I’m sort of running out of steam with 5T1L35 and I’m beginning to wonder if I should just...
... rewrite it with Xion and Tifa as the main characters.
Xion, facing the sibling that abused her as a young age, convinced she would not tell or feel the effects because she had been hurt by a Heartless at a young age and returned home weeks later as a Nobody.
Tifa, the recalled microwave AI who calls the police on Xion’s abusive girlfriend who nearly kills her in a fight.
The police refusing to address Nobody on Nobody crime.
Xion, slowly falling in love with her recalled microwave AI.
Xion, slowly falling in love with Tifa.
IDK, I could change Tifa -- T1F4 -- to another character, but I just really want a giant cast of ladies, okay? Xion is non-negotiable because this story is about, well, kinda my backstory and I identify a lot with Xion.
Since I've been quiet about my projects on here for a while, I just wanted to announce that Come Sleep Always, the story I put Cafe Shifter and NQTD on hold for, is nearly done. At 26.9k, I should finish writing in about two days, editing in three, upon which time I will resume writing for my other in progress works.
Big thanks to those who have been helping me, be it through Editing, Cultural Consulting, or Translation services:
Alexa (Sa-Chan-Desu,) Kiyomi (Malaproprian,) Miz, Valerie, Elpie (AnAbundanceofStilinskis,) the entire Steter Network Chatsy for putting up with my monologues, and last -- but most definitely not least -- Martina (DefinitelyAHaleWolf.)
If anyone was wondering where I've been, I've been writing fic (and working.) And I'm going to continue writing fic until I'm all caught up.
Here's what I've been working on.
Also, big thanks to DefinitelyaHaleWolf for being an amazing Muse and generally being the greatest soundboard I could ever ask for. She is amazing and deserves so much love.
~~In which Laura is an Asshole~~
Glancing in her rear-view mirror, she watched as Scott fumbled with his phone, then held it in Stiles' general direction.
“Hey, Lau-” Stiles began.
“Brake test,” she interrupted, tapping on the pedal and grinning manically as Stiles jerked his Jeep to the side in an attempt to avoid any possible collision. She hung up, then rolled her window down a fraction as they returned to normal driving behavior to savor the boy's frazzled, “Son of a bitch!”
5T1L35 - 11.2k/60k
~~In which Kate Argent is a Legitimate Character~~
“Like, how do they know what's right and wrong, anyway? Sometimes it feels like there's this pamphlet that tells you what to do, and you get it when you're born, but I missed it. It feels like the world is keeping its secrets from me and just – Good and bad, black and white. It's like everyone has it figured out but me.”
Since no one has sent in any prompts I'm gonna go ahead and post a snippet from my project 5T1L35, which I have every intention of finishing before I begin posting because NQTD is a thing.
There are a few strange words in here, which is due to the story taking place around 2400AD. I needed a new vocabulary for a new society, after all. As Copacetic made a comeback in the nineties, it will make a comeback in this story, along with less common words like "unco," which means strange and/or amazing. Meanwhile words that we associate with the past will occasionally earn reactions similar to how the current younger generation reacts to phrases such as "the bees knees."
Keep in mind all the dialogue in 5T1L35 is expected to be rewritten at least three more times due to the quirks and changes present in society and an estimation as to how this will effect speech. This is essentially the rough draft of the rough draft.
---
Later that night, it occurred to Derek that he was in college. He was supposed to know better than to play basketball indoors. What if he had broken something? Werewolf reflexes or not, accidents happen. There was a time and place for everything; especially sports and common sense.
It was with this mindset that he finally pulled out his phone and called Paige. Not text, not e-mailed -- called. As the line went to connect, he waited with bated breath.
One ring.
Two rings.
Three ri- "What do you want?" Paige snapped.
"I wanted to apologize. For today."
Derek blinked, leaning up against the kitchen counter uneasily. He wasn't actually thought beyond that point. "I, uh..." There was a flash in the corner of his eye, drawing his attention away from the conversation as toward the microwave in the corner.
TELL HER WHAT YOU DID WRONG, 5T1L35 insisted, display flashing urgently. BE SPECIFIC.
The boy blinked. It sounded like good advice. What did he have to lose, really?
Paige, his brain traitorously replied.
Underneath all this he felt the beginnings of a panic attack begin to build. What was he doing talking to her? He couldn't talk to her. He wasn't-
DON'T OVERTHINK IT, the microwave prompted quickly, letters flashing across the display fast enough to nearly give Derek whiplash.
"In the music wing," the boy began slowly, not really sure what he was thinking. "I was being inconsiderate."
"Big word for a jock," Paige teased, though her tone had lost its edge. "I'd personally say you were more incogitant. Is that all you have to say?"
Derek's hand went over the mouthpiece as he urgently whispered, "She's asking for more."
GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT YOU WERE THINKING AT THE TIME. LAY THE REGRET ON THICK, 5T1L35 advised.
The boy nodded with a small grunt of acknowledgement. Slowly, he removed his hand from the mouthpiece. The last thing he needed to explain was that he was taking his social cues from a microwave. "No," he said slowly. He tried to make it sound sad. Awkward. It didn't take much seeing as he was, in fact, sad and awkward. "It was really stupid of me, but the gym was taken and I wanted to show off. So we played in the hallway. And when you came out I got this weird idea in my head that I should impress the guys and it... I was being childish."
"Yeah, you were," she agreed softly. Her tone was sweet now; almost fond. Motherly. Like she understood where he was coming from and, while she didn't forgive him, she at least acknowledge that he regretted it.
And wow; Derek was in love, wasn't he? "So, uh," he began, trying to ignore the frantic pounding in his chest and the dull buzz in his stomach. "Can you forgive me?"
NICE TOUCH, 5T1L35 commented.
Derek made a face.
Paige laughed. "Of course I can. You're sorry, aren't you?"
The boy nodded, though he knew she couldn't see. "Yeah, I am. It won't happen again. I promise."
"Then we're good," she told him confidently. "Besides, I wasn't all that nice, myself."
"At least you had a reason," the boy argued. "I was just being a brat."
"A 'brat'?" she quoted, shocked.
"It means-"
"Oh, no, sorry. I know what it means," the girl interjected quickly. "It's just such an old fashioned word. I didn't expect you to know it."
"I like old fashioned words," Derek told her honestly.
"Really?" Once more, surprise colored her tone. "I didn't know. That's rather unco of you."
He blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah! I mean, you may not think you're interesting, but that's very unique."
"Uh..." He felt heat rise in his neck, and he attempted to fight off the impending glow in his cheeks. "Thank you."
There was a short bout of shuffling on the other end, and he could only assume Paige was switching ears. "Did you study old language stiles at any point?"
"A little. Not much. I mean, I really like old movies, but only so many have been preserved."
"You're talking about the second surreal movement, right? That was a pretty big disaster."
"You're telling me," he sighed. "But I have a bunch of films from 2050 sitting around if you're interested." It had slid out of his mouth before he could stop it. The invitation hung in the air for a long while, and as each second passed Derek felt a weight settling heavier and heavier over him.
YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT, Stiles flashed to his right.
Derek turned away.
Paige sighed, then -- much to his relief -- laughed. "How did this go from you apologizing to you asking me on a date?"
