Wondering about all the posts I make about Where the Light Is, my Ford/Reader fic on AO3? Hereās the link to the first chapter!
SUMMARY: After a terrible end to an even more terrible relationship, your cousin's invitation to stay with her and her boyfriend in their sleepy little town sounds like exactly the kind of fresh start you need. It also just happens to follow right on the heels of your discovery of a very strange book. Soon you find yourself face-to-face with the Author, and you aren't sure which one of you is more surprised. Before you know it, you're pulled into a world of danger and wonder and paranormal phenomena, and at the heart of it, a brilliant, six-fingered scientist who doesn't know the meaning of "low-key". What is it about Stanford Pines that draws you like the Moth-man to a lamp post? And when the hell are you going to get to see a plaidypus?
Iām sorry everyone, but Iāve come to the decision that I have to get off of tumblr and other sites, including AO3. I have begun to recognize that I have some mental issues, including anxiety and OCD tendencies, and Iām becoming fixated on things to an unhealthy degree. I feel especially bad for all of my readers. But I have to put my mental health first. I am taking steps toward getting help for my condition. I hope you all can understand, and I wish you the best. ā¤ļø
While writing last night, it occurred to me that the Gravity Falls Gossiper would have the most insane newspaper article titles ever. Hereās one I came up with:
āManotaurs Assist with Demolition Project; āGit āem!ā Encourages Mayorā
And I decided this would be a fun game to play. So reblog with your own title! I tag @nelson-and-murdock, @journalnumberthree, @i-prefer-base-twelve, and whoever wants to do it!
While writing last night, it occurred to me that the Gravity Falls Gossiper would have the most insane newspaper article titles ever. Hereās one I came up with:
āManotaurs Assist with Demolition Project; āGit āem!ā Encourages Mayorā
And I decided this would be a fun game to play. So reblog with your own title! I tag @nelson-and-murdock, @journalnumberthree, @i-prefer-base-twelve, and whoever wants to do it!
Just a little note to say that on today this day of commercialized romance and forced affection, youāre all valid whether youāre in a romantic relationship or not. Youāre valid if youāre single or married or in a poly relationship or are ace/aro or whatever you are. You are valid, you are not some puzzle with a piece missing if youāre not in a relationship, you are a whole person and you are valid as you are.
Hello! I was wondering what your url is in reference to? (I recently watched a movie where the monster was named graboid. They were like giant underground worms)
Youāre correct! āGraboidsā are what they call the big worm monsters in the movie Tremors. They made a couple sequels, but I only really like the first one. Itās cheesy and ridiculous and pokes fun at itself and at monster movies in general.
Yoooooooooooooo! CONGLATURATION!!! I am honoured on your behalf :P. Since you're taking drabble requests, I had a really out-of-left-field idea: something involving Mouse and Robbie (because it occurred to me that I don't think they've interacted much in the main fic, if at all, and I wanna see your take on insecure emo boy. :V)
Thanks for the request, this was so much fun! I love getting to stretch my nerd muscles. (Also this turned out hella long.
Itās another typical day at the library: filling hold requests, reshelving books, selecting others to be put up for sale. Thereās a certain point when it becomes mindless busy work, and you fall into a trance. At first you donāt even notice the teenaged boy standing in the middle of the Romance section.
Heās tall and skinny, with jet-black hair that covers eyes rimmed with smudged liner. You recognize him as the boy who dated Wendy and terrorized Dipper last summer; Dipperās drawings of him are shockingly accurate. Robbie Something. Heās hunched over a paperback sporting an image of a muscle-bound man and a scantily-clad woman riding a wild-eyed stallion. Poor horse must be in agony.
The kidās expression is that of mingled bewilderment and horror. You decide to take pity on him. Trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, you walk quietly over to him.
āHi, can Iāā
The book nearly flies out of his hand as he jerks in surprise. āHoly shit!ā he gasps. āWhereād you even come from? You snuck up on me like a littleā¦ā
āMouse?ā you supply with an apologetic smile. āSorry. You just looked like you might need some assistance.ā
The teen narrows his eyes. āWhat, do you work here or something?ā
In answer, you tap the name tag on your chest.
āOh,ā he blurts. āRight. No, Iām good. This?ā He gestures at the lurid novel in his hands. āThis isnātā I donāt read this kind of stuff. This is just forā¦ research. Iām working on a project.ā
You pretend to ignore the obvious avoidance tactic. āOh, what kind of project?ā you ask with interest.
āComposition. Iām a musician.ā He leans against the bookshelf behind him, the very picture of directionless youthful rebellion. āIndie punk rock. You probably wouldnāt be into it.ā
You shrug. āI donāt know, I like the Ramones, and the Pixies. Are they punk?ā
The kidās eyebrows shoot upward, clearly not expecting that response. āYeah,ā he says slowly. āYeah, those guys are legit.ā
You suppress a smile. āSo, youāre writing a punk love song?ā
The boy ā Robbie ā immediately goes on the defense. āMaybe, so what?ā
āNo, thatās great,ā you tell him. āItās justā¦ Harlequin romances may not be the best resource. From what I understand, punk is about defying stereotypes and cultural norms, and those books kind of perpetuate outdated, sexist ideas of love and gender roles.ā
He gives a scoff. āSo youāre some kind of love expert?ā he asks skeptically.
You nearly let out a laugh. āWow. Uhh, no. Quite the opposite, actually.ā A harsh, bitter quality seeps into your voice, against your wishes. āI just read a lot. Librarian.ā You clear your throat. āAnyway, Iāll be over here if you need help.ā
You start to walk away, but Robbie calls to you. āWait.ā
Turning, you find him wringing the old paperback in his hands. āOkay, look,ā he says in a low voice. āMy girlfriend broke up with me over this stupid fight. Iām writing a song to get her back. Not likeā¦ get her back, like I want revenge,ā he amends quickly. āI justā¦ Sheās super important to me, and I donāt want to lose her.ā
He looks so genuinely remorseful, you canāt help feeling sorry for him. āI think a song would be a really sweet gesture,ā you tell him quietly. āWhat sort of things does your girlfriend like to read?ā
He reaches up and scratches the back of his neck. Fingerless gloves. Oof. āSheāsā¦ really into poetry,ā he replies at last. āShakespeare and Dickinson and Keats and crap like that.ā
A smirk finds its way onto your face. āOkay, well, people wouldnāt still be performing Shakespeareās plays four hundred years after heād written them if they were crap, but anyway. Letās check out the poetry section.ā
He follows you like a lost puppy, the cheesy romance novel still clutched in one hand. āYou know, writing songs is a lot like writing poetry,ā you say as you scan the shelves. āTheyāre both about rhythm, flow, expression, hidden meanings.ā
āPshh, I know that.ā His eyes dart around, as if expecting someone to challenge his claim.
After a moment, you find what youāre looking for. āIt sounds like your girlfriend has an appreciation for Gothic poetry. How familiar are you with Poe?ā
For the first time, Robbie smiles. Well, almost anyway. āIāve read some of his stuff for school. He wrote The Tell-tale Heart, right? That was sick.ā
āHe also wrote a lot of poetry. Not just āThe Ravenā, but some beautiful love poems. Theyāre full of such vivid imagery and loss and melancholy, and his use of rhythm is masterful.ā
Ah, dream too bright to last!
Ah, starry Hope! that didst arise
But to be overcast!ā
You shake your head. āIād recommend āAnnabel Leeā, āA Dream within a Dreamā, and āTo One in Paradiseā, for starters,ā you say, handing him an anthology of poems. āJust donāt copy out of them, because I can almost guarantee your girlfriend has already read them.ā
Robbieās cheeks turn red. āYeah, no, I learned my lesson. I write all my own songs now.ā
You check his book out for him at the front counter, glancing at his full name on the computer screen. Robbie Valentino. Appropriate, you think with a smile as you slide the book back to him.
āThanks,ā he mumbles.
āNo problem,ā you reply. āGood luck. Oh, hold up!ā you add as he starts to leave. He frowns, but stays where he is as you run to the Fiction section and grab an additional book: High Fidelity. āThis isnāt poetry, but I think you might find it interesting. Itās about a guy who works in a record store and loves music. He goes through a breakup and has kind of an existential crisis, but he learns a lot of things about himself. And his name is Rob.ā
Robbie blinks a few times. āUhhā¦ okay, Iāll check it out.ā You quickly scan it and hand it to him. āLater.ā
His manner is amusingly furtive as he leaves, as if heās terrified that someone he knows will see him carrying around a book of poems. But at least he took them. Thereās hope for him yet.
The next time Robbie comes in to the library, he makes a beeline to the counter just to inform you that his girlfriend loved the song, and theyāre back together. He invites you to come hear his band play at the all-ages club in town, and that you had better not ālame outā. As you watch him go with another armful of poetry, you feel strangely smug.
You may have been a nerd in school, but itās finally paying off.
I request Ford and Mouse at the lake together (fic or art, Iām fine either way)
@nelson-and-murdock Itās a bit longer than a drabble, but WHO CARES
āāāāā
You park your car and switch off the engine, looking out your windshield at the scene before you. Itās a scorching hot summer day, and Lake Gravity Falls is absolutely swarming with townspeople trying to cool off in the muggy heat. As you peel yourself out of your seat, legs sticking to the faux leather, your immediate impulse is to run straight for the water. But of course, Ford has other ideas.
āHurry along, Mouse,ā he says briskly, hopping out of the passenger side of the car and helping you out. āWeāre burning daylight!ā
āWouldnāt it be better to wait until thereās a little less daylight?ā you grumble, squinting in the sun. He just grabs your gross, sweaty hand and pulls you along like a rag doll. Whatever.
He leads you past the crowds along the shore, and you find yourselves picking your way over rocks, fallen branches, and scraggly bushes as you circumnavigate the lake. You stop at one point to watch your old friend the Parasaurolophus as it wades in the shallow water, dunking his head under the surface to pick aquatic plants. Youāre glad itās doing well. Youāre equally glad that its fellow denizen of the mines, the Utahraptor, isnāt around to terrorize the valley.
At last Ford brings you both to a halt, urging you to crouch down behind a clump of cattails and stay silent. You frown, wondering what on earth is supposed to be happening, but he points a finger at a very familiar-looking hole in the wet earth just above the shoreline. Almost as if on cue, a stout little plaidypus squeezes its way out of the opening and waddles down to the water.
Itās immediately followed but a pair of tiny, fat, adorable plaidypus babies. Theyāre both greenish-blue in color, their tartan patterns barely coming in. You watch as they scamper after their mother, tumbling and tripping all over themselves. Good God.
āOh, get out of town,ā you whisper, reaching out and shoving Fordās shoulder. āTheyāre so cute, I canāt stand it.ā
He chuckles under his breath. āWorth sitting out here in the ninety degree heat and one hundred percent humidity?ā
āDo you even have to ask?ā You fight the urge to squeal in delight as the plaidypus young splash about. āHow did you know about these little guys?ā
Fordās smile is smug. āI have my sources.ā
āThe gnomes?ā
He huffs a laugh. āThe gnomes,ā he confirms. āI knew plaidypus breeding season was a few months ago, so I asked our forest-dwelling friends to keep an eye out for nests. Last week they spotted these two first venturing out of their den, and came to inform me.ā
You feel a warmth in your chest that has nothing to do with the heat. This man really recruited a bunch of gnomes to help him plan an outing that he knew would make you happy. Talk about an anomaly.
āTwins,ā you observe, holding his gaze with your own. āI love twins.ā
He smiles. āTwin brothers, I believe.ā
āStan Junior and Ford Junior,ā you dub them, making him snort with amusement. āOh, I should have brought Porridge! She would have loved playing with them.ā
āUnfortunately, plaidypuses are solitary animals, much like their non-patterned kin,ā says Ford. āAnd theyāre very territorial. Iām afraid this female would feel threatened by the presence of an intruder.ā He shakes his head. āFrankly, Iām amazed that Porridge is so social. She gets along with everyone and everything, including pigs, goats, and Multi-bears.ā
You watch as the babies and their mother look over at you with interest, but donāt show any signs of alarm. āThese ones donāt seem particularly frightened of us.ā
āNo,ā Ford agrees. āItās curious; plaidypuses seem to have no sense of self-preservation when it comes to larger creatures, unless they pose a direct threat to them. They must sense that we mean them no harm.ā
You both stand up slowly, not making any sudden moves so as not to startle your little friends. But theyāre completely unbothered as they root about in the mud for worms.
āI love them,ā you declare, taking Fordās hand. āAnd I love you. Thank you for dragging my sweaty ass out here to see them.ā
Even in the sweltering heat, he manages to blush. āWellā¦ I would think it apparent by now that Iād do anything for you.ā The corner of his lips twitch. āAnd your ass. Sweaty or otherwise.ā
A surprised laugh escapes you. Bending down, you dip a hand into the water and splash him. With an indignant noise, he reaches down and splashes you back, his six-fingered hand creating a much wider spray. Soon youāre both knee-deep in the water, laughing and splashing each other relentlessly while the family of plaidypuses watch in confusion.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Yk, you were warned in the tags of my last post that this was very inevitable--
UH, yeah! @graboidfarmer, my beloved /p, has a super bomb ass Ford/Reader fic, and today is its anniversary! Neither of us realized until like, yesterday, I think, because I mentioned it and then Grab was like "Oh okay" and then I reminded her again this morning so she had'a nyoom to make an announcement post *wheeze*
ANYWAYS YEAH, It's fluffy, it's short, it's just Ford and Mouse because I'm super nervous about trying to write multiple unfamiliar characters at a time, but! It's there nevertheless
AAAAHHH @angelbirdo this is the sweetest thing ever!! No one has ever written a story based on my fic before, and the timing just makes it even better. And itās so damned CUTE!! Thank you so much!
So Ford told Abeula that he did intend to marry Mouse if sheāll have him. How would Ford propose? Would he be a nervous wreck the whole time?
Ford is an incurable nerd, and so is Mouse, and they first bonded over ciphers, so he would absolutely plan an elaborate and ridiculously convoluted series of clues and codes to lead her to some special place, where he would be waiting to propose. But he would be sweating bullets the entire time, wondering if he made it too difficult, or if it was too much in general. And when Mouse finally showed up, heād be so relieved that he would completely forget why he was there, and totally botch his proposal speech, but it wouldnāt matter, because she had a feeling it was coming all along.
So I almost completely failed to realize it, but today is the one-year anniversary of Where the Light Is!!! Hereās a gif interpretation of how I feel about my readers:
I never expected my crazy story with its weirdly specific premise to get the response that it has, or to become the most kudosāed FordxReader fic on AO3 (not counting crossover fics š ). Iām so overwhelmed and grateful to everyone who has read, left comments, sent me asks and requests, made fanart, and justā¦ Yeah. I donāt know how to thank you all. You guys are the best.
I figured I should do something for the occasion, so send me asks! Shoot me a question, drawing idea, drabble request, you name it! Iāll do my best to make it happen!
It has belatedly come to my attention that storyboard Ford is a ridiculous fluffy duckling. So I had to redraw him.
Since people seemed to enjoy the owl Ford challenge, I thought it might be fun for everyone to draw their version of storyboard Ford, too! ā¦StoryFord? Anyway, feel free to add your own!
