“Caroline Ouellette And Julie Chu, Who Were On-ice Rivals For Years And Former Captains Of The Canadian

Some words to use when writing things:

winking

clenching

pulsing

fluttering

contracting

twitching

sucking

quivering

pulsating

throbbing

beating

thumping

thudding

pounding

humming

palpitate

vibrate

grinding

crushing

hammering

lashing

knocking

driving

thrusting

pushing

force

injecting

filling

dilate

stretching

lingering

expanding

bouncing

reaming

elongate

enlarge

unfolding

yielding

sternly

firmly

tightly 

harshly

thoroughly

consistently

precision

accuracy

carefully

demanding

strictly

restriction

meticulously

scrupulously

rigorously

rim

edge

lip

circle

band

encircling

enclosing

surrounding

piercing

curl

lock

twist

coil

spiral

whorl

dip

wet

soak

madly

wildly

noisily

rowdily

rambunctiously

decadent

degenerate

immoral

indulgent

accept

take

invite

nook

indentation

niche

depression

indent

depress

delay

tossing

writhing

flailing

squirming

rolling

wriggling

wiggling

thrashing

struggling

grappling

striving

straining

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#thank you for this brilliant analysis #raven is the best

This is minute and not really well-thought out as I’m still trying to process some things that have happened in the last episode, but can we talk about how Raven does not only grow as a person the way she once told Sinclair she would, but actually comes to terms with Sinclair’s death through that?

The thing with her line “You’re always with me” and her deciding to choose life over pain is that it brings attention to one very particular emotional scene between them that took place way back in season 3 (3x03).

We all know that Raven’s need to hide her pain becomes very hard in the beginning, most notable when she tries to fight her physical disability by lying about it, but also visible through the emotional toll the traumatic experiences she’d been exposed to have taken on her by keeping a certain distance from the people she loves. It becomes clear that she can’t think of happiness or self-acceptance as a possibility at that time - driving herself to the point wherein she can’t even work anymore (which usually represented an escape for her).

When Sinclair breaks through Raven’s barrier and notices that she is a bundle of neuroses who purposely refuses Abby’s help (even though there is a way for her to get it with the medical equipment in Mount Weather) as she thinks she deserves the pain for all the things she’s failed to do and treats it as a sort of self-punishment for every person she couldn’t save while also believing that she is broken and therefore not fixable it’s him who let’s her know that she deserves more than any of this. That she is more than her pain and the losses.

I think I will never get over the motivation Sinclair brought out in Raven in this show, because this is something that he always made clear to her. That he always saw her awesomeness in a way no one else ever did, giving her the chances of a lifetime because he understood that she’s always been special - a little heart-murmur is nothing to him if it means that she can be who she wants to be. He’s come to represent the hand on her shoulder that grounds her, the one person who never once stopped believing that she is able to pull it off.

And while Raven wants to believe the things he says she doesn’t come to that understanding in 3x03 - not just because it is a process in itself, but because right after this conversation Raven fails to save more people - including a friend, Gina. So, diluted by that loss and fresh pain, Raven spirals deeper into darkness and isolation and becomes an easy target for none other than ALIE.

She takes the chip after convincing herself that she’s got nothing to lose and gets rid of everything, stripping her body and mind from who she actually is.

The fact that, for a while, Raven seems to be okay with what the chip does to her doesn’t escape anyone, even when we, as the audience, know that ALIE isn’t to be trusted since we know what her “key” does to people. She finds the solace in it that she hadn’t been experiencing for a long time, so she let’s that feeling wash over her and affect her to the point that she forgets about things - not just her pain, but also the things and people she loves (e.g Finn).

When Raven gets rid of the chip the first thing she experiences is death again. And it’s not just a simple death, but it’s her witnessing Sinclair dying on the ground, a fight she faces and can’t overcome, because she can’t save him.

While many people have made clear that Raven doesn’t let Sinclair’s death distract her from saving the world, working day in and out (Monty says that she hasn’t been sleeping for days - the circle under her eyes certainly tell the story) trying to find a way to defeat ALIE with her friends, there is a part in her that refuses to accept it. The difference this time is that the ALIE-upgrade - that she isn’t aware of in season 3 - and being able to focus on work/a fight give her the opportunity to not think about it (something she didn’t have before she took the chip), but the loss doesn’t go by her. Instead it hits her straight in the heart.

The first time we come to that realization is in 4x02, when she mentions Sinclair while she believes that she can’t run the repair of the ship alone, not able to place any trust in her skill-set as the awesome Raven Reyes she is:

And In 4x11, when she literally manifests him during another seizure, seeing her heart fight the remains of ALIE’s code in her brain for the first (and last) time:

The thing with 4x11 is that Raven does all the things she thought she couldn’t do before. For example, to win the fight against the brain damage (ALIE’s upgrade that Jasper first noticed about Raven way back in 4x01) - especially alone. Or the fact that she can and should place trust in herself and her talent, because she does not only come to realize that she, in fact, can save herself from dying in Becca’s lab or somewhere up in space, but also that she can be who she has always been at her core - the Raven Reyes who doesn’t quit, but keeps fighting. Live for herself without punishing her being with pain or the losses of the people she loves  “I don’t choose pain. I choose life”.

And when she says “You’re always with me” she, for the first time, genuinely accept the loss of someone without blaming herself - Sinclair’s death. For the first time she does not distract her mind or delves into pain or isolates herself in yet another room only to end up looking out of the window because she hates being alone, but she focuses on getting to her hearts true desire, to drive her body forward so that she can come out of this situation un-dead, to reach out to her friends through the radio and say “This is Raven Reyes, and I am alive”.

I said it before, but I will say it again. Raven’s story line this season has catapulted my love for her into a whole new sphere and the character growth (especially the emotional progression) is off the fucking charts.

Yes, Raven couldn’t save Sinclair back in Arkadia, there was just no chance, but there is no blame either. Instead, she tells him that he has been and will always be with her, because at her heart she never forgets.

Day 8: favourite trope to read or write and is there a difference in reading or writing that trope.

Hmmm … a very good question! I recently read the Phedre trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. After reading the first book, Kushiel’s Dart, my life and writing has been rendered transformed. The books are written in first person and the detail of the world building and the twists in the plot are exquisite. Reading this trilogy has pushed me to reconsider the roller coaster plot structure and approach my current wip into something more interesting. Hopefully I can be at least a quarter as successful as Carey. If you have not read her stories, I highly recommend them.

In the trilogy, the tropes of “enemies to lovers” and “lovers to enemies” is explored. It is so beautifully done! In my current wip, I’m working on lovers to enemies for my main character. A character who is also a flawed hero with a heart of gold.

Wish me luck!

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The war on drugs is rooted in racist policies . The failure of the war and drugs is obvious. We need to find a better solution, because people of color should never be the victims of racist policies. White Americans are more likely than black Americans to have used most kinds of illegal drugs, including cocaine and LSD. Yet blacks are far more likely to go to prison for marijuana, which is not a hard drug. Moreover , even when white people get caught , they get less time in prison. 

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This! Thank you @entirelytookeen :)

How come you didn’t ship bellarke before clexa happened, and now that clexa is finished, why not ship bellarke? I’m just curious and also a little envious as our fandom does not have as good writers as you (yes I am a bellarke shipper)

I confessed in a post about why I love Bellamy that when I started the show, I did so because I found the aesthetic and premise appealing, but I’d first heard noise about it because there was a really popular femslash pairing. (This was midway between season two.) I thought, “with my luck the dynamic between the girls will be boring twee sweetness and I’ll end up shipping the heroine with this goober I can tell is CW-flavored endgame from the first ten minutes of the pilot. Because I already love that goober.”

But I was wrong! Not just about how Clexa played out, but also about Bellamy and Clarke, as I further expand on in that post about him. I tend to ship characters who believe in the same thing, but have wildly different approaches to how to get it – so the fundamental understanding between them is there, but the tension between their methodologies leads to interpersonal friction that (hopefully) leads to better mutual understanding. (I didn’t sit down and decide I would do it this way, of course, I’ve just noticed a pattern.) That’s Clexa in a nutshell.

But it’s not Bellamy and Clarke – they’re the polar opposite in my opinion. They believe and strive for very different things, and all they share is an investment in propping up the system they believe will lead to their different goals, or prioritizing the people who will do the same. If anything I anti-ship them, not because of silly fandom squabbles but because I think they bring out the worst in each other if unchecked. 

So much of their interaction in seasons one and two (again, I stopped watching after three and I’m completely uninterested in any other seasons, so please don’t write me saying I’m “wrong” because of them) leads to the most grim and traumatic outcomes: Lincoln’s torture, pulling the lever at Mount Weather, even Bellamy’s undercover mission and the fall of TonDC. They weren’t the only variables at work in those situations, of course. But because of their lack of similar ethos but shared logos, when it’s just the two of them? In close quarters? That’s when bad shit goes down. 

To be fair, this is also why I like them as friends. They’re both carrying really deep emotional scars from life on the Ark, so they’re kinda like… trauma buddies. The emotional abuse they’ve both suffered really has removed their sense of when to put on the breaks, as it were, and I like the idea that they can look at each other and say, “thank goodness for someone else who realizes there is no such thing as constancy, or permanent safety, all we really have are coping methods that help us get better at pretending. Someone else who will do, quite literally, whatever it takes.” But at brass tacks this is a really poisonous worldview, as even their behavior acting as individuals can back up. And while I like the idea they can look at each other and feel less alone to see someone who is broken in similar ways, if I want them to heal, they need to be shaken up and shaken out of it. 

I don’t think they’re capable of doing that for each other. Together, Bellamy and Clarke tend to fall back into old, Ark-era roles or patterns of behavior – understandable, since they’ve been conditioned to see each other in those roles since birth. (Even when they fight, they’re more fighting the ideas of each other left over from the Ark.) Turning that into a romance feels like romanticizing those abusive systems, i.e. “their love cancels out their trauma.” And I have to be honest, the fandom surrounding them seems to buy into that, with the whole “she’s his princess, he’s her soldier” shtick which I find… repellent.

(not to bash your ship, bunny, but you did ask)

So I was never going to ship them, regardless. And even now, the thought of them ending up together is less upsetting because of Lexa’s presence or lack thereof, and more because Raven and Bellamy are the clear standouts as a (still-living) couple: thematically, narratively, and even in terms of actor chemistry. If Bellamy and Clarke are endgame, it’s just another nail in the coffin of incredibly poor writing and tone-deaf characterization that led to the show becoming unwatchable in its third season. (Instead of, again, Lexa’s presence or lack thereof.) When I used to get angry at the thought of Clarke and Bellamy together, it’s because I believed the show was better than that; I don’t anymore, and that’s what makes me sad. 

… so now that’s cleared up, let me take a moment. 

Not to rap your knuckles or anything, but Clexa is not “over.” I’m sure you were just speaking in terms of continuance in canon… but still. I’m going to take this opportunity to put it out there that coming into the blog of someone who so (passionately) ships two female characters and asking them, if one was killed off, why they don’t just switch to the heterosexual pairing that involves the character left standing, is not a good look! I’m flattered you like my writing so much and I’m going to take your question as the compliment I’m sure you meant it, but I feel like I would be doing you something of a disservice if I gave the impression that it didn’t also cross a line.

Even if you missed my posts on what an amazing, perspective-shifting experience it’s been for me as a lesbian to write romances between two women for an audience who is hungry for exactly those stories, this remains a Not-Good Look. Considering the rate at which lesbian and bisexual female characters are killed off, taking their deaths as a reason to stop shipping – as in, stop celebrating their stories and love, stop writing the potential that was unexplored, stop honoring what pieces of representation they did provide and why death does not impact its importance – would basically mean the death of femslash fandom as a whole. Which is exactly what the wrong kind of people want. Especially the predominantly male, cis, white, and heterosexual showrunners who see any story that is not an extension of their own lived experience or reflective of how their experiences are the best and should be taken as universal. (#notallmaleciswhitehetshowrunners) 

I think shipping as activism is misguided, but at the same time I can believe that an audience caring about the “wrong” couples is a finger in the eye of people who make their livings persuading others that whiteness and heterosexuality are the only valuable commodities. Those people are genuinely threatened by an audience who wants the girl to get the girl, or who rallies around heterosexual couples where not just one but both characters are played by actors of color. Because American television is very much part of the capitalist machine, and if they can’t use it to skew the value of concepts they feel they “own” – that the main dude has to prioritize the white female lead over all other romantic prospects, that the bisexual heroine can suffer interestingly in relationships with other women but her happy endgame has to be with a dude – they have to fall back on things like writing talent, and, well. 

I’m wandering into the weeds a bit, but my point stands: if I stop shipping the characters I love just because the people in charge decided one of them had to die, the terrorists win it would be antithetical to fandom itself. A large part of the purpose of fandom is to reclaim popular narratives from those who would use them to toxic ends, to prove that systematic privilege does not mean you get to completely dictate the destinies of those who lack it – even in fiction. 

So they killed Lexa. That’s within their purview. But that can’t touch Clexa. It would be an error to translate their mistakes as impact. Or to believe their actions should, in any way, guide my own. 

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Excellent list! I encourage you to read one of my all time fave cannon clexa fics <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/4218687"><strong>Within Me An Invincible Summer</strong></a> (61657 words) by <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/thrace"><strong>thrace</strong></a><br />Chapters: 12/12<br />Fandom: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20100%20(TV)">The 100 (TV)</a><br />Rating: Not Rated<br />Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings<br />Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa<br />Characters: Clarke Griffin, Lexa (The 100), Abby Griffin<br />Summary: <p>Clarke spends the winter resenting Lexa. </p><p>But seasons change, and so do people.</p>

Clexa fic rec masterlist

1. She by thefooliam- This fic is probably the number one popular Clexa modern au and one of the top fics period (in my opinion, is number one; I’m so weak for Clexa modern aus). Clarke and Lexa are paired together as college roommates, much to their dismay, but they’re fucking soulmates. This fic is so well-written, it’s one of the very best pieces of writing I’ve ever read (and I have a BA in English literature) in its depiction of real, meant-to-be love, and honest to God it just feels so real, it’s so Special, and even if you don’t ship Clexa, even if you aren’t LGBT, seriously EVERYONE should read this damn fic okay, because it’s amazing. Also, I feel like the author is psychic and someone took a peek into my life and the development of my relationship with my wife back when we fell in love in college, and wrote it down just for me. It’s just so special to my heart and I hope this fic stays up forever. I hope she converts the names to OC and publishes this book. I will buy  it. God, I will buy it and read it every fucking day of my life, that is how much I love this fic. I reread this at least once a month. 65,983 words, completed.

2. We Looked Like Giants by colonelpancake04

One of the earliest Clexa fics I read. I can’t even describe why exactly I love this little nugget so much. It’s a modern au about Octavia’s cousin Lexa moving in with them and she is totally off limits to Clarke because of that, but of course, fuckin’ soulmates, they can’t resist each other. I love their first time and they just make me smile. A lovely fic and one of my top 3 faves. I reread it often. 21,537 words, completed.

3. I’d Give Up Forever to Touch You by geralehane

I’m probably going to hell for how much I love this fic. Pretty much every chapter is delightfully sinful smut. Clarke and Lexa are two girls that are forced to live together when Abby is dating Lexa’s father. They ‘hate’ each other and they’re freaking out because once Clarke’s mom and Lexa’s dad marries, they’ll legally be step-siblings, but they’re fucking soulmates and they can’t keep their hands off each other. They love each other so much, real love. The dynamic between them is hilarious, I love partygirl!Clarke/asshole!Clarke paired with sexynerdyfocuseddriven!Lexa, and I just love this fic. I reread this all the time too. 49,762 words, completed.

Other favorites (after about 5, these aren’t really in any particular order, I love them all so much):

4. More Women Than Warriors by Steklir

This fic is incomplete but still in top 5 favorites. It’s incredibly well-written, descriptive and gorgeous, and this author too is one of those rare gems that is able to really put across in her writing knowledge of what real love feels like. It’s a british boarding school au, Clarke is from America but transfers there, Nia is the mean lil ice queen here too, Lexa is the badass, dedicated Heda, and she and Clarke are hopelessly in love, total soulmates. Trigedasleng is cleverly integrated in this fic, and Clexa’s relationship is beautiful. I’m so weak for it. 98,441 words, in progress.

5. They take their shots but we’re bulletproof by nightshifted

A canonverse au, one of the first Clexa fics I read. Clarke is PISSED at Lexa after the end of season 2, but Lexa finds her and makes sure she’s cared for. They play chess and talk and it’s just wonderful. 9,539 words, complete.

6. Ground and Pound by dance_tilyouredead

This is an MMA au with Clarke and Lexa as rivals going to throw down, the world can’t help but ship them, and fuck, they practically ship themselves. They try to maintain that rivalry and hate one another but, come on…again…soulmates. I love this fic because even when they’re fighting, the thirst is so real. 19,336 words, complete.

7. Blood rush in the hazy glow by firetestsgold

A modern au where Clarke is a college kid who relentlessly keeps going to the locals favorite bar because she can’t resist challenging the broody mysterious Lexa, all dark leather and darker eyeliner. I love the love/hate dynamic and eventual relationship. 59,256 words, complete.

8. You See the Smile That’s On My Mouth (it’s hiding the words that don’t come out) by heartshapedcandy

A childhood modern au where Clarke and Lexa are fuckin soulmates and best friends and it takes them a ridiculous amount of time to figure that out. 48,667 words, complete.

I also feel like I should mention I have loved you since we were eighteen (long before we both thought the same thing) by forbiddenquill, but it’s incomplete and hasn’t been updated since November of 2015 :( It’s another childhood au where they take way too long to realize they’re soulmates.

9. Are you a kidnapper? (Because you abducted my heart) by 707

Clarke and Lexa have ‘hated’ each other since childhood, partly because of the sexual tension between them. When they’re kidnapped and trapped together, that sexual tension comes to a head. 61,373 words, in progress.

10. Where There Is A Flame by eternaleponine

This fic is MAJOR slowburn. Chapters are very short and updated twice a week; Clexa don’t properly meet until like after chapter 50, I can’t remember the exact chapter. Lexa is depressed and in a bad place after losing Costia, Clarke is not in a great place either because Finn is a creepy stalker, and the two girls end up helping one another out, becoming friends, and falling in love. Their relationship is heart-achingly beautiful and it’s well-written. 153,810 words, in progress.

11. Lover in Low Light by chrmdpoet

I mean, anything charmed writes is going to be great, and this certainly is. It aches your heart, how much these characters are meant to be. They’re soulmates who were split up but find each other again 5 years later, and even though they’re both in relationships and try to fight it, come on, soulmates, they can’t! My favorite parts of this fic are definitely the flashbacks (especially the library ones hehe) and I whole-heartedly wish there was a big prequel to this with all those flashbacks expanded upon just because I love it so much. 85,157 words, complete.

12. Help, I Need Somebody (Not Just Anybody) by thesummerofrain

Poor Lexa is totally fucked up from losing Costia, and Clarke is a volunteer on a chat line that ends up helping her. It’s heartbreaking, sweet, and Clarke and Lexa are adorable. Unfortunately it hasn’t updated since May, but I have hope it’s going to update again. 85,604 words, in progress.

13. An army of one by gostorain

Military academy au, Clarke and Lexa are totally adorable. This hasn’t updated since May either…but again, I have hopes! 55,190 words, in progress.

14. Heads Up, Eyes Open by Superskygrounder

This fic is cute. I like the beginning of it the best, with Clarke and Lexa as rival hockey players that have a soulmate connection they don’t understand. 85,653 words, in progress.

15. Break Your Plans by pizzaoctavia

Lexa is a hockey player in this au too. Linctavia’s sexcapades force Clarke to go over to Lincoln’s apartment to study, and his roommate Lexa usually happens to be there too. 82,951 words, in progress.

16. I Wanna Be (One Night Stand) by seaunicorn and Possibility Days by adreamaloud and daneorange are both fics celeb au fics that are great! The first one is where Lexa’s the daughter of a hotshot hollywood producer and Clarke’s a big celeb shooting her father’s movie and she shouldn’t get with her (but totally does), and the second fic is where Lexa is an actress too who shouldn’t fall in love with her co-star Clarke (but totally does). Both great! The first is 9023 words and complete; the second is 30,026 words and complete too.

17. But still good by thrace

This is a cute fluffy modern au where Clarke has to take Octavia’s kids to a soccer game and meets Lexa, who happens to be the hot coach. 46,959 words, complete.

18. Easy O by Avarosier

Lexa’s next-door neighbor is always having super loud sex that Lexa can’t (really can’t) get out of her head, so when Clarke asks Lexa to be a nude model, of course she’s not going to say no. I actually wish this was longer and had smut in it, but I still love it. 3418 words, complete.

19. Pink Skittles by Avarosier

Clarke and Lexa do this film project that involves two strangers kissing, but that sexual thirst means it doesn’t end there. Lexa also has a tongue piercing Clarke is very fascinated with. 4270 words, complete.

20. She got me up all night (all I’m singin’ is love songs) by mostlyunstablefangirl

Clarke and Lexa are neighbors who have never met, but regularly partake in singing shower duets together. 2822 words, complete.

21. Spelling It Out by geyranger

Oh my God I LOVE this fic, one of my very favorites right now. Clarke and Lexa are rival apprentices to different wandmakers, and they drive each other crazy by popping up sabotaging the other’s efforts to procure various ingredients for wand-making. Super cute, well-written, and an HP au! 58,153 words, in progress.

22. Love on the Ground by Heda’s wolf (the baddest wolf)

This!! fic!!! is fucking fantastic. Canon-verse, angsty, so, so good. Just read it. 18,753 words, complete.

23. When Love Becomes the Reason by clarkesquad

This fic hasn’t been updated since February and I’m kind of losing hope it will ever be completed, but it’s still great. It’s a fake-dating au, Clexa are fucking great, and I love it. 35,148 words, in progress.

24.  Catch Me, I’m Falling by EffortlesslyOppulent, sam_kom_trashkru

Lexa’s a football star, smooth jock, and Clarke can’t stand her. Until they totally end up falling in love. Aden is Lexa’s adorable little brother who plays matchmaker, too. 216,438 words, in progress.

25. Time Heals by Girls_aremyweakness

Lexa’s parents die so she has to take over caring for her little brother Aden and hires Clarke as a babysitter while she works. She and Clarke end up falling for each other, and Clarke fits right into their new little family. It’s actually not angsty at all, and is pretty much just fluff. 57,461 words, in progress.

26. Touch or Carry by paint_the_brain

Olympics au where initially it’s Lexa/Anya vs Clarke/Raven, but then Lexa permanently injures Raven. Lexa and Clarke are forced to team up but Clarke is determined to hate Lexa, until she pulls her head out of her ass and realizes she likes her. Indra and especially Gustus are hilarious in this. 12,953 words, in progress.

27. Find your way to me by lightfighter08

This fic is lovely, although the sinner in me wishes it was rated M or E :P it’s only T but it’s so fluffy and cute I mean, I have to shake my head in disgust at the sinner in me, you know? Lexa and Anya move in with the Griffins for foster care after Lexa comes into the ER with injures and Abby rescues them. Lexa and Clarke are so gay for each other. This whole family is fucking adorable, especially Jake Griffin and Abby, AKA perfect parents. So fucking cute. 50,788 words, in progress.

28. Once Upon a Confession by AntaresChild

A modern au AKA Lexa is an innocent cupcake until she accidentally gets high on a brownie and admits her gayness to her roommate Clarke, who then takes Lexa under her wing and brings her into her super gay, sinful partygirl lifestyle. It’s great, hilarious, and I want Clarke and Lexa to pull their heads out of their butts and be in love already.

29. You’re magic & you’re real by unicyclehippo

OH MY GOD THIS FIC. Is SO well-written! Octavia is actually the main character, and is non-binary in this au. Clarke has dyslexia, Lexa is on the autism spectrum, and this fic is just fucking fantastic, okay, everything about it. 113,525 words, complete.

30.  Caught Inside by awriterofthings

A surfer au where Clarke hates Lexa at first (who seems to be loved by everyone) then realizes she totally loves her too. 71,617 words, complete.

31. After You by chrmdpoet

This modern au is so sad and heartbreaking, because Lexa is abused by her father Titus from such a young age. Starts from childhood and Clexa are soulmates. 14,273 words, in progress.

32. Our Hearts (have minds of their own) by EffortlesslyOpulent

Fake dating au, nuff said. Super cute! 103,319 words, complete.

33. Love is Blindness (I don’t want to see) by EffortlesslyOpulent

Lexa Woods and Bellamy Blake are rival gangleaders; Clarke, raised with the Blakes, infiltrates and tries to deceive Lexa, but Lexa’s not stupid. They totally fall in love, it’s great. 182,697 words, complete.

34. You’ve Got Me Seeing Stars by thisaintascene

Lexa faking injuries to see the cute nurse. Adorable. 37,718 words, in progress.

35.  Mysteries of Love by 10milestereo

There’s another apocalypse, but Clexa are soulmates, and there’s a happy ending. 13,203 words, complete.

36. Strangers on the Phone by rochke11

A modern au where Clarke accidentally calls a stranger’s number and they become friends, but little does she know Lexa is actually a super famous musician. 86,723 words, complete. It also has a nice sequel that is complete that you really have to read, since this fic doesn’t have the closure you need.

37. And Your Eyes Are the Size of the Moon (you could ‘cause you can so you do) by heartshapedcandy

A sweet modern au where Clarke and Lexa meet at a carnival. One of the first Clexa fics I ever read. 12,139 words, complete.

38. The Business of Caring by coldmackeral

Lexa’s part of campus police and Clarke drives her crazy. They’re super cute. 71,956 words, complete.

39. I Need You Closer by seaunicorn

This is adorable and fluffy, Clarke and Lexa are kids that meet online. 43,798 words, in progress.

40. Some Angels Fall by lostinjellybean

Modern au. This fic is fascinating to me, Clarke is killed but 4 years later wakes from the dead. Lexa still loves her. 16,219 words, in progress.

41. Your Hand in Mine by Geralehane

A golddigger!AU where Clarke pretends to date the rich Lexa Woods to get money to support her father, but she is totally falling head over heels for Lexa. It’s by Geralehane so come on, of course the writing is fantastic! Updates every Wednesday which is even better :) 25,439 words, in progress.

42. Suffrage by stringingwords

20th century London, Clarke is fighting for equality and women’s right to vote. Enter help in the form of the esteeemed Lexa Woolcott. Great writing and there’s a genius little twist in this. 25,194 words, in progress.

43. do you got room for one more troubled soul? by callieincali

Nuclear apocalypse is approaching and Clarke is on the run to find shelter. She’s robbed by a girl she can’t quite get out of her head…and who ends up being the one to (grudgingly) provide shelter. Now the bombs have struck and Clarke is stuck in a shelter with this Lexa and she’s also pretty damn hungry. 25,363 words, in progress.

44. Open Windows, Open Hearts by sheisme

Clarke and Lexa are neighbors with windows that look directly into each other’s bedrooms. Some naughty times ensue…but also really cute fluffy times :) smut that develops into an adorable relationship. 57,926, complete.

45. It’s For Your Own Good by trying

Clarke is sent to a gay conversion camp and Lexa is there. Titus, Nia, Jaha, and other baddies are just hilarious in this. 21,091, in progress.

46. The Spectator by amybot3000

Lexa is so thirsty you almost get second-hand embarrassment reading this. Lexa was once the greatest tennis player in the world until an injury stopped her playing. She commentates now, and an impressive up-and-coming player Clarke Griffin ends up catching her eye, mostly due to the fact that her bouncing around means certain…parts….bounce…..and the world can’t help but to notice that Lexa has definitely noticed that. It’s hilarious. 12,265 words, in progress.

47. In Love and War and Politics by centuriesofexistence

This is one of my all-time favorite fics. I fucking live off sexual tension and oh my Godddd is there sexual tension in this. The first time they hook up, I just afjkldsajfdl;sa it SLAYED me. I absolutely love this fic. Clarke and Lexa are the ultimate power couple and the writing is absolutely fantastic in this. Summary: It’s the most watched Senate race around the country, and Clarke Griffin is running one hell of an underdog campaign against the favored Cage Wallace. But she has a secret weapon that might save the campaign–and a secret that might ruin it. And both are named Lexa Ward. 122,892 words, in progress.

48. A Series of Avoidable Events by toolateintheday. Another coworker Clexa au, more sexual tension, just yas. Clarke Griffin works for renowned advertising company, Trikru Incorporated. She’s coasting through life, unsure of what she truly wants to do and settling for mediocrity. Its not her dream job but it pays the bills. It’s comfortable, familiar and what she needs. All that changes when the company bring in Lexa Woods, a new visionary, with the aim to shake things up. Clarke finds her entire existence unsettled by the arrival of her new boss who is as intriguing as she is intimidating. Can they put aside their differences and work together? 138,731 words, in progress.

49.  Your hand in mine pt ii by geralhane. She’s easily one of my very top favorite fic writers after that glorious ssau. This is the sequel to the Clexa golddigger au, it’s heartbreaking, my chest literally aches with pain whenever I read it. It hurts so good. Summary: Five months after breaking Lexa’s heart, getting her back is Clarke’s first priority. She doesn’t care about destroying herself in the process. 32,688 words, in progress.

50. The Taste of War and Heartache by thefooliam. OH MY GOD I have been LITERALLY praying for this person to write another fic after the holy grail of all fics, She. This fic is fantastic so far, a fix-it, and I can’t wait for more. Summary: After saving the world for the last time, Clarke Griffin finds herself bitter and angry and grieving for more than just the woman she lost.That’s until she finds a map that might possibly lead her to the answers she’s been looking for.It’s a suicide mission. A fool’s errand. She’s almost certainly going to lose her life in the process.Except Clarke has nothing left to lose and, even if she did, she doesn’t care anyway. 36,723 words, in progress.

51.The White Queen Running by KL_Morgan. Clarke wakes up wearing tattoos of the ice nation. 121,642 words, complete.

52. In the Shallows by Blindwire. A role reversal au where Clarke is Heda and Lexa falls from the sky. Summary: Raised for war and forged in fire, Clarke has vowed to be a leader for her people, to protect them and to make sacrifices so that they do not have to. This is what it means to be Commander and the spirit has chosen her for a reason. 65,066 words, in progress.

53. Bloodbound by Raedmagdon. Lexa inherits a charm from her late grandmother. The last thing she expects is for a (naked) demon to pop out of it. 15,316 words, in progress.

54. This is Heaven in Hiding by orangeyouglad8. There’s no one Clarke Griffin loves going up against in court more than Lexa Woods. And there’s no one Clarke Griffin hates going up against in court more than Lexa Woods. Lexa always knows just how to get a rise out of Clarke, how to ruffle her feathers and make her work for it. Winning against her is a unique challenge that Clarke thrives on. Little does she know that Lexa’s particular talents transfer out of court and into the sheets as well. But, she’s about to find out. 19,015 words, in progress.

55. Sail with Me to Someplace New by almostafantasia. When Clarke learns that her father’s trading ship has been attacked by pirates, she sets out on a daring rescue mission. The only problems – Jake could be being held prisoner anywhere in the Caribbean and Clarke has never sailed a ship before. To help save her father’s life, Clarke attempts to enlist the help of the notorious Captain Lexa Woods, a fearsome pirate who is just as broody and mysterious as she is unwilling to offer her assistance. 28,321 words, in progress.

56. Fall Away by Reedballoon. Lexa is a sailor and Clarke is a lawyer. Somewhere, between jobs and secrets and families, they become something together. 20,391 words, in progress.

57. The Sex Tape by Sheisme. Professional stunt woman Lexa Woods loves her job and takes it very seriously. She has a very strict no-dating policy when it comes to people she works with. When she meets famous actress Clarke Griffin on the set of their new action film, sparks fly and Clarke might just be able to change her mind. However, after one passionate night between the two of them, a sex tape is leaked that sends their lives into a spiral. Will the fallout be too much for them? Or will they be able to find their way out of the chaos together? 55,830 words, in progress.

58. Skylark by RunawayMarbles. A superhero fic that’s pretty damn cool. Clarke and the gang had illegal experiments done to them by Mount Weather and it gave them superpowers. They fight crime while trying to remain anonymous as well. This story is so clever and incorporates the City of Light/chips/ flame so cool, and Clexa are badasses, and just…read it, trust me. Summary: “And they don’t have superpowers. They are semi-successful experiments. Your people will not take any action against Sky Crew without my order: their code names are bad enough. I will not have Polis turn into some Gotham-esque battleground. Dismissed.” “Uh, actually, Metropolis had more superpowers—”“Dismissed.” 115,948 words, complete.

59. Knock Me Down by Haligh24. Clarke Griffin couldn’t stop thinking about the sad, mysterious woman who had recently become a regular at her favorite bar. And when that woman turned out to be Alexandria Heda, CEO of Trikru Media (aka her new boss), Clarke realized that she was totally and completely fucked. 33,193 words, in progress.

60. You Can’t Trust Water by UnraveledMind. “You can’t trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it.” -W.C. Fields. She really wanted to get her wet– wait, that came out wrong. She just wanted to squirt her- Oh, God. Mental images not helping, Clarke. Clarke crawled slowly through the bushes, knees collecting dirt. This was her chance. Lexa was alone. She was going to take her shot and proceed to victory. 7,750 words, in progress.

61. Stellar Collusion by TheSSClexa. When two soccer stars collide, it’s a super nova.Meeting as stark enemies, both Captain of their respective high school soccer team, Clarke and Lexa unknowingly meet again as roommates their freshman year at Stanford. 21574 words, in progress.

62. Empath by RaspberryTree. Lexa is a writer at ALIE, a tech mega-corp. One morning, she inexplicably wakes up with the ability to feel other people’s emotions. Her next encounter with the office receptionist, Clarke, is a lot more powerful than she knows how to deal with. 11400 words, in progress.

63. Of Wolves And Men by ur_the_puppy. After being bitten three years ago, Clarke has had to adjust to a complete derailing of her life. Abandoning her dreams of becoming a doctor in fear of what she could do, she hides away in the small town of Polis with her best friend Raven. It’s a humans only town. That is, until a girl is killed, and Clarke suddenly realises she’s not the only werewolf that exists. or werewolf au where clarke has no idea the extent of what she is and lexa really shouldn’t be falling for a mutt. 72675 words, in progress.

64. The trick is to keep breathing by vespero. Cheerleader Clarke’s boyfriend Finn cheats on her with nerdy Lexa’s girlfriend Costia, so the two girls scheme up a plan to fake-date to get revenge. Backfires when they fall in love! 75662 words, in progress.

65. You, the Ocean, and Me by billet_doux. Clexa mermaid/H2O au! Lexa’s a marine biologist who helps Clarke, Raven, and Octavia when they suddenly find they turn into mermaids when touching water. 67417 words, in progress.

66. Six Shooter by centuriesofexistence. This is one of my faves of all time and it’s only two chapters so far fdlksajfdklsa; Lexa’s a contract killer, Clarke’s a hitwoman, they both get assigned the same target. It’s gonna be a fake dating au too. I check for updates for all fics like, at least a dozen times a day, and when this one updates I will pee my pants, straight up.

Welp that’s it for now. Please keep in mind that these are only 65 fics out of literally thousands of incredible fanfics. There are plenty of wonderful ones I forgot to list! But I have over 400 bookmarks on ao3 so feel free to peruse them. 

I can shamelessly list some of my own fics too. If you’re in the mood for a one-shot, I wrote The World Had Less Color Without You; it’s a college au where Clexa become friends after being paired together for a project, and fall in love even though they’re both terrified of it. 13,821 words and, obviously, complete.

If you want an average-sized fic, I have All That You Got (Skin to Skin, oh my God), about Clexa from childhood up to college. Kind of a childhood friends au, a high school au, and a college au. Lots of fluff, humor, and sexual tension. A slowburn with a lot of thirst. A small amount of angst since Lexa’s dad is a dick, but Clexa love each other so fuck him. 58,689 words and one more chapter to go.

And finally, if you want a hella long fic, there’s also Those Icy Fingers Up and Down My Spine (That same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine). It’s an hp au where Clarke just wants to get through her last year at Hogwarts in peace, her world having been upended a year ago when her father was mysteriously arrested and sent to Azkaban, but instead she finds herself in the middle of conspiracies when she’s chosen as Champion. She definitely shouldn’t fall in love with the enemy, Durmstrang’s Champion Lexa Woods, who is full of secrets and every bit as determined not to develop feelings, but of course, they’re fuckin soulmates, they belong together! (This takes place 100 years after the events of Harry Potter, too). It’s 303,659 words thus far and I update long chapters (between 10,000 to 30,000) usually once a month.

If anyone wants to reblog and add their own favorites, please feel free!!! Let’s spread the love (and I am always up for new Clexa fics to read)

Where’s Metallica when you need them?

There’s a protest going on against AI art over on artstation, so I feel like now is the time for me to make a statement on this issue! 

I wholeheartedly support the ongoing protest against AI art. Why? Because my artwork is included in the datasets used to train these image generators without my consent. I get zero compensation for the use of my art, even though these image generators cost money to use, and are a commercial product. 

Musicians are not being treated the same way. Stability has a music generator that only uses royalty free music in their dataset. Their words: “Because diffusion models are prone to memorization and overfitting, releasing a model trained on copyrighted data could potentially result in legal issues.” Why is the work of visual artists being treated differently?

Many have compared image generators to human artists seeking out inspiration. Those two are not the same. My art is literally being fed into these generators through the datasets, and spat back out of a program that has no inherent sense of what is respectful to artists. As long as my art is literally integrated into the system used to create the images, it is commercial use of my art without my consent.

Until there is an ethically sourced database that compensates artists for the use of their images, I am against AI art. I also think platforms should do everything they can to prevent scraping of their content for these databases. 

Artists, speak out against this predatory practice! Our art should not be exploited without our consent, and we deserve to be compensated when our art is exploited for commercial use. 

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I want to be this kind of mom.

DO NOT DO THIS!!!

If a website has a paywall, like New York Times, DO NOT use the ctrl+A shortcut then the ctrl+c shortcut as fast as you can because then you may accidentally copy the entire article before the paywall comes up. And definitely don't do ctrl+v into the next google doc or whatever you open because then you will accidentally paste the entire article into a google doc or something!!!! I repeat DO NOT do this because it is piracy which is absolutely totally wrong!!!

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