#I can't remember doing an ask game so this is fun

[baambied]

As your head rested on her thighs, her body tensed up. She looked down at you, forgetting all about her game. Her opponent was kicking her characters ass, but that was something she didn’t give a single fuck about in that moment. The sight of your pretty face laying on her lap, so close to her crotch, made her heart pound against her ribs violently. Her thoughts raced uncontrollably, imagining very wrong things. But she couldn’t help. Her cunt was so close to the place she wanted it to be. Against your fucking mouth.

Yeah… she was definitely a motherfucking horny loser.

Loser!Ellie x Femme Best Friend reader? very soft at the beginning and an horny desperate mess at the end?

𝑪𝑼𝑴 𝑹𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝑶𝑵 𝑴𝑬. . .- 𝑰 𝑴𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑪𝑨𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑫𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬!!

content warning - nsfw , cursing , inexpiernced!ellie , biting kink , cunniligus(ellie!receiving) , clit play , ellie is an absolute loser with no experience , perv!ellie , masterbation mentioned (ellie) ellie cums in her boxers , reader is kinda blunt , ellie is shy and awkward here . .

pairings - bsf!loser!ellie ✗ fem!reader

"holy shit! why am i eating literal ass right now in this game!... "

you scoff at ellie's words, looking down at the book in your hands once again. At this moment, you laid flat on your stomach on ellie's blue carpet in her room while flipping through a random dinosaur book you saw on her desk while ellie - your best friend sat comfortably in her gaming chair near you.

it was safe to say that you were bored out of your damn mind , your friend who would rather play on her PC than entertain you in some fun way was annoying the fuck out of you - especially her random loud yelling when she lost a round in whatever game she was playing. . .

you rolled over on your back , eyes staring at the ceiling with a frown creased in your eyebrows. "ellie. ." you spoke out softly as your eyes flickered to her form.

due to her ginormous gaming headphones, she couldn't hear you, her face shown nothing but determination as her fingers roughly hit her keyboard - right leg bouncing anxiously. . . you sigh , you wanted her attention on you. . you don't understand why she'd bother to invite you over if she was just going to be on her computer the entire time. you slowly sat up, sighing at the ache in your back, a small pout on your face as you still eyed ellie.

you slowly roll over, now on your hands and knees, crawling towards ellie quietly and slowly without her realizing. . your cheek was then meant with the feeling of her cloth sweatpants as you layed your head on her leg. . . unknowingly to you, ellie's body tensed up in an instant at the feeling of you on her thigh.

"u-uh. . . hey, whatcha doing? there?.." the now flustered girl spoke out, her green eyes too nervous to look down as she felt her freckled cheeks warming up.

"I'm bored. ."

"o-oh - uhh, i thought you were . . um reading?"

"ellie i don't give a shut about fossils and dinosaurs - no offense. ."

"oh. ." ellie let's out a soft sigh when her character in the game accepted death once more , letting out a shaky sigh her hands pulled away from the keyboard . . genuinely ellie felt kind of , stupid. . she was now a whole bundle of nerves just by you laying your head in her thigh - she swore to herself that this little crush she developed on her bestfriend would go away thinking it was just a small phase in her life - i mean everyone liked you at one point. .since you were so pretty and so fucking sweet. . genuinely a great personality.

but that was when she was 11. . and now she's 19 and still can't stop feeling her heart pound rapidly against her chest whenever you were near her - which was almost all the time.

she remembers talking to Dina about it , and instead of receiving good advice, she received a laugh in the face telling ellie to just go for it and ask you out. . yeah as if it was that easy - ellie knew you liked girls . . both of you found that out in high school together, but ellie knew for a fact she wasn't your type.

i mean, your ex was literally one of the most famous football jocks in the college you both currently go to. . abby fucking anderson - nothing was particularly wrong with abby it's just the simple fact the woman always had her hands on you like some sort of horn dog in heat. . . and you let her , it made ellie's blood nearly boil over just thinking about it.

and she couldn't deny the overwhelmingly happy feeling she felt when you came to ellie once telling her you broke up with abby - ellie had good dreams that night.

but that was just one side of ellie's crush , the other was. . . different - now ellie isn't a pervert but in her defense, it's just hormones. .on one of those nights when you, ellie and other mutual friends would go out to parties around campus , ellie didn't know if it was the alcohol in her system or whatever type of pill dina gave to her but seeing you in the middle of the dance floor , rubbing up on a random girl making your short dress ride up showing more of your thigh. . shit.

ellie didn't know why , or how but when she went back home that night her hand somehow. . . made its way straight into her pants as soon as she hit her bed - letting out all of those hot desires and feelings on her swollen , wet clit . . fingers rubbing in tight circles as her other hand covered her mouth.

she wasn't exactly proud of masterbating to you, but she knew she'd never actually get a chance to do this with you in real life, so there's no harm in using her imagination, right?

"and i- ellie? elliee!"

ellie flinched at the sound of your face, calling out to her, frowning slightly she finally looked down at you and immediately her breath got caught in her throat as she found your eyes peering up at her curiously. . . you looked so damn pretty. .

"did you hear me els?"

"wha - what did - huh?" ellie's words came out fumbled under her breath causing you the peer at her with a confused grin.

"jeez okay i know you don't like her, but i want to know what i should do" your sentence made ellie frown as she was suddenly snapped out of her lesbian yearning gaze "huh?"

"psh i knew you weren't listening - abby! should I text abby back?"

abby?

who's the hell is abby- ohhhh no ellie remembers. . wait, why was abby texting you?

"abby? why is she texting you?" You shrugged at ellie's words "i dunno , says she misses me or something like that. ." ellie frowned as a small pout formed on her pink lips at the thought of you and abby getting back together.

"you. . broke up with her for a reason , you shouldn't reply. .but do whatever you want. . i gues.." ellie spoke out softly and almost unsure as she now looked back up to her computer starting the game once again - needing a distraction as she was avoiding your gaze now , silence over took the room for awhile.

"yeah but i low-key need a good fuck. ."

ellie's hands froze on her keyboard, the sound of her characters' fatality being heard around the room - her eyes wide as her warm cheeks are a shade of dark red "w-what"

"I've been so stressed about exams and shit , it wouldn't be bad to just y'know" you say in a almost obvious tone to ellie , thinking she understood what you meant but by her rigid motion and shocked expression it was clear she somewhat didn't "ellie? what dont tell me youve never fucked someone to let out stress or something..?"

suddenly ellie stood up from her chair arubtly causing your head to nearly hit the desk beside you. "hey! a warning would be nice el!"

"it's hot in here - yeah I'm super hot!" ellie suddenly yelled out as she walked over to her bedroom windows and unlocking it to open the window up - the cold autumn breeze immediately hitting her heated body . . . you sigh and stand up making your way to her bed, plopping down on her comic book themed bed sheets you laid on your back and peered at the girl who stood near the windows still.

"els come here. ." you called out softly, ellie - tense but obeying your words walked over to her bed and slowly sat near the edge . . honestly if someone saw the scene they'd think you were the owner of the bedroom instead of the timid girl who sat on the edge on her own bed nearly falling off.

"ell- why are you ever there? come here weirdo. ."

ellie gulped thickly and moved her body higher up, her back now leaning against her headboard as her eyes searched around for something, anything to make this any less awkward for herself, her hands grabbed up the dinosaur book you once held - flipping it open to a random page.

"what are you doing?"

"reading this - unlike you I'm very interested in fossils and dinosaurs. ."

"Trust me, ellie, I'm aware of that it's just - why are you reading it upside down instead?"

ellie cringes in embarrassment as she hastily flipped the book to the correct side , thinking about how much she's an idiot she suddenly felt something in her lap, lifting the book to get a good view. . there your head laid in her lap once more.

why the fuck do you keep laying there? ellie thinks with red cheeks.

"you seem pent up els. ."

ellie's eyes widened at your choice of words "pent up? what do you??"

"have you really never slept with anyone?" your head that was laying in her lap was once looking across the room and was now looking at her face, reading her expressions like a book. . . your right hand grabbed the book out of ellie's hand and threw it somewhere on the bed.

"anytime i touch you, your body goes all stiff. . as if you've never been touched by another girl before . ."

fuck! was ellie being that damn obvious, and ellie thought about your words for a moment, and if she was being honest, she was very pent up , especially at this very moment. . . the sight of her best friend whom she's known for years having her pretty face laying in her lap . . . so fucking close to her crotch area. . this alone made her heart rapidly pound within her chest, her breathing becoming shaky as sinful thoughts raced through her mind , she couldn't help it . . your head was so close to her cunt - that was pulsing uncontrollably by the filthy thoughts in her mind and you asking about her non-existent sex life . . - shit. . she wanted nothing more for your plump lips to be around her swollen clit.

and at this very moment ellie knew that she was nothing but a mother fucking loser horny for her bestfriends mouth.

"ellie?. ."

"fuck. ." the sound of your soft voice calling out to her in confusion - she couldn't help but imagine you moaning out her name in the same tone.

your body perched up, leaning towards ellie with both your hands planted on the bed on both her sides , your face leaning close to her's. . you've known ellie for years, meaning you could read her like an open book - you weren't stupid you were able to see right through ellie and how she acted around you . . to be honest you were just never 100% sure - but the sight of her freckled cheeks turning red , her green eyes looking anywhere but you. . oh you were sure.

"do you like me ellie?"

"w-what. ."

"am i the reason your cheeks are flaming red?"

ellie breath caught her throat , she couldn't speak . . what the fuck was happening right now ellie closed her eyes tightly before opening them , she had to make sure she wasn't dreaming . . her lips shuddering slightly as her whole body felt like it was on fire , ready to explode. . a soft whine escaping her lips when you leaned closer. .she could smell your pretty chocolate-vanilla perfume entering her nose.

"what do you want me to do to you?" Your whispers made her thighs clench as her eyes closed. ."tell me. ."

"i don't- i don't know. ."

"yes you do, cmon i know you want something. ." one of your hands that was rested on the bed then moved to ellie's thigh , you smirked at the feeling of her slightly flinching by your touch.

"please. .please. ."

"Please, what?"

"touch me. ." ellie has never felt more nervous and shy in her life. . she's never had any experience with women at all , this was a first for her . . her thighs clenching hardly against each other as both her hands fisted her sheets, not knowing where to put them. .

ellie could feel your hand now on her cheek, your thumb on her pink bottom lip , your head leaning closer to her, causing ellie to close her eyes once more thinking she'd finally be able to feel your pretty lips against her's - instead a soft moan escaped her throat when she felt your lips on her neck, leaning her head back so you can have more access. . hissing when she feels her flesh being pulled by your teeth.

ellie could feel her boxers absolutely soaked with her wetness from her cunt, clenching around around nothing just from the feeling of your lips on her skin. . . skimming around her neck for her most sensitive spot.

"w-wait please! i -- ah! fuck!" ellie could feel the embarrassment wash over her body , as her hips buckled she could feel the cum leaking out her pussy - did she really just orgasm just by the feeling of your lips on her neck?

you pull away, looking at ellie's face, her chest heaving as she tries to get her breath .the supirse was evident on your face, and you couldn't help the way your ego boosts a little at the sight. . your own thighs clenching together , your sharp eyes now staring at ellie's sweatpants.

"take off your pants. ."

"sh -- shit! ahh! feels so . . ah!"

your lips placed around ellie's pink clit, sucking on it sometimes letting your tongue flicker against her which made her thighs shake - ellie's groans escaping from her lips and into your ears making you suck against her harder. . . one of your hands holding her thigh open as the other held her naked breast - her white shirt pulled all the way up to her chin.

you pull away for a moment, causing ellie to whine at the cold air hitting her wet cunt.

you lean back in , tongue now lapping at at her cunt in fast motions - you groan at the feeling of ellie's fingers pulling at your hair . . you could feel her wetness trickling down your chin . .

"feels -- so fucking good! f- fuck!" ellie choked out - this was almost like vivid sex dream she couldn't believe was real. . never did she ever think she'd actually have your head in between her thighs getting her off - her hips buckling up into the air , leaning more into your mouth . . seemingly attempting to thrust into your mouth, which caused you to chuckle at how needy she was being.

your tongue now sliding down to her clenching hole , entering it her pulsing cunt around your pink muscle as you develed in her pussy.

you were almost pussy drunk just from her taste , so bittersweet but so enjoyable as you moved your head side to side . . one of your arm moving away from her breast and on her stomach - fingers leaning towards her cunt as you presses them down on her puffy clit.

"f- fuck! think I'm gonna -- cum again!" ellie moaned out as her hips now buckled against the sheets, groaning when she feels you push one of her legs deeper on the bed so they spread wider.

" eating my -- pussy so fucking good! fu -- fuck!" ellie hands that was once gripping your hair was attempting to push your head away from her pulsing cunt , you could feel her cum soaking your tongue causing you to moan against her rolling your tongue in small circles before eventually being forcibly removed by ellie's hands.

"Too much -- fuck!"

your lips were soaked as you licked them, moaning at the taste of her still. . . your stare penarating ellie as you just stared at her chest rapidly, moving up and down ,head still leaning back into her pillow, heavy breathing escaping her mouth.

the sight of her breast still uncovered made you all squirmy inside , as if your panties weren't totally ruined hours ago.

you lean away, on your knees, hands going to remove your shorts and underwear and carelessly throwing them to her floor. . ellie eyes were closed, not noticing your movement as she was still coming down from her high , you move to her body hands opening her shaky thighs once more as you slip your legs in hers.

"w-what are you -- woah. ." ellie began to ask before realizing your position, her already pink cheeks going a deeper shade.

taking a breath before planting yourself on top of ellie , gasping at the feeling of all of her wetness spreading against your pussy - ellie breathed heavily at the unfamiliar feeling . . holy shit a bunch of curse words floating around her brain her mind still couldn't comprehend if this was real or not.

you lean forward, planting your hands on ellie's abdomen and began to slowly rut your cunt into ellie's , whining as your clit bumped into hers. . you weren't gonna last long. You knew that already - so you started to move your hips eagerly against her grinding harder as both if your slicks mixed with eachother. .

the only sound heard in the room was the wetness of your two pussies and soft , gentle moans escaping both of your mouths - you pulled your hands away reaching for your shirt tossing it off of you as you rutted your hips harder. . you could feel your cunt clenching against ellie's getting ready for a release.

"Ahh -- ohnygodd! feels so goo - ellie!"You panted, throwing your head back further. .lost in your own pleasure, you don't feel ellie's eyes on you. . . she watched in awe as your pretty breast moved on your chest from your faster movement - the beautiful fucked out expression shown on your face . . . god you were so beautiful - ellie suddenly growing confident placed her hands on your hips, moving your hips for you against her. .fast and urgently.

your eyes rolling back as your incoherent sentences meant her ears - letting out a low groan as she felt your pussy clench and leak against her's . . observing you intently with hard breaths as your body shook from your orgasm.

yeah. . this wasn't a fucking dream. . and thank god for that.

hope this was good !! this was one of my first request !! 💌💌

[off-mozzarella]

Ty for the tag! You have made the mistake of asking me, the post says how you got into it but here's the full long ass story bc I never get to yap about the things that occupy 99% of my brain space. Grab some popcorn, you'll need it 🍿

I think my actual first exposure to Zelda was seeing a cousin playing Oot lul.

As for actually playing, I don't know how young I was, probably around 8. We had a Wii, and I saw my sister play TP, I think it was the ending lol, so I wanted to play it. Aand, I did, and I was terrible bc ofc I was a kid, I used guides so much and would get nervous and yell for my sister at the smallest monster sighting xD. But it's an amazing game and I got really obsessed with it because I can't be normal about things, I love the story, the vibe, the characters... So I made some drawings of it (which I still have), would yap about it to any unfortunate soul that would listen, and for the next good years I would replay it to the point where I basically memorized most stuff.

Yeaaars later, my sister shows me a botw trailer, I was like oh cool 👍 because I didn't expect to ever lay my hands on a switch, but we actually got one around 2018 I think. Ofc first thing I played botw on it, even having played TP so much I didn't have much of an idea of what a loz game was supposed to be like, so I got in not knowing what to expect. And, you guessed it! I got so obsessed with it. The mechanics, the story, the giant world, it all just left me in absolute awe and did something to my brain lol (totk could never). I would use the guide so much because I have like 2iq for puzzles but I somehow still enjoyed it a lot.

I made my Tumblr acc in 2018 bc I wanted to see stuff from other fandoms and I don't even remember how but I guess eventually I stumbled into LU. I read the comic and all the stuff in the archive, this is where I started to learn a lot more about the loz lore and I was like damn this is so cool!!! Yes I got obsessed. I read some stuff about the timeline, story and the games bc I thought I could never play them but luckily I forgot a lot of it xD. Basically here I started getting rly into loz.

When they made Skyward Sword HD I told my sister we should buy it, I thought she had ignored me but she gifted it to me on my birthday, so that made it a bit special for me xd. This was a turning point, I got a better idea of what a traditional loz game was and even if there's some stuff about the game that I really don't like it was overall a really cool experience. Oh and the lore. And the implications. This was the first time I played a loz game without relying on guides (only when I got really stuck), so I was extra proud and it was fun when I wasn't fighting the motion controls xd. I was back to being a Zelda kid and yapping about it, and I decided to try and play all the loz games I could get.

So. I thought I was ready for Oot - the N64 version that is on the switch. It was so hard 😭. I felt bad bc I did need to use the guide more but still, a greaat game and the final boss left me shook bc y'all weren't lying the game is so good wtf. Random but it was a cathartic moment for me when I had to defeat it using a broken biggoron sword and a shit ton of deku nuts after hating on them the whole game for being useless 🤧.

Thennn clearly I had to play Majora's Mask. Girl, TP made me edgy so I could love this game. I do think it is a bit worse than Oot in some aspects but generally I felt it was a much more solid game and oh lord it's so atmospheric. The existencialist stuff was too much for my tiny brain but it's still cool.

I think (?) I got back into LU around halfway of my MM playthrough, I then reread the whole comic with more english and loz knowledge and understood things so much better now, and it's what is on my mind all the time now XD.

I never finished totk bc I didn't feel very motivated, making progress in the game felt a bit like a task 😬 (I do love you, Tulin). No words lol.

I'm now playing Minish Cap and!!! Love it, so much cute stuff that brings literal tears to my eyes lol. I was a bit scared bc it is my first 2D Zelda and I didn't want the Oot experience repeating itself but xD it's fairly easy and has some pretty cool stuff, it makes me feel childlike wonder idk.

So! Next on my list is alttp and the oracle games, though my friend said she could play FS with me so that may happen first 👍. I currently have no interest in playing eow or zelda I & II, I opened those last two for like five minutes and noped out, but maybe one day 😅.

SORRY FOR THE LONG YAP but tagss:

@dragkbluire @final-fantasy-xiii-fan

A question!! Maybe a chain?

When did you get into LoZ, and how?

For me, I played BotW years ago and really enjoyed it but couldn’t get really into any of the other games. About a year and a half ago (I think?) I happened upon Linked Universe. I didn’t know who half the cast was but I was SMITTEN. After that I started ALBW and it was all over for me.

No pressure tags

@starwolfie @kilgoreontralfamadore @chibinur @raven8224

[harbinger-savior-catalyst]

What's your thoughts on melanie and folly after NULLS dialogue dropped??

Idk I've seen some persons theory about them knowing eachother to be confirmed on here. Just curious on what your thoughts are?

oooo, i didnt get a lot of NULL when i was playing last night so i had to read up on the wiki, and OH LORD IS THIS GUY SOMETHING

i am both in love and insanely curious as to why he calls Folly 'the dreamer', it adds some kinda layer to their relationship that i yearn to pick apart like an operation board game.

the balls this guy has to essentially deadname her, not even just around her co-workers, but to the general public if we consider the NPCS are mostly aware of our existence and each others when on the elevator, and you can sense the anger, yet she inevitably gives into what he asks, it's fucking insane, probably the closest another NPC has gotten to learning ANYTHING about how she feels about her past that isn't some kinda 'random emo splurge'. its sad to know that thats all she thinks life is, pain, suffering, anguish, but thats all she knows now, that damn parasite

another half of me wants to read it as understanding and acknowledgement rather than something hes doing out of malice and authority, like there is some sense of understanding that they're both disjointed people, mentally broken and unable to fix themselves to their greatest ability, both striving to become whole again just in different ways.

they're coworkers who, if they sat down with each other and talked like normal people (which they cannot do) would probably have a lot more in common than they'd expect, but i can also see them both standing around toolbox speedway watching people explode or whatever just for the fun of it and having a laugh together if they were both bored. it genuinely, in this situation, really depends on both of their moods and how fast the wind blows

as for melanie...holy fucking shit????? ok. very interesting.

seeing her try to interact at least slightly is very on brand, i love how no matter what she tries to bring the best out of people and herself, even if they don't share or reciprocate it.

rlly interesting to see her memory get fuzzy as soon as the dreamer is mentioned too, yeah. i think the only character who's gone through similar is poob during a conversation WITH melanie, i have a feeling theres something in her brain that is wired to completely block out conversations about her or her past, similar to a trauma response of sorts, but 100% a legitimate software thing in this case bc shes a tv head.

going back to this though, thats absolutely fucking tragic, because the only time that really doesn't happen is in conversations with folly herself, where melanie CAN'T ignore it, has to stare her past right in her face, and desperately wish it was the way it was before as she begs her not to look at her. she'd rather forget all of the good moments she had with her instead of remember and have to deal with who she used to be friends with staring back at her as nothing but a monstrous husk of what she used to be, all caused by trauma she probably has no idea about and could never even attempt to fix.

I LOVE THESE TWO GRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT THE FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

[agardenofbasil]

“you’re easy to love.” + pedri/ferran (ferran says it) thank you ❤️

A little angsty...

Ferran told them this is a bad idea. 

Somewhere out on the dance floor are their other teammates, who are finally letting loose after weeks of games and practices and media responsibilities. One weekend of rest before they have to gear up for the next La Liga matches. Hansi Flick warned them to be careful but otherwise, the world is theirs. And Ferran had every plan to be on the dancefloor with them, to think of anything until he saw Pedri at the bar. 

Ordering another drink. 

“This is a bad idea,” he warned Fermin, who ordered Pedri’s first drink and swore up and down that he’d keep an eye on him. Because Ferran remembers what happened in Berlin.

History has a way of repeating itself, Ferran thinks as he watches Pedri drain the glass.

“Everyone else has someone except me,” Pedri slurs.

“No. Half the team's single.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why don’t I have anyone?”

“I don’t know,” Ferran sighs. “Maybe because you stay  at home and play with your dog all day?”

Pedri makes a face. “Is that a euphemism?”

“That’s the truth.”

“Can I get another-”

“No,” Ferran cuts in, looking the bartender dead in the eye. “He’s had enough.”

Another face. “I can decide when I’ve had enough.”

“Pedri.” Ferran shakes his head at the bartender, who, having seen God, walks towards another patron.

Pedri folds his arms, but stumbles forward. Ferran catches him swiftly, straightening him up even though the midfielder is still mad. “You have it easy,” Pedri insists. “You can… be tall.”

Ferran tries not to laugh. “What?”

“You’re tall,” Pedri yells, eyes bright like it’s the first time he’s noticed his height. 

“That’s not-”

“You could get anyone you want! I message one girl on Instagram and I get ghosted after five messages. What gives?”

Ferran swallows the hard lump in his throat. “I can't get anyone I want,” he grits out. 

“Then it's me.”

“It's not.”

“Maybe I'm too hard to love.”

“Stop.”

“That has to be it, right?”

Here we go. Just like Berlin.

“Pedri, you’re not-”

“There has to be!”

It’s not fun anymore. Being here. It’s worse than Berlin, where Pedri was moping about his leg. This time, Ferran’s watching Pedri slide straight into the hell that is self-doubt. 

Wait. No. Pedri’s literally sliding.

The midfielder’s head thumps against Ferran’s chest.

“For fuck’s sake-”

“I’m always alone.”

Among the noise, Pedri’s words send a chill down Ferran’s spine.

“Do you really feel that way?” Ferran asks. Pedri doesn’t answer. “Can you hear me?”

Still no answer.

“Dumbass thought he could handle three drinks. Idiot. Dumbass.”

Silence.

“You’re easy to love.”

Nothing. 

“Loving you is so damn easy. I would know. Been doing it for years.”

Pedri mumbles, and his head digs heavily into Ferran’s sternum.

“What?”

“I said, can we go home?”

Ferran tightens his arm around Pedri's shoulder, the same way his chest tightens when Pedri’s phone lights up from another Instagram notification. “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

...but good news, you get a full Ao3 version. Hope you enjoy. 🍃

[ministerlo]

Roommate Troubles

You had Ash as a roommate, he was what you would imagine an average American guy looked like, he wasn't that tall and didn't have that much muscle, with equal brown hair and brown eyes, you had been roommates for a couple years now. You know that he’s gay and had a crush on you, but you do not understand why, as you were just as average as he was however, what you didn't know was that Ash believed that you had amazing potential to become his boyfriend however, he believes that you needed some, gentle suggestions. So he has been practicing hypnosis so he can finally make you his. One day, he walks into your room, holding a pendant

"Hey Jackson, I’ve been practicing some hypnosis and was wondering if I could try it on you" he asked a mischievous smirk on his lips.

Your naive self didn't think that it would work, so you thought why not? why not indulge him, after all if you didn't he would just annoy you until you finally conceded. So you agreed.

He smiles widely, clearly excited at the prospect. "Awesome, thanks, Jack! Just sit back, relax, and focus on my voice, okay?"Ash puts on a calm, soothing tone as he begins the induction.

"Imagine yourself in a peaceful place... a warm beach at sunset, the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore. Feel the soft sand beneath you, the gentle breeze on your skin. With each breath, let go of any tension or stress..."His eyes lock onto yours intensely as he continues guiding you deeper under. "Your eyelids are growing heavy... they're like lead weights pulling down on your lashes. Soon, they'll close all the way, and when they do, you'll be in an even deeper state of relaxation." Ash slowly circles around behind you, placing a hand on your shoulder. "Just let go, Jack".

You slowly fall into a deep trance, feeling yourself relax beneath Ash's ministrations, following his instructions as you slowly let go, and sink into the trance like state.

Ash pauses for a moment, giving you time to process before continuing. "I'm going to count backward from three, and when I reach one, you'll open your eyes feeling refreshed and focused. But here's the important part - you won't remember anything we just did together, not until I trigger it later with a special word, Relax, which will bring you back to this state. Ready? Ash counts down quietly. "Three... two... one! When you blink, open your eyes," he gives you a reassuring smile. "How are you feeling, Jack? Relaxed? Energized?"

You blink awake, feeling strangely refreshed despite having no memory of the hypnosis session. "Hmm, yeah, actually pretty good. That was weird, though, I don't recall what happened while I was out. What were you doing back there anyway?" I glance around, just enjoying the relaxation not given any reason to doubt my roommate.

Ash steps back slightly, trying to play it cool, but his eyes still smolder with mischievousness. "Oh, nothing much, just some meditation techniques I've been exploring. It's supposed to help clear the mind." He chuckles lightly, attempting to brush off the intensity of the moment. "But enough about that, how about we grab some lunch? I'm starving after our little experiment." Ash offers you a friendly smile, hoping to change the subject and hide his true intentions. As you both head out, Ash can't help but think about the progress he made today. He's getting closer to making you his, and soon you'll be putty in his hands, eager to please him and worship him as his lover.

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Later that evening

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As you're both lounging on the couch watching TV, Ash casually reaches over and places his hand on your thigh. His touch is light but deliberate, testing the waters. "So, Jack," he says, his voice low and smooth,  "I've been thinking... maybe we should have a little fun tonight. Nothing too crazy, just some board games and snacks. What do you say?" Ash's gaze is intense, almost predatory, as he waits for your response. In reality, he has no intention of playing harmless games. This is just the beginning of his plan to break down your defenses and make you vulnerable to his manipulation and hypnosis.

You look at Ash's hand on my thigh and feel a sliver of disgust slide down your back, You ask him to remove his hand. There's something about the casual yet intentional touch that makes me uneasy, not used to and not wanting his touch. "you shake your head, trying to clear the confusing thoughts. "Board games, huh? Yeah, sure, that sounds fine." you nod, deciding to play along for now. "As long as it's not too late, I guess we could give it a try." you shift slightly, trying to create some distance between us without being rude. Ash's proximity is starting to unnerve you.

Ash withdraws his hand, but the heat of his touch lingers on your skin. He nods understandingly, pretending not to notice the unease he's causing. "Wait a second, I'll set everything up." He gets up from the couch and walks towards the living room table, where he keeps a stash of board games. A few minutes later, Ash returns with a game box in hand. "Alright, I picked out a classic - Monopoly. It should be fun!" He sets the game down on the coffee table and pats the spot beside him invitingly.

You finish the episode and stand up, stretching lazily. you walk over to Ash "Monopoly, huh? Okay, let's give it a shot." You sit down next to Ash, trying to ignore the proximity of his body. The game box feels warm from his handling. As you begin setting up the game, Ash's fingers brush against yours, sending another spark of electricity through me. I pull my hand back quickly, focusing intently on arranging the properties and chance cards. "So, do we want to play as usual, or..."

Ash grins mischievously as he watches you fumble with the game pieces, clearly uncomfortable by his "accidental" touches. Why don't we spice things up a bit? Why don't you just relax." His eyes gleam with excitement at the prospect of exploiting your vulnerabilities.

Almost immediately you fall into the deep trance that you had the first time you fell under Ash's control. The word seems to have an instant effect, your body relaxing into the couch cushions as your mind starts to drift. Your eyelids grow heavy. Ash takes advantage of your weakened state, his hand gliding smoothly over the bulge in your pants.

Ash continues to caress your face, his fingers tracing the curve of your jawline as he speaks in a soothing, hypnotic tone. "When you're under my spell, your body will respond instinctively. You'll grow hard and eager. And outside of these sessions, remember to take care of yourself. Hit the gym regularly, build up that lean muscle mass. A strong, fit body will only enhance the pleasure you will give me." He pauses, letting his words sink in.

Your eyelids flutter open and close, still hazy from the trance. You nod slowly, your voice slurred. "Y-yes, Ash... I'll obey. Serve you..." Your hips twitch involuntarily as Ash's hand starts to massage your erection through your pants. A soft moan escapes your lips, showing your growing arousal. "G-gym... I'll go to the gym..." I mumble, trying to focus on his commands despite the fog in my mind. "Get harder... for you..." You mumble through the haze of trance

""I'm going to count backwards from three, and when I reach one, you'll open your eyes feeling refreshed and focused. But here's the important part - you won't remember anything we just did together, except you will remember the order I gave you in the back of your mind, you won't remember them but you will follow them regardless. Ash counts down quietly. Three... two... one!"" When you blink open your eyes, you forget what has happened while you were in a trance

You blink rapidly, your gaze focusing on Ash's face as you sit up straight. For a moment, you seem disoriented, but then a bright smile spreads across my features. "Hey, sorry about that! I think I dozed off for a second." You chuckle lightly, running a hand through your hair. "Ready to start the game now?" There's no sign of the earlier tension or confusion in your expression. It's as if the entire trance sequence never occurred, leaving behind only a lingering sense of Ash's presence and the faintest hint of... anticipation? "Let's see who wins this round of Monopoly, shall we?" You picked up the game piece, and your competitive spirit was rekindled.

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The Next Day

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The following day, you wake up with an inexplicable urge to hit the gym. Despite having no prior interest in fitness, you find yourself driven to get in shape. After a quick breakfast, you head to the nearest gym and sign up for a membership on the spot. Over the next few weeks, you develop a consistent workout routine, often arriving at the gym early in the morning before heading home. Your muscles begin to tone, and you notice changes in your physique that you hadn't anticipated.

As you continue your new gym regimen, Ash observes your progress with satisfaction.

One evening, after a particularly intense workout, you return home exhausted but exhilarated, however excited to take a shower. Ash greets you at the door, his eyes roaming appreciatively over your damp, sweat-slicked form. "Wow, Jack, you look amazing! All that your exercise is really paying off". He steps closer, his fingers trailing lightly over your chest and abs, feeling the definition of your muscles. "You know, I've been thinking... maybe we should celebrate your progress with a special reward. Something to help you relax?" cupping the front of your shorts and feeling your hardening cock a suggestive squeeze through the fabric.

Your eyes glaze over, and you feel your body succumbing to the trance once more. As Ash leads you towards the bedroom, you stumble slightly, your legs unsteady beneath you. Once inside, Ash gently pushes you onto the bed, his hands roaming over your chest and stomach as he positions himself above you. His eyes lock with yours, filled with affection. As you fall into trance, Ash begins to kiss and explore your mouth, his tongue delving deep as he claims your lips.

Ash's kisses intensify, his tongue dancing with yours in a sensual duel. One hand trails down to grasp your throbbing erection, stroking it firmly through your shorts. "As I touch you like this, you'll feel an increasing need, a burning desire to please me. To make me feel good." His other hand slips under your shirt, fingertips tracing the contours of your abs and pecs. The touch sends shivers down your spine, your body responding eagerly to his ministrations. "Remember, whenever you hear 'relax', you'll submit fully, letting go of all inhibitions. Now, focus on the pleasure building inside you, Jack. Focus on making me feel good." Ash's voice drops to a whisper, his breath hot against your ear as he continues to tease and tantalize your senses.

Ash breaks the kiss, his breath coming in short gasps as he gazes at you with a mix of lust and possession. "From now on, I want you to resist the temptation of frequent showers after your workouts. Allow the sweat to linger, to soak into your skin and clothes. It'll add to your appeal, making you smell deliciously masculine." His hand drifts down to your groin once more, giving your cock a possessive stroke. "And I have another request. I want you to purchase some jockstraps and wear them during your gym sessions. Not only will it highlight your impressive physique, but it'll also provide a snug, restrictive fit that will heighten your arousal and sensitivity." Ash's eyes gleam with dark promise as he issues his final command.

Ash's fingers trail along your jawline, his thumb brushing over your lips as he brings you back to consciousness. "Wake up now, Jack. Remember nothing, but recall my instructions. They'll guide you without you even realising it." As your eyes flutter open, the haze of the trance lifts, leaving you feeling refreshed and alert. However, a subtle, nagging sense lingers at the back of your mind – a faint awareness of the orders Ash imparted during your trance state. You shake your head slightly, dismissing the odd feeling. With a yawn, you stretch out on the bed, and fall asleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following morning, you wake up with a strange, almost primal craving. As you head to the gym, you deliberately skip taking a shower beforehand, allowing the sweat from yesterday's workout to still cling to your skin and clothes. At the gym, you browse the athletic wear section and pick up a few pairs of jockstraps, feeling a thrill of excitement as you try them on in the changing room. The snug, restricting fit sends a shiver down your spine, and you can't wait to wear them during your next workout. As you exercise, the jockstraps chafe against your sensitive skin, heightening your arousal with each rep and set. By the time you finish, beads of sweat have formed on your brow, mingling with the perspiration already coating your body. However, while you usually would have been ecstatic to go take a shower, this time, you felt a deep, revolting feeling to that want. And as you're getting ready for bed, you catch a whiff of your own musk, the combination of yesterday's sweat and today's exertion. A smirk plays on your lips as you realize how arousing the scent is to you. As you drift off to sleep, you find yourself dreaming of the gym, of the jockstraps hugging your thighs, and of the way your body responds to the restriction and friction. When you wake up the next morning, the memories of the dreams are fuzzy, but the urge to return to the gym and indulge in the sensations remains strong.

As weeks pass, you've grown accustomed to wearing the jockstraps during your workouts, savoring the way they mold to your body and amplifying your physical responses. Your gym routine has become more intense, mirroring the growing intensity of your secret desires. One afternoon, as you're lifting weights, you notice a few curious glances from fellow gym-goers. The realization that your enhanced physique and provocative attire might be drawing attention sends a thrill through you. After your workout, you stop by the locker room to change, the jockstrap still clinging to your sweaty skin. As you peel it off, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, your muscles glistening with exertion, your body taut and primed.

Your gym sessions have become more grueling, fueled by an insatiable hunger for physical challenge and the intoxicating rush of endorphins. The jockstraps have become an integral part of your routine. One evening, as you're undressing for bed, you catch a whiff of your own scent, stronger than usual due to the day's intense workout. Arousal surges through you, and as you drift off to sleep, the remnants of Ash's hypnotic commands from weeks ago resurface, whispering in your subconscious. You're left with a vague, unsettling sense that something about your behavior has changed, though you can't quite pinpoint what it is.

Over dinner, you find yourself stealing glances at Ash, your roommate and secret lover. There's a newfound intensity in his gaze, a smouldering heat that seems to pierce right through you. As you eat, you're acutely aware of the way your clothes hug your body, the fabric damp with the residue of your earlier workout. The jockstraps you wore to the gym are still tucked away in your bag, a constant reminder of your submission to Ash's desires. Suddenly, Ash reaches across the table, his fingers brushing against yours. "I've been thinking," Ash says, his voice low and husky, "perhaps it's time for you to relax"

As soon as the words leave his lips, you feel a sudden, overwhelming surge of arousal course through your veins. Your body responds instinctively, a deep, primal need taking hold as you surrender to Ash's command. A soft moan escapes your lips, your hips twitching involuntarily as your cock begins to stiffen in your pants. The sensation is intense, bordering on being painful, yet you crave more, desperate to please Ash in whatever way he demands.

He reaches out, trailing a finger along your jawline before cupping your cheek possessively. "Let's get comfortable, shall we? Why don't you strip out of those clothes and join me on the couch? I want to see every inch of your body, slick with sweat and desire."Ash's words drip with seduction, his tone commanding yet gentle. The unspoken expectation hangs heavy in the air, leaving no doubt about what he wants from you.

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To Be Continued

[byberbunk2069]

14-17, 19-21

Veil and Ronnie both

I hope the hyphen means "and everything inbetween those numbers too" cause I'll do it anyway

14. what is their weapon of choice? Veil: Her Netwatch Netdriver but failing that she goes between Skippy and a Unity. She has monowire implants and is really good with them when she can accurately judge the distance of her target.

Ronnie: She primarily uses her Lexingtons but brings out the Carnage when things get hairy and when she wants to have fun she'll mix things up with her fists and a baseball bat

15. what is their preferred vehicle or transportation of choice? Veil: Thorton Galena, the "shitmobile", she's had it since her first shift supervising Arasaka's Netrun Operations. It is one of her pride and joys.

Ronnie: She borrows the shitmobile but also uses a Kusanagi CT-3X

16. how would you describe their style? Veil: As soon as NetWatch burned her she slowly moved away from a lot of the smart dress and went back to leather, denim, and t-shirts/tanks like her old rockergirl days. But something imprinted from her well-to-do upbringing is knowing how to dress for an occassion. She's a self described NetRocker.

Ronnie: Should have been a rockergirl if life had not thrown her lemons, shut the door on her face and then slammed the window on her fingers. She was known for her "alternative" look when she worked Jig-Jig Street. When working out her style I thought "late 80's rivethead meets early 90s Gregg Araki reject".

17. are they an early riser or a night owl? Veil: Veil has no concept of time and that's not because she fell in to the corpo lifestyle of partying and other sleaze (maybe a little bit), she's mainly too busy cruising the Net to tell what time it is.

Ronnie: A night owl for sure. Whether by choice or through her work.

19. is your character from Night City Veil: Yes! Veil is from the nicer part of Heywood, spending her time in a cozy apartment complex, living off of the wealth of decades old oil tycoon inheritence. She would move to Japantown in her mid-late teens when she started her netrunning career early and wanted to move away from corpo influence.

Ronnie: Ronnie originates from Brazil, she and her parents moved to Night City (SanDom) to get away from a conflict Militech was involved with.

20. Where do they currently live? Veil: She's made herself at home in the H10 apartment. Spending most of her time in the armory that has been converted in to her own little Netrunner Operations (the armory is now part of the general living space).

Ronnie: Ronnie couch surfs, primarily staying at H10, but after mending things with Rita she's allowed to stay over at her H11 apartment for as much as she wants (and routinely models for Rita's little clay statues).

21. do they have favorite spots around NC? Veil: She likes to hang out on the H10 roof, trying to boost the range of her radio station. But generally she is pretty reclusive and only goes out if the merc work calls for it or if she really needs to do/get something.

Ronnie: Lizzie's Bar, after they let her back in as an honorary Mox (she's not really a Mox anymore). She's allowed to hang out with the guys and gals in the changing rooms. Judy lets her hang out in her editing room too because they talk about wanting to keep the spirit of Lizzie and the Mox alive.

[swan2swan]

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous

Running Gag: "What Are You Doing?"

[undertale-fic-librarby]

Delightful Distraction

A genderswapped FluffyNight drabble to celebrate reaching 300 followers! This was briefly looked over & written in two sittings! Happy reading!

Ccino hums quietly to the music that's playing in the otherwise quiet café & picks up the dirty dishes of the table that had just left, leaving the building free of customers for the time being.

Carrying the plates carefully with both hands, she walks into the back where the kitchen is & deposits the dirty dishes into the sink, already filled with plates from earlier in the day.

Ccino debates with herself for a moment before grabbing a pair of dish washing gloves from nearby & slipping them on. She might as well take advantage of the lack of customers & get a head start on washing up.

Scrubbing away at a dirty cup, Ccino's unaware of a presence approaching her from behind until there are suddenly arms wrapped around her waist, causing her to jump & tighten her grip on the mug in her hand in surprise.

Looking over her shoulder, Ccino glares at the grinning face behind her, huffing in annoyance. "Was that really necessary?" Nightmare lets out a quiet chuckle as she tightens her hold around Ccino, resting her head on the other's shoulder.

"No, but it was funny." She mumbles softly in response to the question, pressing a soft kiss against Ccino's neck in apology. "Will you ever find it in yourself to forgive me?"

Ccino rolls her eyelights & sighs with a shake of her skull, unable to keep the smile off of her face as she turns back to face the sink. "I don't know, what will you do to make it up to me?"

Nightmare hums as she thinks, grin softening into a smile as she tries to come up with a satisfying reply. "I could always make dinner for us tonight?"

Ccino stands straight & pulls away from Nightmare's hold slightly to look at her, a look of panic on her face as she frantically tries to backtrack. "N-No, it's fine! No further apology needed, I'm good!"

Nightmare huffs with a pout, reluctantly pulling away & taking a step back from the other. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Ccino pauses to take off the gloves she's wearing before turning to face Nightmare fully. "Honey, you know I love you," she takes the other's hands into hers, squeezing them softly as she meets Nightmare's gaze & continues speaking, "but your cooking could use some work."

Nightmare frowns as if she's upset, but shrugs after a moment as a smile forms on her face again. "Yeah, that's fair." She squeezes Ccino's hands in return, leaning in & pressing a chaste kiss against the other's teeth.

Ccino hums as she goes to kiss Nightmare again, unsatisfied with how short the last one was, only to jump at the sound of the bell hanging in front of the door ringing & signaling the presence of a customer.

She pulls away in a panic, adjusting her apron with a light blush on her face as she walks away from Nightmare & back out to the actual café area, calling out to the customer. "Just a moment!"

Nightmare watches as Ccino walks away with a pout, tentacles drooping in disappointment as she hears her begin to take the customer's order. She had hoped to have Ccino's attention for longer, but that clearly wasn't going to happen.

Nightmare looks over at the dirty dishes that she had distracted Ccino from, sighing & grabbing the gloves that the other had been using. She may as well help her darling out a little since she had distracted her.

[restinpeacesensei]

suggesting something,,

[arolesbianism]

I've been doing a casual second lob corp playthrough for fun and one thing that I've really come to adore is how the different success rates can paint a pretty cool image of how work with it looks like at different levels of each work type and while I think it's kind of sad that base game you can't see the work percentages I also think it in a way adds a fun game of is this marginally harder at level five than four or is my guy just being bad at their job

[illdothehotvoice]

Can my likes literally not right now I'm trying to feel like garbage about having to defend my entire art practice in critique today lmfao

[keeps-ache]

Reading your tag rambles makes me think of Night Vale! Kinda so random lol. I like how happy you always sound! Anyway, yeah idk whats up with the sudden bot-explosion on here! Wasn't this bad in a few months.

hfshfa thank you!! i just started listening to WTNV recently, it's definitely my vibe i love it :D yea lotta thoughts lol, it's why i added the slashes so they're easier to read hfvhhs and thaanks ◕ᵕ◕ sounding happy makes me happy so !!

really ! every couple months there's an influx, and sometimes a new theme! i think it's 'decay' this time loll

[archaeren]

How I learned to write smarter, not harder

(aka, how to write when you're hella ADHD lol)

A reader commented on my current long fic asking how I write so well. I replied with an essay of my honestly pretty non-standard writing advice (that they probably didn't actually want lol) Now I'm gonna share it with you guys and hopefully there's a few of you out there who will benefit from my past mistakes and find some useful advice in here. XD Since I started doing this stuff, which are all pretty easy changes to absorb into your process if you want to try them, I now almost never get writer's block.

The text of the original reply is indented, and I've added some additional commentary to expand upon and clarify some of the concepts.

As for writing well, I usually attribute it to the fact that I spent roughly four years in my late teens/early 20s writing text roleplay with a friend for hours every single day. Aside from the constant practice that provided, having a live audience immediately reacting to everything I wrote made me think a lot about how to make as many sentences as possible have maximum impact so that I could get that kind of fun reaction. (Which is another reason why comments like yours are so valuable to fanfic writers! <3) The other factors that have improved my writing are thus: 1. Writing nonlinearly. I used to write a whole story in order, from the first sentence onward. If there was a part I was excited to write, I slogged through everything to get there, thinking that it would be my reward once I finished everything that led up to that. It never worked. XD It was miserable. By the time I got to the part I wanted to write, I had beaten the scene to death in my head imagining all the ways I could write it, and it a) no longer interested me and b) could not live up to my expectations because I couldn't remember all my ideas I'd had for writing it. The scene came out mediocre and so did everything leading up to it. Since then, I learned through working on VN writing (I co-own a game studio and we have some visual novels that I write for) that I don't have to write linearly. If I'm inspired to write a scene, I just write it immediately. It usually comes out pretty good even in a first draft! But then I also have it for if I get more ideas for that scene later, and I can just edit them in. The scenes come out MUCH stronger because of this. And you know what else I discovered? Those scenes I slogged through before weren't scenes I had no inspiration for, I just didn't have any inspiration for them in that moment! I can't tell you how many times there was a scene I had no interest in writing, and then a week later I'd get struck by the perfect inspiration for it! Those are scenes I would have done a very mediocre job on, and now they can be some of the most powerful scenes because I gave them time to marinate. Inspiration isn't always linear, so writing doesn't have to be either!

Some people are the type that joyfully write linearly. I have a friend like this--she picks up the characters and just continues playing out the next scene. Her story progresses through the entire day-by-day lives of the characters; it never timeskips more than a few hours. She started writing and posting just eight months ago, she's about an eighth of the way through her planned fic timeline, and the content she has so far posted to AO3 for it is already 450,000 words long. But most of us are normal humans. We're not, for the most part, wired to create linearly. We consume linearly, we experience linearly, so we assume we must also create linearly. But actually, a lot of us really suffer from trying to force ourselves to create this way, and we might not even realize it. If you're the kind of person who thinks you need to carrot-on-a-stick yourself into writing by saving the fun part for when you finally write everything that happens before it: Stop. You're probably not a linear writer. You're making yourself suffer for no reason and your writing is probably suffering for it. At least give nonlinear writing a try before you assume you can't write if you're not baiting or forcing yourself into it!! Remember: Writing is fun. You do this because it's fun, because it's your hobby. If you're miserable 80% of the time you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong!

2. Rereading my own work. I used to hate reading my own work. I wouldn't even edit it usually. I would write it and slap it online and try not to look at it again. XD Writing nonlinearly forced me to start rereading because I needed to make sure scenes connected together naturally and it also made it easier to get into the headspace of the story to keep writing and fill in the blanks and get new inspiration. Doing this built the editing process into my writing process--I would read a scene to get back in the headspace, dislike what I had written, and just clean it up on the fly. I still never ever sit down to 'edit' my work. I just reread it to prep for writing and it ends up editing itself. Many many scenes in this fic I have read probably a dozen times or more! (And now, I can actually reread my own work for enjoyment!) Another thing I found from doing this that it became easy to see patterns and themes in my work and strengthen them. Foreshadowing became easy. Setting up for jokes or plot points became easy. I didn't have to plan out my story in advance or write an outline, because the scenes themselves because a sort of living outline on their own. (Yes, despite all the foreshadowing and recurring thematic elements and secret hidden meanings sprinkled throughout this story, it actually never had an outline or a plan for any of that. It's all a natural byproduct of writing nonlinearly and rereading.)

Unpopular writing opinion time: You don't need to make a detailed outline.

Some people thrive on having an outline and planning out every detail before they sit down to write. But I know for a lot of us, we don't know how to write an outline or how to use it once we've written it. The idea of making one is daunting, and the advice that it's the only way to write or beat writer's block is demoralizing. So let me explain how I approach "outlining" which isn't really outlining at all.

I write in a Notion table, where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry. I do this because it makes writing nonlinearly VASTLY more intuitive and straightforward than writing in a single document. (If you're familiar with Notion, this probably makes perfect sense to you. If you're not, imagine something a little like a more contained Google Sheets, but every row has a title cell that opens into a unique Google Doc when you click on it. And it's not as slow and clunky as the Google suite lol) (Edit from the future: I answered an ask with more explanation on how I use Notion for non-linear writing here.) When I sit down to begin a new fic idea, I make a quick entry in the table for every scene I already know I'll want or need, with the entries titled with a couple words or a sentence that describes what will be in that scene so I'll remember it later. Basically, it's the most absolute bare-bones skeleton of what I vaguely know will probably happen in the story.

Then I start writing, wherever I want in the list. As I write, ideas for new scenes and new connections and themes will emerge over time, and I'll just slot them in between the original entries wherever they naturally fit, rearranging as necessary, so that I won't forget about them later when I'm ready to write them. As an example, my current long fic started with a list of roughly 35 scenes that I knew I wanted or needed, for a fic that will probably be around 100k words (which I didn't know at the time haha). As of this writing, it has expanded to 129 scenes. And since I write them directly in the page entries for the table, the fic is actually its own outline, without any additional effort on my part. As I said in the comment reply--a living outline!

This also made it easier to let go of the notion that I had to write something exactly right the first time. (People always say you should do this, but how many of us do? It's harder than it sounds! I didn't want to commit to editing later! I didn't want to reread my work! XD) I know I'm going to edit it naturally anyway, so I can feel okay giving myself permission to just write it approximately right and I can fix it later. And what I found from that was that sometimes what I believed was kind of meh when I wrote it was actually totally fine when I read it later! Sometimes the internal critic is actually wrong. 3. Marinating in the headspace of the story. For the first two months I worked on [fic], I did not consume any media other than [fandom the fic is in]. I didn't watch, read, or play anything else. Not even mobile games. (And there wasn't really much fan content for [fandom] to consume either. Still isn't, really. XD) This basically forced me to treat writing my story as my only source of entertainment, and kept me from getting distracted or inspired to write other ideas and abandon this one.

As an aside, I don't think this is a necessary step for writing, but if you really want to be productive in a short burst, I do highly recommend going on a media consumption hiatus. Not forever, obviously! Consuming media is a valuable tool for new inspiration, and reading other's work (both good and bad, as long as you think critically to identify the differences!) is an invaluable resource for improving your writing.

When I write, I usually lay down, close my eyes, and play the scene I'm interested in writing in my head. I even take a ten-minute nap now and then during this process. (I find being in a state of partial drowsiness, but not outright sleepiness, makes writing easier and better. Sleep helps the brain process and make connections!) Then I roll over to the laptop next to me and type up whatever I felt like worked for the scene. This may mean I write half a sentence at a time between intervals of closed-eye-time XD

People always say if you're stuck, you need to outline.

What they actually mean by that (whether they realize it or not) is that if you're stuck, you need to brainstorm. You need to marinate. You don't need to plan what you're doing, you just need to give yourself time to think about it!

What's another framing for brainstorming for your fic? Fantasizing about it! Planning is work, but fantasizing isn't.

You're already fantasizing about it, right? That's why you're writing it. Just direct that effort toward the scenes you're trying to write next! Close your eyes, lay back, and fantasize what the characters do and how they react.

And then quickly note down your inspirations so you don't forget, haha.

And if a scene is so boring to you that even fantasizing about it sucks--it's probably a bad scene.

If it's boring to write, it's going to be boring to read. Ask yourself why you wanted that scene. Is it even necessary? Can you cut it? Can you replace it with a different scene that serves the same purpose but approaches the problem from a different angle? If you can't remove the troublesome scene, what can you change about it that would make it interesting or exciting for you to write?

And I can't write sitting up to save my damn life. It's like my brain just stops working if I have to sit in a chair and stare at a computer screen. I need to be able to lie down, even if I don't use it! Talking walks and swinging in a hammock are also fantastic places to get scene ideas worked out, because the rhythmic motion also helps our brain process. It's just a little harder to work on a laptop in those scenarios. XD

In conclusion: Writing nonlinearly is an amazing tool for kicking writer's block to the curb. There's almost always some scene you'll want to write. If there isn't, you need to re-read or marinate.

Or you need to use the bathroom, eat something, or sleep. XD Seriously, if you're that stuck, assess your current physical condition. You might just be unable to focus because you're uncomfortable and you haven't realized it yet.

Anyway! I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting! XD Sorry again for the text wall. (I think this is the longest comment reply I've ever written!)

And same to you guys on tumblr--I hope this was helpful or at least interesting. XD Reblogs appreciated if so! (Maybe it'll help someone else!)

[loregoddess]

Let’s go with Narve for the ask meme

How I feel about this character He's cool! I definitely didn't use him to his full potential in my runs, although I'd like to try and figure out how to use him in battle for whenever I replay TriStrat. But narratively I think Narve's arc offers an interesting insight into the worldbuilding, helping to show Hyzante's current culture and approach to information (both acquisition and suppression) long before the player even gets to say, the end of Roland's route where Exharme reveals that if Svarog had not burnt the Archives himself, then Exharme would have destroyed them on orders from Idore. Like, even before that, we know from the beginning of Narve's character story that suppressing information that doesn't help Hyzante/Idore maintain power is just a Thing that happens regularly.

But his character story also gives us insight into the counter of this as well, in that despite Idore's best attempts to expunge Grandante from history, the people who Grandante helped after being exiled still remember him, and in this way his legacy still lives on (and of course, Narve himself is carrying out this legacy, and sharing the story of his grandfather, and making it even harder for Hyzante to fully stamp out the memory of Grandante; not unlike how Frederica continues to fight against Hyzante in the epilogue of Roland's ending).

So like, while Narve isn't my top favorite or anything, I still think he plays a super interesting role in how the narrative fabric gets woven, since he embodies some of the fundamental themes of the overall narrative--that there are powers that would seek to suppress information if it benefited them, and that it's impossible, or at least very difficult, to truly erase information so long as there are people willing to remember and share it.

All the people I ship romantically with this character No one at the moment, although if pressed, I might try to make an argument for Narve x Jens since they seem to be close in age, and mage x craftsman is an underappreciate ship dynamic.

My non-romantic OTP for this character I do like Narve's friendship with Geela like, of all the permanent roster characters who can show up in other character stories, I wasn't expecting Geela per se (esp. since Anna's usually the one who gets to hang out with the younger kids), but it's nice to see how supportive Geela is of Narve's pursuits (although considering that she plans on opening her own school after the war, maybe her taking to Narve isn't so surprising, since one of his encampment dialogues suggest he's going to open up a magic school as well).

My unpopular opinion about this character Underrated character by everyone, including myself before I sat down to start drafting this ask. I have to say, he's a pretty interesting character in his own right.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon. As usual, more character interactions. Would Narve and Corentin have become friends over their shared love of magic? Actually, it would have been interesting to see a conversation between Narve and Ezana over the similarities and differences between their approaches to magic too. Narve's character stories focus a lot on his healing magic, so it'd be interesting to see him discuss healing magic with Cordelia. It would have also been interesting to see Narve interact with characters outside of the field of magic too like, would Narve and Medina bond over frustrations with Hyzante? And of course, now I'm wondering how character interactions between Narve and Jens would work like, they both share of love of knowledge and desire to become the best in their field (to similar but different ends), and Jens is The Army Blacksmith, so he should at least have some interactions with every other playable character anyhow...

So many possibilities, at the rate I'm going I should just draw up a chart of all the support/rapport-style bond conversations I wish had existed in TriStrat as a dual game/narrative mechanic.

[transmasc-tabris]

More screenshots (bonus, managed to find Bull a shirt and don't know how to feel about that)

[sirfrogsworth]

Do you remember that Aussie sword guy who used to talk about medieval weapons?

And, like, he seemed pretty good at talking about swords and shit. He seemed to have a good grasp of the history and tactics. He'd analyze movie weapons for their realism and that was fun. He did demonstrations with real weapons. For a time I really looked forward to his videos popping up in my feed.

He seemed like a harmless sword-fighting aficionado.

But then I guess he wanted to spread his wings. So he started down an anti-woke path. Giving questionable critiques about media and feminism. He started defending boob armor by showing historical examples even though most of those were decorative and not battle ready like in the games.

Then he admitted he was a fan of The Daily Wire.

And that was disappointing.

I missed him nerding out about swords, ya know?

Well, Shad decided to spread his wings again.

He has become...

*bad French accent* An artiste.

You see, he types words into a little box. Then a little robot does a google image search and steals a bunch of art. Then that robot reconfigures that art to be nearly indistinguishable from the source material. Well... aside from the occasional artist watermark.

Whoops!

A.I. art is very difficult. Sometimes when you type words into the box you get a woman with 5 lopsided anime tiddies. Or 20 fingers on one hand. It takes time and effort and experience to type in the perfect magic words so that you get something close to your imagination that doesn't belong in some sort of Lovecraftian horror ripoff.

For example, check out this cool "pirate hat" I asked A.I. to place on my head.

Clearly, I am not skilled enough at typing words into a box to get a proper pirate hat.

It. Is. Not. Easy.

I heard someone say you have to type things in a box for 10,000 hours before you start getting truly masterful generations.

I mean, you can't type "marathon runners" and expect that to actually work.

THIS REQUIRES SKILL, PEOPLE.

And I am a lowly amateur. I can only dream of becoming the box-typist Shad has honed himself into.

The thing is... Shad is very upset.

He is upset that you don't like his "art" and he is ready to die on this hill.

So... before he croaks on a mound of bullshit, he has something to show you. He has created something truly brilliant and when you see it, he is convinced you will validate his considerable efforts.

Before I show you his "Not. Easy." artistic masterpiece I'd like you to sit with what he has said for a second.

Ruminate in the verbiage.

Process the ideas and points of view presented.

Digest his plea for you to accept and love his hard won battle after typing words into a box to manifest his imaginings.

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Have you sat?

Ruminated?

Processed?

Digested?

Okay, here it is...