for?

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

[chokico]

Matt totally would, considering the growth spurt he had (based off this post i couldn’t help myself)

[funnuraba]

Quick guide to SAVING LIVEJOURNAL/OTHER FAN CONTENT with THE WAYBACK MACHINE:

(quick note: Tumblr content is honestly much more at risk, so if you have the stomach to try finding things on Tumblr, you can also use this method on that and do some good work)

Uhhh this got long, so look for the bolded parts if you’re not here for a long read lol.

Okay so, at some point, LJ is going under. Or at least all the gay stuff they can find on there. More to the point, PHOTOBUCKET, TINYPIC, IMAGESHACK.... all of those have left huge scars in the records of LJ fandom. So I’ve been using the fact that the Wayback Machine lets you save outlinks if you sign up with the Internet Archive! (Free!)

There’s a Save Page Now function! Good places to use it on include:

Rec lists

People’s masterlists of their own fics/art/meta

Somebody’s well-organized LJ Memories (the page you save needs to contain direct links to the posts you want to save, so if there are sublevels in the Memories you need to go as deep as possible)

community profiles

Every page of a community, if you really feel like it--I’ve been doing this with some small comms, but it’s.... less than feasible with big communities.

Check the “Save Outlinks” button, and the WB will also save links from the page you enter! You can get a lot of stuff at once. Unfortunately there’s a limit on the number of links it’ll grab, but it’s better than nothing. You’ll also see a lot of ERROR!s and it’s annoying. When it’s a Job Failed you can try the page again later.

I don’t know yet how it picks the outlinks to save, so maybe it’s random and you could eventually get all of them by Saving repeatedly??? I’m pretty sure it tries to start at the top, though, because communities with a huge list of tags in their layout are probably not worth your time: I’ve been trying to get stuff from the KKM Fanfic Challenge comm, but.... well, look at it. Trying to save any page with outlinks just picks up a whooooole bunch of those tags on the sidebar, and barely any actual posts. No matter what kind of URL you put in, that sidebar’s always there. You’d have to save each post individually to get every fic. Hope LJ��s not going anywhere fast!

Community profiles are among the most important, because that gives us a lot of info like how many members are left (after years of bleeding users) and how many comments and posts there were in the community! Unfortunately this method is REALLY BAD for art and icons--lots of them are just gone with tinypic and people’s personal LJ albums. Also the WB isn’t good with images in general and there’s no real alternative. But the profiles of icon communities, plus fanfics, meta, stuff like that: a lot of it left to be grabbed! Big main community profiles are best, because they often listed other smaller communities for the same fandom. Saving the big profile with Outlinks will pick up the profile links of all those smaller communities!

Sometimes the big community profiles will just make you sad. Try to soldier on. (If you’re really committing to this, don’t forget that smaller comms will also have even smaller comms listed as affiliates that never made it into the Big Fandom Community’s profile. You can come back later and Save their profiles directly. Sometimes they also have links to fanlistings and other rare things that are also useful to have saved!)

If you can think of a small community, you can also use the method of saving every page, which takes some work and time: you have to save the skip=10 URL, and after that skip=30, skip=50, etc. Then come back later and do skip=20, skip=40, skip=60, etc. The reason for this is that the Wayback Machine will only save one single URL every 30 minutes. So if you’re saving outlinks from skip=30, you’ll also get an incomplete snapshot of skip=20 and skip=40, minus all the important links on skip=20 and skip=40. Obviously, this isn’t much fun and works only with small comms. But it does save a lot of text.

Here’s the type of stuff you’ll get:

a saved PROFILE url: This is good! It saves info about how active a user or community was. In this case it was a user, but the profile is info they chose to put front and center, and the WB isn’t gonna crawl any deeper and grab personal posts from 2004 or anything. (You’ll get a lot of user profiles that aren’t really necessary when using this method.)

a modified POST url: Also good, but you’re gonna get a ton of duplicates on these due to how many different ways LJ would link to a single post. The style=mine doesn’t alter the content. You’ll also see lots of “#cutid1″, which of course is the link left by an LJ-cut. That’s fine, it gets the post. The content of posts 82379 is safe! (but NOT all the nested comments!)

a comment link (in this case dreamwidth which isn’t in danger, but the same format): This saved both the post itself (79392) and a comment thread (131360). You probably can’t get every comment thread just because the WB is bad at unfolding LJ threads, but this does contain the post itself. If you don’t see the plain post URL itself in the list of saved URLS once WB is done saving outlinks, but you do see a comment link: that comment link also has the original post! You don’t need to keep trying!

a journal’s tag link: This is less useful. It saves a snapshot of the tag page itself, but nothing deeper. Any content under an LJ cut or in the comments is not saved. There’s no way to keep these from saving, though. Just keep in mind, that tag in the picture doesn’t mean that the fics this person linked to have been saved. You’ll have to enter the tag link URL itself into the Wayback Machine’s SAVE page for that.

ERROR! JOB FAILED.: These are annoying! Most likely nothing was saved. Unless a comment link was successfully saved, you’ll have to copy-paste the URL that failed and put it into the SAVE page.

LIVE PAGE IS NOT AVAILABLE: There’s nothing you can do unless this URL was already saved somewhere.

BUT WHAT ABOUT IMAGES????

The passage of time means it’s probably too late. Imageshack and Tinypic took out a huge chunk of images on LJ, and PhotoBucket tried to make people pay them by putting big ol’ watermarks on all pictures except those hosted by premium users. It didn’t work and they said sorry, but the watermarks are still there. Lol. If you right-click +Open image in new tab, the watermark goes away, but who wants to do that with every single image? Also, the Wayback Machine sucks with big images and there’s no alternative at the moment.

If you’re lucky enough to find some holy grail like a big post of 1000 icons hosted on someone’s premium Photobucket, you could save a snapshot of the page. Wayback Machine lets you check that as an option, but IF YOU SAVE A SNAPSHOT WITH A TOOL LIKE “GoFullPage”: I find that GoFullPage, at least, will save you a big long image with no Photobucket watermarks! But you’ll have to save that image yourself, or store it somewhere, so keep that in mind.

Also, the snapshot means no animated gifs--although if you want to save those, they’ll be tiny little LJ icon gifs, so pretty easy to store on your own computer.

[rivalsforlife]

The Miles Dadworth Fic Rec List

List last updated: May 14 2021

Hopefully comprehensive list of fics of Miles Edgeworth Being A Father. This can be heavily implied or him outright adopting a kid. Not filtered through for quality, I just picked all the ones I could find easily.

Here’s how it works: I went through the 29 fics in the platonic Miles&Kay tag on ao3 that weren’t also tagged with the ship (gross), and skimmed through the fics that listed them both in the character tags. I also went through the platonic Sebastian&Miles tag. (Pretty much all the Sebastian fics are under the aai2 spoilers category regardless of how much spoilers are actually in there, just to be on the safe side!) I picked out ones that were either Miles Is A Dad or at least had heavy Dad vibes, and in which that relationship played a major if not were the sole focus of the story.

I didn’t go through Trucy’s tag yet because it’s the largest and also overlaps heavily with narumitsu - and while I love the ship, I wanted to focus on platonic relationships here, and didn’t really want to break down if each fic is more Miles&Trucy focused or narumitsu focused. Maybe later! I also didn’t go through the fics with original child characters for Miles -- though if you have any, lmk and I’ll add in a category for them, it counts as Dadworth too.

In the interest of being transparent as possible, these options are probably going to be biased. I read over or at least skimmed all of the fics submitted here before I put together this list, and therefore, I probably missed some that are tagged under ships that I personally dislike. As long as the ship isn’t something egregious, feel free to recommend it preferably with the Dadworth parts you like pointed out to me, and I’ll add it!

Now that those disclaimers are done… each of the fics below is sorted into one of three categories based on spoilers. There’s the link, followed by the title, author, rating, word count, and completion status (most are complete) along with any notes I thought might be helpful, such as which Dadworth relationship it focuses on but also any content warnings. Check them out and send the authors your love!

If you have any recommendations for the list, whether that’s because it’s on a non-ao3 site, under a ship I avoided, under a Dadworth relationship I didn’t search for, or I just plain missed something… send me a message either here or on twitter @rivalsforlife with a link to the fic! 

Similarly, if one of your fics on this list and you don’t want it to be, let me know and I’ll remove you from it, no hard feelings!

Full list under the “keep reading”.

Relatively Spoiler-Free Recs

… like it’s not going to be totally spoiler-free, but no major spoilers for anything released post-AJ unless stated otherwise.

Surprise Visit, by tellezara. T, 1385 words, complete. Not explicitly Dadworth, but Kay breaks into Miles’s house and meets Phoenix. Background narumitsu.

Means to an End by xtwilightzx. T, 24653 words, complete. Miles + Kay and a little bit of Miles + Trucy, again there’s narumitsu haha oops there’s gonna be a lot of those. It’s a spy+secret agent AU, I kind of just went through the Kay parts when adding it so I didn’t read over a lot of it and it’s been a while since I read it the first time. Not a fluffy piece, so tread carefully!

startling conclusions., by snowweiss. G, 3589 words, complete. Mainly Miles + Trucy and also Kay is there, and again, background narumitsu. 

The Little Things, by TelepathJeneral. G, 1838 words, complete. Miles+Kay, literally tagged “the ‘dad who isn’t a dad’” so. Yeah.

By the Skies, by potatomin. G, 1893 words, complete. Miles + Kay, not outright dad-stuff and can be read as friendship-only but here I am anyways claiming it

Turnabout Road Trip, by AutisticWriter. G, 1032 words, complete. Miles + Kay, not outright dad stuff but there’s a line implying it. Miles and Kay go to the Stonewall Inn, and there’s implied narumitsu.

Dear Kay, by chariset. T, 3790 words, complete. As the name would suggest it’s Miles + Kay. Contains spoilers for Dual Destinies, largely narumitsu focused, and a few lines that are nsfw-ish (for the narumitsu) but nothing graphic.

Jingleheimer Schmidt, by Meowzee. T, 2702 words, complete. It’s an AU where Miles has adopted (younger) Kay, Sebastian, and Ema, running into Phoenix who has adopted Trucy and (younger) Apollo and (human?) Charley. There’s a bit of implied narumitsu in there I think.

The Track Meet, by Auste. G, 2053 words, complete. Kay invites Miles and Gumshoe to her track meet. It’s not outright Dadworth, can be read as friendship only, but it’s implied in a few places.

An Unexpected Embrace, by PaleSkiessss. G, 2493 words, complete. Miles+Kay, there’s a spoiler for the victim of AAI case 4 in there but since I don’t think it’s an outright spoiler it’s here. Warning for kidnapping and hopsitals.

A Real Hero, by agoldengalaxy. G, 1609 words, complete. Miles+Kay, it takes place after aai2 but there aren’t any spoilers for it in here. 

The Single-Dads-In-Law-Enforcement Club, by milesedgeworthy (glassandroses). T, 1063 words at the time of writing this, incomplete. AU where Miles adopts Kay (who is aged down in this). Narumitsu seems to be a future focus, there’s also Gumshoe/Maggey and Mia/Diego. 

Long Known Facts, by Laquilasse. G, 3010 words, complete. Miles+Kay and Miles+Trucy, along with Miles+Gregory (various Dadworth flavours!). Miles turns 36 and reflects on the loss of his father; it’s a little heavy, naturally, but has a hopeful ending. Narumitsu is there as a pairing. Warning for past suicidal thinking.

Looking Past the Blindside, by AuthorForHire. G, 2808 words, complete. Miles+Kay, watching the beginning of Turnabout Succession (hence, AA4 spoilers).

From Borginia, with Love, by Inkblot0Blue. G, 678 words, complete (but reportedly part of an earlier abandoned(?) work). Miles+Kay and Miles+Sebastian, but no spoilers pop up regarding Sebastian.

Found, by BexDaBex. G, 318 words, complete. Miles+Kay, Miles finds Kay crying in the prosecutor’s office.

To the victor goes the spoils, by Verse. G, 499 words, complete. Miles+Kay, Miles spends a ridiculous amount of money on Kay. Warning that, while the fic itself is fine and absolutely dadworth, it is based on a prompt and the prompter mentions it as a ship in the prompt. (Again, the fic itself is fine, just brace yourself for that if needed.)

Making the Most, by digitaldreams. G, 2000 words, complete. Miles+Kay, Miles introduces Kay to Phoenix. narumitsu is in this one.

AAI Spoilers

For fics that contain spoilers for the first investigations game, but not the second.

Room 1202, by AquilaMage, G, 2950 words, complete. A bit of Miles + Kay stuff, but mostly Kay and Trucy sister-like bonding fluff!

Late Night, by agoldengalaxy. G, 1270 words, complete. Miles + Kay, post-AAI.

Turnabout Smokescreen, by chariset. T, 61036 words, complete. This is a multi-chapter casefic, it’s not super Dadworth focused but believe me it is in there, Miles + Kay. Some SOJ spoilers, not very fluffy, and I didn’t read over it before adding it to the list since it’s so long, so there may be some warnings or spoilers that I missed!

Promises, by an orphaned account :(. G, 1390 words, complete. Miles + Kay, Miles signs her promise notebook.

Two in the Bush, by Rosage. G, 4568 words, complete. Miles has adopted Kay in this, and some Kay+Trucy interactions plus Protective Dad Phoenix -- it’s not a fluffy fic, though, deals with moral ambiguity + Actual Yatagarasu Kay.

Spreading Her Wings, by Auste. G, 1542 words, complete. Less Dadworth and more Miles as a mentor to Kay, on her first day as a prosecutor, but I’m counting it in this anyways.

Father and daughter, by thewritingchip. G, 370 words, complete. Miles + Kay. Kay misses her father.

Coming out, by Verse. G, 977 words, complete. Miles+Kay, Kay comes out as trans to Miles. Content warning for an instance of unintentional deadnaming in the fic.

Never Lose You, by Leave_the_cravat. T, 13800 words, incomplete as of the time I’m writing this. Miles+Kay, Miles get shot and his friends/found family wait for him to recover. Evidently, content warning for gun violence and hospitals; more detailed warnings in the chapters.

Here, by lesbiantoddhoward.  G, 1194 words, complete. Miles+Kay, Kay works through some of her trauma post-AAI with the help of Miles. Not outright dadworth, but can be read as such.

AAI2 Spoilers

For fics that contain any amount of spoilers for the second investigations game.

Childswap, by theacegrace, aka me… sorry for the self-promotion haha but it fits. G, 11781 words, complete, has Miles’ relationships with Trucy + Kay + Sebastian (and also background, heavily implied narumitsu)

“family.”, by snowweiss. G, 2403 words, complete, features Miles’ relationships with Kay and Trucy and also narumitsu. No major plot spoilers but some implied ones through aai2 case 3 and 4.

These Children Are Not Objections, But I Will Raise Them!, by organicgold. G, 12368 words, complete. Has a whole bunch of platonic relationships you can see in the tags and also narumitsu. Some plot spoilers re: Sebastian

Edgeworth Gets Glasses, by Pinkstar14, G, 1516 words, complete. There aren’t any aai2 plot spoilers but Ray and Sebastian do show up in this. A bit of Miles and Sebastian, and Miles and Kay. Also Gregory’s Ever-Looming Presence, because technically he’s a dadworth too.

a great thief has to eat too, by polly_perks. G, 1357 words, complete. Some spoilers for cases 4 and 5 in here, focused on Miles and Kay. Miles gives Kay college advice.

Family Found, by MortisBane. G, 2422 words, complete. Spoilers are just General Sebastian things, but it’s outright dadworth with Kay and Sebastian.

Marked, by AquilaMage. T, 2112 words, complete. Kind of like one of those “soulmate AUs” except skin-to-skin contact with someone who truly loves you, whether that’s platonic, familial, or romantic, results in marks. Has some Miles + Sebastian dad stuff, but Miles also has Sebastian and Kay living with him. There’s also the Klavier/Sebastian ship. Warnings for implied child abuse.

That Warm Familiar Feeling, by ShyAura. G, 3091 words, complete. It’s an AU where Kay and Seb are aged down and Miles adopts them. Again warnings for implied child abuse in this re: Blaise.

Sleeping on Talent, by StrawhatsAndDeliberds. G, 10258 words, complete. Mostly Miles + Sebastian focused, but Miles adopts both him and Kay after the events of aai2 (or at least lets them live in his house.)

With a Chip in his Shoulder, by StrawhatsAndDeliberds. G, 80179 words at the time of writing this, incomplete. Much like the one above, Miles+Sebastian focused but Kay is there too. (I’m not sure if this is supposed to be part of a series or not, but it’s similar with Sebastian working through his issues!)

Surprises and Pride, by agoldengalaxy. G, 2848 words, complete. Miles+Kay but Sebastian is there too, I don’t think there are any aai2 spoilers but since it takes place post-aai2 and Sebastian is there, I put it here just to be safe!

Awfully Quiet, by rainingbluegold. G, 1079 words, complete. Miles+Kay and Miles+Sebastian, Miles cheers them up after the events of aai2.

Home Is Where The Heart Is, by JJsADragon. G, 5887 words, complete. Miles+Kay - Miles tries to figure out Kay’s secret about where she’s been staying throughout the course of the investigations games. 

Birds of a Feather, by theacegrace (oh look it’s me again). G, 8738 words, complete. Miles+Kay (with a little bit of Miles+Gregory). Five times Miles reminds Kay of her father, and one time Miles reminds himself of his own.

Warm Welcome, by debestefarewell. G, 551 words, complete. Miles+Sebastian - Sebastian gets a REAL dad.

Of Revelations and Wedding Bells, by Hotel_Japanifornia. G, 1330 words, complete. Miles+Kay, Kay is getting married (to an ambiguous/unknown partner) and Miles walks her down the aisle.

schön rosmarin, by KiwiKat_Writes. T, 13885 words at the time of writing this, incomplete. Miles+Sebastian and some Miles+Kay. Sebastian gets a dog! Warnings for some child abuse (Blaise being horrible), mentioned animal death at the beginning. (I haven’t had the time to read this one in detail yet, so let me know if I missed something.)

Smile Through the Memories, by VonKarmasWhip. T, 2490 words, complete. Miles+Kay, where Miles adopts Kay and deals with memories and doubts about being a father. There’s Gregbadd in the beginning of this and mentions of narumitsu and faraskye.

A Different Kind of Lullaby, by JJsADragon. T, 4101 words, complete. Miles+Sebastian, Sebastian calls Miles in the middle of the night wondering what happened to his mother. Content warning for Blaise being terrible, so implied/referenced child abuse and neglect.

Photosynthesize, by UtterPandamonium. T, 2140 words, incomplete at the time of writing this. Miles+Kay, with Miles and Phoenix and their accidental child acquisitions. No spoilers yet, but I’m putting it here just in case there is. narumitsu and franmaya are tagged as relationships in here.

[tsrookie]

Thank you so much for the tag @blossomanarchy ! Love you Maud💙

Name/Nickname: Mercy, Mer by a few (reminds me of Grey’s lol)

Gender: Female

Zodiac Sign: Cancer♋️

Height: This is really embarrassing... but I actually don’t remember😭 It’s been forever since it’s been checked

Birthday: July 19th

Lucky Number: 7/13

When did you create this blog?: Late March or Mid-April 2020 I guess?

What do I post?: Choices, Taylor Swift, One Direction, and occasionally Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel, Percy Jackson, and a whole lotta bs

Last thing I googled: The WEH walkthrough on the Choices wiki

Do I get asks?: Yes. Bunch of lyric completions (love you @nikki-2406 💙), and Ethan Ramsey stuff

Why did I choose my URL?: I mean, it’s kinda obvious😅 ts- Taylor Swift, rookie- Ethan’s nickname, my two first loves (pun intended)

My current projects and WIPS: I’m sorry... what? If my incomplete school presentations count, then that’s pretty much it😞 But in all seriousness, I was working on an ILY fic till December, and I wanted to post it, but simply couldn’t complete it. So it’s just sitting in there😕

Favourite artists(s) atm: Taylor Swift, One Direction (solo careers included) and Little Mix. These three, forever and always💕

All time fav: The three I stated above (I’m not kidding, they comprise more than half of my 500+ songs playlist)

Favourite song of all time: Call It What You Want by Taylor Swift (lol maybe I should just put this on my bio😆)

Last movie: The reputation Stadium Tour

Last show: My Little Pony Game of Thrones/ Grey’s Anatomy. They took GA off Amazon Prime after I finished season 3, so I’m surviving on YouTube now.

Favourite food: Dosa, Pizza, Pasta, and basically almost anything chicken

Food I hate: BAN SPINACH FFS

Favourite colour: Blue, Fuchsia, White, Black and Red

Favourite animal: Puppies!

What I’m currently wearing: T-shirt and one of my favourite comfy pants. I’m gonna sleep after this.

Dream job: Still undecided, but I’m leaning towards a writer

Dream trip: A Taylor Swift concert, London, Paris, Rome, Australia, and maybe NYC? (Ya know, if Taylor still lives there) I mostly just wanna touch some fucking snow before I die GET ME OUT OF INDIA PLEASE

Currently reading: NCERT textbooks😒

Currently thinking about: The With Every Heartbeat soundtrack, and a fic idea I’m never going to write down

Fun Facts:

1. Maud I’m with you on the first one. I downright hate insects. Every single one of them. Even the supposedly pretty little butterflies

2. I have pretty bad mood swings all the time.

3. Avengers Endgame was spoiled for me two days after it’s release. I was sitting in the middle of the night doing my homework when some m*****f***** (look, I REALLY hate that person, okay?) on YouTube posted a video with the title “IRON MAN DEATH SCENE AVENGERS ENDGAME”. I’d only become a Marvel fan three weeks prior, and Tony was my favourite character. So you can guess what happened after that🥲 I spent two whole days walking around like a zombie, and cried in my room at any given chance. Tony Stark was the first fictional character who made me bawl my eyes out.

3. I can sorta sing?

4. I have a Taylor Swift pillow that I hug and kiss more than my family (I love them tho😂)

5. I once wrote a song. It wasn’t entirely crap, and I was even kinda proud of myself, but then the memories associated with it became way too painful to hold on to, so I tore it up and threw it in the trash. So there’s some sappy stuff about me.

6. ...I really love My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, and I re watch it whenever I get the chance. Judge me all you want, but that show is so much better than some of my other childhood shows *cough* Winx *cough*.

Top three fictional universes: Choices, Percy Jackson, My Little Pony, MCU

Tagging @nikki-2406 @aworldoffandoms @oceanofsaturn @caseyvalentineramsey and basically anyone who wants to do this! I’d love to get to know more people here and I’m too sleepy

[fatehbaz]

Do you have any good posts about gardening?

Hey. Sorry, in advance, since this post is a bit long. Looks like this will be a “regional ecology and geography of food plants, gardening, and folk knowledge” and “the role of gardens in ecological imperialism” masterpost resource.

I know very little about the actual practice of gardening. I’m horrible source of info on gardening. I also know little about chemistry, soil science, and the more “technical” aspects of plant life. I’m more into historical ecology, the history of human/cultural relationships with plants, and the geography and distribution of plants, animals, and ecoregions. But I know there are some good people on this site with great knowledge about gardening, foodsheds, and native plants. I am very impressed and humbled by these people, and I would recommend people like caecilian-caesura (soil, gardening, growing things); cedar-glade (restoration, prairie, oak savanna, the Ohio River Valley/Great Lakes); spatheandspadix (great knowledge of plant life, regional and technical ecology, Great Lakes, Appalachia); radicalgardener (food, gardening, Alaska); pacificnorthwestdoodles (gardening and food in the Pacific Northwest). And there are several more people on this site who I could recommend for info on Texas and Florida. (You know who you are, I think (?). Hope you know I respect you). Send another anon or message if you want their names. (And I’m sorry if any of you are uncomfortable with me publicizing or mentioning you here. Please let me know and I’ll remove your name, no problem at all.)

I know this is almost completely unrelated to what you asked, and this isn’t what you were looking for, but I hope it might be interesting for some people? For sheer fun and convenience, I figured I’d compile a list of posts about (1) regional ecology involving gardening, food, and traditional environmental knowledge of plants/food. And (2) the use of gardens, botany, and plants generally in imperialism.

(One of my interests is in regional geography/ecology, especially involving temperate rainforest; prairies and oak savannas; the Pacific Northwest; so-called Canada; the Rockies; the northern Great Plains; and the Great Lakes. And another of my interests is the historical ecology of empires and colonization, and the role of plants and soil in imperialism. So, I’ve separated the list into those 2 categories. The reason I chose to include ecological imperialism here is because Euro-American gardens and farms have played such a central role in extinction, dispossession, initial waves of European colonization, and continued degradation now, as with non-native earthworms.)

Regional ecology and geography involving gardening, food, folk knowledge, and traditional ecological knowledge of plants and plant harvest for food:

- Masterpost about Palouse prairie native grassland: Native and endemic plants. Indigenous history of ecoregion and traditional plant use. The giant native earthworm. Some maps. (Very unique and endangered prairie ecoregion in the inland Pacific Northwest, one of the only sizable grasslands west of the Rockies. Ecologists estimate that only 0.1% of native prairie remains in the Palouse, the rest lost to agriculture over the past 120 years.)

- Masterpost of worm invasion in the Great Lakes region, Canada, and the Midwest: Lots of info about non-native earthworms in hardwoods forests; the transition zone between Great Plains and eastern deciduous forests; Ojibwe/Anishinaabe land; and the boreal-temperate transition zone of the Great Lakes. Info on how worms threaten mycorrhizal fungal networks; understory plants; soil integrity; sugar maples; and traditional maple harvest.

- “Sometimes ... plants that are aesthetically pleasing ... are worse.” Karuk prescribed burning. Traditional food harvest. Agroforestry in Klamath Mountains. Geography of oak woodlands in the PNW. And how California’s settler institutions messed up soil and forest health with bad management by prioritizing pretty conifers instead of cultivating oak woodlands.

- “Coyote’s biota”: Comcaac (Seri) and O’Odaham food, plant knowledge, and the ascribing of special names to native plants and Euro-American plants to distinguish between types of food.

- Gardens, plant-human relationships, and the sophisticated seasonal planting schedules of Makushi people (northern Amazonia).

- Horticulture, deliberate promotion of fungus-plant symbiosis, gardening of Matsigenka people (Madre de Dios watershed, Amazonia).

- Easy-to-access compilation of audio recordings and oral histories of bioregional foodsheds, from 13 Native food autonomy advocates. (New England maple syrup. New Mexico. Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. Abalone/acorns in California. Salmon in PNW, etc.)

- Swamp rattlesnakes, bogs, endangered flooded prairie of Ontario, Great Lakes, Midwest. Geography of massassauga distribution and disappearance of flooded remnant prairie. (Love that pygmy rattlesnakes live on the boreal fringe on Manitoulin Island, the shores of Georgian Bay, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.)

- Endangered endemic frogs and oak woodlands/prairies of the Pacific Northwest: Maps and info on the Oregon spotted frog and disappearance of dryland oak woodland/savanna/prairie in the coastal PNW. (Most of the dryland prairie of the PNW, and the frog habitat specifically, has been lost to agriculture and/or urban development.)

- Respecting plants, wetlands, native foods, and Indigenous history of Chicago area

- Recognizing the centuries/millennia of Native role in cultivating grasslands and resilient foodsheds of coastal California (specifically, Quiroste and Amah Mutsun environmental management techniques in the Bay Area). Also includes info on how California institutions are incorporating Native leadership/management in formal policy.

- Potentially the worst and most annoying post I’ve ever made. A post about snakes, remnant prairies, and forests in the northern Great Plains. Pothole prairies, riparian cottonwood corridors, aspen parkland, and a special snake species in the northern Great Plains. Short and incomplete version: [X]. Longer and more annoying version with answers, more maps, discussion of prairie, Black Hills, Colorado aspen, forest types in the Midwest: [X].

- Indigenous agroforestry in Amazonia, underappreciated designing and planning of forest structure.

- “Forage wars” between Native food harvesters and California legal institutions: Abalone, native foodsheds, and food harvesting in Pomo, Yurok, Coast Yuki, and other Klamath Mountains and coastal Northern California communities.

- Settler agriculture in Canadian prairies and the normalization of standards of agriculture and meteorology in late 19th and early 20th centuries. (Some discussion of effects of unsustainable agriculture on local soil/plant death.)

- New worms in Alaska: Recent news of the discovery (2018 - 2020) of Alaska’s first known native earthworm, near Fairbanks, around the same time that ecologists announce escalation in non-native earthworm invasion of Alaskan and boreal forest environments for the first time. (The non-native earthworms threatening Alaskan/boreal environments were apparently introduced in gardens and at fishing sites.)

- Worm invasion in Alaska: Presentation on where non-native earthworms have expanded their range in Alaska, and how they alter the soil. (From 2019.)

- Worm Disk Horse, responses to worm questions. (Some references to gardening and native/regional foodsheds.)

- Oak savanna, endemic reptiles, sudden oak death outbreak in Oregon and Northern California. Contains a bunch of maps.

- Biodiversity, key species, native plants in native prairie and shortgrass prairies of northern Great Plains

- Endangered and endemic butterflies of oak woodlands/prairies of the Pacific Northwest.

- Uncanny legless lizard creature, landscapes recovering from non-native plant agriculture, and remnant prairie of the Midwest and Great Lakes.

- Palouse prairie and recent news of the survival of the giant Palouse earthworm: Potentially temperate North America’s largest native earthworm, which relies on native prairie.

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

Role of gardens, botany, plants, and Euro-American gardening in ecological imperialism:

- The grand tale of breadfruit domestication, the mutiny on the Bounty, and plantation owners plotting with Kew Gardens to domesticate crops to undermine slave gardens in the Caribbean. (Also includes comments on the under-reported central role of media/PR manipulation and slavery in the “mutiny on the Bounty” story.)

- Wild rice (the imperial plot to domesticate wild rice), “cottage colonialism” in Canada, imaginative control, the power of names and naming plants. (Covers 1880s to Present.)

- How the gardens, horticulture, and food markets of slaves and the poor/dispossessed in the Caribbean allowed autonomous food networks to exist and undermine plantation owners and imperial interests. (Late 1700s, early 1800s.)

- Anna Boswell’s discussion of endemic longfin eels of Aotearoa as example of the problem with making “land-water” distinctions in Euro-American agriculture and land management

- Grasses, seed merchants, and “the Empire’s dairy farm” in Aotearoa. (European agriculture in late 19th and early 20th centuries.)

- The role of grasslands, deforestation, and English grasses in ecological imperialism in Aotearoa, early 20th century.

- European botanic gardens in 18th-/19th-century Mexico and Central America as a tool of imperialism and knowledge systematization. (“Botany began as atechnoscope – a way to visualize at-a-distance – but, at the end of the eighteenth century, it was already a  teletechnique – a way to act at-a-distance.”)

- Pineapple, breadfruit, and plantations “doing the work of Empire” in Hawaii.

- Carl Linnaeus, botanists’ racism against India and Latin America, and the use of botanic gardens to acquire knowledge as an exercise of “soft empire.”

- Kew Gardens plotting to take Native strains of wild rice and domesticate them for cheap and profitable consumption in other imperial British colonies.

- Calcutta Botanic Gardens abduction and use of Chinese slaves; Kew Gardens (successfully) plotting to steal cinchona from people of Bolivia to service their staff in India; botanic gardens’ role in large-scale dispossession to create plantations in Assam and Ooty (1790s - 1870s).

- Dandelions, other non-native plants, and settler gardens changing soil of the Canadian Arctic. (Late 1800s and early 1900s.)

-  Mapuche cultural legacy, Valdivian temperate rainforest, and European plots to dismantle the rainforest to create “Swiss or German pastoral   farm landscape” in Chile.

---

Sorry. In retrospect, it looks like worms and amphibians are a little over-represented here.

[what-if-i-imagine]

Fic Writer Interview

Tagged by my absolute favorite fic author @sun-moon-stars-jedi you can read their post here!

Name(s): (tumblr) what-if-i-imagine (Ao3) I_can_only_imagine

Fandoms: For the most part I write for DC, Batfam, Arrowfam, and Flashfam. I write in a weird combination of comic and Arrowverse, so I usually go off of my preferred backstory and characterizations from either or a combination of the two. I used to write for Marvel and Stranger Things.

Where you post: Ao3 and Tumblr

Most popular one shot (by kudos):

Overall: Striving for Perfection

From this year: Also Striving for Perfection!

Most popular multi-chap (also by kudos):

Overall: Hello Stranger

From this year: The Bitterness at the Bottom of the Pie (This one was posted more as a test for how interested people are in it, but it is going to be a fairly big project so it’s taking a while)

Favorite story you’ve written so far: Oh that’s really difficult! I’m going to do my three favorites because I can’t choose. Because You Can't Love Yourself, A Movie, a Bear, and a Milkshake, and Shaking Breath (Funny enough none of them are Jason stories and he’s my favorite character? Shaking Breath was a very self indulgent one, I knew it wouldn’t get much love since it’s about Chris Kent but I still had so much fun writing it),

Fic you were nervous to post: I wrote this fic months before I actually posted it because I really didn’t like how it turned out after I finished it. Then one night I was really sleep deprived after working on an assignment and went through my drafts folder and found it. I did some editing and with no shame finally posted it. So that would be Hurt Me Once.

How do you choose your titles: The titles are probably my favorite part! I like symbolic titles or titles that relate to the main theme, but lately I’ve been using a lot of lyrics or song titles that I feel fit the story or that I have on that story’s playlist (I really like making playlists for my stories, it’s a thing).

Do you outline: Sometimes? I do this thing where I title a document with the same title of the story and put “Lists and Shit” after it. My Lists and Shit are usually timelines for the story, lists of characters with important info, and sometimes full outlines of a chapter or two or a light outline of the whole story.

Complete: 25 on Ao3.

In progress: 1 on Ao3. The other two incomplete stories on my Ao3 are both for Marvel, and for the most part I’ve fallen out of that fandom. On my old Wattpad there are also a bunch of incomplete stories that will never be continued, but one of them I was really proud of so I might transfer it from my Wattpad to Ao3 and make it the one Marvel fic I complete.

Coming soon/not yet started: My Outlaws gift exchange story, an Arrowverese one shot centered around Oliver and William in a universe where Oliver doesn’t die, and another possible holiday story or two? I’m not sure yet.

Prompts: I love getting prompts (burts of serotonin every time I get one!) but I haven’t had much motivation lately because of seasonal depression. I currently have 3 prompts waiting for me to work on them, but only one of them has actually been started and it has turned into a chapter fic by accident.

Upcoming works you’re most excited about: I’m really excited about two of the Black and Blue Christmas (ship name for Oliver/Dinah/Barry/Len my girlfriend and I came up with) fics that I’ve been working on. Besides those fics, I’m really excited for one of my upcoming Jayroy fics and two of my Olivarry fics I’ve been working on.

(Sorry if you’ve already been tagged!) tagging @a-single-drop-of-ink @gayandangery @redhoodiejt

[alittletournesol]

Kingdom Of Jinju {MinKey} part 13/33

Chapter 13 : To celebrate you

The streets of Jinju were calm, as only the moonlight was lighting the way between the small habitations. The General walked past the houses and discreetly glanced here and there to check if there wasn’t anyone seeking trouble. They had returned from their trip to Dongjeo only a few hours before, but the King had been warned by his mother that during his absence, a riot had begun — or tried to. According to some witnesses’ statements, it had appeared that the perpetrators had been sons of some of the Royal Council members.

It was needless to say that Minho and Kibum hadn’t had the time to rest and been busy at the palace, summoning the Council to settle this intolerable issue. Jinki had been in the room with them, listening to the arguments and excuses coming from a few seats and trying not to grab the culprits by the neck to throw them in a jail. It would have been a bigger mess, the King’s words already falling on deaf ears as some men refused to admit they had planned a revolt.

It had been all thanks to the Prince that things had started to be sorted out. He quite rightly despised the members of the Council — the old ones at the very least — thus he had proposed the best solution to prove the truth : to summon witnesses from the people. Evidently, his idea had been welcomed with a nascent chaos but he had immediately reduced everyone to silence just like he had done once : his sharp and firm authority had proved his worth once again. When a Lord had even tried to question his position since he had dared to abandon the kingdom, it had been Minho’s turn to step in.

Jinki had then been commanded to escort this man outside and go as fast as possible to the village to summon some trustful persons. The General had done as told and thanks to his King’s getaways in Jinju, he perfectly knew which people he had to bring. After hours, it had been decided that the six members of the Council that had pushed their descendants to start a riot, would be dismissed from their post and have their titles annulled. 

Once everything had eventually been resolved, Minho had asked his old friend to escort the members of the people to their place and to ensure their safety on the way. This was how Jinki was now walking in the streets after he had accompanied the last person to their home. During his mission, he had carefully listened to what the women behind him were saying, and he still felt dumbfounded as he realized they hadn’t recognized the young man who sometimes visited them.

But it was for the best, so he didn’t complain. He was supposed to head back to the palace where his presence must be needed, but he felt the need to check on something before. Or to be more precise, on someone. His steps were leading him through the village, making him soon reach the school that was, obviously, empty at such a late hour. He wondered if the young teacher was sleeping already, but he remembered that when he used to live near his students, he had quickly been known as being a night owl.

It was curious, but also funny how this coincided with the actual owl around his neck, the simple yet gorgeous pendant notifying about his status. Of course Jinki had seen this symbol before, for the simple fact that Minho had received an education from the best private tutor in the realm. Though it was extremely surprising to have such an as young man as Jonghyun wearing it.

When he finally reached the building, the soldier stopped to raise his head, checking if there was light coming from the first floor where the other man lived. But there was none, and he couldn’t make out any movement behind the window either. Disappointment caused a sort of pinch in his chest, and he cleared his throat. Should he still try to knock at the door ? After all, it wasn’t an usual hour for Jonghyun to be in Morpheus’ arms, if he kept his sleeping habits from the time he had lived at the palace.

Jinki slowly raised his closed fist, ready to hit the door… but he didn’t make a move. He was trapped between two decisions : the one urging him to notify the teacher of his presence in front of his house, and the one trying to reason and make him go back to his duty. He remained like this for a few seconds, because the actual situation in his own mind was troubling him more than ever. As a soldier, he had to choose reason over feelings, always. 

But he wanted to see Jonghyun, he wanted it so bad. He couldn’t explain why but he had sort of… missed him ? When seeing one as often as he saw him, none could remain cold and indifferent. Jinki had never had real friends outside Minho, because he was seeing the King every day ; it wasn’t the same with his soldiers because he was their leader and had to keep authority over them. In a way, the young teacher was the only other person he was seeing this frequently.

And by remembering the words the latter had whispered to him on the day he had left to Dongjeo… he wanted to show him that, indeed, he had been well.

“So, will you knock before you get a cramp ?”

Jinki got startled and his reflexes made him jump with surprise and unsheathe his sword on the same time he turned around. The threatening tip of his blade was aiming at a young man with his mid-length blonde hair tied in a bun, his hands raised and an eyebrow cocked. 

“Ah, yes… never scare a soldier. My bad. Good evening to you too, Jinki.”

“B-By the Gods, I’m sorry, let me help you with those.”

The General immediately put his weapon back to its place and approached Jonghyun, who was laughing and crouching at the same time. In his quick movement to show he wasn’t armed or something, he had dropped a bunch of scrolls that were now all over the ground. The soldier hissed and cursed himself as he helped the other man to get everything back, blowing on the paper to eliminate any trace of dirt.

When he stood up, his eyes met the teacher’s and he eventually smiled back at him.

“Good evening.” He simply replied, still not fond of long sentences.

“It’s been a while, what are you doing here so late ?” Jonghyun asked without moving from his spot. “Wanted to see me ?”

“I was on duty, actually. Bad stuff happened at the palace, you know, I had to be an escort for people, in and out. I happened to be around so…”

“What a long excuse you got there. Anyway, I will take it. Do you want to come over ? I was about to drink something and work a bit but I can make space for you.”

“I don’t know… I mean, maybe I’m expected and—”

“This makes two rubbish excuses. Before I hear a third one, come in.”

Without waiting for an answer, the teacher walked past Jinki and opened his door, going inside without looking behind. As he went through the classroom to reach the staircase heading to his apartment, the General hesitated before he slightly smiled and followed his lead. Making sure to lock the door from inside, as a matter of safety, he headed upstairs. It was the first time he saw where Jonghyun lived and it somehow didn’t surprise him : bare necessities. 

A home just like its owner : all about simplicity and comfort, no unnecessary things and a big space dedicated to work. He waited in a small space that looked like a living room, with an armchair and a small bookcase, full to breaking point. There was also a small rounded table in a corner, with two chairs and a few papers resting on it. Standing there, Jinki didn’t know what to do and just watched the other man put his scrolls on the aforesaid table.

“Make yourself at home, the kitchen is downstairs.” Jonghyun said. “I’ll be back soon.”

No sooner said than done, the blonde head had disappeared, and the way the sound of his steps was so fast in the stairs made the soldier smile. The latter looked around him, wondering if he could sit, and if yes, where. After a few seconds, he decided that choosing the armchair would perhaps be too much, so he eventually sat on one of the chairs. As he waited, his eyes glanced at the papers, and especially the ones he had just helped to pick up.

He didn’t know where this curiosity came from, but he succumbed to it rather quickly and gently rolled out one of the scrolls. He expected to read something like an upcoming lesson for his students, but certainly not… drawings. The more he revealed, the more surprised he got : there on the paper, there were some rounded or not so rounded shapes drawn following each other to make a line. An incomplete line though.

It only took a few seconds for Jinki to understand what he was staring at : they were moons, or rather the same moon but with all its phases since the last new moon. The last drawn undeniably was the one he had himself seen in the night sky minutes before, and the shining aspect the pencil gave it proved that it had been drawn very recently. The soldier grew more and more curious and let his fingers reach other scrolls, discovering not less surprising works like sketches of plants and some words accompanying them like a… medicinal explanation ?

Naturally, some papers were preparations of classes but Jinki found in the middle of reading and writing lessons, a really long scroll filled with notes and drawings representing the whole beginning of the Five Kingdoms’ creation. He remembered that Jonghyun used to teach history to the Prince, it was certainly about it. The handwriting was really delicate, thin and straight, perfect to be taught to children.

“What’s your excuse this time ?”

The General jumped with surprise on his chair and raised his arms like an innocent man would do in front of a weapon, what made Jonghyun laugh. Once again, the soldier was a bit shaken by the sound of his laugh, low but so clear. He smiled as an answer and rubbed the back of his head before standing up to help the other man with the tray he was holding.

“Yah, yah, I’m not disabled.” The teacher laughed again. “I usually drink herbal tea to help me with my sleep, so I can only propose you the same.”

“It’s fine.” The soldier replied before sitting again, watching his host fill a cup for him. “I won’t stay for long if you need to sleep.”

“You’re welcomed whenever you feel like visiting me, Jinki. So, how was the journey ? Will I be in trouble ?”

“I knew you helped them. They never said it but it was so evident.”

“I suppose I can’t hide anything from the observant General you are ? How did you know ?”

“The King didn’t see it but I can only think of one person beside him that owns a map and a compass.”

“By the Gods, I got confounded.” 

Jinki smiled and a gentle sound escaped his throat, yet without passing his close lips. He took a moment to drink a mouthful of the hot tea before talking a bit about the trip to Dongjeo. Jonghyun listened carefully and almost panicked when he learned about the danger his young friends had put themselves in. But the General was quick to reassure him, and both expressed their gratitude towards the gardener, who literally saved two lives by denouncing them.

“See this is why it’s not a bother, teaching to kids now.” The blonde haired man sighed. “Even though they’re twenty and eighteen… they can’t listen to me.”

“You would be surprised to see how they behave at the palace now.” Jinki replied with a smile. “The Prince seems to enjoy his role more than just accepting it, what if I tell you that he’s able to shut the Council’s members up in a flash ?”

“Really, does he ? I hope the King doesn’t feel shadowed.”

“Not at all, it looks like he finds it funny. And I think he… admires him. Should I be saying that ?”

“I’m good at keeping secrets. So, admiration ?”

“Admiration. You know, my King is still young and I’m only five years older so we don’t always get along on some topics. But now that he has the Prince, who is of his age, it’s like he has someone else to rely on.”

“And you don’t feel burdened by that ?”

“Not really, I kinda admire the Prince too. But he keeps teasing me so I won’t say it too much.”

Jonghyun widened his eyes and laughed out loud, even harder when the soldier assured him that he was mistreated by Kibum, who took every single occasion to tease him about his good looks and all. He didn’t know how to react and it was a real issue ! But the teacher was having a hard time calming down and his laugh eventually became infectious, and Jinki laughed too. Quieter, but still. It wasn’t something usual.

“It looks like you’re afraid he might like you !” The blonde haired man ended up saying.

“Actually, I never thought of that…” The General suddenly grew pale. “Could he…”

“By the Gods, I’m kidding, Jinki. I believe he might have someone else in mind but is it my business ? No, so let’s talk about you : it’s still true that you’re a handsome man, so how come you’re not married yet ?”

“M-Married ?”

“Yes, married. Or maybe I missed something and Jinju’s General has a hidden wife somewhere ?”

“I… I don’t. Having an army to train doesn’t give much free time to, you know, meet someone, fall in love, all that stuff.”

“This is actually the most valid excuse you said since you arrived.”

“Thanks.”

Jinki smiled and focused on his cup, drinking a few times and directing his eyes towards the table where he had pushed the scrolls away. Jonghyun must have noticed it because as soon as he finished his tea, he grabbed one of them.

“You coming here is a perfect timing I must say, because I wanted to give you this one.” He said, rolling the paper out to reveal the history lesson the soldier had seen earlier.

“Give it to me ?” The latter asked, cocking an eyebrow. “I think I know everything I need to know about the history of the realm, you know, I’m a soldier so it has been part of my education and training.”

“I perfectly know that and I would never question your knowledge on the topic. No, it’s for Taemin. You’re still training him, right ?”

“Yes, I am. And he’s making great progress, if it can reassure you… well, I wouldn’t leave him defend someone alone again, for sure, but soon he will be able to properly defend himself with a sword. Still… he’s terrible at archery, whatever I try, he’s a hopeless case. I’m sorry.”

“No need to convince me.”

The teacher laughed and moved to show his side, rolling his left sleeve up until his whole arm was bare. Jinki frowned and leaned on to inspect the slightly tanned skin, not sure of what he should be noticing… until the faded pink scar a bit above the elbow appeared, blindingly obvious. His eyes widened and he grabbed Jonghyun’s arm, gently turning it to see the wound better. No way…

“Taemin did that ?” He asked, dumbfounded. “With an arrow ?”

“I might have shown up at the wrong place and time.” The blonde haired man slightly laughed. “He was practicing with Kibum, but well, as you said… he’s a hopeless case. You can let him focus on his sword abilities.”

“Do you allow me to use this information later ? As a matter of pure professionalism, naturally.”

“Naturally. But back to my business, I would like you to give this to him. He can’t become a soldier if he doesn’t learn history and I believe you’re way too busy to teach him everything since the beginning.”

“Wait… you wrote this especially for him ? You didn’t recycle your lessons for the Prince ?”

“No, because these two are extremely different when it comes to learn. Taemin needs something full of imagery, while Kibum is all about words and long sentences. I told you, I can’t sleep much so I keep myself busy with something useful. Here you only have the creation of the Five Kingdoms, I want him to know this perfectly before sending him something else.”

“I can be your accomplice, he will need to know all of this.”

“Perfect ! This will give you even more excuses to visit me outside my classes hours.”

Jonghyun offered one of his so sweet smiles to his friend, and the latter lost his words for a few seconds before he just mouthed a ‘yes’ and nodded with a bit more enthusiasm. Being teased by this young man gave Jinki a different feeling than when it was by the Prince, and he couldn’t explain why. It left him speechless in both cases, but although he pretended to be annoyed by Kibum’s teasing… he appreciated it, it was like a little bond between them. As for the teacher’s way to joke around with him, it felt even more amusing since they were seeing each other a lot outside the palace.

Even though he was on actual duty when he was at school, the soldier forgot about it pretty easily. He was even enjoying, somehow, to drop his guard around the kids and be sometimes — often — used by Jonghyun to get them to learn something. They had never called each other friends, never stated nor formalized it, but it had never been needed. They knew they were, and sometimes it wasn’t necessary to shout a friendship from the rooftops for it to feel truer. 

And Jinki felt beyond happy to have a new excuse to come around again, though he wouldn’t dare to admit it out loud.

It had been a few days since their return, and Kibum found himself missing the presence of the King. With the whole business waiting for him as soon as he came back to Jinju, his husband had immediately got busier than he had ever been, to the point he had skipped lunch more than once. If it hadn’t been for the Prince personally bringing him a tray, it would have become extremely negative for his health.

However, Kibum had never stayed more than a few seconds in the big office. He obviously didn’t want to be a bother and to waste Minho’s time in these times of crisis, when the latter still had to deal with protests from the Council’s member he had excluded. But it wasn’t the only reason. He was running away, not from the sovereign but from his own desires. As soon as they were in the same room, the memory of his dream and of all those nights sharing a mattress came back to his mind.

And the one and only consequence was the way his body reacted by heating up, the Prince almost finding himself in the same physical and mental state than this first morning in Dongjeo. Even though he had had his own quarters starting from the second day, the return trip had allowed him to go back to the King’s tent, sleeping so close to him. Unlike the outward journey, something had changed and he had struggled to sleep… because he had had to prevent himself from voluntarily move so his back could touch Minho’s.

He was craving touches. But he was so scared that his husband would find him disgusting, that he kept everything to himself. He didn’t want the King to start avoiding him, not now that they were getting closer as friends… despite he was wondering if he wasn’t needing… more ?

He hadn’t been able to talk to anyone, for he had been busy himself with the leading of the palace’s maintenance. He missed Minho’s few touches… but he also missed his friendship with Taemin. Since their return, the young boy had kept training with his new soldiers friends, and Kibum somehow felt jealous of them ; they understood his passion and supported him so much better than he ever did. 

Although he wanted to confess all his new feelings to his friend, he was trapped with his fear of Taemin thinking he was coming to him only when needed. Jonghyun was unreachable, because the Prince refused to do another getaway without the King. So many things were happening to him lately, he was facing even more trust issues. He needed someone. And since neither his husband nor his mature friend were close at hand, he had to get his companion and best friend back.

He let his steps lead him towards the training yard, where he could hear swords clinking against each other. Without announcing himself, he pushed the door and entered the space, making every soldier turn towards him and bow.

“Please, do not interrupt your training for me.” He said, smiling before he scanned the place until he found Taemin. “There you are. Once you are done, can you join me ?”

“Of course hyung, just give me a minute and I come !” The boy enthusiastically said, what warmed the Prince’s heart.

“Very well. Keep working hard, all of you.”

Soldiers shouted their thanks in unison, waiting for their sovereign’s husband to leave so they could start again. Kibum was such in the mood to care for his best friend that he asked the sentry to send Taemin to his quarters once he would come out. Without really waiting for an answer, he quickly headed back to the palace and called for a few houseboys. He commanded them to bring him a few buckets of hot water and while they were obeying, he walked upstairs to keep his door open.

As always when he wanted to take a bath, he pulled the tub from behind the screen to place it in a larger and more open space. Within a few minutes, a dozen of employees knocked at the door and entered, following each other as they poured the hot water into the awaiting container. When they left, they ran into Taemin, who entered frowning at his friend.

“Hyung ? You called me… for your bath ?” There was a hint of disappointment in the tone of his voice.

“Of course not, I bathed this morning, silly.” The Prince smiled before he tapped the edge of the tub. “It’s for you. Come on, it will cool down if you stay over there.”

The young boy’s face lit up and he closed the door before approaching Kibum, who pinched his nose. It had been such a long time since he had last taken a bath with his friend next to him, and it was like a memory of their childhood was revived. It didn’t take less than a minute for the apprentice to get naked, his dirty clothes in a wicker basket, and to enter the hot water with a sigh of satisfaction.

The Prince widened his eyes when he saw his friend’s body : by means of many weeks of training, he had developed his muscles and it was like his image of a young and innocent boy had faded away. Taemin was becoming a man, and even though it scared him, Kibum eventually smiled with pride and emotion. He watched him submerge his own head to wet his long hair, and laughed.

“I think you need a cut.” The elder said as he grabbed a sheet and placed it on the floor, bringing the dressing table’s stool near the tub. “But first, let’s wash this mess.”

“Thank you hyung.”

The younger man was all smily, letting his best friend gently wash his hair like he used to do sometimes, back in Mongje. No word about their relationship was exchanged, as if this moment of peace and closeness between them had erased any beginning of a split. What made Taemin feel even better was when Kibum asked him to tell him about his training, how it was going and if he was feeling good in his new life.

This young lad had always been talkative, so he didn’t wait to be asked twice : he told everything, from his improving sword’s skills to his new friends within the latest recruits of Jinki. When the General was on his scheduled mission, it was them who helped him with his techniques and balance, and they eventually shared lunch and more, as long as Taemin wasn’t needed by the Prince.

“Do you feel… freer ?” Kibum ended up asking, his voice betraying his concern, as he gently untangled the now rinsed hair. “I know I had that terrible habit to always keep you with me, so…”

“I never felt overwhelmed with you.” His friend answered, smiling. “We both found our way here, right ? You’re the ruler, you have business now, and I’m lucky to learn what I’ve always dreamed of. It just makes me sad that we can’t be together as often as before.”

“Does it ?”

“Yes. But I didn’t want to bother you, since you’re very busy lately. I’m proud of you, hyung ! You’re a good Prince, and I’m sure the King is proud too.”

“Thank you, pumpkin.”

“Please don’t call me that. I’m almost a soldier !”

“So what ? You’ll still be my stupid little pumpkin, whatever you do. So keep quiet and please, don’t move. I’m cutting your hair now.”

“Not too long, I have to tie them in a bun.”

Kibum laughed at the command, but didn’t complain. This moment was so pleasant he couldn’t ruin it with his endless grumbling. Both men remained silent while the Prince was focusing on his scissors’ precise work, the younger lowering his head and not moving an inch. It didn’t took a lot of time, and once it was done, Taemin pretended to tie them before he thanked his friend for the perfect length.

The water was starting to cool down and before he could catch a cold, the elder made his companion get out, wrapping him in a huge size towel. The latter whined to ask him to let him be, laughing at the extra attentions he was receiving all of sudden. They laughed together and Kibum gave up, sitting on the couch at the foot if his bed while Taemin was drying and getting himself dressed.

“How come Sir Jinki is less and less present at your trainings ?” The Prince asked out of the blue. “I didn’t see him earlier.”

“He goes a lot to school lately.” The apprentice casually replied. “He seems to take his mission seriously, he always comes back with a smile. Really thin smile though, but still !”

“Does he smile ? I didn’t know he liked children that much.”

“He’s uncomfortable with children, actually.”

Kibum cocked an eyebrow at the innocent information he was just given. Beside children, the only other person at school was Jonghyun, so why would the General be smiling because of him ? It wasn’t like they were in good terms after everything that had happened, and it was pure professional visits. Nothing to be worried about. But still, something in the Prince’s chest seemed to hurt as he wondered if his former teacher could perhaps be interested in another man…

“By the way, how are things going with the King ?” Taemin spoke up once he was dressed. “You still don’t want to admit you’re seduced ?”

The oldest man was caught off guard and choked with his own saliva, making his friend laugh and sit next to him to tap his back. 

“There, there.” The boy said. “After all, it’s been a while since we talked about you two, and well… you weren’t really discreet in Dongjeo.”

“What are you talking about again ?” Kibum only replied after he got a grip on himself.

“Hyung, don’t try me. You arrive in another kingdom and immediately propose to sleep together since you don’t have a room. You tease each other, you even hit him ! Come on, you’re exchanging knowing smiles and stares… Come on.”

“Ugh, fine. Fine, we get along better than expected. That’s what you wanted to hear ?”

“No, it’s not enough. I know you, hyung, and it’s really noticeable that you’re hiding something. Spit it out, I’m not judging you.”

The Prince looked at his companion for a few seconds, and he sighed as he let himself fall on his back on the mattress. He took a deep breath and his his face in his arms.

“I think…” He started. “I think I might… like him ?”

“Told you. By the Gods, I knew it. You can’t hide anything from me !”

“But I’m not sure ! Taemin, it’s way too… new, and strange. I mean, I never felt so many things at once, and I know it’s not love because I already know what love is.”

“Can’t you put words on what you feel ? Maybe I can help.”

“I don’t know… it’s like we’ve become friends with time, very good friends. It’s not clumsy anymore, we’re at ease when we’re together and we talk easily, lightly. I… I talked to him about noona.”

“D-Did you…? Hyung, that’s a really big step, you never talked about her to anyone except…”

“Jonghyun and you, yes. I don’t know how I ended up talking like that, it just… came out ? He was there, I needed to talk, I talked. And he listened, he supported me when he wasn’t forced to. He seemed… concerned.”

“He never hid that he wanted to know you better, it must be so relieving to him that you’re opening yourself. But are you fine about it…? It’s not something trivial we’re talking about…”

“I’m… quite fine. I think if he hadn’t left when you arrived, I would have talked more. Way much more. He makes me feel comfortable, Taemin… but…”

“But…?”

“I really don’t know what it is. It’s like we’re friends like I am with you, but on a same time… I… I want him…”

Taemin frowned, not sure about the way to understand the last sentence he had just heard. He pondered it for a few seconds before he felt the need to say it.

“How do you… want him ?” He asked. “I mean… as a boyfriend or something…?”

“I don’t know… it’s like I feel towards him the way I feel… or felt… towards Jonghyun.” Kibum tried to explained, struggling with his words and starting to get angry because of that. “How to say it, by the Gods… I dreamed of him, Taemin. When we slept together in Dongjeo, I dreamed of him and… it wasn’t innocent, I dreamed he was turning me on.”

“Oh shit… for real ?”

“For real… and it was so disappointing to wake up, believe me… Thanks the Gods he didn’t notice anything, but since then, I can’t stare at him for too long without feeling this… this warmth inside me again. And the only times I felt this were when Jonghyun and I were making lo— having sex.”

“So… if I understand well… your feelings for the King are kind of a combination of the feelings you got towards me as a good friend, and the ones towards Jonghyun as a lover. Right ?”

“Yeah, yeah that’s it ! But it’s not love, right ? Love was what I felt with Jonghyun, and it really didn’t feel like that. I’m so lost…”

“Maybe… maybe you should start thinking of what Jonghyun hyung kept telling you, hyung.”

“What ?”

“He constantly repeated that what you were feeling for him wasn’t love, that you were fooling yourself. Maybe he was right, after all… I’m not assuming anything but… you should think about it. Because if he’s right, then you don’t really know how love actually feels. And what you feel for the King that’s so different… might be that ?”

Taemin’s words were followed by an awful silence, and he thought for one second that he might have hurt his friend by mentioning Jonghyun’s repetitive lecture. He realized Kibum had never talked about his relationship with the teacher anymore, after the latter was sent away from him. He didn’t know if the Prince had given up on his lover of olden times, and it was only now that he was understanding his friend had locked this part of his life in a form of mutism. On what purpose, he didn’t know.

Still lying on the mattress, the elder was gone. His eyes were attached to the ceiling, and he seemed lost in his thoughts after hearing his companion’s words. He was already so troubled by what was happening inside his body, inside his mind, but now it was even worse : more confusion had come. Taemin’s reflexion always amazed him, but this time it was more scaring him than anything.

What if it was true ? What if since the beginning, he never felt love for Jonghyun ? Before, he would have just denied and commanded whoever questioned his feelings to shut up. He would have forgotten any awful comment about his feelings being wrong, misinterpreted. But he had changed. It hadn’t been long since he had become the Prince of Jinju, the King’s husband ; yet, enough to think in a different way. 

Minho kept praising his analysis capacities, and he always thought he was just exaggerating. But now that was he was doing : analyzing his past, his acts and wills, his feelings and sensations. He was analyzing everything, and once something hit him, he sat up so abruptly it made Taemin slightly jump with surprise.

“What is it…?” The younger man asked, concerned. “Did I hurt you ?”

“I need to ask someone about love.” Kibum simply said, his eyes staring at his door. “But who ? Jonghyun doesn’t believe in it, no way I ask the King. You don’t know more than me, right ?”

“Very right. Loving someone… I like fighting more.”

“I can’t do that alone… I can’t learn about such a thing alone… I don’t know anyone else enough, except the three of you and…”

Taemin stared at him, waiting for what was coming next. In vain. His friend just slightly smiled, and let a loud laugh escape as he fell down on his back. While the boy remained dumbfounded and ignorant, Kibum was nervously laughing with his hand covering his eyes. He suddenly regretted teasing the General so much.

Meeting the General alone was the hardest thing the Prince had ever tried. The man was always busy ! Busier than the King himself, maybe busier than the Gods ! Either training his soldiers or at school, and when he was eventually free, he was privileging Minho. And of course he rested, and whenever Kibum had seen him taking a nap or reading at the library… he hadn’t dared to disturb him.

It had been a week and the opportunities kept becoming more and more occasional. But now, there was a small hope. To thank the loyalty of his people, who hadn’t followed the emerging riot and had been a great help to confound the culprits, the King had commanded to prepare a festival, exclusively open to them. He wanted to show them how worthy they were of his trust, and for the past few days, the palace had been animated by the preparations, even Kibum taking active part in them.

The day had arrived, and the Prince hoped he could find a moment to approach the General and pretend to need his help for an issue, so they could leave to a quieter place. Everyone would be way too busy having fun to notice a short absence. He was wondering if his project wasn’t completely vain, after all, how could he be sure that Jinki would have an answer ? Did a soldier actually care about love ?

He was drawn out of his thoughts by a knock at his door, and he opened it to find a maid asking if he was ready to go downstairs so she could empty the bath tube he had just used. Kibum nodded and kept the door open for her, before he left. He could already hear life outside the walls, the guards must have started to welcome the people and lead them towards the huge front yard.

The Prince went to a window and observed the scene : indeed, he saw a few dozens of persons already standing in the yard. They seemed marveled by the gardens surrounding the area, and of course, by the decorations. Since it wasn’t complete night yet, the countless paper lanterns weren’t lit, but their vivid colors caught everyone’s eye. A few garlands were hanging here and then, and an impressive buffet was waiting to be filled with quality food.

On Kibum’s advice, they hadn’t opted for sumptuous decorations, for it could have make the people feel unwelcome, or worse, unworthy. Thus, he had asked for something simple and that would bring them comfort and put them at ease. The goal of this festival was to feel accepted and trust by their sovereign, not to give a show of the royal luxury : humility. That had been the key word given by the Prince.

“Good evening, my Prince.” A familiar low voice surprised Kibum, who turned around to smile at the King coming to him. “It is my first time seeing you wearing yellow, I think ?”

“Indeed, you have a good memory.” The other man shyly blushed. “Good evening, my King. Our guests are slowly arriving, and they already seemed excited to be here. You had a really good idea.”

“I do not want them to believe what those old nobles can say to provoke riot. They deserve to see how humble we are, this festival is all for them. You did an amazing work with the preparations, once again, I feel really sorry to have left you do everything on your own.”

“Please, it was nothing. They do not have to know.”

“You are right. We will make our entrance soon, would you like to walk with me ?”

“Of course, my King.”

Smiling, Minho offered his arm to his husband, who stared at it with surprise and disbelief. This wasn’t an usual gesture, and it could be so much misinterpreted… but Kibum’s body reacted for him, and he accepted the offer by sliding his hand inside the King’s elbow. They started walking along the corridors, discussing the chosen theme and the planning of the evening.

For the purpose wasn’t to dishonestly treat the people like nobles, they had chosen to propose a buffet, even preparing one for the few children who had come with their parents. As they stopped to observe a bit their guests from another window, they noticed some families were represented by only one to two members. Minho understood it as a way to avoid showing themselves like profiteers, the lonely fathers often being part of a incredibly big family. 

Kibum was talking about how their clothes were really clean and suitable to this event, showing his enthusiasm, when a familiar face caught his eye. Frowning, he stopped in the middle of a sentence to focus on the short but tough silhouette with unique blonde bangs tied in a bun. The King smiled at his shock, and leaned on him.

“I thought it might be a good occasion to invite him.” He whispered. “He takes great care of the people’s children.”

“I can see that…” The Prince smiled as he noticed the sudden amount of children surrounding Jonghyun, happy to see him outside the classroom.

He was so appreciated, and his face was all lit up. Both sovereigns were about to start walking again when they noticed the General joining the teacher, and they widened their eyes at the bright smile they exchanged. If it wasn’t a surprise to see Jonghyun smile, they stood gaping at the way Jinki seemed especially happy at that moment. 

“They seemed to have become friends over all those months of working together.” Minho commented, his voice a bit shaky because of the shock. “I do not remember the last time I saw my General smile like this… perhaps was it when I got crowned.”

“Jonghyun smiles easily but I know his different smiles.” Kibum added, more for himself than for his husband. “There is no doubt, they are friends, good friends.”

“Well… these are good news ! It will do Sir Jinki good after all these years bearing with me only.”

The King laughed at his own words, but when the Prince didn’t join him, he got concerned. He looked at him and noticed the way his eyes couldn’t lie : he was feeling upset about what he was seeing. It somehow hurt the sovereign, who frowned a bit. He didn’t know if he had done well to invite the teacher in the end… he wanted to use this event to show how close the two rulers of the kingdom were, to entrust their people.

But now, it was like they were both miles away from each other, and Minho felt something pinch him. A combination of anger and worry about their relationship in the presence of, let’s say it, Kibum’s former lover.

And let’s also say it, the King was jealous. 

But he did his best to hide it, and proposed to his husband to go downstairs to start the celebrations. The latter agreed and they walked together again, still linked by one’s hand on the other’s elbow. Coincidently, their outfits were somehow matching, the bright yellow habit of Kibum balancing with the navy blue coat of Minho. When he made a remark, the Prince finally smiled and used his knowledge to inform the other man that yellow and blue were complementary colors.

He kinda stuttered on this specific word, what made the King smile. There, they were still fine. They had both got a grip on themselves when they were announced to the people, and when they appeared at the huge entrance door, they were welcomed by silence. But it wasn’t a bad, uncomfortable silence ; no, everyone was staring at them with big eyes. It was the first time they were seeing their rulers again, after the ceremonial parade after their wedding.

And they were amazed.

Just like Minho and Kibum had planned together, they stopped in front of the crowd and swept it with their eyes to see everyone. And then, surprising everyone, they elegantly bowed. Whispers were raised, dumbfounded, until both sovereigns stood up and smiled at them.

“Welcome to all of you.” The King said loudly, gently. “I thank you for accepting our invitation to this event prepared especially for you. As you know, our kingdom had known a rather worrying situation during the Prince’s and my absence. Fortunately, everything has been resolved and it has mostly been by means of your honesty and cooperation.”

“We decided you deserved to be thanked and rewarded for your loyalty, which moved the King and I a lot.” The Prince pursued, surprising everyone since it was the first time they heard his voice, and his soft and honest tone was delightful to listen to. “This festival is to celebrate you, we hope you will enjoy it. Please, have fun and do not feel pressured by our presence among you. Food will arrive soon, you are allowed to eat as much as you want, to dance, to sing if you want to. Be our guests.”

Their speech had its impact : they were applauded with a considerable joy and even screams chanting their names. When Minho and Kibum smiled at a few little girls, they got all shy and ran away to hide behind their parents’ legs. Within a few seconds, employees were bringing countless plates and filling the buffet, and even though the people seemed reluctant at first, a simple inviting gesture from their King convinced them.

The festival started, with the musicians maintaining a good and joyful atmosphere. No one was bored, no one left the yard to go back home. Some ventured their regret to have left their family at home, and if the Prince heard them, he proposed them to go and pick them up. The humility and kindness of their rulers moved everyone, and even the few elderly persons who had remained hostile eventually relaxed.

When he felt that the moment was the right one, Kibum excused himself to his husband and wove in and out to get an overview. In no time, he found of the General on a side of the yard, giving some more instructions to his soldiers. Taking a deep breath, the Prince made his way towards him, making sure not to lose sight of him. When he almost reached him, Jinki noticed him and turned towards his direction.

But then, his eyes caught sight of something behind him and in no time at all, he shouted to everyone to go to the ground and caught Kibum by the shoulders to entrust him to the soldier behind him. Himself started running towards the King, but when he grabbed him to protect him, the arrow had already been shot. Minho’s body jolted in his friend’s arms and before he could know what had happened to him, he saw the General leave him to a few soldiers while he was sprinting to climb over the outer wall.

The last thing he saw was the face of Kibum above him, and he felt his hands supporting his head before he fell unconscious, somehow unable to hear what his husband was yelling.

next

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Fanfiction Writer Appreciation Recs

I’ve seen a bunch of people doing these, and i really wanted to too. I may be late to the party here, but I hope I can point you towards some cool stuff to check out. Most of what I read in the fanfiction circle is Gravity Falls, so this post is mostly just multi chapter fics from the Gravity Falls fandom! I might do one for one-shots, and I’m sorry if I forget any major ones, but this is what immediately comes to mind that I highly recommend.

Stanswap by @orangeoctopi7

Reverse Portal AU at it’s best! The Reverse Portal AU was popular for a while (almost on par with Blind Faith) and a lot of people tried to grab onto the idea, but after all this time, it just seems to have left a lot of incomplete works in it’s wake. That is not the case here. It’s still going, but it shows no sign of stopping until it tells it’s entire story. And this story has been insanely detailed and well executed. Retelling almost the entire series as if Ford was the one taking care of the kids, and the dilemmas he faces with the fact that Stan is stuck on the other side of the portal. Not to mention most of the jokes are on point with something you’d hear in Gravity Falls. The author is someone I am proud to call my friend, and that all started when this fic was recommended to me.

30 Seconds Later by @invisibletinkerer

A pretty recent one that i really hope gets more attention. I’ve seen people do fanart and stuff of Ford being the same age as when he got sucked into the portal, while his home dimension and Stan aged, but I didn’t really see much potential for a full story in that idea. That changes with this fic, which again is still ongoing, but updates fairly regularly. The interactions between the Grunkle Stan we know and love and a Ford who is still fresh from his sleep deprived paranoia days, and still susceptible to Bill’s possession brings so much engaging conflict that i cannot get enough of!

My Demons by @kazriku

An oldie but a goodie. This one is basically a Mystery Trio story that focuses mostly on Stan and Ford, and the first chapter was written before A Tale of Two Stans came out. Adjustments were made after that episode came out, but this fic is very much telling it’s own story on how the Stans became so distant, and the incident that lead to Ford being trapped on the other side of the portal. Filled with mysterious suspense and some entertaining brotherly bonding, even if it hasn’t updated in a while, if we’re talking about fanfics I appreciate, there was no way i couldn’t include this one. It was the first major GF Fanfic I read from the person who would become my first mutual, and chances are this fic lead to me reading all the ones you see here!

By the skin of your teeth by @apathetic-revenant

I didn’t realize just how popular this one was until today, but it deserves it. It’s so good! When Stan gets into his argument with Ford after Ford calls him for the first time in 10 years, he realizes that something's wrong with Ford. He’s very sick and his house is a wreck. There is so much tension and angst in this one as Stan puts the pieces together about what’s been going on with his brother, and Ford continuing to fight what seems like a losing battle. There’s a happy ending, but it takes quite a bit to get there, and it is glorious!

And Then There Were Three by @kalajorn

I’m just going to say it. This is one of my favorite Mystery Trio stories. Ever! With an author who I think really is under the radar in the community. Mystery Trio is probably my favorite AU for Gravity Falls, but depending on who you ask, it either got stronger or weaker once A Tale of Two Stans came out. For me, it only got stronger, and this fic is an excellent example of why. I adore the scenario presented here of how Stan and Ford eventually reunite. How there is some spark of their connection as brothers still there, but there are still forces interfering with that, and using the material from canon to build some great tension. Updates take some time, but i promise you it’s worth it. This story only gets more engaging with each chapter and i’m hoping it’ll stay that way.

A Little Bit Lost by @impishnature

Impish is really a beacon of life for the GF fandom. Regularly producing high quality content of all kinds. I could have put any number of her stories on here. If you miss Gravity Falls, and you want to reminisce about it over a weekend, scroll through her AO3. You’ll find a lot to enjoy. But one of my personal favorites is this compilation of fics surrounding the Feral Ford AU. An AU that vanished as quickly as it arrived. I was even going to write something small on it, but i just never got to it. Anyway, these stories of a paranoid, almost animalistic Ford from what trauma he faced on the other side of the portal is just so powerful. Every idea has a new obstacle. Sometimes it’s comforting. Sometimes it’s heartbreaking. But there’s always something to grab your attention and not let go. I come back to these a lot, and they are always a great read.

I’d also recommend her Mystery Trio fic Phobos, but that one hasn’t updated for a while. But I still really like it so here ya go!

Maybe it’s Not Too Late by @rum-and-shattered-dreams

Why was this one so hard to find? It’s awesome! One of the reasons I’ve dived so deeply into Gravity Falls fanfiction more then any other fandom I’ve been in, is because even after the official shows credits rolled, it still left us with so much potential for what other adventures were out there. And this is one of the best examples of that. It’s a great, insanely engaging post series adventure involving pretty much the entire main cast and the return of the Shapeshifter, with Fiddleford and Ford as the main focus. Yes, it is partly a Ship Fic, which I’m not crazy about, but I don’t really find it distracting. There is so much in this story, and the shipping is just another element of it. And FiddAuthor is one of the ships I tolerate more, so I don’t really mind that much. The rest is just too dang good!!

Better Kept Secret by BadonKaDank

Another one that nearly alluded my radar until a friend mentioned it to me back when it had just completed, and I’m glad they did because this story is AMAZING! Having someone from one of the boys’ past come back for revenge is another premise that was circulating for a while that I freaking adored!! There were a few good pieces of writing out there on this (and even a comic currently going on), but this fic is at the top of the chart for me. Filled with drama, action, intense and suspenseful moments, it’s one that really stuck with me that i can’t believe I almost missed. 

Goodnight Stanley by Kitsunesocks

I haven’t seen many people mention this one, and while it may not be the most angst filled story involving the Stan Bros, it’s still a great one. Without giving too much away, while Stan and Ford are getting ready to head back to Gravity Falls, they discover that Bill might not be entirely gone, and that he may be plotting a way to come back right under their noses. Despite how common it is, this is a premise I’ve never been crazy about. I think @thesnadger Axolotl is the only story like this to engage me past the first chapter. Except this one. This is a great adventure of a story. The pacing is excellent and the characters are on point. Some of the most accurate I think I’ve seen in a Gravity Falls fic. I especially appreciate how proactive Dipper and Mabel are in this story. A lot of fics like this tend to push them to the side to make room for the Stans. But this story makes good use of everyone involved. It’s not the most emotionally driven story out there, but it’s one of the most well put together stories I’ve seen in a GF fic.

Blind Faith by @pinesinthewoods

Oh my God! This one! I originally wasn’t going to include this one because I know the author is no longer active in the fandom, but again, appreciation post. And this story deserves to be appreciated no matter what. You all know this AU, where Stan and Ford both wind up on the other side of the portal, and have to face the horrors on the other side together. Blind Faith was already fairly popular at this point, but this story propelled it to something else. Something stronger. Something with depth. Leaving you with chills as you finish every chapter. Aside from My Demons, this is probably the first fanfic I was checking for updates on, daily. This brought many new ideas to the AU that you still see in the occasional new content today, and that is something truly special. This is from yet another author who I am proud to call a friend, and it’s weird to think that back then, I was just a fan of something a lot of other people were. I’m sure most of you have read this one, but if you haven’t, go read it! It’s one of the best out there.

Stanley McGucket by @thelastspeecher

This is the sort of fic I don’t normally care for. Tons of original characters and a lot of shipping. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just not for me. But the premise was just too intriguing to resist. The idea of Stan being offered a job from Fiddleford’s parents and basically becoming an honorary member of the McGucket family is a really endearing premise. And when certain characters reunite or put the pieces together about who they are to each other, it really gets the ball rolling. You’re just waiting to see how everything will turn out, and it’s a pretty great ride. I followed this story and it’s expansions for a while. Then it branched into multiple AUs on it’s own and it just got way too confusing to keep up with the tag. But the main story is still a enjoyable ride from a type of fic that usually doesn’t grab me. But it had an interesting idea that pulled me in, and followed through on it. Welcome to the McGucket Family Tree Stanley

Amnesia by @ducksalive

Okay, yeah. This one isn’t technically a Gravity Falls fic. But I’m really into Ducktales right now and i was running out of Gravity Falls stories. So yeah, I’ve started diving into Ducktales fan fiction. Even wrote one of my own which you should definitely check out. Please? There’s not much out there that’s grabbed me as much as these other stories yet (if anybody knows any good Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Gizmoduck stuff out there, let me know), but something about this one had my attention. 

I’m one of those people who is immediately intrigued by amnesia stories but the reason most people aren’t is because of how often they can go wrong. So far, that’s not the case here. In this story, Donald is the one with amnesia, and Glomgold finds him and convinces him that he’s his uncle, and that Scrooge is the enemy. From there it’s a race to try and help rescue Donald from a trap he doesn’t even know he’s in. While Donald constantly suffers for it. If you’re the type of person who likes family angst (which chances are you do if you’re a fan of any of the above fics) then you’ll get a kick out of this. Every time you think the family is going to get Donald back, Glomgold manages to snatch him away. And realizing just how far he’s willing to go to keep Scrooge’s nephew on his side is just shocking. This is another story that’s still ongoing, so there’s no telling how this will conclude yet, but at the moment, I am very emotionally invested in this one.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve gotten way more into fanfiction then I ever would have imagined. I never looked twice at it before, but now I’ve been a spectator to many creative stories, the authors of some of my favorites have become some of my closest friends, and I’ve even written a couple myself. I may be late to the actual day, but I hope this shows my appreciation for all the fanfic writers above and a few dozen I’m probably forgetting at the moment. 

[dustoftheancients]

I have been seeing all your posts about the importance of a redemption arc, and how it is ridiculous to hate on them. AND it reminded me of a saying/quote that I heard some pastor say, "If you deserve forgiveness then you wouldn't need ask for it. He also went on talk about how forgiveness isn't a testament to the 'sinners' character, but rather the individual who forgave. It is a very christian perspective, but I still believe that there is value in it. Thoughts?

I want to be clear that I dont think that murder or patricide is forgivable, or that it is up to others to forgive Kylo Ren. I know that the star wars fandom or characters probably never will. I dont think I will. Thats alright. Yet a redemption and forgiveness are intertwined. Redemption requires an individual to understand that they must devote themselves to atonement. Even if they never will, or dont want to be forgiven. That act of commitment necessitates some element of forgiveness. (2/3)

Exact quote(sorry for the spam), “If forgiving someone was easy then they wouldn’t need to be forgiven”. SO if redemption was easy then they wouldn’t need redemption. (3/3)

Don’t be sorry! I honestly could talk about redemption arcs all day.

The thing about redemption arcs is that we (as in, people, individuals) need them in our stories. Metas have been written on this subject by people much more eloquent than anything I can say, but here are my two-cents: redemption arcs are analogous with hope. Hope that things can get better, hope that we can (at least try to) fix the things we’ve done wrong. If redemption can happen to a character who murdered a bunch of people - his own father, in Kylo Ren’s case - then that tells us that the same can happen for us. After all, most of us haven’t murdered people. And if a character who has done that many wrongs can make it right, then so can we. Redemption arcs are the hope that things can get better.

That being said (and finally getting to part of your question), the flip-side of our need for redemption is that it absolutely does need to be difficult, both as a concept and in reality. It must be. To achieve redemption - it can’t be earned, not really - a person has to work for it. They have to want it enough to tears their fingers bloody as they claw their way to towards it. And perhaps ‘achieve’ isn’t quite the word, because it’s not like there’s some sort of finish line to cross before a character is suddenly ‘redeemed,’ but it’s the closest approximation that I can come up with off the top of my head.

I think you’re absolutely correct when you say that redemption requires an understanding, a commitment to making themselves better. And I think you’re also right when you say that redemption wouldn’t even be needed if it was easy. It wouldn’t. If things were so easy to overcome it would leave us entirely unsatisfied, both on a narrative and an emotional level. Narratively, it wouldn’t make any sense. Characters don’t just go “oh, hey, you did some bad things, but you know what? You apologized, so it’s all good.” That’s just (very) bad writing, and no one would do that in real life. Which is why it would emotionally unsatisfying, as well. In these stories that can also say something about our lives, they have to carry that kernel of truth to them. Real-life ‘redemption’ is hard, and we want our stories to reflect the same.

But, of course, redemption is not the same as forgiveness. And, actually, I don’t think that forgiveness has to come from redemption. Not really. Yes, redemption and forgiveness are intertwined. We want the characters who are redeemed to be forgiven on some level (well - most of us do). But even if Kylo Ren decides to reject the dark side and spends the rest of the trilogy fighting for the Good Guys, no one would be required to forgive him in any way by the end. Stories don’t usually go like that, usually there’s at least one character that forgives, but there’s no absolute requirement. He could get to the end of ep9 and be redeemed yet unforgiven. That all depends on the rest of the characters.

This is where I think Kylo Ren’s redemption would shine a good light on the characters like Rey, Leia, and Finn (and finally, finally we are here. We are at your original question). Because redemption arcs have the potential to lift up the characters around the redeemed. I actually really liked the thing you heard from that Pastor, the lesson about redemption being about the one doing the forgiving, as well. (I also want to take a moment to say that I don’t believe that something that comes from a religious source is inherently lesser or untrustworthy. Good sentiments can come from anywhere.) Carrie Fisher herself said that Rey is “very forgiving,” and I would like to think that comment is referring to a future redemption arc for Kylo Ren. That’s pure hope and speculation on my part, of course. Some people act as if Rey ever forgiving Kylo Ren would somehow ‘degrade’ her character, or make her ‘lesser’ to him in the story somehow, but that’s totally wrong. It can be just as much of a journey learning to forgive someone as it is trying to achieve redemption. In the possibility of a redemption for Kylo Ren, I also see the possibility of character growth in Rey. And not just Rey, because Leia is, of course, essential to Kylo’s story, and Finn is significant, as well.

I mean, for the sake of argument, maybe Rey never forgives him. Maybe no one forgives him. That would be just as unsatisfying as it would be if everyone forgave him the minute he apologized. Redemption arcs don’t feel complete until the character has been forgiven at least by one character. Redemption is, in a way, defined by the characters around the character searching for redemption. Zuko’s arc would’ve felt incomplete if he hadn’t mended the wounds he’d caused to Aang, Katara, and Sokka. Even if he still did the Right Thing in the end and became a great person. And I personally love those parts of the story best, because all the characters involved went through massive character growth by the end. It’s all about the characters, the connection to the characters, and how other characters feel about the redeemed character at the end. If there has been no relational arc, then the redemption arc feels incomplete.

Okay. This has gone on way too long, and I’m so sorry about that! This is kind of embarrassing, because I usually don’t answer my asks with a million-word rambling rant, but redemption arcs have been on my mind lately (no surprise there). Hopefully I answered your question, although I’m afraid I just sort of babbled on about redemption arcs in general. Anyway, thank you so much for the ask!

[angst-in-space]

hey! do you have any good klance fic recs?

Oops sorry I forgot to answer this yesterday. Apologies for the late reply!

Anyway well.....first of all I’m writing one *jazz hands* It’s a paranormal au, ghosts and other spooky shit. I’m planning to post chapter 5 this weekend! (tbh it’s not very klance-y yet but...it will be, I promise.)

Here’s a bunch of other recs for ya! They’re all complete unless I said otherwise. :)

time out of mind by aknightley - Keith and Lance go to the future and discover they’re married. Beautiful, amazing, made me cry actual tears because it’s so sweet. 

Iugula! by Kaorusan241 -  Gladiator au. It’s just....an awesome au, and it’s really intense, plus nice historical details! incomplete but really good so far.

pepsicola by corydalis - p simple in-universe slow-burn fic, man it’s real good

it’s quite bizarre, and will remain this way by mayerwien - au where the gang works at a space museum

we’ll make it, you and me by asexualrey - short one-shot where keith and lance crash land on a planet together. slight warning for blood/injury, it’s not too graphic though.

call me, beep me by safra - a “wrong number au” where lance gets keith’s number by accident; they become texting buddies & fall in love and it’s the cutest thing ever. it’s also just super funny. 

Nightmares by Trashness - lance has nightmares and keith offers to cuddle with him at night. boiiiii .... it’s good. 

Just Static by Jessadilla - *deep inhale* ok big fat warning on this one, it’s like....one of the most intense fics I’ve ever read and it gave me like seven heart attacks. it’s like 80k words and I read it in like two sittings so uh. warning for a lot of blood/injury and whatnot. but!!! shit dude it’s an amazing fic. keith goes to rescue lance who’s injured by himself on a dangerous planet & they end up stuck together and uh...things don’t go so well (but it has a happy ending, i promise!!). 

i can’t help but want by aknightley - lance and keith are stranded on separate planets but they can talk via the comms. 

Your Love Has Shown Me Proof by freshia - a little girl time-travels onto the castle ship and reveals she’s keith and lance’s daughter from the future. :))))

The Hustle by morvish, sinelanguage - keith has to go on an “espionage-by-flirting” mission (lance can’t do it cuz his leg’s broken) and he has to get flirting tips from lance over the comms. except lance is....obviously jealous...eh heheh. 

bouncing off exit signs by steelthighsvoideyes - an au where keith and lance meet each other at space camp as kids, and then they keep running into each other over and over again throughout the years. it’s....just such a beautiful epic love story i.... *clutches heart* 

so yeah, hopefully that keeps you busy for a while. *finger guns*

[ciathyzareposts]

Haunt: Underground and Underwater

I’ve opened a bunch of my posts lately with an apology, and that’s how I’m going to start again today: sorry for the lack of updates around here lately.  Unfortunately, I haven’t made much progress in Haunt or Rogue (not for lack of trying in regard to the latter).  I figure today I’ll write about what I’ve done in Haunt, and list out the various problems I’m having to see if doing that jump-starts my brain.

Last time I mentioned that I had possibly had a sleep-deprivation-based hallucination where I ended up on the bottom of the ocean in Haunt.  I’m happy to report that I was not hallucinating, and that the game does feature a subterranean ocean.  Unlike the protagonist of the game, I’m holding on to my sanity for the moment.

I also solved the mystery of how I got down there.  There’s a maze of ducts in the game that is deceptively simple; at first glance, it looks like a 9×9 grid.  The trick is that it has three levels, and there are two places where you can go up and down cycling through those three levels endlessly.  I couldn’t find any exits on what I designated as the “upper” level, but on the “lower” level I found a duct that exited on top of a fridge in a kitchen.

The kitchen was empty except for the fridge and an exit to the west.  I opened the fridge and found a white cube, which was otherwise undescribed.  I figured that it was probably a block of ice, or maybe some tofu, so I popped it in my mouth.  This turned out to be a bad idea; I had just eaten a cube of acid, and my character proceeded to take a whole bunch of actions that ended up with me dying on the ocean floor.  Definitely something to avoid, although I do wonder if there’s somewhere safer for me to take it.

West of the kitchen (after a quick reload) was a back hall, with a closed elevator.  I ignored that for now and continued west, into a dining room, where I found some silver candlesticks and a unicorn head mounted on the wall.  The candlesticks were treasure (marked with exclamation points).  As for the unicorn head, it was too high on the wall for me to reach, so I left it for now.

The elevator back in the hall opened with the press of a button, and I stepped inside.  It had a bunch of graffiti, all of which I’m sure is relevant.  “Homer turns my head” is obviously a reference to turning the bust of Homer to open the secret door in the library.  “Homer kisses dead goats” is a mystery to me, as is “L__t g_e_ _ere!”.  I thought the last one might be “loot goes here”, but I didn’t get any extra points for dropping treasure in the elevator.

The elevator had five buttons.  “Open Door” was self-explanatory.  “Halt” apparently only works when the lift is in motion, but I’ve yet to find a situation where I could press it while the lift is moving.  “H” refers to the floor that I was already on.  Pressing “P” took me to a floor where the doors opened onto a brick wall with a sign that said “under construction”.  I’m hoping that this is a gag, or a puzzle to solve, and not a sign that the game is incomplete.

The only button that got me anywhere was “B”, which opened into the airlock of a bathysphere.  Inside the airlock were some coins (a treasure) and a loaded speargun.  I took the speargun and, after messing around with some buttons, was able to open the airlock and make my way out onto the ocean floor.  It ended up being a 6×6 area with impassable boundaries on each side: seaweed to the south, a rocky cliff to the east, an ice wall to the west, and a sandy cliff to the north.  This seemed suspiciously pointless.  Surely there had to be more to it than that?

Eventually, I figured out that I should try swimming up.  Sure enough, I found myself on the surface of an underground lake, and I was immediately under threat by a giant sea monster.  Not much of a threat, it turns out, because it died instantly when shot with the speargun.  Sometimes the most obvious solution is the best one.  You can also avoid the monster by surfacing near the ice wall.

This guy must have rolled terribly for hit points.

After swimming around for a bit I discovered that the sandy cliff to the north was actually a beach.  All I found there was a pool of water, with the following message: “unta  o  out”.  I’ve got no idea what this could mean.  I tried drinking the water, and for some reason the game mocked me for being a baby and killed me.  Is drinking water something people were ever mocked for?  I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me in 2020 to be honest, but it is a weird one.

One of the odder game deaths I’ve encountered.

That’s where I’m at in Haunt, which is pretty scant progress.  I’ll list the various mysteries that I’ve yet to solve below:

The old garden outside of the mansion is described as dry.  I figure I need to water it (which might be something I can do with the subterranean pool, maybe).

The safe with the three-number combination lock.  I haven’t seen any clues to this.  I could always try to brute force it by going through every possible combination, but I don’t fancy doing that.

The maze in the wine cellar.  I found a trapdoor there that led me to the torture chamber (and a sexy encounter), but it’s possible that there’s more to find.

Dracula.  He’s in a casket in a dark room on the upper floor, and he won’t leave that room.  I don’t have anything I can kill him with, I’m pretty sure.  Though now that I think of it, that underground pool could be holy water.

There’s a dead end where the sweet sounds of Alice Cooper can be heard.  This can be silenced by pulling a cord on the floor, but I have no idea what purpose this serves.

I need something I can stand on to reach the unicorn head in the dining room.

What’s the purpose of the cube of acid?

What do I do with the underground pool?  What does “unta  o  out” mean?

Can I get past the “under construction” brick wall?

What does “Homer kisses dead goats” mean?

What does “L__t g_e_ _ere” mean?

How do I get down from the balcony after I’ve climbed the ivy at the back of the house?

How do I get out of the house at all?

How do I stop myself from going insane and committing suicide?

That seems like a fairly comprehensive list, though I’m sure I’ve missed some things.  Here’s a list of the inventory items I’ve discovered so far.

Two bus tokens.  These can be used to take the bus at the beginning of the game, or they can be eaten if you want to be quickly transported inside the mansion grounds.

A watch.  You start with this in your inventory.

A bone that once belonged to the Missing Link. A treasure.

A bowl of candy.  This can be given to the monster upstairs to open a path to the bar.

A wetsuit.  Required to explore the ocean floor.

An antique chair.  It’s a fragile treasure, which will break if you try to sit on it.

A piece of modern art, which is revealed as a Rembrandt when you pour turpentine on it. A treasure.

A book with hints about killing vampires.

Some gold.  Treasure.

Turpentine, which is used to reveal the Rembrandt.

A stool in the bar.  I can’t remember now if it can be taken, but it seems like a possible option for reaching the unicorn head.

A diamond corkscrew.  Treasure.

Some rope.

Matches.

A cube of acid.

Some silver candlesticks. Treasure.

A piece of jade.  Treasure.

Soap.  Washing with this reveals a gem inside, which is another treasure.

So I’ve located eight treasures.  They’re generally worth 15 points when you pick them up, and the instructions say that you get more points for dropping them on the lawn outside the mansion.  The game’s top score is 440 points, so I could possibly be halfway there, depending on how many extra points that entails.  It’s difficult to say.  I’m going to plug away at Haunt for a little bit longer, but I think I’m reaching the point now where I might need to look up some hints.

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/haunt-underground-and-underwater/

[mrmichaelchadler]

The Baffling Failure of Fallout 76

Now is the time that I wanted to be able bring the world of Bethesda’s incredible “Fallout” series of games to readers who may be unfamiliar with it. At its best, these games are ingenious journeys to a post-apocalyptic wasteland inspired by George Miller films like “Mad Max: Fury Road” but with their own me-against-the-world aesthetic. Games like “Fallout 3” and “Fallout 4” are must-plays, titles that I plunked hours of my life into, killed by mutant creatures and people over and over again. But we’re not really here to talk about already-recognized classic games as much as the newest one, “Fallout 76,” which, I’m sorry to say, is a disaster. It’s a nearly broken game that doesn’t work all that well when it’s actually functioning. I’m all for developers experimenting and trying to play with what works instead of just delivering another sequel that’s cut from the same mold as the game before it, but this is one of the most notable missteps of the PS4 generation. 

First, a little history. The “Fallout” games date back to the late ‘90s, when Interplay Entertainment released a pair of post-apocalyptic games for Windows. The series really went to another level in 2008 when Bethesda took over and ported the series to consoles with the masterful “Fallout 3,” followed by the pretty-damn-fun (but glitchy) “Fallout: New Vegas.” In 2015, “Fallout 4” won several Game of the Year awards. "Fallout" was one of the most respected games series of the last decade. 

These modern games blended culture from 1950s America with wastelands of nuclear enemies. They encouraged exploration, ingenuity, and hours of inventory management. It’s about what you can find and what you turn it into, with “Fallout 4” placing a new emphasis on building shelters and even communities. That’s likely what inspired “Fallout 76,” a game that takes the entire experience online.

I remember when “Fallout 76” was announced, being in a Gamestop and saying to one of the workers there, “Aren’t Fallout games at least partially about isolation? How does that go with an online-only game?” Yes, “Fallout 76” took the concept of “Fallout” and melded with the MMORPG world, meaning that you have to be online to play. This led to a cavalcade of early problems, including glitchy servers (I’ve only been able to get on half the time I’ve tried and went to play once only to find out that I'd have to wait hours for a massive patch), and, even worse, a game that felt rushed into release. There simply wasn’t enough to do in those early days. Imagine dropping a bunch of teens into an empty room, and then taking away their phones. A few of them would start fighting. The early days of “Fallout 76” have been atrocious in terms of fan response, leading to a 2.7 user score on Metacritic, possibly the worst for an AAA game in the modern generation (although people hated “No Man’s Sky” too).

When I say “nothing to do,” don’t think that’s an exaggeration. The early hours of “Fallout 76” are a dull monstrosity, and they have likely led to that low score on Metacritic as well what must be a rush to sell this game back to stores. For a long time, your character is literally wandering a dull landscape, with emphasis placed on thrilling events like finding clean water and shelter. The game was particularly afflicted by coming out in the middle of a season cluttered with exciting titles like “Red Dead Redemption 2” and “Battlefield V,” leading players to ask if they’d rather run the Old West, win World War II, or clean contaminated stream water. The lack of anything to do in “Fallout 76” has even led to groups of trolls banding together just to be awful. Bethesda has already had to ban a group for homophobic attacks on other players. No one is talking about the actual gameplay or thin story of “Fallout 76” at all. In fact, there’s even rumors of a class action lawsuit.

It all leads to the distinct feeling, one echoed all over the internet, that Bethesda has asked people to pay $60 for an incomplete game. There are so many performance issues like glitches and bugs—something sadly kind of common for “Fallout” but extreme in this case—that could have been worked out if they had delayed another year. And someone would have likely figured out the storytelling issues over time as well. Bethesda and the remaining fans of this game will likely tell you that those things are coming. Although that number is dwindling, in part because of how poorly Bethesda has handled the launch, including the now-famous bag-gate, in which they promised people who ordered a special edition a fancy canvas bag and sent what looks like a garbage bag.

Each “Fallout” game has received a lot of post-release content, and this one feels inherently designed to do that, but you need to provide something on launch that keeps people interested in what’s going to be released later, and they just didn’t do that here. I’ve tried to shine a light on great games and how they compare to great films at RogerEbert.com. Here’s a case where my only advice can be: watch a movie instead. 

from All Content https://ift.tt/2Ry9br0

[shewpthewewp]

State of the Shewp

Haven’t done one of these for a while.  But I’m up late and feeling ramble-y, so here we go!  We’re gonna get weird. Maybe.  Depending on what you consider weird.

Starting off easy with some reading recs.

Oathbringer, the third book in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive dropped earlier this month.  It’s the usual Sanderson experience, which means I loved every word of it.  I won’t talk too much about it because we’re already nearly 3,000 pages into the series BEFORE this book and it adds another ~1400, so I can’t really do it justice in a few paragraphs.  If you want to get into Brandon’s works (specifically, the books in the Cosmere setting) I would start with Warbreaker.  

The other thing I wanted to mention regarding Cosmere stuff is that reading this  has left me very hungry for a Cosmere-setting tabletop game.  I played in a Mistborn game in college and I’d be all over something set on Roshar (or Scadrial, or Sel, or... anywhere really).  Also really wanting to cosplay something Cosmere-related.  Anastasia suggested Vin & Elend, which I think we could pull off.  I’ll toss it into the ‘I will probably never do this because it would take effort’ pile, but you never know!

The sequel to WORM is out!  It’s titled WARD.  I haven’t started it yet because I am waiting for a larger backlog to be written (also Oathbringer devoured my reading time.  As a friend told me, she THICC).  I talked a bit about WORM in a previous post, so check that out if you want to know more.

I also discovered the genre of LitRPG recently.  It’s an umbrella term for any fiction that features RPG-like elements - i.e. classes, levels, etc.  It also frequently features isekai-like themes, like modern-world protagonists dropped into a fantasy setting.  Unfortunately, these things also mean that it has an overly-large share of garbage tropes like stupidly overpowered protagonists and blatant wish-fulfillment, but not to a significant degree more than most other types of fiction or fanfiction.  Three pieces of fiction in this genre that I enjoyed the most:

The Wandering Inn (summary from the website) -  An inn is a place to rest, a place to talk and share stories, or a place to find adventures, a starting ground for quests and legends.  In this world, at least. To Erin Solstice, an inn seems like a medieval relic from the past. But here she is, running from Goblins and trying to survive in a world full of monsters and magic. She’d be more excited about all of this if everything wasn’t trying to kill her.  But an inn is what she found, and so that’s what she becomes. An innkeeper who serves drinks to heroes and monsters – Actually, mostly monsters. But it’s a living, right?  This is the story of the Wandering Inn.

This story seems to have been written specifically to go against the grain of some of the negative tropes I mentioned before.  A world full of classes and levels, and our protagonist ends up as an Innkeeper. The first couple chapters are a bit rough, but I think the author finds their stride pretty quickly after that and things pick up across book 1.  Yes, book ONE.  There are two full-length, complete books in this series and a third is well underway.  Check it out!

Worth the Candle (summary from the website) -  From the age of nine, Juniper Smith began filling notebooks with his worlds, at first places of fantastical imagination, but later with each as an expression of some theme or idea that momentarily grabbed his interest. Over the course of eight years, he shared these worlds with his friends through twice-weekly sessions of tabletop gaming. Now at the age of seventeen, he finds himself in Aerb, a world that appears to be an amalgam of those many notebooks, stuck trying to find the answers to why he's there and what this world is trying to say. The most terrifying answer might be that this world is an expression of the person he was back on Earth.

I have absolutely loved this so far.  The story is frequently intermixed with flashbacks to the protagonists tabletop sessions (where he GM’d) and it talks a lot about what makes a good character and how to run a game.  The only negative for me is that it’s incomplete and the author updates sporadically (but when they do update, they tend to post quite a bit).  It is broken up into several ‘books’ that are mostly completed plot arcs, but unlike the Wandering Inn I think this is still very, VERY early on in its overall length (if I had to guess).

Finally, I’m a Spider, So What? is a translated web serial or light novel (I’m honestly not 100% sure which).  It’s also slowly being converted into a manga, I think?  Either way, the premise is that a class of students gets murder-blasted into another dimension by an evil demon lord.  Most of the class ends up as humans with bright futures and mysterious powers, but one ends up as a spider in the depths of one of the most dangerous dungeons on the planet.  Funny and very engaging, though the translation threw me for a loop sometimes.  It’s also not fully translated and it seems like a bunch of different people are all translating it and are are different parts.  A less serious suggestion than my previous two, but enjoyable nonetheless.  

Moving on to slightly more personal stuff!  Ooooooo weird ooooooo!

Still engaged to Anastasia!  Current plan is to get married in Hell, Michigan in late 2018.  They have cute little invitations that say “A marriage that starts in Hell can only go up!” (or something like that).  It will be a very small event, I think - the ‘chapel’ there can hold maybe 15 people, counting us and the officiant, so that’s pretty much going to be only family.  We’re planning to have a larger reception/party afterwards instead.

Getting close to finishing the second RPG I am GM’ing.  It’s an original superhero setting run in the FATE system.  I lost steam for a while pretty close to the end and started it back up recently, and it’s a relief to do honestly. I missed the characters, the story, the players.  Overall I have really enjoyed my time GMing but I do find it much more stressful than playing.  I think part of the reason I got a bit burnt out at first was because I was trying to run two games and play in at least two others.  I think a good rule of thumb (for me at least) is that running one game takes about the same mental effort/time/etc. as playing in 2-3 others, but maybe it’s just because I’m still (relatively) inexperienced at it.

Still working at the same place (the lava factory).  I asked for a raise recently and was very embarrassed to find out that I had actually gotten a pretty good one a few months ago and never noticed.  In my defense, HR never told me either, but I still should have seen it on my bank statements... Also, starting in January I’ll get THREE WHOLE WEEKS of vacation.  Not sure what to do with that much!

Still seeing a therapist.  Not entirely sure it’s helping me, but I think being open about that is helpful not only to me personally but also just in general to help de-stigmatize therapy and mental health in general (something I’ve always kind of struggled with).

Got a vasectomy.  I kind of want to be a bit more open about it - it would be a big deal if Anastasia and I were going to have a kid and we’d be totally ok with sharing that, so making a permanent decision to NOT have kids should be just as important, right? - but on the other hand it feels like it’s not their business and I feel like most people probably don’t want to hear about my balls.  Not that I’m keeping it a secret or anything either.  Also, after being told many, MANY times that “I’ll change my mind and want kids some day” I kind of want to be able to shoot them down.  Fortunately that didn’t come up at all during Thanksgiving and I wouldn’t have actually been rude like that anyway, but the temptation is there...

Actually taking some decently strong painkillers right now (sorry if I’m  a bit incoherent), since I started getting super sore this evening (and it’s only kind of Anastasia’s fault ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)) .  All the external sutures have healed, but the internal stuff still has a way to go.  They cut, cauterize, tie-off and then stitch together the internal bits, so those will take longer to heal.  

If you’re a guy interested in permanent birth control or a lady who’s just plain curious, I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you have!

Not much else going on.  I move from thing to thing and binge - FFXIV for a while, then DOOM, then Overwatch, currently WoW, maybe XCOM next, with books and writing and tabletop gaming sprinkled in between.

That’s all the important stuff for now, I think.  I’m honestly kind of boring.

[userwithnoname]

been following you a while and wanted to know some game suggestions??? plz???

Oh wow, this is honestly the first time I’ve gotten an anon, I think. Huh.

Answer under the cut because this got a lot longer than I expected.

I’m going to be honest with you anon, I’m not the best person to ask about this because I’m picky as hell when it comes to games. If a story doesn’t grab me or a gameplay mechanic bothers me too much, I won’t play it. First-person shooters are a good example of this. I rarely play them because the stories all seem so similar and I honestly don’t care for first-person games (with a few exceptions). Turn based games are another example. A lot of them have great stories, but I cannot for the life of me get invested in them personally because the combat system is so disengaging. But there are always exceptions to the rule.

And then there’s the other aspect that comes into play: console and price. If you are, like me, a poor college student just wanting to spend some time elsewhere in your head, this might be the part that influences you the most. For instance, I have three gaming consoles: my laptop (which is shitty but works so), an X-box 360 (that I got with 5 games of my choice for $100), and a 3DS that was on sale used. Noticing a pattern? I only have a few games for the 360 and even less for the 3DS, most of my games are on my laptop both because it’s cheaper and because my 360 is a piece of JUNK.

Now, circling back around, Pokemon is an example of a game with a system I don’t like on a console I don’t play much. Growing up, Pokemon wasn’t really my thing. My sister and I watched the anime sometimes and we played Pokemon Stadium for the N64 (like eight years after it came out, but whatever), but the games never really caught our attention for two reasons: we didn’t have the consoles and had no exposure to the ads. About five years ago, Pokemon X and Y caught my attention because (as you will find out) I like games with a character creation process. I expected to have trouble getting invested in the game because of the turn-based style and was surprised when I didn’t. But it’s because a turn-based style in a largely stadium-esque game makes sense. Pokemon, with the exception of wild pokemon and rarely those, aren’t fighting for their lives, they’re being trained and fighting for the enjoyment of demented children. In a battle, it makes sense in-universe to take turns because it’s less about the fight and more about knowing your pokemon and reading your opponent. Whereas this doesn’t work so well in-universe in, say, Final Fantasy X.

But none of this is really answering your question.

In the simplest terms, it’s hard to recommend games to someone I don’t know and haven’t had the chance to discuss with. It really comes down to three things: console, price, and mechanics; and that’s something I really can’t help you with unless I know more.

But I can recommend games I like.

(Disclaimer, most of these games are on multiple consoles with a few exceptions, but almost all of them I have on PC because, once again, my 360 is LITERAL GARBAGE and I can’t afford an X-Box One).

(In no particular order.)

1) The Dragon Age Series.

An RPG had babies with a hack’n’slash game that then had kids with a strategy game. Dragon Age has a strong plot, decent characters, ok mechanics and gameplay, and a LOT of fandom discourse. Despite it’s flaws (which I can talk about some other time) the series is solidly one of my favorites. Character creation, choices, multiple endings, romance (or not), and ok graphics all in one package. Pretty easy to find, the first two are relatively cheap. Inquisition (the third one) is still pretty new and can be expensive.

2) Mass Effect (The Shepard Trilogy specifically).

Before you start screaming about me saying I don’t like FPS games, remember that there’s always an exception. And Mass Effect is third-person, thank you. An RPG with FPS elements, great characters, ok plot, and sometimes terrifying graphics. While not my favorite, it’s not a bad series, or at least the first 3 aren’t. I can’t afford Andromeda, so I reserve judgement until I can play it. The first three (not counting the DLC) aren’t too hard on the wallet while still getting enough bang for your buck. Availability is the issue here, especially on PC. Unless you get it through Amazon or Gamestop, you might have a hard time finding the first one specifically.

3) The Legend of Zelda.

An old personal favorite that, once again has the same problem as ME–availability. LoZ is exclusively Nintendo, and while you can hack it to play on the PC, that usually comes with a lot of bugs. It’s also a long-running franchise, so there’s a lot of games and a lot of confusion. Very story driven, great (if somewhat plain) characters, and just enough variety to be interesting. There’s no right or wrong way to get into the stories, though each of them play differently. My first LoZ game was Ocarina of Time and I fell in love, but my favorite is Twilight Princess. The newer games can be expensive and so can the old ones, I’d recommend you pick based on price and whatever console you have.

4) Skyrim.

In keeping with the above themes, I should probably put “The Elder Scrolls Series” above, but I’ve only played Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls Online, and MMORPGs aren’t my thing. Skyrim is a hack’n’slash trying to be an RPG which isn’t (in this case) a bad thing. You have the option of playing it first or third person and can switch at any time, so I won’t call it a first person game. The character creation is… ok, the graphics aren’t terrible most of the time, and the story’s actually pretty interesting. There are a lot of bugs, though, and not a bunch of character investment. But it is an open world and has more mods than I want to count. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun and sometimes really silly. Catch it on sale on Steam for the best price on PC, but it’s relatively cheap normally.

5) Saints Row IV.

Skyrim, but modern, with guns, more character investment, superpowers instead of magic, and a lot of mature themes. While not the best game, it is a lot of fun while still investing in the character. However, the other three games are a lot more Grand Theft Auto than Skyrim. But, as you may have guessed, I don’t/can’t play GTA, so… Saints Row IV is a good trade off.

6) Pokemon (specifically X/Y and Sun/Moon).

Full disclosure: Y and Moon are the only Pokemon games I’ve played other than Stadium and the tiniest bit of Yellow. Decent character creation, cute monsters that (usually) listen to you, and an interesting (though repeated) story. X/Y are pretty cheap with decent graphics, but like LoZ, are exclusively Nintendo. Without a 3DS, you can’t play them unless you do a hack, but once again, BUGS.

7) The Sims (3 and 4).

Once again, I was late to the party and these are the only two I’ve played. The creation kit on the Sims 4 is out of this world, and the Sims 3 isn’t too shabby, either. My biggest problem with the Sims is that we’re constantly getting new expansion packs and DLC that I can’t afford, but without make the game feel almost incomplete. PC exclusively (except 4 and that’s still coming). 3 is pretty cheap on Steam and Origin, but I can’t find 1 and 2 anywhere except Amazon and other retailers.

There’s more I could add, but this post got long. Sorry. If you have any more questions, feel free to message me again!