Snowflake Challenge #3: Happy Birthday, Sherlock Holmes
Jan. 6th, 2026 08:27 pmFanfic, Protomen, The, Dr. Light & Emily & Mega Man & Proto Man, Happy AU, Family Fluff
Jan. 6th, 2026 05:00 pmTitle: everything a man is supposed to be
Author: bluerosekatie
Fandom: The Protomen (Rock Opera)
Pairing/Characters: Dr. Light & Emily Stanton & Protoman & Megaman
Rating/Category: Gen, background Het
Prompt: Protomen, The (Rock Opera), Emily & Dr. Light & Mega Man & Proto Man, Family fluff (Happy AU)
Spoilers: N/A, but addresses characters/concepts from act 2.
Summary: Blues welcomes his new brother and starts to teach him about their home and family.
Notes/Warnings: Fic is archive-locked to avoid AI scraping.
Read it on Ao3 here!
Author: bluerosekatie
Fandom: The Protomen (Rock Opera)
Pairing/Characters: Dr. Light & Emily Stanton & Protoman & Megaman
Rating/Category: Gen, background Het
Prompt: Protomen, The (Rock Opera), Emily & Dr. Light & Mega Man & Proto Man, Family fluff (Happy AU)
Spoilers: N/A, but addresses characters/concepts from act 2.
Summary: Blues welcomes his new brother and starts to teach him about their home and family.
Notes/Warnings: Fic is archive-locked to avoid AI scraping.
Read it on Ao3 here!
Daily Check-In
Jan. 6th, 2026 05:58 pmThis is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Tuesday, January 6, to midnight on Wednesday, January 7. (8pm Eastern Time).
Poll #34053 Daily Check-in
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 9
How are you doing?
I am OK.
6 (66.7%)
I am not OK, but don't need help right now.
3 (33.3%)
I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans live with you?
I am living single.
5 (55.6%)
One other person.
2 (22.2%)
More than one other person.
2 (22.2%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
Terraria: Quatrain: A Prize to be Won
Jan. 6th, 2026 06:30 pmTitle: A Prize to be Won
Fandom: Terraria
Rating: G
Length: 36 words
Summary: The player completes fishing quests for the Angler.
( Read more... )
Fandom: Terraria
Rating: G
Length: 36 words
Summary: The player completes fishing quests for the Angler.
( Read more... )
No bedbugs, and thoughts on how Buffy/Angel talked about sex
Jan. 6th, 2026 05:46 pmWell, some good news? I misread the Bed Bugs notice on the entrance of my apartment building. Not surprising - considering it was in tiny print. ( I brought home my reading glasses from work to read it properly.) I read after I asked a neighbor if we should be worried about it - and he looked at me quizzically, and said, not really, although I'm always concerned.
Then I read it. It stated:
Units: 81
Inspected: All
Infested:0
Cleaned: 0
Number found: 0
And the date of the inspection.
No wonder I was confused. Without my reading glasses, 0's look like 8's and 9's.
I worried about this all day long, went on the internet (which of course made it worse) - and finally convinced myself to read the sign in the lobby again, but with my reading glasses this time around.
Whew. No bed bugs in the building.
***
Now, I just have to figure out the will - first things first complete it, have it reviewed by lawyer, then sent, notarized and witnessed. And try not to worry about the knees. I'm icing both now. And hobbling very slowly up and down steps. Plus side? I'm grateful I moved years ago to this apartment complex - it's highly accessible for folks with ailments. It has a ramp to the entrance, so you can avoid the two steps. Then once inside - two elevators. So I don't have to go up and down the steps. And, I can either do laundry in the basement or send it out to be down - still without having to go up and down steps. I can also order food to be delivered to me.
Not certain about pharmaceuticals (other places yes, just not sure about my pharmacy).
***
Thought about the Spike/Buffy ("Spuffy") and Angel/Cordy ("Cangel") relationships, and ( Read more... )
I liked how the writers delved in the nasty consequences of using another person to "get off" or using sex as a drug. While alcohol and other drugs - are problematic, using sex as a drug is kind of similar to vampirism - in that you are using someone, with little care to how they feel, to get yourself off. Our society tends to handwave that - or generalize and state all consensual and kinky sex is bad, ie demonize the people and the act of sex (particularly if the act varies from whatever is considered the norm). (Let's face it - our global society and culture has serious issues regarding sex and sexual behavior. Always has. They also like to generalize (no despite what people might think we all don't experience sex the same way, our bodies are very different from each other, and no two people experience or need the same thing in regards to it, everyone is different). Part of our problem is - we can't talk about it in a way that doesn't involve ribald humor or running for the hills. A lot of folks can't say the words vagina and penis. And come up with other words for these parts of their anatomy.) One of the things I loved about Buffy is how the writers satirized societal views regarding sex and the culture's relationship to sex. ( Read more... )
Then I read it. It stated:
Units: 81
Inspected: All
Infested:0
Cleaned: 0
Number found: 0
And the date of the inspection.
No wonder I was confused. Without my reading glasses, 0's look like 8's and 9's.
I worried about this all day long, went on the internet (which of course made it worse) - and finally convinced myself to read the sign in the lobby again, but with my reading glasses this time around.
Whew. No bed bugs in the building.
***
Now, I just have to figure out the will - first things first complete it, have it reviewed by lawyer, then sent, notarized and witnessed. And try not to worry about the knees. I'm icing both now. And hobbling very slowly up and down steps. Plus side? I'm grateful I moved years ago to this apartment complex - it's highly accessible for folks with ailments. It has a ramp to the entrance, so you can avoid the two steps. Then once inside - two elevators. So I don't have to go up and down the steps. And, I can either do laundry in the basement or send it out to be down - still without having to go up and down steps. I can also order food to be delivered to me.
Not certain about pharmaceuticals (other places yes, just not sure about my pharmacy).
***
Thought about the Spike/Buffy ("Spuffy") and Angel/Cordy ("Cangel") relationships, and ( Read more... )
I liked how the writers delved in the nasty consequences of using another person to "get off" or using sex as a drug. While alcohol and other drugs - are problematic, using sex as a drug is kind of similar to vampirism - in that you are using someone, with little care to how they feel, to get yourself off. Our society tends to handwave that - or generalize and state all consensual and kinky sex is bad, ie demonize the people and the act of sex (particularly if the act varies from whatever is considered the norm). (Let's face it - our global society and culture has serious issues regarding sex and sexual behavior. Always has. They also like to generalize (no despite what people might think we all don't experience sex the same way, our bodies are very different from each other, and no two people experience or need the same thing in regards to it, everyone is different). Part of our problem is - we can't talk about it in a way that doesn't involve ribald humor or running for the hills. A lot of folks can't say the words vagina and penis. And come up with other words for these parts of their anatomy.) One of the things I loved about Buffy is how the writers satirized societal views regarding sex and the culture's relationship to sex. ( Read more... )
(A Very Belated) End of Holiday Wishes 2025
Jan. 6th, 2026 03:32 pm*sheepish look* 2026 has been here for nearly a week. (I have some good excuses for not posting at the time, but they're a bit long to explain here.) My sincerest apologies for the delay in getting this post out!
It is most definitely the end of wishlist posting time.
I want to encourage everyone to continue to fulfill wishes as they are inspired/able. The AO3 collection is always open for fanworks created to fulfill wishes.
If you requested people contact you regarding items being shipped, etc., please make sure to check your PMs and/or email so you don't miss any messages.
I know that everyone has been replying with thanks to comments fulfilling wishes, and appreciate that! (If you forgot, now is a good time to reply with your thanks.) If you received an anonymous gift during this wishlist season, you're welcome to leave a comment on this post to thank the gifter.
Thank you all for participating and fulfilling wishes, and best wishes for everyone in this new year!
I've enjoyed running this community for the 2025 season, and hope to see all of you again in November.
- Your mod, doranwen
It is most definitely the end of wishlist posting time.
I want to encourage everyone to continue to fulfill wishes as they are inspired/able. The AO3 collection is always open for fanworks created to fulfill wishes.
If you requested people contact you regarding items being shipped, etc., please make sure to check your PMs and/or email so you don't miss any messages.
I know that everyone has been replying with thanks to comments fulfilling wishes, and appreciate that! (If you forgot, now is a good time to reply with your thanks.) If you received an anonymous gift during this wishlist season, you're welcome to leave a comment on this post to thank the gifter.
Thank you all for participating and fulfilling wishes, and best wishes for everyone in this new year!
I've enjoyed running this community for the 2025 season, and hope to see all of you again in November.
- Your mod, doranwen
Signal Boost (not the post I was expecting to make)
Jan. 7th, 2026 10:16 am(cross-posting this from tumblr, reposted verbatim from
official-auspol as I know more Aussies here)

We need to abolish negative gearing and we need to push for it NOW.
Housing affordability is unattainable unless we get rid of negative gearing. More supply won't matter if negative gearing continues to drive up prices and encourage investors to snap up all the affordable homes.
Pressure on this issue is building up in the Labor Party. Every three years they have a national conference where members debate and hash out policy. July 2026 is the next one so we won't have another before the next election.
So you need to contact your Labor MP AND your Labor Senators (there will be multiple) and tell them you want them to abolish/phase out negative gearing NOW.
Send multiple emails. Get others to do so too. Send one every month BEFORE July this year!
This is our chance to fight for this issue before they resolve to ignore our pleas for the next 3 years. So let's make noise while we can.
( sparing the rest of you )
We need to abolish negative gearing and we need to push for it NOW.
Housing affordability is unattainable unless we get rid of negative gearing. More supply won't matter if negative gearing continues to drive up prices and encourage investors to snap up all the affordable homes.
Pressure on this issue is building up in the Labor Party. Every three years they have a national conference where members debate and hash out policy. July 2026 is the next one so we won't have another before the next election.
So you need to contact your Labor MP AND your Labor Senators (there will be multiple) and tell them you want them to abolish/phase out negative gearing NOW.
Send multiple emails. Get others to do so too. Send one every month BEFORE July this year!
This is our chance to fight for this issue before they resolve to ignore our pleas for the next 3 years. So let's make noise while we can.
( sparing the rest of you )
CHECK IN: DAY 6
Jan. 6th, 2026 10:12 pmI have just been doing an enormous mountain of washing-up (about five days' worth; a the hazard of bachelor living!) and vaguely thinking about possibly typing something... How is progress feeling for other people?
Question of the day: what do you do next when you have just finished a fic?
Question of the day: what do you do next when you have just finished a fic?
Books read, December
Jan. 7th, 2026 09:55 amDecember was either gaming or Yuletiding. I did not read the Wells in December but I hadn't included them earlier, so here they are.
Libby Lawrence is good at pretending, Jodi McAlister
Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta
Behind Frenemy Lines, Zen Cho
Compulsory, Martha Wells (short story)
All Systems Red, Martha Wells
Artificial Condition, Martha Wells
Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy, Martha Wells (short story)
Rogue protocol, Martha Wells
Exit strategy, Martha Wells
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory, Martha Wells (short story)
Network effect, Martha Wells
Fugitive telemetry, Martha Wells
System collapse, Martha Wells
Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending, Jodi McAlister. Uni theatre YA/new adult romance; Libby sleeps with the overly charming director just before he disappears (but just after he embezzles the group’s money); she doesn’t want to tell her best friend, who has her own issues, or any of the other theatre kids, as although she’s always previously been on the outside with bit parts, the replacement director’s cast her as the lead in Much Ado About Nothing. Messy but fun; the best friend part feels underdeveloped but the theatre stuff is good.
Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta. I kept feeling that I should have read this before, because it’s such an Australian classic. Josephine Alibrandi, Italian-Australian, is in her final year as a scholarship student at an exclusive Catholic high school; she fights with her mother (who has raised her on her own, despite her family’s disapproval of her single motherhood), goes out with boys, explores her family history and finally meets her father; it’s vivid, believable, and excellently characterised (Josie is prickly and stubborn and appealing, and her growth throughout the novel is great). Also has lots of Sydney in it.
Behind Frenemy Lines, Zen Cho. Kriya Rajasekar associates Charles Goh with the worst moments in her legal career - flubbing an interview, losing cases etc - and is appalled to discover she’s going to have to share an office with him when her boss/mentor takes her with him to a new legal firm. Charles, meanwhile, is appalled to discover he’s been anyone’s nemesis, and is increasingly concerned at how Kriya’s mentor is treating her. I enjoy Cho’s het romcoms (this is in the same continuity as The Friend Zone Experiment) but I don’t love them. This does have some great moments and I particularly like Charles, who determinedly dresses up in cosplay for his best friend’s lesbian sports-anime themed wedding (she and her wife bonded over their love for the fictitious Duke of Badminton series, which made me snort in amusement as someone who very briefly read fanfic for Prince of Tennis) and then takes the Tube to the venue.
I read all of the extant Murderbot books and shorts in a wild binge. I like them but do not feel fannish at all about them, although I can see why other people do. I like Murderbot and the voice is fantastic, but I find the humans rather interchangeable and I don’t like ART, who becomes increasingly prominent as the books go on. I will probably re-read these again at some stage and see if that changes.
Libby Lawrence is good at pretending, Jodi McAlister
Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta
Behind Frenemy Lines, Zen Cho
Compulsory, Martha Wells (short story)
All Systems Red, Martha Wells
Artificial Condition, Martha Wells
Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy, Martha Wells (short story)
Rogue protocol, Martha Wells
Exit strategy, Martha Wells
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory, Martha Wells (short story)
Network effect, Martha Wells
Fugitive telemetry, Martha Wells
System collapse, Martha Wells
Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending, Jodi McAlister. Uni theatre YA/new adult romance; Libby sleeps with the overly charming director just before he disappears (but just after he embezzles the group’s money); she doesn’t want to tell her best friend, who has her own issues, or any of the other theatre kids, as although she’s always previously been on the outside with bit parts, the replacement director’s cast her as the lead in Much Ado About Nothing. Messy but fun; the best friend part feels underdeveloped but the theatre stuff is good.
Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta. I kept feeling that I should have read this before, because it’s such an Australian classic. Josephine Alibrandi, Italian-Australian, is in her final year as a scholarship student at an exclusive Catholic high school; she fights with her mother (who has raised her on her own, despite her family’s disapproval of her single motherhood), goes out with boys, explores her family history and finally meets her father; it’s vivid, believable, and excellently characterised (Josie is prickly and stubborn and appealing, and her growth throughout the novel is great). Also has lots of Sydney in it.
Behind Frenemy Lines, Zen Cho. Kriya Rajasekar associates Charles Goh with the worst moments in her legal career - flubbing an interview, losing cases etc - and is appalled to discover she’s going to have to share an office with him when her boss/mentor takes her with him to a new legal firm. Charles, meanwhile, is appalled to discover he’s been anyone’s nemesis, and is increasingly concerned at how Kriya’s mentor is treating her. I enjoy Cho’s het romcoms (this is in the same continuity as The Friend Zone Experiment) but I don’t love them. This does have some great moments and I particularly like Charles, who determinedly dresses up in cosplay for his best friend’s lesbian sports-anime themed wedding (she and her wife bonded over their love for the fictitious Duke of Badminton series, which made me snort in amusement as someone who very briefly read fanfic for Prince of Tennis) and then takes the Tube to the venue.
I read all of the extant Murderbot books and shorts in a wild binge. I like them but do not feel fannish at all about them, although I can see why other people do. I like Murderbot and the voice is fantastic, but I find the humans rather interchangeable and I don’t like ART, who becomes increasingly prominent as the books go on. I will probably re-read these again at some stage and see if that changes.
Write Every day 2026: January, Day 6
Jan. 6th, 2026 09:20 pmThird headache day in a row; this sucks. (Today is a bit better than yesterday, but I want it to go away! *kicks it*)
Today's writing
Just a little
fandomtrees work, but I'm really losing momentum here. :(
(I did finish my
candyheartsex letter last night, at least. Now I just have to hope someone requests something I can write ... Sign-ups are still open until tomorrow, btw!)
Tally
Day 1:
alightbuthappypen,
badly_knitted,
brithistorian,
carenejeans,
chanter1944,
china_shop,
cornerofmadness,
goddess47,
luzula,
philomytha,
sanguinity,
shadaras,
sylvanwitch,
the_siobhan,
trobadora,
ysilme
Day 2:
alightbuthappypen,
badly_knitted,
brithistorian,
carenejeans,
chanter1944,
china_shop,
cornerofmadness,
goddess47,
sanguinity,
shadaras,
sylvanwitch,
the_siobhan,
trobadora,
ysilme
Day 3:
alightbuthappypen,
badly_knitted,
brithistorian,
carenejeans,
chanter1944,
china_shop,
cornerofmadness,
goddess47,
luzula,
sanguinity,
shadaras,
sylvanwitch,
the_siobhan,
trobadora,
ysilme
Day 4:
alightbuthappypen,
badly_knitted,
brithistorian,
carenejeans,
chanter1944,
china_shop,
cornerofmadness,
goddess47,
luzula,
sanguinity,
shadaras,
sylvanwitch,
the_siobhan,
trobadora,
ysilme
Day 5:
badly_knitted,
brithistorian,
carenejeans,
chanter1944,
china_shop,
cornerofmadness,
goddess47,
luzula,
sanguinity,
shadaras,
sylvanwitch,
trobadora,
ysilme
Day 6:
china_shop,
trobadora
Let me know if I missed anyone! And remember you can drop in or out at any time. :)
Today's writing
Just a little
(I did finish my
Tally
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5:
Day 6:
Let me know if I missed anyone! And remember you can drop in or out at any time. :)
Do You Still Like Me? by Siyen
Jan. 6th, 2026 08:07 pm
After a bad break up with his first love, Jinwoo falls into a creative slump with his ceramic art. During this slump he meets Colton, an alpha with whom he has a history. As things get steamy, it’s clear that they both have an agenda. And soon enough, the situation starts to get a whole lot more complicated. It was bound to, especially when pheromones are involved…
My Rate: 8 (www.lezhinus.com/en/comic/do_you_still)
Do You Still Like Me? by Siyen is a standout title in the BL genre, particularly for readers who are tired of high school tropes and toxic dynamics. It is an Omegaverse story that subverts many of its own genre’s cliches. The story follows Jinwoo (Damon), a 30-year-old ceramic artist who has fallen into a deep creative and emotional slump following a devastating breakup with his first love. In the midst of this, he reconnects with Colton, a 37-year-old Alpha with whom he has a complicated history. What begins as a mutually beneficial, low-intensity BDSM contract relationship—intended to help Jinwoo find his creative spark again—evolves into a deeply emotional journey of healing and domestic love. This is a rare and well-executed Alpha/Alpha story. Neither character is a "pushover"; they are both mature, established adults who treat each other as equals. While both characters carry scars from past relationships, the narrative focuses on their progress and how they gently nudge each other toward recovery. Siyen’s art is frequently cited as "stunning" and "realistic," capturing the rugged, mature handsomeness of men in their 30s rather than the typical "pretty boy" look. The first 5–10 chapters can be disorienting. The story begins in media res (in the middle of a scene) and uses frequent flashbacks with black backgrounds to distinguish the past. Stick with it; things click into place by chapter 20. There is a prequel titled Still, I Like You, which focuses on Jinwoo’s brother and his ex-lover. While it provides backstory, most fans recommend reading Do You Still Like Me? as a standalone, as the prequel is often considered lower quality and isn't necessary for the plot.

