"We paint a thousand stories in your mind

We give sight to the disadvantaged blind

We show how people's paths are intertwined

What's lost in this world, we try hard to find."

~Why We Write; The Accidentals

Hey, everyone! Welcome to my profile, which you probably stumbled upon completely by accident! You might have already clicked the back button, but if you haven't, feel free to read this profile for a bit longer to get some more information about my writing.

My name is Alex Logan, but feel free to come up with some nicknames. I'm mostly a Lab Rats writer, but I also enjoy Mighty Med. I'm really into a bunch of other TV shows that I'll probably put up stories for later, too. I might even dare to venture into books!

(For the record, I will never be gone for long stretches of time without a good reason, which I will always tell you. I always accept PMs, so if you have any questions my inbox is open.)

Links (don't forget to take out the spaces!):

We're Beautifully Broken (2nd person edition): http : // archive of our own . org / works / 8187478

I Was Always Here (2nd person edition): http : // archive of our own . org / works / 11220786

(Bolded means it's used the best, italics means it's pretty close)

FIRST NAME: Alex Logan

MIDDLE NAME: Miles

LAST NAME: ha, nice one. Nope.

NICKNAME: Logan, Lo (feel free to come up with some more, I love them!)

AGE: Obviously above 13, but no specifics

PRONOUNS: Well, thanks for asking! I use they/them and he/him pronouns. (Seriously, normalize stating pronouns! It's a much more accepting system, I've found)

PERSONALITY TYPE: I'm an INTJ, apparently. "The Architect". Works for me

LOVES TO: Write/read stories, watch stuff, play music, sing, and play some sports

LOVES: I would never be able to fit them all here, but anything that has to do with a good story, or when I see the good in this world

HATES: People who hate awesome things, or who hurt others. Can't get any more specific than that, or this will be twenty pages long XD

PETS: I used to have a dog... :(

BIGGEST WISH: To create the bionic chip (not even kidding, I'm working on it). And to stop people from making assumptions about me when we first meet.

HAIR COLOR: Dark brown, and getting steadily darker

EYE COLOR: A sort of blue-gray, and I wear glasses

FAVORITE COLOR: Blue

FAVORITE MUSIC: I'm a classically trained musician, so I'm in an orchestra (two, actually), but I'm also in a wind ensemble and a rock band. So those, I guess

FAVORITE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: Well, I play cello, vocals, piano, flute, bass guitar (those are my main ones), and a bunch of other instruments

FAVORITE SONG: Ooh... that's hard! If I had to pick my top five favorite artists, I'd say the Accidentals, the Beatles, the Script, Bridget Mendler, and Sabrina Carpenter. And, heck, I'm gonna throw in the Hamilton soundtrack, Halsey, and Troye Sivan, too! (That's way more than five, but I don't care.)

FAVORITE BOOKS: The Harry Potter series, The Maze Runner Trilogy, Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Heroes of Olympus series, Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, Fangirl and Carry On, etc.

FAVORITE FOOD: Hmm... probably pizza. Yeah, yeah, I know

FAVORITE ANIMAL: Llama (shut up)

FAVORITE SUBJECT: Math, science, or creative writing

FAVORITE SHOWS: Lab Rats, Mighty Med, Andi Mack, Mech X-4, some other Disney and Disney XD shows, The Flash (CW), Legends of Tomorrow (CW), some other DCTV shows, Stranger Things, A Series of Unfortunate Events

FAVORITE MOVIES: Star Wars (yes, all of them, including the prequels and the new movie), Harry Potter (all of them, including Fantastic Beasts), most DCOMs, The Maze Runner trilogy, It (2017), Love, Simon, and some more that are too numerous to list

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Spanish

MAIN FANDOM: I've got quite a few. On this site it's Lab Rats, but it varies

And... that's it, I think. I know I'm forgetting stuff, but I'll add it in later. If I remember.

Other Places You Can Find Me

Lab Rats, Mighty Med, and Lab Rats: Elite Force wikias: EmeraldTulip

AO3: EmeraldTulip

Wattpad: EmeraldTulip (cross-posting)

Tumblr: You have to guess. Seriously, try to find me and message me if you think you have it.

(That's it, for now!)

More on that:

Lab Rats: I started watching Lab Rats kinda late, maybe when it was halfway through airing season 2. It was the whole reason I started writing fanfiction in the first place. This was my strongest long-standing obsession. It got to the point where I was able to identify any episode by a single line, the opening setting, or even just my the clothes the Rats are wearing. I know it's creepy, but hey, it's all true. The show is cheesy, yeah, but I enjoyed it. My favorite character is definitely Leo, he's just so awesome and funny and his love for his siblings never changes. Bree is a close second, and I love Breo friendship, which is why I write so much for them! I can't decide, but my favorite episodes are You Posted What?!?, Which Father Knows Best, or On The Edge. I'm not so much into the fandom anymore, but I'm still alright with it - it was my childhood, after all.

Mighty Med: I began watching this when it was maybe just a few episodes in, so I call myself pretty much an original viewer. I'll be writing stories for it sometime soon! My favorite character... it's hard, because I love Skylar, and Oliver is awesome, but I'm gonna have to go with Kaz. I was Good Luck Charlie fan more than I was an A.N.T. Farm fan, so I suppose it makes sense. My favorite episodes are There's a Storm Coming, Stop Bugging Me, and Mother of All Villains.

Star Wars: Don't even get me started. It's too good that I might explode. Seriously, don't.

The Flash (CW): This show is literally one of the only non-Disney shows I keep up with. It's positively incredible, with amazing effects and a wonderfully talented cast. Plus, it's based on the best (in my opinion, at least) superhero! The story lines are so good. I'm a huge Westallen shipper, but I also love the friendship dynamic Barrisco and Barriscowest have.

Legends of Tomorrow (CW): This is the absolute most fun show I've seen. It's funny and clever and has such a well-rounded cast of characters and I'm absolutely in love with it!

Stranger Things: Who knew I'd love a show set in the 80s so much? I didn't. It's a mystery meets sci-fi meets thriller story with a touch of horror, which is amazing! The storyline is so good, and the cast is remarkably talented. Season 2 was pretty good, too! (*whispers* go watch it)

Andi Mack: Look. This show. THIS SHOW. It's kind of cheesy and absolutely can be formulaic at times, but it's so well-written and has great characters and spreads such important messages! The characters are so lovable, and I wish this had been around when I was a kid. Cyrus would have shown me that what I was feeling in terms of identity wasn't strange, Jonah would have shown me that my anxiety and other mental issues really could be handled, and Andi and Buffy would have shown me that my mixed race and cultures really aren't very different in this environment. It's so important and I'm so happy and proud, even, that it exists.

It (2017): God, I love Stephen King. I mean, I hate him, he's the absolute worst when he kills off all the best characters, but I swear I love him. And this book has always been one of my favorites, so when I saw they were remaking the movie (the 1990s one was pretty good, but I like this one better), I SCREAMED. I love the characters, the plot, pretty much everything except for the ending. It wasn't fair. But the movie is so good and the kids are such amazing actors. Literally, go watch it right now.

Reading: There's a reason my eyes are seriously messed up! I seriously can't get enough of books. You'll never catch me without one. (Recommendations; please note they're not necessarily in order)

1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus/The Kane Chronicles/The Gods of Asgard; Rick Riordan: It's Rick Riordan. Jeez, he's wonderful. 'Nuff said.
2. The Maze Runner Trilogy (and prequels); James Dashner: Gosh, I can't get enough of this series. It's so beautifully painful and amazing, written in such a beautiful way I could never hope to reach the level of. I literally cry every time I read that dreaded page of The Death Cure (a poorly named book, I maintain!), and very few books can do that to me. Of course, its being written by James Dasher doesn't hurt...
3. The Mortality Doctrine Trilogy; James Dashner: I absolutely love Sci-Fi, so seeing this superb futuristic-technology/mind games type story was just so cool! And again, James Dashner is a god of writing. I bow down without question.
4. Carry On; Rainbow Rowell: This book is so good. If you like Harry Potter, I really would suggest it. It's got the whole deal: magic, vampires, some very plot-twisty relationships. It's one of my all-time favorite books.
5. DC's Flash Comics; assorted authors: The Flash is my favorite superhero, so the Flash comics are a blessing. They're convoluted from series to series, but still overall really good.
6. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda; Becky Albertalli: This is the book the movie Love, Simon is based on! Both the book and movie are absolutely incredible and it has a great story, characters, and messages. I'm so happy it exists. Simon, Bram, Leah, Abby, Nick, Garrett, etc. are all amazing characters. The story is so great and I was laughing and smiling like an idiot the whole time I was reading the book, and watching the movie. I'm just. So happy, guys.

Writing: I think this is pretty self-explanatory, I just love absolutely every aspect of writing.

Music: Music is my life. Literally, my classes encompass so much of every day, and I obsess over everything relating to it. On another note, I also have an obsession with the Beatles. I have every album and single by them. Literally, every single one. I also have a newfound love for The Accidentals, an awesome band of young cool people. And they're professionals! Really, it's awesome.

There are probably more that I could add, but like (I think) I said, I also have a really bad memory, so I can't remember right now. I'll get back to this later.

Amazing Authors/People You MUST Check out (these are the best, friendliest people I know on this site):

AlienGhostWizard14: Under The Radar is just awesome, you have to check it out, especially if you're a Leo fan!

BeautifulSupernova: True Colors is awesome, and the Sebree in it is simply fantastic!

Brentinator: This girl has been one of my biggest supports on this website. She used to go by the username Susz, so if you see her name pop up in my old stories, that's why. She really helped me through some tough stuff I've been going through, and I couldn't be more grateful. She has some great store ideas up her sleeve, and she's also super fun to chat with! She's super fun to roleplay with on the Lab Rats wiki. One of my two BFFs (Best Fanfiction Friends)! Fellow admin of the Lab Rats 2nd Generation!

Lea Ootori: A wonderful girl who I sometimes beta read for, Amnesia is completely mind-shattering! She also hosted a Secret Santa fic-swap back in 2015, which was great!

musicnotes093: A fellow Leo fan and always a loyal reviewer, Run, Run, Run, The Red Letter series, and The A-Bionic Chronicles should speak for themselves. There are no words.

Proffesor X: One of my few guy friends on this site, he's an amazing writer/reader along with being just a great person in general. Whenever I'm having trouble with something, I know I can count on him to help me out!

PurpleNicole531: Also an amazing frequent reviewer, Dream Traveling is super cool!

Stardust16: A awesome reviewer, her stories are really action-packed and family-filled! She's also super fun to chat with, and has some awesome stories planned! Our roleplaying sessions on the Lab Rats wiki are completely epic! She's recently started doing Spider-Man stories and I am LIVING for it. One of my two BFFs (Best Fanfiction Friends)! Co-founder and fellow admin of the Lab Rats 2nd Generation!

TKDP: Another one of those awesome reviewers and a new friend of mine, her stories are beyond amazing. Skoliver is eternal with her. She's also super fun to chat with, she's super sweet! Oh, but never underestimate Folly, a ship which she started!

These people are the nicest people ever, with amazing feedback on whatever you need.

Update schedule:

I usually update/post stories on the weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), but if I have a day off of school or it's a holiday or something, I might update then. It all depends, and I will usually tell you inside the story.

I'm not all that reliable with updating, so it's not regular at all. Sorry.

News About Stories:

Poison (LR): COMPLETE. Leo-centric, takes place during "Space Colony". It was written before the episode aired, so it is canon divergent. The sequel is in progress, but will not be posted for a while due to lack of direction.

Rewind (EF): COMPLETE. Very time-travel/paradox centered. Oliver-centric, hints of Jaz and Skoliver. Sequel in the writing stage. Might be a while, also due to lack of direction.

Simulation (LR): IN PROGRESS. AU; characters in a contained environment; war with androids. Challenge: every character from the show must be mentioned. (UPDATE: Slow updates due to school, but it's NOT on hiatus anymore!)

Across The Universe(s) (LR): COMPLETE. This is my longest one-shot ever, and I'm really proud of it. The sequel is in progress, and should be up soon.

We're Beautifully Broken; I Was Always Here (EF): COMPLETE. I had to change the perspective because second-person storytelling isn't allowed here, but I published them on Wattpad and AO3. I am writing another sequel, a retelling of the story through Skylar's perspective. It might take a while.

Masks (MM): COMPLETE. Kaz POV, Kaziver-centric. The sequel of sorts is in progress, illustrating Oliver's year under his mother's control. It might take a while.

Stories for The Elite Force Wikia fanfic contests:

Of Their Own Accord: COMPLETE. One-shot; entry for April 2016. Prompt: Broliver. STATUS: WON

Fire: COMPLETE: One-shot; entry for May 2016. Prompt: Loneliness. STATUS: WON

Lightning: COMPLETE: One-shot; entry for November 2016. Prompt: "The Attack" continuation. STATUS: WON

Home: COMPLETE: One-shot; entry for December 2016. Prompt: December Holidays. STATUS: WON

Thanks for voting, guys! The contests are over, as is the show and the wiki, but I'm always glad for your support.

Possible Future Stories:

Here are some of my future story ideas. There aren’t too many right now, but I thought I might as well! I’ll add to the list as ideas develop. The number you see represents how much I want to write the story. It goes from 1-10, 1 being I'll probably never get to it, 10 being I definitely want to do it. Remember, though, wanting to write something doesn't mean I will right away or that I have good ideas for it. If you see a low-rated story that you want to write, just shoot me a PM and I'll see if I'm willing to part with it and can give you the idea.

The ones with an X next to them are the ones that will be posted extremely soon, like I've already started putting the finishing touches on it. (UPDATE: none for now, life is hard. Ya'll know how it is.)

Just to remind you, these summaries might change, they might not.

Lab Rats

Missed Too Much - ‘His fingers brushed over the photo. “I missed too much,” he whispered. A voice sounded from behind him. “Yeah. You did.”’ One-shot. Douglas-centric. More characters than listed. (Douglas D., Leo, Bree, D. Davenport; Family/Drama/Angst; K; 10; Currently In Editing) This idea is something I'm pretty proud of, so I'm taking my time with it because I want it as perfect as possible. It takes place shortly after Douglas moves into the Davenport household, so there is some tension between the family members. I loved the idea, so I'm doing my best to finish it!

As The World Burns - It started with a blaze of fire. After that, it was a domino effect, waiting for the last piece to topple over. Because once that piece fell, nothing was holding the world up anymore. And who was going to stop it, in such deadly circumstances? (Adam, Bree, Chase, Leo; Action/Adventure/Drama; T; 10; Being Written) I guess this is AU, it's more of a futuristic-thingy. It's solar flares and disease and stuff. Apocalyptic, end-of-the-world setting. It should be fairly long, definitely a multi-chapter.

Oculus - The universe is always expanding, and with it, so is the multiverse. (Adam, Bree, Chase, Leo; Family; T; 10; Being Written) This is the companion to Across The Universe(s). I dunno really what it'll be. More alternate universes that tie into the happenings on "Earth-1", I guess.

There's A Storm Coming - The Dooley-Davenport kids, one irresponsible adult, and a few trouble-making students on a bionic island plus a category five hurricane heading straight for them, trapping them and taking out most technology for a week… that is not an equation you want solved. (Adam, Bree, Chase, Leo; Adventure/Friendship; K; 9; Being Written) There's the humor fic I've been mentioning! It's multi-chaptered, and it's a fairly large story. There are more characters than listed, and there are a few OCs, but they're not too important. I'm having a bit of trouble starting it off, but it should be up soon!

Time and Time Again - ‘“The old lab?” he choked out. “How?” Mr. Davenport gave him an odd look. “This is the same lab we’ve always had, Chase. You’ve lived here for fifteen years.” “Fifteen? No. I’m almost seventeen.” “Uh, no, Chase. You’re fifteen. Are you feeling okay?”’ A freak accident sends Chase back to when Douglas was evil, before everything took a turn. It didn’t matter how he got there, really. The question was: could and would he change the past, or let it play out as it always had? And anyway, how was he going to get home? (Chase, D. Davenport, Leo, Douglas D.; Adventure/Family; T; 10) It was a random idea that popped into my head, but I really like it, and it's in progress! Pretty self-explanatory, Chase somehow gets transported back to Season 2. Multi-chap for sure.

Defective - ‘“Calm down. Please.” He’s scaring her. And he doesn’t care in the slightest, and that’s what hurts her the most.’ - ‘“I’m defective. I’m broken. I’m shattered. Because of you. This,” and here he gestures around the small cell, “this is all your fault.”’ One-shot. ([Bree, Sebastian/S-3]; Romance/Angst; T; 7) Yay, Sebree! They're one of my favorite ships. But this story is fairly dark, so there's that. But there's romance, so yay again! I'm really excited to write this!

A Song of Ice and Fire - ‘Sometimes she just had to let loose—her brother didn’t really care. They were running, after all, and there was no time to argue over ridiculous things like that. Besides; he sometimes did it too. Not that it mattered, where they were going.’ AU. One-shot. (Bree, Leo; Adventure/Family/Drama; T; 8) This will probably be going up soon, and no, it has nothing to do with A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. I just liked the title, and it totally fit with this story. It kind of seems supernatural, but it's not, there's a scientific basis to it. I don't go into the supernatural zone too often.

Matter of Seconds—‘Eighty-nine. Eighty-eight. Eighty-seven. I realized with terrifying certainty that there was nothing I could do to stop the chain reaction I’d set. But in my haste, I’d forgotten something important. I tried to keep up the façade of calm as I walked to the edge of my cell. “I want to see Bree Davenport! Let me see Bree!” - “Why did you call me here?” - “I finally figured out what I wanted to say. It took me a while, but I know.”' ([Bree, Sebastian/S-3]; Drama/Tragedy/Angst/Romance; T; 7) Another random idea, but hey, I like it! So yeah, I'm going for it. It's less Sebree-y, but still.

You Can Be My Eyes—“‘Hey, Leo. I haven’t seen you in a while.’ There was a moment of silence, and then the full weight of her sentence sank in. ‘Sorry, bad choice of words,’ she said. ‘You don’t need to apologize to me,’ Leo replied. ‘It’s all my fault.’” (Leo, Taylor; Friendship/Angst; T; 9; Being Written) More Tayleo stuff, because they're awesome! It can be interpreted as Tayleo romance or friendship, honestly. Takes place after On The Edge.

Sometimes They're Just Smarter - After Marcus, Chase is having a hard time trusting anyone new at school. When the new girl beats him in a chess match (and gets a higher score than him on a test!), he’s convinced she’s a bionic spy. Can his siblings convince him otherwise? Or is he right? One-shot. Post-Bionic Showdown. (Chase, OC, Bree, Leo; Humor/Friendship; K; 6) This idea kinda just popped into my head, and I really took a liking to it. Obviously, one of the main characters is an OC, but I hope that doesn't stop anyone from reading it! It centers Chase, with his siblings popping in to help/not help (the not makes it the opposite) him in discovering the new girl's identity.

Replaced - He knew it was ridiculous, but he couldn’t help but feel that this new kid was stealing his relationships, breaking the bonds he’d worked so hard to make. All he wanted was to talk to the younger boy. He got a chance to. Bit of a tag to And Then There Were Four. (Leo, Daniel; Friendship/Family; T; 7) I kinda thought that Leo would take it kinda hard when he found out they had a new brother - also stung a bit when they called him 'old news'. But it's okay, I worked those feelings into this. I really want to do it!

Only Five Times - Adam was physically the strongest of all of them, but Bree was the strong one, and he knew it. He had only ever seen her cry five times in her life. Each time, he had stepped back and done nothing, because he didn't know what to do. Until that fifth time. That time, he was ready to help his sister. One-shot. (Adam, Bree, Chase, Leo; Family/Hurt/Comfort; K; 9) Well, it's Adam centric, so that's a first for me! I really liked this idea, and should start working in it soon. It's five little scenes, with a lot of Adam/Bree sibling bonding. I also noticed that there quite honestly aren't very many Adam stories (I don't blame people, it's hard to write for him!), so I figured, why not?

Duty Calls - ‘“Okay, Daniel, it’s your first real mission. You good?” - “Fine, I’m, uh, fine.” - “Uh, no, you totally don't look fine.” - “I’m fine!” - “Well... I kinda doubt you’re going to stay that way after this mission.”’ Daniel understood his first assignment. It just… didn’t turn out as planned. At all. (Daniel, Bree, Chase, Leo; Adventure/Humor; K; 8) An idea that's already been used a couple times already - Daniel's first mission. I kinda want to do it, I'm just not sure if I want to repeat the same vague idea as other people. Eh, I'll probably do it anyway.

Timeline - Several AU snapshots, in which things turned out much worse than they should have. One-shot. (Adam, Bree, Chase, Leo; Action/Adventure/Drama; T; 8) Also more than a bit dark, but it's pretty good. Might not be up for a while. As it says, it's AU.

Match Made in Heaven - "I'll be honest, sometimes I wonder how you two ended up together." The beautiful thing about love is that it isn't perfect. That's why they went so well together. They weren't perfect in the slightest, but their love was unbroken. (Dasha, mentions of Sebree) ([D. Davenport, Tasha]; Romance/Family; T; 6) I really like Dasha, as some of you may know, so I decided I wanted to write something for them! It has some Sebree undertones because I'm a sucker for that, but it focuses on Dasha. Obviously, they have their problems, but I just love them so much I managed to work all of that into it!

And The Right Path Shines Brighter - ‘He walked down the dark street, looking. Searching. For what, he didn't know. He couldn't remember. Because he remembered nothing.’ The boy was a wanderer, though he somehow knew he hadn't been for long. He just... couldn't understand the person they said he was. He was afraid to. One-shot. (Family/Drama/Mystery; T; 8) I can't say who the main character is, because that would ruin it! It was a cool idea, I think, so I'm gonna go do it!

Sealed - ‘You wouldn’t tell the ones you love when you suspect something’s wrong with you. Because it scares you, and you don’t want to scare them. But when you suspect that you’re going as crazy as you always claim Caitlin is, there’s definitely something wrong.’ He’s always had minor problems, proven that first day he moved in to the Davenport household. But now it’s out of control. He’s spiraling downhill in terms of sanity, and nothing can really stop the descent. Multi-chaptered. Leo, Adam, Bree, Chase; Angst/Action/Drama; T; 7) Whoa, dark, dark, dark! I was re-watching the very first episode (Crush, Chop, and Burn), and then I saw Leo and Eddy's first interaction, and... wow. This popped into my head. It might not be up for a while, but I'm almost certainly doing it!

NOTE: I have several upcoming large projects, but they shall remain secret. Keep an eye out for them!

Mighty Med

Tread Lightly—“‘Be careful, for when she is released, your greatest desires will become your worst nightmares.’ / ‘I know you know what you want. Just ask for it, and it all will be yours…’ / ‘I wish… I-I wish—’ / ‘Stop! Just everybody stop!’” / There is only one rule in this game: be carful what you wish for. (Kaz, Oliver, Skylar S., OC; Adventure/Drama/Friendship; T; 8; Being Written) Hmm... I don't know what to say about this story. A totally random idea that popped into my head, and it morphed into a huge project. Huh.

Beating Heart—He didn’t know if he could pinpoint the exact moment that his admiration for Skylar Storm turned into love. ([Oliver, Skylar S]; Romance/Friendship; K; 8) I finally got a Skoliver idea! It's sorta introspective, and Oliver-centric going through the years, with a healthy dose of Skylar Storm comics.

Everything I Know is a Lie - ‘He’s in shock. Complete shock. His whole life, he’s been lied to by someone you should always be able to trust. His mother lied. And he can’t comprehend it.’ One-shot. Oliver-centric. Takes place during The Mother of All Villains. (Oliver, Bridget, Kaz, Skylar S.; Drama/Angst/Family; T; 8; Being Written) Should be posted soon enough. Oliver's inner thoughts when he found out that his mother was a villain.

Warning Signs - What can you do when the last things you say to your best friend before a terrible accident are awful so-called truths about them? What can you do when your best friend’s life hangs in the balance? What lengths will you go to see them, just so you can apologize for what you said? How do you even know if your friend ever wants to see you again? (Kaz, Skylar S., Oliver, OC; Friendship/Hurt/Comfort; T; 9) Kaz-centric because I can! It may not be up for a while, but I'm definitely doing it!

The Life We’ve Lost - Liar. Schemer. Thief. Murderer. Traitor. These are just a few examples of the labels assigned to him since he joined his mother. Every word is true. He lied to his friends. He came up with plots to destroy everything his loved ones held dear. He stole precious items. He killed anyone who stood in his way. He betrayed them all. All in the name of power and Mr. Terror. (Oliver, Bridget, Kaz, Skylar S.; Action, Drama, Angst; T; 10; Being Written) Fairly dark, but I quite like this idea. Multi-chapter. It's most definitely an AU.

Bound - ‘“You’re not real,” he muttered, resting his forehead against the bars of his prison, his cage. “Every time, you come to talk to me. But you’re not real. You never are.” But he didn’t expect the hand to reach through the bars and rest on his shoulder. “This time, I’m real. I promise.”’ They were faced with tests that were designed so they would fail. Literally everything they did would be used against them. All they could do was rely on each other and hope they would get out alive. (More characters than listed.) (A sort of what-if based on facts from Elite Force) (Kaz, Skylar S., Oliver; Friendship/Tragedy; T; 9) Well... this was a random idea that popped into my head. So (and spoilers ahead for Elite Force, don't say I didn't warn you!) we know that Mighty Med gets destroyed by a group of unknown villains. But the what-if part is: what if our favorite trio got captured there? BOOM! This happened. I actually really like this idea, so when I get a solid plot line for this, I'll start! (NOTE: title is subject to change)

Powerless - Skylar doesn’t care about her friends hurting her anymore. All she wants is to have all of them stop lying to her. She knows the truth, and having them lie is the worst thing they could do to her. One-shot. Post series finale. (Skylar S., Oliver, Kaz; Angst/Friendship; K; 8) It's definitely canon divergent. Not sure when this is going up, but I did really like this idea.

NOTE: Like LR, I have a few of projects that should be kept under wraps.

And more shall be put on here when I get more ideas! (Don't steal them. I will know and we'll have some words.)

OC List:

This is, obviously, where I will be listing my OCs (only the ones who have significance). There aren't very many yet, so don't worry about that! (A quick note: if you want to borrow these characters for anything [I don't know why you would, but just if, ask first, please. I'd rather not see them in any story without me being notified. That said, if you would like to borrow them, I would love to see what you would do to them!])

Lab Rats:

Summer Portman (First appearance: Subject D; Last appearance: ??) - Daniel's cousin by adoption. Older than him by about three years, but they still care about each other and help each other out as much as possible. They are good friends, bordering on best friends. She's very sarcastic and tends to be a bit of a pessimist, but she still will help out any way she can. Born in Sacramento, CA; currently resides in the same place. Not bionic, not superpowered.

"Dee" Davenport (First appearance: The End Where I Begin; Last appearance: ??) - [Technically not an OC, but I created her whole personality so it counts.] Nicknamed "Dee" for her last initial, she is the only biological child of Donald and Tasha Davenport. All of her siblings are a number of years older than her, but that doesn't stop them from having a close relationship. She's quiet around strangers, deflecting her family's fame as best she can, but loud and cheerful around friends. Born in Mission Creek, CA; currently residing in New York, NY. Not bionic, not superpowered.

Mighty Med:

Max Snow (First appearance: Rewind; Last appearance: ??) - Jordan's sister. In the alternate universe Oliver accidentally created, she is a cold-as-ice supervillain with powers of the same nature. She, as the villainess Frostbite, is a sworn enemy of Skylar Storm, Kaz/Firestorm, and Leo Dooley. She worked alongside Douglas Davenport at one point before they were imprisoned, but she still "borrows" his kids from time to time. Born in Aston, PA; currently resides in the same place. Not bionic, superpowered. (NOTE: in the original universe, she is not a supervillain.)

And now, for a message about the end of Lab Rats, written right after the airing of The Vanishing:

It just hit me. Like a ton of bricks. I mean, this is it, guys. The last episode of Lab Rats has been aired. It was one last hour of pure awesomeness (like Davenport XD). It was one last hour of Adam, Bree, Chase, Leo, Donald, Douglas, Daniel, Marcus, Giselle, Bob... And now it's over. We had one more hour to treasure the characters some of us may have grown up with. At the very least, they have been a part of our lives for four years. We laughed with them, we may or may not have cried with them, we gasped and screamed and plotted and speculated. And now it's all over. I'll miss this - all of this. I'll miss the thrill that comes with not knowing what will happen next, not knowing who is good, who is evil - the blurred lines, if you will. If there's one thing you have to appreciate about this show, it's the complexity. It's a deep show. It teaches you things. We learn so much from these people. We've watched these guys grow up as we have alongside them. And it's all over now. Sure, we've got Elite Force, but it won't be the same. I truly will miss this. Who else feels the same way?

Writing/Reading Style:

I don't really know why, but I'm better at writing darker, sadder stories than happier ones. (Those are the stories I like reading the most, too.) That's not to say I won't try, but you can probably bet that the majority of my works will be on the darker side of things.

I also will throw in themes that some people might not like, but are very important to me. Deal with it. #sorrynotsorry

You'll probably see a trend in some of my stories, and I guess it's obvious who my favorite characters are, but I hope you enjoy!

Important Quotes

This is an ever-growing list of quotes that really make an impact on me. Most are serious, some may be funny. My ultimate favorites are marked with an "X".

X "I think we wall grapple with the paradox of knowing tomorrow is not promised but making plans anyway." - Lin-Manuel Miranda

X "It's like any other day in the big city; You can scream it on the corner all you like; But you won't get anything from them but pity; No one will appreciate your plight. That's why, that's why we write." - Why We Write; The Accidentals

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

X "We are all broken. That's how the light gets in." - Ernest Hemmingway

X “Emotional pain cannot kill you, but running from it can. Allow. Embrace. Let yourself feel. Let yourself heal.” - Vironika Tugaleva

"Oof. Tryin’ to out-Eponine Eponine up in this piece.” - Lin-Manuel Miranda

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

X "Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche

X "There are moments when the words don't reach; There are sufferings too terrible to name; You hold your child as tight as you can; And push away the unimaginable; There are moment when you're in so deep; It seems easier to just swim down... There's a grace to powerful to name; We push away what we can never understand; We push away the unimaginable." - It's Quiet Uptown; Angelica Schuyler Church; Hamilton: The Musical

"Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now." - Lin-Manuel Miranda

"Dark and starless, new catharsis; Sudden sharpness, where’s your conscience?; Tear my heart out from the hole in my chest; Warped and twisted, they persisted; And do we still believe they know what’s best… Does anyone feel blessed?" - Blessed; The Accidentals

"But sometimes I've felt a little constrained by that idea of who I'm meant to be." - Emma Watson

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." - Albert Einstein

“Come on brain, think of things. Come on brain, think of things. Come on brain, be so smart” - Lin-Manuel Miranda

X "There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." - Edith Wharton

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." - Imagine; John Lennon

"The beauty of standing up for your rights is others see you standing and stand up as well." - Cassandra Duffy

"And though it’s hard for us to try and understand; Maybe tragic mishaps were always in the plan; And when we stumble and we trip into fatality; Maybe we just open our eyes to reality; Like waking from a dream." - Tragic Mishaps; The Accidentals

X “The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.” - John Green

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud." - Maya Angelou

X "When Alexander aimed at the sky; He may have been the first one to die; But I'm the one who paid for it; I survived, but I paid for it; Now I'm the villain in your history; I was too young and blind to see; I should've known; I should've known the world was wide enough..." - The World Was Wide Enough; Aaron Burr; Hamilton: The Musical

"Stars can't shine without darkness." - Unknown

X "If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?" - George Carlin

"And when the night is cloudy; There is still a light that shines on me; Shine until tomorrow; Let it be." - Let it Be; The Beatles

X "I put myself back in the narrative; I stop wasting time on tears, I live another fifty years; it's not enough... And I'm still not through; I ask myself what would you do if you had more time?" - Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story; Eliza Schuyler Hamilton; Hamilton: The Musical

X “This is why homophobia is a terrible evil: it disguises itself as concern while it is inherently hate.” - Tyler Oakley

"FEAR has two meanings. Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise. The choice is yours." - Unknown

X “But pain's like water. It finds a way to push through any seal. There's no way to stop it. Sometimes you have to let yourself sink inside of it before you can learn how to swim to the surface.” - Katie Kacvinsky

"Mumbles of subconscious doubt; They turned to marbles rolling in my mouth; And now whenever I try to speak, you never hear me out; Isn’t that what love’s about?" - Bulletproof Glass; The Accidentals

"Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." - 'The Road Less Traveled By'; Robert Frost

"Well-behaved women seldom make history." - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

"You must do things you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

"If Hamilton were on Twitter, he would have been a worse oversharer than me." - Lin-Manuel Miranda

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world." - Robin Williams

X "Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world." - Malala Yousafzai

X "Finally on my way home; But I’ve never felt so alone; Thought I’d always be prepared; But I’ve never felt so scared... Thought my life would never change; Thought it’d always stay the same; What’s this feeling with no name?; It’s time to play the thinking game…" - Thinking Game; The Accidentals

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." - Mark Twain

X "You're allowed to scream, you're allowed to cry, but do not give up." - Unknown

X "I don't want other people to decide who I am. I want to decide that for myself." - Emma Watson

"Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." - Karim Seddiki

"History is so subjective. The teller of it determines it." - Lin-Manuel Miranda

X “Self pity becomes your oxygen. But you learned to breathe it without a gasp. So, nobody even notices you're hurting.” - Paul Monette

X "Love doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints; It takes and it takes and it takes; And we keep loving anyway; We laugh and we cry and we break and we make our mistakes."- Wait For It; Aaron Burr; Hamilton: The Musical

X "I'm sorry, if you were right, I'd agree with you." Robin Williams

"I'm standing by a marble wall; Carving epitaphs of human fault; Why spend my whole life wondering; If I find lies more comforting; How can I invest my faith; If what you give is what you take?; But I will try to find the in between." - Epitaphs; The Accidentals

"Sometimes a line enters your head, and you're so grateful for it. You go online to check to see if anyone wrote it before you. You must have stolen it." - Lin-Manuel Miranda

"I am the one thing in life I can control; I am inimitable; I am an original." - Wait For It; Aaron Burr; Hamilton: The Musical

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" - Audrey Hepburn

“My parents taught me never to judge others based on whom they love, what color their skin is, or their religion. Why make life miserable for someone when you could be using your energy for good? We don’t need to share the same opinions as others, but we need to be respectful. When you hear people making hateful comments, stand up to them. Point out what a waste it is to hate, and you could open their eyes.” - Taylor Swift

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

X "I don't want the fear of failure to stop me from doing what I really care about." - Emma Watson

"When life gives you lemons, squirt someone in the eye." - Cathy Guisewite

X “Race, gender, religion, sexuality, we are all people and that's it. We're all people. We're all equal.” - Connor Franta

X "My wife’s the reason anything gets done; She nudges me towards promise by degrees; She is a perfect symphony of one; Our son is her most beautiful reprise; We chase the melodies that seem to find us; Until they’re finished songs and start to play; When senseless acts of tragedy remind us; That nothing here is promised, not one day; This show is proof that history remembers; We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger; We rise and fall and light from dying embers; Remembrances that hope and love last longer; And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside; I sing Vanessa’s symphony, Eliza tells her story; Now fill the world with music, love, and pride." - Lin-Manuel Miranda

FANFICTION - UNITED NATIONS!! Has anyone else noticed how a lot of us get along and make friends on here and we can be from completely different countries? WTF!? We're here making world peace on the INTERNET and we have all those ambassadors and senators and whatever struggling with it!! If you realize this (or read this and agreed) copy and paste this and add your name and country (country is optional) to the list. SPREAD THE PEACE!!: Naruto-fan-Okami-chan (USA), NaraTemari011 (Puerto Rico), Lala girl in Lalaland (USA), Kakashi Forever (England), NinjasWillRuleTheWorld (Australia),Shadowtheangel (Sweden), Ice Prince Hitsugaya (USA), Luccian (Canada), Maleficent-darkgoodwitch2416 (USA), Jellyfish3012 (USA), AngelLOVERaven.Dragonfly (Malaysia), Stardust16 (Canada), EmeraldTulip (USA)

I used to have that 'are you more boy or girl' quiz thing on here, but I decided it's stupid because to heck with gender norms! Also, it's very cisnormative and ignores nonbinary and intersex people. Gender is a social construct! Break those gender stereotypes! Boys, paint your nails and wear makeup if you want - it's not just for girls. Girls, wear non slim-fitting jeans and sneakers and too-big hoodies if it makes you feel great - that's not only a boy's thing. Nonbinary/genderqueer/gender non-conforming people, confuse everyone with how you look if you so wish (you might not, which is totally fine!) - there's no gender to clothing or makeup! Don't let society force its norms on you.

One

(Response to “Girl”, because she is not as alone as she might think.)

It is normalized.

It is one simple request:

be subservient.

Do all the dishes;

clean everyone’s laundry;

never play with boys.

Throw away your dreams;

prioritize your house work;

you need to grow up.

It is a request command

drilled into the minds of tens,

hundreds, thousands, tens of that;

Millions and billions

of people who deserve more.

Because what’s the point?

Because it matters.

What’s the point in standing up?

Many just don’t know.

Because “what’s the point?”

becomes resigned: “what’s the point.”

and that shouldn’t be.

Forget the billions;

think what this does to the one

who thinks she’s alone.

(And we know she’s not;

but she hasn’t learned that yet.

She needs to escape.)

The one who’s locked out

of all the doors open to

all of her brothers.

“Can I come with you?”

She asks him this all the time.

She always asks this.

“Can I come with you?”

He stops in the doorway. Silent.

He wants to say yes.

“Can I come with you?”

He then tries to say the words:

“Yes, if you want to.”

He knows that’s a lie,

though he wishes it isn’t.

“Yes, if you want to.”

“Can I come with you?”

He stops short in the doorway.

He shakes his head. “No.”

She thinks she’s alone.

She doesn’t know much better.

She wishes she does.

She still waits for it,

wishes she didn’t have to.

Waits ’til she can ask:

“Can I come with you?”

He will stop in the doorway,

smile. “If you want to.”

(She does. And she doesn't need his permission, but it's nice for someone to care. To want her to succeed. And so she walks through that door. Of course she does.)

XXX

This is a response to the short writing piece called "Girl", by Jamaica Kincaid. I'm not a girl, but I have the experience of being treated like one for years and I am so, so invested in this topic because it means a lot to me. The original piece struck a chord with me. We often think of the struggle for women to be recognized as being one huge movement, but that sometimes makes us forget about the individual. Especially those who come from places where being a woman or woman-aligned is practically a death sentence. No one deserves that. And people are hurt, people feel lonely and abandoned, but better times do come. The individual has worth. I want to make sure people remember that.

Stranger Things Have Happened

You see that girl over there? Her name is Margaret. She lives with her mom. We don't ask where her dad is. She comes in once a week to get food while her mom takes the late shift at work (the hardware store, we’re pretty sure—she won’t say). She doesn't want your pity, though, so don't try to give her a discount. Seriously. Don't try it. You'll lose an arm.

Those two boys, in the corner booth, their names are Will and Micheal. They come in almost every day. They try to hide the fact that they're dating, but everyone here knows. We don't tell anyone outside, though, because Will's dad would kill him if he knew. And probably Michael, too. So their secret never leaves this place, okay?

Philip, over there, he's pretty much marked for death. His father owns the factory in town that most kids' parents work at, and he just fired about a quarter of them. Not to mention that his dad also is in the midst of a political campaign despite the allegations of cheating on his wife with as many as two women and a man. I wouldn't be surprised if he got shot any day, now. But don't go around saying that, it'll give people ideas. Just give the kid free fries if he orders a burger.

That person over there, that's Em. They're genderfluid and really don't adhere to the gender binary, so check their pronouns when they order. It changes constantly, and is perfectly normal. They're bilingual, but have a strong Spanish preference. So maybe look into that. Never ask if they're on a date, though, because they're asexual and aromantic and will probably murder you if you do. They're usually waiting for a few of their friends, who are precisely nine minutes late every day. Oh, look. All three of them, right on time.

Those three are some oddballs. There's Lucas, he moved here from Indiana a few years back. He wants to be a professional photographer. Jonathan is a baseball player on the high school team, but the team has never made it past the first few games. Jay is from… well, we don't know. She doesn't like to talk about it. She doesn't really like to talk at all, actually. So don't try to initiate conversation, okay?

There's Jemma, at the counter. She's hopelessly in love with both Will and Em. Just her luck that she'd fall for the gay guy and asexual and aromantic person. She's got no chance with either of them. That won't stop her from trying, though, so don't bother. What's ridiculous is that there's a guy named Oliver who is head over heels for her, but she doesn't see it. Whatever, just give her what she wants. It won't be advice.

Daniel over there stops by every other day (and always on Sundays) to buy a milkshake and talk to Phillip. They're adorable. They're not dating, despite what pretty much the whole town (including Daniel's mom) thinks. Although, in my opinion, they'll be an item before the year is through. We have a betting pool open, wanna join?

Now Sara is interesting. She doesn't come here often, and pretty much never buys. But she loves to talk. I think Em finds her interesting, because she has no direction. Sara has no idea who she is. She goes through boys and labels faster than I just won that bet because Daniel and Phillip are making out in the corner—and Alice owes me thirty bucks. But anyway, Sara seems pretty confident that her new label of "bi" will stick. Honestly, this one looks like it might, because her date is walking in and it's Philip's twin sister Talia.

Those are the important ones—oh, I almost forgot one. He's over there, by the bathroom. Nicolas—just call him Nick—is here pretty much every day. Except for Thursday, he has work. His sister died a year ago, so you have to be gentle around him. He's always pretty angry, the only time you'll get him calm is if you get his cousin Jackson and Jackson's girlfriend, Anna. They stop by a lot, too—thankfully, they're here today, so no need to worry about Nick causing trouble.

Yeah, that's all, I think. I'm going to head out, I trust my restaurant will be perfectly intact when I get back. Good luck, and make sure all the dates go well, don't you? The kids are awfully cute.

XXX

My first real piece of original fiction. I think it turned out okay.

"I'm no one in the overall scheme of the universe - but people, no matter how few, know who I am. I exist, I'm still alive, I'm still here. Despite all the odds stacked against me, against us as a human race, I'm still here. I'm still here. I'm making a difference, in a very small way. I'm making the most of my time. I'm still here. And that must count for something." - Me, 2016

We're Here. You Can't Hide Us Away. (a short essay/speech written by me on November 10, 2016)

We, the outsiders, have always been here. We will always be here. Everything that’s happening, when our country and our world feels like it’s crashing down around us… it’s not the end. It’s not even close. Never feel like it is. The Earth keeps its course in the Solar System. The sun will rise in the morning and set in the evening. Even if you feel like your entire world is over, it is not. Remember that. Please. We are all here for you.

We have always been here. But so has the bigotry, the hatred, the irrational ‘fear’. Recent events have just brought all of that violence to the surface. We must overcome that.

There is so much wrong with our country right now. I'm not trying to put down anyone's political beliefs, and I try to respect everyone. I won’t judge you based on what party you are in. But I will judge you for choosing to vote for someone who will take us back fifty years and destroy the endless progress that women, people of color, the LGBTQ plus/Queer communities, different religious equality groups, and more, have accomplished after so much hardship. I don't really care if there was anyone worse than him or not. The fact is that I—and so many others—am actually scared for my life now.

The presidential elections should not end with people sobbing in the streets, collapsing in the arms of their loved ones. It should not end with stunned silence and quiet tears on the way to school and work the morning after. It should not end with people scared that their marriages will be annulled, or that they could be forced into conversion therapy or even concentration camps as VP 45 has suggested. It should not end with people terrified that they will be forced to use the wrong bathroom, or the fear that being misgendered every day will become the norm. It should not end with a fear that racism and sexism will run rampant, that we will get turned away from jobs and services because of the color of our skin or our gender (neither of which we can control), and that everyone who is not like our new president elect - white, straight, cis, rich - will be discriminated and fought against. It should not end with the thought that all these glass ceilings might never be broken. (These glass ceilings are still here. But you can still break them. You still have power here, even when you feel powerless. Remember that.)

For many Americans, this was the worst. We never expected it would come to this. But despite that, I am—you are, we all are—still here, though 45 and VP 45 want people like me, like us, gone. I will not give them that victory.

I stay alive out of spite.

That shouldn't be my reason.

I shouldn't have to want to be alive to spite someone. I should want to live because we have a stable, free country that I love living in. Where I can be who I really am, love who I want, be respected for my heritage, be taken seriously despite my gender (assigned and not). Today, that's not why. It could be one day, I hope. But until then, I don't want to hear any arguments of "well, it could have been worse". Because for many of us, it couldn't have been. We're living our worst nightmare already.

But nightmares always end eventually. Do you know what we have to do? We have to block him every step of the way. If he tries to undo the last eight years of progress, we throw a fit. We will scream and shriek and shout and sob. We will do everything in our power to make our voices hear, no matter how invisible we might feel. Because, though we will always be pushed aside—people will attempt to ignore us—we are many in numbers. We can fight this. We are not invisible. We are here, in this place, in this time, ready and raring to go. They might make an attempt not to see us, but our voices are loud. They cannot block out our words.

We can break down. We can cry, we can hide for our own safety. But we can never give up. Giving up only awards him power.

Right now? The only power he gets is from the violence and fear his supporters almost always manage to extract from us. He is powered by hatred and bigotry. We cannot give in. We cannot let him have any more power than he already does. Do you know what? He can’t just deport thousands of people. He can’t just take away our right to marry whoever we want. He can’t just repeal laws that prevent people from discriminating in jobs and services based on skin color or assigned gender or gender identity or sexual orientation or birthplace. He can’t just take away our health care. He can’t do anything to cause us harm. He can’t do any of that without due process of law—and I know we will not stand for it. It is unconstitutional, un-presidential, and purely un-American. It’s purely inhumane. We cannot allow him to do any of that. We must ensure he never takes anything from us ever again.

He has taught the weak-minded people of America that it’s okay to call women “pigs”, “fatties”, etc, and that it’s okay to assault them—because it’s not like women are useful for anything but sex, right? He has taught those people that it’s okay to call people “Miss Room Service” because of the color of their skin and where they come from. He has taught them that it’s okay to be disgusted at people who love who they want because it’s against his religion (forgetting, of course, the fact that not everyone is a part that religion). His running mate has, time and time again, threatened to lock people up because of who they love and how free they are to express that. Do you know the last time we’ve seen anything that resembles this? Tagging those of another “potentially threatening” religion, concentration camps, conversion therapy, mindless hoards of people driven by hate for anyone who is “different”… yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

Do you know what we are to them? Collateral damage. That’s all we are. They were promised a new and better America by this man. Some of them didn’t stop to think about all the people that would get hurt along the way, they were looking out only for themselves. Some of them did think, I’m sure—but those are the people I personally believe are irredeemable. We’re not just the extra. We’re not the collateral damage. We’re living people with our own unique, incredible lives. We deserve to be recognized as such. We don’t deserve to be traded for weak, unfulfilled promises.

America has failed us, but we don’t have to fail America. The country chose hate. The country chose bigotry. The country chose fear. They chose to revert back to our old form of the rich, “speaks his mind” (AKA insulting) white man—after eight successful years with a black president, no less—instead of an experienced woman. (It hurts because we all know if Obama had been white, or if Hillary had been a man, it wouldn’t have been this way.) But we don’t have to let America suffer for the mistakes of the bigoted. We can stand together in solidarity and fight for what we believe in.)

Yesterday, the country rose as one and marched out of schools, work, and on to the streets. Thousands of people flooded from their homes to show their discontent. My own city brought out thousands into the streets and onto the sidewalks. We had signs. We had chants. We had songs. We had speeches. We stood together.

That didn’t end yesterday.

Today, the marches continue. Today, the chants and songs and signs and speeches keep going. And tomorrow… tomorrow will bring even more of it.

But you must remember: Take care of yourself. I implore you to. If you feel unsafe for any reason because of any of this, do everything in your power to get to a place where you no longer feel like that. If you must: Cover your head, go back in the closet, cover your posters of feminist icons, stop speaking up in debate club. There is no shame in hiding. It’s okay. But you must promise yourself (you owe yourself this much): Never stop believing in these things. You can cover it up, tell your family you were confused, you can pretend it never happened. But always remember that all those things are there for you to come home to when you are safe again.

You matter. You always matter. Don’t ever tell yourself that you don’t. Every time a life is lost because of this, he gets a little stronger. Don’t give him that satisfaction. No life is worth this. Protect yourself, protect your friends and family. Protect strangers. Protect anyone who seems on the verge of falling apart, because we need you now more than ever.

It will get better. I promise. We are stronger united than we are apart. It’s time to stick together—set aside political parties, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, all of it. We must stand together, bound by our moral understanding of what this means for all of us.

We stand together. Not apart. We can survive this.

We are the outsiders. We’ve always been here. You can’t hide us away. We will not be your scapegoats, the subject of your hatred, the collateral damage. We will not let you take our rights away. We’re here, we’re living and breathing and thinking and fighting, and you can never take that from us.

My Role Models/Favorites (there are probably more, feel free to suggest!)

Authors: James Dashner, John Green, Rick Riordan

Child - Young Adult Actors: Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Asher Angel, Oona Lawrence, Rowan Blanchard, Amandla Stenberg

Adult Actors: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe

Internet Stars/YouTubers: Miles McKenna, Thomas Sanders, Dan Howell, Phil Lester, Chandler N. Wilson, Ash Hardell, Kovu Kingsrod, Dodie Clark

Historical Figures: Marie Curie, John Laurens, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt

Singers/Broadway: Renee Elise Goldsberry, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Philipa Soo, Adele, Idina Menzel, Halsey, Troye Sivan

Other: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ellen Ochoa, Malala Yousafzai

"And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside."

"Why do you write like you're running out of time?" - Lin-Manuel Miranda

(I don't know. I write because I need to leave my legacy. I write because I can. I write because I want to. I write because I'm good at it. I wrote because I want to learn. I write because some people can't. I write because I need to make a difference. I don't know. I write because I feel like I must. And I write like I'm running out of time because I am. We all are.)