#panda responds

“You’re the one moving too slow, Grandpa,” you teased, leaning just enough to make his attempt harder. The corner of your lips curled mischievously as you twisted out of his reach again, sending him stumbling forward with a muttered curse.

Logan straightened, glaring at you. “You wanna get tossed like a sack of potatoes? ‘Cause I’ll do it.”

“Promise?” you shot back with a grin, earning a low, rumbling growl in response.

From behind the camera, Wade cackled like he’d been waiting his whole life for this moment. He adjusted the angle of your phone, squinting at the screen. “Oh, this is gold. Are we witnessing the tragic downfall of the great Wolverine? Or is this just an elaborate mating ritual?”

“Shut up, Wade,” Logan snapped, his sharp eyes briefly cutting to the man-child behind the camera.

“I’m just saying,” Wade continued, unfazed. “For a guy with animal instincts, you’re not exactly pouncing, buddy. You’re more…like a wounded bear. Slow, cranky, probably rabid—”

“Keep runnin’ your mouth, Wilson, and we’ll see who’s slow,” Logan snarled, his claws snikt-ing halfway out for emphasis.

Wade gasped theatrically, clutching the phone to his chest like a pearl necklace. “Violence? In front of your lady? I thought you were all about the chivalry, peanut.”

“Wade,” you said with a laugh, stepping closer to your grumpy boyfriend. “You’re not helping.”

“Who says I’m trying to help? I’m here for the content, babe. And maybe the sweet, sweet sound of his back snapping when he fails this lift. Again.”

Logan didn’t dignify that with a response. He shook his head, his jaw clenching as he crouched slightly, motioning for you to come closer. “Alright, enough screwin’ around. C’mere. This time, I got it.”

“Okay, okay.” You stepped into his reach, but not without one last playful jab. “Don’t throw your hip out, old man.”

His hands clamped around your waist firmly this time, and for a moment, you felt the raw strength coiled in his arms. With a grunt of effort, he hoisted you upward—just a little too hard.

“Whoa, Logan! Not the ceiling!” you yelped, flailing as your head nearly collided with the light fixture.

“Stop wigglin’!” Logan barked, his voice strained as he adjusted his grip. You landed awkwardly across his broad shoulder, not quite balanced but not falling either. “There! Told ya I could do it.”

“Yeah, sure. Super graceful,” you teased from your perch, giggling as you tried to hold still.

“Oh, honey,” Wade chimed in, zooming the camera in on Logan’s scowling face. “You are the picture of elegance. Look at you. Like a slightly hairier, angrier ballerina. Ten outta ten. I’m titling this masterpiece: ‘Beauty and the Beast, But She Regrets It.’”

Logan flipped him off without missing a beat, his free hand holding you steady as you laughed so hard your sides ached.

“Alright, we’re done here,” Logan grumbled, beginning to lower you.

“No, no, no, not yet!” Wade protested, practically lunging to block the shot. “I need the slow-mo drop! Or maybe a blooper reel. You two are TikTok gold, and I will exploit it for likes.”

“I swear to God, Wade,” Logan growled, turning to face him, which meant you were now dangling awkwardly off his shoulder like a sack of grain. “If you don’t quit, I’ll—”

“Oh, don’t threaten me with a good time, Wolvie,” Wade quipped, blowing him a kiss.

By the time Logan set you down, both of you were doubled over in laughter—yours genuine, his tinged with exasperation. Wade was still narrating the moment like a sports commentator, throwing in dramatic sound effects and zooming in on Logan’s face for emphasis.

“You’re both insane,” Logan muttered, shaking his head.

“And yet,” you said, sliding your arm around his waist, “you love us anyway.”

If it’s a fic/series, I plan most, if not all, of it out. Google Docs has a tab feature, so I use it to have ideas/an outline that I refer to. Most of the time, it’s just bullet points or me jotting down ideas. Not all of it makes it into the work, but that’s okay because I can use it in something else. 

Example: For Ain’t No Grave — the idea came to me from wondering if someone could survive being bitten if they had their arm cut off. Would that stop the infection from spreading? I brainstormed it with my sister before researching it. I googled references to the game/show and even looked through Reddit before taking creative liberties with it. It was an idea that gnawed away at me until I wrote it. I wrote the first three chapters, which were planned out, but after that, I wasn’t sure how to take the story.

Also, Pinterest is my best friend. Sometimes, just looking through photos inspires me. I love creating mood boards centered around my one-shots or fics. It helps me create a visual idea.

Lastly, having the tools is so important as well. I may have been writing since I was ten, and an English Major, but using prompt ideas or looking through accounts like @/luna-azzurra or @/schoolofplot can help give you advice, prompts, or resources.