Thursday, December 10, 2020

~~~

Two things:

1.

I had to dress up all formal for something, and I could have either worn a button down and my tie, or a nice blouse and skirt.

I wanted to wear the button down, but I also wanted the skirt.

I went with the skirt and blouse, but I just realized. I could have worn the button down and tie and the skirt underneath. 

I COULD HAVE LOOKED FABULOUS, LIKE DEMIGIRL I AM, BUT NOOOOOOOOOOO

I had to let the patriarchy, gender stereotypes, and heteronormativity ruin it.

Next time I get to dress up, I'm not holding back.

2. 

I made a big mistake.

I started a new, multi-chapter fic in my drafts.

I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN TO, IT JUST HAPPENED!! 

One minute I was causally going through fic prompts, then BAM! A plot hit me over the head and hasn't stopped beating me since.

And originally, it was just a whole "person A kidnaps person B from side B, but little did we know but person B had a bad fight with side B so person B feels awful so when person A and C interrogate them they comply with side A. This snowballs (healthily) into person A, B, and C getting together, only for side B to show up and try to take person B back, when B doesn't want to go with them because they love person A and C". Pretty gay-forward. 

BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It turns into a mafia/gang AU.

Which, fine, I can do that. Little more research on guns and weapons, whatever. I can deal.

But then.

But then.

But then.

It turned into a dystopian/slightly-not-our-world universe and I nearly started crying because why me?!?!

I'm just writing this nice fic, having already broken a charcter down and established a background for one of the mafia/gang groups, when I realize.

No place has this many tunnels underneath a city, not like how I'm writing it. Why can't they live above ground? They go above ground but why aren't they up there?

And BAM!

There are two moons, I'm low key modeling the two mafia/gang groups after Good Omens' heaven and hell, and I'm flipping the traditional use of imagery because hell yes.

What is flipping traditional use of imagery you ask?

Take good vs evil, white vs black, warmth/light vs cold/dark.

Good vs evil

The good guys are the ones who've hurt the protagonist the most.

The evil guys are the ones who are trying to heal the shattered protagonist.

White vs black (color not skin)

The "good" guys wear lots of white and lighter colored clothes, and their building is clean and big, very organized. But it feels empty, too big, it feels wrong.

The "bad" guys wear lots of black and darker colored clothes, their spaces are dimmer and cramped, often sticking more to the shadows. But it feels safe, it feels cozy, like home.

Warmth/Light vs Cold/Dark

When describing the "good" guys, I use metaphors and tones of heat and light. Burning, overly passionate, dangerous. Unlike the normal uses of light and warmth as safe.

When describing the "bad" guys, I use metaphors and tones of cool and darkness. Calming, soothing, safe. Unlike the usual uses of dark and cold for unsafe places.

I flip the use. 

The insults aimed at the protagonist stop all further talking, just like the cauterization tool the insulter often uses. <—- heat for what the main society would call the good guys.

His voice was cool, soothing protagonist's flying thoughts like a breeze of relief on a summer's days, freezing the burning fire of the memories away. <—- cold for what the society calls the bad guys (also the memories are using heat because they were inflicted by the "good" guys)

I love messing with society's traditional use of imagery, it's like watching old white men turn in their graves because you're everything they hate. It's powerful and makes me feel like I could burn the world down.

What was I complaining about?

Oh right, my complex, multi-chapter, angsty, dystopian/not-quite-our-world, mafia/gang AU with poly gays fic-in-progress.

When the plot hits you, it hits ya hard.

Stay safe kiddos, sorry for going all English-teacher on ya!

Love you all <3<3<3

~Ink