#I feel like all my OCs have at least one small trait from me but Travye has several lmao

[birchbow]

Travye always looks and sounds so serious so I have to ask, what makes him happy besides scripture ofc.

I do think he's pleased or amused more often than he appears to be, he's just got a very solemn face haha. He's got a different sense of humor than most of his colleagues, but he definitely does have one--less wacky slapstick and more dry deadpan, which means that he does make jokes, but they tend to fly over peoples' heads.

As far as like, general pleasures and comforts, I already mentioned book-making. He likes a night out every so often to get his braids re-done and his claws buffed and sharpened, and he likes either very serious, intense blueblood drama plays or very trashy, badly-produced reality television shit with no in-between. He likes a hot bath, which is not something that I imagine most trolls often have access to, living on spaceships with limited room--especially since he's not a small guy. But you take over a planet with hotsprings one time, and you really get the taste for soaking in hot water.

Also I think he likes to debate and argue! Primarily about scripture, but about other things he likes or cares about as well--he likes to be pushed to argue about things and defend his position on them, which is a completely foreign mindset for me the author but I have heard some people are like that haha. Put your opinion in an argument and let him gnaw on it like a tiger with a barrel full of meat....enrichment activity...

[muniimyg]

OKAYYYYY MY THOUGHTS (I have so many of them)

first of all - this fic is a mf masterpiece

the tension, them being mean to each other and jk being a simp UGH!😩😩😩😩 I want him so bad

the scene where he asks her to feed him and I’m like this man is NAWT shying away and so he is THAT kinda boyfriend like.

and him not going to that function because “his girl” is sick. like I was shy reading this as if he was speaking about me🤣🤣🤣 and the dolphins book he finds - oc was such a cutie for that🥰

and then the scene where they Yk do THAT when he is wearing his glasses I FOLDED. I FOLDED SO BAD CAUSE HE IS SO HOT AND THWIR BED CHEM WAS BED CHEM-ING.

and then the jealousy era like girl why would you push his button like that but also valid cause walk him like a dog sis 😁

And then their talk and finally a man who has communication skills 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 cause real men just cannot🤓 at least the ones I have dealt which. Just like oc only had situationships😁 waiting for my jk now.

and then they started dating and everything is amazing in the world again😪💕

in all - a mf masterpiece like I said ❤️

you have done it once again.

Just a future drabble if you decide to do it - the gangs reaction when they found they are together 🤨🤨 jus a small little idea hehe

Also big props to you for writing this in a fic cause I can imagine how stressful that might have been plus you being sick. hope you are feeling better ❤️

also my take on ranking the kimi verse jk’s - ITS VERY HARD

fuck - bed chem jk (Obviously) but also like c2u jk cause laundry scene was insane 😭

kiss - aao jk or baby daddy jk

marry - baby daddy jk no questions asked

WE DONT KILL c2u jk in DIS HOUSE CAUSE HE IS SUCH A CUTIE 😭😭💕

ok lemme yap with u 🤝

tension/dynamic

i've been absolutely CRAVING to write a tension filled fic where they both want each other but don't know how to have each other. oh my god,,, did this concept absolutely scratch my brain.

i personally had to think for a hot minute abt their banter cos,,, yes, banter is 60% of their chem,,, but the stillness??? between them??? the way they react to each comeback??? how they look at each other or stand or sit too close??? how thick the air feels and how easy it would be to just have them kiss??? oh !!!! i really had to sit in their moment and intensify their feelings

the tension between them was slow with a sense of pressure... ugh. i really wanted to emphasize that their situation was easy. no one was stopping them from being together... but instead,, it was the pure fun of it that complicated things for each other. their dynamic is established since part 1. it's too easy to show the sudden change and honestly? unrealistic.

real tension,, real friends to lovers,,, is slow. awkward. it's this weird sense of uncertainty but also knowing and believing in them.

further, subtle things were so purposeful in each chapter imo. when i write fics,, i take a moment to think abut what each character has to offer the other/their specific traits. (my uni/college au's for example) deeper than what major i give them,, i think about their attitude and how it ties to to their little things.

for bed chem,, jk as a chem major was like a lightbulb moment for me because 1) it fit the title 2) it made it easier for me to write him as a grumpy nerd 3) it practically paints the picture of what kind of guy he is by all by itself... like, all i really needed to do was be specific with word choice and body language. being a part of the marine conservation club was like a hehe haha thing but also showcased his softer side (caring for the world and wanting to make change,,, etc).

meanwhile, oc majors in psych and she's kind of reckless. she's constantly tripping over her own feet and is unhinged for most for their banter... but she's intentful. she's good at talking around her feelings and her actions,, but she's even better at sticking to what she wants.

part 5 behaviour

because at this point,, they're together but not together,, jungkook tests the boundaries. they have a lot of unspoken rules so he does all he can to break them. oc,, doesn't really do much to stop him and i found it really important to decrease/limit her doubts because 1) the tutor thing wasn't really meant to be this whole trust issue thing 2) they have a lot of security in each other 3) the scenes where he skips the gala,, shows up when she has food poisoning,, when she had a hard day and he comes over to check on her ... it all shows the kind of friend he is and oc feels safe and secure in the man he is and how good he is to her

smut

ok i was realy nervous about this because 1) i was sick as a fucking dog writing the scene 2) i didn't want to disappoint 3) it had to live up to thefic title.

sometimes, i think i have to write these really wild scenes with position switching and insane dirty talk,, but because oc is a virgin... i thought it would be more fun to show her increasing interest to be intimate with him. the dry humping scene was HILIARIOUS to me. i thought it was a funny way of her exploring how fast jungkook would fold and the glasses part... yeah. i really like the way it led to their moment lol.

the actual sex scene i think turned out really cute. they have this... intense yet intimate energy between them. jk taking the lead but oc also knowing what she wants? the way they fuck and kind of just get lost in holding each other... the kissing narration?? learning her?? yeah. that tickled my brain. love the way oc has this playfulness during the entire thing,, meanwhile jungkook was losing his mind seeing her tits.

jealousy/communication

what's a kimi fic without her collateral damage hottie of the month ? first it was eunwoo/dex for c2u, mingyu for aao, and now it's dohwan for bed chem LOL. i think adding this and specifically my choice in who is coming in to play brings this relevancy into my fics that readers are able to laugh and relate to. brings connection yk!!

dohwan was so harmless ahahhaa. ngl, i think oc hearing jk fuck someone was like a "uh... omg. yikes.. i think i'm kinda jealous rn lol" moment but jk seeing a hickey on oc + being in a complicated state with her was a very "i want to die and i want you in the front row so you can see how much u hurt me and then i want u to cry over me,, only for me to beg god in the afterlife for another chance to live so i can comfort you" moment for him.

their communication/banter was such a big part of this fic. i think the plainness of their words held so much significance that after each line,, it felt like their tension would shift. again, specific word choice was really important. their banter and ongoing walking around their feelings was essential in keeping them (and readers) on their toes. their original ending was supposed to be this vague realization that they wanted to be together and the irony was that i wasn't supposed to write their smut scene and leave it as this tension filled open-ended fic,, but i'm glad i did what i did and gave them a definite ending.

some key lines i put into oc's dialogue was

"think i can do it? get you to want me?" to "i don't know how to have you" and finally; "i want you" was veryyyyyyy... premeditated. it gave this storyline through 3 lines and i really liked thatttt

the pavlov thing was funny as fuck cos again,, she's a psych major LOL. and the woof woof thing LOLLOLOL. very kimi core crackhead vibes

kiss, marry, fuck,, and kill;

you're so real and so funny for that HAHAHAA. protecting c2u jk fr cos that kid went thru so much chasing after c2u oc LOL

extra/ending note;

i'll think abt the extra!! i don't really think they have much left in terms of plot cos everything is basically all done... the friendgroup def knew smt was up but never said anything cos they mind their own business. i think it's pretty obvious as they 1) always sent oc to jk's room 2) teased them a lot 3) scolded them a lot esp taehyung

anyways,, u are literally the sweetest !!! i love receiving asks like this. i was afraid that ch5 would be too long and because there were so many scenes,, i felt like the significance of each one would be mushed up into one entire review/outcome. thank u for going into detail !!! i know a few readers say they read every word i write ,, so it's very rewarding to hear your thoughts with each scene and letting me yap from a writers/creative perspective

currently still recovering from being sick ,, finishing up my winter sem at school + preparing holiday related events for my preschool LOL. bed chem was so fun to write and i'm so incredibly blown away from the amount of love and support it has received in the past since i posted it. like... 1.7k already?? almost 1k on avg with each part?? uhhh... what the heck !!!

all in all,, i'm glad it fed everyones delulu mind. glad to know we're all ovulating together <3

i can't wait to share more fics with you all in 2025 😽💓

mwahh

kimi

[novanoms]

New vore ocs + story:

(Tw: Murder, gore, body horror) [Please lmk if you think any more need to be added!]

The whole imposter pred and crew mate prey will always be close to my heart, but I love the idea of the two imposters being pred and prey.

Imposter “lime” is a saboteur that’s payed by outside sources to… well sabotage a mission. Their job can be anywhere between breaking parts of the ship to ensure they don’t meet a deadline, stealing or destroying something the ship is carrying, or even figuring out a way to destroy the entire ship from the inside out.

Imposter “white”, however, is an alien shapeshifter that’s more keen on survival than anything else. They view these ships as a type of hunting ground, allowing them to kill and eat those unfortunate enough to get caught alone. Anytime they’ve been ejected from the craft, they simply grapple onto outer part of the ship and wait for it to pass another vessel.

At some point, the two end up on the same ship. Though everything was is going smoothly, things took a quick turn when Lime was caught by one of their crew mates tampering with the comms. It didn’t go too far though, as Lime is always prepared to get rid of a witness. Though it wasn’t without struggle, Lime was able to come out successful. The person silenced and the long-distance comms out of commission, all they needed to do was get rid of this body and quick.

As they’re dragging it towards the vent, they don’t notice the guttural noises emanating from it. It was only after they managed to open the metal grilles did they see it. A horrible amalgamation of teeth and flesh sprouting from the tunnel, its tendril-like tongue ready to spear at any moment. Beyond panicked at the sight, Lime throws the body into the vent as a distraction as they scamper off in the opposite direction. Whatever cash they were making off this was NOT worth encountering whatever that thing was! They managed to make it all the way to their room in accommodations and lock their door shut, taking care to block whatever vents they could without constricting airflow in their room.

By the time people started to grow concerned for their crew mate, Lime had calmed down enough to wash off the dried blood and muck, their door now unlocked as they went about doing their “ship job”. That wasn’t to say they were calm at all, they kept rolling the memory around in their head until it melted into mush. Lime had managed to convince themself that it wasn’t real, despite everything else screaming at the saboteur to listen to reality. They still refused to cave, until the next evening.

A full day had passed since the event, and as the ship had begun to settle down for the night, Lime’s door slid open with a small sound. At first, they were annoyed. “Hasn’t anyone told you how to kno-“ Then, they were frozen. It was the same crewmate they killed, white suit and all. There were a few notable traits, there wasn’t any rips in the suit from wounds, nor cracks in the visor. The most noticeable was how much taller they were now. It wouldn’t be noticed by many as something of concern, there were plenty of individuals out here that were considered freakishly tall due to their planet of origin. But what made this so terrifying was the fact that Lime knew for certain that White wasn’t this big. They wouldn’t never won if they were.

The door slides shut as “white” takes another step inside. “W-who are you. W-what do you want?? I-I won’t tell anyone what I saw, I swear! I’ve got some c-cash I could share! Hell, you can have it all if you leave me alone!” They yelped as the figure grew closer, they could hear the deep rumbling from this…thing. Trembling in fear as the figure stops no more than a foot away, Lime shuts their eyes and prays to whatever god they’ve wronged that they’re at least given a swift death as they feel the shadow loom over them.

…

Nothings…happening. A minuscule spark of courage ignites in Lime’s chest, as their eyes creep open after hearing a weird shuffling of the suit’s fabric. They’re met with the pitch black visor of a space helmet staring back at them, head tilting to the side in a curious manner. They’ve also noticed that the individual has crouched down to be at eye level with the saboteur. After a few moments of caution, Lime’s tense form starts to ease. “White” seems to appreciate this to some degree, shuffling an inch closer as the rumbling grew louder.

As it turns out, the creature within the vent had thought that Lime had gifted the creature the body, rather than dropping it out of fear. Excited by this possibility of having another member to hunt with, the entity consumed their ‘present’ and quickly took its form to blend in. Now it was happily purring at the small human, brimming with curiosity.

While Lime doesn’t quite pick up on why this entity has a sudden interest, they’re not really in a spot to protest. They can only assume what it’s capable of, which could be anything really. A terrifying possibility. All they can really do is attempt to continue their work, subtly breaking small bits of this ship to force it to land somewhere. All the while they have White trailing behind like a lost duckling. A lost giant duckling.

Over time, White started to learn many things from Lime, more so about the individual than anything actually from them.

First off, the entity was quite worried when Lime didn’t eat any food it offered, confusion quick to set in as to why. It was meat, sustenance, was there more that needed to be said? White was practically gurgling out whimpers as they fretted over their ‘starving’ friend after they were denied a fourth time. While Lime couldn’t exactly explain it to the entity, they tentatively settled the creatures by simply taking whatever was offered to…do something with. They weren’t too sure but Lime doesn’t like to show their face, let alone eat in front of someone, and they felt it a bit cruel to throw it out an airlock. Besides, who knows if it’ll get angry at this act if it ever found out.

Secondly, their human is still fragile! Very fragile! Just because they’d gotten it food before, doesn’t make them stronger than the others. In fact, they’re smaller than many other humans, which caused the entity great concern. By this time, Lime was at least letting White touch them, though it was still very sparse due to the saboteur’s mistrust. White still wants to keep the human calm, keep their friend happy! Even with little experience outside of hunting, it knows that the way their heartbeat flutters in their chest is not calm, nor is the acrid scent of fear that subtly emanates from their form when it makes too sudden of a move. Even still, it can’t help but loom over Lime from behind, almost curled as close as it can be without touching the human. It wants nothing more than to split open its chest maw and lovingly bury the human inside, safe and sound within the very center of its being. It’s releases happy rumbles at the very thought, something that seems to be occurring more often Lime’s noticed.

The first time it happened was when the small saboteur got caught. Caught caught. There were only a handful of people left, after months of things going haywire and people going missing, they finally caught onto them. Confronted and cornered, Lime knew the only way they’d come out of this would be in cuffs or dead on the floor. For a second, they see a glimpse of White in the back, as it started arching backwards with a soft crack. The others noticed a little late, but the sound of ripping flesh and guttural screeching instantly grabbed their attention. The space suit’s center was torn apart, an opening of the fabric-disguised flesh revealing its horrible insides, pulsing and writhing as tendrils squirmed from its wound and countless sharp teeth lined the sides. A much larger tendril sports from its core, lashing out like a grapple as it grabbed onto Lime’s suit. They didn’t really have much of a thought in this moment, only shock of what they’d just witnessed and the suddenness of being pull towards the awaiting maw. Lime didn’t really have a moment to resist before being fully encased with a clamp of teeth and resealing of flesh. White was quick to flee the scene as the others scrambled, it wasn’t worried about anything the others could do now, only that its fragile friend was now safe and secure in its grasp. Speaking of, Lime was stunned. They didn’t even know what emotions to feel as White moved, the hot flesh that surrounded them, pulsing and churning. Its tendril-like tongue was still holding them, but instead of it being clamped onto the saboteur’s suit, it was curled around the already curled human in a strange embrace. There was little room to move in the moment, the surrounding unforgiving as Lime squirmed.

It wasn’t until White made it to a small and dusty storage room that it finally settled. It could feel the fearful heart beating in their chest, the way they pushed at the insides for space. As much as White wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as it could, it was smart enough to know that that would only make the human more afraid. Huffing a small warped breath, the entity’s gut splits open, the maw widening to reveal the human tucked inside. Lime was still very frightened by everything happening, but being able to move a little easier was helping to calm things down a bit. The cooler air made the heat feel a little less suffocating, and the rumbling purr White was making their body feel heavy. The alien appendage was still wrapped around them, like a pseudo hug as they could feel their exhaustion take hold. The adrenaline spike between getting caught by their colleagues and the whole…everything else had sapped them of whatever energy they had left. Besides, if it wanted to do any harm, it would’ve done so by now. A little rest couldn’t hurt…right?

White would’ve held its breath had it needed to breathe in the first place. The feeling of its human falling asleep within its confines, that fluttering heart easing because of it. It couldn’t purr any harder if it tried, the happy feeling in its chest practically bursting with affection for the human that rested right below it. The entity’s belly maw slowly closed, the sharp teeth intertwining like a gleaming cage, just enough to separate the human from anything that might try to harm them as the creature watched over their slumber.

[thatoneneuvichiliauthor]

Get to know your mutuals!

Thanks for tagging me @joyful-soul-collector !

What's the origin of your blog title? Well that’s simply because I got a tiny bit hyperfixated on the Neuvichili ship (Neuvillette x Childe x Zhongli from Genshin Impact) during the Fontaine patch, and that out of the 100 fics that exist for it, I wrote like, 65 of them? 😅 And since I posted them on anon at first, the neuvichili author name stuck.

OTP(s) + Shipname:  Neuvichili (obviously)

Aventio (Aventurine x Dr. Ratio from Honkai Star Rail)

Jayvik (Jayce x Viktor from Arcane)

Favorite color: Purple

Favorite game: I’d say Honkai Star Rail, because I love the characters in this game so much!

Song stuck in your head: Broken Mast Bay – Sail North. Nothing like listening to a selkie song while working on a selkie wip.

Weirdest habit/trait? Not sure if that counts as weird but I love all sorts of animals people usually find disgusting/scary like snakes, lizards, bugs or spiders and I really enjoy taking pictures of them.

Oh also I’ve got a pencil case full of small pieces of paper with the names of characters I’ve gotten attached to throughout the years written on it, and every morning I pick up one to have something positive to think about when I start the day.

Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Crafting, Playing Video Games, Watching Movies/Series, Baking (often the same recipes, but I guess it still counts?), Swimming.

If you work, what's your profession? Technically writer, though tbh I haven’t published anything other than fanfiction in years now.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Oh, I would love a job that has to do with the study of animals (living and/or extinct)!

Something you're good at: Coming up with story ideas! I’d be happy if I managed to write down half of what I imagine.😅 Working on a fic sometimes even feels like a race before a new idea (or even worse, hyperfixation ah ah) arrives

Something you're bad at: Social interactions. I feel much more comfortable writing than talking and I have to plan ahead/brace myself for the smallest things, like checking out at the grocery store/asking a retail worker for advice, otherwise I get overwhelmed quickly.

Something you love: Fanfiction and fanart! (again, obviously)

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: Greek Mythology! I got really involved in it as a kid and my interest in it never really left. Also whatever show/book/movie/game/etc I’m hyperfixated on at the moment. And anything related to my OCs.

Something you hate: When people shout/raise their voices.

Something you collect: T-shirts related to the pieces of media I enjoy (my greatest finding so far has been an official Arcane t-shirt that has both Viktor AND Jayce on it, among other characters, which I was overjoyed about because of how little official Jayce merch there is)

Something you forget: To eat, mostly when I’m focused on something I’m really invested in. Often it’s when I’m writing/ working on some craft.

What's your love language? Quality time and words of affirmation

Favorite movie/show: Yu-Gi-Oh!, it will always have a special place in my heart since that’s basically the show that got me into storytelling and writing

Favorite food: Most pasta-based dishes I’d say.

Favorite animal: Oh that’s a tough one, right now I’d say sharks (they’re awesome!) but I love so many animals that I might give you a different answer of you ask me tomorrow

What were you like as a child? The textbook definition of a gifted kid and dealing with medical issues. 0/10, do not recommend. I was/still am very curious/passionate about a lot of things which is nice though.

Favorite subject at school? History.

Least favorite subject: Maths.

What's your best character trait? Creativity, definitely. I love writing stories/making things and sharing them with others.

What's your worst character trait? I’m way too anxious and my mind will come up with the most impossible, worst-case scenarios over the tiniest of things (In a way, I guess that’s the downside of being good at inventing stories)

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be? No more chronic pain please.

If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet? Oh if I could travel in time, I would definitely skip the people part and go a few million years back so I could see all kinds of extinct creatures (and probably get eaten by one, because Jurassic Parks hasn’t taught me anything)

Tagging: any of my mutuals who'd like to do this ❤️

[unusualindigo]

The Airplane Flying through my Brain

So… Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky, or at least, the one in my head, henceforth referred to as Luo Binghe… He’s taken quite a simplistic vision, really.

I imagine him as rather pale and somewhat haunting to look at, given the lack of sunlight and time spent in front of a screen. Skin so pale he’d glow in the sun, eyes that are bloodshot and heavily bagged, almost making him look like some form of undead creature.

I picture him with ginger hair, more on the orange-brown side of things, and brown eyes so dark they almost look black. He has freckles, though they’re somewhat hard to make out.

He’s kind of a malnourished, yet plump figure. His lower body is somewhat filled out in a pudgy way, he’s got a bit of a small belly to him, from all the instant noodles, but everything else is rather skinny and gaunt, save his face with his thin hamster cheeks.

I picture him standing around 158 (about 5’2) centimeters, and weighing around 68 kilograms (about 150 lbs.).

As for his personality�� he’s a broke millennial who once dreamt about writing a deep and cathartic xianxia character exploration story stuck writing porn, how do you think he’s feeling?

Like, he’s still stoked to read comments, especially from Peerless Cucumber, the adorkable little dweeb, but that’s mostly just something he started doing to keep getting out of bed to me.

I think that, had he met Shen Yuan in that first life, it would’ve sucked the fun right out of Peerless Cucumber for him. Almost like a Joker and Batman dynamic. Because finding out that the anti-fan who keeps bitching about poor Binghe this and hack author that is just some rich kid who has too much time on his hands due to nepotism…

It kinda kills the persona, doesn’t it?

His broken home and fucked up family history actually make him rather similar to the self-insert he wrote to star in his novel. Why does the protagonist wear red on black? Airplane dresses like that so people leave him be at the supermarket. Why does he have wavy hair? Because Airplane does. Why is he such a talented actor? Because Airplane worked hard for those skills to survive the various foster homes.

I like to think that the protagonist was meant to be a fully hetero figure, but Airplane’s homosexuality seeped in under his notice (it happens to me sometimes, my traits finding their way into OCs without me meaning them to), and thus the protagonist is a disaster bisexual.

I really do think Bingge and his nihilistic crankiness are a reflection of pre-transmigration Airplane, who likely had a mentality of “if I make it to tomorrow, who cares how I do it?”

I think if the Airplane in my head saw himself at the end of the canon journey, he’d have mixed feelings. He’s still at the mercy of everyone else in that other world, but at least he’s carved a little niche for himself, a crumb of happiness that just wasn’t there before. But is that enough?

[divergent-paths]

I just want to ask how you came up with the characters and their personalities for the comic. I love them all, but I have a special fondness for Alex. I've never really liked an asshole character before, but I really enjoy Alex. What was your inspiration? Did you base the characters on the game, or did you create them to fit well within the story of the game?

I really appreciate the small details you added in the rewrite that make it feel unique and not just a copy of the game story. For example, the congratulatory photos for Alex and the league card for Max are designed in a way that reflects their characters, making them feel more unique.

it's great to hear that you're finding alex enjoyable, despite the fact he's a bit of a jerk right now~! i suspect the reason you're enjoying it despite the clash in taste is because he's really not a bad kid at heart, just one with some issues going on, and i think that's something most of us can relate to. :') i've also ended up with quite a lengthy answer to the rest of your ask here, so it's all below the cut~

as far as inspiration goes, i started to jot down my ideas and notes for the boys and overall story around the time scarlet and violet were first announced - when it was shown there was a school theme, i knew i wanted to write about the existing young pkmn oc's i had, and the split between max and alex came about when the husbando decided to finally play/start sword for the first time. i opted to age up the boys from their last appearances (they were 12 and 10 in their last non-cameo appearances), giving me some leeway to work in story elements to be discovered over the course of the story.

by the time scarvi dropped, i pretty much had my general ideas/progression set up, and it was mostly just a matter of playing through the games to see what plot stuff i needed to change, and i was very surprised to see how well alex fit into the situation in paldea. so most of what comes out in alex's story was more or less all laid out before the game came out, and although my posting speed certainly leaves much to be desired, the slowness does at least allow me to add details from other media for some extra fun.

as for max, i've long since played through shield so the story there wasn't new to me, but seeing as it's new to husbando, i'm able to incorporate some of his fresh perspectives, as well as look more deeply into galar's story to try and tell it in a more cohesive way. imo, the story *is* good, but it's executed poorly, and has several loose ends that never got tied up. while i'm not able to account for all of the plot holes, i hope to tell swish in a way that helps others see it in a more thought-provoking light.

ultimately, alex's journey is intended as an introspective one, while max's is meant to be extrospective, thus the name of the story/blog. their paths may mirror one another at times, but their journeys are their own to complete.

as for the boys in general terms, if they feel like they could be real people, that's great! i try to write characters to have more than just one-note to them, and that's extending out to main characters such as nemona and hop - charas that many in the fandom have unfairly ragged on bc the games heavily emphasised one trait over anything else. alex, max, and their family carry many irl traits from myself and the husbando, as they're all more or less offshoots from self-insert oc's that we no longer write/draw/use. while carrying traits that make them interesting to write, they still differ greatly from us, so we've had plenty of convos going over 'what-ifs' and debating how they'd react to specific plot points, dialogue, or if other factors would change a normal response into an out of character one. through the course of writing and story talks like that, i've come to enjoy writing these teen dorks way more than any of my adult ocs. alex and max haven't lost that youthful spark, and have way more openings to goof off and have fun unlike the adult ocs.

and whoof, that's a lot of writing, so thank you for reading all the way to the end! i defo could go on for days about all the minutiae of my art/writing/oc choices, but i think it'll be far more interesting to just see it happen as the story comes out piece by piece~

thank you for the ask, and i hope you continue to enjoy the story~!

[madhogthymaster]

Master Recs: Webcomics (Vol. 1)

I enjoy webcomics. I like being exposed to accessible art, to witness the evolution of artists and storytellers who bring their individual viewpoints to the table, expressing themselves through the medium of free comic books! I spend an inordinate amount of leisure time perusing the old sequential literature. As a result, I follow a ton of people that would give it to me. Now, I wish to recommend a few of these works from my constantly expanding list. I shall begin with a small taster of five, currently ongoing projects to wet your appetite. Let us go.

Preeny Has to Repeat 6th Grade by Jasmine Coté

Preeny is a brush-tailed kitty, fluffy both in appearance and personality, and she might just be the Chosen One to save the world from Darkness – as it is often the case. This comic vaunts a peculiar shtick: the setting is populated by adoptable furry OCs the artist has bought from DeviantArt kids, effectively creating a Kingdom Hearts style fictional universe for the Mid-2000's Sparkledog subculture. This works both as a unique selling point and as a clever metatextual conceit that informs the themes of the story, which is an earnest celebration of creativity, childhood and self-expression, untainted by the cynicism of "You Posted Cringe." It's funny, cute, sincere and it hits you right in the feelings.

HELLO FROM HALO HEAD by Batshaped

The author describes it as "An exploration of the multitudes a person experiences as a response to trauma. Also cartoon animal adventures. I promise it's mostly funny. it's a trauma comedy! a TRAUMEDY!!!!" Indeed, I would say it's an apt summary. The strip began life as a series of Animal Crossing fan comics which would eventually spin into a darkly humorous, twisted yet oddly wholesome deconstruction of kinks and emotional repression. Soon enough, it was rebooted and morphed into the understated, original masterpiece that it is today. Every page oozes with ethereal colours, a delicate yet decisive trait and subtle foreshadowing as a yet unclear narrative starts taking shape behind the surface of "cartoon animal adventures." A rewarding read for those who enjoy to obsess over every detail and pick apart allegories. It's the Thinking Man's TRAUMEDY, if you will.

Haus of Decline: Gay Comics by Haus of Decline

Sometimes, all you need to create a widely appealing classic is a good set-up, a punchline and impeccable comedic timing, all of which encapsulated into the confines of a traditional 4-panel strip. Actually, now that I have typed it, that is one of the most difficult crafts to master. Haus of Decline is a ubiquitous work that has managed to achieve the coveted "Meme Status", swimming in the immediate periphery of your Internet experience. You might be aware of it thanks to that one Steven Universe joke that stands tall as the most succinct and accurate parody of that show. As of right now, I am yet to encounter a single strip that isn't a comedic slam dunk or at least chuckle worthy. If you enjoy a spoonful of irreverent, queer, scatological, sometimes personal humour in your breakfast bowl than this is the cereal box for you!

Molly's Future Mishaps by Peyton Partyhorn

It's the year 2000, the Earth has blown up. Right before that, humans managed to send a rocket full of sea slugs to Europa, one of Jupiter's satellites. It is now the year 3000 on Europa. Molly the slug meets Jo, a sea bunny time traveller from the year 4000. After a soda-related debacle, they both wind up at the end of Time itself. The titular mishaps ensue. Molly's Future Mishaps presents an overly complex amalgamation of premises, each more outlandish than the last, that lays the foundation for what is, in essence, a straightforward character-driven piece. It explores a group of people attempting to finagle their way across Life, their feelings, anxieties, societal pressure, self-worth, many "What If's" and "What Could Have Been's", with timey wimey shenanigans serving as the backdrop for their reasonably scoped adventures. Their personal and interpersonal journeys keep the bizarre, somewhat nonsensical nature of the Universe grounded in a familiar space - in a manner not too dissimilar to that of a Douglas Adams' novel. In truth, the initial run of the comic mostly focuses on comedic high jinks, which tend to be hit or miss, but the writing improves dramatically when it starts exploring the characters' psychology and emotional hang ups. For me, personally, the turning point was the (inevitable) Time Loop arc, which I enjoyed for reasons that will become obvious if you know about my feelings for In Stars and Time. In short: this comic has a high-stakes Absurdist/Existential Sci-Fi premise that belies a refreshingly "Down-to-Europa" story about a bunch of 20-something cartoon slugs. It's relatable!

Dolmistaska by AngusBurgers

In many ways, this one defies description. You should just go read it. Seriously, go read it! It's great! Exceptionally well-drawn too! It looks like an underground Punk comic from thirty years ago. It lures you in with the understated intrigue of its unclear premise, its oppressing atmosphere, environmental storytelling, savvy use of lighting and shading, before dropping everything on you all at once. The protagonist is a non-binary cat person with gremlin energy and a knack for vehicle-related heists. Read it. You'll thank me later.

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That would be all for now. There might be more webcomic recommendations in the future, whenever inspiration shall strike - or I get in a writing mood. Thanks for reading... and happy further reading!

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[VOLUME 2] [VOLUME 3]

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[perianth-nixie]

Getting to know your moots

Tagged by @tarakanpaintedpurple

•What's the origin of your blog's title?

Perianth because years, years ago, when I was a little school kid, we learned about the build of flowers. My teacher said something like:

'Instead of saying beautiful flower, we should say beautiful perianth'.

It was rent-free in my head until now. Plants somehow always were an important part of my OCs until... I remember? So Perianth.

Nixie because I found somewhere it's a nickname for Nicol.

So I'm Perianth-Nixie right now.

•Favorite fandoms

Of course, Destiny 2, Warframe, and... Helluva Boss. Sometimes I like to draw Transformers Animated.

•OTPs+Ship name

I don't have OTP canon characters ships now. I don't care about popular ships or who with who ppl shipping. Srl, do what you wanna until you start hating and bullying.

My only OTPs now are Iberis-3 x Shiro-4 (OC x cannon) and ship from roleplay Morgana-9 (mine) x ION-1 (friend's OC, probably you saw him a few times).

•Favourite colours

Lime (Green), Aqua Blue, White and Black.

•Favourite game

Warframe is now in my top tier. I still like Destiny 2, but I feel burned out, and I don't like how the stuff going last time around Bungie and the gameplay. Expect this: I play a lot of The Sims 4 cuz I like building homes. Honorable and Important mention is Cult of The Lamb.

•Weirdest habit/trait

I talk a lot to myself when I'm alone. Usually, it's self-hate talk. Also, I talk a lot to my pet.

Hobbies

Of course drawing and gaming. I like to build hoses at The Sims 4, reading books, writing short stories.

•Something you're good at

Idk. I thought it was drawing but I don't feel confident about this anymore.

•Something you're bad at

Driving a car stresses me as fuck, but I have to do it every day. Cleaning. Understand my feelings. Especially when I easily get mad by some small stupid thing.

•Something you love

Sleeping. Writing because my brain has turned off, and I can absolutely focus only on this.

•Something you could talk about for hours without off the cuff

Probably plants and animals.

•Something you hate

Peel and boiling potatoes.

•Something you collect

Snow glasses

•Something you forget

About positive stuff. And the stuff I should buy in the grocery shop if I weren't done list.

•Favorite movie/show

The Nightmare Before Christmas, Spider-Verse, Coco.

•Favorite food

Pizza

•Favorite animal

Chinchillas, Hyraxs, and Dogs.

•Favorite subject in school

Of course, art. Before I met one fu*ked teacher, I used to like biology too.

•Least favorite subject

Math and Physical Education (P.E). I never was great at math and all I've met teachers of P.E. who always forced us to play 80-minute volleyball and team games. I hated it and hated it until now when I was reminded about it myself.

•What's your best character trait?

I'm sarcastic in a funny way. At lat I like it.

•If you could change any detail of your day right now, what would it be?

Maybe just sleep more, but it was impossible.

•If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet?

Zdzisław Beksiński. Reasons. And my great-grandfather. I knew him, but he died when I was 4 years old.

•Recommend one of your favorite fanfics

None cuz I don't know anyone. I only read books.

...

I don't tag anyone.

[autistook]

DAISIES - pt 2

Merry Brandybuck x fem!hobbit!reader/soft oc

Previous chapter

Words: 3.1k

Summary: Merry drags you and Pippin on an adventure as an apology for the panic attack their dare caused you days before. Halfway there, Pippin decides to turn back, leaving you and Merry alone. After smoking some pipe-weed, the conversation turns a little bit deeper, when you discuss things you have never talked about before, and getting more close to each other.

I want to say something before you start reading the second chapter of this fanfic. I hope you can still feel like you're a part of the story, even thought it is a soft oc. I prefer giving characters some qualities (reader's height, fears and personality traits for example) and backstories when writing, and personally I prefer when I can escape to a story, where I am a little bit different from my usual self.

I also want to point out that this story obviously has and will have some differences to canon events, and I will be mixing up some things from the books and movies, and other stuff from my own head.

That being said, I hope you enjoy this next part of 'daisies'!

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

For the few days following the incident at the river, you mostly stayed in your own bedroom, every now and then getting something to eat from the kitchen. Frodo showed some concern, but knowing your need for space, he decided to let it slide. You were still shaken up by the panic attack, trying to avoid anything that could trigger one again.

Pippin and Merry did not take long to realize that you had been distancing yourself at home for more than a day. Normally you would already be at least on a walk, where one of them would run into you. They decided to visit Bag End to drag you out of the bed by force.

"No! You're not allowed to stay indoors any longer!" Pippin exclaimed and started to pull you out of bed. Merry was biting his nails. You groaned and made your body limp, so it would be harder to pull you away from under the comfort of your blanket. "You have been indoors for over a day already, and we all know how easily you distance yourself. Get up, Baggins!"

"We promised you some pipe-weed, didn't we?" Merry says, his arms crossed, looking at you. His eyes revealed just how guilty he was feeling about pushing your boundaries at the river. Pippin tended to feel more guilty, but never showed it to anyone but Merry.

"Is there any way you would just let me have some space for one more day?" you asked, already knowing their answer. Merry shook his head and bluntly declined your request. Finally, the two managed to pull you out of bed, and you rushed them out of your bedroom for some privacy. 

You went through your closet for quite some time, trying to decide between a few different dresses, your fingers gently rubbing the different kinds of fabrics to see if any of them would make you feel slightly more comfortable in your skin. You settled on a sage green dress, made of a material so soft and light that you could barely feel it on. You slipped the dress on, and unlike usual, decided to skip a corset, just to make sure no piece of clothing made you feel any more uncomfortable.

You made your way down the hall, where Merry and Pippin had made themselves at home and were chatting up with your brother, laughing about some private joke of their own. You passed the small mirror that was hanging on the wall in the hallway, glancing at it and smiling to yourself. You thought about the small gesture of comfort Merry had provided you by putting your favorite flower sneakily behind your ear. 

You entered the kitchen, fidgeting with the hem of your dress, nervous about leaving the house, while knowing it was the best decision for you. 

"Glad to see you up on your feet again!" Frodo said cheerfully, his smile gentle and wide. Merry put his arm around you, squeezing you firmly.

"We couldn't let her stay in any longer. Who knows how long she would've stayed indoors!" Merry said. "It was the pipe-weed that finally got her out of the bed. I fear our friend has an addiction," he continued teasingly. You gave Merry a soft, playful smack on his shoulder, making him chuckle. 

"We actually got something better for you, as an apology," Pippin said and handed you a small leather pouch. "It's Old Toby. We know you prefer it."

Smiling, you accepted the apology, immediately inhaling some of the sweet smell of the leaves through the leather. Frodo shook his head at this sight, taking a sip of his tea.

"So, do you want to smoke it now?" Merry said, hoping you would share some of it with him and Pippin. You gave him a nod, trying not to act too enthusiastic about getting to taste some of the sweetness of the pipe-weed soon. You then saw Merry's eyes shift slightly to the left from your eyes. One corner of his mouth curled up a little, making you turn around to see what he was grinning at. There seemed to be nothing amusing behind you, so you figured he had to be happy about your agreement to go have a smoke.

It was a cold day in the Shire. You were wrapped up in your long coat, arms crossed, slightly shivering. Merry seemed to be in his element, enjoying the cold spring breeze. Pippin on the other hand, was shaking and whimpering, not wearing enough layers. You were walking on the damp ground, wet grass getting between your toes. Merry was leading the way to a place, that in his words, was 'something very special indeed.'

"How much further?" you asked, wrapping your coat more firmly around your figure. Pippin lifted his head up, lips quivering as he looked at his best friend, hoping for an answer that would be no less than ten minutes.

"An hour," Merry said calmly, looking over his shoulder at the two of you. Pippin stopped in his tracks, shaking his head. 

"No, I will not," Pippin said determined, his voice trembling from the cold. He turned around and lifted his hand up to wave goodbye, without even looking back. "Too far. No. I need to get something warm around me. Maybe ten thousand blankets. Enjoy your trip to whatever he thinks this suffering is worth!" Pippin cried, and as he walked he kept muttering to himself, long after he was no longer in the hearing distance.

"Well, more Old Toby for us," you smirked, slightly shaking from the wind. Merry smiled softly at your comment, turning his face back forward to where you two were walking. "I do feel cold though, Merry."

"Trust me, it's going to be worth it," Merry reassured you, giving you a confident look. Your eyes narrowed slightly, trying to decide whether to believe him or not. Merry took notice of your analyzing look. "I am not lying, and you're going to thank me when we arrive there, I assure you."

It took you and Merry less than an hour of walking, when he suddenly came to a halt. There was a cornfield opening in front of you. The stalks of them were a faint green, their length tall, forcing you to tilt your head all the way back if you wanted to see their highest points. Their growth was dense, making it seem like a too narrow path to pass. You lifted your eyebrow at Merry, your arms crossed as you were trying to wrap the thick coat tighter around you. Your coat covered you almost all the way to your ankles, as you were shorter than an average hobbit.

"Merry, why are we standing in front of a cornfield?" you asked. Merry looked at you, amused at your puzzled expression. His answer was a simple nod towards the cornfield. He started making his way through the first rows of the green stalks, his right side first and arms spread wide. With a loud exhale, you followed him. 

It was so densely grown, you could not move without at least one cornstalk touching your clothes, or messing up your hair. Every now and then Merry would tell you to duck, as there were some badly grown stalks bending downward. You followed his path for five minutes without saying anything out loud. Then Merry stopped walking, and you followed his example, stopping immediately. 

"Just a few rows forward," he said, smiling confidently, clearly trying to act all mysterious. He took one step, before you grabbed his shoulder to stop him from going any further.

"Would you just please explain to me why we are in the middle of a cornfield?" you asked, feeling slightly frustrated from the cold, your feet irritated by the dirt you were standing on. 

"Look, just trust me," Merry said and gestured to you to walk first. "M'lady," he snickered in a teasing tone. You decided to oblige, making your way through the last few thick rows of corn.

The bright daylight hit your face the second you had gone through where Merry guided you, making you squint your eyes. Your eyes had gotten used to the dimness of the field and the sudden exposure startled you. When you got used to the sudden flash of light, you could see that you were standing in a small opening. There was a large rock in the middle. It was rough and firm on the ground, and it was even taller than the corns were at their highest. The grey sky was solid behind it, as you gazed up, trying so hard to see the top of the large stone.

"Now we climb," Merry said as he appeared from behind you. He went up to the rock, placing his grassy feet on some of the rough edges of it. His hands gripped confidently on the solid stone under him, as he turned his gaze to you, questioning why you were not following him yet. "Well, come on!" he rushed. 

"I don't think I can climb, Merry," you responded, still shivering under your coat. "My hands are so cold. I can't feel a thing."

Merry hopped back down on the ground, walking towards you. He took your freezing, pale and delicate hands in his. He placed them firmly between the palms of his hands, rubbing them to provide some warmth. He lifted them to the same level as his face, placing his lips close to your skin, breathing some warm air from his lungs on your hands. Soon the feeling started to return to your hands, but Merry kept going, wanting to make sure they would not freeze back up.

"Is that better, my lady?" Merry said teasingly, still some tenderness in his tone. 

You chuckled softly, giving him a thankful smile. "Yes, thank you."

"Now, are you ready to climb?" he asked, already walking towards the rock. 

You followed his every step, trusting he knew his way up there better than you ever could. You truly did not want to slip down, even though a part of you was even suspicious it might have been a part of a long term prank that Merry had planned. The rock was cold beneath the bottom of your feet, and the air was more chilly the higher you got. 

It was a fast climb, and Merry soon offered his hand to pull you up. You took his hand, and he pulled you up with a firm grip. And the second you got to the top of the rock, you realized why Merry had wanted to come to this spot for a smoke.

The field opened up all around you, seeming like there were endless rows of beautiful greenery growing. The wind was cold, but beautifully it was softly blowing and making the corn, which was in its early stage of growth, dance like waves. It made you forget all about the temperature. The sky was grey, yet despite the seemingly melancholy weather, it looked beautiful. The contrast between the earth and the sky looked stunning from up there, providing a calming atmosphere.

"I've never told anyone about this place," Merry said, taking his wooden pipe from his pocket, preparing to smoke some Old Toby. "Except Frodo. I think he comes down here to read sometimes, and so do I. I believed it was time to show this to Pippin and you. Well, mostly you."

"What do you mean mostly me?" you asked, handing him the small pouch of pipe-weed. Merry filled the bowl of the pipe, pressing the leaf down gently. He lit it up, inhaling the first round of Old Toby.

"I know you like to have some time to yourself," he answered sincerely, taking another puff. He looked somewhere to the distance, admiring the surroundings. "I figured that after what happened at the river, I owed you a proper apology. I thought showing a place where you can cool down your overactive mind would do the trick."

"Well, apology accepted," you smiled, gently taking the pipe from his hands. You took a puff, the pipe lingering on your lips for a moment. It took almost no time at all for the calming effects of it to hit both of you. You passed the pipe to each other for some time in total silence. The wind was calming down, and the sky looked like it could rain soon.

"You seem troubled," you said, looking at Merry, who was deep in his thoughts. His eyes were fixated on the horizon, as he took a deep breath. He passed you the pipe, leaning backwards to lay down on his back, as the top of the rock was wide enough for a Hobbit to rest down almost comfortably. "Merry?"

"I broke it off with Estella," Merry muttered under his breath. He had been dating his friend's sister for several months now. This information was almost jaw dropping to you, but you tried to keep your composure and not pressure your friend too much.

"What happened?" you asked carefully and concerned, extinguishing the remaining pipe-weed. You put the pipe down and placed your palm on his shoulder, trying to make sure he knew that he was in a safe space with you. This was not an area of expertise for you when it came to Merry. The two of you talked about many things, but relationships or their difficulties, were not one of those things. Merry exhaled loudly.

"I don't know. Something about it did not feel right from the start, which I don't completely understand," he said, almost puzzled about his own decision. He placed his palms behind his head, gently resting on them. "If you wrote down her qualities next to mine, it would be perfect. Perfect, but only on paper. Whenever I held her close, or even kissed her... It just felt odd."

You felt compassion towards your best friend, still shocked that he was opening up about the troubles of his romantic life to you. You stayed quiet, still holding his shoulder gently. Merry did not seem to have anything more to say on the matter, but you had plenty of questions and could not keep totally silent.

"When did this happen?" you asked. It had to not have been more than a few days. He had not acted any way differently since the last time you saw him at the river.

"A month ago," Merry answered, your face showing all the possible signs of confusion at once. Nothing had seemed different, yet he was going through a massive change in his life.

"A month! How on earth did I miss that?" you cried, looking at him with pure shock. Merry shifted his eyes on you, a calm expression on his face.

"Well, we don't really talk about this stuff," he responded, softly chuckling at the whole reality of the situation. "Besides, I felt bad."

"I get it," you said. "Whenever a relationship ends, it's just always hard to-"

Merry interrupted you, lifting his other hand in the air. "That's not what I meant," he said, his body twisting a little from feeling uncomfortable. "I felt bad, because I didn't feel bad. She was crying, and all I could do was just stare at her. I felt so relieved. Seeing her cry made me feel like the worst being in all of Middle-Earth. I tried to comfort her, but she just ran off. We haven't said a word to each other since, nor has Fatty talked to me either."

You stared at Merry in confusion. You thought he had been happy, and you had no clue he had stirred the pot in his personal life so roughly. You gave him an understanding smile.

"Look, you tried to comfort her. That's all I'm saying," you responded, trying to cheer Merry up. "It did not feel right and you did the correct thing by ending it, before it escalated."

"I just wish I didn't make her feel so heartbroken, that his brother decided to not talk to me," Merry said quietly. "Fatty and I have always been friends. So have Estella and I. I might have ruined good friendships by trying to force something, when it wasn't there."

"Hey," you said, firmly grabbing his shoulder and giving him a supportive shake. "You did not ruin anything. Yes, sure, she might be mad at you for a while, but I'm positive she will eventually get over it. Both of them will. He's just very protective over his younger sister. You didn't force anything. You gave it a try, and it wasn't a match."

"The thing is," Merry said, sitting up, a slightly sad expression on his face, his eyes glued to his feet. "So far all of my relationships have been like this. At this point, I fear something is wrong with me!"

You shuffled closer, placing your arm around him. He leaned his head on top of yours, as you always had done when providing comfort to each other. 

"Nothing is wrong with you, Merry. You just haven't met the right girl yet," you said, squeezing your arm around him tightly. Merry sighed, appearing to not believe a word from your mouth, as he dwelled deep in his guilt. "I mean it. Someone will come along. You'll be at the Green Dragon, and your eyes meet, and you'll know."

"It's just weird, that's all," Merry sighed. "I've had plenty of crushes, all around Buckland too, but when it came to actually something happening, it came to a halt from my side. There's always this empty feeling. It feels like it's wrong, and I can't quite explain it."

Merry's words made you quiet. As you thought of what he said, you related to it more than you had before realized. Most of the Hobbits you had dated were perfect on paper, but when it came down to actually feeling something real with them - it was never there. 

"I get it," you finally said after some time, Merry snickering at your response. "No, I mean it, Merry. I hadn't really thought about it like that before, but I think I was miserable because of that exact reason in my previous relationships. Even the latest relationship ended with her crying, and me feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders."

Merry looked at you, eyes widening with surprisement.

"My dear friend, you have just made me feel so much better," he smiled, hugging you tightly. His arms around you were always a source of comfort, and in that moment you felt like you really needed it as well. You wrapped your other arm around him too, squeezing him tightly. You were enjoying the calming effect of the hug, as always. His face was nuzzled comfortably in your neck, his smile pressing against your skin.

"I think you are sometimes too hard on yourself," you said to him as you pulled away from the hug. "There are plenty of Hobbits out there for you. You just have to find the right one."

"I am not as sure about it as I used to be, but I am definitely feeling more confident now!" he stated, voice full of sudden happiness. "Maybe it's the pipe-weed, maybe it's you, or maybe it's both."

You giggled at his joke, realizing then just how calm the smoking had made both of you. Talking about all this stuff with your best friend felt new, refreshing and like it should have happened a long time ago. 

You both talked about your past relationships for over an hour, in tears of laughter at the disasters they had all been. Neither of you noticed the passage of time or the cold air anymore, until the effects of Old Toby started to wear off. After that you both agreed that it would be time for both of you to go back for some late luncheon.

On your way back, you were both slightly more quiet and in your thoughts, but relieved as some weight got lifted off your shoulders, knowing you weren't alone with your catastrophic relationship history. 

"Did you know that suits you?" Merry suddenly asked, as the two of you were making your way through the Shire, Bag End slowly approaching in the distance.

"What suits me?" you responded, confused. Merry chuckled and picked up a piece of dirt that had somehow clumped its way to your curls on your journey. He flicked it to the ground with his fingers, looking at you with a mischievous grin. "How long has that been there?" you asked him, slightly annoyed.

"Since we got through the cornfield for the first time," Merry said, smirking. "I noticed it, but I thought it would be funny to not say a thing."

"I had dirt in my hair for hours and you said nothing?" you shouted in a playfully furious tone. "Meriadoc Brandybuck!"

"Calm down!" he chuckled and lifted his hands up, as if to surrender. "I just figured you might have thought it suited your style better than a flower behind your ear, but I suppose I was wrong."

"What, the daisy you snuck in my hair when you were calming me down?" you said, eyes narrowing as you looked at him in his blue eyes, which were glowing with mischief and self-satisfaction.

"Ah, you noticed!" Merry laughed whole-heartedly. "I thought it might frame your face nicely. I did not know it would make you upset. My sincerest apologies," he continued with a sarcastic manner, making you giggle.

"What a nice thought," you smirked, scrunching your nose at him. You crossed your arms, now again shivering from the cold spring wind. "When I have a panic attack again, I'll make sure we are surrounded by daisies."

Merry laughed. "Well, let's hope you don't have another panic attack. What if I don't have a daisy on me? More than that, what if you are so smothered by anxiety that I have to whip up a flower crown for you in a matter of seconds?" he exclaimed dramatically, making your giggles louder. His gaze traveled around your face as he talked, clearly looking for signs that his jokes about the dramatic need of flowers at all times were still funny to you.

"In all seriousness," you started, clearing your throat and changing your tone from playful to a more serious one. "It was a nice gesture. I saw it in the mirror later and it cheered me up."

"I figured it might," Merry said, smiling softly, looking at the ground as you walked through the gate of Bag End. "I know it's your favorite flower."

You gave him a tender smile "I am amazed how well you actually know me," you said, entering through the green front door with him.

NEXT CHAPTER

[ranfren-confessions]

Mod, would honestly love to hear your own thoughts on the fandom since you’re getting hit full fledged by it running this blog (already have some idea by some other stuff you’ve posted lol)

I think it depends on who you choose to interact with, if you’re in the right state of mind to know if the people you’re hanging with here are actually the good people they seem to be, whether you’re in the right state of mind to engage with the fandom ATM (or ever), and whether you’re in the right state of mind to just be consuming RanFren in general. I don’t mean to say that RanFren is meant for the “strong-minded” or whatever; I just think that, depending, it can deteriorate your mental health in at least some way (such as if you struggle with dissociation, hallucinations/delusions, paranoia and others as the contents that RanFren has can be disturbing to some just like any media, saying this from experience that I’ve had myself).

Honestly I don’t know. To be frank I have little to no opinions on the fandom and prefer to only just pay attention to the comics and the characters and my own little corner. I tend to avoid it as it tends to be full of either really dumb people, people that I feel haven’t even read the comics in the first place, or just mean people. I have my fair amount of pretty bad experiences with the RanFren fandom that I don’t feel the need to elaborate on, and just some bad apples all around - that’s to be expected from basically any fandom, but for RanFren it seems to be especially worse. It’s funny because the RanFren fans are decent on TikTok and Instagram, but in Tumblr or Twitter it’s just so bad. In fact, the RanFren fanbase is what made me contemplate quitting Tumblr several times.

However, RanFren also introduced me to some people that are my best friends to this day (ever since I became hyperfixated on RanFren in December 2023) and helped me replace some of my dying hyperfixations and discover my type in media.

I mostly only interact with the RanFren OC community or the small fictionkin community as they are oftenly (if not always) the nicest people there are in here.

All in one, I believe the RanFren fandom has its potential, but some people in here are just bad people that end up ruining it for a lot of others, you know? It can be hard to find people who agree with you and vice versa and who at the same time aren’t constant harassers. You have to be lucky and patient, and in the right state of mind of course.

So my thoughts in the RanFren fandom are: it’s bad.

The first traits (flaws) I can think of about it from the top of my head are: hypocrisy, general stupidity and unnecessary harassment.

This might all be just brain vomit, but still, I hope this answer is good enough.

[loosesodamarble]

19 and 15! Josele and or Shizuka for the Oc ask game!!

Hello hello Unni~!

Since you didn't specify which of the ask games you pulled the questions from (because I am trying to answer for both, but maybe I should've stuck to one... 😅), I'll go ahead and give answers for both.

(Also the answers became a lot longer than I expected…)

Shizuka

Thematic

15) Pick an article of clothing to represent them. What does it mean?

I'm basing this on my own personal opinion but I think Shizuka could be represented by a scarf.

I see scarves as a symbol of comfort and warmth, as they're most commonly used in the wintertime to further bundle one's self up against the cold. Shizuka isn't very good at providing comfort to others but I still associate her with a scarf because I wrote her character as someone who needs to find comfort outside of herself.

Not only that, but scarves also symbolize introversion and vulnerability to me. A trope with scarves is for a character to hide their face in their scarf when embarrassed or scared. Shizuka has a tough persona but inside she's vulnerable to feelings of self-doubt and keeps to herself because she's kinda bad with people.

19) Which of the four temperaments (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, or phlegmatic) are they?

I'd say Shizuka best fits the choleric temperament. She's not the extroverted type as cholerics usually are but she still has a majority of the traits associated with it. Her negative choleric traits include her bluntness, her workaholic tendencies, and emotional distance from others. Her more positive traits include her open-mindedness, passion, and tenacity.

Meta

15) How does your oc interact with the canon narrative? What about it do they change?

First off, Shizuka is shipped with Inosuke so she takes Aoi's place as his love interest. But that's something small.

Shizuka's role in changing the canon narrative involves a lot of joining in on certain arcs and taking the place of another character in a certain situation/battle.

During the Mount Natagumo arc, Shizuka is present (on her way to Final Selection so she's not even an official demon slayer yet) and goes onto the mountain (for reasons) and ends up being the one to fight the Elder Sister Spider Demon in Shinobu's place.

Shizuka joins the Mugen Train arc as she temporarily trained with Kyoujurou in the past and Tanjirou asked her to help introduce him to the Flame Pillar (this follows more of the manga explanation of the Kamaboko Squad boarding the train to speak with Kyoujurou rather than being formally requested to join the mission as was the case in the anime). She doesn't do much on the train, mostly acting as Nezuko and Zenitsu's back up. But once the train is dealt with, Shizuka does her best to tend to Tanjirou's wounds and uses herself to shield him when Akaza shows up.

She also plays a part in the Entertainment District arc, taking Tanjirou and Zenitsu's place alongside Suzume (my friend Steph's oc), and then much later in the Infinity Fortress arc where she fights Douma alongside Kanao and Inosuke.

I suppose I can also say that Shizuka's presence is also a key point in a narrative involving a second group of antagonists outside of the demons. But this one answer has gone on long enough so I'll leave it at that.

19) How might your oc react to finding out you are the one responsible for their life?

Oooohhhh... Ah... Shizuka would not like me. I gave her a pretty hard life. She's been working since childhood. She has a complex about being the youngest/weakest/least useful child. Her mother died while she was training to be a demon slayer. Shizuka later finds out about her siblings dying to demons. Her life is a wreck and it's because I made it that way.

So Shizuka would have words for me. She wouldn't do me any harm because that wouldn't really change her life since it's been written already. But I can see her questioning why I'd make her (and others) suffer and then leaving in anger/frustration.

Josele

I already answered all of the questions from both ask games here and here.

[moonlight-coffeebean-147]

Doodles featuring @twistedtummies2 ft. Usagi. Or as I like to call it… late night doodles to distract myself from how I’m being boiled alive in my apartment/hj (The boiler’s being garbage)

1. Not much to say other than it’s just based on a meme 😂 And I love Smitty’s confused face here

2 & 3

It’s super funny drawing Elias as dog images 😂 Especially with the second which I felt goes perfectly with that part in Chapter two of his introduction story. There is a third one that is still a w.i.p. But I might finish it. Btw…. At this point I’m basically gonna be known as the “Elias artist” aren’t I? 😂/lh

4. I was originally gonna do all of your Twisted ocs… but I need to at least try to sleep it’s like 3 AM 😭. Plus to me it’d be poetic for me since these four were the characters that were the most developed and I grew the most familiar with when I first discovered your page. With this I added how I drew their eyes… since I’m trying to practice with eye style variety. Technical details:

Nakoda: I’ve actually doodled him once in one of my sketchbooks before. And he was actually fairly easy to draw, I’ve had ocs that had similar hair to him before. And… I have plenty of ocs who are just as flirtatious as he is and have made the exact look I drew him with 😂

Billy: Other than Elias… he was the easiest to draw and figure out how he’d work in my style. I was at first worried about his hair since it was my first time drawing his kind of hairstyle and I’m not that used to drawing short hair. But it actually worked out. It also helped that he’s similar to one of my own giant ocs in terms of personality. Fun fact, to the point where I almost thought he had freckles… which is a trait on my oc… but he doesn’t so… 👌

Elias: Is it obvious who my favorite is 😭

Reno: ……I’m just gonna say it. His hair SUCKED to draw 😭😂 I don’t know if it’s because I’m tired… the heat was getting to me.. or what… but his hair was not working out. Like with Billy I’ve at least drawn hair similar to his in the past… with Reno it was like the first time I’ve ever drawn that hairstyle in general. Even now I’m still not that happy with it… even in the first doodle. Like bruh I just 🥲I know that’s probably just me being over critical of myself since this does count as fanart of someone’s ocs, not just that, but someone who I admire the work of, believe me my years of participating in Art Fight has familiarized me with that feeling but just….. don’t be an artist guys 😭/j. Maybe when I do the others I’ll redo him.

5. ….Usagi going through how I feel right now

Don’t know who’s next to her… could be any of the pred lads… Insert “Twisted Wonderland isn’t an Otome Game” joke here. Though I do think this could be an interesting Vore concept… being so hot and just done that even the idea of being in a warm stomach is just… “bruh can you not?” 😂. Btw… this is how Usagi acts when their in one of her moods… a lot more snappy, sarcastic, and blunt with their wording…. I wish your bois good luck with that. Also fact about Usagi is that they literally have trouble finding pjs their size since she’s a frail little thing.

Also fair warning to all the Vore enthusiasts.. it’s not necessarily a big kink for me, hell it’s why safe Vore is in the neutral section of my pinned post so in turn….. I don’t take it seriously. I very much make a lot more jokes and memes involving it.

6. To end things off… this

Death stare Usagi. Is not something to be messed with. They may be small… but they will bite and is legitimately terrifying sometimes.

Would like to know reactions to not even just Usagi, the Prefect in general making this face 😂

Anyways that’s all from me for tonight…. Or morning technically lol

Moon signing off… wish me luck in this heat. Art is hard

[practically-an-x-man]

Happy TST!!! :D

Any insight or tips on making your characters different from each other? Sometimes I feel like I shoehorn my characters into types that are interchangeable.

Thank you so much!!!

(fair warning, this got long)

Talk Shop Tuesday

Hm, that's an interesting question. A lot of it for me comes just from my own interest in telling different stories and exploring different perspectives - both in terms of demographic/culture perspectives, or simply that individual character's traits and view of the world (which is also connected to culture, but isn't a one to one overlap). You know I'm not one to shy away from research, so new characters with different backgrounds are really just excuses for me to learn more about real people in similar situations.

As with any character, there are going to be some attributes that I find myself reflected in, and some attributes that I'm unfamiliar with. I do honestly think that finding a balance between those is a good way to build a character that's both diverse from yourself while not feeling too flat, "textbook", or under-researched. There's a lot about Spider's background and culture that I myself have never experienced, but I can place some of my existing knowledge and passions in his work with foley/film - that blend of existing knowledge (from my own experiences) and new knowledge (from research) then allows me to write Spider as a dimensional, interesting character despite having very different experiences.

Each of my characters, no matter how different they are from myself, has at least one piece of my passions, interests, or past experiences. It doesn't take much, and it doesn't have to be a large trait, and it doesn't have to take exactly the same shape in the character as it does in yourself (I work in SFX makeup, Spider works in foley artistry; I'm an avid reader, Jimmy's an avid reader), but even just having some small piece you can connect with can bring so much life to the character when you put them on the page! It's a bit like making a friend, in that way - you can be vastly different people in every other way, but one common interest can have you bonded for life! All you have to do is find that common interest, and build up your knowledge in the other areas.

The biggest thing, I think, is just curiosity. Find something you're interested in - be it a culture, a time period, or just a hobby you've never tried - do some research on it, look at blogs and interviews and stories from people who've experienced it themselves, build up that knowledge. If you can, find something about it that you can try out yourself (a hobby, a food, a cultural celebration), or talk about it with a friend.

Then, once you've built up some information and interest in the topic, just... start. They don't have to be full-fledged characters at first, but try to get into their heads and tell about their experiences. Write a ficlet about that Maōri agent in the new Spooky Effects chapter, tell us how he feels about his tattoos and how that plays into his identity as a trans person. Take Rose to a Diwali celebration with a friend and tell us about both of their experiences with it - Rose experiencing it possibly for the first time, her friend having more history with it. Hell, even taking custody of a friend's OC can help with that! Maybe you wouldn't be comfortable creating Eris or Quinn or Kestrel from scratch, but you've read enough of my writing for them that you could potentially explore their characters and glean some fresh perspectives from that.

Lastly, just remember: stereotypes are only harmful when a character is reduced to them. Human beings are incredibly varied! There's nothing wrong with writing a bi character who is flirty, a trans character who doesn't physically pass, an Asian character who was a straight-A student, an Arab character who dresses modestly, etc., as long as you don't reduce a character to just that stereotype and nothing else. Also, a lot of stereotypes come from a grain of truth (often there's a cultural component to it that gets missed by onlookers; ex. "many Asian cultures pride achievement and academic progress in the name of filial piety, as well as the impact of many immigrant families who seek high achievement for their kids as a means for providing a stable future for them" gets reduced to "Asians are good at math"), so it's not the matter of ignoring those "stereotypical" traits as much as it is learning to balance them and portray them with respect and understanding.

Really, it's just about taking the leap. It'll take practice, and you'll get some things wrong, but as long as you've put in the effort and respect and are willing to accept when you make mistakes, it'll turn out alright in the end.

[delta-lethonomia]

✨Let's talk about OCs!✨How would you describe your OC's personality/aesthetic? What's your favourite thing about them? Tell us a fun fact(s) about your OC or their creation! Send this to at least 3 people to spread some OC appreciation!❤️

Oh my beloved Tavortheylinith, I will never not rant about her lol

Tav is... prickly. She has no problem demanding money for adventuring services, is bold, dominant, and confrontational, but can also be so completely chill she fades into the background. A lot of her decisions are very fear based even though she's quite brave, and she's got a knack for figuring out what people want even if she's absolutely terrible at doing anything with this information. It's like she's smart enough to know in broad strokes what she's doing wrong but can't make herself fix her behavior. I don't think Tav really sees herself as a person in others' lives, more like a battering ram who can come in and disappear just as quickly, which is very frustrating to people who do actually care about her.

For aesthetic, I was originally inspired by a very bog witch type of vibe, but I think it's gone more gothic horror lol. If Tav were a creature, she'd be a small, poisonous, serpentine dragon-like thing, with sharp scales, vividly colored frills (implying poison) and a soft underbelly.

I really like writing her because she's very transgressive. There's really no limit to what she won't do - if the average person has a limit they won't cross, then she's lacking that boundary. Killing a companion? I can see it. Giving Shadowheart back to the Mother Superior? There's a universe where that could happen. Kill a child? Fuck Cazador? It's all possible. Honestly, she surprises me sometimes lol and that's what makes it her so fun to write!

Fun facts... hmm.

the years at Sharess' Caress were arguably the best of her life, but she only spent about 8 years as a prostitute. She has slept with a few thousand people but not as many as Astarion. They definitely have slept with the same people at different points in time. A lot of her feelings about work come directly from my experiences in food service.

I've gotten a few comments about Tav's thoughts "hitting a bit too close to home" and yeah, I feel that. A fair amount of Tav's worst traits are reflections of some of my own thoughts and feelings, so it's been really fun to explore that in a character like her. She's the desire made manifest to be the crazy ex girlfriend who breaks her shitty boyfriends car windows or pops their tires, lol.

I still have my original notes from when I mapped out her life and it's mostly stayed the same, though some of the motivations and her thoughts about her experiences have changed as I've explored her character more. For example, the very first thing I wrote about her was "fear of being weak" (coming from an abusive marriage), but that's developed and gained some nuance over time, and now I would say Tav's greatest fears relate more to disappointing her loved ones due to something intrinsic about herself, being abandoned for who she is, and being powerful and entirely self-sufficient is defense against that. She's not actually terrified of being under someone else's power, though it does cause her great anxiety and would need a ridiculous amount of work and trust.

This is why Astarion's guess with the circus nymph is almost correct: He thinks she's afraid of utilizing her power to the fullest extent, but in reality she's afraid that doing so will finally prove to him that she's innately an unlovable person who deserves everything that's happened to her. That he should leave her and she should banish herself from society and live in a cabin away from everyone. oh wait. Anyway, that's why SNW ends the way it does and why she's got such big hangups about Astarion trusting her.

Tav met Sylvar at age 28 and he died when she was 41. They spent 13 years together and were married for 11 of them. She became a warlock at 39. 😉

[a-lonely-dunedain]

Could I get 8, 11, and 24 for Ethedis from the OC asks? 💚

8. "do they have a nickname? who gave it to them? if it's not derived from their real name, what's the story behind it?"

She usually just goes by Eth, or Ethe if you wanna be cute :3 oooh it would be adorable if Corunir had his own special little nickname for her though, but I haven't thought of one yet... I should get on that. I'd make one up now but I don't wanna force it, it's gotta be good, ya feel me?

11."what do they have in common with you? how are they different? would you get along with them?"

oh ok so that's a very interesting one!

as Ethedis is one of my oldest OCs, created by a much younger me, she was one of those that started out as a thinly veiled self-insert. But as I got older and changed in big and small ways, her traits stayed more or less the same, making her like a time-capsule of sorts. A window into what past me was like, or at the very least, the traits past-me saw as her most important/defining. Of course I've still tweaked and changed things, but the most fundamental parts of her have stayed largely the same. Fitting for an ageless elf don't you think, to remain eternally young and unchanged after all these years while I did not?

Anyway I would say she was created to first and foremost embody the sunshiny jokester with a heart too big for her own good I thought of myself as at the time, but seemingly without realizing it, I also wove a deep thread of loneliness into the background of her story that I didn't seem too keen on exploring until fairly recently. I mean, the elements were all there, a human love interest who's doomed to leave her forever, a family out of the picture before the first act of her story even began, a distinct lack of elven friends and a gnawing sense of 'otherness', it was all THERE but I was just like "haha we're not gonna worry about that today :) yay silly elf :) she is fine everything is fine :)" (look, I was a lonely autistic kid with exactly 0 friends outside of my sister and something adjacent to abandonment issues going on probably, but I wasn't ready to like, DEAL with that yet. Ethedis wasn't supposed to be sad!)

anyhow, we don't need to delve further into ALL THAT right now *hastily shoves my past back under the rug where it belongs*

Suffice to say, I think I'm a bit more comfortable exploring those elements of her story, and giving her a happy ending despite it all. Her best friend who loves her so very much fights for her to get into the same afterlife as him so she doesn't have to be lonely forever <3 because I said so and also friendship <3 (is it just wish fulfillment for my sad inner child? yes and that's probably cool and good. I will not take constructive criticism at this time thank u). Also she's a huge people pleaser who get incredibly demoralized when anyone is even slightly upset with her. that's one thing she still has in common with present me lmao

24. "do they have any creative hobbies? (art, writing, music, etc)"

Well of course! Most elves tend to pick up on at least one craft eventually. Of course Ethedis sings, tra la la lally elf and all, but it's not something she takes super seriously, just one of those things elves do to pass the time in Rivendell. I think she also dances, and that is something she takes more seriously (well not like it's a Serious™ activity, she's still having fun of course, but it's like she puts much more care into it?), but tends keeps to herself mostly. She usually dances in secluded places, away from anyone she fears might judge her skills for not living up to the legendary elven dancers of old, as she is acutely aware that despite all her efforts she is NOT Lúthien Tinúviel (in more ways than just this). So dancing is something she tries to view as Her Own Thing that she doesn't wish to let anyone into.

Well, except for Corunir that is. I don't know exactly when or where yet, but Ethedis is gonna invite him to dance with her at some point, and while it might seem like a small thing, to her it is very much a Big Deal. He tries his best, but he's inexperienced and a little clumsy, probably almost steps on her feet a couple times, but Ethedis doesn't care in the slightest. More than anything she's just happy to finally have someone she's comfortable sharing this part of herself with, someone who isn't trying to compare her to anyone else, someone who's just happy to be with her, dancing and laughing in the forest wholly content in each other's company. sorry hang on I'm gonna drown in my own feeling real quick. They're literally Too Cute I can't-

[taccobelle]

Teenage Dirtbag

Paring: Eddie x fem!reader, Eddie x Cheerleader!Reader

Paring: Eddie Munson x OC Pixie Dunphy

Word count: 3.4K

Summary: In the small town of Hawkins, Pixie Dunphy, and Eddie Munson couldn't be more different, living in a small town like Hawkins, where rumors define you. Pixie is a charming and independent girl who seems to have it all. Pixie is adored by many in Hawkins High, Eddie, on the other hand, is the school's freak. Their paths cross unexpectedly, igniting a love story that defies expectations, learning they have much more in common than they initially thought.

Authors note: Hiya! I am really sorry for taking so long ato post the second chapter, I don’t plan to take as long for the third one, but please be patient with me 🥹 I will be making any corrections if needed, but I believe I auto corrected pretty well. Hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: language, slow burn, opposites attract, forced proximity, descriptions of bodies, mentions of a absent father, depiction of banter, she/her pronouns, the reader is FAB, Eddie might be a little shit, I gave the reader a nickname because y/n is so cringe. There is no mention of race, but I do occasionally describe what Pixie looks like, but those are subtle enough that you can ignore it!

Chapter 2: Tutoring Troubles

"… well, did he?" said Eddie with a maniacal grin.

You release the breath you did not even realize you were holding. One thing about Eddie Munson was that he was an intimidating presence. He sat there like he owned the library. You had an unyielding demeanor that conveyed strength and resilience, making others feel a sense of intimidation; that's why you were an athlete; most jocks have this trait. You were used to the feeling of being the commanding presence, instantly capturing the attention and respect of the student body when they entered a room. But not today; you entered that cramped and suffocating study room, dimly lit, with only a flickering fluorescent light above your head, casting shadows on Eddie's overgrown bangs, making you feel small, something you had never felt before. You weren't scared of him, just cautious.

Eddie pressed on with a sarcastic smile, looking up at you. "Did the cat get your tongue Tink?" Eddie sat there as you quickly glanced at his slouched form, with his feet on the table, chewing on the end of a pencil like he hadn't had lunch. His outfit gave him a sadistic look, and you noticed Eddie wore a faded black t-shirt of probably some metal band; the shirt had worn-out graphics and strategically placed rips around his shirt. On top, Eddie wore a black leather jacket, polluted with various patches, buttons, and pins on the front, and the jacket looked old and older than him, perhaps a hand-me-down or from a thrift store.

You stood paralyzed, not knowing what to do or say. This is uncharted territory for you, and Eddie commands the room today. "I-I'm sorry?" You managed to get out. Feeling like a complete fool, you regain your composure as you realize that instead of meeting two people, you find yourself face-to-face with the infamous Eddie Munson alone. Your eyebrow creases inward in a frown, lips quivering in an involuntary pout. Who was Tink? What right did he have calling you names, making fun of your height, for that matter? "Don't call me that, and my name is Pixie, not Tink," Introducing yourself, raising your head high, and wiping the frown from your face, a pointless attempt at looking more intimidating. Extending your hand to him felt too formal, but considering you two had never exchanged words before, treating him like a close friend seemed out of place. His gaze lingered on your hand as if you were an extraterrestrial being, the crease between his brows indicating you might not have done the best job —God, he probably hates me. You don't have to make him love you; you simply have to make him act civil enough to make the next couple of weeks bearable, at the least.

After his stare left your outstretched hand, his eyes lifted, meeting your eyes directly. "As if you need an introduction, doll" Again, with these nicknames!? You knew that showing your frustration with the nicknames only made him want to call you many more just out of spite, wanting to get at jocks any chance possible, but you can't help the frustration showing. A mischievous grin spreads across his face. Eddie entertained your attempt at civility and shared his name. He's one to speak; I don't need an introduction? He doesn't need an introduction! As if anyone in this school hadn't heard his name a million times through the intercom system, Higgins' voice announcing it, dripping with annoyance, repeating on a daily like an old rhyme.

"I do hope this isn't too much of a social suicide for you, doll," Eddie remarked, his tone clearly mocking. It was no secret that he harbored disdain for practically all your friends. The most they'd ever interacted was when some jock kid would buy pot from him at some party or when that same kid would throw empty milk cartons at Munson, or knock his books from his hand, starting a war because Eddie always would strike back with insults just as harsh. To some extent, he was right, and you knew for sure that as soon as this study session was over, your friends would undoubtedly voice their concerns about you spending every Wednesday in a tiny room with Munson for the foreseeable future. "I'm sure I can handle it," you replied a hint of irony in your smile acknowledging the underlying truth in his jest.

With his legs on the study table, you had a good view of the tight ripped black jeans, making you wonder if he paid the total price on jeans to come looking like someone had gone to war wearing them, or if possibly that was on purpose. As he impatiently shook his feet, causing the old table to shake like there was an earthquake happening, the chains he undoubtedly had pinned to his pants hit the metal of the chair, sounding like the sound of aggressive windchimes on a windy autumn evening, His hair wild, the unkempt mane touching his shoulders, his untidy bangs covered the view of his eyes from the angle you stood, adding to his ominous look. The dim lighting, provided by a flickering fluorescent light above, casts shadows on his face, adding to the air of mystery; his striking presence demands attention, Munson made it his life's mission for everyone acutely aware of his existence, and it sends a chill down your spine.

Stumbling over your words, you manage to mumble; all you could think about was what Jessica would have to say regarding you being in a closed-off room in the library, alone, with "the freak." Not that you cared much about what she had to say. It was never anything interesting to add to the conversation anyways. What frightened you, to your core, was the rumors she might start; you've had enough of those brewing to suffice. Plus, it is annoying to hear her nagging voice all the time. The shock is evident on your face, but you quickly attempt to hide it, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how surprised you genuinely are. You and Eddie are now bound to spend time together once a week, every Wednesday, thanks to O'Donnell's class.

"…I thought it was supposed to be two of you?" you manage to get out. You clear your throat, and the sound echoed softly, resonating with vulnerability and determination. You straighten your posture, aggressively smooths out the wrinkles of your cotton shirt, and raise your chin high in an attempt to make yourself seem taller and in command. From the angle you stood, that was not an arduous task. He sat sprawled on his chair, and you stood upright. You had to get it together and assert your dominance back.

When you got no response to your question, just a shoulder shrug, you continued, "Anyhow, shall we get started?" You say this with such conviction that you almost believe the awkward meeting didn't occur. You hastily make your way to the crooked table, the chemical-resistant laminate chipping off in the corners from the years of students nervously nipping at it, the various cartoon drawings in #2 pencil, only visible at an angle, mocking your foolish nervousness.

You couldn't help but wonder why you were so nervous, anyways. Sure, Eddie's reputation preceded him, but out of all people, you knew that rumors didn't always define a person; plus, it was hard to believe all the stories swirling around him, cult leader? Give me a break! The guy didn't have the stamina to pass first-year students' mile run in under 10 minutes, let alone lead a group of kids to the depths of hell by worshiping the devil! Honestly, people sometimes gave Eddie way too much credit, and you even think he took a liking to the big lousy persona people of Hawkins cultivated for him. It covered the fact that he fed kittens on his smoke breaks behind the school. You saw it yourself once during PE. And yes, he might dress differently, a little out of popular fashion, I mean, he is probably in style for whatever crowd he hangs with, and he certainly put thought into his outfits, even if they were from the thrift store. And that is more than you could say about the other boys in this school, heck! More than you can say, about half the girls in this school! And you knew better than to let leather jackets and chain belts make you scared of Munson; you despised it when people treated you poorly based on your appearance, and unfortunately, that happened all too often in this school, so you made it a promised not to do it to others as well.

You start to gather the material from your pastel pink Jan sport backpack, shoving your teddy bear keychain to your chest, a fruitless attempt to hide it from the eyesight of Eddie, you can't pinpoint why yet, but you were sure he'd make fun of your for having it, the quite the opposite from his style, you'd rather avoid the light bullying. You shove your tower of textbooks his way, slightly shoving the tip of his worn Reeboks to the edge of the table, a silent scolding that, surprisingly, Eddie just chuckled before removing his crossed feet from the table, sitting right on his chair, displaying no protest. You exhibit in the most organized manner all your highlighters, glittery pens, and scented gel pens, and take out your notes from the last lesson.

“I guess we're stuck together for this tutoring thing," Eddie’s voice spoke out, capturing your attention. Yu knew that wasn’t the true reason why’d he’d “stayed” for so long; you know that not everyone is wildly pressured into doing so well in school like you, but you’think they’at least try. "So, what subject are you struggling with?" ignoring his remark on the forced tutoring session, as if he didn't beg O’Donnell for this.

Contrary to popular belief, Eddie was not ecstatic when he got a letter last year informing him he would have to repeat his senior year, much less did he repeat on purpose. Eddie had never been one for studying, and that much everyone already figured. Eddie had made it a promise to himself he would pass and graduate this year, 86' was the year he'd finally graduate. Being in a crowded building with snotty first-year students for the rest of his life became his recurring nightmare, and that is why he mustered up the gull to humiliate himself in front of O'Donnell to ask for extra help. The old hag was the sole reason he hadn't graduated yet and never managed to keep himself awake in her class; that is when he didn't cut that entire period because it was so dull. It never made sense in Eddie's mind how people honestly thought he was a Satan worshiper just because he didn't brush his hair and he played a role-playing board game but paid no mind that the devil himself took the form of the old hag of an English lit teacher at Hawkins High.

Eddie made his way to the library from his usual smoke break after school. Eddie could feel his feet tingling with nervousness to meet the poor nerd that would have to try and keep his focus from now on, and he knew that was no easy task. As he walked through the vacant halls of Hawkins High, noting how eerie it looked with no students running amuck. He walked into the library, whistling the theme song to the animated Lord of the Rings movie, igniting a chorus of shushes from students and the librarian alike. When he entered the study room, he tossed his backpack to the corner and relaxed on the chair, waiting for the unfortunate soul who would be walking in any second now. To his surprise, what walked in was not some cross-eyed nerd with huge thick glasses as he had expected. In walked Pixie Dunphy, her manicured hands gripping the strap of her light pink backpack, looking like a deer in headlights, like she was caught in a lie. Eddie examined Pixie, Hawkins royalty herself, stopped in her tracks, clearly just as surprised as him at the prospect of seeing each other in such an environment.

He took a glance at Pixie, and the cheerleader could not have been dressed anymore like the all-American sweetheart. She wore a short-sleeved cotton polo shirt in a dull beige color; the shirt sported a small, embroidered logo displaying Daddy's money. It fits snugly on her curves, with the high-waisted pleated skirt in a Hawkins green barely hitting right above her mid-thigh, flowing with the gust of wind from the door slamming shut. Hawkins' residential princess wore on her wrists several bracelets that she probably made with little friends, with a promise of a lifelong friendship, or some crap like that, with each bead displaying a different color, a bright yellow scrunchie on her wrist, little miss perfect looked like the school mascot had thrown up on her. His eyes traveled back to her face, thinking they could not have looked more like two opposites from each end of a color spectrum, clashing. He knew who she was, and there was no way one person could go a week in this school without hearing her name, his flock of sheepies wouldn't ever hide their drool and heart eyes whenever she'd walk by in the hallways. He'd heard a lot from Miss Dunphy, mainly from the mouth of the jocks in the halls, saying all sorts of things about what they'd do if they got at least 5 minutes alone with the Pixie Dunphy as if they'd need that much time, they'd probably jizz in their pants before she even looked at them.

It was no secret to absolutely anyone that Eddie had a disdain for jocks. He hated sports too, never the type to take a liking to any kind of sports as a kid, and the disinterest turned into hatred out of spite after he started getting bullied. When he was a kid, her never understood why people never wanted their children to play with him in the schoolyard. Eddie found it early on in life that living in Hawkins, people had name invisible tags stuck to their foreheads, branding everyone with an identifier. Before Eddie could even make a name for himself, he already had an identifier, Hawkins' very own dead-beat, scheming thief, someone to be afraid of. His dad so generously passed that down to him, like the lack of morals was hereditary. Al Munson wasn't much of a dad, more like a progenitor, never raising Eddie and being there to cause trauma. Edie hated him and everything he must deal with because of him. The only good thing to come out of the whole situation was his uncle.

Snapping out of his daydream while Eddie sat there waiting for you to finish gathering all your junk out of your pink bag, how is her posture so good when she carries around all that crap? He was trying his hardest to pay attention, but not paying attention is how he found himself in this predicament—forced to endure a tutoring session with none other than Pixie, the popular cheerleader, and her perfectly styled hair. Eddie couldn't help but roll his eyes at the irony of it all; the universe seemed to be playing a cruel joke on him. Pixie, with her preppy attire and her array of glitter and gel pens, seemed a world away from his realm of headbanging and mosh pits. As she pulled in her chair at the table, Eddie couldn't help but feel a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. "I guess we're stuck together for this tutoring thing," Eddie grunted in response, unable to muster a warmer starter. He didn't expect Pixie to be any different from all the other residents of Hawkins, but the situation forced him to tolerate her presence, at least for the time being. Pixie sat opposite him, arranging her textbooks neatly on the table. She cleared her throat and glanced at Eddie before speaking. "So, what subject are you struggling with?" ignoring his remark on the forced tutoring session, as if he didn't request this, maybe the problem was her.

Eddie hesitated, momentarily caught off guard by her genuine concern. He wasn't used to people caring about his academic performance. Reluctantly, he admitted, "English, O'Donnell doesn't seem to want to let me go," Eddie joked lightly, picking the hangnail off his dry fingertips. Pixie nodded, her eyes lighting up with a determined spark; she took a deep breath and wetted her lips with the tip of her tongue, moistening them before speaking up, "Alright, let's tackle William Shakespeare then. We've got that essay due next week. I can try all I want, but you'll have to put in some effort. I can't do this all on my own."

Eddie grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with a hint of rebellion. "Ah, Pixie, always the queen of academic diligence," he teased, his voice laced with a playful tone. "Alright, do your worse," Eddie said with a determined glare. Pixie rolled her eyes, a familiar response to Eddie's tendencies; he was used to people doing that. Pixie smirked, her lips curling into an amused smile. "Not all of us can be so good at doing their worse, Munson," Pixie snarks out, hiding a smirk, getting a slight jab at him, getting back for his name-calling. Eddie mock gasped, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "Sacrilege!" he exclaimed, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "Have you no manner Ms.Dunphy? What would dear old daddy say if he heard you treating someone with such disrespect?" Eddie adds he isn't used to having such a playful interaction with someone of Pixie's type, which is new to him, not that he misses getting picked on. Pixie smirked, her lips curling into an amused smile. "Oh, Eddie, are you sure you want to know what dear old daddy would say?" she jibed, playfully poking fun at him. "Let us hope he doesn't find out I am even here with you once a week from now on. I can't even begin to imagine what he'd think I'm doing with you"

Eddie leaned back in his chair, a smirk stretched across his face, crossing his arms defiantly "Well, my first guess would be the sacrifice of a virgin, right?" he declared, his voice filled with a mixture of playfulness but also a twinge of discomfort; her face dropped, showing something he had not yet seen on her shining eyes: fear, this made Eddie want to turn back time and take away his uncalled-for remark, knowing her identifier. "...it was a joke" he exclaimed, adjusting his seat. "I hope you know I don't perform sacrifices on my spare time."

Pixie is no longer able to hold her face straight. Laughter, all too loud for a library, comes rushing out of her plump pink lips; the most unforgiving noise comes out of her, making her hauler in her laughter in seconds, her face reddening in seconds. Eddie let a slight smile out. He had never seen Pixie laugh like this in the halls. "Okay, okay," Eddie says, surrendering his hands. "You've got me; I fell for that lame prank," he says through a smirk, looking Pixie in the eyes. She locked eyes with Eddie, letting her face relax, the slight twinge of blush lingering on her cheeks, "don't worry, I don't believe you are intellectually available for sacrifice," she remarked nimbly, slowly looking at the papers spread on the table. The clock on the wall indicated they had yet to start lessons in the last 25 minutes they had been in that room, making her jump to action. She grabbed her notebook, read the correct page, and explained the lesson. Pxir swept the bangs from her face, gathering her luscious locks with a traffic sign yellow scrunchie. "Ok, now we're ready to start," she exclaimed. That is when Eddie noticed it'd be more challenging to pay attention in this lesson than to O'Donnell's.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I don’t intend on taking so long to update you all for the next chapter, but please be patient 🙏🏼 I am welcome to constructive criticism in the comments! if you want to join the taglist let me know

Taglist: @peachysink