I Know Discourse Is The Word Of Choice In Fandom Nowadays But I Kind Of Wish We Would Have Stuck With

how do I find a fic that’s exactly like the one I’ve just read but also different

Titles. They’re the worst.

You know what the solution is? Use a Hozier lyric. Too much work? I made a generator that will summon one for you.

It works surprisingly well as a prompt generator, as well.

The Surface and Other Incredible Things

Where have you been?

Dammit. So much for being sneaky. Keith winces, turning around to face his adoptive older brother. His tail flicks nervously, glittering in the dim light of their cave. Nowhere, he replies, giving the shark-like siren an innocent smile.

Shiro watches his younger brother, his piercing silver gaze staring right through his lies. Then why are you late to bed? He asks.

The smaller siren laces his hands behind his back, studying his elder brother. Shiro was worried; he could tell in the way his gills flared. It was funny to think that Shiro - the Shiro who had taken on a shoal of wicked looking fish to save Keith when he was just a tiny hatchling, the Shiro who was scarred and had lost an arm fighting to save their home - was scared. And for him, of all people.

Am I late? Keith decides to play dumb. I hadn’t noticed.

Sharp silver eyes narrow. Shiro swims closer to his brother, circling him and brushing his rough, webbed fingers over Keith’s scales. You’re missing one, he observes. He pulls his fingers away, sniffing his hand. His nostrils flare and he hisses, making Keith duck away from the noise. Uh oh.

Humans! Shiro seethes. What were you doing with humans? I thought I made myself very clear that you were to stay away from the surface.

Keith snatches his tail away, scowling. I got caught in a trap. It was an accident! I was chasing a shoal near the tides and I got swept into a trap.

Scales don’t come off easily, Keith. His older brother takes his wrist, pulling him toward the deep cavern they lived in. Where did that go, pray tell?

Shiro! He whines, dragging his tail along the walls to try and slow them down. Stop dragging me, I’m not a guppy. And it’s none of your business where I went, I’m almost fully grown.

You still have two winters until you are considered an adult, Keith. Bubbles float up to the water as Shiro sighs, turning to face his little brother. I am your guardian. You live in my cave, you abide by my rules, do you understand?

Your rules are stupid. Keith tries to pull his arm away, but Shiro was too strong.

My rules are designed to keep you safe. The elder siren starts to pull him to his part of the cave. And when you disobey them and come home smelling of humans, you have to face your consequences.

I told you! Keith lets out an undignified, annoyed screech. His brother stops, giving him a look of exasperation. The younger siren huffs - he was only acting like a guppy because Shiro was treating him like one. It was an accident. The human saved me! I got trapped in a net and he saved me.

Shiro pushes him into his section of the cave, stiffening. The human touched you? Is that why your scale is missing? Did he steal it? He snarls, his shark-like teeth glinting dimly. Keith shrinks back, sitting on his bed and patting the woven kelp rug. He knew what those teeth could do, he had seen it firsthand.

No, he didn’t take it. I… I gave it to him.

Shiro roars, the sound bouncing off the walls of the cave. The younger siren whimpers, his ears pinning to his head and his tail coiling underneath him. The warrior doesn’t notice; he paces the cave angrily.

What does he look like? Shiro seethes, gnashing his teeth, his massive fins splayed wide in a show of aggression and dominance. I’ll kill him, I’ll rip his head from his body and feed the rest of him to the fish. How dare he? Who does he think he is?

Keith coos soothingly, picking at the kelp underneath him with his claws. He didn’t want the human to come to any harm - he would quite like to see him again, given the chance. Not that Shiro needed to know any of this.

I gave him the scale willingly, he says, as a thank you.

The bigger male turns on him, his mood switching from vengeful to alarmed. You did what? Oh, Keith, tell me you didn’t just do what I heard you say…

The siren shifts, brushing his tail off and looking up at his guardian, squaring his shoulders. I gave it to him.

Shiro drags his hand down his face, letting out a low moan of exhausted worry. Do you understand what you’ve done? Humans are greedy, he will go back to his village and show it to them. He’ll lure you to the surface just to steal all of your scales - I wish you weren’t so handsome, I really do. Maybe then he would leave you alone.

Hey! Keith lets out a sharp, indignant cry. He wasn’t sure whether he should be annoyed because his brother wished he was unattractive, or flattered that Shiro thought he was.

I will deal with you tomorrow. Shiro huffs, giving him a firm look that meant go to sleep, Keith. The young siren was very familiar with that look. He watches as his brother settles in, shuffling with his own bed in annoyance. Now he would never be let out of sight.

*

Sure enough, Keith was not allowed to leave Shiro’s sight until the next full moon. Even when the time had passed, it was like pulling anemone from a coral reef to get him to agree. The patrols for the tribe was lacking one of their greatest warriors. The elders were becoming worried that perimeters might have to shrink if Shiro didn’t return.

It was this that pulled him away from watching Keith with an intent silver stare as the younger siren rolled around the cave, going mad with boredom.

I’m on night patrol tonight. Shiro informs him one afternoon, after they had returned from hunting.

Are you? Keith tries not to display the thrill of excitement that had run up his spine.

No bright ideas, Keith. His brother shakes his head. I’ll be back by moonrise. I expect you to be in your bed then, do you understand? No going to the surface, no chasing shoals, no humans.

Yes, Shiro. The siren groans, putting his hunting knife away. I know.

Shiro’s gaze softens. He swims over, ruffling Keith’s hair. I love you.

Yeah. I love you, too.

Keith has to wait until Shiro stops fussing over him and actually leaves before he can do anything. He waits for a few ticks, holding his breath. Once the sound of the patrol fades away to almost nothing, he darts out of the cave and rushes for the reef.

He hides there for a little while, peeking over it and watching. His brother casts worried looks over to the cave, but a few of the soldiers clap him on the back. One of them says something and Keith can see his brother laugh. Good.

The young siren waits a few more minutes before he races to the surface, over to where the tide pulled in. The human’s nets weren’t over by the rocks he had been caught at. With a curious noise, Keith turns tail and swims up to the other side of the coast.

No… his nets weren’t around the cliffs. There was no sign of anyone over by the sandbars… The reef was clear. Keith blows bubbles, scowling. What did humans have to even do? He was more important than any other trivial, frivolous thing that humans did.

Just as the siren was about to turn tail and go home, a shadow falls over him. He blinks, darting around before he looks up at… what looked like a flat, floaty surface. His ears perk, his gills and fins flaring in excitement. Could it be?

He watches as a net is cast into the water, letting out a happy trill. It was! He darts his way to the surface, peering up. Just in case it wasn’t… but it was! His human was sitting there in the floating contraption, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Keith breaks the surface, letting out an excited screech to get the human’s attention. It lets out a similar cry, but he seemed more surprised than excited. The siren wriggles with glee, hauling himself up the side of the boat and clicking excitedly.

“Oh, hello.” The human laughs, looking down at him with eyes that glittered like the sea. Keith sighs internally. Were all humans this pretty, or just his? “I’d hoped to see you again soon.”

The siren whirs and clicks, scrabbling at the side of the boat before managing to haul himself into it with a splash and an almighty flop. The poor contraption creaks wearily, bobbing about frantically.

Keith doesn’t seem to notice. He edges closer to Lance, his amethyst gaze bright with excitement. He reaches out, pressing his hands to the humans fragile cheeks. The siren screeches again, pleased.

“Okay, okay,” His human winces. “Take it easy on the ears, bonito.”

Hm. This one spoke the same strange words that the other ones on this coast did. He coos, leaning against the human’s side, brushing his hands down his neck. Keith stops when it gets caught on something, tugging.

“Oh, hold on.” The human bats his hand away gently, reaching into his outer layer of not-flesh and tugging out some sort of ropey thing. He never had understood why humans tied things to their bodies. “Recognize this?”

Keith makes an inquisitive noise, looking down at it. His eyes widen. That was his scale! The human was wearing his scale! His human was wearing his scale! The siren wriggles about, tugging at the twine before pulling his hand away and brushing down his scales self consciously. He had forgotten to groom today.

His human laughs, shaking his head. “I thought you’d like that. What brings you here, mm? Am I really that interesting?”

The young siren looks up at him, tilting his head this way and that. Yes. So much more interesting than my cave. Shiro was going to have a sea cow.

The human reaches toward the siren. Keith startles, sliding back into the water and peeking up at him, his eyes wide.

“Okay, so, no touching.” It pulls it’s hand away. “I can do that.”

Keith blows bubbles, then tips his head up and spits water at his human.

“Hey!” It laughs, lurching back and putting up a hand to shield itself. “I get it, no touching! You play nice, bonito.”

Keith is about to hop aboard the floaty thing again, but the moon catches his eye. Oh! It was almost fully risen - he had to get back before Shiro did! He squeaks, splashing frantically, but stops and looks up at the confused human.

He had to go. There was no time for goodbyes. With a mournful little squeak, Keith splashes him and ducks under the water, leaving the human with only bubbles and his own voice crying out in confusion.

By the time he makes it home, Keith just barely misses the patrol. He ducks into his bed, curling up and closing his eyes, holding his breath as Shiro comes in. Okay. Just breathe. Pretend to be asleep. Nothing had happened, he wasn’t guilty.

Shiro swims over, tucking the woven kelp over his brother with a soft noise of fondness. Keith tries not to smile. A hand brushes through his hair, gentle.

Goodnight, Keith. His brother ghosts a kiss over his cheek before he retires for the night. The younger siren waits until his brother is still and quiet before he rolls over, looking out at the moon’s reflection in the water.

He’d see his human again soon. Not even Shiro could keep him away.

Part 2 of The Children of the Sea

Part 1 | Part 3

A man stands on the corner of the street, screaming hateful things and wearing a sign that shows his contempt.

I remember the way she smiles at me moments before she kisses me, like nothing could be better. The way she runs across the house just seconds before my mom arrives, giving me the sweetest, most mischievous kiss she has to offer.

My mother and I sit across from each other in a quiet restaurant. She asks if, when I find "the man of my dreams", if I will put my plans on hold to please him. I have to swallow the bile rising in my throat at the thought of diminishing myself for one who she could possibly think would be the anyone of my dreams.

Her touch on my bare skin is so soft and gentle, holding me in a way I've never been held and always craved. She makes my body relax and my head fill with cotton, making me love myself in a way I have never learned, in a way I have always needed. She won't let me hide away - she sees me in all my beauty and begs me to see it, too.

I see the look in people's eyes when I tell them I love a girl. The laughter that comes from the girls who tell me that it's fine, as long as I don't develop a crush on them, is a double edged sword. It's as though my desire is constant and insatiable and easy to throw away. As though the intimacy we share is unreal and made up - despite knowing each other's every habits and favorites and midnight thoughts.

My presence is so comforting to her that she could fall asleep on my chest or in my lap at any moment. I am weak for her - aching and tingling limbs are a small price to pay to run my fingers through her hair and listen to the soft sound of her breathing. I have never known such casual intimacy, never wanted to be still for so long so that nothing disturbs her.

The fear that floods me when I am with close friends or family who I know will hate me, who I know will try and tell me how disgusting I am and how wrong I am cuts me to my core. I'm afraid to tell them of her, terrified to be vulnerable enough to profess that I want to marry this beautiful creation who has chosen to love me.

I shouldn't be the one who is ashamed of myself. I shouldn't be the one trying to reform with every time I have to tell a person that I'm taken, or sit through conversations about blow jobs, or listen to boys joke about the privacy of my sex life.

Being in love with her is the most exhilarating thing I have ever experienced. Every day it's the thing that makes me press on, the thing I cling to when my day is terrible and all I want is to curl up in her arms and never leave.

It's not trivial. It's not a chore. We do everything we can to make each other happy - we commit, we tease, we talk, we laugh, we collaborate to come to the best agreement.

So is the issue really that we are two girls in love? Do you really hate us so much for holding hands and kissing and sharing our lives?

Or do you envy the way we devote ourselves fully to the other person?

In this world, in this society - every single day is another test. We fight every day to prove to the world that we love each other, that we're in this for the Long haul.

That does things to a relationship. It changes you. It makes devotion and communication and affection second nature.

So while you sit across the way from us, glaring at us while we hold hands and go about our day - think about this.

Are you really so bothered by our relationship?

Or are you just jealous?

This Is Why We Go To Camp

At six years old, Keith was a scrawny, pale, wild haired little boy. He was short tempered and quiet, had a difficult time making friends, and preferred his books and karate classes to playing on the playground and going outside. 

As such, Keith had also never been up to the mountains. Mountains were hard to come by in the stifling desert heat of Arizona. So when a flier from the local parks and rec department came, advertising a six week sleep-away camp, his parents had thought it was a great idea to send Keith away to “make some friends” and “have a good time” away from home. He was less than thrilled for many reasons.

Keith’s List of Reasons Why He Should Not Go to Summer Camp:

(Presented by Keith. Written by Keith. Copyrighted by Keith.)

1. Summer camp is outside. Outside has bugs. Bugs bite.

2. There are going to be lots of other kids.

3. I won’t be able to read in the outdoors.

4. I have never spent the night away from home.

His list of reasons was very convincing, but not convincing enough for his parents not to put him on a bus full of loud children with a suitcase full of clothes and only one book for the whole trip. 

Keith can’t remember much of the bus ride there, now that he’s older, but he does remember stepping off the bus and stepping into a sea of children, overwhelmed and definitely smaller than everyone else. He had always been a nervous child, but this was like nothing he had ever experienced in his life. There were so many children, all of whom weren’t paying him any attention. 

“Hey! Are you lost?”

Keith remembered this moment quite clearly — it was one of his most fond memories. He looked up at a tall, gangly, grinning boy. There was a bandaid on his knee and dirt smeared on his cheek. He had the bluest eyes Keith had ever seen. 

“Yes,” he remembers saying, tilting his head back to look up at him. 

“My name is Lance,” the boy had said, holding out a hand to him. “I’ll help you find where you’re supposed to go.”

That was the day he met his best friend.

*

“Keith!”

Twelve years later, and Keith was still going to the same camp, but now he was a counselor instead of a camper. He was still a little awkward, still a little hot tempered, but this camp had done a world of good for him. Besides, he had met the single most important person in his life here.

“Hey, Lance.” He looks up from his clipboard, grinning at his best friend. Lance had grown into the gangly limbs. Now he was tall and handsome and often the object of many middle school girls’ affection (not that Keith could blame him, be still his gay little heart). 

“You get stuck in the Beavers cabin again?” Lance teases, slowing to a stop in front of Keith and reaching out to ruffle his hair.

Keith ducks away from his hand, swatting at him with his clipboard. “Um, excuse you, but the Beaver cabin is the best cabin.”

“Uh, no. The Turtle cabin is superior, obviously.” Lance laughs. 

Keith rolls his eyes. “Yeah, we’ll see about that at the tug of war competition.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault it rained and the mud got my kids.” 

“No, but maybe it’s because you have no upper body strength.” Keith teases. 

Lance gasps, pretending to clutch his pearls. “The audacity. How dare you come into my house-”

“This is the woods.”

“-with that sort of talk! Keith Akira Kogane, I expected better of you. And to think, they let you around children.” Lance whispers the word children, shaking his head gravely. 

“Yeah, it’s a tragedy.” Keith agrees, looking down at his clipboard.

“How many kids do you have this year, anyway?” Lance peeks over his shoulder. 

He does a quick count, smiling when he sees a couple familiar names. “Mm… seven, I think. They said they might add a couple kids if there are any last minute scholarships.”

“Hey, same!” Lance grins, taking his hand and pulling him along toward the place where the buses were going to pull in. “Come on, the kids will be here any second.”

“I’m coming!” Keith laughs, stumbling after him and shaking his head. 

He looks up at his best friend as they walk, his smile melding into something softer. Lance had been his best friend for twelve years, but at least in the past two, he’d developed a, er… crush. It was no secret that Lance was attractive — there was a reason he was the most popular counselor among all the kids. Not only was he handsome, but he was charismatic and had a way with the kids that Keith was always bordering on jealous of. 

But there was no way that Keith would ever make a move on it. They lived in different states, for one, and he wasn’t even sure that Lance even leaned toward guys. He didn’t want to ruin what they had. So, for now, he was happy with spending six weeks of his summer with his best friend and spending hours on the phone after camp was over, counting down to the next summer. 

There was no need to dwell on this, though, not with the buses pulling up to the campgrounds. He looks over at them, letting a smile tug at his own lips. This was the start of yet another great summer. 

And to think, twelve years ago, he’d tried to talk his parents out of sending him here.

Calling all lovers of poetry!

Hey guys!

So I'm currently writing/mostly formatting a collection of the poetry I have written for my girlfriend. It's kind of an anniversary present except she knows about it but that's beside the point.

I was wondering if any of you were interested? I'll have to run numbers when I'm finished, but it'll be no more than about 30 pages, and the format I chose starts at $3 USD. I think they would charge shipping.

Let me know if you're interested, and I'll post a link to my book when I've published it! You can like this post if you're somehow too intimidated by me to message me!

Happy new year ☺️

ITS ME

hashtag animashun

Good evening! Does anyone have any music they listen to, specifically for writing? Unfortunately I’ve listened to my writing playlist for so long that it’s become my Normal Playlist and now I have nothing to use. 

Feel free to reblog with suggestions, shoot me an anon message, or simply comment! All is appreciated <3 

hey ao3 can you like give the extra $38k you made from this month’s funds drive to charity

kinda weird hozier asks

- Take Me To Church- Are you religious?

- Work Song- Is there anyone you’d sing a love song to, romantic or platonic?

- Someone New- Do you fall in love easily?

- Almost- Do you ever dance alone to music?

- Cherry Wine- Do you have a sweet tooth?

- Nina Cried Power- Do you participate in any activist movements?

- From Eden- Do you think theres “something tragic about this” life?

- Movement- Do you perform in any way?

- Angel Of Small Death and The Codeine Scene- Any addictions?

- Like Real People Do- Have you kissed people?

- Jackie and Wilson- Do you want kids?

- Shrike- What’s your favorite bird?

- Dinner and Diatribes- What’s your favorite food?

- Moment’s Silence- What do you find beautiful about the situation you’re in now?

- Would That I- Is there anything you wish you could change about the past?

- NFWMB- Is there anything you would protect with your life?

- To Be Alone- Do you prefer other people’s company or your own?

- Arsonist’s Lullabye- Do you ever feel lost?

- No Plan- Do you believe in a pre-determined purpose in life?

- Sedated- What time do you go to sleep?

- As it Was- Do you go to many parks and natural places?

- In A Week- How do you want to die?

- Be- Have you changed much as a person in the last year?

- In the Woods Somewhere- Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

- My Love Will Never Die- Are you dating anyone?

- It Will Come Back- Do you like to write?

- To Noise Making- Do you like to sing?

- Talk- What’s your best friend like?

- Nobody- Who in your life is important to you?

- Foreigner’s God- Do you ever talk to yourself or something above?

- Sunlight- Do you prefer sunny or rainy weather, or somewhere in between?

Thanks for playing!