#I was starting to feel better. I was gearing up towards goals and actually feeling up for them. and it all came crashing down.

[samuraisharkie]

I keep trying not to think about it bc that’s what everyone is telling me to do, but I’m so frustrated. I’m so scared. And I’m so, so, very fucking tired.

[onepieceisreeeeaaalll]

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 - 𝗭𝗼𝗿𝗼 𝘅 𝗙𝗲𝗺!𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

Hey, hey! Here's another contribution from the drafts. I meant to get this out earlier but I've been overthinking it haha. I'm still new to writing smut and I tend to write and rewrite, not to mention I've only just recently picked up writing again after years of doing it intermittently. I'll probably do what I always do and edit it for redundancies, mistakes, etc. This is almost pure NSFW but I did add a little prelude and a fluffy ending. Nothing crazy. Hope you enjoy!

CW: NSFW!! Gendered terms for reader (female); breeding kink; creampie; p in v; mention of overstimulation; use of term 'daddy'; actual talk of starting a family

~1.9K words

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Zoro wants kids. You wouldn't think it, given his typical demeanor, the way he interacts with kids, the big goals he has for his life. He's always liked the idea of little children running around, though - sparring with them, arguing, playing games, and telling stories. Yeah, Zoro wants kids. A family.

So, when you laugh at a comment Sanji makes in disgust about ‘a bunch of stupid green-haired babies popping out of you,' you have to do a double-take at Zoro's response. 

“Yeah? What's so funny about that?”

You blink, a stupid smile still stuck on your face from when you were keeling over at Sanji's remarks. The laughter slowly dies, though, as you start to process his words. There’s something deadly serious about Zoro’s tone that makes your smile fade.

“Wait, what?” You ask, your attention fully turned towards the grumpy demeanor of your boyfriend sitting beside you.

You'd both been sitting in the galley of the Sunny, Zoro only following you in because you were insistent on talking to the curly-browed cook to see if he needed help setting up for lunch. Idle conversation and jokes that had been made seemed mostly tuned out by Zoro. You weren't even sure he was listening until the comment he just made.

“I said ‘what's so funny?’ Don't you wanna have my kids?” Zoro retorts. 

Sanji’s just as surprised as you are, but he lets out a small snort before taking a long drag from his cigarette. “Who would want to have your brats, mosshead?” 

“Who asked you, shit cook? Where the hell is lunch, anyway?” 

Sanji grumbles under his breath, something about Zoro being a lazy jackass, but he reluctantly pads back off to the stove where he has food cooking for the upcoming mealtime. Sanji’s reaction isn’t even on your radar, though. You’re still reeling from Zoro’s question and the tone in which he said it.

“Zoro. You're kidding.” You say, your voice even. “What, you mean - you want kids?” 

“Yeah.”

It's so blunt, treated as something so obvious that you almost feel like you’re in a different reality. You stare at each other quietly, and you're not entirely sure but you swear you can see the gears in Zoro's head turning as well. It’s a pretty big step in your relationship, all things considered. You two had barely broached the topic of marriage once or twice, and those conversations weren’t particularly enlightening about what the future holds for you. But…kids. Zoro…wants kids. That much is certain.

With an awkward laugh, you tell him casually that you’d like to talk with him about it another time in an attempt to brush off the topic entirely. It’s obvious by his reaction that he’s not happy, but he decides to drop it at the sight of your other crewmates entering the galley.

So, that’s that. For now.

-----------

Loud moans and the sound of skin slapping leave the walls of the men's quarters, almost making the sock on the door handle obsolete. At this point, the sock was really just a formality to make you feel better. Both you and Zoro knew that if you were going to go at it like you usually did, everyone on the ship would know to steer clear the moment they walked within a fifteen-foot radius. Honestly, it was a joke at this point amongst the crew. Everyone was very well aware of your active - and loud - sex life.

Strong, calloused hands hold your thighs down against your chest, pinning you down into the bed. Zoro's cock slides into you with practiced ease, pumping in a familiar but hungry rhythm. His brows are furrowed as though he's concentrating, and through your sex addled haze, you can see a bead of sweat dripping down from his forehead. 

“Fuuuuck, (y/n). Pussy feels so good for me.” He groans. 

“Zoro, yes!” You gasp. One of your hands grips against his forearm, leaving light clawmarks from your nails against his skin. The sting makes Zoro hiss in delight.

“Yeah? You like that, (y/n), you like that?! Yeah? You want it harder?!” 

Zoro picks up the pace easily, his hands gripping your thighs as he angles and thrusts himself down into you. He loves the fucked out look in your eyes, the way you coo and keen under his touch. It’s something that he’s sure he’s gotten addicted to, and has even gone as far as to tell you on multiple occasions. 

All of this is so overwhelming, agonizingly intoxicating, and the pleasure building in your body isn’t doing much to help placate the frustration. An impulsive horny thought crosses your mind, though. The inkling of an idea. A solution. It could possibly backfire, but you were at the point of desperately needing a release. He had been going at you for almost an hour now, stopping when either of you got too close. Something about ‘wanting to take his time with you.’ You can’t even remember at this point, you’ve been denied that climax so many times that all you can think about is the feeling of Zoro’s cock dragging against your walls and the need to release the aching tension in your pussy. This move was risky, but hey, it's worth a shot. 

“Harder! Fuck-…put a baby in me!” You exclaim.

This sets something in Zoro off, halting him in a way neither of you were prepared for. He pauses all movements of his hips as if trying to process what he thinks he heard you say. It finally seems to click, though. With a devilish grin, he leans forward, his face only inches from yours. His body weighs down on you, pressing you harder into the bed. Without warning, his cock slides into you only once - harder, more deliberate - as his eye flickers over your face. Your eyes are half-lidded, tears prickling just out of the corners, though the way he slams his cock into you widens them.

“Yeah? That what you want? Wanna have my kids?” Zoro asks, his breath brushing over your lips. 

“Fill me up, Zoro…get me pregnant. Please. Need you to come in me.” You sputter breathlessly, your nose just brushing against his. 

Somehow, his grin widens further, and a small chuckle leaves him. You can feel him twitch inside you and you know for certain that this calculated risk has more than paid off.

“Shit, okay.” Zoro huffs, his movements continuing with a new primal urgency. “Yeah, there you go, pretty girl. Take it. Take my cock.” 

There is something profoundly different about the way Zoro is fucking you now. The mating press he has you in seems more firm than before, his hands on your thighs squeezing with the effort of him ramming his cock into you. The head of his length brushes over your g-spot again and again, that perfect amount of pressure causing you to writhe and groan beneath him. Every sound that leaves you, every tremble of your thighs, only makes him double his efforts.

“Yeah, yeah, just like that. Keep going. Take it! Gonna put a baby in you!” 

You can hardly believe the words you’re hearing growled at you, the way they’re cut through with the grunts and moans. Zoro has always put what felt like the maximum amount of effort into sex. It’s just who he is - he doesn’t half-ass anything he cares about, and fucking is one of those things. For some reason, though, every pass of his cock feels like it’s igniting some kind of new energy in him. A desperation - a need - that’s making it hard to even think of anything beyond the approaching precipice of orgasm. Your walls clench around him as though trying to keep him there, and the sounds that are leaving the both of you are nearly animalistic as Zoro fervently picks up his pace.

“Fuuuck, I'm gonna fill you up. Fill you up with my come and make you pregnant. You're gonna - nnng - be so fucking hot all swollen with my baby. Can’t wait.” 

Your hands clench the sheets with the effort of trying to hold steady, to focus on the orgasm that’s getting closer and closer. His words are only amplifying the building heat, that coil getting tighter and tighter in your cunt. With every pathetic whine and cry that leaves you, Zoro’s hips collide into yours, his balls slapping loudly against your skin. You’re so close, have been chasing this orgasm for so long, and Zoro knows it. And now he wants to get you both there. With no effort on his part, he finally relents, moving a hand down to rest against your lower abdomen. 

“Feel my cock in you, baby? You’re taking it so deep. Just a little more.” Zoro groans, unable to hide his own rapid build-up.

He slides his thumb down from where his hand rests, rubbing up and down against your clit in a steady rhythm. It’s his finishing move, the one that always gets you there, and its effects are damn near immediate. The way he’s bullying your g-spot with his cock, railing his hips into yours, and rubbing over your clit causes the sensations to build and build until-! 

“That's good, baby. Come on my cock. Milk me and make me a daddy.” 

You clamp a hand over your mouth as you ride the high, the ecstasy crashing down again and again. As you’re sent firmly over the edge, you clench hard around his cock which elicits another loud groan from Zoro, his seed spilling into you until it seeps out of your pulsing cunt. You groan and pant together, Zoro’s hips gradually slowing down until both of you have been properly worked through your respective releases.

You barely even register his cock leaving you. The bed shifts with his weight where he collapses beside you, an arm thrown over his eyes as he tries to catch his breath. It’s silent for a while, both of you recovering from the intense influx of chemicals and the racing of your hearts. The silence draws on, though, to the point where you're starting to feel a tension settling in your stomach. A conversation needs to happen, that much is clear, and the unspoken words do little to actually let either of you fully soak in the afterglow. It surprises you when Zoro’s the first one to speak.

“You serious about wanting a baby with me?” Zoro finally says, his voice gruff and low. 

You hum as you turn on your side towards him, working hard to find the right words in response. He’s already looking at you, peeking under his thick forearm that rests on his forehead. Zoro looks wrecked, with disheveled green locks poking out in different directions and a thin layer of sweat glistening over his whole body. His chest is heaving significantly less than before, but there’s still a noticeable effort in the way his lungs extend and contract. You find your hand drawn to the broad expanse of his chest, resting gently against his warm skin.

“Yeah. I just didn’t know when to bring it up. Figured in the heat of the moment was as good a time as any.” You reply, a playful smile rising to your lips.

You watch as Zoro grins in return immediately, his eye lighting up in a way that you’ve only seen a handful of times. It’s missing it’s usual devilish charm, instead replaced with a sparkle that shines radiantly. His hand immediately grabs yours on his chest, holding it in place as if intending to keep it. There’s a pure joy growing in your chest that can’t be contained.

“Then you’d better stop taking those stupid birth control pills Chopper gives you. There’s going to be a lot more where that came from.”

[lunaslovelyrambles]

-> hey i wrote a sequel to this :)

— • — • —

you're the first person he looks for - always. before the two of you even started dating he'd seek out your eyes in a crowd. your eyes. not anyone else's.

reiner was a quick learner when it came to the ODM gear. he'd whip through one of the training courses nearly flawlessly. then, once he was back at the start, he'd give you a wink and a cocky grin. and oh how he loved the way you'd roll your eyes with a small smile at his annoying confidence.

he's too damn cute for his own good sometimes.

this carries over into the rest of your time in the military: his desire to look for you, make sure that you're alive. when you're both in trost, fighting actual titans, he tries to always keep an eye on you.

it's hard when you're in different squadrons. yet he still finds himself searching for you throughout the city. through the titan massacring his fellow cadets, he still looks for you.

he's careless. as he's distracted by the thought of finding you, he nearly misses a titan running towards him.

"look out-!" he finally heard your call as you soar by on your ODM gear to slice the titan's ankle. it was seconds away from attacking him.

you didn't have to do that. regardless of if you showed up or not, he would've been fine. but you didn't know that. a pang runs through his chest at the reminder of the weight of a warrior.

"better watch your back, braun. or i might actually rank higher than you when we graduate." this time, you're the one grinning and giving him a smirk. despite your expression, he can still see the way your fingers clench the handle of your gear. you're shaken beyond belief.

he realizes then that he loves you.

"yeah, thanks." he's still a little out of it. the rush from the sudden attack to the rush of emotions that he just felt sent him into a daze. he's surprised that he managed to respond to you at all.

you notice this, he doesn't care.

the thought of being in love with you terrifies him. he's not supposed to feel this way about you.. a supposed devil in the eyes of his homeland. still he does. and there's no stopping it now, he's too far gone for his own good.

he crashes his lips to yours and doesn't look back.

reiner knows. he knows that he's fucked. he knows, but there's nothing that can stop him now from caring for you. for loving you. for always making sure that you're okay first. by looking for you, your eyes, first.

even as he reveals his true identity to eren on the walls by saying that he's the armored titan. he looks at you. you break before his eyes, he breaks harder.

when he came to that island, he thought there would be nothing that could tear him away from his goal. no island devil could deter him from fulfilling his duty as a warrior.

you aren't a devil, though, you're an angel.

an angel whose eyes he loves, and soul he loves even more.

an angel he swears to look for again, someday.

— • — • —

-> masterlist

[dr3am5scape]

Got Attention for an Athlete Player

(Football Sevika x Cheerleader Fem reader)

Summary: Your a cheerleader who was caught getting attention from a hot known athlete, Sevika in football practice. You couldn’t help but fall deeply in love with her.

| Request are open in comment or on dm (message) whenever I’m available. Hope you enjoyed reading this and be doing more throughout Christmas break. Praying for this finals to be OVER ALREADY 😭 |

You was a cute cheerleader in college for the next football league game they were having. You’ve been a cheerleader practicing your part of the role to at least do something throughout college life without making yourself bored. You done this about a few weeks and was doing well, until during practices this afternoon, you were playing your role and then someone caught your attention. This athletic fine woman from your eyes, darting at her. And only thinking about is her in your own mindset. Her muscular arm and biceps showing out from her gear. The helmet she had colored black and red. She was quite tired after playing football with the boys, (ofc she’s a tomboy) and had to take her helmet off to feel the wind breezing on her face as she sighs deeply looking up for a second and then grabbing her water bottle from the bench and drank some before going back on practicing for the game. You kept watching her as you weren’t even listening to your own coach from cheerleader team.

Sevika was tackling the other players and move quick to be prepare of catching the football to herself and drifts off quickly to reach the goal. “GO SEVIKA! GO GO GO!”You shouted far distance away from the strong women. Not sure how you even got her name in the first place or if you remember it (Probably ask Vi once), you was so eager to see her play. The moment you started cheering, Sevika glances in the direction to see the one of the main cheerleader who was yelling. At first she didn’t understand what happened but suddenly she felt this pleasant feeling that crept into her. The cheerleader team was already annoyed from your excitement, along with your coach you never like when you signed up for this cheerleading stuff.

Practice was now over just for the day, well evening actually. You pack up stuff from cheerleading, including Pom-poms and the outfit. As soon you came out of the women locker, you saw Sevika’s height talking to someone in front of her, like they were blocking her face. Just when you was about to move quickly, cuz how you would blush like crazy and end up screaming lol, and unexpected thing had come. Sevika quiets down with her group of one of the boys, and turn towards you. She smirk showing her attractiveness face and curve body as she turn half way like she was in her flirting moment. “You were the girl who cheered for me?” Sevika chuckles.

You felt your chest in body heat and your cheeks turning red. You could hear and see she was approaching closer to you which got you startled. “Yeah yeah that was me.” You quiets down. You landed at the wall that was near you, with Sevika leaning her body against you admiring your adorable looks as you couldn’t do nothing but hear your screaming of desire all over your head. You could also hear some of the boys were snickering behind their backs, mumbling and whistling seeing the whole scene just expose out of nowhere. However Sevika ignore all that. She pulled back after observing your beautiful looks from top to bottom. “Thanks that you were able to cheer for me. At least someone enjoys what I do. It kinda made my day bit better,” says Sevika extending you a hand trying not to make the conversation more awkwardly. “I’m Sevika.” You hold onto her hand blushing like a maniac (like chill. I won’t even handle myself well😭😭)

“I’m y/n.”

Sevika smile warmly, eyes looking down at you. “Nice to meet you, Y/n. Am glad we could finally meet for the…first time.” You guys were both blushing red. “However, it’s a pleasure. I must get going. Have many duties to do,” Sevika says pulling back. You understand and wave at her. “Hope to see you another time.” Sevika look you back close to exiting out the building. “Until we meet again, y/n. Good luck out there.” The tall woman waves and disappeared. As soon you came home from the bus, you drop all your stuff in your room and lay on bed, thinking about the bold woman you were just talking to. You dreamed of her the entire night.

Next day (Afternoon-1:30pm)

In the locker room, you was getting pushed around by some girls for no reason. Your backpack fall including yourself on the floor, not wanting to do more cheerleading practice after that issue. You’ve been bullied quite some time since you got in the league of cheerleading and all the girls who were involved seeing you cheer for Sevika so loud, that they were thinking you super annoying and how much they hated you. Anyhow, you move directly to a corner of the wall not trying to tear up. You were pretty upset and tired. “Why did I signed up for this cheerleader shit?” You huff and did your best to stay confident without letting anyone taking you down again. Then you head out to see the whole football field waiting to see Sevika shows up.

In your mind you felt not cheerring or shout during practice. Probably people would think your some kind of fool doing, while everyone is practicing. You just wanted to make Sevika proud. 🥺💕 In your zone, you then saw Sevika and her other team getting ready for position as if their doing an actual game. But ofc your annoying ass coach snap his finger straight at you. “Hey! Get back to work! We don’t have time!” The coach ordered you to do so. While you were getting back in position with the other girls, you tried your hardest to focus on what you were doing but the thoughts were still in you of the woman who played so well. It’s like you want to watch her movement every time you would see her play football.

And just like that you were snatch by the coach. (Ain’t letting that SLIDE) Some of the girls laugh at you getting pulled back away. Even Sevika saw the situation which kinda got concern. Your coach immediately upfront you toward the wall looking pretty pissed. “Y/n if you don’t pay attention during practice, you would be banned from cheerleading at the next game.” You were silent hearing him shout at you. All you could say was “yes,” looking down on the ground. “Won’t do it again, coach.” After practice was over, you throw your outfit in the locker and slam the mess out of it. “DAMN IT!” You shouted not trying to have others hear you including the bullies. You try hard not to cry in front of people but thank god the hallways of the stadium was empty. But just then, Sevika was about to put her helmet on for further practices until she suddenly collided you. She stumbled, even you as you got on top, which thankfully no one was at the area you two were. You got up on your feet, fluster hard. “Sorry…” you said rubbing your neck. “It’s fine. I can’t be mad at you, dear.” Did Sevika just say “dear”!? Your heart pounding inside not trying to show out your true feelings but possibly Sevika might can tell. “I saw what happened earlier that coach of yours. Sorry you got kicked out. I should’ve stop him from doing that.” You sigh and nods. “It’s okay. I deserve to get kicked out. I was already tired of being in it.” Sevika nods as well. “I can feel it,” soft and gentle feeling appearing from the woman’s voice. “ You know just as I even look back on your excitement…” she chuckles “you were pretty much fascinated on the football field~” Sevika smirked trying to make the clear that she was hitting up on you.

You chuckle looking away. “I couldn’t help myself, Sev.” Her mocking but affectionate smile flashed on her face looking down at you. “Can’t deny it, can you~” Sevika says putting her hands on your hips. You fluster more and laugh softly. “No. It just I have glasses on see” (which I have one). Sevika pulls her hands back laughing softly as well, making you feel weak onto the floor. “Don’t even start blaming on glasses sweetheart. I would still see it through your eyes just as I did now~” She made sure no one else heard you two together somewhere in the stadium area. Everything was okay for now so she was able to take of her helmet revealing her short mullet hair (I WOULD GO FREAKING CRAZY) and slightly tired eyes from practicing.

“Your so…so pretty.” You were breathtaking just watching her look from the light about her head. This moment you really wanted to go for a kiss but you just met her like a few days ago. You really wanted to go and let her explore you and your body, making sure that no one touches you but your athletic tomboyish girlfriend. Someone to keep you warm and protective at all cost. “So are you.” Sevika haves you a wink. Things gotten a bit more awkward but passionate in silence when you two look one another. Even Sevika was mostly focusing on your lips. You both were trying to figure out what else to say. Then the thought came up. “Since I got kicked out, when will you next game be so I can come by and… watch you play.” You say tilting your head at her. “Our next match is in two days,” says Sevika. “I’ll buy your ticket once you show up. Your used coach can’t take away from what your doing for me. Do not worry.” Sevika says handing her phone number. “Call me when you get the chance.” She put her helmet back on, biting on her mouth guard and rush on the field, hanging out with the boys. Can’t believe she GAVE YOU HER NUMBER!? OH MY GOSH!!! (So extra😅) You just stood there like a mechanic doll wanted to freaking scream.

Friday Night (6pm)

The night the game finally begun. You bought some snacks of popcorn and nacho cheese to make things more entertaining and eyeing on Sevika the entire game. It’s like you were touched by her heart, it wouldn’t go away. The bleachers were packed by overcrowded people and you making the way towards the middle almost close to where the cheerleader team was. You had a good looking view of the football field which excites you. Two of the opposite team showed up on the field as the crowd goes wild. You clap your hands not ready to stand up and shout as in a way of embarrassment. Luckily, Sevika turn her back to see you popping your head with a light grey sweater on you. She waved at you, pleasing her cute cheerleader (you) and got on her knees to do few exercise before heading down towards her team.

When the game started, you enjoyed yourself eating the snacks you had. And your coach had to freaking show up during the game. “What are you doing here? I kicked you out of practice.” You turn to look at him wanting him to get crushed by Sevika. “Cheering for someone actually.” You tried to act all popular LMAO The coach rolling his eyes. “On who-“ “None of your damn business. XD” But then he could tell who were you even focusing on which is Sevika, one of the football team as she was ready to throw the ball for someone to get. “I see…couldn’t kept your mouth shut because of some wannabe girl keeping you off of practice just to see her play. Unbelievable.” You was NOT having this ruined your time. Your eyes betrayed him saying that which kinda snap you out. “Look sir, if you want to go and chit chat all you want, go talk to someone else but not me. I’m having the greatest time of my life actually. Am so happy I got kicked out. You won’t have to bother me anyway.” Sticking your tongue out, you walk to the next bleachers feeling proud of being brave to yourself.

Few moments of game, Sevika won a goal which got you on your feet shouting. “WHOOO! GO SEVIKA! YEEEAH!” People were startled from your excitement which made you had a nervous chuckle. “My bad y’all.” After the game was over, the black and red team won. Sevika and others had each trophy and medal. Your snacks was already spilled not even paying attention. Some of the students ran towards the team happy and hugging one another. Also Sevika was getting hugged to. You ran out the bleachers as well jumping on top of her. It surprised Sevika seeing you on top as she tries carrying her trophy on her mechanic hand. “Thanks y/n. You cheered for me so well.”

And like that she went for a kiss on the lips without anyone even bother to see the moment. You kissed her back, pulling up her face not wanting to let her go. “Come over to my dorm as a reward. We can continue this~” You nod. “Of course babe.” Sevika chuckles, waving goodbye at her team and eventually carried you to her dorm for an intimidating night.

| Yes! I was able to keep on writing in each paragraph LONGER because it was pretty much a lot to write and thankfully I was able to do more and not just a short one. If you have any request of Sevika, Grayson, Kuvira or even Mizu from blue eye samuari (I’m a simp for her as well), dm are open or the comment section. |

[iraprince]

do u have any advice for those that want to run a quest?

it feels a LEETLE silly answering this when all my own are currently on hiatus bc i got busy (SORRY TO CALLIST0 READERS LOL) BUT!!! yes i do. i have only ever run quests/interactive comics on the site questden, so i guess as a baseline this will kind of all be geared towards that, but i think most of this should translate to any hosting situation

you have to be cool with your plots branching and mutating in unexpected ways, and you have to be willing to play ball with your readers. quests are a collaboration between the author and the audience. it often feels a lot like gming a tabletop campaign (and that's the origin!! questden, specifically, was originally an offshoot of /tg/.) -- we've all had or heard about bad GMs who view their position as that of a narrative dictator who exists to punish and prod a captive group of players thru their own personal novel, but a good GM is interested in telling stories as a group. u have final say and have to stay true to the important stuff abt ur story, but if u get mad or frustrated when ur readers want to explore something "off topic" or aren't following the threads of ur narrative the way u expected them to, u don't actually want to run a quest, u just want to make a webcomic w mandatory comments. (the flip side of this is: consider if the story u want to make is the right one for an interactive quest. if it is REALLY important to u that the plot beats of a story go a certain way, maybe save it for a medium where u have more control!)

keep it loose and fast. the art does not matter. i am rly guilty of not following this one, but i still think it's really important! one of the things i like best about quests is the barrier to entry is very low and you SHOULD be able to start and maintain one very quickly. if i were better at keeping my art scrabbly and sketchy and loose, my stuff would not go on hiatus as often as it does. draw fast! it's NICE if the art is gorgeous to look at and definitely will draw readers, but it's way better if the art is simple enough that you can update frequently and without much stress. the quality of ur writing + character building, and whether u are telling a story that's engaging and that ur readers feel meaningfully involved in, is 100000x more important than the art.

on the more nitty gritty side: try to have a hook in each update. one of the most common reasons suggestions die off is readers being unsure of what they're supposed to do next. sure, too much spoonfeeding could end up feeling like railroading, and you don't have to end every single update by getting right in their faces and yelling "WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT??", but when you finish an update try to take a second to put yourself in a reader's shoes and see if there's an obvious next step. is there a course of action to decide on/debate, are there clear questions they can ask an npc, etc -- i can't think of a great way to describe it, but you want to avoid ending an update on a note where the player character and readers are basically sitting there looking at each other like "um... okay. that's that, then." some ppl even just end all their updates w multiple choice options, which is a super simple way to keep things moving if it fits the style of what ur doing. if you don't want it to be that overt but you still can't think of a way for there to be a clear hook, you can at least try to leave a little nudge in the narration that invites the readers to try to tie whatever they've just done/learned back into the pc's main goals/motivations or current tasks. (on this subject, VERY useful for your main character to have a very specific goal or end destination that everyone is on the same page abt. it's harder for your plot to lose momentum if you can always point at what your readers are supposed to be moving toward!)

finally: KEEP UPDATING EVEN IF YOU GET VERY FEW/NO SUGGESTIONS. it's a niche genre. questden is a small website. it's hard to get people to read something new, especially if it's in a new and unfamiliar format (and especially especially when it's on a website that looks like a chanboard lmao). picking up readers takes a long time, and a lot of people lurk without suggesting (ESPECIALLY if it's a difficult/plot-important decision, and also especially in the opposite, if it's a very obvious next step and someone else has already commented what most ppl would say). it's very tempting to want to wait for more suggestions bc u "only" have one or two, and then that wait becomes stagnation, and then you're frustrated and u end up dropping the quest bc "nobody cares." instead u just have to push thru!!!! u only have two suggestions and u wish u had more? maybe next update u'll get more. u have NO suggestions and u feel like that means ur quest is dead in the water? NOPE! the solution is to update again, bc maybe ppl with latch on more and have something to say in the next scene. the more u update ur quest, the more u'll be able to talk abt it (and maybe get more readers), and specifically in the case of questden the more ur thread will be bumped to the front page. think abt how many times you've seen ppl talking abt a webcomic or a book and thought "i need to check that out eventually...." but it takes months for you to actually do it. 99.9999% of the time, ppl need to see something MULTIPLE TIMES before they check it out!! most readers do not come from clicking something the very first time they see it!! i know it can feel lonely and discouraging, but u owe it to ur art and the stories u want to tell to keep trying, even if engagement is very low at first, otherwise you're killing it before it's even had a chance. like, get shameless about it. ask your buddies to comment on your quest. but give that horse a few really good whacks before you decide it's dead!! i think that's my main thoughts. if you have any more specific questions i'm happy to help if i can! but also i think you'll learn the most by just jumping in and fucking around. quests are easy to pick up and easy to drop, and imo do really well as a playground where u test different ways to draw and tell stories, so might as well just get messy.

[liesmyth]

Your jock posting is always super helpful, but I’ve got a question! I’ve been doing couch to 5k for awhile, probably the third time over the course of my life, because I need more cardio and running is the easiest to fit into my schedule because I can just put on shoes and go out the door, you know? I can do 20 minutes of sustained jogging, I just hate every minute. I’ve read about how your pace is supposed to be something that you can sustain a conversation during, but I don’t think there’s a pace slow enough that isn’t a walk where I could do that. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for your time!

hi hi hi I'm glad I could help! The short answer is that you're fine to keep doing what you're doing, actually! the much longer answer is below

So, you're correct that "conversational pace" is ideally supposed to be your ideal easy run / jog pace, but it's really not uncommon for beginners to not really have an "easy" pace because you feel extremely out of breath even if you're going as slow as you think you possibly can.

Short digression. "Conversational pace" doesn't mean that you should be able to recite poetry fluently — if you can burst out a short sentence or do a decent sing-along to your playlist, that's okay. If all you can do is grunt and say "yes" or "no", even when jogging very slowly, then yeah, you want to be able to eventually build an aerobic base where you can jog and have enough breath left to communicate. It just means that you have a goal to work towards.

Anyway. One thing to keep in mind is that "you shouldn't run any harder than X" is a rule of thumb that's geared towards runners who want to optimise their efforts, whether that's a hobby runner who wants to get faster or an athlete who's stacking up easy miles to rest for the quality workouts. But it's not, like, a hard limit. For most people, there aren't negative consequences to doing high-intensity cardio for 20 minutes a few times a week. If you were training for a 10k and needed to hit a certain (higher) mileage, then the fact that you finish all your runs feeling very out of breath might have been more of a concern, because it would be less sustainable. But if you want to keep training at your current volume, you don't HAVE to change it up if you don't want to. Genuinely, the best exercise is the kind of exercise that's convenient to you, so you can keep doing it consistently. If you keep running those 20 mins every few times a week at the same speed, it will eventually gets easier in terms of effort. Once it starts to feel easier, congrats, you're done! Keep on doing those 20 minutes but enjoy being able to breathe better. Maybe you'll hate it a little less, but even if you don't it'll still be short and convenient, which is what most people want in a workout 💪

IF you want to change it up a bit, you could try doing some intervals. Jog then walk until you catch your breath then start again. Jog then walk briskly. Jog faster then slower. Whichever feels more fun or rewarding to you. You can lengthen the C25k schedule for your purposes if you want to fit in longer walking breaks.

(Another common recommendation you might see online is to go slower. yes. even slower. I KNOW; you're probably thinking "I might as well just walk. I'm going slower than if I was walking." But, actually, the mechanics of running and walking are different enough that it could be worthwhile to condition your body for running if you jog at a glacial pace vs. if you were walking briskly going faster. HOWEVER. In your case. I think it's not really worth it, especially because jogging slow as hell can be quite frustrating and your objective is to make it as painless as possible. So I'm bringing this up for completion's sake in case you want to give it a go but I wouldn't recommend it.)

I hope this helps!

[grimvestige]

2023 Summary of Art!

This year was full of experimenting and trying new things, and I think it really paid off in the end. I'm getting more comfortable with pixels, I finally have a way of painting I can do reliably, and I feel like I refined my main cel-shaded style a lot! I also feel like I improved on fundamentals just a bit more, with more solidly constructed anatomy (which I want to get even better at in 2024), and shading that actually makes more sense.

I feel like I'm finally getting to a point where I like my art - and a huge part of that is my partner picking up the habit of asking me what I like about a piece whenever I showed him something I made this year. It was super hard when he started, but now I can find at least one, maybe two things that are my favorite. I used to feel really, really neutral to bad about most of my work. I just did it and it was done, and on to the next piece. I knew I was "good" at art, but never really in the way I wanted. Now I'm daring to set my own work as my desktop and phone wallpapers.

I also finished a yearly challenge for the first time ever! Not that I completed every day of it, but I tasked myself with drawing a "Daily Snake" each day - as in Metal Gear, not the creature. It was sort of like those year of Miku challenges, but with Snake that left me room to draw any version of him. It was a fun thing because at the end of the day it ended up being like a little diary of my art, I could tell how I was feeling, whether I had lots of time to draw, all that. I think there was one time when I drew Liquid, there was an ACAB Snake in there, and also a trans one for fun.

Going into 2024 I have three big overarching art goals I want to work towards.

I want to learn and improve my anatomy enough to be able to solidly construct a body in perspective without needing to grab reference. (Not that I'll stop using reference, this is meant to be a goal that forces me to learn even more anatomy to feel confident with it)

I want to push my colors to be a lot wilder and more interesting. Rather than just picking the correct "local" color and working with light, shadow, and gradient maps to tweak colors, I want to be able to make interesting color choices right off the bat.

I want to at least try to start figuring out 'the style' for ttrpg art. (That nice rendered painting style you see in core books!) I'd really LOVE to start working on those projects, but I know most of them shoot for a different art style than I have.

The general plan is to keep doing studies, with the first half of the year being anatomy, the second half being color, and the ttrpg style thing being spread out throughout.

Thank you to everyone who's supported me and hung out on Tumblr! It genuinely means a lot, as this has been my go-to site when I'm down, and the one where I feel most comfortable sharing my art because the platform itself isn't predatory. I hope 2024 brings everyone lots of comfort and joy this year 💕

[circular-bircular]

It drives me up a wall that ppl argue “anti endos are the only harassers!!!” And yet the past few days the sys course tag has been nothing but going against anti endos for? Some reason? Like just outta nowhere I started to see posts going on and on about how anti endos are sooo horrible and how dare they want anti endo only spaces like hello pot??

It’s just… infuriating to see it all bcs why the hell would anyone even consider looking at a different perspective if the first thing they see is people bashing anti endos (and often CDD systems in the same breath) and using that to uplift pro/endos like you can’t seriously claim to want anti endos to listen when everything is about insulting/shaming anti endos in a number of ways some less subtle than the last

I’m neutral on it all but if I was still anti today and thought “well maybe I should try to understand their side” and saw all that then?????? Hell no

Hell even being neutral I’m still not favorable to interactions bcs I don’t want that kinda energy in my space

Sry I’m just so GAH about it all and saw your post on syscourse stances and the harassment thing and was just “finally”

(Ough I’m so sorry I’m rambling hard on this one)

I fully agree that anti-endos aren’t the only harassers. But I also agree that endogenic systems are going through a lot right now. It’s easy for me to not see, but that’s because I’ve got a lot of folks blocked. There really are a lot of anti-endo assholes popping up each day lately, and I’m sorry for all the Endogenic systems dealing with that hatred. I’ve been there. It fucking sucks. I also am sorry for the CDD systems suffering through hatred currently, regardless of syscourse stance. It’s all hellish sometimes.

In my eyes, the way a lot of pro-endos tackle things isn’t beneficial. It’s either bait to encourage anti-endos to rage (which is often triggering to boot), or it’s just vocalizing hatred into a public space. Neither of these things are needed, especially if the goal is to make it so that anti-endos “aren’t a thing anymore.” Anti-endos fall into this same trap; many are trying to protect their disorders, but they do so via harassment, mockery, or similarly vocalized hatred. All in some attempt to “make things better for ‘real’ systems.”

It feels like many people in syscourse are doing something I like to call Aimless Activism. They know something is wrong (fakeclaiming, bad sources, ableism, etc), so they rally against it loudly and boldly, because That’s The Point. You’re Supposed To.

I’m guilty of this myself honestly. But… you need a goal. You need to have a point beyond This Is Activism, because if you don’t have an actionable goal, then you’re not actually working toward anything. You’re just shouting.

My goal on my blog is to share my personal experiences and talk about things that interest me. That’s it. I’ve tried to be an Aimless Activist for awhile now, convincing myself that it’s activism to argue online. And I don’t know, maybe to some, my blog fits that description. But at this point, I don’t… think it matters. I’m tired of playing in this giant sandbox where everyone is kicking the sand in each other’s faces while I try to build my sand castle.

I think a lot of other people are too. Has anyone else noticed how many new faces there are here? How a lot of the old faces have gone away? People are tired of the sandbox games where everyone kicks around sand. People want real things, real conversations, real connections — regardless of some stupid arbitrary label.

And that’s where it comes back to. “Stupid arbitrary label.” The ones who care about the labels are still playing in the sandbox and they’re gearing up for another round of fighting with “the other side.” Meanwhile, they don’t realize that the sandbox is only one tiny part of an enormous playground, and I’m over on the swings with friends I made in the sandbox, laughing about how nice it is to no longer have sand in my eyes.

I wish folks the best for getting out of there.

[youdonthavetocallmedarlinnn]

I have relapsed but not with the thing I actually truly wanted. It is what it is. No connect atm, but I'm not actively trying to find one. So, I guess that makes it a little better. I'm gonna be taking a week off from work in a couple of weeks. I plan on using that time to get my shit straight. That sounds like an excuse, most likely, but I'm not really worried about how it sounds to anyone except for me. I know that I'm getting through to the end of this because I can feel it in my core. I just need to learn and implement better coping skills, especially when it comes to stress. I spend the majority of my free time reading and listening to audiobooks that gear towards personal growth. I write notes and lend my own thoughts to them. I have a notebook that's dedicated specifically to my personal thoughts, the things I've learned, and quotes that's really mean something to me. I'm also jotting down different memories from my life. I want to write a book one day, and I'm not really sure what kind of direction I want, specifically, to take it in, but I know my experiences will be a part of it. I'm dreaming big these days. I wrote a list of goals. Some are simple, others are bigger, and some are huge but all attainable. Some are just very much long game goals, and I'm ready to take those journeys. I started classes at my local university, and that was the ignition I needed to start believing in myself more and the fact I am actually doing really really well. I'm making better grades now than I ever did when I was a kid, and I haven't been in a school setting of any kind in almost 20 years.

I'm an alcoholic that takes years long breaks in favor of other substances. It was opiates. I gave them up 4 years ago and I never looked back. I segued with alcohol until eventually landing on stimulants for last 4 years. I stopped taking them for almost a year. I will be completely honest and say that it's been a lot harder to quit this time.

But as I stated earlier........

I know everything that's happening right now is a means to an end. I'm going to do this, but the transition has been more difficult. I don't plan on drinking like I normally do when I quit substances and even though I've not really cared about alcohol when I take substances out completely that is where my brain goes and I come from a long line of alcoholics. Just knowing I'm never drinking again when I finally get through this made me want to drink for the first time in a long time.

I am worried that I'll veto my no alcohol rule before it's over with, and I really don't want to do this while falling back into old numbing habits. Alcohol has always been like this strange old friend that I hadn't seen in a while but lends me emotional support anyway. I know alcohol is not an emotional support system. I'm just giving an example. It's a coping mechanism that becomes something that I allow to swallow me whole. It's not the only thing that does, but it is the only socially accepted thing that can and that makes lines blurry from the start. I wrap alcohol and/or substances around me like shroud until they envelop me, and before I know what's happening, it's weighing me down like a damp weighted blanket on a hot July day.

I want to quit. I spent 8 consecutive days in pursuit of it, but I was the most unpleasant person to be around. I couldn't even stand my fucking self. I want to be prepared for these things that will indeed affect other aspects of my life. I quit opiates on my own accord, and I wasn't nearly as unpleasant. There were more physical withdrawal symptoms than with stimmys, and I was still more pleasant to deal with back then. I know a little more about what to expect now and I'm learning how to counter act these things.

I know that all mainstream recovery programs and literature all say that there is only one way to get sober. We're being shown on a more magnified level that that is simply not true. Recovery like addiction exists on a spectrum and no one person is going to recover the same as someone else.

Don't get me wrong, I love the ideas behind the original idea for AA but it was written by men for men almost 100 years ago. My recovery requires a more modern approach and I think that's okay. In fact I know it is and I hope everyone else does too because nothing hurts more than trying to find the right fit for your recovery and feeling judgment when you're not doing things the exact same way or being told that this IS the only way or even worst feeling as though you're a failure by comparison to other people. I believe the road to recovery is a personal experience and that if you personally choose to attend support therapy then that still doesn't change the fact that this is your experience and you're responsible for it.

Okay, I've said way too much, but I needed to let some thoughts out into the ether.

[pinkboxess]

1, 20, and 45 for the book asks!

1: Best book you've read so far this year

I stopped keeping up with logging my books in Goodreads (it was starting to feel like pressure to meet my goal and log progress) which is to say that I don't even have a perfect memory of what I've read....but I think I'm going to give the award to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. I am a big Hunger Games fan and I really enjoyed the prequel. Snow's inner dialogue is absolutely hilarious-- it's very clear how narcissistic he is, but I find it funny how it comes out. He's a sassy boy. Also, the way Collins is able to tackle these enormous themes about the nature of humankind--making her books sit in conversation with famous historical theorists while still being written for a younger audience-- is really remarkable. I have so much admiration for her as an author.

20: Where and how do you find new books to read?

A few different ways. Some books I read because they've become popular enough for me to encounter them in the wild, so to speak. People talk about them in the various circles I'm part of so I hear about them and get interested. Other times I just go on my library's website and browse the available e-books for whatever looks interesting.

A third less-common way is through my colleagues, since I work in libraries. But for the most part we don't actually just sit and recommend books to each other 😂most of the work is geared towards managing the library on the back end instead of participating in using it.

45: What books would you sell your soul to get a TV or movie adaptation of?

So, The Mysterious Benedict Society did get an adaptation in 2021, but it was canceled after an under-funded season 2 and then removed from Disney+, meaning there is now no legal way to access it.

So my (bit of a cheater) answer is to simply bring back the existing adaption, but re-do season 2 since I didn't end up liking it very much, and then do a season 3 based on the third novel in the series.

As for some other contenders...

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune -- as a TV show. I feel that book adaptations are always better as shows vs. movies because there is more time to follow the plot of the novel and include things without having to cut half of what makes the book good.

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf I think would be STUNNING visually if done well. Although, after googling to check, it appears there is a movie adaptation done in 1983! I have not seen it, though.

This is not part of the question, but these are my favourite book-to-screen adaptations that I think were done brilliantly:

A Series of Unfortunate Events Netflix TV adaptation of Lemony Snickett's middle-grade series

Orlando film adaption of Virginia Woolf's novel

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? film adaptation of Maria Semple's novel

And, as previously mentioned, season 1 of the Disney+ adaption of Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is no longer viewable outside of sailing the high seas.

[normalsdotheolympics]

Into the New Year!

It's been a few weeks since I've written a post. That's my bad. I think we got caught up in a few things around the holidays. So here's the update!

Over the last few weeks, we've been working on hard on our triathlon prep goals. We've finally started looking for a triathlon to register for sometime next summer. That will give us a more definitive goal date to work towards. We'll also need to find a date for our relay and sprint triathlons, which we'll probably plan to do the month prior as preparations for the longer event. They will also give us an opportunity to work on our transitions, as we'll have to figure out how you transition from one event to the next with the changes in gear. We also will need to find a time to practice some open water swimming in the spring to get used to that as well.

How are we doing with our goals? Well, Katy is of course thriving in the water. Our swimming has been going reasonably well. Katy can do almost 2km consecutively in the pool. I'm still having a tough time with the endurance. I can do about 1km in about 30 minutes, but I could only do segments of about 300m at a time. I'm still using the buoy for a lot of it, but I've been assured that the triathlon wetsuit will serve the same function for buoyancy. That being said, I still need to get the distances in the actual pool without the suit. The flip turns definitely are the biggest barrier to endurance, so I've been working on those and practicing the dolphin kicks after the turns. We've been working on breaststroke and butterfly as well. Butterfly is just brutal, and the thought of doing 200m of that is daunting. I'm finally getting the hang of breaststroke a little bit, so we'll keep working on these until we can reach the needed distances (200m for each). We'll probably work on backstroke next month and practice some entries as well at our next lesson.

The running is going quite a lot better. I'm up to 7 min intervals, which are almost 1km jogging, so steadily increasing the distance. I'm having some soreness but not the sharp pains I was having in my knee previously. Fingers crossed! The treadmills at the gym have gotten pretty busy of late. When is "Quitter's Day?" Next week? Everyone can then abandon their New Year's resolutions and the gym will again be peaceful. Katy I think has gotten up to 8km or so, but is still working towards the 10km goal. I've been working diligently at the biking, up to 45km, but Katy still hasn't gotten back to it! I keep pushing her. I know it's probably the easiest part, but still... There are three parts to the triathlon! We've started looking at finding used road bikes and that sort of thing so we can eventually start practicing outdoors rather than on the stationary bike. Oddly, in spite of our fitness routine, we've somewhat stalled on weight loss goals. It's crazy really. Our diet really hasn't changed and we're exercising a ton, but have really plateaued, so that's been a little frustrating. I do think that for me, a lot of it may have to do with muscle mass. I don't know how people calculate body fat and all that, but I would imagine that we've both lost quite a bit.

As for badminton, we're definitely getting a lot better. We found a guy who may be able to give us a couple of lessons, and that may help us get over the hump. We've sort of delayed our expected timeline a bit for completing the event, probably until March so that we can feel we really accomplished it. The swim events we'll hopefully start checking off here soon, but we're not in a rush right now since we're still working on these same skills anyway. It would be good to feel like we could start checking them off though, so that we can start making some progress on this daunting list! We need to sit down and start planning our spring sports. We were supposed to get started on squash, but we haven't been able to find anyone to provide us with any lessons. They have racquetball courts and the equipment at our rec center but neither of us have a clue what we're doing. I guess we could start watching some videos or something... Anyway, I think we'll need to look at the schedules and do some planning here in the next couple of weeks.

[aaryan-mwa-blogs]

What Questions Should You Ask Before Buying DJ Equipment?

So, you’ve decided to dive into the exciting world of DJing. Whether you’re planning to spin tracks at house parties or dreaming of headlining at festivals someday, one thing’s for sure—you’ll need the right equipment to make your mark. But buying DJ gear can feel like navigating a maze of options, features, and technical jargon.

Having spent way too much time comparing gadgets online (and way too little time studying), I get it. The stakes are high—DJ equipment isn’t cheap, and you want to make sure you’re investing wisely. To help you out, I’ve rounded up the essential questions you should ask before buying DJ equipment. These questions will help you make informed decisions, save money, and avoid buyer’s remorse. Let’s get started!

What Type of DJing Do You Plan to Do?

First things first: what’s your vision? Are you mixing tracks at home for fun, performing live at clubs, or creating intricate remixes in a studio? Your DJing goals will heavily influence the type of gear you need.

For example:

If you’re just starting and want to test the waters, you might prefer an all-in-one controller setup that’s beginner-friendly.

If you’re heading toward live performances, you’ll need gear that’s portable and durable.

If studio work is your vibe, you’ll want equipment that integrates seamlessly with production software.

Knowing your DJing style will narrow down your options and keep you from overspending on features you might not even use.

What’s Your Budget?

Let’s be real: DJ equipment can range from surprisingly affordable to “maybe I’ll need a second job” expensive. It’s crucial to figure out how much you’re willing (and able) to spend before you start shopping.

While setting your budget, keep in mind:

Basic setups can include controllers and headphones, which are relatively affordable.

Advanced setups with mixers, turntables, and standalone players can cost significantly more.

Don’t forget about additional costs, like speakers, cables, and software.

While it’s tempting to go for the cheapest option, investing in quality gear can save you money in the long run. You’ll avoid frequent replacements and enjoy better performance.

What Features Do You Actually Need?

DJ equipment is packed with features, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the options. But before you’re dazzled by fancy buttons and flashing lights, think about what features you really need.

Here are some key features to consider: 

Portability: Is the equipment compact and easy to carry?

Compatibility: Does it work with the DJ software you prefer?

Inputs/Outputs: Will it connect to other gear, like speakers and external devices?

Performance Features: Do you want features like looping, sampling, or beat syncing?

Understanding your must-haves versus nice-to-haves will help you make a smarter choice and avoid overpaying for things you won’t use.

What Software is Compatible with the Gear?

DJ software is just as important as the hardware. In fact, it’s what allows you to mix tracks, add effects, and control your music seamlessly. Before buying any equipment, make sure it’s compatible with the DJ software you’re comfortable using (or want to learn).

Some questions to ask:

Is the gear optimized for a specific DJ software?

Does it come with a software license, or will you need to buy that separately?

Is the software beginner-friendly, or does it have a steep learning curve?

If you’re new to DJing, look for gear that comes bundled with software—it’s often a more cost-effective option.

How Easy is the Setup and Use?

As a beginner, you’ll want equipment that’s intuitive and doesn’t require a master’s degree in audio engineering to set up. Even if you’re more advanced, ease of use can make your life so much simpler, especially when performing live.

Before purchasing, check out product reviews, user manuals, or YouTube tutorials to gauge how easy the gear is to assemble and operate. If you’re buying from a professional or reputable audio shop like VIP PRO AUDIO , ask for a demo or detailed guidance—they’re usually happy to help and ensure you know how to get started.

How Durable is the Equipment?

DJ gear goes through a lot—constant transportation, hours of use, and the occasional spilled drink (we’ve all been there). Durability is key, especially if you plan to take your gear on the road.

When researching, look for:

Build quality (materials like metal are generally more durable than plastic).

User reviews that mention wear and tear.

Warranty coverage (just in case).

Investing in sturdy equipment means fewer repairs and replacements, saving you time and money in the long run.

What’s the Sound Quality Like?

This might seem obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing: sound quality is everything when it comes to DJing. Your gear should produce clear, high-quality audio that does justice to your tracks.

Pay attention to:

Frequency Range: Can the gear handle both low bass and high treble effectively?

Noise Levels: Is the output clean, or is there noticeable distortion?

Speaker/Headphone Compatibility: Will it deliver great sound with your other audio equipment?

Testing the gear in person at a store or demoing it before purchase can help you assess sound quality firsthand.

Does the Equipment Fit Your Space?

This might not be the most exciting question, but it’s important. If you’re setting up a home studio or bedroom DJ booth, space is a major consideration.

Ask yourself:

Will the gear fit comfortably on your desk or DJ table?

Is it easy to store when not in use?

Do you have enough outlets and cables to set it all up?

Planning ahead ensures you don’t end up with equipment that feels crammed into your space or, worse, doesn’t fit at all.

What’s the Warranty and Support Like?

Let’s face it—stuff breaks. Having reliable warranty coverage and customer support can save you a ton of hassle if something goes wrong.

Before purchasing, ask:

How long is the warranty?

What does it cover (repairs, replacements, etc.)?

Is the company’s customer service responsive and helpful?

Purchasing from a reputable audio shop often ensures better support and peace of mind, so don’t hesitate to ask for details.

Is It Future-Proof?

Finally, think about how long your gear will stay relevant. Technology evolves quickly, and you don’t want to invest in equipment that will be outdated in a year.

Look for gear that:

Can be upgraded or expanded with new features.

Has compatibility with future software updates.

Offers flexibility to grow with your DJing skills.

Spending a little extra now on future-proof gear can save you from having to upgrade too soon. 

So buying DJ equipment is an exciting journey, but it’s also a significant investment. By asking the right questions and doing your research, you’ll not only find gear that suits your needs but also avoid common pitfalls and frustrations. 

Remember, professional audio shops are a great place to start—they often provide expert advice, demos, and support to help you make the best choice. After all, DJing is all about expressing yourself through music, and the right equipment can make all the difference.

Now, go out there, make some noise (literally), and start your DJ journey with confidence!

[redwineconversation]

let's fast forward to 300 takeout coffees later (Lyon - AS Roma Postgame Thoughts)

That tweet was posted after the first leg of the UWCL semi-final against PSG and we saw a similar thing today: a Lyon team who was just bad for the better part of 70 minutes, conceded a goal, and then woke up.

I said to someone that I wasn't sure if AS Roma was playing well or Lyon was playing badly; honestly I think it was a bit of both. AS Roma played a pretty good game. I think you have to give credit where credit is due because the scoreline may be unflattering to them but also doesn't tell the whole story.

And the story goes something like this: Lyon was really, really bad throughout most of the game. The passes were sloppy, the pace was slow, the intensity was almost nonexistent. Lyon was playing like a team who didn't really want to be there and didn't have an investment in the outcome of the game.

They were bad, but they were also bad across the board. Van de Donk was nonexistent. Dumornay was the epitome of sloppy passes. Damaris was careless. Horan was slow, but why people are suddenly picking on her lack of pace now when we knew it as far back as January 2022 is beyond me. Also, as I said before, a lot of criticism towards Horan feels more as bitterness/annoyance that she is playing instead of their favorite [academy?] player and less a criticism in good faith. Her form has been "bad", sure, but it's nowhere near as dire as the Twitter armchair specialists say it is.

Chawinga really needs to start justifying her price tag, and Diani finally did today. A little late but better late than never I guess. The sentimental part of me wants Le Sommer to get her 50th UWCL goal against Wolfsburg because a historical and important rivalry such as the Lyon-WOB one needs to be celebrated accordingly.

I thought the defense was pretty solid. Svava is obviously the standout and boy is she making everyone who had a massive head loss after her signing eat their words. And yes, I am including myself in that. But she is just such a solid defender. She knows what she is capable of and stays within that perimeter. There's no showboating, no risk taking, just a quiet player who stays within her job description. How wrong we all were about her, and how glad I am that we were so, so wrong.

The rest of the backline was pretty solid too. I think Carpenter works better with Diani on the right than when Dumornay drifts right, but that is mainly because they have played together on that side for longer. On the whole I think Carpenter had a decent match - it wasn't her best one, but it was good, it was solid. The same can be said of Gilles - she's played better games, sure, but she did her job, and that's what matters. Renard made a couple of errors but it wasn't anything that really spiked my blood pressure.

But let's talk about the game itself. I think the real problem was the midfield. It was just so stagnant for a majority of the game, little movement, sloppy passes, lack of intensity. Since Lyon lives and dies by their midfield, when the midfield is as off as it was today, it affects every other part of their game as well.

AS Roma took advantage of that sloppiness and indifference and opened the score, and I think that's what was needed for Lyon to finally become invested in the game. Which is fine in some ways because it showed us Lyon can still be Lyon when they want to be: vexed, vengeful benefactors who hate the thought of losing so much it embeds itself in their DNA.

And although there were similarities with the PSG game for me there were also a couple differences. PSG took their foot off the gas and Lyon eventually decided to take the game seriously. I don't think AS Roma took their foot off the gas in this game, I think Lyon simply woke up and decided to punish them, possibly for waking them up. Basically I don't think AS Roma's level actually dropped, I think Lyon just stepped it up a couple of gears and decided to get to work.

Lyon plays away at Le Havre on Saturday. I expect a fair amount of turnover as Le Havre is currently bottom of the league - kind of consistent with last season despite some people's selective memory - and it's right before the international break, so Montemurro will want to manage minutes in exchange for the national teams managing minutes in return. Life is about compromise.

[wosoimagines]

Protective - Jill Roord/Reader

prompt: Continuation of Little Sister where R is still with Arsenal and dating Jill Roord and now they’re living together, but she hasn’t told Kelley who is coming to visit.

warnings: none

words: 2049

(Y/N) POV

I let out a soft groan at the knock on the door from my spot on the couch. Jill chuckled at me. I didn’t want either of us to move so I was hoping that whoever was there would just leave. I thought they had since there were no more knocks for a moment, but, of course, the person knocked again.

I huffed as I got up from the couch and my spot cuddled next to Jill. I wasn’t sure who was here or why they were here. I opened the door.

“Kelley?”

“Hey, little sis,” Kelley grinned as she pushed past me and into the apartment. Jill got up from her spot on the couch once she saw Kelley. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”

“Kelley, what are you doing?” I asked as she put her bag down and looked at Jill.

“I’m visiting,” Kelley declared as she turned to look at me. She glanced at Jill. “Isn’t this only a two bedroom apartment?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. I wasn’t sure what Kelley was trying to get at. “Why?”

“Well, where am I supposed to sleep while I’m here?” Kelley complained.

“You can stay in my room,” Jill spoke up. Kelley turned to look at the Dutch player while I furrowed my brow in confusion. “(Y/N), you could take Kelley to that pub we all like for lunch. I can stay on the couch while Kelley’s here. I can move my stuff to your closet? I know you have a ton of room.”

“Yeah, sure,” I nodded. Kelley grinned at me as I grabbed onto her wrist. “Come on.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Kelley and I got back, I was surprised to find Jill wasn’t home. But I did notice that she had dragged the air mattress out.

“I’m gonna take a nap,” Kelley said. I nodded and watched her as she headed for the guest bedroom. I noticed that there was some of Jill’s stuff in there so I assumed she put it in there.

I sent a text to Jill to figure out where she was. It didn’t take long for her to let me know that she had gone to the practice field. I left a note for Kelley that I was going out to practice and that she could text me when she woke up.

It didn’t take me long to get to the practice field. I stopped at the edge to watch as Jill was working on her shots on goal. I could tell that she was frustrated from the way they were so sloppy and barely went in.

I ran out to join her and took the ball from her. I could hear the frustrated groan from Jill as I ran behind her and stopped to look at her. Jill turned to stare at me with her hands on her hips.

“You know, you didn’t have to move your stuff into the spare bedroom,” I softly said as Jill looked away from me. “You also didn’t have to offer to sleep on the couch. We could tell my sister.”

“Well, then, why haven’t you?”

“Because we haven’t even talked about telling anyone outside of our Arsenal teammates,” I pointed out. I wasn’t even sure if her own family knew that I was dating her. “On top of that, Kelley is nosy and she can’t really keep secrets that well.”

Jill sighed before walking over toward the sideline. I watched her for a moment before I decided to  follow behind her. I waited for Jill to sit down before sitting down myself. I made sure that we were facing each other, so that I could get a better read on how Jill really felt if she didn’t tell me the full truth.

“It’s just- Her being here?” Jill asked. I furrowed my brow. “How is it going to affect us? We have a routine. I don’t want to stop doing those things with you. Our weekly date nights? In our life, I love getting to look forward to those.”

“We don’t have to stop doing them,” I assured. I rubbed the back of my neck. “Look, I’m okay if we tell Kelley. Hell, I’m okay if we tell the world. So long as I get to be with you? I don’t care who knows. And no matter who comes to visit us, we never have to stop our routine.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Jill sent me a smile before darting up. I was quick to follow her as she ran for the ball. I couldn’t help but laugh as she tried to keep it away from me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I wanna make sure you’re okay with telling her,” I said as I got in front of Jill so that I could lean against the door. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable if you don’t want to tell her. If you don’t want to tell anyone, we don’t have to. It’s entirely up to you.”

“I want to,” Jill softly said. “I want to be able to show people that I’m with you.”

I smiled at her before pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

“Well, then, let’s tell my sister, yes?”

I reached behind me to open the door before we walked into our apartment. I wasn’t too surprised that once we dropped our gear off in the closet, we found Kelley cooking.

“Hey, I wasn’t sure when you guys would be back. I’m making chicken parmesan,” Kelley smiled at us. She threw the pan of chicken into the oven before actually turning to us. “How was practice?”

“Well, once someone was able to start hitting their shots on goal, it was pretty good,” I nudged Jill.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Jill rolled her eyes. “Just because I was having a bad practice day.”

“Actually, there’s something I wanna tell you,” I said as I looked at Kelley. Kelley raised a brow as she turned to do something else. “Kelley, this is serious.”

“So is dinner,” Kelley said. She motioned to all three of us. “We’re all athletes. Gotta make sure that we’re all eating healthy.”

“No, Kel-”

“Which would you prefer? Mashed or roasted potatoes? I know you’re picky about them.”

“Roasted, but that isn’t-”

“So roasted potatoes it is.”

“I’m dating your sister,” Jill blurted out. Kelley stopped what she was doing immediately. I looked over at Jill and she glanced at me before looking at Kelley. I was a bit surprised that Jill was standing tall cause Kelley was glaring at her. “I’m dating her and we aren’t going to hide it just because you’re here.”

“What do you mean you’re dating my sister?”

“Exactly what I just said,” Jill said. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to her. “We’ve been dating for a while now.”

“Get your arm off of my sister,” Kelley said as she pointed the knife in her hand at Jill. Jill, however, stood strong and left her arm there. “I mean it. My little sister doesn’t date. Because when she dates someone, she gets hurt. And I am not going to let anyone else hurt my little sister.”

“Kelly, put down the knife.”

“No!”

“You don’t get to make choices for me! I get that you’re my older sister and it’s your job to be protective over me, but I’m a big girl,” I huffed. I pushed Jill’s arm off my shoulder as I walked around the counter to where Kelley was. “I’m allowed to date people. Besides, if I was going to date anyone, you would want it to be Jill.”

“No, because I don’t want you to date anyone.”

“Kelley, you don’t get to make decisions for me! If you don’t like it, you can go back to the US!”

I immediately turned around and headed out of the apartment. I wasn’t too surprised when I got out onto the street and I could hear Jill calling after me. It wasn’t until Jill grabbed onto my wrist and turned me around that I stopped.

“I’m sorry, I just-”

“It’s okay, (Y/N),” Jill quietly shushed me as she pulled me in for a hug. “It’s okay. You’re allowed to feel betrayed. You told your sister something huge and you wanted support.”

“Yeah, well, it seems to be a recurring theme with Kelley,” I softly said as I pulled back to look at her. “Can we just go to Viv and Lisa’s or even Daan and Beth’s for a little bit.”

“Yeah, of course,” Jill nodded. She pulled me back in for another hug. “Whatever you want. Your sister isn’t the only one who gets to be protective over you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jill and I had stayed with Viv and Lisa for a couple of days while we let everything cool down. The only times we had stopped by our apartment was so Jill could run in to grab our gear so that I didn’t have to see Kelley. But it was after practice one day, that I figured that Jill and I should probably go home so that I could talk with Kelley.

It was why I found myself sitting in the car with Jill staring at our apartment building.

“I could always come in with you,” Jill said as she grabbed onto my hand.

“This is something I need to do by myself,” I smiled at her. Jill gave me a soft nod before pressing a kiss to my hand. “Go hang out with the other Dutchies. I know you guys love hanging out together.”

I got out of the car and I grabbed both of our bags before I headed in. I wasn’t too surprised to see Kelley jumping up from the couch once I shut the door. I dropped the bags by the door.

“We have to talk.”

Kelley only nodded before following me to the kitchen. I grabbed a water from the fridge before offering one to Kelley. Kelley nodded and took it from me.

“(Y/N), I’m sorry. I just-”

“I know, Kelley,” I said as I sat my water down. “I’m a big girl now. Mom and Dad have accepted it. Why can’t you? You can’t protect me from everything. Hell, I need to be able to make my own choices. I need to be able to make mistakes and learn from them. So why can’t you let me?”

“Do you remember when you were in kindergarten? There was this boy named Billy,” Kelley started.

“Yes, I remember Billy. I got a black eye making sure some other boys didn’t pick on him,” I nodded. I remember it well cause Mom had been worried sick but Dad was proud of me for standing up.

“I was picking you up one day and Billy asked who I was,” Kelley softly said. “When I told him who I was, he told me that I was the reason why you stood up for him. Because you said you wanted to be a protector like me. I never wanted you to have to feel like that because that was my job. I am the one who is supposed to do the protecting.”

“You can’t stop me from living my life, Kelley,” I said. Kelley sighed as she lowered her head. “A protective sibling talk would have been one thing. But you don’t get to make decisions for me. No one gets to make decisions for me but me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean anything. You told me that I couldn’t date my girlfriend,” I shook my head. “You fought me on making a decision about my career. You didn’t even want me to move here when this was the best option for me. I want you to leave.”

“(Y/N)-”

“Kelley! Please,” I begged. “Just go home. Go home and I will see you whenever I visit.”

Kelley didn’t move. I didn’t want to snap at her, but I didn’t even want her in England anymore.

“Now, Kelley!”

Kelley hung her head as she headed to the spare room to pack her stuff up. I shook my head before heading to my own room. I didn’t want to have to watch as my sister left because I wasn’t sure if we could even fix what was broken now.

[doubleedgemode]

My take on A.B.A returning to Strive and getting a redesign.. I’ve seen some really good takes on the concept but I decided to focus on her alchemy theme!

LONG explanation, a picture of the backpack and lore under the cut:

Lore:

 I thought, that lore wise, after all this time out of the limelight she has developed more confidence and improved her relationship with Paracelsus. Regardless of which one of the three GGXXAC endings is canon, it comes a point where Paracelsus points out the hipocrisy of being so possessive with him, (especially in that ending where she pulls a whole Misery-esque “I’ll keep you trapped in Frasco, even worse than I was before you”.. Yeah that hasn’t aged well at all in many respects.. I would either not count it or heavily modify it) when her big ideal and obsession was freedom for herself, and now she was the “captor”, for lack of a better word. She was what Frasco was for her, but towards her alledgely most loved individual.

One small existencial crisis and realization later, A.B.A understands her wrongdoings, and decides to abandon her goal of selfishly giving Paracelsus a body. She even weighs in if Paracelsus would leave her, but accepts it. To her surprise, he wants to stay and not only because his chosen ax form doesn’t allow much movement. He likes her afterall, just not necessarily in a romantic sense, and both start a new healthier relationship from the ground up: Mutual Friendship and partnering. They are both aware that A.B.A still harbors feelings of the romantic kind which he does not reciprocate, but both are alright with it. Hell, Paracelsus comes to be amused by that now that their friendship is better. So the pair are sort of.. Married, indeed! And both willingly wear Alliance-like gear, as a sign of trust.

Now A.B.A focuses on studying alchemy, going from being a creation to being creator, travelling through the world with her key husband to learn new methods and disciplines, and to enjoy freedom. She still considers Frasco her home and laboratory, tends to it and even made friends with the ghosts! She and Para still have in mind finding the original Paracelsus, the creator, but that’s perhaps second to finding new ways of improving alchemy.

She’s ultimately a bit more confident, determined and slightly sociably adept, but she’s as idiosyncratic as always.

Design:

Her main design motif is the Tria Prima, composed of Sulfur (mind), Mercury (spirit) and salt (body), coined by the real life Paracelsus, so I used the alchemic symbols for them. Her head key is new, this one is modelled after the sulfur symbol, though not exactly the same length to have it fit. The rest of the key is normal. Her “robe”-like collar does not only resemble a stereotypical alchemist tunic, but also has the symbol for mercury in a Golden metal. Lastly, her apron has the symbol for salt.

She wears a a dark grey top with some brown cloth stitched in, covered by her upper chest/neck bandages. The clothing choice was to give her a bit more coverage while mantaining the stitched motif of her bag and resembling own wound closure strips/stitches (more on that later).

A.B.A wears an apron, full of belts in typical Guilty Gear fashion. The upper left part has a Golden lock which actually is a pocket containing a syringue with blood and one of her many keys. (The key to her heart…?)

The apron, also vaguely inspired by her ggxxac ending one, has blood splatters. Some are fresh, most of them dry. One of the splatters is purple, referencing the blood of the Monster she chops in the same ending. Plus it’s a small contrast to her green eyes.

The ggxxac bandages are kept in the right arm, her glove too, except this time she wears in both of her hands, now shaped more like classic mad scientist gloves. The borders have the words solve (right hand) and coagula (left). This references the motto of alchemy “solve et coagula” coined by the real Paracelsus. Besides, coagula reminds of blood coagulation. It fits.

The black pants follow the stitched motif. The leg bandages and shoes are the same as in ggxxac, but the right leg has less bandage to show the infamous wound suture strips or stitches (I thought the former when drawing, but not sure.. I think A.B.A at this point in time does wear strips even if she wore stitches in the past).

A.B.A discarded Paracelsus’ chains for one of her inventions, that allows more flexibility (yet it is as durable as metal). The invention is a cannula that is either red or full of blood (medical motif for both) that I designed to reference the Red String of Fate from chinese and japanese folklore/media. I’m not sure whether to have it be blood powered or not. If the blood option is chosen, it does NOT power Paracelsus, but acts as the fuel for the device. Both of the cannula’s ends can be removed voluntarily by both users, but won’t go off if it moves. The ends connect to rings. (Obligatory “It doesn’t work as an actual cannula, it’s like a chain.) A.B.A wears hers in the ring finger. Yes of course this all references wedding rings. It symbolises their friendship, love and trust.

Paracelsus himself is not very changed. I only drew him with his horns extended to add novelty and resemble the mercury sign a little bit, but he is usually like normal. He keeps his normal face but smiles a bit more often. His neck is silver, matching with the golden ring below, and has the mercury sign. His down part gets added the spine motif from Daisuke’s prototype drawing of him, but are less pronounced. The spines have the alchemical symbols of fire, water, air and earth.

The backpack:

 Lastly, as explained in the drawing, A.B.A wears a cloth strip with two buckles that clip into the one’s of her backpack. The skeletal looking sack is based on her notebook’s face. And it’s alive too. The bag’s interior is a hammerspace holding a lot of keys (including the original head key) and beakers, aside from storing the notebook. A.B.A uses her beakers and keys in some attacks. There’s, lastly, some extra bandages and of course, the blood packs.

[oonajaeadira]

If You Will Let My Heaven Touch Your Stars (Ezra x f!reader)

Rating: Mature. 

Pairing: Ezra (Prospect film) x f!reader

Warnings: FLUFFY SMUT. INSPIRED BY THIS. Non-explicit oral (m and f receiving). Formatting may be strange in certain Tumblr themes due to paragraph spacing with the poetry.

A/N: Okay, y’all. I was looking for another reason to write some Ezra. I got inspired by this naughty confessional post and felt the need to rise to the challenge, but make it a bit soft. You know I’m allergic to writing physical doings without some emotional yearnings. So it has come to this. And I’m not sorry.

Summary: Ezra runs his mouth over some poetry. You run your mouth over some Ezra.

TAGLIST: you can always request to be on the taglist for this or any of my work. If you’d like to be on taglists for upcoming fic, please sign up here –> TAGLIST

MASTERLIST

_______________________________

You know that sigh. It will be shortly followed by a gravelly, dissatisfied “hm.”

“Hm.” 

Next will come the impatient flipping of pages as Ezra learns that the book he’s chosen from the stack he got in trade on the Pug is…”less than literary and more than malignant.”

“What’cha reading, Ez.” The main node on the electropulse generator blew during the last harvest and you’ve been doing your best to repair it for the better part of the scaling period. Better to keep eyes on the electrics than let them wander over to his bedroll where he’s stripped to his skivvies, propped up against a crate, reading.

The rotation of Ranakh-4 is almost sixty hours, and in the north hemisphere there’s always light. Should be perfect for prospectors to take shifts and get things done, but instead, it creates a scaling period--a good fifteen-hour window of intense heat and sunlight that’s too dangerous to be exposed to for long, causing lots of nasty side effects. Including skin scaling. Hence the name. So during that period you and Ezra hide in the cooled tent, sleeping, polishing gems, maintaining equipment, wasting time, and generally trying not to annoy each other too much.

That’s a joke between you. In the years you’ve known him, Ez has yet to get under your skin. Ezra’s usually up for a game of dice or five-stand during scaling period, and if you’ve got gear to clean or inventory to count, he’s good for a story. Or ten.

But after the third rotation he stopped playing games of chance with you and his stories got gradually less... crusty. He still had a lot to say, but he stuck mostly to mining anecdotes, weaving around salacious details and editing himself in the moment.

And you’re pretty sure you know why.

This isn’t the first posting you’ve had with Ezra.

There was the assignment on Phintreas. The job on TG-19. The second assignment on Phintreas--that one it was just the two of you. Just like this one. 

There was a moment near the end of that run when you took a break from digging to stretch, arching your back in the dappled sunlight and pulling your arms up and back toward the thick foliage tops. There were singing insectoid creatures on Phintreas and you’d dropped your wrists to your head to listen to their song a little, closing your eyes and hearing in their hum the chords of a song you used to love.

It was just a few seconds, the warm air on your bare shoulders, the long thin trees--actually large grass--rising and swaying above. A pleasant stretch in your lower back. But there was something off. Your ears were full of insect song but there was something missing. 

The sound of Ezra’s digging had stopped.

You turned to find him taking a break, leaning on his shovel, jumpsuit open and pulled down to a knot at his waist like yours. Dirt-streaked arms and undershirt, looking at you, staring with sad eyes, the long slopes of his mustache running into his patchy beard making him look like he was pouting more than he was. Probably. Totally lost in thought, his eyes slid down your torso. When he woke to the fact that you caught him using you as a backdrop for reverie, he didn’t even have the balls to be embarrassed. Just realigned his focus on his shovel and went back to digging, the veins straining out on his big hands.

“You okay, Ez?”

“As well as one can be, sweetheart. I feel we’re close. It is a fine day full of wonderments.”

You’d thought about that look in the days afterward. Didn’t really know what it meant for you. Until the final sleep cycle on that grass planet, the wind traveling through the fields making the grasses sing hollow and low in the night. 

“What’cha reading, Ez?” You’d come to learn that it was a magic question, one that not only got you an explanation, but perhaps a chapter or two in his baritone twang.

And that night, as you packed your final bag, he swung the spine around to read out, “Papas Cordel, Love Verses.”

He didn’t ask you if you wanted to hear any. He just started to read.

Softly. Slowly. The words were innocuous on their own but their combination was sinful, his voice melting at the back of your brain, lifting the fine hairs of your neck, slithering down your spine before making an orbit to press upon your core and vibrate there. 

He never said goodnight. Just read you a few poems full of worship and yearning in that sonorous voice of his, then rolled over and went to sleep. It left you in a panic, trying to control your breathing, in full understanding of what that look from a few days ago had really meant.

And for the duration of your next couple of jobs you spent some time in regret, wishing you’d decoded your feelings sooner or that he’d made his own clearer. You’d vowed that if you ever had the chance to go back and live that night again you wouldn’t hesitate to….what? To do what? You never got that far. Didn’t matter. Time doesn’t go backwards. After a while, it was easy enough to convince yourself that you’d just read too much into it, that you didn’t really feel anything and neither did Ez. He had just been tired and staring into space that day. And he’d just been aesthetically moved by the song of the grasses in the night wind. It was a trick of the light, and the more you rationalized it, the further the memory slipped into the realm of silly fantasy.

So when this assignment came, you’d had time enough to leave the fantasy behind and met Ezra as you always had--as a friend and a damn talented prospector you were happy to dig with. The man always got his haul and getting paired with him always meant profit.

It only took one scaling period to make you realize you were lying to yourself. 

Scaling period means getting somewhere shaded and cooled and making yourself as comfortable as possible. Which means stripping down to essentials. All those dice games trying not to look at Ezra’s broad, bared chest, looking up from a hand of cards to find his eyes quickly darting away from you…. By the third rotation you’d noticed that neither of you could make eye contact with the other anymore and after that, Ezra generally spent his downtime during scaling periods laying on his bedroll in his skivvs, reading one of the dozen books he’d scavenged back on the station.

You weren’t sure if you were flattered or embarrassed or even injured that he wouldn’t move on whatever he was tense about. But, ultimately, this arrangement was easier.

Or so you lied to yourself.

A “what’cha reading, Ez” got you a few chapters of an old time-travel adventure or a philosophical treatise on the life of some forgotten pioneer while you mended a garment or recounted the supply of viable drill bits or tried to fix the damn faulty electropulse generator for the millionth time. Something rollicking and full of resonance to keep your ears busy and your mind distracted while you focused your eyes on anything but Ezra’s bronze skin and sable eyes and full lips and big hands and thick thighs and--

This time he clicks his tongue and runs a hand through his hair, humming a high note in a kind of frustrated laugh. “I won’t devastate your ears on this one, sweetheart. Not much of interest here but some poor soul ruttin’ and scraping for talent that eludes them. How this found its way into a thing to be bought and sold I will never understand.”

And yet, he keeps reading. Silently.

After a few minutes and another wire successfully cleaned and reconnected, you repeat yourself, taunting him.

“What’cha reading, Ez.”

“Mm.” He just flips through a few more pages, refusing to answer.

“Hey.” You chuckle into your work. “What’cha reading.” 

You hear a huge intake of breath before a hold and a forced release.

“Wow,” you laugh. “Fine. Don’t waste breath on it. Just tell me which one it is so I can avoid it later.”

“Love and other Stars by Aeon Aido Raja.”

“I see. What’s it about?”

“Sadly, it is about a poet who cannot seem to make the match between words and sentiment; a volume of supposed amorous verse.”

“Amorous verse,” your hands stop working on their own. “Love...poetry?” There’s a sudden flashback to the sound of hollow reeds and soothing verses in the night. The words are a program in your brain, overwriting your inhibition and professionalism, pushing you to a deeply-coded goal to calm the flutter in your chest.

“So it claims. Although I fear it lacks full understanding of both--” His voice cuts out as he realizes you’ve stood and you’re moving toward him and his wide eyes lock to yours as you sit beside him on the bedroll. “Now what has gotten into you, sweetheart?”

You know exactly what’s gotten into you. The triggered wish of returning to that night, the built-up tension of dancing around each other in your underwear, trying to deny what’s going on, watching him purposefully respect you when you know he feels something, when he knows you do too--

What was it you were going to do if you had a chance to go back to that last night on the grass planet? Time to find out.

“Read to me.”

Ezra hesitates, unsure. “This?”

“Read it.”

His eyes flick down to follow the quick fold of your lips as you wet them with your tongue, unconsciously mimicking you, before fumbling his gaze back to the book and, with a regretful sigh, begins.

“I have never told you When your lips found my own I have never told you My dearest--

“Walking through the light of a moon in decline-- Can you blame me if I steal your kiss? If I call you to my side before it collides with the ground?”

When he looks for your reaction, you’re not sure if he’s pleading with you for permission to stop or continue.

Shit. He’s right. It isn’t great. But you’re here now, you’re going to make the most of it.

“That’s not...so bad.” And then you find out what you would have done that night--or at least how you’d start--by showing him your raised palm, lowering it slowly toward him. “Tell me if you want me to stop.” Your hand travels down through the air, just to the inch above his skivvs, waiting a moment in the aura of radiated heat there, before settling lightly over him. He never says no, never takes his eyes from yours, the only reaction coming from a small lift in his chest, the corner of his mouth curling just a fraction, and the fabric beneath your hand quickly becoming the only thing there to qualify as soft.

“Sweetheart, what you’re beginning here--”

“The only words I want from you are that poem. I want to hear you read. You stop, I stop.”

The heat hangs heavy between you, burns beneath your hand. And with a huffed exhale, Ezra starts again.

“I have never told you When your lips found my own I have never told you My dearest--

“Walking through the light of a moon in decline-- Can you blame me if I steal your kiss? If I call you to my side before it collides with the ground?”

Supporting him from underneath, you’ve begun running your thumb up and down him, and his breath hitches, bringing him to a stop. So you stop.

“You stop, I stop, Ez.”

“Believe me, gentle one, I do not wish the impediment of your affections--”

“Then don’t stop.”

In a beautiful panic, Ezra looks back to the poem. “You sure you want this one?”

You nod. “I don’t care how good it is. That’s the poem I want. Keep going. I've always liked your voice. I know you can make it pretty.”

He stares at the page a moment, and you push him--literally--gasping into a start.

“If ever I could tell you When my heaven touched your stars If ever I could tell you Beloved--”

You stop palming him when he stops to breathe, and it’s only when you trace his waistband with your fingertips that he swallows and continues, willing you to keep going--

“Waking in the night to the aching void of your embrace-- Can you forgive me if I plead your name? If I summon you to my body from wherever you are?”

Whether it’s the want in his voice or just getting further into the words, the poem is already getting better. His eyebrows begin to push together and arch, as you stretch the top of his underwear down, wrapping your hand around him. His words start riding the occasional groan which just resonate with you more and you rock yourself against the bedroll in time with your gentle, yearning pulls--

“You hold me adroitly With accurate proximity To keep your breath and my breath Two founts and one pool. To swim a in star-reflective stream of our holy recreation--”

He’s doing so well, the words wandering out deep and breathy, so beautifully controlled...until you lower your mouth to him.

Then there’s a strangled staccato grunt as he adjusts, takes a couple of quick breaths and continues--

“But your body is a.....wildfire Your lips a destruction And I give my everything over to your….cleansing devastation.”

Oh, his struggle is glorious. You can feel him trying not to buck, needing to blow out a breath between pursed lips here and there to concentrate on the print. He reads with intent, leaning into context and feeling, making a gift to you of every word.

“I have yearned for you to find me worthy of a spark An ignition... The rebirth of your combustible attentions.”

He pauses again to breathe, and while you allow him a small reprieve, he’s stopped a little too long and you abruptly halt. When you pull back to look up in reprimand, he gives you a soft smile through his panting, shaking his head in wonder. You know he’ll have plenty of praises when this is over, but he doesn’t seem to want to break the spell to say them now. When you return his little smile, he looks back to the page and continues, prompting you to return to your own administrations.

“How you draw from me each sweet effusion-- Every secret vein untapped-- Now yours in expert execution, Now open to your burning maw.”

He pushes through the poetry rather than into you, allowing you to hear him and match him. Your body begins to counter-react as you feel him brimming, turning on more need in you than you’ve felt in a while, and you show him just how well he’s doing by doing well by him. 

There’s a shift in his voice as more breath enters in and nonverbal noises begin to punctuate the words; a shift in his body as his fingers tangle in your hair and grip tightly, suggesting a final rhythm-- 

“But within the fire An aperture of...divine precipitation Where those of us who live untouched Can go to drown To die To howl…..! To see the blessed face of eternity Or the….busting open….of a thousand….wretched….stars-- You-call-me-to-sinful-prayer You-invoke-my-abject-soul I find myself in debt…!...and thrall…!... to your superior…!...divinity--”

When he stops reading this round, you show mercy as he pounds his fist into the bedroll and makes his own additions to the poem, exclamations made up of your name and curses and calls to higher powers. You can only expect a man to expel from himself wondrously one method at a time, and Ezra’s earned his reward so beautifully.

Damn his opinion. The poem was perfect. You chose correctly. Either that, or Ez’s tongue really can spin any old refuse into gold.

But the book is still held high, and as you lift from him and guide him through his aftershocks with your hand, he breathes heavy though the final verse--

“This is how I love you from afar With agony and forlorn words While you hover forever in my purview A shaft of dazzling incandescence Shining down from your sun/star Through the glass of my desire Starts and restarts an everlasting blaze”

Then, setting the book reverently on the bedroll, he takes your face in his hands, dragging his thumbs across your lips, no longer needing the page for the last lines.

“If ever I could tell you And if you will let my heaven touch your stars If ever I could tell you Beloved--”

Ezra’s kiss is achingly grateful. He tries to put into one kiss the loving equivalent of everything you’ve just done for him.

When he pulls back, he gives you the tiniest rough shake, a punctuation of his playful consternation. “Mmm,” he grunts. “While I am glad to know you find my recitals pleasing, you’re about to find out that my talent for oral ministrations do not stop at mere recitation.” With a miner’s strong arms he flips you over him onto the bedroll, making short work of your underwear and pinning your legs around his shoulders in a matter of seconds. “Now, I will not be so cruel as to make you put words to my reciprocation, unless you’d like to fill the silence to direct me to your will. Or say what you please. I will not be able to add to the conversation as I will be otherwise occupied.”

You don’t know if it’s years of running his mouth or wagging his tongue or yapping his jaw, but he’s well practiced in using allllll the muscles therein to help finish what poetry couldn’t quite accomplish.

At one point you think of surprising him and trying your own hand at reading while being entertained. But when you fumble for the book, it opens to the same poem.

But not the same poem.

The opening lines are there: “I have never told you When your lips found my own I have never told you My dearest--Walking through the light of a moon in decline--Can you blame me if I steal your kiss? If I call you to my side before it collides with the ground?”

And that’s it.

That’s where it ends. The whole published poem--a mere seven lines.

Oh, Kevva. That’s...that means….

Damn, Ezra. The mouth on you.

The book drops to the bedroll.

And you break into pieces as his heaven masterfully consumes your stars.

________________

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