#WordWeavers Apr 6: Can you create a character/place/storyhook/device on the spot, if you need to? If so, share an example.

Small stuff or continuing stuff. Lots of smaller characters just come as needed. Places the same way.

Larger stuff, like plots, takes maybe 15 minutes to an hour of off-computer time, batting things around following stray thoughts. Other things may take weeks or months.

Example: I am working on an #AdachiAndShimamura flash. The idea took about an hour to develop with one false start. "What happens if Adachi is marooned and finds a wish-fulfilling lamp?" I wrote the beginning in Proton Docs in bed after it came to me. That is still where it is, needing completion.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

Flannel フランネル

#FanFic #AdachiAndShimamura

It’s a good thing Adachi picked Shimamura. Shimamura picker is broken as a flannel shark onesie proves.

PIXIV Link:
AO3 Link:

#AdachiToShimamura #SliceOfLife #Cute #Yuri #PIXIV #AO3

If Shimamura had Hung Out on the Stairs

#FanFic #AdachiAndShimamura
#Wss366 Grasp

“I think you fail to #grasp how your attitude affects your sales…” Shimamura’s sales manager droned on and on. The office was stuffy and institutional, with nondescript paintings on the walls. The room’s only distinguishing feature was a large window overlooking a parking lot.

As usual, Shimamura wasn’t paying attention to the room or the lecture. If she didn’t mind the minuscule commissions she received, why did it matter? She earned enough to cover her rent and convenience store meals.

Normally, she just spaced out or watched the clock to see how soon she could go home to bed. Today, however, she watched a small figure in a spacesuit drift past the window. Sparkles followed it like a comet’s tail.

“Balloon?” she wondered. Not that she had ever seen a balloon like that before.

It stopped outside and bobbed up and down. Yeah, it must be a balloon, she thought, until it opened its helmet, exposing a girl’s face. The girl mouthed the word “soon” and then drifted off again.

“‘Soon’ for what?” Shimamura puzzled.

“Okay, get back to work, and I want to see some sparkle!” the manager said, interrupting her thoughts.

Shimamura bowed and left, thinking, “Maybe I’ll call in sick tomorrow.”

She sighed. “Better not. I’ll get fired. Why can’t it be like school, where I used to hang out alone on the stairs to the roof and spaced out?” Not that she had any great memories of high school.

“Excuse me. Where do these go?” she heard someone ask behind her.

Turning around, she saw the new sales clerk holding up a bathing suit.

“Wow, she’s pretty,” Shimamura thought. Long black hair framed the woman’s lovely, though vacant, face.

The woman fidgeted and looked down, apparently embarrassed.

Shimamura didn’t know the names of any of the sales staff. It was too much bother to learn them, but for once she read the other woman’s name badge: “Adachi Sakura.”

Somewhere, she thought she heard a voice say, “Fate.”

“I’ll show you,” Shimamura said.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #AdachiToShimamura #SliceOfLive #Yuri #Cute #NMFic

Chocolate Expectation

#FanFic #AdachiAndShimamura
#Wss366 Lavish

Yashiro was sitting on the couch with my sister, watching morning cartoons. My eyes slid over her and fastened on Yashiro. “Where did she get a hammerhead shark onesie?” I thought. Not even OKEA had those. I should know I’d bought Adachi a Blåhaj onesie there.

My sister’s friend was quite the sight in her onesie and with an enormous bar of Burkina chocolate—#lavishly smeared all over her face.

I sat down next to them, ignoring the panda dancing on the TV screen. “Where did you get the chocolate?” I asked. Not that I really cared. I was just wondering who would spend that much on chocolate when Yashiro would be happy with anything.

“It’s Chocolate Day, so I gave it to myself. Want some?” So saying, she shoved the goopy end of the bar toward my face.

“It’s Valentine’s Day. You’re supposed to give chocolate to the person you care about most, not yourself.” Though I suppose, if the person you cared about most was yourself, it might be okay. Nah, I don’t think so.

She promptly handed the bar to my sister. Somehow, it was now completely wrapped. Yashiro was a mystery.

Then, looking at me expectantly, she said, “Your turn.”

That girl! What she meant was that she expected chocolate from me. “Maybe later,” I thought. I had things to attend to. Adachi’s expression of joy came to mind.

“Not until you wash your face.”

She hid her face for a second, then looked up. Sparkles danced around her smiling, clean face as she said, “Okay.”

“That’s not washing.”

As she left for the bathroom, I made my escape. I had to hurry. Adachi would be expecting chocolate, and I’d never gotten around to buying her any.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #ValentinesDay #blahaj #NMFic

Flannel フランネル

#FanFic #AdachiAndShimamura

#Wss366 Flannel

Adachi looked at the package I’d given her, eyes darting. Was she really that surprised by a gift? I thought back and couldn’t remember giving her many presents. There was the boomerang, which was just embarrassing; some chocolates for Valentine’s Day, for which she always had to prod me in advance; and... and...

Maybe it wasn’t weird that she’d been thrown off.

Knowing her, she wanted to know why but was too tongue-tied to ask, so I explained. “Since it’s a new year, I decided to try to be a better girlfriend.”

She turned red. “You’re—you’re the best girlfriend.”

No, I wasn’t. Even I knew that. Girlfriends were gushy and gooey. They fawned over each other. I didn’t do any of that. Adachi at least tried, but she got wrapped up in herself and froze, just like she was now.

“You can open it,” I said. I figured she needed a little push.

“Okay,” she said, and carefully began peeling off the tape I’d used.

“Just tear it off and don’t save the paper.” I imagined her carefully folding it up and putting it in a binder. I didn’t want that.

In response, she carefully tore the paper, trying to do as little damage as possible.

I gave up.

When she was done, she held up the present, her eyes wide. “A onesie?” she asked.

“Yashiro’s #flannels are so soft, I thought you would like one.”

“Do you like sharks?” she asked, looking at it.

“Not especially; OKEA didn’t have rabbits, so I asked Nagafuji if I should buy this one.”

I was an idiot! She was the one who suggested the boomerang. But of course, it had been easier to take her advice than to think about what Adachi would like. See what I mean about not being a good girlfriend? A good girlfriend wouldn’t need to ask.

“Should I wear it?” she asked, still sounding befuddled.

“Of course. That is, if you like it. Do you like it?”

There was only one answer she would give, so no surprise she said yes.

“Then let’s have a sleepover so I can see you in it.” Nagafuji had suggested that, too. Sometimes even idiots can have good ideas.

Adachi melted down on the spot, saying, “Sleepover, Shimamura,” over and over.

I took that as a yes.

#TootFic #MicroFiction #AdachiToShimamura #FanFiction

Adachi is NOT Santa 足立はサンタではない (1/2)

#FanFiction #AdachiAndShimamura
#wss366 #PIXIVCharitySanta

“So who is going to wear the Santa #suit for the Christmas play?” the teacher asked.

A voice from the back of the class announced, “Adachi.”

There was a murmur in the class, and someone yelled, “Yeah, Adachi!”

Shimamura turned and looked at Adachi, whose face had turned as white as snow on a Christmas morning. Then, so suddenly, Shimamura was startled; Adachi bolted from the room, the door banging behind her.

“Wow. What a pain,” Shimamura thought.

“That’s just mean!” The words were out of her mouth before she could think about it. She blushed red, just as surprised as the class at her words. She was glad, though; it’s what a friend should do. Still, it was nothing she had ever imagined herself doing.

The silence in the classroom was broken only by the teacher clearing his throat.

Then she stood up. “I’m going after her.”

To her surprise, the teacher called after her, “Thanks!” He sounded surprised but grateful. “And tell her I know just who will play the roles of Santa and Rudolf, too!” His glare fell on the two culprits at the back of the class. “Where it should be,” she thought.

First, Shimamura checked for Adachi’s bike. To her relief, it was still there, its seat dusted with snow. Next, she passed the gym, but there was a class in session.

“Where could she have gone? Maybe the roof?” she muttered to herself. “Cold! But this is Adachi.”

She opened the roof door and called out, “Adachi?” The wind caught the name, carrying it away. She didn’t need to call again and turned toward the sound of sniffling. And there was Adachi huddled under the eaves of the entrance. Her arms were around her legs, and her face was buried in them.

[Continued in the next post]

#MicroFiction #TootFic #NMFic #NMV366
#AdachiToShimamura

Mink Ranching

#FanFiction #AdachiAndShimamura
#wss366 #MastoPrompt #PIXIVCharitySanta

"I'm sorry, but I can't go home with you today. I have to study in the library,” Shimamura told Adachi.

"Wow, look at that expression," Shimamura thought.

A smile crept to her lips. "The world is ending tomorrow," she joked.

“What?” Adachi said, looking totally bewildered. “It is?”

"No, It's just how you looked. It's not like I don't want to walk home with you. This is my #last chance to pass math. Can you imagine doing that class again!”

"Oh, then I'll come too.”

"Okay," Shimamura said, shrugging.

While Adachi scanned the books on the shelves, in between glances at her friend, Shimamura found a place to sit. Adachi reached for a book, then glanced at it, and her hand dropped. She reached for another.

Shimamura smiled at her, and Adachi grabbed a book and clutched it tightly to her chest. She hurried to the table and then stopped. “I won’t be bothering you?”

Shimamura looked up from the papers and smiled. "No, but I don’t know what’s so fascinating about my doing math.” She added to herself, “I don’t get it. It’s dull enough when I do it. Why watch me?”

Adachi pulled out her chair carefully being as quiet as possible, sat down, and hastily opened her book.

Shimamura looked up. “Math. I hate it. I just want to sleep. It’s so quiet, and the smell of books it’s almost too much.” She pretended to slap herself, returned to her papers, and soon was soon groaning over the problems.

The seconds ticked by while Adachi held the book in front of her, and Shimamura muttered. "If x is the cube of y and y is the square root of four, what is x? So y is two. Cube?"

"x, y, cube, square? When am I ever going to use this?" She asked, looking up at Adachi, and found her peeking over her book.

Adachi looked down, missing Shimamura hiding a smile behind her hand.

"I didn't know you were interested in minks," Shimamura said.

"What?” Adachi's eyes blinked rapidly. She glanced at her book, still on the title page; read; and froze, a look of horror on her face.

"Your book’s title, #Mink Ranching."

#MicroFiction #TootFic #NMFic #NMV366 #Yuri
#AdachiToShimamura

#Review: #AdachiAndShimamura, Vol. 6 (Manga)

#Manga by #HitomaIruma Art: #MokeYuzuhara
English Pub: #YenPress Rating (1-9): (7 Worth following)
#Yuri #SliceOfLife

Volume 6 takes us on an introspective look at Shimamura’s relationship with the dog, Gon. And the culmination of the first coat of paint drying. If you have read the novels, you know what I am talking about: the scene at the festival. If you haven’t read the novels, then your efforts will finally be rewarded.

This is Iruma, so don’t expect the pace to pick up. Iruma is noted for extreme slow burn. But for those of us who love #AdachiToShimamura, this is a joyous reunion with the characters. It just depends on if you like Iruma or not.

#AmReading #bookstodon #NMReview #Anime