#I like doing my research but is it really worth the risk of bringing up my religious trauma?

[allastoredeer]

#as of right now im still not including the 9 Rings in my world building because they make no sense

Aww, that's too bad, but i get it. The 9 circles have a lot of fun story potential, but I can understand not wanting to try to incorporate something into your world building if it doesn't make sense to you. At the end of the day, you're the writer of these fics. So if something doesn't make sense to YOU, that's going to make it harder for you to convey it to your readers. Writing is hard, so you should do what you have to to make it less so while still being fun on your end.

But may I make a suggestion? How about you put a pin in this whole Circle thing and set it aside to mull over again later? I think I recall you mentioning that chapter three is going to go over Pentagram City world building stuff, so i can see why you might want to have some of this information hashed-out. But unless locations like Imp City are absolutely VITAL for this upcoming chapter, maybe put that off for later? Save that info for a future installment? Maybe all you need for everything to click into place is for another little lore tidbit to come your way, like with Andrealphus' palace?

I know I tend to get stuck on world building stuff too (ive tried my hand at DMing for my dnd group, believe me i know exactly how easy it is to get stuck on tiny world building details) The best thing to do when that happens to me is to step back for a bit and come back later with fresh eyes. Perhaps that'll help here too? If not, again, your the writer. Do what's right by you😁👍

The thing about world-building is that it is subject to change based on what fic I'm writing or what I need it to be. Even if I'm not including the 9 Circles in my base Hellaverse World Building, it's definitely something I'm keeping on the back-burner in case I do ever decide to incorporate it in a fic.

I'm not opposed to the 9 Circles being a thing, I just have a hard time making sense of it. There are a lot of ways to make it work, but so far, none of them work in a way that satisfies me. Fic 5 of Just Kiss Already will be the first deep-dive into the world-building I've concocted for the series, but most of that will be surrounding Cannibal Town and a specific punishment I came up for all the cannibals. It is Hell, afterall. It's meant to punish the wicked, and I like the idea that that comes with specific punishments for specific Sinners that's utilized in a way that punishes ALL Sinners.

I'm debating on whether I should make the world-building post for Cannibal Town now or wait until Fic 5 drops. It's one of my favorite headcanons because it explains how Hell kept the population under control until the Exterminations began (in somewhat recent years) and it gives me a lot of Alastor angst to work with, which is always a top my top priority.

[grimrester]

i am really so sorry to continue harping on about the watcher entertainment streaming service. but this kind of stuff (internet content as a business & marketing it as such) is truly my obsession, and i think i will implode if i don't talk about some of the takes i'm seeing.

i'd like to emphasize again i don't have strong feelings about watcher either way. i like ghost files, i watch mystery files sometimes, i watched worth it back in the buzzfeed days. i don't watch any of their shows religiously.

anyway, here's the main things i keep seeing crop up and my thoughts on each:

"watcher has 25 employees they have to pay, and employing people in this economy is good, so we should be banding together to pay them."

employing people is good if you currently have the capacity to pay them. i checked watcher's linkedin page, and many of their employees were hired within the last year or two. if they hired people they cannot pay with the business model they had before, something is seriously wrong with their internal bookkeeping/decision making. it means they either didn't know they couldn't pay these people long term, or they did know and were content with risking newly hired employees' livelihoods on a huge content pivot in the next year.

of note is that none of their employees' titles have anything to do with managing the finances of the company. they are the size of a small business but have no one aside from the figureheads of the company in charge of their finances.

this is the kind of company decision making that leads to downsizing and layoffs, which can be devastating. but you know what's worse than laying off a portion of your staff? laying off everyone because your business is going under.

"not everyone can afford the subscription, but those who can should pay it to support the watcher team."

no. $6/month for a couple hours of content (depending on what shows you actively watch and the natural fluctuation of their release schedule) is a fundamentally bad value. i can pay that much for a few movies on amazon. i can pay that much for dropout, if i want to support a smaller business instead.

and to be totally frank, even if people do sign up, i don't think they'd get enough to compete with the amount they get through patreon/sponsorships. and the fact that they didn't know how many of their subscribers would realistically sign up is a bad sign.

a pretty good conversion rate of free to paid subscribers of a service or content is 3% (usually accomplished through a free trial). given the very poor reception of the announcement, let's say about 1% of their 3 mil youtube subs pay for their service. that's 30k people paying for their new platform. that's $180k a month in their pocket.

(they currently only have 12k subs on patreon so we are being generous here.)

a sponsorship deal (based on my googling, i have less direct experience with this) is anywhere from $10-50 per 1000 views. they've gotten about 1 mil views on their last few videos. 3 mil subs is nothing to shake a stick at, but let's say they're on the lower end of the payscale at $25 per 1000 views. that's $25k a video, $100k a month if they release 1 video a week. their lowest patreon tier is 5 bucks, so even if all their subs are at that tier, that's another $60k, so $160k total. it's entirely likely they're bringing in much more than that when you factor in merch, adsence, etc.

did anyone on their team crunch numbers on how many people would need to sub to make the switch worth it? did anyone do market research on how many people they could convert to paid users? because if not, if they really didn't have a game plan for this, the subscription service was always doomed to fail.

"this was their only option to continue making the content they want to make, with the production value they want."

i watched their announcement video. a key point in that video is that they have done sponsored videos and that's what used to pay for their content, but they did not like the amount of creative control the sponsor had over the content.

look, i get that's no fun. we'd all love creatives to be able to make whatever they want. but when you are a small business with a team of employees relying on you, you have to think about making money, sometimes at the cost of creative liberties.

and they had so many other options to make money for the projects they want to make without jumping to a subscription platform.

they could have started actually promoting their patreon, and maybe done some restructuring of the tiers. why not a highly produced, special series just for patreon members? or a special high-budget episode of each series, while the main series is lower budget?

bite the bullet and continue taking sponsorship deals on some less-produced shows, while axing sponsorships from the ones the crew feels more passionate about.

schedule larger, blowout-production shows only when they can be afforded. this is what Notorious Amongus Guy streamer jerma does. he saves up for big productions like his baseball or dollhouse streams, so he can really get creative with them.

they had other options and they've tried very little, especially when you compare them to other content house business at similar scales. try guys and good mythical morning both put out significant content with significant staff, and have had to diversify their income streams with auxiliary products, shows with widely varied levels of production, etc. but it seems to be working for them. watcher has merch and that's about it, and seems to only want to increase the production quality of ALL their shows.

really, all this just boils down to a terrible business decision. it's hard to say if the watcher team is working with a consultant or anyone outside of their team, but they certainly don't have anyone internally who is experienced with running a business like this. to me, it seems very much like they got in a room together and did some extremely optimistic income ballparking with no research behind it.

and that might have been fine for three dudes running a channel alone, but if they're a business, they have to start making decisions like one.

[pathologicalreid]

yesss vanilla!spencer truthers rise!

Honestly I don‘t ever see him in a strict d/s dynamic because first of all you need a lot, and I mean a LOT, of trust to healthily practice that in the bedroom and we all know how Spencers relationships went-

But I completely agree with you on the he mostly has vanilla sex, maybe sometimes (with a longterm partner) he taps into softdom or a bit more submissive (not as in tied down or whatever, maybe just on the receiving end of teasing and letting his partner take care of him) side, what would make him somewhat of a switch with a pref for being a softdom?

I‘ve also read your fic where he brings stuff home from his case (the choking ykyk) and I really liked your approach because you showed us how he did his research, how he instantly looked if the hand grabbing his arm is actually reader tapping, how he is focused on how it makes reader feel and less about the domination (I‘m so sorry if you didn’t want to convey that btw) and that made me feel comfortable!

i love u nsfw asks (response below the cut)

i think a softdom leaning switch is likely the best way to describe spencer.

i agree that spencer would never participate in a “strict” dom/sub relationship especially one that translates outside of the bedroom. in fact i think that would make him extremely uncomfortable. however, he does give me the vibe of “would try anything at least once” - which isn’t necessarily an unsafe way to practice bdsm, as long as you have consent, boundaries, and safety measures set in place (most commonly: a safe word)

so fun fact, part of the reason why i even wrote that choking fic is because i got so frustrated with seeing unsafe bdsm practices in fanfic. (the other part is bc i really want to fuck that nerd) spencer reid would do his research before hand, he would know RACK and SSC philosophies, and he would make sure his sub was comfortable. dom/sub is first and foremost a power dynamic and if a dom is doing something potentially dangerous to a sub (i.e. choking) then all of those things are necessary. i’m doing something similar with my fic that’s going up on friday. (it is KINKtober, after all)

but yes! having a dom/sub dynamic is not always strictly about one person dominating and one person submitting, it’s a very fluid system.

also, it’s been mentioned that people don’t know what RACK and SSC is, and those are Risk Aware Consensual Kink and Safe, Sane, and Consensual

i KNOW that it’s fanfic and people might be thinking “margot it’s not that deep” but if i can educate at least one person then i think it’s worth it. at the end of the day people can read whatever they enjoy, if you want to read a/b/o or med fet or sappy vanilla sex then go for it!

since we’re having the discussion, @mindfullycriminal just posted a list of things that sometimes appear in fanfic that don’t translate to sex in real life

[intersex-support]

i've recently been doing a lot of research into intersex conditions ((to be better knowledgable and supportive of a good friend who is intersex)) and i heard about turner syndrome. and the more research i do, the more i think i might have it ((particularly Mosaic form TS))? i have many of the most common symptoms ((very short stature ((4'9 at 15)), small lower jaw, shield chest, very mild lymphadema, low hairline down the back of the neck, very irregular periods ((i have about 3 or 4 periods a year, ever since starting my period)), high/arched palate, lots of moles, and probably some smaller stuff i forgot abt)) would it be worth it to bring it up to my doctor and get tested? expecially if i don't want to receive feminizing hrt. i don't have any other health issues really, so would that just be stealing testing and/or resources from those that really need it?

Hi anon.

usual disclaimer that we can't give medical advice or diagnose.

It makes sense why you would be curious about turners/mosaic TS after looking into the symptoms and seeing that they seem to line up with some of your experiences. And I think that Turner's is one of the intersex variations that it can be important that if you're suspecting you might have it, to actually try to seek a diagnosis if possible.

This is because there are a lot of other health issues that are associated with Turners that can develop at any time in your life, including heart problems, kidney problems, osteoporosis, scoliosis, and sometimes diabetes. Even if you have Turner's, that wouldn't automatically thing that you would also have these other issues, but it would mean that you would be at higher risk and that you might want to undergo different types of monitoring throughout your life. I don't want to scare you unnecessarily because I know plenty of people with Turner's who don't have other health complications, but it is a significant enough associated risk that I think it can really be worth trying to find out that information about yourself if you have other reasons that you're suspecting Turner's.

You wouldn't be stealing testing or resources away from other people--there isn't a shortage of testing in that way. The main obstacles to getting testing and care for intersex people is more due to discrimination and uneducated doctors, rather than a resource shortage. In terms of getting forced on estrogen, you always have the right to deny treatment that you don't want, and to explore alternative options if there's a reason you need some type of hormones for your bone health.

Of course, it is always, always up to you whether you want to try to seek a diagnosis or not, and you'll be the expert on whether this feels like the right thing to do at this point in your life or not. I just wanted to provide some reassurance that you wouldn't be overstepping, and share some of the reasons why Turner's is an intersex variation where a formal diagnosis might be more important.

Please feel free to reach out again if you have any other questions or need any support--this blog is here for you!

[harruandlou]

✨Writing Self-Evaluation 2024

thank youuuu @red-pandaaa for tagging me 🫶🏻

1. Number of stories posted to AO3: 4 this year! (10 total!)

2. Word count posted for the year: 262,441

3. Fandoms I wrote for: One Direction

4. Pairings: Louis Tomlinson/Harry Styles

5. Story with the most:

Kudos: i would know you from touch alone

Bookmarks: sunshine, baby! (literally 1 single bookmark more than iwkyfta or this would be a clean sweep)

Comments: i would know you from touch alone

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why): I think sunshine, baby! I did a lot of research for that fic into swimming and law school (and the olympics) and it's the longest thing I've ever written on my own.

7. Work I’m least proud of (and why): I'm really proud of all of them, but probably your brightest star only because I wasn't in a good place writing and pushed myself through most of it. I think it could have been better if I hadn't been so strict on myself for posting time, etc.

8. Share or describe a favorite review you received: I got so many really wonderful comments this year and every single one makes me go mush inside. In particular anytime someone says I'm one of their favorite authors or my fic is one of their comfort fics I just want to cry lol.

9. A time when writing was really, really hard: I started slipping into a rut in like May and didn't really claw out of it until October. During that time I wrote ybs and about 25k of a wip I've since put on the shelf. The whole time was such a struggle.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you: Louis' roommate Mina in sunshine, baby! surprised me a lot this year. I added her in a scene because I wanted Louis to say something in particular, but fully expected her to show up once. But I really loved writing her and then she ended up bring the kick in the ass he needed more than once and i love her so much.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing: this is from i would know you from touch alone. I added this scene in editing and it's one of those moments that it seems impossible now for the fic to have existed without it. I love it not necessarily because of how its written, but it like such a good reminder that editing a million times can be really important to shaping the fic 😂 (I need that reminder for the next time I edit something to death)

Hours passed, the night crawled towards dawn, but still Harry and Oli sat diagonally to each other. At some point Liam came in. He had Harry’s broken phone in his pocket and a sad look on his face. Oli eyed him warily, but Liam just clapped a hand on Harry’s shoulder and sank into the chair next to him. Some time after that another Tomlinson came over and sat next to Oli. Harry didn’t know his name, but he’d been at the warehouse. Harry could so clearly picture him glaring at Harry over the barrel of his gun. Before long there were a handful of them who had migrated around Harry and finally he realized what it was. He was surrounded on all sides. He was protected.

12. How did you grow as a writer this year: I got really good at outlining this year! And being a bit more strict on myself about making sure I have things properly planned before I start writing (can you tell I've had problems with this in the past lmao). I also picked back up something I'd put aside that I was really afraid to try to rework and had convinced myself wasn't worth the effort. So I think trusting myself and the process more in general.

13. How do you hope to grow next year: I think maybe be a bit more risk taking lmao. I tend to play things safe or overthink everything, but I think some of the best stuff happens when you let yourself get a little silly.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc): 2024 was the year of @red-pandaaa saving my ass every 5 minutes lmao. We started working together at the end of last year and they helped with everything - beta reading, cheerleading, listening to me bitching and moaning. Oh and the friendship was nice too 🤣

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year: Oh for sure, always. A lot of Louis in sb! was based off a friend of mine (actually a lot of sb! I pulled real life experiences for). I'm always putting places I've been, food I've eaten, weird personality quirks I have or friends have in fics.

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers: Always know the ending before you start. You don't always need to know how to get there, but at least know where you're going.

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year: I'm really excited to get back to the fic I put on hold in the summer. I think I'll start working on that in January (once edits for you're all i ever dreamed of are finished!!!)

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read.

@blueskiesrry @petitommo @wishingforloushair @28goldens @lunarheslwt @larry-hiatus

[lokisqueen69]

Yondu x reader

Warning: smut, knotting, and slight BDSM

“Captain?” I ask quietly as I peek my head around the corner as I didn’t know if he had fallen asleep in the Captain chair again. I see him sitting there just looking out into space. He looked almost peaceful til he turns around the stoic and stern face returning to his face and mumbles

“What?”

“I have the newest leads for jobs available…if you would like to review them. Just wanted to see if you were awake or not sir. I can obviously give them to you tomorrow if you don't want to.”

“Nah, bring ‘em over. Just explain ‘em to me, don't feel like readin’ tonight.” He says patting the chair across from him (Co captain’s chair) before leaning back on his own.

“You sure Kraglin won’t be pissed at me sitting in his chair.” I say with a smile as I chuckle lightly. Yondu smiles and laughs.

“Boy will be fine now, tell me about these possible new jobs.” He says, closing his eyes with a smile. I smile too seeing him relaxing around me. I had always liked the captain and had been here for about a year. Was just a common crew member at first but soon came to my current position of ‘Job lead analyzer’ really all I had to do was get some job leads and do some research on the object and the client.

“The first one is from a wealth broker from Nowhere: he is offering 1 Mil to get an object back but he wouldn't specify anything about the object so don’t have much on that BUT i did search him up and he has very extensive criminal background ,not shocking tho, but he was also marked as a traitor by Stakar for a deal gone bad. Some of the other boys said they did ‘small’ jobs that went wrong. So overall this one doesn’t seem worth it but obviously your call." I say shrugging as he looks at my note on my hologram and hums to himself.

“Good money but best to not risk it. Any Other good ones for a good amount of money.”

“Not really but I have four smaller ones that would be around the same amount of money and we have done jobs for all of them before so we can trust their words a bit more.” I say with a chuckle “But you’ll have to go talk with the woman that practically threw herself at you that one time.” I laugh as Yondu rolls his eyes and groans. He playfully punches my arm as I dramatically exclaim

“Oh no! My arms it’s broken! *fake panting* I-i think I n-need you to do mouth to mouth resuscitation.” I smile and laugh at Yondu. Yondu smiles and laughs too as we remember the way this woman tried to get Yondu to literally do anything to her.

Yondu’s pov:

This one was a good addition to the crew as she was one of my top now. She was a fantastic crew but she would do any job no matter the risk. Which pissed me off as she was a little careless wanting to prove her worth constantly. I gave her the Job analyser job to keep her safer and not get her into danger with them boys. I smile and laugh at her joke about the women being so desperate for me. I look at her as she is laughing and leaning back in the chair. I watch her as she seems to shine with the stars.

‘She don’t want no old man. Or alien dick. But hot damn I do like this women.’ i think as i watch her laugh and lightin’ my mode.

Your Pov:

I always loved brightening the mood on the ship just trying to keep everyone’s sprites high. I stopped laughing when I saw Yondu staring at me. With his normal unreadable expression. I start to worry I have overstepped my position and choke down my laughing and go back to the jobs.

‘Damn! I think I just made his mood worse.’

I think as I panic on the inside as Yondu eventually was behind me leaning over the chair claiming he needed to move around a little bit. I was growing more and more nervous as he was so close to my neck. I could feel his breath on my neck and his hands and arms on either side of me. Getting a closer look at the info about the newest job opportunities. My face starts to heat up as I know I’m blushing now. I try to keep the conversation going to keep myself distracted but he keeps asking questions with his voice right in my ear as I try to keep myself from shivering when he does. I feel my core heat up and a damp spot of my panties form as we keep talking. Soon enough we get done with the overview and I get up to leave.

“All them jobs were on Contraxia right?’ Yondu askes

“Yea. They are all there but are kinda far apart from the meeting spots they gave us. We could send those that you think would be best suited for each job tho.” I say trying to get back to the barracks just to try and get away from Yondu as I feel myself starting to shake from arousal. Yondu hums and starts to walk with me.

‘Noooooo. Fuckin’ hell the one time I DON’T want him to be near me and he is FUCKING walking with me.’ I think as I try to control my nervousness and arousal till I get to the barracks to calm down as I start to take the corner to the barracks Yondu calls to me.

“Lass didn’t Krags tell ya?” I look at him confused and shake my head. Yondu rolls his eyes.

“ ‘Corse he didn’t. Well he was rather busy today. Anyways lass we got you a room to yourself since ya the only women on board. Krags overheard some of them boys talking while you were asleep and said it would be best for ya’ safety.” He says motioning you to follow. I gulp

‘FUCK NO!! Please don’t be next to his room! Please don’t be next to his room!’ I think as I see the captain’s room.

‘You’ll be next to me lass. Gotta make sure my top women is safe.” Yondu says quietly, trying not to seem weak to you.

‘SHIT!’ I think. Yondu seems to see my discomfort as he puts a hand on your shoulder as you seem to jump greatly at his touch.

“Lass?” Yondu's voice is stern but still soft to you.

“Y-yes captain?” I say unable to look at him as I’m trying to not freak out at his touch.

“Has something happened? You seem very uncomfortable. I may be a Ravager but I won’t allow them boys to hurt you.” Yondu says, taking my chin making me look at him. Our eyes locking together. You don’t say anything practically hypnotized by his red eyes. I wanted to tell him so badly how much I liked him but captain and crew code forbade it and I couldn't risk him getting in trouble with Stakar. I was able to talk with Stakar and he gave Yondu another chance with the ravagers. I look away, my heart hurting knowing I can't be with him. Yondu sees this a become concerned

“Lass, let's talk in my room.”

“NO! S-sorry sir…I’m fine. Just gonna miss the boys ya’ know?” I say trying to get to my room and take care of this now urgent issue. Yondu’s eyes narrow and he leans on the ship's wall. My legs nearly gave out as Yondu just leans on the wall looking like a picture perfect hot as hell captain.

“Got ya’ eye on one of them boys?” Yondu says curiously so he can make his life hell.

“S-sort of.” I say as I start to visibly shake with arousal now. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Yondu whose eyes are now wide open.

“Ummm lass… HA! Are you that turned on? Just the mention of your hot ravager makes you a mess.” He leans in with a chuckle and whispers lowly into your ear “Let me guess, is it Kraglin?” You snort

“No sir.”

“Hmmmm Tullk?”

“HA! No captain. Ya’ aint gonna get it.”

“Hmmm…Taserface?” Yondu says half disgusted. You almost vomit at the thought.

“Horuz?”

“Good gods no. Have you seen that man?? Plus I think he is married. I may be a ravager but I aint about that shit. Plus you ain't even close to be completely honest.” You say less aroused but the leather is still damp in between your legs.

“Ya he's probably too old for ya huh?”

“Nah. I like an older man to be completely honest with you.”

Yondu smiles slightly at this but knows you don’t prefer alien dick to a terran like dick.

“FFFuuck… this is gonna kill me now. Hey, how about we make a drinking game of this. Tomorrow is our ‘lax day anyways. You game girly?”

“Hmmm fine. I guess.” You say giving up on keeping this a secret. Yondu was gonna find out one way or another. You mentally prepare yourself for his arrow when he finds out. You walk into his room and it’s rather spacious but it’s trashed.

“How in the HELL do you walk through this pigsty?”

“What’s a pig-tsy?” Yondu says confused

“Never mind. What alcohol you got and for fucks sake no whiskey. You remember how that went last time.”

“Nah but I like whiskey for me. I got some Terran wine tho. You want that girly?”

“Ooooo yes! I haven’t had terran wine in so long.” You say and Yondu pour his and your glass.

“Okay lass…I will ask a question to help narrow it down and then guess the name. Such as I do it based on rack you would simply say if its a high rank or not. Get it?” Yondu asks, taking a small sip and sits down close to you and pats next to him. You nod and sit next to him.

“Ok first question.”

“Let doooo…is he on the ship right now or off ship?”

“On ship.”

“Mmm’k. Rank?”

“I thought it was just one question? But at this point you gonna find out so he is a higher rank.”

“Perfect! Not Krags! Really my- the boys a catch!” he says taking a big sip of his whiskey.

“Ha no. He is very nice but I don’t see him like that tho.” You set your nerves on fire. You take some sips just for the taste and to try and throw Yondu off. After hours Yondu has gone through a whole bottle of his whiskey and has seemingly gone through the whole ship.

“Shit! Lass have you been fucking with me. I have named everyone on this ship.”

You sigh. “Not everyone. You're forgetting one person and said person is the man. I have liked since becoming a ravager.”

Yondu groans and just can’t seem to get it. He even just starts saying all the names again. Not drinking this time but when he gets closer to the top (Rank) you start to get nervous.

“Tullk, Krags, and then me” He says as you sigh and drink the wine.

“What! I said them names before.” He says and you bury your face in your hands.

“Oh my gods. Ya old man…Yondu… for fuck’s sake are seriously not getting this! Repeat the name you just said.” You say lean toward him with a pissy expression.

“Tullk.” He says. No drink.

“Krags” No drink.

“And..” within that moment Yondu finally gets it. As you lean back with the glass in one hand ready to drink.

“Me?” You down the wine and let the glass down.

“Surprise.” You say sarcastically and look at your feet. You don't hear much until you are thrown over Yondu’s shoulder. You half expected him to throw you out of the room onto the cold hard floors of the ship. You keep your eyes closed and tense as he walks over to the door or so you thought. You feel Yondu throw you…onto the soft bed. You open your eyes with surprise and see Yondu taking his dusters off and his boots.

“Captain?”

“Lass…you have no idea how looong I have wanted to have this perfect terran body of yours.”

“What…ya’ aint mad?” You ask propped up on one elbow Yondu looks at you confused.

“The hell? Why would I be mad a beautiful terran and…my closest friend actually wants me an old man.” You hear Yondu say as he takes his shirt off causality as he wasn't absolutely ripped like the others were. You see the concern on his face as you roll your eyes as you sit on the edge of the bed and pull Yondu’s body to yours. You sigh and kiss his stomach and you make sure to pay extra attention to his scars. He hates them but you love them so much.

“S-sorry ‘bout the scars lass.” Yondu says ashamed.

“Oh Yondu…you have no idea how turned on your scars make me.” You say and make your way up to his face and kiss the scars all along his face. You look at him to see his cheeks a deep purple as you smile and touch his face. Yondu smiles and leans into it.

“Is someone blush…captain?” You tease as Yondu chuckles.

“You shouldn’t be saying much lass. Your cheeks are sooo very red.” You put your hands to your face. Yondu chuckles as puts his hands on your cheeks and brings your face to his stop just a few inches from his and askes

“Are sure ‘bout this lass? Centarains pair for life and the courting is long…but I have liked you for a while. I’m ready to start courting you if you- “ you cut him off with a kiss.

“You talk too long, captain. I'm very much ready for courting you.” You say as you stand up and move Yondu to the bed. Sitting him on the edge of the bed and kneeling between his legs.

“Now… let me please you captain” You say with a wink as you pull Yondu’s pants down as his cock hits your face and you couldn’t help but become nervous seeing his massive alien cock.

“Sorry lass I know you probably don’t like alien dick but experiment as you please.” Yondu says as he looks at you.

‘Damn…I never thought I would see this one with my dick on her face.’ Yondu smiles as you start to feel his cock. Gently stroking at first just see what his fully hardened cock would look like. He was very girthy and had a softer purple tapered tip as you stroke you feel an unusual lump starting to form close to the bottom of his cock. As you stroke up you see it better and start to stroke faster to see it. When Yondu suddenly pulls your hand as he leans over and pants loudly

“Fuck lass…I am…not ready to cum yet. I need that pretty terran mouth and cunt around me first.” He says between pants.

“I thought Centenarians had more stamina then terran. You are already about the cum?” You say teasing him.

“Watch it lass…still captain.” He says with a wink and lifts you off the ground and puts you on the bed gently as he is now kneeling in front of you. He gently removes your leather pants and boots being unusually gentle with you.

“Cap…I aint gonna break.” You say with sas. Yondu smirks as he removes your underwear with his teeth. You pant as your eyes widen as you know what is coming next. Yondu smiles and dives into your cunt, licking and sucking your cunt and clit, you couldn’t help but moan out loud.

“Now lass, I may like them boys but I aint good at sharen’ with them. Especially those beautiful moans of yours.” He says kisses your clit gently before looking under the bed for something. You sit up and pant as you try to compose yourself. Yondu slips his hand under your head and pulls your hair into his fist.

“Oh Fuck!” you gasp as he yanks you to him. You see the mischievous smile on him and his other hand behind his back.

“Got something for me cap'n'?” You say curiously

“Only if you're not quiet.” Yondu says holding up a gag bar. You whimper at the thought and couldn't deny how hot you thought it was.

“Fuck cap’n didn’t take you for the kinky type.” You say as he starts to kiss your neck and collar bone.

“Mmmmm, I've been ‘round for a while lass. I have my likings and you…are most certainly one of them.” Yondu says as he squeezes and sucks your tits. You couldn’t help but moan trying to keep your voice down. Yondu’s hands wander your body and start to trail down from your tits to your stomach then to your hips where he gives a good squeeze that would leave a bruise.

“Cap- Yondu?”

“Yes lass?” He stops and looks at your face.

“I want ummm…” You start to say nervous at his eye contact. Yondu smiles and leans up to you, taking your neck in his hand and using his index finger to make you look at him.

“What is it lass? You want what?” He says making you look into his eyes and making you say it.

“A kiss.” You say softly the eye contact making your stomach swirl. Yondu smiles and leans in to give you a passionate kiss as he guides one of your hands to his cock as the kiss becomes heated. You moan into the kiss as you stroke his cock gently as you feel the lump form again on his cock as he breaks the kiss gasping

“Fuck stop” You look at his concerned and ask.

“Yondu are you hurt? I keep feeling this lump on your cock and..then you say to stop.” You say genuinely concerned for him. He looks at you with wide eyes as he chuckles lightly sitting on his thighs and strokes his cock to make you see the lump.

“Lass as you can tell my cock ain’t like others…what you see and feel is a knot. Ya’ know what that is?” He asks as you shiver just at the thought. Yondu chuckles as he sees you shiver and leans back down to kiss you hard. He breaks the kiss and leans to your ear says

“You want your cap'n' to put his big blue cock in you? Hmmm lass? You want me to knot ya’?” You nod as you rock your hips and whimper. He kisses you again, pushing you down onto the mattress again as he gently lines his cock to you. He starts to sink into your cunt as you wrap your arms around him and moan into his neck.

“F-fuck~ Cap-tain Ah!” You couldn’t help the full feeling of his cock in as Yondu leans up with a smirk and chuckles.

“Full already lass?” He asked smirking

“So full cap’n.” you says moaning out as Yondu chuckles again

“W-what’s so funny?” You ask as Yondu intertwines his hand into your hair and yanks you up as he makes you look at his cock that wasn’t even half way in.

“Oh shit ,sir, I'm so full already…it wont fit.” You say sounding like a total slut. Yondu chuckles and pushes your head back down making you moan loudly as he smiles and puts the bar gag on you. Leaning to your ear as says,

“Cap’n’ will make it fit.” He says hotly as he inches further in making your toes curl and that feeling.

“Shit! Lass you’re so tight.” He grabs your chin making you look at him.

“If it becomes too much tap ,hard, three times on my neck and I will stop…twice if you just need me to slow down.” He says and tries to fit more of his cock inside you. He closes his eyes trying very hard to restrain himself not wanting to hurt or break you. After what feels like forever he is finally fully inside you. You whimper and moan into the gag bar.

“Fuck lass…i want to pound into you so badly…i dont wanna break you…have you ever sleep with anyone since you been in space lass?” You whimper into the gag and shake your head.

“Damn it, fuck!” Yondu exclaims as you feel his cock throb and twitch within you. He bites gently on your shoulder making you moan loudly into the bar gag. As you throb around him and move your hips.

“Shit lass! NO! If you do that I ain’t gonna be able to hold back and I’m not breaking you so soon.” You cry into the gag just wanting him to move inside you. His cock so big inside you it almost burns but you loved it wanting this for so long. Yondu doesn’t let you move as he pushes you hips down and to make you stop touching him tied your hands up with his duster belt.

“I'll take the gag out so you can tell me if it’s too much.” Youndu is panting greatly at this point, sweat dripping down his cheek.

“Yondu, please this is torture! Fuck me please captain! Please, I need you to move inside me!” You plea with him as he kisses you gently

“Promise to call it if it’s too much?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good girl.” Yondu says with a smile. He puts your legs over his shoulder and gently pulls out before slamming back in causing you to moan loudly as you bite your lip trying to not cry out with each brutal trust. Yondu grabs your chin and puts his thumb into your mouth forcing you to open and cry out.

“I dont give a fuck anymore…let them boys know who’s cock is making you feel so good.” Yondu starts slamming into you at a fast and rough pace making you scream and cry out his name. Your legs still over his shoulders as you squirm with the belt still holding your arms back. Yondu grunts and groans, still trying to hold his control.

“Y-yondu stop holding back!” You try to say it with sas but it comes out more like a moan. Yondu growls and flips you over to your stomach pulling your hips up. You cry out as he slams back into you, the knot starting to form at the base. It doesn’t quite fit but you’re sure Yondu will change that. Yondu slows as he puts you into a comfortable position. He brushes your hair away from the base of your neck before he places his hands beside your head and starts to pick up the pace as you moan his name. He growls when you do and leans down to the base of your neck kissing it and leaving hickeys all over your neck and shoulders. You cry out and moan as his pace becomes brutal.

“Yondu! Oh fuck~ please! I-iM getting close please…” You beg as you start to feel your orgasm building. Yondu doesn’t respond, just grunts and groans. Yondu somehow gets even faster but he starts to get sloppy. You know he is close so you start begging like a whore. Begging him to let you come.

“Fuck, Yondu I-i am cumming! Please cum in me!” With that beg Yondu snaps and bites down hard on your neck as he pushes the knots into you. You cry out as you gush all over his cock not caring if anyone can hear you. Yondu whimpers as his cum floods into you, his knot not letting a drop escape from you as you feel it starting to expand your womb. You pant as Yondu keeps cumming. He stays like this for a few minutes before he stops cumming your womb full and expanded.

“Shit, fuck lass. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to knot ya.” Yondu says and unties your arms. You couldn’t even respond so spaced out and fuck brainless. Yondu gently lays you on your side with himself still inside you. After a few minutes the knot pops out and his cum pours out as you whimper feeling empty.

“You back with me lass?” He asks concerned

“Yes sir.” You say weakly exhausted.

“Good, anything hurt? Lass you did so good. My precious little terran.” Yondu says lovingly and kisses your head many times making you giggle.

“No captain. I'm okay, just tired and sore.” You say as you turn to face him and snuggle into his chest.

“Is cuddling’ okay cap?”

“Lass stop calling me captain in private okay? And for you always, come here.” He says and pulls you close to him.

[the-weeping-dawn]

10, 15, 16, 22, 28 for ilztaun!

(pretend this came from my sideblog lmao)

10. Does your Tav have a last name? Is there a meaning behind it?

Auvryvirr

And technically yes, but for him functionally no. This is more me using my best friend the drow name table because I am both bad at names, and wanting to attempt to keep within somehing that was at least lore functional.

15. Is your Tav more likely to fight/flight/freeze/fawn?

Fawn. It's so very deeply fawn and has been for some 220 odd years going along with the mess that is his entire view of himself as not really having much worth more than as what he can do for another. Which when that goes wrong, he's going to attempt to fix it.

It probably also was more naturally fight and would have been in a more normal upbringing ^^; Once he starts breaking through centuries of masking he has a quick temper and still doesn't like letting problems fester but can be much more of a blunt object about it.

16. What do they do for fun, when not adventuring? What are their hobbies? I'm excluding anything with any practical use (he enjoys gardening but also worked as an apothocary, and is the party potion maker, his tent is filled with little potted plants for instance ^.^;)

The main one would be he's very fond of needlework, embrodry, beading, with most pieces of clothing he has at home having some amount of unnessisary detailing to them, and if possible when mending things that can't be hidden likes again highlighting instead.

As well, tends to draw and paint quite a bit

There is an odd line with music however where it goes from practical adventuring and profecional skill into he just is doing this for fun and it's explained with, he's put bonethriven at the top of reasons to become a mindflayer and he 2nd top reason to return the Menzo (the top one is his displacer beast whom he misses dearly, and could probably get a large animal exception about bringing into the city which would not be here if not for him.)

He would risk his and at least one other persons life for rare sheet music. Don't think he wouldn't.

22. How is your Tav’s relationship with their family? Their parents?

It's...complicated.

Present day, mostly non-existant, he feld above ground basically by the skin of his teeth because of killing a high priestess/friends older sister/doing so where there was at least some witness to him having been the one to do it so Sylfiel would not be the one as blamed for it. (....Again we say another weird story for another time)

His mother always mostly ignored her children, they were had out of expectation, and to increase their houses power. The only one she was somewhat fond of was the eldest daughter mainly because she was also fond of poisonous plants, and the many things one can use them for, which again this might be a normal Drow trait but they take it a bit further including having a surface greenhouse, and raising various animals for their venom.

His older three siblings are functionally his parents due to general lack of fucks given by one, and the other being around only when needed. He's either tossed around between whomever has the least excuse at the time, or who has an idea of how they can use him to prove themselves above the other, and over time gets added to their weird little pact once brought back (forced back) from training as a bard, which ends up being key in keeping and gaining overall power.

Unfortunately I can't go too much into his fahter (and his illithid research partner) because it's become a future tabletop plotpoint and I know friends from there read this from time to time so I gotta hold those reveals until then ^.^;

28. Describe a smell that reminds your Tav of childhood.

...I'm sorry to not elaborate more since I rewrote that way too many times, but it's the smell of damp fresh moss <3

[catboybiologist]

heyo, sorry if this is a bit of an uncomfortable question, but I've been thinking about it for a while. I'm really curious to know the opinion of a biologist with more experience (especially a queer one hehe)

have you ever faced any pressure like, "who even cares about your research on these weird bugs?" (a bit of a generalization on entomology, though it also kind of applies to my general interest in pursuing zoology) or "you do know you won't be making much money, right?", as well as questions like, "why don't you go in medicine? a career as a doctor is more promising, researchers barely get paid anyway"

and if you did, how did you deal with it? i guess my impostor syndrome never fails to catch up to me ahah, but it would be good to know if there's someone like this as well

Sorry I took so long to get to this! There's no way to answer this briefly, I think.

Yes, all the time. It's the curse of anyone in basic science research. Luckily, for me, I don't think that pressure has come from anyone who actually matters. Academic influences, and even my parents are very supportive of my career path (my parents maybe not so much supportive as much as "pressuring", but that's a different story). From more distant family, online, family friends, and random people I meet everywhere? All the fucking time, and its very tiring.

There's two very different issues at hand in your ask, though. The financial aspect, and the level of respect and understanding people have for basic science in the first place.

As for the financial aspect… I'm sorry. The reality is that yeah, you're not gonna make much money. But you have to ask yourself whether that's a priority for you. You'll definetly make enough money to live on, but it won't be a glamorous amount. You genuinely have to love what you do, and that can be a bit rough. But there's nothing wrong with that. There's a lot of pressure to choose the highest paying careers, even when its past the point of increasing your means. Its okay not to care. But yeah, unfortunately, no one's getting rich in field work :/

For the other aspect… that is a huge disconnect between the general public and science, and one that I think manifests in a lot of ways beyond even what you're saying. The value of basic science research is twofold. The reason most people who are passionate about the subject get into research is for its own sake- the world is cool! To me, inquiry and curiosity are one of the most beautiful things about being human, and is worth it for the simple sake of expanding our range of knowledge as a society. It's like asking who cares about some dumb painting while looking at the Mona Lisa. But, to be blunt… some people just don't see that. Which brings us to the other aspect: unseen utility. Basic science research saves the world. And that's not really an exaggeration. The example I've given so many people recently is COVID vaccines. mRNA molecules being able to cause immune reactions was a "who cares" research problem a couple decades ago… and look at us now. Oftentimes its not so one-to-one, though. For ecology, the bulk quantity of ecology research contributes to our understanding that ultimately guides how we care for the world. While its sometimes difficult to see how "those weird bugs" contribute to public policy and understanding, but "those weird bugs" alongside "those weird plants" alongside "those weird fungi" alongside "those weird rats" and whatever else, together, contribute to the net understanding of what areas need to be protected, what ecosystems are at risk, what ecosystems threaten human existence if they collapse, and how best to protect all of those. Research matters.

I'm picking nits, but neither sounds like imposter syndrome to me. In fact, I think it's kinda the opposite. I think you'll fit in just fine with entomologists, or other scientists in zoology, ecology, evolutionary bio, or whereever. A lot of them have gone through exactly the same thing that you are, from their early career interactions with friends and family to their later career interactions with the public and outreach. So in a way, I think that's your solution as well. If you take the first leap into your field, either declaring a major, becoming involved in a particular research lab, volunteering, or whatever else, you're going to start surrounding yourself with people who have undergone the same external pressures that you're facing right now. They'll intrinsically understand the value of the type of research you wanna do, and they'll also understand that not everyone sees it that way.

But getting to that level is hard. It requires persistence. But you'll get there <3

[idontplaytrack]

tw: vent

once again feeling like i just wanna give up bc i’m just constantly stuck— mentally, physically. i’m just never really happy anymore. i’m expected to pay for my siblings’ meals when i take them out, and can’t ask for it back because they’re younger than me and they don’t work. i was nearly at $200 in savings and somehow, without spending more than $30 on myself for the last week, I’m down to $95 in my savings. i’ve been scrimping and saving so i can take time off of work and ‘reality’ to go to hawaii for a few days but now im just so much further away from my savings goal that i just feel like it’s not worth it anymore. yes, i know i can just go to a neighbouring country but there’s nothing i wanna do there, the same stores are everywhere in this region and it’s like what’s the point? it’s a personal preference but a place i’ve been wanting to visit but never had the guts to even think about, to plan, to research to make sure i keep in mind that i respect the people, nature and wildlife. to make sure i stay within my budget, knowing where to go, where to eat, what to do, what i want to buy so i only buy those items and not extra things. i know life isn’t fair but why the hell does birth order have to decide what one has to do for family? when the more ‘grown’ adults in the family have nothing but terrible, terrible things to say about the choices i want to make? what i wear, what i eat, where i work, where i want to travel to, what i want to study, where i want to study, why i want to study? why I am always thinking about being anywhere but home??? i get that i owe my parents years and years worth of money and then some for bringing me up, but little things, ‘casual remarks’ stick with me and just ruin me day by day. i can barely remember the good.

i’m in a way fortunate to still live in this apartment with my family so i don’t have to worry about rent. but i pay for my own expenses at work, transportation and my phone bill. i also pay for whatever the hell kind of knick knacks, snacks, meals and even toys when we go out. because i know she doesn’t like to be home and being the target of my parents’ yelling, it sucks for them to talk shit about you right to your face, calling you burdens, telling you their lives stopped because of you. i didn’t choose to be here, i didn’t choose for us to be low-income if you yourselves don’t want to do anything but spew out your so-called ‘creative ideas for new job ventures and asking me to help you. you’re so vague, help with what? how do i help? what do you want me to do? why do i have to give up on my part time job to risk a new career with you that you’re starting from scratch with no clients/customers yet? why is the burden just on me like this even though it isn’t explicitly said? i’m not a bad person, but they’re making me out to be a horrible human being that disrespects family and elders even though i’m treated as less than just because ‘they’re my parents and know me best because they raised me?’ you have no idea how much of myself i had to hide in my 20 years of existence. i don’t even know who i am anymore, what i believe in, what i want in my life for myself.

[artisticbones]

Stupid Shit You Shouldn’t Do

Disclaimer: This isn’t to be down on anyone this is all based on personal experience and research. Eating disorders are difficult and complex things to deal with, believe me I know. I just want people to be safe and to know what to look for and things to maybe avoid. Or at the very least things that could happen as a result of some of the things I mention here. You are all beautiful, stay safe.

1. Binging then trying to fast the next day. Trust me, that shit usually does not go well. I personally often end up in a binge-restrict cycle and purge more doing this. Ideally you should slowly lower your cal intake again day by day. This of course depends on how much you binged, if it was what most people consider a normal amount, then this applies. If you binge-binged (over 3000 cals) then start at a high restrict number (800 to 1000) and if you wanna go lower from there, you then slowly lower day by day. 

2. Not bringing something with sugar with you when going out. Especially if you restrict a lot and are also a low restricter. Passing out in public is not hot, it’s not cute, you don’t look like a helpless petty dainty flower, you get hosptialized and then forced into inpatient! While I’m grateful to have avoided that outcome myself, I know recovery takes time and 99.9 percent of us (including me) are not ready for that. Doesn’t help that inpatient ED places can often cause more ham then good. So please, bring a piece of candy, small bag of candies or even a sugar pill works! Just something that can raise your sugars if you have that feeling like you might faint

3. Purging via puking and I only say this due to the plenty of health complications it can cause and I mean really bad. Yes of course all forms of purging and all EDs are unhealthy, but the thing is you run at a risk of giving yourself cancer, rotting your teeth and even chest pain! I know I fucked my body up a bit purging because if I purge too much I will have fucking chest pain. It is legit not worth it, if you need to, try excerising, this method tends to be safer in most aspects.

[hello-nichya-here]

Why is the topic of curing disabilities/mental illnesses so controversial?

Simple: the conversation often excludes the very people that would suposedly benefit from said cures, and whenever we point out some pretty serious flaws in most people's ideas of how a "cure" for these conditions would work, we get yelled at and called ungrateful and/or stupid.

For exemple, plenty of organizations (like Autism Speaks) are always going on and on about how everyone needs to work together to find a cure for autism. Unfortunately, they do that while:

1 - Ignoring that pretty much any serious research into autism shows that it CAN'T be "cured" since it would need to AT THE VERY LEAST completely alter a person's nervous system (not just the brain, but every single nerve too), and that is sort of fucking impossible.

2 - Ignoring that autism is a genetic condition, and likely comes from anomalies in multiple cromossomes. Instead, they focus on stupid shit like soy milk, or vaccines, or something the mother did while pregnant supposedly causing it - things that have been proven false decades ago. Not only does that result in a HUGE waste of money, it often spreads misinformation about the condition (and does some serious damage, like a ton of diseases that had been previously erraticated coming back because of the anti-vax movement).

3 - Ignoring that plenty of autistic people DON'T WANT A FUCKING CURE. If you offered me a miracle cure for my anxiety, I'd take it, because this illness brought me literally nothing good ever. If you offered me a cure for my autism, I'd instantly reject it. Now, if I could get rid of just a few traits (like the sensory issues and meltdowns), I would accept it, but only if I was sure it would be JUST these traits that bring me difficulties, not stuff like hyperfocus or not liking it when people I don't know get too touchy with me.

4 - Trying to "cure" autistic people things like ABA "therapy", that was literally invented by the same guy who created gay conversion therapy and said that autistic people are not human, andwas proven time and time again to give patients PTSD + to not actually "cure" them, just make them mask their traits as much as possible, which led to many patients getting depressed and suicidal.

Now, you might be thinking "Okay, a cure for autism is a lost, pointless cause, but what about other stuff, like a blind person getting surgery so they will be able to see?"

That might sound much easier to do, but it can often be just as complicated. For some people, it would be just a few quick surgeries and then it's done, they can see for the rest of their life.

But say someone is blind because an accident that really damaged their eyes, to the point that, sure, maybe the surgery would be a complete, life-long success - or only help for a few years, then they'd be blind again, assuming it worked at all. And in some other cases, the possibility of complete, lasting success is just out question.

Is it that hard to imagine that some people would not want to risk the disappointment of it not working at all , or only working at first, then they'd end up blind again, forcing them go to the entire process of getting used to it once more after it was supposedly already over?

On that same kind of situation, there's also stuff like people getting MANY super complicated, super expensive surgeries that they'd take a long time to recover from and could have mixed results, like say someone who had a serious spinal injury - sometimes they'll be able to walk by themselves, other times they'll need a cane, and other times they'll need a wheelchair.

That kind of stuff can be a brutal process that would be very stressful, and once again, super expensive, and one could easily decide it's just not worth it, and just stick to being on a wheelchair all the time.

Since I mentioned money, that is unfortunately a factor many people ignore in pretty much anything related to medicine - if it is so expensive that basically nobody can afford it, then it might as well not exist.

There's also the problem of people spending all their time focusing on trying to find some miracle cure, and completely neglecting to do basic stuff that would assure disabled people would have a good life regardless. I lost count of how many "inclusive and accepting" schools I've seen (including the one I went to for most of school-life) or even HUGE hospitals that don't bother to have a fucking ramp or doors whide enough that would allow someone in a wheelchair to enter the room. Couldn't at least some of the budget from governments and charities go to that?

And to end the money talk, there's also the fact that some disabled/mentally ill people DO have money. So much money in fact, that they can just deal with life with barely any struggles, since there's a ton of people and resources they can turn to. Not that hard to imagine why they aren't spending every second of every day dreaming of a way to be cured.

And on that same vein, there's also situations like people who were born blind or deaf and plenty of them don't really want to be "cured" because... well, they might know other people's lives are different from theirs because of their disability, but they never really experienced the world in any other way, so what someone else could see as a tragedy or at the very least a really radical change in their own life is just some mundane shit to them. And even people who became disabled later in life can sort of go through the same if they are used to it and don't really see a point in trying to fix something that, if they're lucky enough to have proper support, isn't really a problem to them anymore.

Basically this topic could be way less of a mess, and more importantly way less condescending/ableist, if the goal was on helping each individual in whatever way would work best of them, instead of just lumping all the disabled and mentally ill into the same "tragic" group that can ONLY ever be "helped" by becoming "normal" so the rest of the world doesn't have to deal with the fact that some people are different and *gasp* that doesn't have to be the end of the fucking world.

[vazelbeak]

Thoughts on season 2 episode 4

Okay this episode I feel has a lot worth nothing so im taking notes and transferring them into a post. Apologies if this posts messy this episode had a lot to touch upon.

Worldbuilding

-First lets touch upon world building. This episode presented things that were really inconsistent. Was Andre there go facilitate the divorce? He didn't have paperwork or anything and he didn't know about Striker. If that was why he was there was it some plot to trick Stolas into going somewhere she could kill him. Stolas doesn't appear to go many places or have a job what's stopping Striker from sneaking into his castle? I think this needed more research and set up. Does Stolas have too much security around his castle?

Maybe have Stella mention "apologies brother, I couldn't tell you about Stiker and risk Stolas catching onto my plan by you anticipating him showing up. It takes a lot to get him to go somewhere outside his castle without Blitz or Octavia."

- There is also Andre implies Goetia live forever if not incredibly long by saying "eternity". I think this somewhat contradicts Stolas's need to have an heir when its implied Stolas's family has a habit of dying young last I recalled. Wouldn't there be more urgency for them because the whole point of a precautionary heir was incase Stolas died? Eternity could apply to everyone else, but did they forget the whole point was Stolas might not live as long as everyone else? Or is it that Stolas is now in the clear and doesn't have to worry once Octavia hits 18?

-If goetia live so long what do you mean none have ever behaved this way before? Certainly someone has to. On top of that you would think then that Andre would have an arranged marriage to right?

-If Stolas dies and everything goes to Octaiva, but Stolas hates Stella so much he wouldn't willingly give her anything I would think logically the solution is if Octaiva is under 18 (or maybe 15 because people can get jobs at 16) and Stolas is dead that Stella would have that control until Octavia hits 18 years of age A Series of Unfortunate Events style. So does Stella want Stolas's power or just straight up hate him and want him miserable? Whats the point here? Her plan to get this should've been over the moment they divorced.

-If hellbies shots are things hellhounds need every year on the surface it would make sense it takes so long to book an appointment. However if hellhounds are lower class and seen as so not valuable presumably wouldnt many be too poor to afford one or have people who dont care to book appointments for their hellhounds making it somewhat easier to book one? On top of that if so many hell hounds need and get appointments wouldn't the doctors be more prepared to handle Loona being afraid she far from the strongest if her build tells us anything? In veterinarian clinics if your pets are too scared to have their teeth cleaned, claws trimmed, or bathed, its common practice to sedate them to minimize injury to the doctors and pets. Is it because sloth is the only place with this type of doctors office? Why? (Personally id say maybe make it Hellfever to sound like hayfever? But thats personal taste)

-Why did they try to inject Loona in the neck and then go for the butt? Its common in injecting dogs to my knowledge you do it in the scruff, but if injecting Loona in the butt is fine it brings to question why they tried to go for the neck when it seemed initially that area would've been more reasonable to begin with when she was first pinned.

-Why do hellhounds need a cone for a shot?

Now lets talk characters!

Moxxie

-Blitzø mentions they used to kill other demons and prior i mentioned with S2E3 it would potentially make sense if Moxxie had a problem killing other demons and not humans due to his mom and knowing humans die and go to hell so its not killing in his eyes, but he had no problem killing people in wrath. If they wanted it consistent they shouldve made a joke that Moxxie forgot about the guy he had the gas pump wrapped around the neck of and drove away unknowingly killing him, no explosion or have it a bit delayed so Moxxie doesnt connect the two and have him mention "Huh i feel like I'm forgetting something."

-Why are demons thinking Moxxie stole their hat? Or that hats are their thing? I think this would be funnier if they weren't wearing a hat and presumed Moxxie stole it somehow.

Blitzø

-Speaking of Blitzø I don't find him as funny as they want him to be. Him being mean to a kid would be funnier if the kid seemed intentionally a jerk and not played as a kid who doesn't know better and parrots what his mom is saying. Because of that it seems like any anger directed towards the kid should be towards the mom.

"Reeeeeally cant say that word anymore." You were cool with it until very recently Viv so this just sounds like trying to backpedal when people have been discussing your history of ablesim. It also looks bad that you were fine with him saying that but censoring him calling someone a cunt.

-Why is Stolas being able to be hurt new to Blitzø? This feels like it belonged sooner as episode 2 than Seeing Stars where Blitzø didnt care on part because of the terms they were last on and assumed Stolas was capable of helping himself only to be wrong. On top of that in Seeing Stars they introduced Stolas having limited abilities without his book so it feels like having Seeing Stars first would mean Blitzø should already have been introduced to the concept Stolas is not invincible.

Stolas

-Stolas seems painfully oblivious in this episode. Why didn't he recognize himself as in danger earlier? Striker had angelic rope and tried to shoot him. Wouldn't that indicate he's in danger before Blitzo couldn't arrive? Why didn't he try using his ability to turn people to stone before being captured? If he was scared I could see that maybe he didn't think of it in the moment but even then it doesn't make a lot if sense.

-if breaking Stolas's leg isn't that bad bc Blitzo's been rougher then i think the "harder" joke used by Moxxie would've fit better for Stolas to use than anything. Make it a joke akin to Klaus in umbrella academy where he's stabbed and starts moaning and itd ruining Strikers attempts to torture him so he has a painful drawn out death.

-Why does it matter if Blitzo doesnt say anything when Stolas told him he could visit? It feels like theyre bouncing back and fourth between whether S1E7 had any significance. Stolas was hitting on him in Seeing Stars are we sure this is supposed to come before that?

Striker

- This is the second time we've seen Striker and the disconnect between what he says and what the team says about him is massive. If Strikers talk of hating what the goetia took away from him was all talk to convince Blitzo to turn on Stolas, I didn't follow the logic but might be able to run with it if kept consistent. The fact Striker talks about it to Stolas too doesn't make sense unless true. If they wanted him to be a bigot and embody toxic masculinity it would make more sense if he hated Stolas for divorcing Stella because "that's not how you treat a lady".

-On top of that Stolas pointing out he works for Stella is pointing out their own inconsistencies in my eyes because it highlights that Striker is contradicting his presented motives. If for example it was for money Stolas saying this would insinuate Striker is a hypocrite for being swayed by money to work for a goetia. This would explain it by implying Stolas is trying to make Striker turn on Stella by implying he should go after someone who only cares for money. Im not sure if I'm making sense but they're not presenting a train if thought here.

- Why would he even care about Octavia when he wasn't paid to kill her.

Stella and Andre

- Adding incest feels like a cheap attempt to make Stella more cartoonishly evil to backpedal on Stolas being bad for cheating. It doesn't feel like a planned idea or as though it has significance beyond "ew Andre is attracted to her! Look how bad they are!" And Andre has no other real significance in the episode.

Overall lacks research, the plot doesn't feel like it progresses naturally. I don't see why Loona getting a shot needed its own separate plot outside of to justify Blitzø not being there and it feels like following Blitzø getting her vaccinated just lacked any substance beyond Vivs need to cut away from anything sincere to comedy.

If they wanted Loona to get vaccinated I feel like the better plot to give some significance to it would be Loona not wanting a Hellbies shot but after seeing how much she's hurting Blitzø to avoid it (to a point he gives up) she realizes she needs to try to do it for him because he did go through the effort to book this appointment and look out for her and when she does she either realizes its not that bad or at least has the sense to be remorseful for how she treated him.

I think I touched base with most things. If Viv wants to brag that her episodes were the most liked and throw the rest of her team under the bus she can have fun with that, however to me it looks like she's thrown out her own established character and world building details again and its disappointing.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 4: Guess the Chocolate Croissants weren't for me

The weather is clearing up this week! Hit the beach a few times and ran outside, I’m really starting to feel like a local. Deidra and I have made good progress on our motor. We have hit all our performance marks and have kept it within our design constraints. Honestly as I’ve found with a lot of the research work I’ve done there’s a good amount of down time during the day. I’d say about 80% of our time is waiting for simulations to run, so while technically our work is being done there's not much we can do. So Deidra and I have taken to binging Netflix shows (all other platforms don’t work in Spain for some reason). We started off with this show called Muster dogs, transitioned to my favorite trash tv show Perfect Match, and she’s currently putting me on Sex and the City. I’m having a lot of fun at work and I’m really starting to enjoy the company of the people here.

Next on the list is my almost sudden encounter with lady death. Started the morning off like any other. It was my off day from running in the morning and I had been eyeing down the chocolate croissants at the breakfast buffet for a few days now. For context, I am deathly allergic to hazelnuts so I just hadn’t gotten around to asking them if I could eat them yet. Finally got around to it on Tuesday. In Spanish, so there was no confusion, I asked one of the lunch ladies if the croissants had any nuts. She said no and neither do the butter croissants, which I had been eating consistently everyday. Awesome I thought, I love chocolate croissants but can very rarely eat them. If it were up to my mom I’d be staying away from chocolate entirely but although I’m THE biggest Vanilla guy, I like to indulge every now and then. I cheerfully bring back my plate to the table and sarcastically say “she told me they had no nuts, lets see if she lied”. Safe to say I will not be making a joke like that ever again. I took one bite and immediately realized that it was not just chocolate. “What’s that I said” surprised, “Nocilla” my friend said. Nocilla as in hazelnut spread, as in basically nutella, as in the only thing I am deathly allergic to. I felt a bit of panic, my heart sunk. I had already swallowed my bite and just waited to see if I was going to have a reaction. To my surprise I wasn’t really feeling anything. I couldn’t tell if I was having a false alarm, placebo reaction or if I really was having an allergic reaction. There have been instances where I’ve thought I was reacting but really was just in my head about it. But this time I was 100% sure I ate hazelnuts. I quickly collected myself and thought, well I have my epipen (it's expired but still effective), if I feel like I can’t breathe I’ll use it. 

We deliberated for a couple minutes on what we should do. I wasn’t sure what was going on. We decided to walk to the nearest hospital just in case and if I got worse to use the epipen. So we started walking, halfway up this hill we realized we didn’t even know if this hospital was open. I told Diego to check if it was and it definitely wasn’t. How convenient. This was probably when I was the most scared, but I was surrounded by my friends, we had the safety of my epipen still to be used, and we now had a new plan. We will take the bus to the hospital we know is open, half an hour away by bus, and if at any point I get worse we would use the epipen and call for an ambulance.

It’s a funny thing, I felt surprisingly calm on that bus ride. By this point, if I was going to go into anaphylaxis I would have already and it felt nice knowing I have great people here with me. We made it to the ER without the need for my epipen. I got a shot on my ass which made it sore for the rest of the day. All worth it for the peace of mind of knowing I was completely safe now. 

I’d say my risk setting has been reset a bit. But all in all, I learned I’m surprisingly calm in stressful situations, I have wonderful people surrounding me, and that maybe just maybe I should avoid chocolate.

The rest of the week was much calmer. Took a nap on the beach on Wednesday as the sun finally came out. Went to the club with my buddies on Thursday night. The nightlife is a little crazy, pregaming doesn’t start till at least 10 and we made it to the club at 1 am to leave at 6 am. Safe to say waking up for work at 9:30am was a struggle, but I somehow made it on time. Also, the Euros started yesterday so I’ve been going to the local bars to watch soccer with all the Spain fans and I also explored more of the city on a long run. I’ll put some pics of the week below. 

Mateo Jimenez

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering in San Sebastian, Spain

[mingot-studios]

Re; DOOM!: Blendinians, Sonar, & Critters (script)

(the doors of the lab open, and Zim enters)

Zim: Caroline?

(Zim walks in further, then stops)

Zim: [yelling] Caroline!

(Zim Walks up behind Caroline)

Zim: [shouting] CAROLINE!! WHAT are you DOING!?!

(Caroline whips her head around from Fibi to look at Zim)

Caroline: SHHHH! Be nice! You’re ruining my concentration. (turning back to the restrained Fibi) Now hold still, will ya!?

Zim: Ugh! I can’t believe this! You’re not working the top-secret and super deadly ketchup gas!

Caroline: You know, you really gotta start thinking about the bigger picture.

Zim: [sputters] -What!? That’s exactly what you said about your tickborg nanobot-repellent floor wax!

Caroline: Now look, that stuff tested just fine on the chipmunks.

Zim: IT BURNED HOLES THROUGH ALL OF MY MACHINERY!!

Caroline: Well, you can’t make big breakthroughs without taking risks.

Zim: RISKS? RISKS!?! (Zim pokes Fibi between the eyes as he speaks) That’s a blendinian, you idiot! They’re a rarity all across the galaxy and worth a fortune! And here you are, trying to stick sonar in it’s head!

Caroline: but do you ever stop to think why I’m STICKING SONAR IN IT’S HEAD!?!

Caroline: Think of all those long nights, us pulling critters out of traps…

Zim: And finding them takes ages. WHAT’S THAT GOT TO DO WITH-

Caroline: Will you JUST SHUT UP!? Yeesh. Look. You and I spend like, what? 20 hours each week catching critters? That’s 20 hours we could be spending working more effective heat rays, chemical weapons, poisons, shrinking pills, soft drinks that turn people into marsupials, Look here. (Caroline pulls down a screen)

Caroline: We have traps everywhere, right? And when animals get caught in them, the traps send out a sonar beacon, right? Then, we have to drop whatever we’re doing, go out, pick ‘em up, bring ‘em back, (as she speaks the screen changes to depict the tedious process she describes) But with my sonar-enhanced blendinian, it finds the traps, it brings the critters to us! He-he. (The screen then depicts the sonar enhanced Fibi retrieving the critters and bringing them back to the base) More critters, more research, more experiments, (folds up screen) It’s flawless!

Zim: Caroline, I apologize. You are a genius!

[localwebslingers]

The book being moved to the archives wasn't a surprise to Peter. Off the shelf and in a record that was actively kept track of. Probably a safety precation that someone somewhere would have said was paranoid because who would possibly read that and try something similar? Not with those kinds of results. As one of those paranoid people himself now, Peter was a little relieved it was there and agreed, it wasn't worth the effort for Harry to try and break in and get a look at the contents. He was still plenty willing to bring his own copy by to let Harry have a look that way.

Getting to see the serum itself though...

He was queit another moment before deciding he'd taking the plunge this far, he may as well keep treading the water, "The serum itself isn't really around anymore, Conners was making it and had it kept to himself. He had this make shift lab down in the sewers he'd set up to work on it more and eventually the means to try and spread the serum to the rest of the city. It's gone now, I don't think Oscorp has record of it either, pretty sure he took it with him...like my dad took his own research." Peter tapped his thumb against the counter a few times, picking his words, "They were partners in the lab, worked together at Oscorp for the cross species genetics research program. My dad figured out the formula to balance out the genetics so they could be introduced to each other and made the spiders they had."

A wary smile of his own was given to Harry, "And when I found the formula he'd made hidden away, I gave it to Conners. I thought it would help, he said my dad had figured it out but took all his research one day and wiped everything from the system. And he wanted to do things to help people with it and I thought..." he thought it was going to be a good thing to do. That he was helping Conners with something important, something valuable, "Conners was the one to decide to use the serum on himself, but I'm the one who gave him the equation so that it was even an option. I even helped him develop the first batch of it."

Peter was quiet a moment and kept his eyes on Harry, "...I don't have any of the serum that you can look at. But...I can give you the equation I gave to Conners, and I can tell you what changes we did to make the serum viable and come together here. If you mean it, that you want to see it." because he respected Harry as a scientist and as a friend, but also because if there was anyone else alive that Peter would trust to see that equation and information and know exactly what it meant. Exactly how dangerous it could be given to the wrong person, or even used in the wrong way, the real risk it brought, it would be Harry.

\\ @inhcritance \\

He nodded, in confirmation. He'd used the Lizard Serum as a base, because it had been the most promising base he'd had on hand, in such a limited timeline. And then, he listened. Because he'd looked up Connors, looking for papers and what little information he could get, just in case there could be something useful, something practical. And he'd found out about the book, yes, and some of what had happened.

Certainly not enough, compared to one who had lived it closely, and faced the man at his lowest point. That alone was priceless information, for all that Harry hadn't expected Peter to have neither access to what remained nor a copy of the serum itself. And he didn't bother to try hiding the way his eyebrows rose in sharp, clear interest. Because that was an opportunity he hadn't seen coming.

"ESU has a copy of the book." He said, in the end. "But it's not in the shelves, it's on-request only. I did look it up, but breaking into the ESU archives seemed disproportionate, and too risky for too little reward." He admitted, with an easy shrug. "But I suppose trying to turn the city into lizards will do that to a man's reputation." He added. "Yet as far as I know, in my universe, he simply became a giant lizard, and rampaged through the city. I was not working for Oscorp at that point, and I haven't asked Connors himself." He admitted. "The man deserved better from me... and by the point I started working on the serum I'm using, I had full access to Oscorp's research, including the most classified bits. Connors' research, with all the reports he had on it, was my best bet, within a very short timeline, and the one least likely to backfire in a way that endangered everyone."

As far as he'd known, of course, and he leaned back against the edge of the table, gaze steady on Peter.

"I'd like to see it." He told him. "Even if it's unstable. Especially if it's unstable." He added. "Sometimes knowing what not to do, what to avoid, is as useful or more than knowing a path forward, in these matters."

And he didn't dare hold on to much hope, because even if it helped it might not help enough, not really... but every step closer to something stable was a step closer to a future where he could live, where he could stop fighting. Where he didn't have to spend days in isolation and then spend days hunting down someone who might be a friend in disguise.

Where he didn't have to wonder, every time he took out the vial, if this was the time he'd made a mistake and someone else would pay for it.

@localwebslingers

[marknee]

bts fanfics i personally think shakespeare would lose his job over in the 1500’s.

chapter i. ✷ chapter ii.

KEYS ON SEVERITY OF SHAKESPEARE’S STATE:

( ✮ ) — poor sod is on the floor. perhaps it’s shock?

( ♬ ) — he’s jealous he didn’t write this himself. well, it sucks to suck, mate.

( ✎ ) — currently handing him a tissue. give him a second.

( ♛ ) — both him and i lost our jobs. her majesty is ruthless.

THE SHAKESPEARE SERIES.

WARNING: keep in mind, some of these authors are very strict on the rule that no minors should read their work if they’re underage, and i will honour that. but, at the end of the day, i am not your parent. so, there’s that. but heed my warning wisely. any smut or 18+ content is highlighted in bold.

NOTE: without further ado, this are the fanfics that i think would cause shakespeare to lose his job: the first of many essays. let’s bring the guy to his knees. metaphorically.

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( ♛ ) THE BODYGUARD — by @rmnamjoons

!! bodyguard!namjoon x reader | 62.9k !!

bodyguard au, romance, smut, fake dating, slight angst if you squint, lil bit of violence.

firstly, we’re starting off strong. i present to you, the mother of all namjoon fanfics. and she’s a bad bitch. tbh, i feel like this fic needs a moment of silence just to relish in her glory. soak it all up. it’s essential.

this fic genuinely had me gobsmacked at how incredibly written it is. it delves into every detail and no aspect of the story is left dry. you can tell the author put their everything into creating this world you just submerge into. and it shows.

the world building is amazing, the characters are so thought out, and it feels like you’re just on this adventure with them and discovering their story as it plots out.

also, the build up to the smut? out of this world. that’s one thing i love about this fic: it doesn’t feel rushed. everything is very spaced out and takes it’s sweet time, so when you get to the chocolately nut of the ferrero rocher, it’s like gold and well earned. and you can enjoy it.

honestly, it’s been months since i read this and i think about it every day. i did do some research (for my own peace of mind) and this fic is longer than the perks of being a wallflower. and is it better? yes. sorry not sorry.

this work of art deserves to be read and loved. and i rest my case, your honour.

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( ✎ ) UNTIL THE LAST STAR FALLS — by @minniepetals

!! underworld lords!bts x shield!reader | 44.4k !!

reincarnation!au, poly!au, gods!au, unrequited love, minor character death, car accidents.

quick question — for science — how does one happen to lose all their memories without any sustaining any internal or external injuries? because the things i would do to read this again for the first time. and i do not use those words lightly.

this was my first ever ‘longer’ written fic. and if i’m being honest, i never really liked to read them because i have the attention span of a goat. but this fic lures you in from the very start and time slips away like smoke. to say, it definitely left its mark on me.

it’s so brilliantly written and you feel connected to the characters both mind and soul. you want the best for them, you want to save them, you actually want to crawl into the pages (or screen) and fucking help them out. and that sold it to me, i think. just the sheer love for these characters.

i balled when i read the last few sentences. i didn’t want it to end. i think i finished it at three in the morning and sent a voice note of me crying to my friend. tmi? well, now on my christmas list is 7 hot boys in the underworld who would risk their everything for me. and i, them.

worth every single second. trust.

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( ♬ ) WARM THIS WINTER — by @jamaisjoons

!! seokjin x reader ft. ex-boyfriend jungkook | 51.6k !!

christmas!au, vacation!au, angst, fluff, smut (18+).

one thing about solaris, is she never misses. if i could, i think i’d recommend every fanfic she ever put out, but that’s too much effort for me when you could simply click her masterlist. so, i’ll wait here for you to do that. make sure you come back though.

love. sure, there are hundreds- perhaps, thousands of fics on this app about it. so what makes this one different? well, that’s just it. the sorrowful honesty of love. knowing when it’s over, and when it’s blooming in the midst.

i’ve never been in love, but frankly, this fic really spelt it out for me. the pain, the joy, the lingering memories after everything is said and done. it’s all there. and it really settles in your heart as you near the end.

this work pulled on every single heartstring of mine, stamped on them, and then proceeded to sew anew for the future to bring its own miseries. and i enjoyed it more than i can say (or type).

give this a read if you need just that bit of spark in your life. and that bit of sadness, too.

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( ✮ ) STRIKE A CHORD — by @snackhobi

!! yoongi x reader | 15.8k !!

smut (18+), pianist!yoongi.

i don’t know what it is about this fic, but i come back to it whenever it pops up in my mind during my day. i’ll immediately unlock my phone and open this app, knowing i’ll feel better when the last word is read. and i feel content.

the atmosphere in this fic, if i may, feels as though you’re trapped in a warm, safe bubble with hazed music in the distance and soft light spilling through the thin layer of the bubble— not too dark, but enough to make you feel drowsy and peaceful. perhaps that’s why i return to it so often. i like how it makes me feel.

yoongi as an artist is already enough to make a person swoon, but as a pianist? i need a lie down. a cold towel to the head. just the whole characterisation of him in this fic needs a whole separate essay in itself, but you’ll understand my point when you read it.

forever a comfort fic, i think. and forever a comfort person. double whammy. case closed.

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( ✎ ) THE END — by @jimlingss

!! seokjin x reader | 31k !!

fifty percent fluff, fifty percent angst, loosely inspired by to all the boys i’ve loved before.

i say this with my whole chest: i have never underestimated the amount of emotions you can experience during a fanfic, until i read the end— both literally and metaphorically. shock horror.

this fanfic takes you through the adventure of the reader learning of what her future would commence if she were to marry either one of the six members. best part? she’s led through this rollercoaster journey by the ghost of kim seokjin.

first impression to such an offer? sign me the fuck up. i mean, what more could you ask for? however my final impression went a bit more on the lines of what the fuck just happened. very different ends of the spectrum, if you ask me.

i decided to hand both shakespeare and i a tissue after this great piece of art was finished because not only was i sobbing, he was on the floor knowing his romance play of pericles could never live up to such an incredible story.

this fic was a rollercoaster i would be delighted to get onto for another ride.

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( ✎ ) A UNIVERSE TO YOU — by @readyplayerhobi

!! soulmate!hoseok x reader | 41k !!

fluff, angst, smut (18+), soulmates!au.

shakespeare once said (according to google), “it is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves,” and if this fic wasn’t a soulmate!au, i think i would’ve agreed in some sorts. but as it is, in fact, a soulmate!au, i’m obliged to disagree. it was destiny i read this fic, hand on heart.

i was not expecting this fic to hit me in the feels as hard as it did. as you can tell by the other works listed in this essay of recommendations, soulmate!au’s come up a lot. and with a lot of the same plots flying around on this app, it’s hard to make one stand out. but this author definitely has a gift.

everything was so richly created it made you feel full. of wonder, of love, and of want. it made you crave it for yourself. and that’s what i love about this fic. it just makes you feel… good. and with the unfortunates of life currently, it’s one to get your head stuck in for some temporary relief.

dream soulmate? he’s right here, people. just enjoy the story and all the feels that float around your body. go on.

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( ✮ ) BUNNY — by @btssmutgalore

!! jungkook x fem!reader | 46.5k !!

non-idol!au, camboy!jk, friends to lovers, smut, angst.

let’s start here: never judge a book by its cover. a quote by george eliot going all the way back to the 19th century, and one i would use to describe this series as a whole, and my first impressions towards it.

this series, although unfinished (i think), has exceeded my expectations of a good smut outlined by a good plot. the best of both worlds, if you might. i came out of this series deeply in awe of the writing and the clear imagery the author manages to create within your own mind.

additionally, bunny was the beginning for me in learning about the world of camboys and camgirls(?), but i was greatly surprised. often, people are unkind to the new and stick to what they’re accustomed to, afraid of what the unknown might bring — me, included.

but, i’m glad i took the risk because i received three great things in return: a beautiful fanfic, knowledge of something that was foreign to me, and an author whose work i admire and shall be returning to in the future.

perhaps what i’m getting at is this could be a lesson to all. take a risk of something unknown because who knows? maybe something great will come out of it, and you’ll learn something. i did.

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( ♬ ) SEOUL UNDERGROUND — by @hunniejimins (ao3)

!! namjoon x jungkook x f!reader | 300k !!

mafia!au, enemies to lovers, violence, slow burn, love triangles, mob boss!namjoon, smut, heavy angst.

it’s ironic really. i found this work by someone else’s recommendation, and now i’m passing on the favour and recommending it to you, dear reader. it’s funny how the world works.

this work is the perfect balance of fantasy and reality and i love it. you’re hit with the beauty and clouded haze of love before being smacked back into the world at the realisation the very person you’re in love with, is a mafia mob boss and his killer mate. a real fun-sponge, i tell ‘ya.

nevertheless, this book kept me up early morning and late evening reading. it keeps you hooked, wanting, and hungry for more.

it’s nothing less of a masterpiece.

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( ✎ ) CREAM AND SUGA — by @snackhobi

!! yoongi x barista f!reader | 14.8k !!

coffee shop!au, barista!au, fluff, nfsw (18+).

@snackhobi is mentioned twice on this list. though, can you blame me? it’s just a good thing shakespeare and this author don’t exist in the same century. it would be absolute carnage but nobody is ready for that conversation.

this author has a talent of portraying yoongi in the most irresistible way possible. i swear, i fall in love with him all over again reading. i wish you understood.

the whole misunderstanding section made me laugh because haven’t we all been there? the crushing pain and overwhelming guilt of having a crush on someone you can’t have. it’s all too real, seriously. been there, done that (unfortunately).

especially having the holidays just past, this is a perfect fic for a warm evening in, while the coldness of winter storms past outside. such a cute fic. love, love, love!

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( ♛ ) LOST AND FOUND — by @taleasnewastime

!! seokjin x reader | 21.2k !!

strangers to lovers, fluff, angst, sfw.

everyone says they have a fanfic that changed them, whether they’re being hyperbolic or brutally honest. and in my case, it’s a matter of both latter and former.

a couple months ago, i reached what i thought was rock bottom regarding my mental state and i took to my imagination to save me from the daily hell of my own mind. and this book was one i never really forgot about.

everything this author wrote within this fic was honest, heartfelt and very, very real. from the way you don’t just go up after going through something, but fall occasionally and sometimes feel as though you’re back at square one, to the way that there definitely is hope in the dark moments, and a light at the end of the tunnel. albeit a very faint one.

it comforted me in a way and reminded me of what i thought to be lost. fruitless, even. but sometimes, it’s books like these that open our eyes to things we’ve forgotten during times of turmoil: the simple goodness of life. and of people.

“if you’re going through hell, keep going.” winston churchill.

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( ✮ ) CANDYLAND — by @honeymoonjin

!! seokjin x reader ft. elf!jk | 13k !!

thriller, angst, fantasy, husband!jin, some cursing.

my mother is the biggest thriller fan. not that you needed to know that, but she is. and she’s not ashamed of it either. she’ll let you know if she’s reading a really good thriller in the moment. trust me, you’ll know.

me? not so much. i’m more of a sappy, hopeless romance, happy ending kind-of-sod — if you haven’t already guessed from this list. but there’s a reason this fic is on the list, too.

this fic genuinely kept me on the edge of my seat- uh, bed. the secrets of what darkness lingered behind the happy exterior of this adventure trip gripped my eyes to the screen, and lord, was it worth it.

throw a bit of husband!seokjin in there too? what more could you want! and written by @honeymoonjin? what a win.

let’s just say after this fic i added a few other thrillers to my basket. and happily reported to my mum i was a changed woman. okay, i’m exaggerating, but you get my point. it was incredible.

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( ✎ ) LILY LUCK — by @gguksgalaxy

!! yoongi x reader | 10.7k !!

soulmates!au, angst, fluff if u squint, very slight implicit sexual content, anxiety.

although this fic may be the shortest on the list, do not underestimate its power. it is still as mighty as the others— perhaps, even more so.

i think the main emotion i want to hone into concerning this fanfic is compassion. it sinks into your bones and surrounds your entire being like a unwanted hug. and you can’t even stop it.

the author does a good job of making you feel intense compassion for the reader — who so desperately wants to meet her soulmate. which makes the ending that much more satisfying.

this is for those who’re lonely, need a pick up, or those who’re hopeless romantics and believe in love belonging to fate, such as myself.

“expectation is the root of all heartache.” william shakespeare. talking of the devil, he would definitely cry over this fic. either of bubbling emotions, or the fact he didn’t write it himself. sucks really. for him, not for me.

© marknee, 2023. all rights reserved.