#the writers: ooohhh will they... or won't they?

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Brenda Meitland is my personal "we need more complex female characters" I, guys, can barely handle her.

[sergeifyodorov]

the hart conversation this year is actually fun and sexy (im a Kuch if the bolts make playoffs Auston if they don't girlie) but more importantly... in this post bergeron age WHO is winning the selke... nhl writers Genuinely have no idea how to properly evaluate defense (most ppl don't actually) so they'll probably give it to someone boring like. ooohhh who has the most takeaways... actually im just going to say it. selke is a reputation trophy (most of them are but ESPECIALLY selke *because* most ppl can't evaluate defence.) also because it's like really nebulously defined also, like: best defensive forward. is some measure of offensive skill also required? is it pure defense? how much does toi and usage factor into this? ET CETERA. so like i can just triple campaign auston for hart selke lady byng and i won't even be Wrong (because he's honestly kinda running away with the lady byng) it just depends on who people decide is defensively good on ballot day. put your top three selke candidates out there now and YOU might get a chance to win some smug satisfaction if they pick your guy!!!!

[yoonia]

ask game: no. 9 and 12?

Whoops...I'm sorry for missing this one.

9. Do you believe in ghosts? This isn’t about writing I just wanna know Oh, you have no idea. It's hard not to believe in them when my flat is most definitely haunted :') I think I've made friends with little ghostie since I've been living here for so long lol

12. If a genie offered you three writing wishes, what would they be? Btw if you wish for more wishes the genie turns all your current WIPs into Lorem Ipsum, I don’t make the rules ooohhh...let's see. One, I wish I could write faster so I can finish as much WIP as I want to. Two, I also wish that some of the ideas that I have right now would write themselves so I won't have to :))) Three, hmmm...I wish I can get a bit more organised. I've always tried to, but the urge to procrastinate always become so strong which is why I tend to work so slowly. And since you've given me an additional rule, I wish I could sit down with my muse, maybe talk to them with a cup of tea and some homemade cookies while I ask them why they've been so silent all this time. Oh, I also wish I can have a better focus. I get distracted too easily it gets so annoying T^T

Thank you for sending this one!

❥ Talk to me: Weird Questions for Writers

[murieltheawful]

🛠🌞 & 👀 for the writer emoji ask (:

Heya!

Thanks for the ask!)

🛠 What tools/programs/apps do you use to write?

lol I use Google Docs and Google Notes and MS Word) very simple, really

🌞 Do you have a preferred time of day to write?

Yes, I prefer evening, after I am done with most of the other stuff. When I have a free day, I can often manage to start writing earlier. After noon but before dinner, lol))

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

Ooohhh! That's a great question! So I am participating at this Daniel-no-homo event, as I call it in my head, or Daniel Ricciardo Internalized Homophobia Fest by LoveLeah!

https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DanielRicciardoInternalizedHomophobiaFest

and yes I know fuckall about F1 ^--^ but my beloved hockey mutuals kept reposting Daniel, and would you look at that sunshine baby with Abs!

so my topic is 5+1 things (as in five not gay things, and one gay thing), and I have a beta who knows what F1 is and I hope I won't fuck it all up))

[neonganymede]

For the fanfic trope rate: Mutual pining; there's only one bed; tattoo shop/flower shop AU; Friends to Lovers vs Enemies to Friends to Lovers; Hanahaki disease; PwP

Ooohhh so many, thank you!!!

Mutual Pining: A. Mutual pining is so good. I love seeing two idiots clearly in love with each other who just. Won't do shit about it. Until they do. Especially when everyone around them is so frustrated about it.

There's Only One Bed: B. There's Only One Bed is such a classic trope. Such a good trope. The only issue I personally have with it is that it's so overdone. But this is fanfiction, so does it really matter? I'll still get reeled in by this trope with no hesitation.

Tattoo Shop/Flower Shop AU: I'll give this one a C. I don't hate it, but I won't actively seek it out. It's one of those AU that I've read, but I won't necessarily click on a fic involving it. For me, it needs to be done right and by the right fic writer.

Friends to Lovers vs Enemies to Friends to Lovers: Okay, I'll have two ratings here because I definitely prefer one over the other. Friends to Lovers? B. It's a good trope. Usually with a nice dose of mutual pining. But Enemies to friends to lovers? That's an A. I love it, especially when the line is so blurred like? Are we enemies? Are we friends? Are we in love? All of the above? Yes. I could talk about that trope forever, especially since it fits my latest favorite ship so well. Just. Chef's kiss.

Hanahaki Disease: If I could grade this higher than an A, I probably would. I've read so many Hanahaki AU fics because they're just the right amount of hurt/comfort or hurt/no comfort, and sometimes, I need that. Plus there's just something to me about thinking your love it so unrequited that it's literally about to kill you. Via plant. Good shit.

PwP: The rating for this goes up and down depending on a few things for me. For the right ship when I'm in the right mood? A. But there are some ships that I would probably never read PwP for because I either don't like it with the ship or feel like it doesn't vibe with the relationship.

Give me a fanfiction trope, and I'll grade it!

[writing-with-olive]

For the last anon, one thing I know is that you can't force anyone to do something against their will when hypnotized. It's probably the one thing that writer's can get wrong. Basically if there's something that they'd normally won't do, they also wouldn't do it under hypnosis.

Ooh, unless there's some sort of unknown motive they have but they were hypnotized to do the specific thing, only for it to be revealed to the rest of the characters in some sort of twist (I just thought of that now, that's sounds kinda good to me).

But yeah that's all I have.

Ooohhh this is good! Thanks @the-random-witch!

[kkulmoon]

My extended family celebrates Christmas but I hate it, cuz i'm being force to put up with their sexism and racism among other things haha 😂 probably why I applied to uni far away so I have excuse to not come back lol. This year, it'll probably be just my immediate family (cuz of covid) so it'll be much better 🥰

I'm asian so we don't really care about new year as much as lunar new year. That's when i get money 🤤 and also wear pretty clothes.

I'm a newbie writer so i'm still learning how to build characters and write longer stories so.... Maybe the fic for you won't be out anytime soon cuz i wanna give you something you'll enjoy 🥺 BUT i will reveal myself thru a gift 😤😤 that's a promise 😘

Also, i saw that you felt sick yesterday so I hope you're feeling better!! Sending you ghostie hugs 🥰

And BTS at the Grammy 👀 i'm a little (read a lot) pressed by some of the nomination (cough cough yummy) but i'm happy for the boys nonetheless

Alright so question of the day is... what is your favorite food/dessert? Do you have a comfort food for when you feeling down/sick/ homesick? -Valley's Lilies

ooohhh i’m sorry that you have to deal with shitty relatives ;((( i had christmas with my extended family once and it was like rlly bad, why do people have to ruin such a good holiday with their bad behaviour 😠 but I am so so glad you get to have a better time this year, make sure to enjoy it as much as you can 🥰🥰🥰🥰

O.O lunar new year is a lot of fun!!! i used to celebrate it in high school with my asian friends except i got no money and didn’t wear pretty clothes lol nonetheless it didn’t take away from the fun and the fact that i like to taste food from other countries 😌how was this year’s lunar new year for you? anything you really enjoyed doing?

awwww babe take all the time you need with writing, i want to read something that you’re happy with 🥺 i’ll be waiting patiently for your story and identity reveal hihi 😘

ohhh yeah I am feeling better, i rarely get sick and I tend to recover pretty easily so I’m doing good now, though I should probably rest some more but my self control is running thin 🤡thank u for the hugs sweetie, i’m feeling really warm now 🥺

ughhhh the grammys is a joke (one that i care a bit too much about ngl) i’m beyond pressed too even though I am happy for bts as well, so many poc artists that did well this year were robbed and for what??? 

oohh good i don’t have favourite foods or desserts tbh, what i want to eat is based on my mood, but i tend to stray away from overly sweet food, one thing I love is of course fika (a swedish “tradition”) where u drink coffee/tea with a small pastry or biscuits, so i tend to fika a lot 😩😩😩also i am a big fan of soup but i eat it more when i am sick. homesickness is something I’ve never felt so i don’t have an answer to that. what about you? any favourite food/dessert?

[etlunainmorte]

✒ P.S. I Love You ✒

***

VII

***

"If there are any spirits here, say HHHOOOEEE!" Nico wailed as she tried once more to communicate with the Lancaster mansion ghost. She was holding up the voice recorder she invented just for V's paranormal mission in great hopes of picking up any sounds from beyond the grave.

"As if they will answer to that!" Griffon, who was perched on top of one of the Grecian statues, mocked. "Are ya even sure that will work?"

"Yes, I' am!" Nico shrieked at the Demonic bird, almost making him fall off the statue in surprise. "Any questions, little chicken?"

"SQUAWK!"

"If you are to do that, then you might as well do it on the second floor." V suggested as he leaned on his cane, observing her actions from a safe distance. "Maybe you'll be able to,... record something."

Just a few moments ago, his familiars showed him a single photograph they found stuck in the stool facing the grand piano. It looked like a stolen photograph of (Y/N) concealing her smile behind her fan as she offered her hand to a dark - haired gentleman whose face V could not see. And when he flipped it,...

"Do you think I should go up there, though?" Nico asked V, rubbing her arms up and down as she suddenly felt goosebumps on her skin. "The ghost might kill me up there!"

"Well, ye wanna hear ghosts on that thing, yeah? Then, go to the source and get yerself killed!" And Griffon was right.

"Say that again and I'LL COOK YOU IN A STEEL POT!"

"SQUAWK!"

V made his way through all the wires cluttered on the floor and handed Nico the photograph the familiars found. Nico stopped plucking Griffon's feathers, let him go, and pushed the rim of her glasses up her nose bridge. She, then, took the photograph and studied it, herself.

"This looked, like, super old." The tattooed woman muttered as she took a good long look at the photograph.

"Turn it." The poet told her. And as she did so, she finally saw the messages written at the back of it.

May 11, 1898

The Angels bow down to your grace and beauty, my Evening Star.

And I will forever be your humble servant.

~ V ~

"V?!" Nico practically shrieked in shock. "Is that - " she flipped the photograph once more and pointed at the man bowing down to the lady. "Is V that man or - ?"

To this question, the poet only gave her the journal. She took this and opened it. "But, there's nothing written in it, is there - ?"

The woman's eyes widened. For she could clearly see, as bright as daylight, the words that just manifested on the first page of the journal as soon as V received the old photograph from Shadow and Griffon.

At first, there was only her name and the date she wrote it. But, now,...

May 1, 1898

I could not believe what father said earlier this day:

He invited Victor Blake to our annual summer gathering! THE VICTOR BLAKE! My favorite writer, and also the best poet who ever existed in this world!

My heart...

I just could not stop the rapid beating of my own heart! I feel so excited! I wanted so much to meet him in person! For I thought for such a long time that I could only see him in my dreams, and hear his voice in my head. Now, I finally have the chance to actually talk to him!

My chest feels so painful right now, but with a happy kind of pain! ( Is there even a kind of happy pain? ) What should I wear for the month - long gathering? Would pastel suit me more, or dark palettes? What would I tell him when I finally get the chance to talk with him? I cannot just stutter in front of him! ( Which I do a lot when I'm nervous. ) What would he tell me? Would he quote some poetry for me?

I'm over thinking, I know! But, I'm just so, so excited! I could not contain it! I wanted to scream my excitement at the top of my lungs!

This is the happiest day of my life!

P.S.

I hope Victor Blake turn out to be the same man in my dreams. For if he does, then I could finally die with a large and silly smile on my face

Someone's coming!

"Victor Blake?! So that's the V who wrote on that photograph, I assume?" Nico mused out loud as she closed the journal and gave it back to V.

"Must be."

"Wait, wait, wait a second here!" The woman grabbed fistfuls of her hair as realization came down on her. And some more questions. "Did those words just pop out on that journal like a pimple or somethin'?! Because if it did, that's totally crazy!"

V didn't answer her question. Instead, he related to her every single thing that happened to him on the second floor last night, of the locked rooms on the right, of that ghost bride, of being locked in (Y/N)'s room, and of him actually seeing her in person.

"... and it only led me to believe that this lady," V pointed at the photograph on Nico's hands."... and (Y/N) are the same person. And that she, indeed, was able to meet Victor Blake that 11th of May."

"So, if this is (Y/N), then who is that woman in the portrait that Avery showed us?"

"They're the same person." V admitted with much bitterness in his voice. He just couldn't accept the fact that she changed drastically for an unknown reason.

"Damn!" Nico swore as she collapsed on a chair facing the monitor she set up earlier during the day. "Avery said (Y/N) died in 1899, right?"

"She did. Yes."

"Then," Nico went silent for a while, and when she finally gained the courage to speak out her mind, V could not help but agree to what theory she came up with. "... that tragic thing, whatever version that was, that led to her death happened a year later! The journal and that picture said 1898! And whatever tragic reason that was, it also led to that clear change she went through as a young adult! Either that, or the artist they commissioned just did a really bad painting of her."

"Seems like the former, as much as I want to deny that fact." V replied distastefully.

Nico's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the poet's clear discomfort with the topic. "Hey, ya looked bothered. Wanna spill the beans fer real? Ye looked like ye're hiding somethin' other than (Y/N)'s journal."

V chuckled as he sat on the chair next to her. "There are no beans to spill and no other secret to reveal, I assure you."

"And I assure ya that I can tell ye're lyin'!" Nico answered as she booted up the PC.

"I'm not. Well,..."

"Well?"

"The first time I met her, she looked radiant, and happy. She was clearly in love." V confessed, feeling a strange lump growing in his already dry throat. "And she was,... the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my entire existence. To see her like that - depressed, and sick,... and hopeless, it just," The poet paused as he let out a deep sigh that seemed to rattle his very core. "... it felt wrong. It felt sad. Whatever happened to her, she doesn't deserve it. That death of hers, I must know about it."

Nico hummed as V finished talking. "The most beautiful girl, eh?"

"Yes."

"Then!" Nico slammed her palms against the table and turned towards V, her face leaning uncomfortably close to his. "The reason you stayed up so late!"

"What?" V simply asked, getting more and more confused with the woman's odd behavior.

Nico smiled mischievously as she pointed a single, perfectly - polished nail at him. "Ya fantasized 'bout her!"

"I,... come again?"

"Admit it! Ya did the thing while thinkin' of her!" Nico teased even more.

"What thing?"

"Oh, come on, man! No need to be shy 'bout bein' horny for a young and beautiful gal! Just admit it!"

"Admit what?"

V truly has no idea what Nico was talking about, so Griffon flew down next to her and joined in the teasing. "My, my, V! Don't tell us ya don't know what jackin' off means!"

"Jacking,... off,..."

"Yeah, ya know!" Griffon teased even further as he cleared his throat. Making his voice sound small and ridiculous, he recited, "Ya look so good, (Y/N)! So beautiful! Hmm, hmm, hmm!"

"Such beautiful face! Such curvaceous body! I want you,... AH,... so much!" Nico joined in as she made lewd sounds and inappropriate gestures with her arms.

"Oh, my beautiful, sexy (Y/N)!" Griffon imitated Nico's moves and started caressing his own feathery body with his wings. "YE'RE M - M - MI - AAAHHH - NNNEEE!"

"AAAHHH! OOOHHH!"

"HHHRRRMMMHHH! OOOHHH, YYYEEESSS!"

All of a sudden, they heard a really huge explosion outside the house, and a few seconds later, Roman came crashing in the house.

"¡DIOS MIO!" Roman howled.

"Roman, sweetheart, what is it?! What happened?!" Avery called as she came running immediately from another room.

"THERE'S A HHHUUUGGGEEE ONE - EYED GOLEM IN THE GARDEN!" Roman screamed as he pointed at the said thing outside. "RUN! ESCAPE! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!"

"One - eyed,..." Nico muttered.

"... golem?" Griffon stuttered.

And to their complete and utter horror, they realized V's hair has turned white and his left hand was raised up, his fingers in a snapping gesture.

But, the most dangerous of all was the poet's eyes that changed from soft, emerald green to bloody, murderous red. And he was staring emotionlessly down at them,...

"Hehe, s - sorry here, Shakespeare. I mean, M - m - m - master!" Griffon cowardly apologized thirty minutes later when V's rage diminished and when Nightmare finally went back to where he came from.

"Okay, okay, I get it. You're not in love with (Y/N)." Nico cautiously said as she opened some programs on her PC.

"I' am not." The poet answered, stressing out each word.

"But, surely ya must be at least smitten by her! I mean, to think of a girl you haven't actually talked to or met like that?" The woman was right. Maybe he was infatuated with her, after all? But, then again, how could he not? How could anyone not? "Lucky for ya, though. Ye won't have to deal with her super creepy husband."

"Husband?" Griffon asked as he landed back at the Grecian statue.

"Yeah. Mr. Christopher Lancaster? Duh."

That Doctor. I almost forgot about him. V thought as he slightly glanced at the hallway where the intimidating Doctor's life - size portrait was located.

"There we go!" Nico happily announced as she finally gained access to the videos of the security cameras she set up on all corners of the entrance hallway. And as V and Griffon came closer to her to have a look, they saw themselves at that exact moment.

"Hey, that's us!" Griffon exclaimed, astounded upon seeing a live feed of himself. "Wait, why are there no sounds?"

"Duh. That's just a security cam. Call it a spy cam, if ya like." Nico answered. "Now, setting the date to yesterday!"

The woman typed some words and numbers on her keyboard, and a few seconds later, they saw V on the monitor as he was about to go up the stairs.

"That was last night." V confirmed as he saw himself call back the frightened Shadow.

"Now, let's see what else happened." Nico spoke as they all watched V ascend to the second floor.

And after staring at the screen for more than fifteen or so minutes, they realized that nothing was, indeed, happening.

"I should be back around ten or a few more minutes." V said, his confusion growing ever so strongly.

"And you came back down in the morning." Nico answered. "Let's set the time to about, hmm, seven - thirty, then." The woman did the same process, and when the video fast - forwarded to the time she set, they saw V finally going back down to the first floor and met with the frizzy - haired Nico. "See? Told ya ye're gone for a long time."

"But, that's impossible!" Griffon yelled, turning back to V. "Didn't ya say ye're only gone for a few minutes?”

"And now you believe me." The poet simply answered.

"Alright! Alright! So, the ghost could not only manipulate things, it could also stop or control time, or something like that." The tattooed woman happily declared. "How very fascinating that is!" And she was, once again, getting more and more excited.

"I need to go back up there." V told her. "But, I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. A few minutes may mean a few hours up there."

"Ye're right. Hmm,..." Nico mused as she tapped on her lips. After a few seconds, she stood up, went over to one of the speakers she set up yesterday, and opened it, letting Mister Sandman on again. "How 'bout this: V, you do yer thing and investigate the second floor, and I'll be pulling an all - nighter for ya down here to monitor yer movements. I'll even make sure ya don't get lost for too long."

"How do we do that?" The poet asked.

"Simple!" Nico answered as she gave V the radio she was holding on to yesterday. She, then, pressed something on the speaker, and when it finally went quiet, she pointed at the radio on his hand. "Can ya turn it on?"

V complied by turning the dial on the radio clockwise, and a few seconds later,...

"...then tell me that my lonesome nights are over! Sandman, I'm so alone. Don't have nobody to call my own - "

"That song runs for two minutes and thirty - six seconds." Nico said as V and Griffon listened to the music on her radio. "I'll sync that song there and play it for ya for every hour ye're up there. Kinda like an alarm clock. Ya can also turn the voice recorder on to record any sound. And lastly, if anything goes wrong, like anything at all, and ya can't call yer familiars," the woman came closer to V and pointed at the red button at the lower right corner of the radio. "... think of nothin' else and press that button. Do ya understand?"

"I do. Yes. Thank you." V answered as he nodded several times, actually grateful for his decision to let Nico tag along with him.

And when the woman was finally satisfied with his answer, she cracked a toothy smile and suddenly took Griffon off V's shoulders, hugging him and twirling him around like a stuffed animal.

"PUT ME DOWN, WOMAN!"

"Aren't we the best paranormal team around?" Nico happily asked. "Like, Red Grave's Finest Paranormal Team ever?"

"WHATEVER YA SAY! JUST PUT ME DOWN! I CAN'T BREATHE!"

"Sorry." Nico apologized as she let the bird go. "So, ready for another night?"

"Ready - " V was about to stand when he collapsed all of a sudden.

"Hey, V! You okay?" Griffon flew down and helped him to his feet by clutching onto his arm with his talons.

"Ya look like ye need some rest. Ya haven't actually slept!" Nico suggested as she came and helped him as well by grabbing his other arm.

V could not agree more. "A nap will do. Thanks."

***

✒ @la-vita and @micaelagua . ✒

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