#thanks laura <3

[kwockwoc]

kwoc's writing year in review [2023 edition]

got tagged by the fab @glowingvenus (cheers mate) 🥂

i really should do a 'reader' version of this bc i read some great stuff in '23 💝

if you (yes, YOU) want to play along then hereby consider yourself officially tagged ok? 👋🫡

How many words have you written this year? oh wow how am i meant to calculate?? not sure. ao3 reckons i've published 546k in 2023. there's more in draft and more that got deleted, so too hard to count. no idea.

How many works did you publish this year? too many

What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)? can’t really single one out

What work of yours has the most hits? better this way (btw)

What work of yours got more feedback than you expected? Fresh

Favorite title you used? uhhh this is an odd question. Dreamboy maybe

If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most? lana del rey

Pairing you wrote the most for this year? seiji/nick (FENCE Comic)

Favorite pairing you wrote for this year? goddamn robert coste/omc and an even more goddamned omc / omc which is unpub’d

What work was the quickest to write? no idea. Some of the Fence challenge pieces were like an hour or two of mindless tapping (as if you couldn’t tell haha)

What work took you the longest to write? btw

How many WIPs do you have in your docs for next year? decline to answer

What’s your longest work of the year? btw

What’s your shortest work of the year? most of the Fence challenge stuff

What WIP are you taking into next year with you? these hidden streets. IN MY DEFENCE it was MEANT to be 3 short chapters and at last count was 65k in draft ☹

What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag? oh no idea, probably light angst

Your favorite character to write this year? Seiji

The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year? also Seiji

What’s one pairing you want to explore next year? haven’t really thought about it

Which work of yours have you reread the most? again

How many kudos in total did you get this year? i know this sounds fake but like 700

Which work has the most comments? btw

Did you do any collaborative works this year? nope. 'doesn’t play well with others'

Did you write any gifts this year? yeah <3

Did you receive any gifts this year? yeah <3

What’s your most common category? all man all the time

What do you listen to while writing? depends

Favorite work you wrote this year? probably shadow theatre although tbh I don’t really do faves of my own stuff

Favorite line/passage you wrote this year? oh not sure. that requires introspection. don’t really do faves

Biggest surprise while writing this year? somehow managing to unlock a trove of other E writers. like opening the front door and finding a gaggle of new friends. again was the longest complete E fic in the fandom and now look at us 🕳️🫡

[alloukas]

i was tagged by @harrehleh to share my top artist, songs, and spotify personality 💖

i tag @minou-roussel @cococranberry @akihikiko @ireallysawanangel and literally anyone who wants to do it

[tempobrucera]

OH I WANNA ASK ALL OF THEM but I'll not do that to you haha so: 🛒, 🎢, ⌛ and 💔

Hahaha, LAURA! 😂 Thanks that you aren't doing that to me.

🛒 What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

Writing scenes out of order

Or not telling the whole story

Telling stories inside of a story (Ethan telling the story of a star in Let the devil be my witness / Thomas telling his story in Trick or Treat / Something something in my drafts)

Characters saying something that is a metaphor for someting else (once again Ethan and the star / Vic saying there was a storm forcasted for days in You Weren’t Supposed To Say It Back / Thomas saying he probably doesn't deserve any hearts anymore in I’ll kiss you again / Thomas using a quote out of The Godfather in Tightrope Act  / And more) - It's a lot of show instead of tell sometimes, I guess

I need at least some bits of angst here and there

I was told my sentence structure and painting with words is bordering on poetry, just that it isn't

My writing is heavily influenced by Markus Zusak & mostly it shines through

Everything needs some kind of tiny backstory be it smut or something else

Describing food (to everyone's annoyance because everyone's always getting hungry, hahaha)

I try to come up with at least one thing new I want to try, when I write

And for themes ... phew. Fate versus Free Will, Good and Evil, Church and Believe imagery

Having little details and picking them up throughout the story again

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

Let the devil be my witness

Something in my drafts 😬

The sea will crowd us with lovers at night as a whole probably (when I have time to revise the chapter I have & the end I have in my head, like the real end as all parts are on their own)

⌛ How long does it take you to write a fic, or a chapter?

That really depends, but mostly it takes me longer than the average person, I assume. And then sometimes I'm writing 8k in three days. And then there's one, that I started writing last year.

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

Yes, I love breaking my own heart. C'mon, everyone should know that by now.

But, yes, I did. It's not published tho and I'm not planning on doing that.

Then another one, that is in my draft. And I'm going to publish.

Maybe Let the devil be my witness a bit.

[laurasimonsdaughter]

Consider: depressed necromancers forced to go on mental health walks by their creations

"Get up, go outside."

It was like being ordered around by a chill running down his spine. He gave a blind, swatting wave into the space around him. "Piss off."

"Ha! You sure must be regretting studying resurrections instead of banishments, hm?" the ghostly voice echoed at the edge of his hearing. "I have aaall the time in the world."

It was absolutely killing him that turning off his hearing aids didn't work against ghosts. He opened his eyes, staring blankly up at the by now familiar shape floating above him. The look in the spectral eyes was infuriatingly soft.

"Come on. One little walk. And I won't give you any grief about your meal choices tonight."

"It's still light out," he gritted, too tired to even raise his voice. "And you can't make me."

The shining eyes narrowed. "Not yet I can't, but I'll learn. And I bet I'll be able to start chucking bottles of vitamin D at your head long before I'm strong enough to move your sorry ass."

"I did you a favour, you wanted this. And this is the thanks I get?"

Somehow the chill turned warm for a second while the ghost smiled with his whole face. "Yeah. I'm paying it forward."

He pulled the couch pillow over his head. "Go haunt somewhere else."

"Or, you could leave and go for a-"

"Fine, I'll go for a damn walk."

The ghostly laughter followed him all the way to the door and for a second it felt like the grey sludge gave way—

He paused with his hand on the key in the lock. "...are you coming or what?"

[lesbianlotties]

it's fun to say Nat laughed too much at a joke that wasn't all that funny because she has a crush on Lottie... but consider: Nat knows Lottie is not doing well after losing Laura Lee and she's desperately trying to cheer her up somehow

[kayberrie]

She’s a such a little shit. I love her.

headcannon that while Logan tends to do this only when he doesn’t have utensils, Laura does it all the time just because.

also I’m unseasonably proud of that background

[criticalyasha]

LOOK WHAT I FOUND ON TIKTOK OMG OMG PLS GO AND GIVE THEM LOVE

All credits to: @/luminescentcosplay

[pouralaura]

Sorry, this is probably weird. But my brain is Raphael 24/7 and he and Tav being obsessed with each other. But I was wondering how he’d react to a demi Tav?

He’s crushing and trying to impress for the longest time, and they are completely unphased. Like nothin’, nada. I’m sure he’d be frustrated. But also perplexed? He’s always been able to charm his way with people. So he meets this unmovable person and he’s like ???

But then imagining later on, Tav’s feelings for him suddenly hit them like a fucking train. All of their obsession with HIM hits like tenfold. He is the sexiest being in existence, and they are stupidly in love with him, and they are PANICKING.

I may be the only one who finds this particular scenario intriguing but 😅

Disclaimer: I am not well-versed in demisexuality and this is my first time writing it, so please pardon any lack of necessary nuance here. thanks to @reallyhatethiswebsite for helping me figure out the trigger point! they/them AFAB Tav, Raphael POV.

--

Had Raphael ever, in all of his hundreds of years, experienced such a maddening, tantalizing, mouthwatering proximity to victory? Every hellish fiber of his being thrums in anticipation of his looming triumph. The Crown, so close, its pull so alluring. The augury of his reign launches his mind into a state of utter bliss outside of business hours (and, frankly, often during), a grin on his face and his cock hard as a diamond beneath the quilting of his luxuriously expensive trousers. He is, simply put, so close.

There remains but a single obstacle in his way: a lost, floundering little mouse, so unprepared and ill-equipped for success -- at least, at first. Raphael had been pleasantly surprised at Tav's capability for mortal achievement once they'd gotten their feet underneath them. His respect for them grew as their conquests did; they'd proven an apt ally for many and a fearsome adversary for many more.

Flawed as they are, Tav is perfect for his plan. Raphael has every faith that they will be his savior (in a manner of speaking) now that the time is drawing near. They must succeed. They will. Such a headstrong, belligerent creature; all the sweeter to become the victor -- and, in line with that, to claim himself.

(More on that in a moment.)

He's ruminating on this, as he has near-incessantly in recent months, while strolling back to the Devil's Den from deeper within the city. Maintaining chivalrous relations with his hosts at Sharess' Caress is mandatory; he pauses at the front desk to brush a kiss across the delicate knuckles of the blushing Amira, inclines his head in polite greeting to various good-natured courtesans, and stops to exchange pleasantries with Hoots at the bar before ascending the stairs to his domain of the Gate. Trivial pursuits, but necessary.

(Back to the matter at hand --)

Yes, he will claim Tav himself.

...This point requires further clarification. He will claim Tav as a step to his own conquest. They will fulfill a contract with him. If it happens that they also wish for his claim in a more decidedly carnal way, what manner of devil would he be to deny them? A favor for a favor, after all.

But, alas, they'd proven nearly unmovable in that last respect. It's far from the first time Raphael has experienced, either implicitly or explicitly, rejection of his incomparable devilish charms -- but, to be fair: nearly all of the aforementioned occurrences had been caused by an innate preference for the fairer sex. Their loss, perhaps; but it simply couldn't be helped -- and certainly not a stain on his ego.

(Tav, for what it's worth, however, does not seem limited by such preferences. Near-flawless reconnaissance is a gift and a curse; Raphael is very much aware of their blessedly brief dalliance with the insufferable vampling.)

Such hopes for mutual understanding on levels to-be-determined had been dashed, indeed, until a particular point of curiosity earlier in the week, when Tav and their ragtag gang of unappealing ruffians had met him upstairs at the Caress following his confrontation with the inestimable Kith'rak. Voss had left, and Raphael had snapped his fingers to shield Tav and their party from the detestable illithid shouting about in their heads --

The devil had watched figurative clicking cogs turn between the little mouse's ears for several seconds as they processed the assumedly blissful silence he'd fleetingly gifted them.

"I don't...hear anything." Tav's voice had been quiet. Surprised.

"You are, as always, welcome." He'd smugly spread his arms, inclining his head in a mock bow. "My favorite future client deserves nothing if not the very best I can offer."

There were no differences in how he'd behaved on this occasion, but the way Tav looked at him after his effortless momentary aid was far more layered than during any previous encounter. And, if he was correct -- colored by the hint of a blush, one that he could smell before he could see. The scent of blood rising to their cheeks, dusting their pretty countenance with just a trace of something. A crack. A break.

Perhaps.

Delicious.

He nears the door of the Devil's Den, and...stops.

There is a familiar scent in the air; one he did not expect to be greeted by upon his return to The Office. It's them.

His little mouse is inside. Must have climbed through a window, leapt across rooftops to reach the one opening he leaves regularly and intentionally unwarded for just this precise possibility.

(Korrilla, behind his back, raises her eyebrows at this deliberate lapse in security each time it's included in his instruction. She's lucky he doesn't snap the bones in each of her toes one-by-one.)

Cautiously, he wills the hellish locks to open. Carefully, he presses long, tanned fingers to the door's handle. With deliberation, he pushes into the room.

It takes him two point three seconds to register that Tav is not only in the room, but on their back on the rich, plush red duvet-covered bed, propped up on their elbows, staring straight at him with the loveliest blush dusted across the apples of their cheeks. He steps stiffly into his domain, letting the heavy wooden door close and lock behind him with a decided click. Another seven point eight seconds to close the distance between them (he slinks across the room slowly, like a cat); a full nine seconds, once he's arrived at the bedside, to drink in Tav's nakedness from head to toe -- well, except for the whipped cream adorning the tips of their breasts, if one could call that any sort of coverage. And -- ah. An amber liquid filling the divot of their belly button.

His mouth curls up into a satisfied little smirk. They have been paying attention.

"Are you here to accept my offer, little mouse?" Raphael finally asks, low and warm and purring.

He watches them swallow. Breathe. Follows the red flush as it spreads, heated, down their neck, between their cream-laden breasts, around their liquor-filled navel, all the way down to the lovely pink of their vulnerable, exposed, undeniably glistening sex.

"I am not. At least, not yet." In a contrast to their blush, Tav's voice is strong and level as they continue despite Raphael's responding sneer. "I am here to make one of my own."

"And what, pray tell," the devil bites out, voice tinged with the familiar mix of irritation, intrigue, and damning arousal this creature heralds within him, "might that be?"

"I'm inclined to accept, but only following further discussion." They grin. "But over dinner, here. And...you'll need to do something about my --" here they motion to the confectionary disaster writ upon their flawed, mortal body, beneath him in every way -- "current state."

He'll play along, if only to ease the tightness in his trousers.

Less than ten minutes later, when Raphael is laving his forked tongue along the underside of Tav's breast, lapping up the last of the cream and holding himself back from spilling onto the sheets beneath them, he thinks: I am in control.

Tav moans as he bites; as he presses his face between their thighs, a ragged whine bubbles up from his throat, hot and needy.

They'll be mine yet.

[shorthaltsjester]

ON RUNNING; Imogen Temult

Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 3 “The Trail and the Toll” // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 12 “Make It Fashion” // Illustrated Horse-Breaking by Matthew Horace (1905) // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 17 “Heart-to-Heartmoor” // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 19 “Omens Above” // Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 34 “What Dreams May Come” // Legends Never Die by Orville Peck and Shania Twain // Queen of Peace by Florence + The Machine // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 40 “Compulsion”  // Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 48 “An Exit Most Fraught” // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 78 “Fractures” // On Horse-Breaking by Robert Moreton (1877) // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 83 “Ruidus” // Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 89 “Divisive Portents”

[tbcanary]

Edit Requests: Persephone from The Wicked + The Divine for @magictavern

"What do we do now?" "Whatever we want."

(ID under the cut.)

ID: Five edited panels of Laura (Persephone) from The Wicked + The Divine comics.

1: Persephone is suspended mid-air from her glowing blue vines. She’s arched in a C shape in front of a background of pink flowers.

2: Persephone stands in a hooded jacket with her arms thrown outward. Blue text appears in front of her: “Laura.” The letters then shuffle randomly and change to “Persephone.” The letters shuffle a third time and change to “The Destroyer.”

3: A background with a black, pink and white radial gradient, covered fully with the story of Persephone’s creation. Laura, dressed in her Amaterasu costume, stands off to the left side. She fades, and a second image of her appears slightly to the right with a curly undercut and a green jacket. That image fades to gray and a third appears of her in her initial Persephone costume, with the colorful streak in her combed-over hair and a red triangle drawn over one eye. The third image fades to gray and a fourth appears fully to the right side, showing Persephone with her hand held up and her jacket splayed out. She has white skulls in place of her pupils.

4: Persephone, in distorted white and black with blue accents. She lights a cigarette. Three circles with skulls in the center hover in front of her.

5: Laura, with a shaved head, stands with her mouth open and her arms outstretched. Her blue vines spread out from behind her, backlit by pink. Text on either side of her head reads: “I am a God.” The image flashes, turning the vines black and white. The word “Not” appears over Laura’s eyes, on top of a black scribbled stripe.

/End ID.

[tls123]

I have learned my nature.  (...) I got up. I wanted to go home,   — frank bidart

[ohnohelpitsagain]

imodna thumbnail with literal rainbow background you mean so much to me

[starscelly]

wyatt with his antennae

dal@chi 3.28.23

[laurasimonsdaughter]

A proposal: Deep sea mermaids coming up to the surface for the first time and getting loopy on the excess amount of oxygen in the air compared to what they’re used to.

Ohh let's get scientific about mermaids for some headcanons:

● Most mermaids live in shallower waters, no deeper than 200 and 300 meters deep, where they can keep their lovely coral gardens and such. Here there is always enough sunlight, oxygen, plant growth and animal life to make for a very comfortable habitat.

● No one likes to live in the shadowy, oxygen poor middle zone somewhere between 300 and 1500 meters deep. There is not enough sunlight, very little oxygen, and it's just not a good time. Most mermaids hate even traveling through it and avoid it whenever possible.

● But much deeper in the ocean there are vibrant communities again. Pale, squid-like mermaids that cannot ever leave the dark, heavily salted water of the deep. Just like the ones living closer to the surface can never come down to them.

● These deep-sea and surface mermaid communities would be completely cut off from each other, if it weren't for the big, sturdy mermaids, built like whales, that are capable of withstanding the huge pressure differences and can visit both the depths and the surface. They carry news and presents up and down, going wherever they please. But the surface mermaids know not to swarm them with questions as soon as they arrive, because they need at least half an hour to be drunk on sunlight and oxygen whenever they come back from the deep.

[lesbianlotties]

the world needs to hear your thoughts on lottienatlee 🎤🎤

LOTTIENATLEE TRUTHERS LET'S GOOOOO

lottielee vs. lottienat debate OVER. we're all winners here

you don't have to choose between saint/worshiper and antler queen/antler queen. we can have it all

lottie matthews. in love with two blondes that are on opposite sides of the faith spectrum. her number one believer and her fiercest non-believer

two girls that think they're irredeemable in love with a girl that believes god made them perfect as they are

we literally don't talk enough about natlee. complete opposites. you'd think they'd hate everything about each other. but plot twist! they have such soft spots for each other <3

unfortunately there are zero self-preservation instincts in this house. my god why we are putting together three girls that show suicidal tendencies on screen

in the pilot, you see lottie and nat laughing at laura lee. me, an intellectual: it's an inside joke. they're in love with her. they're both fiercely protective of her

can you imagine them ruling the wilderness cult together? literally a holy trinity!!

they would balance each other perfectly! with lottie, nat keep her grounded, and laura lee always believes in her. with nat, lottie challenges her, and laura lee bring her comfort. with laura lee, lottie inspires her faith, and nat reminds her they're all human

they're this boygenius quote: Lottie: The difference between Nat and Laura Lee is Nat thought she was damned to hell from birth and Laura Lee was like, “Can’t wait to meet my BFF, God”. (God might also be Lottie btw)

[tseappreciationweek]

Day 1! (I will do them all even if they have to be late). Aquamarine. This year’s theme for myself is ‘gemstone prompt + costume design’. Enel’s official color is a light spring green, but he is a fan of teal as well.