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muddyorbsblr · 2 years

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winter warmers collection: excuses & opportunities

See all the Winter Warmers pieces here! See my full list of works here!

Summary: Loki has some questions about the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: none, really…this is a fluff piece; maybe a few words Mr Satchel wouldn't approve of idk… [let me know if i missed something!]

"Hey, Thunderbirds, look up," Stark hollered from his seat in the common area at Thor and Jane, who were currently engrossed in a conversation by the kitchen. They turned to look at Stark, who simply pointed at something over their heads.

The couple looked up at the mistletoe seemingly innocently hanging above their heads, giving each other a beaming smile before he leaned in to press a quick kiss to her lips that got the astrophysicist giggling against him.

You felt the couch dip beside you and you looked over, stifling a blushing smile, as you saw Loki occupying the space next to you. "I'm afraid I'm going to need to be apprised on this particular Midgardian tradition, dear Y/N," he started, pointing towards his brother and Jane. "The plant…"

The curiosity on his face caused you to giggle, prompting an amused smile to grace his features.

"What is it that you've found so amusing, darling?"

Despite your logic protesting that it was completely unwarranted, your heart still skipped a beat whenever he called you that. Especially when he paired that up with draping his arm on the couch behind you, shifting ever so slightly closer to you so that his thigh was pressed to yours.

And now it was the proximity making you giggle. You took a breath to calm yourself before answering. "It's just a bit funny to me that you're curious about mistletoe when the legends here on Earth kind of…pin the origin story of mistletoe on you."

Sadly he didn't seem to find that amusing, because his little smile faded into a grimace at your words. "I suppose that would be something along the lines of me using the plant to kill someone," he inferred with a scoff, the pain evident in his eyes as he realized that this was yet another thing humans blamed him for.

"I'll skip the misinformation, then," you told him, placing your hand on his knee without thinking and giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Stupid humans probably got it all wrong anyways." He turned his gaze to you, his eyes full of visible disbelief at your words. "How about we go straight to the tradition part?"

He gave you a soft smile as he nodded slowly. "I would quite like that, darling. Thank you," he said in hushed tones, trying to keep your conversation your own as more of the team entered the common area. You tried to keep your breathing steady as he covered your hand with his.

"Well the tradition is that whenever two people are standing under mistletoe, they're 'obligated' to kiss. The superstitionbehind that being that if a woman refuses a kiss under the mistletoe, she'll be unfruitful in her relationships until the next Christmas."

"That's coercion," he grumbled, clearly disagreeing with the latter half of the information you just departed.

You shrugged. "You're not wrong, Mischief. But it's mostly lighthearted fun nowadays. Now, if two people get caught under the mistletoe, they can choose to do what your brother and his girlfriend just did, or they can be playful about it if they're not that into each other. There's a workaround for everything," you finished lightheartedly.

"Babes, we're back and we have the supplies!" Nat called out to you as she and Wanda crossed the common area and walked straight to the kitchen.

"We've also procured the baby," Wanda topped off as little Morgan Stark trailed in behind her, her little feet running straight to you as she caught sight of you sitting on the couch.

"Auntie Y/N!" she squealed as she jumped into your lap. "Come on, we're making cookies for Santa!" She proceeded to pull on your free hand as she hopped off onto the floor.

"Alright, baby, I'm coming I'm coming," you answered with a chuckle, turning back to the god beside you. "Well, that's my cue…" you trailed off as you slowly rose from the couch, stifling a smile as you realized that despite the motion, he hadn't let go of your hand yet.

You fought not to blush as you watched him bring your hand up to his lips. "Thank you, darling. For--For your kindness. Your patience." He pressed a kiss to your knuckles, his eyes never leaving yours until he released your hand with a smile that lit up his eyes, tugging at your heartstrings.

"Anytime, Mischief," you breathed out, allowing yourself to be tugged into the kitchen by the tiny Stark.

"Thanks for making sure Morgan doesn't catch wind of us tonight, jellybean," Tony whispered as you closed the door to his daughter's room after tucking her in, promising her that when she woke up in a few short hours, Santa's gifts for her would be under the tree. Meanwhile, Tony was busy in the common area setting up those very gifts under the tree for her and snacking on the contents of the plate of "cookies for Santa".

"Sure thing, Tony. But you do know that sooner or later you have to tell her that this is all a big illusion, right? There is no Santa?" you shot back as you walked down the hall towards your apartment.

"Eh. She's a little genius. Hopefully she'll figure it out herself and we don't have to break the news to her and be the bad guys that took away Santa." You rolled your eyes at his preferred outcome. "When it's your turn, jellybean, you'll realize that you're gonna wanna avoid as many of the tough conversations as you can. And that the whole Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy aren't real is a very tough conversation."

"Good thing I'm perpetually alone then," you shot back. "Not gonna have to worry about those conversations any time soon."

"Really? No plans? No even with a certain god you had a conversation with about mistletoe recently?" You shot the billionaire a look that had him putting his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it, Y/N. Bambi hates damn near everyone in this team. He tolerates Thor and Jane because they're his family. But you? He likes you."

"Maybe you're mistaking tolerance for lack of hostility because surprise surprise, Tony, I actually try to be nice to him," you quipped, poking him in the shoulder to emphasize your point.

"Believe what you wanna believe, jellybean, but the second you two get together, you give me your 'You were right and I was wrong' speech in front of the entire team. Without a shred of sarcasm. From you or Rock of Ages." You stepped into the elevator as you rolled your eyes at his confidence. "Merry Christmas, Y/N. Ready that speech."

"Merry fuck you, too, Stark."

Once you got to the hall leading to your apartment, you nearly stopped in your tracks once you caught sight of Loki waiting by the door. "Hey, Mischief…" you said cautiously, greeting him with a tentative smile. "What's up?"

With a wave of his hand, a gift box appeared in a flash of green, landing softly in your hands. "I would rather we not have an audience when I gave you your gift."

A strange feeling bloomed in your heart. Something almost feeling like…hope. Hope that maybe--even though it meant that you needed to prepare a speech--just maybe Stark was actually on to something. "You didn't have to get me anything," you told him, your voice coming out so faintly it could have been a whisper.

He placed his hands over yours, giving them a slight squeeze. "I know. I wished to give you something regardless," he answered you with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

You lifted the lid of the box to find a black soft leather journal with a gold clasp. Running your fingers across the cover, the quality of the leather and the metal made it obvious that he'd put an insane amount of consideration into its selection. The realization nearly sucked all the air out of your lungs. "It's--It's exquisite," you stammered, finding it exceedingly difficult to form coherent thoughts, let alone words. You couldn't even muster the confidence to look at him. "Thank you, Loki."

"There's something else there, darling Y/N." Your heart caught in your throat at the endearment. "Open the cover."

You did as he instructed, undoing the clasp and pulling back the cover to find a small scrap of paper inside saying Look up. When you did, all you could do was let out a soft gasp at the sight of him holding a little sprig of mistletoe over your heads.

His gaze never left yours as he cupped your face with his free hand, leaning in slowly until he touched his lips to yours in a soft kiss. "Merry Christmas," he murmured against your lips as he kissed you again, feeling his smile as you kissed him back.

Dammit, you thought to yourself. I gotta get started on that speech.

But as you heard your apartment door open and Loki gently took the little gift box from your hands to place it on the entry table so that he could lift you into his arms, carrying you to your bedroom, you decided that a little public speech was definitely more than worth it.

A/N: I literally put writing requests on pause in order to create this on this fine Thursday because I was swimming with ideas but I knew ultimately that I wanted to start with something fluffy that involved mistletoe. Could I still come up with something along the way that leans more toward the smutty side of things? Maybe…😏

I highly encourage you all to check out all the stories in the first link, because they've been lovingly created by fellow Loki writers and they're all amazing cozy Winter-themed pieces that feel like a fluffy warm blanket. Yes, even the smut feels like a warm fluffy blanket; they just do. 💖🤍

Everything taglist: @lokisgoodgirl @lokischambermaid @imalovernotahater @mygfloki @lucylaufeyson3 @thomase1 @springdandelixn @fictive-sl0th @mochie85 @laliceee @xorpsbane @gigglingtigger @silverfire475 @cabingrlandrandomcrap @vickie5446 @salempoe @lokixryss @sinsandguilt @lokidbadguy @alexakeyloveloki @glitterylokislut @arch-venus25 @freefrommars @littlemortals @cakesandtom @girl-of-multi-fandoms @mischief2sarawr @thedistractedagglomeration @five-miles-over @goblingirlsarah @peaches1958 @huntress-artemiss @lilibet261 @iobsessoverfictionalmen @holymultiplefandomsbatman @lovingchoices14 @avoliax @devilsadvocactus @purplegrrl27 @lokiprompts @sititran @imherefortomhiddleston @ladyjames78 @stupidthoughtsinwriting @kikster606 @evelyn-kingsley @kats72 @ronnieissupermegafoxyawesomehot @creationsbyme @coldnique

#loki x reader #loki x female reader #loki fluff #loki fanfiction #loki fanfic #loki laufeyson fanfic #marvel fanfiction #marvel fanfic #mcu fanfiction #muddyorbs writes #winter warmers collection

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random-letters-i-just-thought-of · 10 months

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Clones mourning the Jedi

Ok, so, bear with me, my brain is constantly making up scenarios that I want to happen in Bad Batch Season 3. Most of the time I don't do anything with them, but this one today was especially emotional, so I just can't keep it to myself. Even though it doesn't fit into the story at all and is probably also very out of character. So… I need the connection between the clones and the Jedi to be appreciated, right? So my brain was like: How about we have the clones collectively, in their little community that they built, (which will also totally happen, right? I mean… clone rebellion?!?…please?!!), mourn the Jedi? And I was just: Umm… I don't think… And my brain went: Shut up, I've already made up a whole fucking ceremony and the precise camera angles and shots it will be shown in. So anyway, it starts with the Bad Batch needing Rex's help for a mission or something, so they go to him, and Rex is like: "Sure, but not today." So Hunter asks why, and he just says: "It's Empire Day." No missions till tomorrow morning." "Why? You're celebrating?", Wrecker asks jokingly. Rex huffs and flashes a sad little smile: "We're mourning."

Empire Day would be roughly the day Order 66 happened, right? I mean, I have no idea how space time works so I just assume that. So anyway, they go inside and meet all the other clones from Rex's little Network who sit together, talk and laugh, and many of them, most of them, are doing some sort of pottery. Echo is also there (which doesn't make sense because at this point he would have been back with the Bad batch already, but honestly, I don't care when this happens. Could also be way earlier. Actually, that would maybe be even better, so we can have Tech and Omega on board as well) so after some big hellos, of course the Bad Batch asks what's going on with this pottery stuff. Rex has excused himself at this point, but Echo shows them they're making little bowls and explains that it is part of the ceremony to honor the Jedi. At this point, it becomes a bit awkward for the Bad Batch since they never had such a connection to the Jedi and also experienced order 66 differently. But it gets better when Wrecker asks if he can make one for the little Padawan (Caleb), even though he hopes he survived. Just to remind of him. And Echo beams and says "sure" and shows them the bowl he's making for Ahsoka. He started it, still thinking she died during Order 66, but then Rex found out, teared up, and told him everything. He still makes her a bowl. To remember her. Because wherever she is now, even though she survived, the sassy, lighthearted, funny little commander he knew is definitely dead. So the Bad batch mixes with the other Clones. Wrecker makes his little bowl; maybe Hunter and Omega (if she's there) make one for Shaak Ti and Tech (if he's there) helps with the technical preparations for the ceremony and makes some valuable improvements. (Um, yeah, I have no Ideas for Crosshair. I'm open for suggestions! As said, not following any continuity/timeline here.) In the evening, everything is ready for the ceremony. It goes this way: Everyone who wants to has made a bowl for a specific Jedi, or several bowls for several Jedi, one bowl for multiple Jedi at once, or just one for all of them or no one in particular. They fill the bowls with a special material that will create a colorful flame when burned. Normally, they choose the color of their Jedi's lightsaber.

So for the ceremony, one after another lights up their lanterns, takes them to the little shrine or altar they built, says the name(s) of the one(s) they want to honor/remember maybe adds a little prayer if they feel like it, and then returns to the group to watch the flames leaping up to the sky. A colorful, beautiful mess, so bright, so hopeful, just like the Jedi were. Many bring blue ones for Shaak Ti, their beloved guardian on Kamino, who was killed by the ones she protected and watched over so lovingly. I'm thinking some of the Ryloth clones, the ones from Howzer's squad, maybe served under Mace Windu before they were stationed on Ryloth after the battle, so we get a few beautiful, strong purple flames. Wollfe brings one for Plo Koon, and his hands, ever shaking, now that his mind is no longer trustworthy, are steady when he sets down the bowl. His eyes, that are now mostly clouded by thoughts he can't voice, are clear for once as he remembers the brave man he fought side by side with, that he knows died wrongly even though his mind, corrupted by the chip for far too long, won't let him believe it. Cody's Hands (of course Cody is there, why wouldn't he be?) on the other hand are shaking as he brings forth the bowl he made for his general. It's not the only one for him on their little shrine, but it is probably by far the brightest and the most detailed. "Obi Wan Kenobi", he says, his voice is not shaking, but it's oh so quiet. He swallows hard and thinks for a moment before he adds: "Wherever you are right now… be safe. I miss you. I'm so sorry, love." And he wants to say so much more, but he doesn't know how, and now it's too late anyway. Echo's lantern for Ahsoka burns bright in the yellowish green he remembers, so fresh, so young, and so free. Rex is the last one to set down his lantern. "Anakin Skywalker", he says, making sure to place it right in the middle of the shrine, next to the bright blue flame that is Cody's lantern for Obi Wan and in front of the green one that is Ahsoka's. His voice does not shake, his steps do not falter, as he walks back to the group and turns around to watch the lights. (We see Hunter shooting Rex a quick, slightly worried, slightly curious glance because he's still convinced Anakin and Rex had something going on after that very suspicious scene in season 7.) We see the Bad Batch exchanging glances because they kind of feel like intruders. Because they suddenly feel grief over something they never even really knew. But then again, did any of them? We see Omega holding on to Hunter, deeply moved but not completely understanding why or what this is all about. We have a wide shot of all the clones standing in front of the lights, watching them with varying stages of grief. Some of them look deeply hurt; some of them smile sadly or even relieved as they watch the bright light resembling their friends, their mentors, their comrades, their idols. Only a very few of them are crying. Because even after all that's happened, they're still so strong. So used to the losses. Most of them watch the lights and gain strength. Grow a determined look on their face. They're going to make up for this. If there's one thing they can do, it's fight, so you bet that's what they're going to do. Cut to Rex staring into the flames and putting on his brave face for his brothers. His strong face as the leader. The determined face that makes it so easy, natural to follow him. He stares into the lights and knows this is his fight, the role he plays, the task he is set to fulfill. He is setting himself to fulfill. Their destiny is in their own hands now. And they're going to use it to make the galaxy the Jedi couldn't. It's what they owe them. And, most importantly, it's what they want to do, too. They were made to protect the galaxy, and damn well, they will. Because the Jedi gave them hope. Showed them that it can be different. Taught them to believe in themselves. In the human in every single one of them.

Cut to the Lanterns burning on the table, the colorful dancing flames, and it slowly zooms in on the bright blue flames of Anakin and Obi Wan burning next to each other.

But it doesn't stop there. It continues zooming in on Anakin's flame. And slowly, through the flickering light of Anakin's flame, we catch our first glimpse of Darth Vader. I'm thinking a Kenobi-like reveal. With dramatically swelling music and then just…breathing.

And then the screen goes black, bam episode over, bam Vader is the villain of Bad Batch now.

I know none of this makes sense, but it made me emotional, so….

Anyway if somebody else is having feels now, go listen to "Goodbye" by Ramsey, it's the song that was stuck in my head while writing this and it makes everything 100 times sadder :).

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greensagephase · 6 months

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Alondra, I loved the Thanksgiving Nonviolent Communication Drabble!! This was just so sweet to read, especially with seeing Miguel and readers' friendship really show now that they’re starting to feel more comfortable being with one another. The fact they have dinner every Saturday now!! 🥹 and when Miguel can’t help but smile when he sees reader working with him 😭 and when he blushes a bit when reader compliments him and his cooking! its just too cute!! I can't help but say thank you every time you include the coffee cup detail, I just smile so much when I read it! The whole interaction of them trying to ask each other to have dinner with one another for Thanksgiving??!! I was giggling so much reading that, too cute! and Lyla just absolutely helping with the conversation 😂 I love how their conversations have also gotten more causal, in the way that they banter more, Miguel smiling more!! I also just love their friendship!!

The messages with the gang was so cute too, and omg this line “The whole government name...” from Hobie when Miguel finally responds 🤣 but the fact Miguel was actually open to invite everyone over for dinner too 🥹 I love how we're seeing him open up a bit more now that he's really trying to change for the better, and its just so nice seeing it come into fruition slowly. I’m so happy that Miguel is making so many new wonderful memories in his penthouse!! I keep mentioning this but I smile so much every time they say “always” to each other, I’ll never get over it! ❤️

The conversation with Peter B- first I love the way you write him too, you capture his personality really well! and just- he knows that this friendship between you and Miguel is special 🥹 and I know he's rooting for them too!! ok and the reference to Lyla's secret stash of photos 😂 of course they're appropriate photos only, right? (I love how you write Lyla too! her little quips with Miguel is always funny!!) The ending of this was really sweet too, despite Miguel holding back still with physical touch, the day that one of them comforts the other physically- I'm going to freak out (in a good way) but I still love the slowburn of it all!! I can't wait to read more and see their friendship evolve!!! I hope this doesn’t sound too cheesy but I’m thankful for coming across your story on here and just- thank you everything, and for continuing to write Nonviolent Communication, especially with how busy it can be this time of year!! Thank you, Alondra!!! ❤️✨

I couldn't help but sketch these out from this part right away!! no seriously I loved all these moments, and Miguel in the apron 👀

Hi @sunsetdoodler !! I'm so happy you loved the drabble!! I had a lot of fun writing this for different reasons, one being I just wanted a sweet and comforting moment for Thanksgiving with Miguel. Then it was also fun because it's very lighthearted compared to what I've been writing for part 11. On top of that, it was fun thinking about what their friendship looked like at this point of the year when part 11 takes place 4+ months before. Lowkey feel sad I didn't get part 11 out before then because now we'll have to jump back in time 😮‍💨 but AHH I loved the progress in their friendship and as you said, how much more casual their conversations are on top of the fact they have dinner every Saturday (I just love it so much!!). Also, Miguel throughout this entire drabble was SUCH A TREAT. I loved writing him looking at reader behind his shoulder and smiling; blushing when reader compliments him; and him cooking all of dinner (I also loved including that he had already bought everything 😭). And omg, the coffee cup detail!! I will include it as many times as I can because I love it even though it's such a small thing but so important!! Haha, the part with them talking in unison to ask each other about dinner and Lyla knowing what's going and just taking the opportunity to tease them- I had to!! I don't include Lyla a lot in the main parts but I wanted to for this and it was so much fun adding her teasing to the drabble (especially her clapping at the end for them and Miguel telling her to shut up!!

Also, the messages from the gang! I had so much fun with those! You can tell because I even went in and color coded them as much as I could with the colors Tumblr has to their assigned colors; my favorite one to do was Hobie's for the inconsistency! 🤣 The "full government name" line - the way I knew I needed to include that and have Hobie say it! Definitely one of my favorite things about this drabble, not gonna lie! I also love that Miguel found it amusing! Regarding Miguel being open to inviting them, SAME! Once again, it was fun to think of where Miguel is at months in advance (seriously, I'm upset I didn't put part 11 out sooner) and have him being open to inviting them to his home and making a new memory in his penthouse (I just want this man to feel happy in his own home, I swear 😭)! And their little "Always"! I've been feeling like maybe I'm including it too much but I love it so much because it's theirs, just for each other, so I'll just continue using it.

I'm so happy you liked Peter B's conversation and the way I wrote him! I was actually nervous about it because I haven't included much dialogue for the other spider members and I always like to keep it as close as possible to how I think they'd actually speak. So, I was literally writing that part yesterday and playing around with the structure of his statement to see what made sense while hearing Jake Johnson's voice in my head (I didn't mind it one bit because I love him but it was kind of funny I was sitting there writing this in between breaks while cooking with my family lol)! But yes, he knows it's a special friendship and he's definitely rooting for them (so is Mayday, hehe 😌)! As to Lyla's secret stash of photos - we can only hope but we're not too sure right now. Miguel has tried to look for the file but can't find it so I guess only time will tell 😂 but omg, no, writing Lyla for this drabble was so much fun, I swear! I wish I could include her more in the main series but most times reader and Miguel are having serious conversations and so it just doesn't feel right to include her sassiness but maybe now that reader and Miguel are more casual with each other, that might change! And thank you, it seriously makes me so happy that you like the way I wrote her and Peter B.!

Omg, Miguel thinking about physical touch and that whole little part just made me wish we were there already but we must remain strong! It's coming soon but not yet. I already have that part planned out and just thinking about it makes me want to scream in a good way because before we get to that good screaming part there's gonna be sad screaming and that's all I'm going to say about that but just know - reader and Miguel having intentional and full on physical contact is coming soon!!!

And @sunsetdoodler 🥺🥺 I'm thankful this story found you because you're seriously one of my fav moots! I genuinely love interacting with you whenever we get the chance to! And no need to thank me 😭but I will try my best! I wish I could've posted part 11 sooner but I've been busy decorating the exterior of my home for Christmas, which I'm not even done with lol! But thank you so much for the lovely and kind words as always!!

AND NOW LET ME TALK ABOUT THESE SKETCHES!!!! The ones with them facing each other and the visibly height difference on top of the EYE CONTACT JHDGLK (God knows I couldn't handle that but for Miguel O'Hara I will certainly try my best 🫡) - DEAD!! The way Miguel's face is so soft and he just has this look of adoration for her and just AHHH HE'S SOFT FOR READER with his raised eyebrows but then the way his face changes with Lyla when he tells her to shut up!!! SO CUTE OMG!! Then Miguel's somewhat amused expression as he reads Hobie's message (I didn't mention this earlier but I couldn't stop thinking about their interaction in ATSV when Miguel meets Miles and he's getting on to Gwen and Hobie and he tells Hobie, "I'm just gonna try and ignore you - I just can't - I can't even-" pretty sure he says "I can't even look at you"(?) at the end and Hobie's response! I like to think they still keep this kind of interaction but it's more friendly now especially with reader being what ties them together lol)! AND THEN MIGUEL IN AN APRON!!!! No because why does Miguel wearing an apron sound so comforting to me???? AND HIM DRYING HIS HANDS - I swear I'm delusional for going mad over the most basic things ever but AHHHH!! Thank you for drawing these sketches and showing them to me!!!! I LOVE EACH ONE SO MUCH 😭❤️ Also, I love Lyla at the top just watching this unfold hehe, I swear I need to include her more in the main parts but THANK YOU SO MUCH @sunsetdoodler !!!!! Also, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you found the time to relax a bit this week despite having so many projects! Thankfully the semester will be over soon and you can truly relax!!! Sending you a warm virtual hug and wishing you the best as you enter the last few weeks of the semester! You got this!!! ✨❤️✨

-Alondra

#THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DRAWING THESE SKETCHES #I swear him wearing the apron just does something to me #his soft expression for reader - ugh he's so sweet and tender with her I can't #I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!#THANK YOU!!!#nonviolent communication #nonviolent communication fanart #miguel o'hara #atsv miguel #miguel ohara #miguel o hara #spiderman 2099 #across the spiderverse #miguel spiderman #miguel o'hara x reader #atsv fanart #asked and answered

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writer-darling · 11 months

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Are You Ever Dreaming of Me?

Chapter 5: Gorgeous | Read Chapter 4: Invisible String!

I NEVER USE Y/N OR ANYTHING LIKE IT THANK YOU SO MUCH :)

Rating: T - T ((for now, but there WILL BE explicit stuff later sooo (18+ MINORS DNI)

Pairing: Ezra (Prospect, 2018) x F!Reader

Warnings: Good old enemies-to-lovers trope. age gap (10 years). Nothing super descriptive for Reader but they are described as having hair. Tension, ofc, especially sexual tension out the wahzoo. Adult language. Alotta feelings and things of that nature. Banter. Flirting. It’s E-to-L, you know where this is going. Feral Ezra (he starts at a 72.8% but ends up at about a 55.9% in this chapter). Discussions of loss: parental. Mentions of food and alcohol. If there are any that I missed, please inbox me to let me know and I will add them in :)

Word Count: 7.2k

Summary!: You and Ezra spend the night sharing stories over food and drinks. You share stories of loss, of joy, encouraging a new connection between you two. Leading to a sense of hope between you both in this newfound friendship.

A/N: REWRITTEN AND REFORMATTED ON: 12/28/23

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“You should take it as a compliment

That I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk

You should think about the consequence

Of your magnetic field being a little too strong…”

Ezra smiles broadly, glad that you agreed to the plan. The bonus is that he didn't have to grovel as much as he figured he would have to. He takes you to his quarters and asks that you wait for him a moment while he heads inside.

You hear him shuffling around in there but you don’t ask him what he’s doing, instead trying to calm your inner nerves. You don’t have much time to really think though as whatever he’s doing, he’s done with quickly. He smiles as he comes out of the tent, his pack on his shoulders now. Without another word, he turns and begins to lead the way, the two of you falling into step together. He makes sure to match his pace to yours, not wanting to overwhelm you or make you feel rushed.

"So," he says after a few seconds, trying to sound light and casual. "What do friends talk about, then?" You grin and look over at him with a teasing smile.

"Are you telling me you don't know how to make friendly conversation?" You ask, just not able to keep yourself from teasing him. The sound of leaves and shrubs crunching under your feet as you two walk becomes a quiet rhythm in the background.

Ezra laughs, amused by your jab. “Didn’t we agree no jokes?” He asks, though his tone is lighthearted. You shrug in response, smiling to yourself.

“Old habits.” You quip. He chuckles and rolls his eyes.

"Of course, I know how to make friendly conversation. Just want to know how you get things started." He says, still taking the teasing in good humor. His tone is lighter now, the tension from earlier broken by the laughter. "Go on, you start. What topics do friends discuss in your experience?"

"Well... we're starting over, right? So, then I guess we talk about our lives." You shrug. "Our histories, how we got to where we are, all that stuff." You say, your hands behind your back as you walk with him.

Ezra smiles, nodding along as you speak. "Good idea," he says. "Sounds like a good place to start. Okay, but here are some rules. We need full honesty, okay? No more games, no holdin’ facts back. I want to hear everythin’, and I want it straight from the source. No secrets, no bull..." He laughs, a smile on your face. "Just the truth. We got a deal?"

"Wow, you're really taking this starting over thing seriously, huh?" You ask. "Ok, deal." You say.

"I am, and I want you to do the same, alright?" Ezra asks earnestly. "No half-truths, no white lies. I'm puttin’ everythin’ on the table." He asks again, a hint of seriousness in his voice. "This is really important to me."

You notice the seriousness in his tone and look over at him for a long moment. His dark brown eyes are almost obsidian in the light of the moon through the trees. They’re as serious as ever and you feel your heart thump loudly in response. "Alright, deal then." You say earnestly.

Ezra smiles, relieved at your response. "Good, I'm glad you're takin’ this seriously too," he says earnestly, his face full of warmth. "So let's start with... the start. Where did ya come from? Family, home life, all that stuff, tell me about it." His expression is a little hesitant, maybe thinking you’re going to change your mind. But when your expression turns pensive, you can see the relief in his eyes. His smile quickly returns, and he nods, ready to listen.

"Ok." You say, smiling softly at his genuine curiosity. "Where did I come from? A planet a few lightyears from here named Amorna. A prospecting town. My family dynamic is a little unusual, but it's a good unusual I guess." You shrug the shoulder nearest to him lightly. "My biological father’s been out of the picture since before I was born. So I was raised by my grandmother, my uncle, and my mom." You say.

Ezra listens intently, his expression soft and attentive as you tell him about your life, about your family. There's a look of sympathy in his eyes as you talk about your father, and he can feel his heart pang in sympathy for how much it seems to have affected you. When he speaks, it's with a kindness and sincerity he's never shown before. "That can't’ve been easy," he says, shaking his head. "You're strong to have gotten through that. And it sounds like you were raised in a family that loves you."

There's a sadness in your eyes as he says that first bit. "Yeah, my father is a deadbeat. He really let me down." You say before you quickly move on. "The rest of my family is great though, they’ve been my support my entire life.”

"What can you tell me about ‘em?" He asks, seeing that you want to shift gears and he follows your lead easily.

"They're amazing, all super hardworking. My mom and my grandma were like my parents. Mom played the role of the ‘dad’, while my grama was the ‘mom’."

Ezra smiles, feeling happy for you. "Your mother and grandmother must have been some incredible women." He says, imagining the strength they must have possessed to raise such an independent, strong woman as you. "And what about siblin’s?" He asks, his tone curious. "Do you get along well?"

You shake your head a little in response. "Only child." You add. “I wish we could’ve been a bigger family but after my birth, which was complicated for my mom, well… she decided she didn’t want to go through it again.”

“Complicated in what sense?” He asks before he quickly backtracks respectfully. “If it’s too personal, I completely understand.”

“It was a hard birth. She didn’t know she was pregnant and I was almost a miscarriage.” You say quietly. He goes quiet at that, his face understanding and somber.

“I’m sorry for your mother. I can’t imagine that was an easy thing to go through at all.” He says sympathetically. You nod for a moment as you think about your mom, smiling a little sadly as you realize how much you’ve missed her all this time.

“Yeah,” You finally say with a small sigh. “It’s not all bad though, I guess due to that, I was spoiled rotten.” Your smile is light-hearted now and he laughs, his mood instantly lifting and the atmosphere around you both soft and warm once again.

“Oh? So that explains the bratty behavior, then, eh?” He teases. You pretend to be mock offended, turning to look at him with widened eyes.

“A brat?? Me??? How dare you.” You say but your tone is humored. Your eyes twinkle with mischief and Ezra swears his heart stops for the briefest of seconds. His cheeks go rosy for a moment and he averts his eyes as he reminds himself to be friendly.

“Well, it uh, it sounds like you're lucky to have each other," he says earnestly. "I have sisters and we’re close in age, so it was always incredibly packed at our place." He shakes his head, still smiling softly.

You nod. "Yeah, I am lucky. For them both.” You agree before you turn to look at him with curiosity in your eyes. "So, wait, you've got sisters?? How many? And how old are they??" You're genuinely curious.

He smiles at your curiosity, but he nods when you ask about his family. "Yeah, I've got three sisters," he says, clearly happy to finally answer your questions. "My little sister, Shira... she's the youngest, she’s 35, my baby sister," he says softly, a look of pride on his face. "And I've also got two elder sisters, Dalia, 44, and Danni, 45. But they might as well be twins, they're so similar." His smile turns into a chuckle as he thinks about them. "It's one big family, I'll tell you that much."

You smile at the way he seems so proud of his sisters, as he speaks with such clear adoration for them. "Yeah? What about your parents? What are they like?" You ask him.

Ezra smiles thoughtfully at the question. His face softens as he thinks, a nostalgic aura around him as he remembers his past. "They were wonderful," he says. "They were the kind of parents that every kid wishes they had. Lovin’ and kind, but also fair and understandin’. They always did their best to help me grow up to be the best person I could be.” He laughs softly. "I know those are just sentiments that every offspring shares, but I mean it. My parents were very special people."

You hear the past tense he uses. You don't want to pry but you can't help your curiosity. "'Were'? They've... They've passed away?" You ask.

Ezra sighs, his expression turning sad. "Yes, they have. They were in an accident... a while ago. I've been dealin’ with the loss for a few years now, but I'll admit it's still hard sometimes." His expression turns wistful as if he were looking back on all his precious memories with them. But he snaps out of that mood quickly, shaking his head slowly. "It's okay though. I've got a great support system - my sisters - and my parents taught me how to be a good man. I'm just... tryin’ to live up to their legacy."

You can't help it as you place a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze of comfort. "I'm so sorry." You say sincerely as you look into his eyes. "I had a stepdad from the ages of 10-14, he passed away too and it was the hardest thing I've gone through, yet. His death was slow and honestly traumatic. I can't even imagine what I would do if I lost my mom too." Your eyes are gentle and sympathetic as you look at him

Ezra looks at you, his expression filled with gratitude and sincerity. "Thank you," he says softly. "It means a lot to me that you understand. A lot of people seem to think I should be over it already, but I don't think you can ever really 'get over' somethin’ like that." Your kindness seems to have calmed him a little bit, and he smiles genuinely. "This all happened a while ago, but I swear some days I wake up and it’s like it all happened just yesterday.” You nod, knowing exactly what he means.

"I hate to say it but... you don't get over it. Not with something like that. You know that saying, 'Time heals all wounds'?" You ask him.

Ezra nods earnestly, knowing exactly where you're going with this. "Yeah, I'm familiar with the sayin’." He says, his expression serious. "But the truth is, I don't think time can heal all wounds." There's a twinge of sadness in his voice as he speaks, but he shakes his head and clears his throat. "Time heals some wounds... And it can dull the pain of others… at the very least make them more tolerable. Some wounds, though, you can never really heal properly, even with time."

You nod, surprised that he caught on so quickly. "Yeah, exactly. Especially when it's such a profound loss like a parent... You don't 'learn to move on' or 'get over it'. You accept that it's happened, eventually, and learn how to adapt to life without them. Even if it's the hardest thing." You say.

Ezra nods at your wisdom, impressed at the way you've articulated such a complex concept so succinctly. "Exactly, yeah." He says, glad that you understand. "The loss never really goes away, and the pain never really heals... but the wounds... they hurt a little less eventually. It's a lot like physical wounds, I think. There are some injuries that leave permanent scars, but you can learn to live with them. And eventually, you can learn to exist in a 'normal' life again... even if you'll never be the same."

You nod, in complete agreement.

"Yeah, for sure..." You trail off, unsure of what to say next for a moment. "I'm sure your mom and dad were as amazing as you say." You say softly,

"They truly were," Ezra says earnestly. "My mother... She was the strongest person I've ever known. She was beautiful, smart, and kind, and she never once let me think I could be inferior to anyone else. Even the times we were as poor as can be. She made sure I always felt like I mattered, and she always listened to me. And my dad... He was the funniest person I've ever met. His smile could light up a room, and he never let any situation get him down." He smiles fondly, clearly thinking about happy memories. "I miss them, but I hold on to those memories of them."

You can't help it as your eyes widen at his words. "You're... You're not gonna believe this but... that sounds just like what I would say about my mom and my stepdad..." You say, almost incredulous. "My mom always used to tell me I had to 'look out for number one' a.k.a myself, and my stepdad was a huge jokester. He could be serious when he needed to be, but he preferred to make people laugh and be at ease."

Ezra's eyes widen in equal shock, his expression one of pure amazement at the similarities between your descriptions. "That's... That's incredible." He says, his voice disbelieving. "My parents raised me to value strength and courage above all else and to help others whenever possible. And my dad could always make me laugh to the point of tears!" He smiles, his eyes full of wonder. "Now you have me curious. What about your grandmother? Your uncle? Tell me about them," He asks, clearly interested and wanting to hear more about your family.

"They're also the best." You say with a fond smile. "My grandmother was strong-willed, So intelligent, and insanely hard-working, the trait both my mom and I got from her. Patient with me, but hard on everyone else, A wonderful cook, and very sassy," You both laugh at that.

Ezra can see in your eyes how much you miss her. “When did you lose her?" His voice is its softest yet, his tone again understanding. It’s clear he won’t push this subject if you decline to answer.

"A few years after my stepdad." You with a small, morose smile. "It wasn't easy for any one of us when we lost him, not at all. That and other stuff led to her health declining pretty steadily. But she passed peacefully in her sleep and at least I have that comfort that she didn’t suffer like my stepdad, ya know?" You ask. He nods softly.

"And your uncle?" He prompts softly. You smile a little more.

"Sort of a father figure. He's still living with my mom back home. He's the oldest and she's the baby so he protects her as much as he does me. He really stepped up after my stepdad passed." You say.

"You seem like you had a really lovin’, supportive family. I'm glad you all had one another to lean on when things were tough." He puts a hand on your shoulder. "You’ve come from a really good place, and I’m certain you can bring even more of that goodness to the universe."

You flush slightly at his subtle compliment and thank him. He suddenly stops and so do you as you see the river he mentioned earlier, realizing now that you both were so wrapped up in the conversation that you didn't even hear it. "Oh, the river. Where's the place to eat that you mentioned?" You ask him, scanning the area.

Ezra’s smile remains warm. "Right over here," he says, leading you through a small patch of trees. The terrain is uneven in spots, and it's a little rocky, but he does his best to guide you safely through the potentially rough ground. "This is the best place to eat near the river," he explains. "It's right on the water, so you have an absolutely gorgeous view on one side, and a nice cliff overlookin’ it all that we can eat on. Trust me, it’s solid enough."

You manage to keep up with him, letting him lead the way and doing your best to follow and stay close. He smiles at your determination and slows his pace a little bit to make sure you're not having too much trouble. You make it to the spot, and a gorgeous view opens up before you.

Just as he promised, there's a perfect area for eating, a cliff full of lush grass sits overlooking the water. Beyond the river itself is a breathtaking view of the forest in the moonlight. The water bubbles as it rushes over the gravel and stones below. If it wasn’t dark out you’d be half-tempted to jump in for a swim. It's really a stunning sight. "See? What’d I tell ya?" He asks with a smile, his arm stretched out wide to gesture around at the natural beauty around you.

"Wow... this is incredible!" You say with genuine awe in your voice. "But wait, where do we get the food from?" You ask him.

Ezra laughs a little bit at that. "I packed picnic provisions earlier, so all we have to do is lay out all the food right here." He walks over to his backpack and starts pulling out a variety of packs. He's got all the typical picnic items: sandwiches, fruit, etc. "The greatest part of it," he adds, his smile still on his face, "is that we brought drinks too." He reaches into the very bottom of the pack and brings out two aluminum cans with tabs. It’s cider, you realize.

You smile at him and see him bring everything out. "Is the cider the alcoholic kind??" You ask with genuine intrigue as you begin helping him organize the food and set it between you two.

Ezra's smile turns mischievous at your question. "Course it is," he says with a grin and a small wink your way. "The best way to wash down food on a picnic is with alcohol! I tried to bring only the best, you know?" He looks like a kid at Christmas as you two prepare everything, his excitement evident in his tone as he speaks with such confidence and enthusiasm. "And we've got some of the finest right here with us."

"Where in Kevva's name did you get alcohol from? The rest of the crew would kill for this stuff!" You say with a giddiness in your tone. You haven’t had alcohol in a long while. It was forbidden on expeditions, just as was other contraband, like his herbal cigarettes, but you’re glad your earlier suspicion about his hidden stash was correct.

Ezra's smile turns sheepish as he speaks. "Well..." He trails off, not sure how you're going to react to his answer. "It helps to be the boss’s right-hand man." He laughs softly with a small wink as he hands you a can. "As long as we're clear that this is just between us, I'm happy to share. This is rare stuff, right?" He asks, his eyes wide and curious, looking like his mind has already started to imagine the cider's taste.

"Insanely rare." You say, grabbing the can and reading it over. "Oh man, those bastards back at camp would go nuts for this."

Ezra laughs at your words. "Well then, it's a good thing we're as far away from them as possible." He says, already imagining the two of you sitting and enjoying the rare, forbidden goods right in front of you. "Now, are you ready to finally taste this glorious cider, or would you prefer we quench our hunger first? I'm kind of starvin’, but I'm happy to let you choose."

"Let's eat first." You say. "I haven't had alcohol in a while and we're gonna need some food in our systems to avoid getting drunk immediately." You say as you grab a sandwich.

Ezra nods at that, setting down his cider for the time being. "Sounds like a good plan to me," he agrees, his hungry stomach growling a little bit. He moves to grab a sandwich of his own, taking a bite and chewing happily.

You two eat together and for once, the silence is comfortable and pleasant between you two. There’s still some tension there underneath, but it feels warm and almost electric. He takes a little break from his eating to speak again, his eyes sparkling as he smiles at you.

"I have to say, I'm really enjoyin’ this so far. I'm happy that we're hangin’ out."

You smile and nod. "I never thought I'd say this but... I feel the same way. Hanging out without so much uneasiness... it feels good." You say, finishing your own sandwich happily.

Ezra smiles at your response, looking down at the food and savoring his own last bite. "Well, you know what they say about makin’ friends," he says with a soft laugh. "Sometimes, all it takes is a couple of drinks." He winks at you, his tone playful. "But you and I, we didn't even need that," He counters with a bright grin. "So, just imagine how good we're gonna be when we do drink."

You laugh softly. "As long as this night doesn't end with us getting drunk and trying to shoot each other's heads off, I'll be happy." You joke. Ezra laughs boisterously at your words, finding your dark sense of humor both funny and endearing.

"How 'bout another deal?" he says, holding his hand out between you two like you're about to shake on it. "No drunken shootouts tonight. Does that sound good to you?" He asks, his smile growing wide as he awaits your response.

You grin and slip your hand into his. "Deal." You say with a grin, shaking on it.

Ezra smiles broadly. "Then we understand each other," he says, nodding his head happily. "Now that we’re on the same page then, how ‘bout that cider?" He asks, his smile wide as he reaches over and grabs the bottle. "Shall we take a small sip, in solidarity of our new friendship?" He asks with a mischievous grin. You grin, knowing he's been eyeing the cider since he mentioned it. But you can't lie, you have been too.

"Hell yeah." You respond.

Ezra laughs at your response, popping the tab on his can and pouring a little bit into two paper cups. He hands you one and you both toast with smiles. "Just a small sip," he reminds you, lifting his own cup to his lips to take a small drink from it but not taking it just yet. "This stuff's much more potent than you'd expect, in my limited experience with it. Wouldn't want you to get wasted and puke on all this beautiful food." His tone turns playful at that last bit and you grin. Now he takes a slow, small sip from the cup, his eyes wide as he takes in the cider's flavor.

"Oh please, if anyone's the lightweight here, it's probably you." You retort with a playful eye roll but still, just take a sip. It is strong, but it's really good too. It immediately makes your chest and throat feel warm, but it sits well in your stomach, making you smile. Ezra smiles at your response, clearly taking it as a joke.

"Well... we'll find out soon," he says, sipping again. "Whaddya think?" He asks, his eyes sparkling as he looks at you. "Is it as good as you hoped?" He asks, leaning forward intently as he awaits your response. His attempt to impress you is adorably obvious.

"It's really good." You respond, taking a bigger sip. "Man, I didn't even realize how much I missed something as basic as alcohol." You mumble with a soft laugh.

Ezra chuckles at that, taking another sip from his own drink. "I know, right?" He asks, smiling widely at you. As he speaks, the cider's effects are already starting to kick in. He's finding himself growing warmer, more at ease, and he's feeling happier - and a little more relaxed too. "Is it just me, or is this stuff amazin’?" He asks.

"It is." You agree, feeling the same way.

You two spend the next half hour like this: eating, making conversation, and drinking cider together. It's such a nice time, one you haven't experienced with him before, ever. The night drags on and soon the stars are out. You lie down when there's a lull in the conversation, feeling buzzed and full and happy. It’s damn near perfect.

It all passes by in a blur of laughter and conversation, your talk flowing like the cider. You enjoy each other's company, finding yourselves lost in the moment - and as the night draws to a close, the cider's effects begin to become more noticeable. You feel warmer than usual, especially in your face, and there's a slight hint of euphoria beginning to set in. It's a strange sensation, but a pleasant one. Time flies by, and before long, the night sky is lit up with millions of stars, filling your view with a truly beautiful sight.

You lie back on the grass under you and just use up a minute to watch the night sky, taking in the constellations and the pink luminescence of the full moon.

Ezra lays on the grass next to you, looking up at the stars with a fond smile on his face. He sighs at the natural beauty of the universe, letting the night wash over him. "This is honestly one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen," he says, looking at the stars with reverence. "The stars are truly breathtakin’... It's incredible to think that we only know ‘bout such a small, insignificant number of ‘em. Even as space-farin' travelers... our knowledge is still so limited on the true expanse of space. Just ‘magine it: infinite galaxies, and universes at our disposal. Just knowin’ that there are trillions more that we'll never see, with infinite more planets - it's both awe-inspirin’ and humblin’ at the same time."

You can't help it as you laugh softly at what he says, half from drunkenness and half from good-natured humor. Ezra chuckles at your laughter, finding himself unable to contain a wide grin of his own as his mind begins to drift. He's never felt this... loose and at ease before. It's a pleasant feeling and a pleasant change of pace. All of that stress and pressure that comes with helping run a team have melted away, and it feels like he could just enjoy this night forever. This is what he wants, and the realization brings a sense of calm with it that is hard to explain.

"Tell me," he asks, turning his head to look at you, "what are you laughin’ at?"

"You." You respond honestly, your eyes still on the sky above you. "Even while drunk you still manage to talk a lot. It's impressive." You say, looking over at him with a playful glint in your eyes even as your smile is genuine and kind. Ezra laughs at your words, his face growing brighter in his blushing.

"Well, it's not somethin’ I do intentionally," he says, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess I’m just a verbose individual, drunk or sober. Can’t help it. It's my gift and my curse." He sighs, but he can't help the broad smile that comes to his face.

“I’ll say,” You respond with a good-natured laugh as you slightly sit up on your elbows, looking over at him. “I mean, c’mon, what was that you said the other day?” You clear your throat and suddenly crank out your best Ezra impression, an awful attempt at a Southern accent and all,

“If we hold that equivalent exchange persists in this space then we must give somethin’ of ourselves in order to build somethin’ new, in order to purge the bowels of this fecund wood for treasures made our own. Some of us have the proclivity for greatness while most do not. And those ambitious masses are the sacrifice this forest demands so that the true diviners can stand atop the mountain of corpses and claim their riches.” You’re both surprised you even remembered a sentence of that, let alone the whole thing. He grins, looking over at you and laughing at both the awful impersonation and impressive recall.

"Does that mean you wish me to shut up?" He asks, his tone playful. "Cuz if you prefer silence, I'm happy to oblige.”

"Are you kidding? The day you go fully silent is the day Kevva herself will come down from the heavens and end us all." You say, laughing a little more. "Besides, it's never really bothered me." You add sincerely with a light shrug.

Ezra laughs at your words, finding himself at a loss for a response to your comment.

"Honestly, I used to think you were so talkative just to impress the crew." You remark. He shakes his head, scoffing.

"Did ya really peg me as such a kiss-ass?" He asks. You shrug and make a 'small' gesture with your index finger and thumb, laughing again. He laughs too. "Suppose you've got a point," he says, clearly amused. "But, not really for them..." He admits with a pointed look your way. When you meet his eyes he grins, winking a little and making you avert your eyes bashfully. He pauses, his eyes still on you, and his tone turns sincere and soft. "It's honestly been an… unexplainable night," he says, his smile growing wider as he speaks. "I've never... enjoyed myself like this. Maybe I’m jumpin’ the gun but I have to ask: do ya feel like I'm your friend yet?" He asks with a genuine smile, turning his body so he's fully facing you.

"Well, let's see: shared our pasts? Check. Ate at least one meal together? Check. Drank together without having any issues? Check check." You say with another soft laugh. Before you turn your face slightly towards his, your eyes now sincere as you let the mood grow a little more serious. "Yeah," you say softly. "I think we're friends."

Ezra smiles warmly at your words. He's feeling really good - more at ease than he's felt in a very long time - and to hear that, well... it means more to him than you could understand. He gently takes your hand and gives it a little squeeze, his smile growing warmer with each moment. "I'm happy to hear that," he says with a sigh, "because I've really been enjoyin’ spendin’ time with you too. It's been a long time since I've felt this at ease around someone." You smile and return the affectionate gesture.

"Well, considering how dangerous our jobs are, that doesn't surprise me. It's hard to trust anyone out here, isn’t it? It's hard to really open up and be vulnerable when you're constantly in danger or preparing to be in danger." You say.

Ezra chuckles quietly, nodding his head in agreement. "That's very true," he says with a smile, squeezing your hand again gently. "This job can be absolutely cutthroat. A lot of prospectors will sell out the people they love just for the slimmest chance at a better payday. I'm not a fan of that kind of behavior, but it's definitely prevalent in our field." He looks down at you and smiles earnestly at you, pondering his next question. "Do you feel... safe around me?" He asks in a soft, caring way.

You meet his eyes and look over at him for a long moment, considering his question seriously. "You know... even though we were sworn enemies only hours ago... yeah I do. I always have. Even that other night outside my tent. When you grabbed me... I didn't feel unsafe. I didn't even feel scared. I put my weapon away as soon as I realized you weren't a threat, which if that had been any other prospector, I would've just shot them." You say, incredulous at your realization.

Ezra was not expecting that answer. His heart begins to race as you explain how you felt that night, and he finds himself at a loss for words. He can feel himself beginning to blush again, something he knows he can’t blame on the cider. He's not quite sure just how to reply to what you've just said. "That's... That's quite the compliment," he says after a pause, smiling at your words. "I'm... honestly, I'm sort of dumbfounded. I really don't know how to respond." He laughs quietly. "You... really didn't feel that scared of me?"

"Not at all." You say honestly, looking at him again. "I should have been... but now that I'm thinking about it... even when I despised you, I still felt much safer around you than I have anyone else on our crew." You say that like you can't believe it and that's because you truly can't.

Ezra's eyes seem to brighten up at your words, and a grin comes to his face as he hears just how safe you felt - and still feel - around him. His blush grows more intense as he looks over, unsure of just how he should respond. He doesn't want to say anything wrong - because in that one moment, he feels like he's just been given an incredibly precious gift. "That... means more to me than I can even put into words," he says softly, his voice a little shaky as he speaks. "Makes me really happy to hear."

You smile. "What about you? Do you feel safe around me?" You ask him, curious. You notice his hand still hasn't released yours but you don’t make an attempt to pull back from his grip. His touch is warm, firm in yours. It feels… almost natural.

He nods immediately, his tone turning serious as he speaks. "Absolutely," he says, his voice quiet and soft, as though he's trying to hide the feeling from himself. "I... I do feel safe around you." He pauses for a moment, and then adds, "It's the first time on this planet that I've felt safe. I can't describe it. I really can't." He takes another moment to look at you, a sincere smile on his face. "And I'd be lyin’ if I didn't say that that means... well, a lot."

You grin, feeling a rush of pride as he admits that he also feels safe around you too. You sense a sudden shift in the air between you two. Something more... vulnerable. Intimate. "Can I ask you something?" You ask, your voice softer and quieter as you try to find the right way to ask this next question.

"Course, you can ask me anythin’," he replies, a soft smile still on his face. He finds himself leaning forward a little bit at the change in tone, his focus entirely on you. "What's on your mind?" He asks, his eyes are soft and sweet. He seems to relax further as he speaks.

"Earlier... when you told me the truth about how you felt about me... you said I 'grew on you', right? Well, I guess I wanna know: was there a specific moment that you can remember where you went from hating me to liking me?" You ask him, seeming almost bashful as you speak.

Ezra chuckles quietly at your words, amused by how timid you seem. "Well... it's a little hard to pinpoint one moment, exactly." He says, his smile growing as he speaks to you. "I think it was more of a build-up effect. The more we spoke, the more I... I don't know. The more I found myself enjoyin’ your company, I guess? It really happened quite suddenly, but I realized that I found myself anticipatin’ our talks more and more." He nods to you in confirmation. "Does that make sense at all?"

You nod, and look over at him. "Our 'talks'?" Your tone is teasing again and playful. "I think our fellow prospectors would call it 'feuding' and 'bickering'." You say with another laugh. You finally pull your hand from his.

He looks down as if just now realizing he was still holding your hand. He misses your touch immediately. You grab both of your cups and refill them with a bit more cider, taking another swig, and letting the warmth of it run through you. He thanks you as you hand him his and laughs in response to your words, his smile growing wider at your teasing tone.

"Well, they can call it whatever they please," he says with a grin, "I'd be hard-pressed to call such a thing 'bickerin'. It was just two people... gettin’ to know each other." He takes a sip of his apple cider as he speaks, the warm feeling still present. "I rather enjoyed it, actually. The... the feudin." His last two words come out in his own teasing tone, and he looks at you with a playful smirk.

"Oh yeah?" You ask. "Those times we almost drew our weapons on each other would disagree." You retort, feeling warm. "I'm surprised we've never actually taken a shot at each other."

Ezra laughs at your words, finding himself unable to argue against that point. There have been quite a few moments where you two could have fired on each other... but you didn't. "Yeah, that is strange, ain’t it?" He asks, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "And we've certainly had more than our fair share of opportunities to end each other, huh?" There's a playful snark to his voice, but he doesn't disagree with you. "Would you prefer it if we had, then? Taken a shot, I mean." He asks with a smirk.

You grin, meeting his eyes, "Mmm... maybe." You say with a light shrug, though you're clearly joking. "No." You admit right after. "I've seen you in battle, and while I'm a good shot, you're much quicker on the draw than I am." You say, impressed.

"I've got good reaction speed, for sure," Ezra says with another smile. "As much as I hate to admit it though, you've got some good instincts while we're in battle." He pauses, taking another sip of his apple cider. "Maybe I should be a little more cautious in our future 'bickerin'?" He asks, laughing a bit as he speaks. "It might just save my life if you can pull it off." He smiles cheekily at you, laughing all the while.

"Oh?" You challenge, raising yourself up on your elbows. "So does that mean you want to have us be mortal enemies again?" You ask jokingly as you look over at him.

Ezra shakes his head, laughing at your words. "Oh no," he says, "I think I've had enough of bein’ enemies for a while at least. I'd prefer a night of peace." He takes another sip of his apple cider, still laughing as he speaks. "Perhaps I'll change my mind before the night's done, but... right now, I'm feelin’ like bein’ friends for at least long enough to enjoy this nice, quiet time together." He smiles at you warmly as he speaks.

You smile at that. "I can do that." You say in agreement. "This night has been... so different than what I thought it would be… in a good way." You clarify there at the end.

"I completely agree," Ezra says in confirmation. "This has been unlike anythin’ I've ever experienced... for me, this night has been life-changin’." He's silent for a moment as he considers exactly what he wants to say, and then he speaks quietly. "I'm not sure how long such a thing could last between us," he says, his tone becoming a little softer as he looks down at you, "but... I'm hopin’ this isn't the last time we get to share somethin’ like this with one another." In a very rare moment, the words just come straight from his heart. You look over at him and feel yourself shocked for only a moment. There's a clear vulnerability in those words and you feel compelled to respond in kind.

"It won't be." You promise. "I... I liked this." You say, and take your final drink, feeling the effects of the cider wash over you again.

Ezra smiles at your words, finding himself unable to contain his joy. "I did too," he says sincerely, "I really did." He sighs as he runs another hand through his hair, his voice growing soft as he speaks. "It's... it's been a really long time since I've had a moment like this. I... I can't tell you how important this has been." The look on his face is one of pure sincerity, and his voice is quiet as if he's speaking a secret to you. "I truly appreciate this."

You smile. "Any time."

You two spend another half hour talking under the stars before you both decide it's getting late and you should head back to camp, feeling a little more sobered up now. You feel sad at the idea of your time with him ending but there's a sense of hope and potential in the air between you two.

Ezra smiles as you both make the decision to leave, but there's still an undeniable sadness in his heart. He had hoped that the moment would never end... but all good things, right? He stands up, offering you a hand as you get up.

The walk back seems shorter than the going to, but you attribute that to your sadness at the prospect of the night ending. As you two reach the quarters, he turns to face you once more, his pack on his back. "Thank you for this," he says with a smile. He walks you back to your bunk and gives you a quick, reassuring smile. "I'll see you at breakfast, I expect?" He asks with a small grin.

"Yeah, definitely." You say with a soft smile. "I'll see you in the morning, Ezra. Get some sleep." You say kindly.

Ezra nods, giving you one last, warm smile. "I will. Sleep well." He gives you an understanding nod, and with that, he turns and walks away to make his way to his bunk. He stops, takes a look back, and gives you a quick, genuine wave of his hand. You wave back and he doesn’t step into his tent until he hears your tent zipper shut.

He can't stop smiling as he walks into his tent, and the thought of what just happened has him feeling quite excited. He has no idea what the future has in store for you two, but he's got a feeling you’re going to become good friends.

******

Ok, not gonna lie: I'm really proud with how this story is going. Now, things have changed between Ezra and Rookie. Should we start placing bets on who caves first??? Anyway, that’s it, thanks a million, hope you all enjoyed, and see you in the next one!

Tag List: @pedrocentric @luz-introvertida @castleamc @moralesfish @klara-luise18 @supernaturalgirl89 @december-gal1 @pbeatriz @castleamcc @hillarymurray4 @supernaturalgirl @supernaturalgirl20 @sherala007 @littlemisspascal @practicalghost @donnaa @scorpio-marionette @kayleezra @amandanik23 @maxpbxtch97 @mandy-sings @lowlights @shadesofnerdlygrace @harriedandharassed @carefulnowprincess @amneris21 @horton-hears-a-honk @xdaddysprincessxx @trickstersp8 @mswarriorbabe80 @permanentlydizzy @teddy2510 @bitchwitch1981 @jedi-in-crocs (hope it’s ok that I’m tagging you all!)

Links!

Join the Tag List here

Ao3 link here

TikTok here

Story Playlist here

The Masterlist here

Read Chapter 6: It’s Nice to Have a Friend!

#pedro pascal #jose pedro balmaceda pascal #pedro pascal x reader #pedro pascal x you #pedro pascal x female reader #pedro pascal x f!reader #pedro pascal fanfiction #ezra prospect #prospect 2018 #prospect film #ezra x reader #ezra x you #ezra x female reader #ezra x f!reader #ezra prospect fanfiction #crossposted on ao3 #writer darling #are you ever dreaming of me?

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smolghostbot · 10 months

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GT July: Banter

In which I write for a prompt named "Banter" when only one of the characters can speak. :P (I think I pulled it off)

Story takes place well into the future after they're a Something. Technically Melody SHOULD be using Patch's actual name when being serious as they can properly communicate by now, but we're ignoring that for sake of Mystery(tm)

Word Count: 600 Character bios in my pinned post Worst CW I can think of is mocking a physical attribute (ears), but through a lighthearted, joking, and fantasy lens. When I'm scraping that hard for warnings, you know it is fluffytime.

========

It was a lazy Wednesday, one of Mel's days off work, and Patch was relaxing on the couch with her. The sprite was practicing drawing what they saw on the TV as they watched a nature documentary. Mel was lying upside-down on the couch, her long legs up against the wall and her head on the seat right next to Patch as she read a book, the cover of which had some generic knights riding on horses. Patch wasn't quite able to make out the name considering the book was upside-down, and their Human Script was still a bit rusty.

"Boop."

Don't do anything, don't say anything, she just wants to get a rise out of me… Patch thought to themself, as their ear twitched in response to Melody's poke. It was a completely involuntary reflex which always made Melody coo and giggle, as she found it to be the cutest thing ever.

"hmmm… boop!"

Okay she gets one more and then she's dead.

"hmmmmm……"

Patch braced themself for it. They could feel the ear boop happening any second… but there wasn't one.

"Hehe… tricked ya!" the human exclaimed, giggling again. Patch stood up and turned around, only to immediately have their ear poked. "Boop!".

Patch immediately started "angrily" stomping their feet, fists clenched as they looked at their human companion. This was half genuine, but was also an indicator to Melody that they were okay with this little game. Had they not been in the mood, that was their time to sign a "no".

The human smirked at her small companion before continuing. "You know, you're just the cutest little sprite ever. You know that, right? With your big cute ears?"

Patch crossed their arms defiantly, Melody knew they hated being called cute and played it up for all she could. "Aw… don't give me that cute little scowl, you know you love me!"

The human placed the book down on their chest, forming a heart with her hands. Patch did a similar motion in response, but then split the heart in two, an exaggerated angry look on their face. Melody placed a hand over her heart and gasped at this gesture in a mock astonishment.

"I can't believe you would say such hurtful things! All I did was compliment your cute and adorable ears!"

Patch responded by squeezing their ears closer to their face, in what Melody had seen before as a mockery of her own rounded ears. Learning that Patch (and all sprites, apparently) found human ears weird and ugly was one of the funniest things Melody had learned about their species, although considering how much they used their ears as part of their body language, she supposed it made sense. The human replied to this gesture with feigned indignation and offense.

"Wow, Patch. Wow. Here I am trying to be a good person, a diplomat between our peoples, and you show up with such a hateful and insensitive display. Frankly, I expected better of you as ambassador for spritekind."

At that, she finally hit her limit for what she could say with a straight face, as she started laughing. Patch followed suit, not quite understanding the joke, but the infectious laughter of their human companion was more than enough. Their silent laughter was felt more than heard as the two of them shared this moment.

As she calmed down, the human spoke again, in her normal voice. "Okay, okay, I'll let you get back to your art. Still just goofing around, right?"

Patch smiled genuinely and gave a proper heart symbol with their hands, which the human mirrored before picking up their book, giving a simple "Love you, Patch" before resuming their reading.

#oc tag: patch #oc tag: mel #patchwork melody #g/t #giant/tiny #g/t writing #g/t ocs #gtjuly #g/t fluff

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neontokyoo · 1 year

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Heyyy. I just wanna say, I am absolutely obsessed with your writing and cannot get enough of it. The writing style is absolutely amazing! Do you think you could do a part two of your Sherlock x reader wedding fanfic where Sherlock comes home from the case and he and the reader are talking to John and Miss Hudson about their plans for the future? Thank you in advance, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Thank you so much nonnie! It always makes me happy to know so many people enjoy my writing. I really wasn't expecting my blog to grow so quickly. Thank you so much for all the support. As always, likes, reblogs, and other interactions are very much appreciated. Enjoy!!

Pairing: Sherlock Holmes x Fem!Reader

Genre: Fluff (I think. idk define fluff for me again because everything I write is fluff. . .)

Summary: After coming home from the case that almost ruined the end of your wedding reception, you're greeted by Mycroft, Mary, John, and Ms Hudson who came to congratulate you and make up silly stories about your future.

Warnings: None (please correct me if I'm wrong because I didn't proofread this one.)

You relax with Sherlock after his return from the case that interrupted your wedding reception. You both sit together in your living room, surrounded by friends and family who have come to congratulate you on your marriage. John and Mary Watson sit on the couch, while Mycroft lounges in a chair across the room. Ms. Hudson stands by the window, admiring the view.

As you settle into married life, a sense of contentment washes over you. You're finally married to the man you love, and it fills you with joy.

"So, what are your plans for the future?" John asks, breaking the comfortable silence that has settled over the room.

Sherlock turns to you, a small smile playing on his lips. "Well, we're just discussing the possibility of starting a family," he says.

Excitement rushes through you at the thought of having children with Sherlock. It's something you've always wanted, but you weren't sure if he felt the same way.

"Really?" Mary says, her eyes lighting up. "That's wonderful news!"

Mycroft looks up from his book, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I can't say I'm surprised. It's only a matter of time before the two of you decide to start a family."

Ms. Hudson nods her agreement. "Yes, I've always known you two were meant to be together. And I'm sure you'll make wonderful parents."

"Ah, yes," Mycroft begins. "I see it now. Mini Sherlock and the case of the missing cookie."

"That one would definitely make it into the paper," John laughs. "'Baby Holmes Burns House Down for the First Time."

"Looks like you'll have to figure out how to change a diaper, Sherlock," Ms. Hudson snickers.

Sherlock raises an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. "Rest assured, I am more than capable of handling any challenge, including diaper changing."

"And we expect you to come to visit us with the baby every once in a while," John adds.

"Just imagine all the mischief the little one would be making!" Ms. Hudson exclaims, trying not to laugh.

"They'd be conducting all sorts of experiments in your kitchen, Ms. Hudson," Mary laughs.

Laughter fills the room as everyone shares their imaginative and silly stories about Sherlock's future children. The atmosphere is lighthearted and joyous, painting vivid pictures of mischievous little ones wreaking havoc in 221B Baker Street.

John chuckles and leans back against the couch. "I can see it now, Sherlock Jr. conducting his own science experiments with miniature test tubes and a little magnifying glass."

Mary adds with a twinkle in her eye, "And of course, his first word is 'deduction.' Imagine a little toddler pointing at things and saying, 'Two plus two equals four!'"

Mycroft, usually composed, chuckles softly. "Yes, and Sherlock's offspring surely has a knack for puzzles and mysteries. Perhaps they solve crimes even before they learn to walk."

Mrs. Hudson chimes in, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Oh, and the messes they make! Can you imagine little Sherlock Holmes, Jr., trying to reenact one of Sherlock's experiments and accidentally creating a miniature explosion in the living room?"

Sherlock, ever amused by the banter, joins in. "They undoubtedly have my affinity for observing details. Little detectives in the making, solving the mysteries of the lost stuffed animals and the case of the mysteriously disappearing cookies."

"Picture this," John suggests with a grin. "Sherlock Jr. and his classmates forming their own detective agency, solving cases and catching the city's missing pets. They're a force to be reckoned with!"

"Even the yard doesn't stand a chance against little Sherlock Jr. and his twenty classmate-assistants!" Mary declares.

"I can just picture him attacking his classmates, demanding them to give him any clues on who stole his favorite toy!" Mycroft laughs.

"Oh, imagine the stress he's causing for his teacher." Ms. Hudson says, wiping more tears from her eyes.

The room erupts in laughter once again, each person contributing their own comical ideas about Sherlock's future children.

"And what about their impeccable fashion sense?" John interjects. "Mini Sherlock, strutting around in a tiny fedora and a little trench coat. The trendiest detective in town!"

"No son of mine would be wearing that bloody hat," Sherlock retorts. "He obviously wears the deerstalker hat that John had described me wearing in his books."

Mary joins in, giggling. "And their obsession with disguises! Imagine little Sherlock Jr. sneaking around the house in different outfits, trying to fool us all. 'Elementary, my dear parents,' they say, revealing their true identity."

"Well, it is rather elementary," Sherlock adds, leaning back into his chair as he lights a cigarette.

"Picture this," Mycroft suggests, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "Little Sherlock Jr., complete with a miniature violin, practicing their musical talents at all hours of the day. I'm sure the neighbors are thrilled."

"No, they're waking their parents up at five AM every morning playing the most intense violin music they can find just to wake their mother up for breakfast," John adds.

"Ah, the next Mozart in the making," Mary chuckles. "I can already see them conducting their own symphony of chaos."

"We might have to lock the violin away, then, Sherlock," you joke.

Your husband looks at you with an amused look on his face. "That won't be a problem. How can he possibly be playing the violin if I'm already using it? Plus, it's in our room most of the time anyway. I think we should have him sing or get him a kazoo instead!"

The room erupts into laughter once again, the playful banter bringing everyone closer together. The thoughts of Sherlock's future children fill your heart with warmth and anticipation. Amidst the silliness, you can't help but feel a surge of love and gratitude for the family you have found in these dear friends.

#moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #moriarty anime #ynm #yuumori #mtp #moriarty the patriot x reader #mtp x reader #sherlock holmes #sherlock imagine #sherlock fandom #sherlock x y/n #ynm sherlock #mtp sherlock

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exp123mon · 8 months

Text

Just gonna mass dump Frontier thoughts rather than post episode by episode. I just wanna watch and enjoy then scribble thoughts down afterwards. This isn't like serious reviews or anything.

EP 2. Wolfmon of Light - Battle in the Underground Maze! -details re: the missing chunks of world which I was wondering about just 15 minutes ago are revealed -Tomoki wanting to be a hero is sweet but given how Digimon loves psychologically torturing children, I am deeply concerned for him lol -Blue Boy is Koji, like the delicious fungus! -what is it with Digimon and chocolate? also a train having a huge tongue like that is terrifying in a way I can't quite describe -more screentime for Izumi and Junpei! (So much so that I actually remembered their names roffle) The vibe I got from Izumi in the first ep was that she thinks of herself as being more mature than others and Junpei being concerned about what others think (in a kind of "socially cowardly" way) and that follows through here. I'm not sure I'm articulating what I mean properly lol. But it's pretty good characterisation so far to give the characters such little screentime in the first ep but still communicate a lot about their personalities. -After Takuya and Izumi fall down the hole, Neemon turns to Bokomon and asks "should we fall down too?" gave me a good chuckle, I'm looking forward to seeing what these two bring to the group -Raremon is gross and creepy, nice. I was starting to think Koji's evolution debut would be him beating up some babies who wanted chocolate lol -Koji just being accidentally pushed into a hole that happened to contain the Spirit felt weak but pretty funny, like damn dude, thank goodness it wasn't one of those holes that just. fell. forever. into the air outside lol -Also I dunno if there was just little/no music in episode 1 (don't recall to be honest) but the bgm in this episode was really nice -overall a decent episode, the Pagumon chases were a nice more lighthearted threat after LITERAL HELL DOG TRIES BURNING TINY CHILDREN ALIVE

EP 3. I Won't Allow Bullying! Evolve into Chakmon of Ice -So they have the chance to return home, Junpei wants to, the others send Tomoki away. I always love in stories when kids are like "we're OLDER so LISTEN to us!" and the elders are like 10 years old -it's nice the kids don't all just get along, even if they're sticking together, there's obviously friction with their personalities and what they want to do -Bokomon and Neemon are nice support/comic relief, they're funny but not overbearing which is always my worry with characters like this -more backstory!! so Lucemon was an evil tyrant, but now it's Cherubimon who's screwing up the world… we got ourselves a fallen angel theme going so far -THAT CANDMON HAS A MOUSTACHE -Bruh the scene where Tomoki uses his hat to try dousing the Candmon to protect Takuya is so sweet, this kid's legit, best character for sure lol -Chakmon's evolution animaton is so cute omg, Chakmon always looked so serious in its artwork but it's super cute -not gonna lie Wizardmon just appearing suddenly confused the hell outta me haha -overall though i really liked this ep, the episodes so far are all really nicely paced

EP 4. My Kicks Hurt! The Female Warrior Fairymon -The Forest Terminal being in the forest literally makes so much sense my guy. I mean you are in Crazy Whacko Nonsense world but still. "I live in Ocean View." "Oh, where's that?" "In the middle of the desert." -Floramon's head is apparently completely empty. Oh my. Which makes me wonder how the Mushmon… made their mushroom soup… -Izumi straight up SLAPPING Mushmon is so good. I always love when Digimon kids are totally out of their league fighting these monsters but they don't care and still try to mess 'em up. -Woodmon secretly three Mushmon in a trench coat confirmed. -lol that booty attack Fairymon does. "no no it isn't the ten-year-old Izumi, it's FAIRYMON, it's totally different we swear ehehehehe" I'm kinda curious about what the dub looks now though -Sucks that Izumi's evolution debut has her getting knocked out cold like that. Just seemed like an excuse to have Koji show up and barely interact again. -I'm 99% sure Bokomon is secretly The Ultimate Evil this series. -Junpei being so convinced he's getting a Spirit is nice. Shows he's been paying attention. A shame the same cannot be said of Koji who still refuses to tag along with the main gang. My fella, you are right there in the intro with them. You cannot escape.

#not art #digimon frontier #frontier watching

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devondespresso · 2 months

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

94. do you prefer dialogue or description?

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

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

tldr: dialogue and blocking, good description is witchcraft

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

#ask game #fic writing #writing #writers ask game #god i love writing #thank you again again for the ask i had a blast thinking for these

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chordsykat · 1 year

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I just finished Dethkomic and can't say enough about how cool it was! Do you have pointers for how to write like that, so things feel like they're really epic from the start? Really I can't wait for the second comic for that reason.

That word "epic" gets thrown around a lot, does it not? I appreciate it, though. It's definitely one of the adjectives I'm going for when I write. :)

As I've said in previous answers, I do fully intend to go into more detail about how I write and keep everything together for longer stories. But since you asked specifically about high-stakes fiction, I will give you a few things I've picked up over the years:

#1 - Kill your tank.

Well, maybe don't kill him/her. But take them out in a capacity that lets your audience know the looming threat, whatever it is, is not only very real, but probably going to be made all the tougher to disarm without the heavy.

I do this right out of the gates in Dethkomic II, because we're in that in-between of seasons 2 and 3 where Charles is dead -- but that won't be all I'll be doing in order to tip the scales in the bad guys' favor. You'll have to wait and see what I mean, but suffice to say, I kill a lot of tanks pretty early on.

Uh. Again... probably best you don't take that too literally. I know I'm kinda getting a reputation ever since I killed my own character but I'm not a monster...

Probably.

#2 - Mind your pacing. Mind your direction. Don't give your audience a chance to brace for impact.

There's a reason drama seems amped up ten-fold in a comedy, and it's the complimentary nature of both genres to build up a sense of security in what starts as a lighthearted romp, and ends with the floor falling out and everyone clinging on to what they can grab as shit suddenly gets serious out of nowhere.

This is why I like to write Dethkomic so much, and if I had to guess, why so many of us like MTL in the first place. If you're always surprised by what happens next, then you're going to be compelled to keep watching.

#3 - Do a musical number.

Music/singing/dancing is an immediate cue that some serious emotional turmoil is about to go down. If you can manage it, and if you're musically inclined, why not try to incorporate an original song with some foreboding lyrics into your story?

But wait, in a comic? Who would be crazy enough to...

#4 - Have compelling characters in the first place

This is easier in fanfiction than it is in original fiction, for sure. People are already following you because they find the canon material and its cast compelling. OCs too, get a pass I feel. Even if people don't love them immediately, they'll tolerate them so long as you're giving the main characters hell and putting them through crazy scenarios.

But don't neglect giving your OCs interesting backgrounds or fail to put them in equally frightening situations because you're worried about distracting from the canon. That's the stuff that'll get people on their side faster than anything. I guess, don't be afraid to write your own babies with all your heart.

So! I'll have more on this at a later time, I'm sure. It's a great question and one worth several journal entries, I think.

And now, if you're still reading, I'd like to take the time to respond to another anon query I got but cannot answer, publicly due to the question itself:

Jesus. I am forever damn impressed by you guys and how hardcore you all are about picking up these little breadcrumbs I've left behind in the things I post about Dethkomic.

To that end, I'm sorry I can't post your question in full here, OP. It's too spoilery.

But the answer is yes.

#writing tips #writing fiction #being epic #dethkomic lore #dethkomic #mtl #answered

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itsclydebitches · 2 years

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there was also a clip of chapter one released, idk if you saw it when watching the teaser, but https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCZTf1JNrsk

the mouse is cute, at least? not entirely sure what to think of the rest at this point, though. some people have been saying that lindsay's voice lost its high pitch for ruby because of her emotional struggle but i just don't think CRWBY put anywhere near that kind of thought into it. i could be wrong, though!

I hadn't found it before you sent your ask, anon, so thanks for that!

Yeah, Little is indeed cute and, as said, I'm a sucker for an adorable animal companion. Do we know if that's Luci Christian? Because I immediately went, "Oh, Little sounds a lot like Honey from Ouran."

Beyond Little's cuteness though I'm... kinda underwhelmed by the teaser. I mean same, anon, I'm in a "not entirely sure what to think of the rest at this point" stage, but it is notable that it hasn't gotten me real excited either. Honestly, I think I'd be hyped for this whole Wonderland concept if it were coming off of a different, earlier Volume. There's nothing inherently wrong with having a cute moment with a talking mouse, but after everything in Volume 7 and 8 - the betrayal, the deaths, losing an entire Kingdom, the Relics, failing this spectacularly that they've wound up "dead," etc. - I just feel like we're not appropriately grappling with all that. And of course this comes with all the normal disclaimers: we don't know how this will read in context, the whole Volume can't be doom and gloom, they might have isolated a rare moment of levity to avoid plot spoilers... all of which is potentially true, but at the same time I'm watching Ruby cry for only a hot second, coming off of the comedy of Little watching her, moving into the comedy of a talking mouse, and I'm going... really? After everything that's happened, tossed into a totally foreign world, separated from her team, not knowing if the others made it out alive, trapped in a freaky magic forest that keeps her going in circles... this is the most emotion we get?

Again it might get better, but I can't help but worry that if this is what Ruby is like at the start of the journey while isolated and fresh off the trauma of Everything™, her emotional expression is unlikely to increase as things start improving: making new friends, finding the team, settling on a mission, etc. Not unless they pull a Steven Universe and only have Ruby truly break when she realizes she's safe...

But I'm thinking about how someone pointed out that Ruby angrily closing the chest actually sports a very Neo expression. How someone else theorized that her shocked, vacant look might just be at seeing Little's village. How for years now RWBY has tried to be the grittier drama AND the lighthearted action show, with the latter inevitably undercutting the former, again and again. How we still haven't worked through sooooo much shit from previous Volumes and the more the plot keeps piling things on the more we're inevitably going to just leave behind, unacknowledged. Now here we are, the characters coming right out of the single worse loss they've ever been dealt and... we're gonna put the focus on a nonsense Wonderland with super cute mice.

I like Ruby's interaction with Little, I'm just not sure I'm going to like it coming right off of Volume 8. RT has continually ramped up both the horror and the consequences of their story, yet I don't think they're going to stick the follow-through this time, especially considering they didn't coming into those Volumes either.

There are details I really like here, such as the fairy tale-esque favor for a favor (she gets Little the cheese plant, Little helps her find other humans), the continuity (yes!!) of Ruby only knowing that Yang and Blake fell, the rockinghorse fly, Little's cutsey movements accompanied by the squeaky sound effects... there's a lot of good stuff here that just, sadly, might not have been put in RWBY at the right time. We'll have to see though.

I'm still on the fence about the animation as a whole though. Things look more like an iffy video game to me. where the group isn't really fitting in with the backgrounds (which could potentially be a cool choice if I thought RT was doing it on purpose: the foreign characters are animated differently to highlight the fact that they literally don't belong in this world). This feeling increased like whoa when Ruby first walks out into the clearing, the dodo bird screams, and she... doesn't react? At all? Doesn't even look its way? I'm like, there's a giant, fantasy bird screaming at the top of its lungs right next to you, some short time after you fought a deadly battle that threw you here, and you're just gazing calmly up at the tree? In both the trailer and the teaser it doesn't feel like Team RWBY is fully interacting with the world around them, more like characters who were photoshoped out of one story and plopped into the background of another. Cool crossover! But it's clear these two things don't fully mesh.

Also, final random note: is it weird that Ruby has such an extreme reaction to Little talking when she hails from a world where her dog is capable of powering up and taking out the equivalent of a fantasy tanks? I'll go with "no" for the sake of kindness and the fact that, as Volume 5's bird conversation proved, any deviation from the established norm is treated as full-blown, horrifying, shocking impossibilities... never mind that they're actually just a little left of what happens on a day-to-day basis lol

#rwde #rwby #mymetas

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theultimatenonbinarynerd · 12 days

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April 2024 Reading Wrap Up

The Calendar

All hail April!!!! This has been a fabulous reading month. I'm now back on track and have almost completed some of my reading goals. I was really worried my health was gonna hold me back but it hasn't done. I've been ever the bookworm as the usual. Another month where I've read a lot of science fiction month but you can see towards the end of the month that we're dipping into other genres adding more diversity but I have a strong feeling that May is gonna be a very gay reading month for me. Spoilers for May but I have finished Pageboy and This Arab Is Queer and both were fantastic reads.

Finally got to more of my Readalongs for Palestine with This Arab Is Queer and Minor Detail and Minor Detail went really well but it wasn't an easy read at all. A nesscary but not an easy one, please be prepared if you want to learn more about Palestine. Look after yourself after picking it up and take your time, kind of wish I had done that but Adania Shibli deserves the whole world. It's a very clever story and it went ways I did not expect. Read it at least once. This Arab Is Queer is definitely one I'll be keeping as it helped me understand pink washing and scrub a lot of harmful stereotypes out of my head. Hearing queer Arab voices gave me a fresh perspective and a wake up call.

Only two Star Wars books this month which is definitely an improvement. Life Debt wasn't perfect but loads better than Aftermath and a huge improvement so I'm now excited for when I get to Empire Ends. Norra and Sloane are great and the og characters didn't overshadow the new ones. Highlight though was Brotherhood, like Claudia Gray gets Leia, Mike Chen understands Obi-Wan and Anakin, he needs to write more or at least a Mill solo novel. A wonderful Star Wars writer that needs more novels.

Funny how most of the covers I've read have been white. Guess I'm a cover colour reader too. Lallys Game stands out so much that it isn't even funny. My friend got me Lallys Game to keep and needless to say I'm only gonna re read it once then possibly discard it wasn't very good. Honestly it's a shame cos the Epilogue was the literal best part of the book. Based on the Epilogue I'm gonna give the others a shot though.

Highlight though was absolutely finishing S1 of the 8th Doctor Adventures. That season finale was mind spinning and super enjoyable. Review to come but that was definitely my second favourite story of the season and a really enjoyable listen. Part 1 mirrored Black Mirror which is like one of my favourite shows and Part 2 was an action packed battle against the Cybermen. The performances were great too and I'm now eager to explore every Big Finish I can.

2024 really is turning out to be more jam-packed. I'm hoping May will be more diverse in terms of genre but April was definitely a good start.

April Stats

These templates rule and I'm glad I'm sticking with them. Sorry January but my Stats are so much more tidy now. I did very well in April and I'm suprised there's no lighthearted mood in my Stats. May's Stats will also be very interesting. I'm blown away at the diversity and how different it is from January, February and March . It stands out from the other months in all the best way. That's being said let's review...

Again I'm on a 6 for 6 streak and have read 6 books this month but if you want to be more accurate. I've read four books and once again listened to two audios. Surprisingly I read less pages than I did last April as I read 1,137 pages which was 109 pages less than April 2023. I'm not disappointed though as I think I did very well considering how busy I've been with life. Next I listened 2.03 hours which is good bit definitely gonna shoot up as I listen to some of Big Finish's older main range audios. Done very well and I'm proud of myself.

Genres are a little bit more diverse this month I'm heavily impressed. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery, Literary, Horror, Historical And Contemporary. Of course though Science Fiction comes out on top with four reads/listens. Nice try fantasy. Yeah I'm not suprised, Big Finish is dominating my life to the point I'm really hyperfixated and heavily invested I'll never stop listening to it now the 8th Doctor Adventures have me hooked and eager to explore what else they have to offer. We'll see if another genre trumps it next month, we shall see.

Mainly reads is not budging or changing anytime soon. I do wanna read longer books in the future though as I'm getting really good with my reading speed and need a challenge.

Moods this month were a little more diverse. We had Adventurous (of course), Dark, Sad, Emotional, Mysterious, Tense And Funny. I'll honestly be suprised when Adventurous and Mysterious don't rule a month. I don't really like reading sad books and it's actually one of the lowest moods on my tbr but it was worth breaking that rule for Minor Detail. This month's mood has ironically fit with my mainly reads. I'm not particularly a mood reader but I'm glad I have more of a range this month.

Last April ended with an average star rating of 4.75 but in April 2024 I had an average of 4.46, not surprising though considering Lallys Game and the fact I'm reading/listening to more stuff. Two reads ended up being 4.5 Stars, whilst 2 listens ended up being 5 Stars. (Human Resources Part 1 + 2 absolutely earned that) One read ended up being 4.25 Stars (yes I'm abusing this rating more) and another ended up being 3.5 Stars. (You obviously know which) Let's see what May brings but so far February seems to be the best in terms of ratings.

What a good month of reading stats though, good luck May.

Read/Listens

As I mentioned 6 reads/listens and ones that were all very enjoyable.

Like I mentioned I did good with the Star Wars reads I had this month. Finishing Life Debt got me super excited due to how much more engaging it is but unfortunately Empires End is further down my tbr. Still never the less I'm still really excited now that Chuck Wending improved upon feedback and tried writing the Trilogy better. Man its darker and even more disturbing im suprised it wasn't listed as such. Like The Mandalorian it perfectly shows how corrupt the New Republic are. Brotherhood was just chefs kiss though, it was one that generally suprised. I'm not the biggest prequel fan neither am I the biggest Anakin fan but I still really enjoyed it. I don't want to spoil much about the business on Cato Neimoidia but let's just say that this book serves as the perfect sandwich between Attack Of The Clones and The Clone Wars Show + Movie. Manifesting Mike Chen gets to write another Star Wars book.

Man what a season finale. The 8th Doctor Adventures Series One ended with a literal banger it was absolutely perfect. Didn't beat Immortal Beloved for me but I still really enjoyed it. Chills literal chills. Part 1 felt like a f*** Black Mirror episode and Part 2 felt like a high stakes war battle but set in an office. It was fantastic and I'm now sold on sticking with Big Finish and potentially buying some sets. Didn't care for them at first but I've absolutely grown to care about Lucy and The 8th Doctor as a Tardis team. Human Resources wrapped up all the character arcs really well. One hundred percent a good starting point into Big Finish and a range I'd highly recommend checking out.

Minor Detail was apart of my Readalong for Palestine I'm doing in order to educate people who are still ignorant about the slaughter happening over there. It was a very hard hitting read but something that was nesscary to pick up. It got rid of my eternal biases and really hit hard that before Oct 7th stuff was still bad we all just turned a blind eye. I also found it super clever that the pov was split from a Soldier without making him sympathetic and a young woman whos a journalist wanting to discover the truth of the crime the soldier committed. A short but good read. It was definitely a good recommendation from people.

Then we of course have the Tales of the Pizzaplex series. I didn't know what to expect but I was terribly disappointed! (Don't hurt me fnaf fans)! After reading Step Closer I thought Tales would set itself to a higher standard but it literally doesn't and that's its problem. Lallys Game had lots of wasted potential and it's a shame that the best part of the book was the Epilogue. It earned its 3.5 Stars especially after reading Under Construction which harmfully used Cancer as a horror thing which I'd super creepy and off putting not in the ways you think. I hope Happs is better, really hope Happs is better.

Conclusion

A very good reading month where I got all my planned side reads done, listened and finished the 8th Doctor Adventures Season 1 and devoured some awesome Star Wars novels. Next month is definitely the Gay Month but this month in terms of reads is the Political Thriller month Between Life Debt, Brotherhood and Minor Detail. Very story Political stories I enjoyed. April was great and with my main course work done I'll be able to focus on my reading more. I'm very curious about how May will be.

If you are interested in checking out my full reviews of the novels/audios featured in this post then you can find my profiles on Storygraph and Goodreads

Good Reads: Melody Soundy

Storygraph: melsage1822

Well it has been an absolute pleasure exploring my reading stats with you, so until next time for May's stats.... 😉

-Melody-

They/Them

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yoakkemae · 1 year

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nightwing: freefall // do not reblog. // unfinished.

I decided to reread one of my favourite stories, and so now I'm going to pick apart what I like and don't like about this story. If you haven't read it, I would actually suggest that you would because it's super fun where Dick gains a "hobby" of skydiving, Dick and Talia clash, and Dick saves a baby!

We start out with Dick skydiving from twenty thousand feet over Gotham City. To give context of the timeline, this takes place after Donna's death, leading the Outsiders, the frankly terrible time in Bludhaven with Blockbuster and Tarantula, Stephanie's death, Chemo destroying Bludhaven, Jason coming back, and Dick has (at this point) moved back to New York City.

[NIGHTWING (1996) #140]

He's about to go to a meeting with Bruce, Tim, and Alfred and has to "leave this splendid isolation" until the next time he skydives. As he falls, he sees the manor and thinks about his parents, picturing them falling with him and enjoying the adrenaline just as much as he does, maybe even more.

"And there's one thing I'm sure of, my parents would be proud of my life." is the last thought we're given before we see Dick enter the Batcave towards where Bruce (upset), Tim (excited), and Alfred (understanding) is waiting for him. Bruce is feeling overprotective of Dick, and perhaps with good reason (Dick had been relatively suicidal just over a year ago, and skydiving is pretty dangerous), but Dick dismisses his concerns, and under the bright awe of Tim's reactions, there's not much else Bruce can say.

I actually think that Bruce's reactions make sense here and that the disagreement was handled maturely and didn't get into a huge argument. Bruce is a little obstinate about it, but he wouldn't be Bruce if he wasn't.

The meeting is about the fact that Ra's and Talia seem to be making some sort of move, and it ends with something a little lighthearted.

[NIGHTWING (1996) #140]

(That sibling bond of smiling at each other after the "parent" does something is so cute, and I love that little moment).

We go to Dick at a library, where we step away from the slight mess that was Delvin Grayson's characterisation (where Dick just wings everything and doesn't plan ahead; unfortunately, a characteristic that is apparently now "canon" to Dick) and he returns to his obsessive need to know everything.

[NIGHTWING (1996) #140]

I think the return to this in Dick's characterisation is genuinely so important. Sure, Dick has the ability to think on his feet, which makes him adaptable and great in emergencies, but Dick was also in the Batman school of contingencies and he is used to making plans within plans within plans. To deviate or to say otherwise shows a lack of understanding in Dick's character, in my opinion. (Thanks, Delvin Grayson for starting that. Thanks, Tom Taylor for cementing it in current canon).

After a friendly interaction with Deborah (where Dick introduces himself as "Richard"!), he exits after reading all of the information he wanted to see Talia waiting for him. I'm just going to leave the panel as is because I think it's honestly fantastic.

[NIGHTWING (1996) #140]

It's a very different interaction that we're going to get between these two later in the story, but it does show that there is at least some mutual respect between the two despite their animosity (before Damian's arrival).

I really like Dick and Talia's interactions throughout the storyline. I don't have too much to say with this one, but we'll get more into my thoughts on their dynamic later.

We next see Nightwing about to head to the Cloisters, no doubt the next hit for the museum robbers. It turns out that he gets there after they get there, and so Nightwing does what he does best--kick some ass. He also shows his perfect understanding of aerodynamics even for unfamiliar objects, and the night is saved.

[NIGHTWING (1996) #140]

(Or so he thought).

A dead flying zombie man flies out of the tomb, and Dick hitches a ride on its leg. He tries to get a tracker on it, but it unfortunately misses due to the harsh winds, and the zombie birdman intentionally flies him into a lighthouse so that Dick wouldn't be able to follow him from there.

The action is great, the tenacity Nightwing shows throughout both encounters is great, and we really get to see that Dick has spent decades as a crimefighter and isn't an amateur. (cough cough @ current canon).

We return to Dick and Tim, several nights later, and Dick talks about how he's now a museum curator and how he's going to make the tower connected to the museum into his "Batcave" so to speak.

[NIGHTWING (1996) #140]

Dick simultaneously pulls his best Bruce impression (keeping facts away from Tim rather than telling him the whole truth) while talking with Tim about some very personal stuff (which is not Bruce, not really). It's a sweet moment, them talking about how their fathers read them the same book, undercut by the fact that Dick is lying about the flying birdman.

Tim has to leave on a Titans emergency, and the issue ends with Clark showing up in full Superman gear saying that he and Dick need to talk.

TBC.

#⤷ dick g.【 ❝ becoming a crime fighter wasn’t a cure for my grief; it was an outlet. ❞ 】analysis.#wanted to take it out of my drafts but i didn't want to finish it rn #so posting it incomplete we goooo

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do-angels-dream-of-starry-seas · 2 years

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So to commemorate iswm tomorrow, i thought I would go down memory lane and talk about my experience with the markiplier cinematic universe, and in my opinion, the legacy it'll leave behind

So let's go back to young me watching A Date With Markiplier for the first time. Clicked on a video not even two minutes long, and I was very confused. But my God, imagine the delightful surprise I felt when it showed the video options.

I remember reading through choose your own adventure books in elementary and getting very frustrated at the fact that I kept dying or getting bad endings. But ADWM was different, as it was goofy and lighthearted the whole way.

And holy fuck, was I glad to have gone the horror route before the romance route, as my fangirling went through the fucking roof seeing Dark. Cause at this point, we had fanart and jokey videos of Dark - but this was canon!! And he looked great!!

And of course Wilford too, and I was overjoyed when I watched Markiplier TV when that came out and saw almost all his characters in the same room.

So yeah. I was amazed not only in the concept of canon characters, but the perspective of an interactive first person, something I never really seen before done in video format.

I was content with what we got. And then Who Killed Markiplier came out, during the time when Mark said he was taking a break, mind you. Also pretty cool that it was during my birthday, hehe.

But yeah, watching a video a day and my theorizing was albeit very silly - thought Jacksepticeye was gonna come in as a paranormal investigator and it would end in a Clue like chaotic ending.

I was on vacation though, late at night when I finally saw the last video, and it was very much a shock seeing that this high quality series was not only taking a dark and serious turn hard enough to snap your neck, but these characters that were basically made by the fans? They were people, who had their own stories.

It was monumental at the time, literally no one expected it besides maybe a joke plot twist of Colonel being Wilford and Damien being Dark. But this made it clear that this was made with a story in mind, and it wasn't gonna end.

Since then, it was a waiting game for the next parts, with all of us being little theorists, but not only that, being fans. Watching Mark pull off a short film, an animated short, and another interactive film but in animation was so delightful. Made us all feel like what the mcu should be: complicated a little, but it kept us engaged and excited to see all of this interconnect into a large 3 act structure.

And then A Heist With Markiplier.

I will admit, this is my least favorite of his films. Not my thing, sorry. But when it came out, it was just a mountain of fans spilling their love and art and creations for this series. Not really trying to theorize anything, just expressing gratitude that something of this magnitude was made. Cause most of us saw the lead up to this. We saw Mark evolve as a creator, evolve the realms of his storytelling.

So now In Space With Markiplier is coming out. And most of us are anticipating maybe the end of the main storyline that was started years ago. But it's important for us to not get lost in the details, the manoosha of it all. Cause at the end of the day, this is something that Mark made for us, for free. He has poured so much of himself into this, and will be happy for us for us to enjoy not only the main story, but the entirety of us.

Cause of course we're gonna have fun with it.

So yeah, this may seem like an end of an era talk, because I think it is. Just kinda the culmination of it all, and it's getting me a bit teary-eyed seeing it all. No, I don't think Mark's stopping these interactive videos. But i do think he's making it clear that he hasn't forgotten about the story threads he left behind. He's making this for everyone to enjoy.

So yeah. Thank you @markiplier, and I'm gonna be a terrible captain. But I'm gonna have a hell of a time.

#markiplier #iswm #in space with markiplier #markiplier cinematic universe #ahwm #a heist with markiplier #who killed markiplier #wkm #adwm #a date with markiplier #markiplier tv #let.me.dream.with.markiplier

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decemebercircus · 2 years

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I promised a fanfic with ortho and I akways keep my promises ireguardless of how long it takes me

Here's what I promised @ryuu-from-the-grave

This is a fanfic one-shot. Sorry if it's bad.

Ignihyde:

Vincent Orgue & Ortho Shroud (and yes Idia's here too)

(This fic is prior the events of the story)

Vincent Orgue is the vice dorm leader since I'm ambiguous on whether or not Ortho is a vice dorm leader pretty sure he isn't just like Ruggie isn't a VDL either. Before anybody asks he's based on Maestro from Beauty and the Beast II: The Enchanted Christmas.

Story:

"No no no the sound isn't perfect! It's not the lighthearted music everyone wants to hear! Why can't I get it right?" Vincent groaned irritatably as he glowered at his personally made electronic pipe organ.

The holographic notes flickering and glitching with his frustrated state. He slammed his hand on the keys, enormous jagged low notes materialising in response.

"Hello Ortho" he sighed as the door opened. "You knew it was me?" Ortho asked for some reason genuinely surprised as he floated by Vincent. "Well you're the only one who comes here, even when you don't need to inform me about the duties of the doem leader and vice dorm leader." He admitted with a small smile. "So, Ortho what brings you here?"

"Are you coming to the board game club tomorrow?" Ortho asked but his tone implied he knew what the answer already was.

"Ortho both of you know I only deal in music and mystery related games"

"So you're not coming? We're playing a new game that just arrived yesterday!" Ortho persisted his determination somewhat adorable not that Vincent would admit that.

"You're the only one who interacts with my brother and also one of the few students that willingly goes outside the dorm!" Ortho was either trying to beg or he was pulling the "im-the-cute-younger-brother-please-fall-for-my-adorableness- card" Idia said something about ortho's adorableness stats going up when they first started school but he didn't take it seriously.

He should have listened. Because now he was caving in.

"Alright. Alright I'll go"

Ortho seemed happy about it and in response to Ortho, several of the pipe organ's high note keys played.

Vincent ran a hand through his hair as his wheelchair moved out the door. The lights on the electronic organ dying down as he was leaving the room.

❦︎ ❦︎ ❦︎ ❦︎ ❦︎ ❦︎

"Is Idia busy? I have a few assignments that I need to send him Vincent asked Ortho via headset which served as a phone for the two.

"He's playing video games again. But I can use our special music code to tell you when it's a good time to send it." Ortho replied happily.

Oh alright. And ortho sorry I missed yesterday's board game."

"It's alright! There's next time!" He stated cheerfully hearing Vincent chuckle as the line disconnected.

"Nii-san... Don't you think you should take a break? When did you last eat?" Ortho nudged his brother a little noticing that yet again Idia's blood sugar was low. He better not have simply ate half a chocolate bar on Wednesday evening and then forgot. Especially since today was starting Friday morning.

Idia paused his game to think for a moment.

"I had a chocolate bar" idia resumed his game.

Ortho could automatically shut it off and attempt to force him to go to the lounge and get his lunch. But then Idia would mope about for the entire next day if his game information *ahem* work wasnt saved.

Ortho tilted his head. It would have been cuteness overload if Idia had been looking but his gold eyes stared at the screen.

"I'm going over to the vice dorm leader's room! He'll send some files soon it's important that you at least look at them" Ortho floated off fhe bed and towards the door. At the same time he sent the music file that would tell Vincent to go ahead and send the various assignments. He'll likely work on them with his brother which was fun. He wished Vincent could participate. It must be hard not being able to walk.

Ortho walked by Vincent's room he could sense any signs of a living person or any of Vincent's magic but maybe he stepped out. Or rolled out. Ortho was about to ask where Vincent was and if he could play on the electronic Xylophone again maybe he could fix it this time. It was really cool how Vincent could make all these wonderful instruments. If only he would make money off then then he'd be more confident in his legs getting repaired---

Ortho's train of thought vanished upon hearing voices in the lounge sounded like two people were talking to Vincent. Or were they ridiculing him for being in a wheel chair?

"Fine well leave! Well just get our bento boxes and leave!" One boy snapped. Ortho was told to stay out of fights but he really wanted to help.

There was a loud clatter like multiple tablets being tossed to the ground.

"Oh I'm sorry Orgue --senpai, want to get my infotablets for me?" The same boy snickered although this time Ortho could tell they'd hit a nerve.

"I'M IN A WHEELCHAIR!!" Vincent roared angrily. Pitch black jagged enormous music notes drifted through the air a sign of Vincent's unique magic activating. Ortho eyes widened in recognition at the song the notes made up. One of Vincent's favourite pieces "In the Hall of the Mountain King" but Vincent of course made it more somber and dark toned. That was bad. Very bad. Ortho forgoed the request from his brother not to jump into any fights and nearly tackled Vincent who was holding his bento.

"Ortho I thought we agreed for you not to come flying at me. You couldn't have missed me that much we spoke a few minutes ago!" Vincent chuckled wrapping a arm around the waist of the boy seemingly unaware of Ortho's real intention. The boys took this opportunity to leave. "You came here to get Idia's lunch for him so you could insist he actually eat it right?" Vincent asked and handed over a bag immediately ortho knew the contents. "Aw Nii-san.... It's a lot of snacks again." He noted dismally. So much for convincing him to eat sonething nutritious this week. Guess hell have to find the most healthy thing there which as far as he could tell was the potato chips and the candied strawberries. Hmmm...

"What's in your bento?" Ortho asked taking the bag from Vincent.

Vincent refused to meet ortho's eyes. "Food" he commented. And wrapped his arms around the bento.

Ortho raised his eyebrow so it almost disappeared in his hair.

"Ok ok it's a grilled cheese sandwich and four cinnamon rolls." His wheel chair backed up a bit from Ortho staring at the box. "....There's also a apple pie... I'm not sharing it BTW"

Ortho sighed "alright let's both go back to your room I'll send Idia's lunch to him when I go back."

"Playing on my electronic instruments again?"

"Can I? I know the Xylophone isn't yet fixed but--"

"Sure" Vincent smiled. It seemed genuine and carefree. Probably the only times he's ever smiled Ortho thought. He wondered if he could get his brother to feel like the emotions captivated in that smile. Preferably when he wasn't stsying up late to play video games.

Well just like when he first woke up in this new robotic body those years ago, it requires obe step at a time. Maybe all five of the members of the board game club will be present then.

That's right.. Vincent and Azul havent met yet... Maybe the two will have fun with Idia when a game all three can enjoy comes along.

#twst idia #idia shroud #ortho shroud #original character #disney twisted wonderland #tech #twst wonderland #twisted wonderland

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eagles-translated · 3 years

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This is when the fourth and final season of Eagles releases

This summer, the third season of the hit series Eagles premieres on SVT. Now it's confirmed that there will also be a season four - which will be the series' last. We've talked to actress Alva Bratt and screenwriter Michaela Hamilton.

The hit series "Eagles" will soon release its third season on SVT. In the series, we get to follow five teenagers who live in the hockey town Oskarshamn and their high school years, which are filled with friendship, love and rivalry - both on and off the ice. Now it's also confirmed that a fourth and final season of the SVT series is on its way. So how will it end for our favorite characters? We've talked to actress Alva Bratt and screenwriter Michaela Hamilton about the inspiration behind the characters and what the coming seasons have to offer.

- You could see it as season three and four entering phase two. When you start to face adult problems and how you handle them as a non-adult person, says Michaela Hamilton.

The second season of the teen series averaged over half a million viewers per episode and was nominated for Kristallen 2020 in the category of best TV drama of the year. Despite the success, season four will be the last season. Why is that?

- It's quite funny, the way you're asking the question. It's exactly the same thing you feel when you graduate: “Why does it have to end? We're here and having such a good time”. But we have to move on in life and release these people and relationships into the world. That is exactly what we're doing with Eagles as well, says Michaela Hamilton.

- It's good to finish on top! These were the years the show was supposed to be about. Now they're graduating and then we will set them free, Alva Bratt adds.

What will season 4 be about?

We've gotten to follow the characters during their high school years, and the fourth season will take place during the last six months before they graduate and go their own ways. Michaela remembers that there is an incredible pain in graduating and that you are exposed to the world in a completely different way.

- It is a rather bewildering moment in life when you know that you're going to be separated from people that you have first been forced to be with, but then learned to become friends with or live with, and what these goodbyes do to you. So that's where the basic story lies, says Michaela Hamilton.

Alva Bratt on Eagles-Felicia: "It's like her facade is falling quite a bit"

The third season premieres in June, and is largely about the main characters' different choices. Having to make important choices for the future, even though you may not really know who you are, and what the consequences will be. The third season of Eagles will be darker than the previous ones, which we will see in Alva Bratt's character Felicia Kroon.

- I would say that she feels darker and more insecure. It's like her facade is falling quite a bit, says Alva Bratt.

The season will address issues such as how young people are affected by anxiety over the future, mental illness and dysfunctional families. These are topics that both Michaela and Alva can recognize themselves in, but in different ways. Michaela says that she herself was very identity-seeking and insecure when she was younger. When she got a little older, she lost both her brother and stepfather and also had to go through incredible grief. She has tried to put that trauma into the Eagles' script.

- Grief is so striking and it does things to people, both in positive and negative ways. So I've really lent out a lot of my feelings about it, and it's something that has been personal to me, says Michaela.

It's precisely the search for identity that the screenwriters have attributed to Felicia's character. Trying to find out who you are by testing different identities, and that the journey there can be incredibly difficult. Themes such as mental illness and anxiety over the future are probably things that most people can relate to on some level.

- I've felt bad when I was younger, but also good. That's probably what youth is, I guess, says Michaela.

- That's probably also the climate we live in today. No one feels great all the time. I can feel anxiety over the future now more than ever. Especially with the pandemic, it's been awful on so many levels. That you have to live with the constant anxiety of the future. Even if you're feeling pretty well, it's always difficult to know what you're going to do in the future, says Alva.

They both think that these are important topics to highlight and show more sides of. Michaela says that Eagles has never tried to be a series that is only lighthearted, and they're trying to be a broader spectrum than that. The characters encounter problems such as eating disorders, cancel culture, rumors and drug problems.

- I don't think we're romanticizing anything, which I think is very important. It takes a whole lot to do certain things that some of the characters do, but at the same time there is a hopefulness in the series that gives balance, says Alva and continues:

- I think that one of the guy characters problems are highlighted very well. That these vulnerable guys get represented too, because I really think there is too little of that in media. This story also shows that all people are equal regardless of which gender, identity and class we feel like we belong in.

- Emotions belong to everyone, Michaela fills in.

Prior to the series, the production team did solid research work by interviewing young people in Oskarshamn, and among them many teenagers could recognize themselves in Felicia. But Alva Bratt, who plays the character, doesn't find many similarities between her and Felicia.

- I'm very different from my character. I've said it so many times, but she's like the teenager I never was, says Alva.

The characters may seem stereotypical at first, but as the series progresses, we get to see more sides of them. It's a bit like when we get to know someone in real life. At first we might see a happy guy, but the more we hang out with them the more sides to the person we get to see.

- I think it's nice to write a character just like that, to unfold it a bit like a flower. And it's especially important to understand that when you're young, you're not just evil or good or sad or happy. It's not a whole personality. You can change. You can feel shit but at the same time laugh with your family or have problems within the family but still be a good partner, says Michaela.

So, why has the show gotten so popular? Alva and Michaela think that a lot can be attributed to the viewers recognizing themselves or other people they know in the characters. That they are easy to relate to.

- That's the beauty of teen shows. Either you go through it, have to go through it or you have gone through it. That everyone can find something in there that you can relate to, says Michaela.

The filming for the fourth and final season starts soon. Since it has been clear that Eagles will be about the characters' time as high school students, it means that Eagles will end soon. Whether it will come in any other form remains to be seen.

- No closed doors. That's what I'll say, says Michaela.

When does Eagles season 3 premiere on SVT?

We've seen two seasons of Eagles so far and this summer the third season will finally premiere. Add June 4th 2021 to your calendars - that's the premiere date for season 3.

Quick Recap: This has happened in earlier seasons of Eagles

The first two seasons of Eagles can no longer be watched on SVT Play, which means that they're not possible to stream at the moment. Along with season 3, the previous episodes will return soon. But do you want to refresh your memory for the next season right now? If so, here's a quick recap of what happened in seasons 1 and 2.

This happened in Eagles season 1

In the first season of Eagles we met the Kroon siblings - the influencer Felicia (Alva Bratt) and the hockey player Elias (Edvard Olsson), who moved back to Sweden after their time in the US. Their father was a hockey professional in the NHL but is now taking over as a coach for the hockey team in Oskarshamn.

Felicia starts seeing Ludvig (Adrian Öjvindsson), the hockey talent who's been the best in the team - until Elias joined. The rivalry between the young people reflects much of the season both in friendship, love and popularity.

Klara Ceder (Sarah Gustafsson) who is the school's IT girl feels threatened by Felicia who invades her territory, both as the school's most popular girl and by hanging out with Amie (Yandeh Sallah), who was Klara's friend from the beginning.

Ludvig has family problems and drowns them in alcohol at a party. At the party he meets Amie, and something happens between them.

This happened in Eagles season 2

The second season of Eagles picks up from the dramatic end of season 1, but here we get to see a slightly darker season. Elias starts dating Klara, who Felicia doesn't like. But at the end of the season, Klara apologizes to Felicia, and we get to see other sides of her. Is this the beginning of a new friendship?

Felicia dates Jack Barrett (Filip Wolfe Sjunnesson), a new assistant coach on the team, until she learns worrying things about him.

There is a strange atmosphere between Ludvig and Amie, but they continue to make music together. When Ludvig ends up in the hospital after a hockey tackle, Amie kisses him, but he doesn't kiss her back. Are you allowed to fall in love with your friend's ex?

Cecilia Arvidsson March 15th, 2021 Source: (x)

#eagles svt #svt eagles #article #really interesting read with a few new details on s3 and s4!#along with quick recaps of season 1 and 2

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