fuck all the glitter, baptized in dirt

Stacy⭐️LITG sideblog let's go⭐️main: someoneworthfinding⭐️I just want somewhere to post my fic and moodboards⭐️also to promote the poll when I do it again in the spring⭐️

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I have finished Part One of the LITG Survey Results: the polls!

Immediate apologies for some of the sprites, the wiki has really nice transparent files of every outfit for some characters, and literally only the intro pic for others, so if I wanted everyone in their nice outfits, I had to resort to screenshots. So some are better quality and some have their heads chopped off. Embarrassing lol.

Anyway, there were a lot of similarities to the last time I ran the poll, but there was some interesting movement like Jake solidly beating Levi, and Andy taking a solid lead over Ozzy and Roberto. Some characters had random, significant drops (Bruno, Jin, and Ethan), but still won their respective seasons. It could be a pattern though, and I'm interested to see if it continues if I run the poll again in December/January.

The season 14 lads really shook things up when put up against other LIs too! Zhen, George, Owen, and Emilio all managed to get into the top 5 of the OG, Bombshell, and Casa polls, which is very interesting. The Casa poll especially, since Matt and Max lost 30 votes each--did all of that go to Owen? Is there another Casa boy coming that can repeat this? Matt did well in the rankings (coming soon!) but he was also one of the victims of the new boys taking up real estate on the list lol.

The other interesting piece of info: I suspected while watching the results roll in that the ladies were doing better than before, and now that I've compiled everything, that suspicion was correct! Najuma, Bella, Claudia, and Keziah each kicked a boy out of their respective seasons to take their spot at the Top 5 table, and Leah ran neck-and-neck with Oscar before squeaking ahead at the last minute in their season poll.

Lisbeth dominated the Female LIs list, but just like last September, that didn't translate into the rankings (she was #25 in September and #26 now--if even half of her votes had translated into a top 5 ranking, she'd be much higher). I have my theories about this, but I'm still checking some correlations and crunching some numbers, so I will have more to say about it when I share the rankings results!

I'm still hoping to get the rankings out before the new season starts on Wednesday because I don't want to compete with those posts lol, but I haven't made any graphics yet and still have some work to do on pattern finding and my If You Like X, You Might Like Y concept, so... we'll see lol.

Thanks for participating if you did!

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LITG Demographics and Favs

We're back again! In case you missed the first round of this poll back in September, here are the results: Part One & Part Two I'm includi

Hello again Tumblr! The poll to vote for your fav LITG LIs and seasons and NPCs etc will be closing TOMORROW so if you missed the last time I posted about it or forgot to respond, you have about 35 hours left to do so!

I'm gonna try and get the results out before the new season drops, and I'll be sure to share them here too. Thanks for participating!

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Okay, so i am basically moved in except for unpacking, but my internet didn't transfer over to the new unit correctly and since I use Ellipsus, that means no writing until the tech comes out tomorrow to help 🫠

But I did update my chapter title Playlist based on my current chapter beats. This may change because a few chapters have the potential to be split into two when I get there, but here's the remaining chapter title songs for the rest of the story as I currently have it planned.

Threw some of my own Playlist in there lol. 'I Caught Fire' is initially by The Used obvs, but that cover by rosecoloredworld has been on my inspo playlist since the very beginning. I remember the Vegas trip where i finally started writing the story I'd been planning for a month lol, and walking up and down the Strip listening to this cover as I brainstormed and people watched. It takes an emo song I've loved for a long time and makes it sound more Bruno and Noah's vibe.

Hopefully back to writing tomorrow. I'm very excited to get back to it.

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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

I am putting my LITG season 4 retelling fic Sapphire on a very brief hiatus because I have had a lot going on in my life recently (new job, new shift, job couldn't decide where to place me lol, family in town I haven't seen for ten years, moving to a new apartment with an anxious cat...) and my chapter buffer has gotten a little too tight for comfort. I think a month to settle in and get my writing hat back on and put a few more chapters in the buffer will be plenty.

And I think it's a good time to promote the fic because here's your chance to get caught up! When the story starts up again in June, we'll be diving right into Dylan's entrance and heading towards the end.

In fact, I've never done a snippet promo so here, as a preview, a treat for my current readers' patience, as proof that I write ahead lol, a snippet from chapter 54, coming on June 23rd:

"So..." Noah drags the word out as she checks the coffee pot, then pops her lips. "We're close to the end now. What're you hoping to find in here?" Oliver shrugs and sends a smile at her over his shoulder. "If I get lucky and find a spark, that's ideal, but you're right. I'd be happy just getting to know someone nice and see how it goes. No pressure." He pauses, then turns to her proper. "Where's the baking sheets?" "Bottom cabinet to your right." Noah points, then smiles as he pulls one out and bows his head in her direction. "Cheers. But yeah, I reckon we're the last batch of bombshells, so our options are limited. They told us there's two single girls, though, is that right?" When Noah nods, he sighs in relief and turns away from her again, breaking the dough into pieces over the metal sheet. "Then we're even. A boy for every girl. Sounds like we're set." Will's not a boy, but it's not Noah's place to out them. She decides not to mention Kelly dumping Youcef or Valentina's disinterest in Tom, either. Let them sort themselves out, and the cards fall where they may.  "I see no reason to limit myself to the single girls," Dylan announces, leaning against the counter and smiling at Noah. "Just because we're late doesn't mean we can't do what bombshells do. No one here is married." Noah bristles under his intent gaze and pushes herself off the counter when she realises Dylan is mirroring her. "I dunno, some of us are closed off and you don't wanna step on toes," she babbles, reaching into the cabinet for two mugs. "I'm closed off. Me and Bruno had a whole picnic that was supposed to air...? And Thabi and James are nearly there, I think." "Oh that's lovely," Oliver says with a smile that lights up his face. He'll be popular. Noah can see Valentina grafting him hard, maybe Najuma too. "I expected a few locked down couples, at least. I'd rather not step on toes, even if Dylan does." "It's the job, mate," Dylan argues. "That's what we're here for. Noah knows, she was the first of us." Oliver turns to her with wide eyes. "Oh, you're Noah." 

I hope you'll give the whole fic a shot, especially if you're a Bruno girlie! I'm really proud of his character arc, and of the story as a whole.

(My LITG favs poll is also still on-going lmao as if I don't have enough happening, but you can still fill that out too if you haven't yet!)

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Am I finally strong enough for a bruno slow burn

idk idk but I didn't know he shows up instead of Youcef if you're with James or Najuma, so i wanna see that 👀 and maybe get some more James or Najuma lore i should've known before writing a 400k+ fic lmao

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LITG Demographics and Favs

We're back again! I'm including some new questions this time! The demographics questions are not required, but I am very curious about how

Soooo last September I hosted a poll to find out who the true top of the heap LIs are in the fandom. I got almost 400 responses, but I'm pretty sure most of them were from Reddit.

I knew I wanted to do it again in 6 months or so (since s14 was still ongoing at the 6 month point), and I'm hoping to get a wider diversity of responses so Tumblr!!! Please come fill out the poll!

And I am not active on Facebook or Twitter, but if you are part of the LITG community in those spaces, please feel free to share there!

The poll will be open until June 7th! Excited to see some responses come in!

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I am.......... so busy. Lol. Adjusting to full time overnights at work, getting ready to move to a new apartment, family in town that I haven't seen for 10 years... oof. And trying to stay ahead on my fic, no less.

I'm also getting ready to launch the survey again. I was gonna do it last week but I saw a bunch of people replaying s14 for different routes so I figured I'd give them time to do so and decide who they like best. And it gives me a chance to make some last minute adjustments too.

Anyway it's been a minute so let's do a check in.

SAPPHIRE

Posted Word Count:

Chapters Posted: 50 (54, including prologue and interludes)

Written Word Count: 409,401

Chapters Written: 60 (66 including prologue and interludes)

Currently Writing: Chapter 61 (3361 words)

All chapters up to 60 have had their final edits and are ready to post, and I have outlined the story out to the end, probably in the 68-72 chapter range.

I've referred to a few couples that were influential on Bruno and Noah--Tohru & Kyo (Fruits Basket), Baby & Johnny (Dirty Dancing), Ember & Wade (Elemental), Katniss & Peeta (The Hunger Games), mostly.

Well I've been rewatching Friends recently, and reached the episode where Monica's upset about being called high maintenance (girl), and Chandler calms her down by telling her he likes maintaining her, and i was like...

That's it. We'll throw Monica & Chandler on the list lol 'cause yes, that's how Bruno feels about Noah too.

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MC and Gio are the real s14 love story. I just know they're gonna start some snarky commentary podcast together.

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Dialect??? In my late-stage LITG???????

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Gio's the kind of girl that if you win her over into being your friend, she will go to BAT for you. For LIFE. I'm so glad she's leaning more friend than enemy on the frenemy scale now. We haven't had a self-aware mean girl like this since Kat... who I also loved lol.

Also we're 1000000000000000% getting a proposal/wedding epilogue, the most likely to get married question sold me on it.

Though I've been loyal, I've heard that players who aren't so loyal don't win that question... but then I guess we're not in our final couples yet so we could still get a proposal/wedding epilogue with the endgame LI.

Can't wait for Iona and Oscar's red oni blue oni wedding party next week lol

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I'm very content that I usually get about 40-50 hits over the week between chapter posts, but for some reason, I've already gotten 60 hits and it's only Thursday, what's happening.

I haven't even posted the Dom Bruno good girl scene yet (that's coming Tuesday 🤭), I don't understand. And about 20 of those have come in since I last checked around 1AM, so did I get rec'd somewhere or something? Is there a secret discord lol idk

I should do a check in but I'm trying to finish chapter beats to the ending by next week so I can get back to writing because my buffer is closing in, and I can already tell these last chapters will be long. I can say that I hit 400k words with chapter 60! And my beats currently take me to 69 chapters but it'll probably end up being 70 or 71 depending on challenge and spicy scene length.

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If we get a proposal/wedding epilogue is2g..............

Also seeing my MC all glammed up while this boy is in a white t-shirt almost gave me the ick lmfao pleaseeeee I am begging for some fashionista boys next season

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Ah we're close enough to the end now and my MC is locked in with Oscar, so here's the s14 moodboard for her.

I might go back through my girls and make new moodboards for them since these were really simple. Or maybe make some for the LIs just for practice. I keep looking at my promo ones for my fic like, damn, I'm so bad at this haha.

Anyway I made this weeks ago but held off sharing it because I was waiting to see if Owen would win MC over. I should've known, if I could resist Matt to go back to Gryff, then I am the loyalest of the loyal girlies 💪 (we'll go back for Owen later shhh).

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Okay i paused right here so maybe I'm getting ahead of myself

But I think this is a weird gray area for me?

My MC has been completely loyal to Oscar and never once tried to lead George on... but him confessing these deep feelings for MC then kissing Aline like that still reveals something about his character that I'm not sure I like and would want to talk out anyway, as friends.

I could overlook the overlap with his relationship with Anna, since he was young when that relationship started and it's easy to get complacent and go with the motions in your first long-term relationship like that. Absolutely believable to me that he could have feelings for MC and not fully realize it until he was single and slapped in the face with it.

But he's fresh out of that relationship, declaring deep feelings for MC, and kissing another girl because he feels rejected. Like, this is the mess you get out of your system in your early twenties, and he didn't cause he was already with Anna, so now I just don't think he's ready for another relationship, whether MC returns his feelings or not 🤷‍♀️

like it's not as simple as MC's feelings are hurt because she liked him or thought he liked her. For me, if MC is a good friend, she'll sit him down and tell him "dude, I'm happy with Oscar so it's a no from me, but you gotta figure your shit out before you lock in with another girl." Probably give him some space so he can learn how to be friends without pining.

But I am also looking at this from the perspective of someone who is closer to 40 than 20 lol and that's why they don't want people my age on the show.

Also eh, it's fusebox, there's not a lot of nuance required here. I'm mostly worried about accidentally breaking my loyal route if I choose the angry or annoyed options and the game decides that means my MC wants George now.

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lmao ice cold

kinda want Jasper to call George that to his face 🫣 as a loyal girlie, that's my kind of messy

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Okay we're overdue for a check in, let's go.

SAPPHIRE:

Posted Word Count: 276,619

Chapters Posted: 45 (49, including prologue and interludes)

Written Word Count: 396,805

Chapters Written: 59 (64, including prologue and interludes)

Currently Writing: Chapter 60 (1567 words)

Noah's love of Paramore (well, and her sidecut) is the only remaining detail from when I was developing her and tried to imbue her with my own emo nature. She wasn't having it, though. It didn't really fit her age, her history, her personality. I'm not saying gen Z can't be emo, just that they had a different emo experience that I can't remove from my own, since I was there in the MySpace/Xanga/Livejournal/AIM era. It's one thing for me to try to write a generation I'm not part of (and tbh, I think Millennial earnestness shines through the story as a whole). But trying to invoke their very different experience of a niche interest of mine was too much.

That and the alt scene, in my experience, tends to be pretty level-headed because we process our emotions with the music and express them in the pit. Noah might've been a different person if she'd had that outlet. Instead, she found Paramore, and related to Hayley's very intense, very personal lyrics on her own. Hayley is very open about her mental health struggles, and while Noah isn't really willing to accept that her own struggles are also mental health-related, she can feel less alone while listening to Hayley's music. That, and Hayley's voice is absolutely incredible.

I think Noah's interest in Sabrina Carpenter comes from a similar place, though with Sabrina it's less about mental health struggles, and more about how disappointing men are but you can't help trying to find a good one anyway. And that it's okay for women to openly love sex. Can't forget that part lol.

This fic is actually a bit of a landmark for me--almost 400k words, and I haven't mentioned Fall Out Boy once. That's my favorite band of all time lol and I think Noah being a fan of them was one of the last things I cut from her character. I just couldn't justify it once I started editing, and had to cut the, like, two times I'd mentioned it. The tattoos on her wrists and thighs were originally supposed to have accompanying Fall Out Boy lyrics ("half-doomed"/"semi-sweet" on the wrists and "parttime soulmate"/"fulltime problem" on her thighs) but I simplified it. She doesn't need all that just because I love a band.

I will use FOB lyrics in a chapter title once we hit Act V though. Just as a treat.

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I don't have anything against any of these pixelated men, but not a single damn one of them is "cool"