#I love just seeing how characters react when doing basic stuff especially when they do basic stuff together.

[dan-crimes]

I love writers I love when they ramble on abt characters and their motivations, their core values and the reasons why they react to things in certain ways and having character interactions work off of each other due to their differing ways of viewing the world and in general I just love character analysis

[brain4stew]

PUPPETEER READER CRUMBS PLEAASSEEE ,,, ,,,,, like what would the forsaken killer cast do if the reader decides to be merciful and turn the round into a peaceful one then proceed to goof around

Interesting… I’ll see what I can do with your request for puppeteer reader, dear anon. 🙂‍↕️

(Note; Characters may be ooc, as I do not know how they’ll react, think or speak. I do not know their personalities, actions and behavior whatsoever!)

Killers reacting to Puppeteer reader going friendly, and making them do silly stuff!

(And what happens after the rounds!)

1x1x1x1 (1x4). ⚔️

The first time it happened they were arguably very confused. But, they thought you wanted to give the survivors false hope, so they just, went along with it.

However, when she sees your figure (avatar) goof around with the survivors, whilst she’s nearby, and can’t do anything?

Oh, he’s mad. (And a bit jealous. Though, don’t tell him I told you this!)

Why’d you make him go friendly? Do you like the survivors that much?

They’re glaring. Glaring at the survivors with pure hatred, especially Shedletsky. They think he did something to you.

Her glare does soften when it’s directed towards you however, but hardens when a survivor is nearby.

He gets practically forced into doing silly, and stupid things. Like, randomly attacking, just to see the survivors scramble a bit, and etc, etc. you get the gist.

So, when the rounds over, you (your avatar) is practically forced to stay within their room. Only to be let out a few minutes afterwards. They can’t stay too long away from you anyway, that’d break the helper and killer bond you two have.

(She’s just greedy when it comes to you.)

C00lkidd, Bluudud, Pr33typrincess, Mafioso. 🧱

They’re annoyed, sure. Especially C00lkidd and Mafioso.

Pr33typrincess is mostly annoyed because she’s not allowed to kill Two Time. (Fuckass nonbinary dagger person. /hj)

Bluudud doesn’t exactly care, even though he’d love to win each and every round.

Mafioso is annoyed because he cannot take care of those in debt. He does not fuck around when it comes to debt, which, is quite obvious with his occupation.

C00lkidd is annoyed because he can’t play tag and hide and seek with his father or the others! He just wants to have fun is all!!

Nonetheless, they all, especially the kids, enjoy the silly and stupid moments that happen. Mafioso, not so much, but he still likes the liveliness.

Mafioso is the one to be the most near you, just in case something happens to you. (He just likes being near you.)

The kids are well, being kids. They flock around 007n7 however, and of course, Elliot and Guest 1337.

C00lkidd actually once fell asleep by his father in one or a few rounds when it’s friendly.

Bluudud just, admiring Guest 1337.

Pr33typrincess just, playing dress up and all that with the others.

Mafioso kind of glaring at the survivors going near you. (He scared Noob on accident, poor guy.)

After rounds, it’s just a huge cuddle pile.

Basically; Mafioso behind you, as you lay against him, or on him. C00lkidd and Bluudud on either side of you and Mafioso, whilst Pr33typrincess is laying on you.

The kids end up falling asleep of course, since they had fun in the rounds and became drowsy afterwards.

Mafioso just giving you tips for future rounds, unless you decide to go friendly again, then he gives you random facts about him, his goons or bunnies and rabbits. Quietly of course, as to not wake the kids.

Jason. 🔪

He does not care if you go friendly or not.

If you go friendly, then he’s glad, you’re letting his mother rest for a bit!

As usual, he’s always quiet. The most he’ll say is just his usual; “Kill, kill” and “ma, ma”.

He doesn’t understand what you’re doing, but trusts you enough to just, make him go ftiendly.

Considering the silly stuff, you make Jason do gashing wound, just to get a survivor or two… Or more… Stuck in a wall.

The panic, and the struggle to get free from the walls makes you laugh, and it brings a faint small smile and laugh from Jason.

When the rounds are over, you will be helping Jason tend to his mother, to see if she still has energy to communicate with him when you’re not the one controlling him.

John Doe. 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣1️⃣1️⃣

He’s a bit annoyed, but not too annoyed. At least it feels like you’re giving him a break, which he appreciates. Although his corruption is being a b***h to him still…

You practically force him to go around one of the survivors, trapping them in a trail of corruption.

You also force him to fling survivors with his spikes when the survivors are in a corner, or not.

You’ll laugh of course, but John Doe doesn’t understand what’s gotten you laughing. Nonetheless, he smiles faintly. (As if he’s not already smiling like crazy…)

After the rounds, you’ll end up tired, and dozed off. John Doe just, being near you, while you lean against him to rest.

He glares at any killer that tries to wake you up. It works for most of the killers… Just… Not Guest 666 or Noli. (Just a few zaps of corruption on those two, and they’ll back off!)

Noli. 👾

This prick does not understand what you’re doing, or thinking of. But hey, at least he can silently admire 007n7 when he’s in a round too with you both!

You make Noli scare the survivors time from time, which, earns a small laugh from him, and a huge laugh from you, as you both watch the survivors flinch, and practically spin.

You’re mostly just, staying by Noli, or 007n7 whenever you’re controlling Noli.

Noli’s a bit annoyed, but oh well! At least he gets to hear you laugh, and you make him laugh too! So… Win-win!

After the rounds, Noli will surprisingly be tired, and he’ll lay on or lean against you, occasionally yawning as he tells you about the voidstar he has. Before he eventually dozes off, and falls asleep.

You of course, just let him. You do occasionally poke him and the voidstar for fun, which earns a grumble of annoyance from him, before he goes quiet again.

Azure. 🪻

He’s glad that you made him go friendly. He doesn’t really want to kill any survivors. Sure, he’d hurt them a little at least, but not full on kill!

He does occasionally steal glances at Two Time, from time to time.

You do make them use their tendrils to just, pick up a survivor or two, and just juggle them. Which earns a snicker from the both of you.

Otherwise, you’d be near Azure for a long while. Not like you can go freely, as you need to stay near the one you’re controlling to understand what to do, and all that.

They do wrap a tendril around you however, whenever Two Time is nearby, or too close for their liking. They don’t want you to get stabbed like them after all.

After rounds, Azure will wrap his tendrils around you, like a blanket, which makes you drowsy, and fall asleep. (He slaps Noli and Guest 666 with one or two of his tendrils, just to get them to leave you alone while you sleep.)

Guest 666. 👹

This guy… Feels like a puppy at most times. But he’s quite annoyed that you decided to go friendly.

He does look at Noob for a while, before looking back at you again when Noob looks at him.

You make them fling the survivors from time to time. Earning a chuckle and a cackle from him, and laughter from you.

You stay by him, or, well, his tail is wrapped around you, and carrying you around with it.

After rounds, they’ll be cuddling you, almost wrapping themselves around you, as much as they can that is. Like a dog or a cat cuddling up or around their favorite thing, place or someone.

They end up falling asleep by then, especially if you’re petting their head, and scratching behind their horns. They enjoy it quite a lot, surprisingly.

[prodigal-explorer]

how to write children's personalities

(this is part of my series, how to write children in fanfiction! feel free to check it out if you want more info like this!)

this is the main aspect of writing children that i see people mess up so often, especially in the fandoms i'm in (sanders sides and undertale). children are not adorable little noodles with no brains and no concept besides being cute and silly and crying. children are beings that are just as complex as adults, and they deserve personalities to match. this will make them way more interesting to read about! let's get started!

since there are so many aspects to personality to talk about and i don't want to sit here typing for ten years, we're going to do this guide a little differently. i'm going to divide these issues into archetypes, write a short description, and then make a list of do's and don't's for each one!

archetype one: the cute little baby

okay. babies are cute. we all know this, and i'm not saying it's a bad thing to make your babies cute. a lot of people love reading about moments with adorable little babies. but here are some ways to step this kind of thing up, and some things to avoid if you want to improve upon writing this archetype.

do's:

give the child character another archetype besides this one. though "cute" is the foundation for a lot of child characters, it's not a personality. and if a character is vital to your story, then it needs a personality. that's just a rule. you will read more about other archetypes further along in this post!

make the moments symbolic. though it doesn't seem like it from an outsider's perspective, basically everything a baby does is for a reason, and every action a baby makes can say something about their personality. if you want this baby's personality to be energetic and curious, have them crawl around and explore things, and laugh a lot, and babble. if you want this baby to be more sullen and shy, have them cry quietly instead of wailing, or have them squirm when being held by new people.

make the actions of the baby's guardians affect the mannerisms of the baby. babies act differently depending on how the people taking care of them act and react. for instance, if the baby's guardians are very busy people, then maybe have the baby cry very loudly whenever they want something, since they know that it's the only way to get the attention of their guardians. stuff like that can add depth to a character and to a general story.

don't's:

decide that the baby is cute and call it a day. sweet little babies are cool and all, but they get very boring to read about after a while. this can barely even be considered an archetype because of how bland it is when it's by itself.

keep this archetype around for too long. as babies turn into toddlers and then children, they don't act even remotely the same way. it's strange and off-putting to read about a seven year old acting like a two-year old, unless it's a very clear character choice that is a result of explicit actions and events.

make the baby know that it's cute. realistically, children don't understand the concept of cuteness until they're around toddler age. if then, you want to make the kid be like "i get what i want when i'm cute, so i'll act cute!", then sure, that's hilarious. but when they're two months old, they're not batting their eyelashes because that's their personality. they're batting their eyelashes because they got something in their eye. the main thing that makes a baby cute is that they don't know they're cute. they're just figuring out how to do ordinary things.

make everything a cute moment. while babies are awesome, raising them isn't always sunshine and rainbows. make the baby do something wildly chaotic, because babies do wildly chaotic things all the time. not only does this make things more realistic, but it makes things very interesting!

archetype two: the shy kid

as a former shy kid, i know good and well that these types of children exist, and they are very real and valid. however, there are certain ways i've seen them written that are just terrible because once again, this archetype cannot be considered a full personality on its own. let's get into the do's and don't's.

do's:

make their shyness a deliberate choice. kids aren't usually naturally shy. kids are usually more curious than cautious. is there a reason why the kid is shy? there doesn't have to be a reason why the kid is shy, but there could be a reason why the child is NOT outgoing/curious. try and give something like this some deliberate cause, instead of just making them shy so they can seem more precious and infantilized.

make their shyness manifest in diverse ways. not all shy kids cling to their guardian's leg and sit alone during recess. there are different ways to be shy. you can be aggressively shy, or fearfully shy, or shy due to general unwillingness to change.

make their shyness have realistic consequences. someone who's shy is probably not going to have many friends, if any. not all shy kids magically meet an extrovert who adopts them. someone who's shy probably has underdeveloped social skills, which can lead to them being less emotionally intelligent down the line. this makes the shy kid archetype a lot more three-dimensional than just a wet noodle of fear.

don't's:

infantilize shyness or treat it like it makes the kid some sweet, precious angel. not only is this very uncomfortable for shy people to read, but it's generally unrealistic. shyness doesn't affect how good or bad somebody is - it's a neutral trait.

use shyness as a tool to make characters seem younger. shyness does not indicate age. fear manifests in many different ways, and shyness is not the only way.

rely on cliches. not all shy people have the same journey, and the idea that a shy person becoming more outgoing is the "goal" is not only a bit offensive, but it's very cliche. shyness is not always an obstacle to be overcome.

archetype three: the happy-go-lucky kid

oftentimes, the reason why children characters are written into stories in the first place is to give a little bit of lightheartedness and innocence. to add a unique voice among all the cranky, stingy, burdened adults. but you have to be careful when writing this archetype. i personally really dislike this archetype as a whole, but i'm going to put personal feelings towards it aside because honestly, there's no valid reason to dislike it besides opinion.

do's:

give the kid a trademark. maybe this kid makes a lot of little jokes, or maybe they always see the best in a situation. give the kid one thing that makes them happy-go-lucky instead of just giving them everything because nobody is endlessly happy all the time in every way.

go deeper. while happiness is very often genuine, sometimes, it's a mask that hides something else. this can be an interesting way to sort of spice up your happy-go-lucky kid character. maybe the kid is hiding a big secret behind all those jokes.

don't's:

make the character always happy. while children tend to have simpler thoughts, they don't have simpler minds. this child needs to have thoughts, real, genuine thoughts that aren't just happy things.

see happy-go-lucky as a trait that is exclusive to children. comparing happiness to childhood and viewing them as the only places where the other can exist is just wrong, and it's kind of depressing. maybe give happy-go-lucky kid a happy-go-lucky adult to exchange jokes with!

---

those are the archetypes that i see a lot. but now, i'm going to suggest a few child character archetypes that i LOVE that i don't see enough in fics! feel free to use any of these that you like. alter them, combine them! these are, in my opinion, some of the most fun child character personalities!

the spoiled brat: "i want this, and that, and that, and- why aren't you giving it to me?? if you don't give me what i want, i'll tell on you!". spoiled brats are so fun to read and write about, especially when they have absolutely no reason to be spoiled given the current situation (think riches to rags). they've got everything, humor, angst, and best of all, lots of pockets for personality. think about why the child is spoiled. were they enabled by their guardians? did they grow up rich, with access to everything they wanted? think about whether you want the child to stay spoiled. does something change? do they learn how to improve their materialistic and selfish tendencies? there are so many opportunities to play with the personality of this child!

the know-it-all kid: while i do see a lot of know-it-all kids in media, oftentimes, they don't actually have personality besides bossiness and intelligence. i love know-it-all kids who have depth to them. kids who are constantly spouting information because of their sheer love to learn. kids who have one specific thing that they know everything about, so they never stop talking about it. kids who tell people what to do and act like they know best because they don't have a lot of control over anything at home, so they grasp at whatever control they can find elsewhere. i think this archetype could open up a lot of ideas for personality further down the line. it also has a lot of variety with humor and angst, and general depth.

the serious child: this is an archetype that i cannot get enough of. i love a child that doesn't think they're an adult, per se, and still enjoys kid things, but just has such a calm and regal air about them that isn't learned. it's just natural. think of the kid that doesn't really get excited about things conventionally, but you can tell they're happy by their faint smile. the kid that seems to live in slow motion, and doesn't mind this fact at all. the kid that sits alone at recess just because other kids scare the birds away, and they want to see how a bird acts when it doesn't think its being watched. i love kids who have poignant thoughts, because their thoughts are so creative and different from adult thoughts.

the adult-ified child: now this is another archetype i can't get enough of, but it's for a different reason. this child, on the other hand, does think that they're an adult for one reason or another. maybe their guardians forced them to grow up too quickly. maybe they just wanted to grow up quickly by themselves. but this child has thoughts that are too big for their little bodies. they explore things that aren't meant to be explored when their brains are still so small. they do everything too quickly, they stumble through life as if a clock is ticking somewhere. to me, they're just haunting to read about. it feels wrong and dangerous to just watch them do things that hurt them because they don't know any better, but they're on a page. nobody can stop them. it's just so tragic, i'm obsessed.

the prodigal child: this archetype isn't really as deep or detailed as the others, but i do appreciate it. this archetype is for a child who knew who they wanted to be from an early age. a child who wanders into a ballet class and finds out they're better than the ten year olds by the time they're five. this archetype often pairs really well with the know-it-all kid or the adult-ified child because usually, children don't experience what it's like to be the best at something until they're a lot older. this is just a really cool archetype when you aren't quite sure what to do with that main character's little sister.

the chaotic child: this archetype is so much fun to read and write, to be honest. this is a child that just does as they please, whether it's out of curiosity or for pure enjoyment. think of the crazy stories that your guardians have about you or your siblings being absolutely insane. scribbling in a book and then demanding that the library publish their version. trying to ride the dog like a horse. cutting up clothes in an attempt to be a fashion designer. this one is just plain fun!

---

now, there are so many more archetypes out there, but those are just my spotlights and recommendations! i hope after reading this, you feel more equipt to write child characters that have real, engaging, interesting personalities!

[0viraptoraskblog]

what do you think how btd and the hunt characters would react to clown/jesters (like killer clowns)

I’m assuming you mean in general(?) if you mean that MC is a clown, that’s a whole other ask ^^;

Strade- indifferent to clowns in general. As for killer clowns, like in movies, he’d rather have something more natural— like himself. A killer who’s just another person. So it’s not his favorite thing.

Ren- a bit unnerved by clowns in general, and not particularly interested in anything involving killer clowns. It’s just a little too much, he finds them creepy.

Lawrence- dislikes clowns. They have too much energy and make him very uncomfortable. Honestly, he might see the appeal in a killer clown more because they acknowledge the fact that clowns aren’t fun to be around (he thinks people who like clowns are crazy)

Sano- doesn’t like clowns in general, however he can understand using the aesthetic of a clown for something more pristine like a doll. You’d just have to tweak it so it looks visibly pleasing enough. He thinks killer clowns are ‘childish’ almost (his words, basically meaning he deals with murder constantly and can be so much more affective without dressing up all creepy. He feels more sophisticated than that.)

Akira- doesn’t love them, doesn’t hate them. He does like horror movies though, and I’m sure he’s seen a fair share of killer clowns stuff.

Vincent- Has no childhood memories, and I don’t think he’s been around a clown in real life since he got out of the hospital. So he literally has no opinion.

Cain- he doesn’t see the appeal. Similar to Sano, he finds it a little overkill— especially when involving murder. He doesn’t get it at all, and judges because of that.

Rire- also doesn’t see the appeal, but he finds it humorous that humans enjoy that kind of thing. He sees it on a very surface level, but still.

Derek- doesn’t like them, and absolutely talks bad about them, as with most people. He thinks they’re just asking to be made fun of, and aren’t they? Well, not in his sense of the word. Secretly gets a little spooked by killer clown movies, (he likes the gore and killing, but if it’s one that’s well made and especially creepy it’ll make him jittery. He’d obviously never tell anyone though) so he doesn’t like them either.

Celia- clowns and killer clowns alike just make her uncomfortable. She’d rather have something with ‘taste’, this feels too low for her standards of entertainment.

Mason- has never seen a clown or killer clown or media involving either. However, if there was ever an actual killer clown near him, rest assured he’s got it taken care of.

[base0h]

HOW HAIKYUU CHARACTERS REACT TO BUGS

a/n - watched a TikTok vid by @emmafischer8 about how setters would react to a spider and it was hilarious so I had to do everyone else too 😀👍

Warnings ⚠️ - g/n reader, s/o reader, crack

- he’s not very scared of them so you can probably count on him to kill them for you if you ask 😭🙏

- but honestly he’d probably name a spider Fred and give it a leaf to sit on when he puts it outside

- and in the morning when he wakes up he’d also say good morning to Fred even if he doesn’t see him because he thinks Fred might still hear him

- “Bokuto who’s Fred..?” -you

- “That spider fella from last week! The one that was on the ceiling :)”

- “…You named it?”

- “Mhm!”

- “I love you Bokuto 😭”

- “Oh I love you too y/n :D”

- He has a lot of bug friends

- especially during summer he gets a lot of ladybug and butterfly buddies

- he prolly has named them after which friends he thinks they remind him of

- theres a praying mantis named kuroo 🙏

- he’s scared of them

- he hates them with every fiber of his being

- never take him to Australia or ANYWHERE remotely outdoorsy 💀

- he’s the type to get even quieter when he’s afraid— and he can’t even bring himself to move away from said danger he just stares at it helplessly 😭

- he could be doing homework or something and then all of the sudden his pencil will stop, and he’s just frozen in place

- you can’t even tell if bros still breathing

- “Akaashi..? You ok?” -you

- there’s no answer

- no acknowledgment

- just dead silence

- then you see why, and it’s a tiny little spider on the wall in front of his desk

- you have to kill all the bugs or take em outside, akaashi will do everything else but that for you so yeah 😭

- you also might have to comfort him for a while after because he’s so scared he gets nightmares about em 💀

- I swear yk those jumpscare vids on TikTok where the bug legit jumps out at you and that Asian dude is like: hey, you ok?

- BUT THE MF COMES WAY TOO FREAKING LATE SO IT DOESNT EVEN HELP

- yeah akaashi has beef with him

- he wants to set his house on fire and lock the doors with the guy still inside :)

- seriously you could be just chilling and all of the sudden he’ll chuck his phone across the room and he looks like he looked at Medusa or sum 💀

- those vids that try to like make you feel bad for bugs because they’re just trying to exist mean nothing to him

- “Ok then exist somewhere else? Preferably nowhere near me?” -Akaashi (probably)

IM TALKING ABOUT THIS GUY. (JUMPSCARE WARNING)

- ok see— he doesn’t call it ‘fear’

- he calls it ‘disliking things with more than 3 legs’

- he acts all tough and mighty until you’re faced with the final boss…

- summer

- Idk why but I feel like he’d have a tiny little dog— like a corgis or a terrier or something

- it sometimes eats flies and stuff— and Kuroo worships it 😭

- he’s totally the type to like try and create some intricate trapping system for bugs so that his dog can take care of it for him

- Kenma thinks he’s insane :) (he is)

- side note he also probably cuddles with his dog and has good dreams whenever he sleeps with it nearby him 🥲🙏

- anyways, you’re basically his knight in shining armor now, congrats! :D

- “Oh y/n you look absolutely gorgeous today—“ -kuroo

- “Where’s the bug.”

- “…..Corner wall.”

- sly mf 💀 bro thought he could fool you

- don’t worry he’ll make it up to you however you want 😭

- you name it and he’ll do it

- anything for his knight in shining armor

- his heroic insect slayer

- his courageous promised messiah—

- yeah you get the gist lmfao

- you should probably start taxing him for it

- he MIGHT boycott you though 💀

- I honestly think they’re scared of him

- I feel like no bug has ever escaped osamu’s sight

- like if a fly lands on his food it’s genocide time

- he will find its cohorts and kill every single last one

- kinda scary ngl 😭

- in the kitchen he’s probably armed with a fly swatter 24/7

- not one of those plastic flimsy ones though, the heavy duty high voltage shit, only the best

- Let’s be real though, if a fly noticed Osamu looking at it— it’d run and not be able to escape 💀

- Those vids that are like: “no but the bug was just existing— what if it had a family?” Yeah no Osamu doesn’t give a shit

- “It’s their fault for touching my food. Not my fault they might not have a parent anymore.” -osamu

- “Yeah but you didn’t need to like— chop it up like an onion—😭”

- “It reminded me of Atsumu so I was extra pissed at it.”

- “Hey! :(“ -Atsumu

- “Ah I see, makes sense.”

- “HEY! >:(“

a/n - I need an osamu to kill the mosquitoes in my house I can’t kill em all myself— I’m losing the war here 😭

[ndrv3expert1]

Why Do We Love Seeing Our Favorite Characters Suffer?

It’s like an unspoken rule in fandom: if you have a favorite character—a “blorbo”—you want to see them suffer. Not in a mean way (we love them!), but in a put them through hell and watch them break kind of way. And then, once they’ve been completely emotionally destroyed, we turn around and say, “Actually, I want them to be the happiest person alive.”

We’ll write fics where they get to be safe, loved, and thriving… but also fics where they’re barely holding it together. We’ll create AUs where the worst never happened, only to still find ways to make them suffer. It’s the duality of fandom.

But why do we do this? Why does suffering make our favorite characters better in our eyes?As a Danganronpa fan, I’ve seen this in action a lot. We’ll create non-despair AUs, but will that stop the angst? Nope. We’ll write post-game fics where the survivors try to move on, but the trauma still eats them alive. And yet, we also turn around and make content where they’re happy, together, and free.

It’s this weird push and pull between wanting them to heal… and wanting to drag them through the worst imaginable pain first.

So what is it about suffering that makes characters so compelling?

1. Emotional Growth and Development

Let’s be real: watching a character go through hell makes them more interesting. A character who’s just happy all the time? Kinda boring. But a character who’s been through the worst and still keeps going? Now we’re talking.

There’s something about seeing them struggle that makes them feel more real. You get to see their vulnerabilities, their breaking points, and how they react under pressure. And when they do manage to grow from it, it feels earned.

Take Shuichi, for example. Seeing him go through all the weight of his friends dying then taking down the game that caused their suffering that's the good stuff. It feels so much more meaningful because we saw what it took to get there.

2. Relatability and Humanity

Characters who suffer just feel more real. Nobody’s life is perfect, and when fictional characters go through tough times, it makes them feel more human. Their emotions—whether it’s grief, fear, or desperation—make them easier to connect with.

Even if we haven’t been through the exact same things, we get the emotions behind them. Seeing them struggle can feel like looking in a mirror sometimes, and that connection is what makes us latch onto them so hard.

Ryoma is emotionally distant and initially refuses to get involved with the other students, but as the story progresses, his humanity shines through. His struggles with loneliness, despair, and his desire for redemption mirror universal feelings of wanting to escape the weight of loss while still searching for a meaningful connection.

His suffering, especially in dealing with his personal guilt and past trauma, can make him a very relatable character for some, as many of his emotional challenges are reflective of real-world emotional battles people face. Ryoma’s journey throughout the game embodies the theme of human vulnerability and the complexities of trying to find hope in the face of overwhelming darkness.

3. The Contrast Between Pain and Joy

The reason we love to make our faves suffer and be happy is because one makes the other hit so much harder. If a character’s just happy all the time, it doesn’t feel as impactful. But when a character has been through hell and finally gets a moment of peace? That’s when we feel it.

Think about it: watching Maki smile after everything she’s been through? That is what makes it powerful. If she was just happy from the start, it wouldn’t have the same weight. The suffering makes the happiness feel earned.

4. Catharsis (AKA, Glorified Therapy)

Let’s be honest, sometimes we just project a little too hard. Watching characters go through emotional breakdowns, trauma, and existential crises is basically free therapy at this point. We put them through pain, watch them survive it, and in some weird way, it helps us process our own emotions

It’s like, “If they can make it through this, maybe I can too.” Their suffering feels familiar, but their healing gives us hope. It’s weirdly comforting, even if we’re the ones making them miserable in the first place.

Take Kokichi underneath all his lies and pranks, there's a longing for genuine connection and understanding, but he’s terrified of being vulnerable.

Kokichi's journey through deception and eventual emotional exposure offers a deep form of catharsis. Fans can project their own feelings of vulnerability, fear, and longing onto him, and when he finally allows himself to show his true emotions, it’s a bittersweet release that resonates on a personal level.

5. Projection (We’re All Guilty of It)

Let’s be real: we see ourselves in our favorite characters. Whether it’s their insecurities, their struggles, or just the way they react to things, we latch onto them because we relate. So when they suffer, it feels personal.

And when they finally win—whether that means healing, finding happiness, or just getting a break—it feels like a win for us too. Seeing them overcome their struggles gives us the tiniest bit of hope that maybe we can too.

Many people can project onto Kaito because, despite his loud personality, he struggles with feelings of inadequacy and fear, particularly surrounding his health and the pressure to be the "Ultimate Astronaut"—a title that weighs on him heavily.

Kaito represents the idea of pushing through hardship while trying to maintain an outward appearance of confidence, which is something a lot of fans can relate to, especially when dealing with their own struggles while trying to appear strong or capable to others. The way Kaito allows his insecurities and fears to be buried under his bravado speaks to the way many people carry their own emotional burdens while trying to stay positive for others. When fans project onto him, they might see aspects of themselves, their own struggles with self-doubt, or the desire to be a source of support and strength for others.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, we love seeing our favorite characters suffer because it makes their stories deeper, more emotional, and more relatable. Their pain makes them feel more real, their growth makes them more compelling, and their happiness—when they finally get it—feels earned.

It’s not just about watching them struggle or giving them a happy ending—it’s about the journey in between. And that’s what makes storytelling (and fandom) so addictive.

So yeah, I will continue to put my favorite characters through hell… but only because I love them. (Sorry Tenko.)

Why do you love "torturing" your favorite character is it one of the reasons above or do you have your own reason?

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

What did you think of kataras character arc if you exclude all the shipping wars?

Did you like it

I think it's pretty good, and I like her character a lot. I'd say she was the best written female character, and one of the best written characters in general, and that's despite her not being my favorite on either category.

There were a few issues/inconsistencies, namely her going from not being as good as Aang at waterbending then suddenly she's a master, or her stealing from the pirates yet getting on Toph's case for "cheating a cheater", but overall I'd say the show handled her well.

I like that they allowed her to be one the kindest characters, yet don't shy away from making her assertive, proud, strong-willed, stubborn and even mean sometimes (because children be like that) and that is so satisfying to watch, especially compared to bullshit like the Netflix version that is fucking TERRIFIED of giving the characters any flaws, to the point of stripping them of any agency or emotion.

Even her being both a fighter AND a healer ties into that duality. If you mess with her, you're fucked. But if you're nice to her, she'll be nice to you. And if you're in trouble, even if you're are a stranger, she'll help you because she can't wrap her head around the notion of just letting an innocent suffer. And as a bonus she commits ecoterrorism and helps deliver babies. Girly can do anything! How could anyone NOT love her?

We see her compassion ties in with her morals and convictions in MANY episodes (Imprisoned, Jet, The Avatar State, Crossroads of Destiny, The Painted Lady, The Puppet Master, The Southern Raiders, etc) as a result it feels like we really KNOW Katara, to the point that it's super easy for me to forget that she's a character because she's just that believable. I don't see a list of traits or just necessary actions that move the plot forward, I just see Katara being Katara, reacting to and influencing the world around around her.

As for her arc, like I said, I do think it was strange how she went from struggling to do some basic stuff to being able to hold her on in a fight against Pakku so fast, but once the show settled on "This girl be strong as fuck" they made damn sure we didn't forget it and they were smart to tie that in with her being a super inspirational figure (and to also have continue to learn new things even after being considered fit to be the Avatar's official teacher, so it made that incosistency a bit less distracting).

Pakku calls her master and Aang calls her sifu, we see her doing lots of cool moves in fights, and she's powerful enough that Hama's bloodbending doesn't work on her, she literally held up the rain and parted the seas and, oh yeah, she brought the Avatar back to life. No fucking wonder the messiah of this story took one look at her, fell in love immediately, and said the SHE gives HIM hope. It IS pretty difficult to give into despair when you're friend is that awesome, and goddamn, it'd be hard not to simp.

I also love that the show lets her be smart with HOW she uses her powers. Even in the second episode, when she's struggling with her bending and accidentally freezes Sokka instead of their enemies, she's smart enough to think "I just have to do the exact same motion, but to the other direction", she can work with her mistakes. She uses her waterbending to lift up a piece of the floor to defend herself from Mai's knives. She even uses her own sweat as a source of water before meeting Hama and being made to think of "Oh yeah, nearly EVERYTHING has water." Her last battle move in the show even was a mirror to her struggling to freeze her enemies at the start of the series, with her luring Azula to the right spot to freeze them both, unfreeze herself and slowly chain her, showing us how using her powers effortlessly has become second nature to her.

But THE episode that shows us the key role Katara plays in the story is "The Desert." Appa is gone and can't fly them away, Aang is too emotionally distraught by Appa's kidnaping to be of any help, Sokka is high as fuck, Toph can't "see" or use her bending as much because she still struggles to use sand the way she uses Earth, and we know for a fact that Momo doesn't understand a damn thing that's going on. The responsibiliy of keeping everyone together and then getting them out of there fell entirely on her shoulders for that episode, and she handled it like a pro. And at the end, when Aang is going nuts with grief, Katara is the only one not cowering before his power and can bring him back to earth with just one look.

The show could never work without her. The creators even said she's the heart of the story. That's why her voice is the first one we hear in every episode. She introduces the audience to this world and is the one to welcome us back each time. We learn her backstory before we even see Aang, that's how central she is to the plot.

And just like her introduction was handled perfectly, her send off was the same. She is reunited with her dad, who is very proud of her and knows her mom would feel the same way. She has helped save the world, and now she can finally be a kid again. She is free from the war. Free to go home with her family, travel with her friends every now and again for FUN instead of on a mission.

And yes, she's in a relationship now, with the guy she has clearly been in love with for a while. That romance IS one part of her arc and I celebrate it because there's nothing wrong with wanting love. I was cool with it even back when I didn't care for Kataang as a ship and didn't think it'd last - because I already cared about Katara and had seen the literal YEARS of foreshadowing, set up and development for it.

That's why I don't mind it when people ship her with her someone else - but get furious when Zutara shippers claim ALL OF THAT doesn't really count as her being treated with respect, both in universe and by the writers, because she didn't up marrying Zuko and becoming his girlfriend and future wife. Like it was all for nothing unless she kisses an emo boy and/or end up being a ruler, despite never having any interest in ruling anything. Like Katara's character and arc, all that she is, all that she overcame, accomplished and was rewarded with is irrelevant if the romance is not with the "right" guy. ONE part of her arc not being what they would have preferred RUINS her for people COMPLETELY.

And they have the nerve to call themselves "the REAL Katara fans"? What a joke. They can ship whatever they want, but they better put some respect on her name.

[canonizzyhours]

i'm so glad this blog is back! so as one of our fandom's few, proud canon-flavor blackhands shippers (there are dozens of us! well, maybe one dozen. if i'm lucky) i want to celebrate by venting about something that bugs me in fic about the edizzy relationship.

in fic with sympathetic takes on izzy (and not just canyon ones, i see it pretty frequently from even anti-canyon people who are trying hard to be fair to the character) authors will have izzy, in the throes of unrequited love, thinking about all the good times he and ed used to have together pre-stede, how they used to laugh and have so much fun together. i understand where this is coming from but it is completely losing the core dynamic of the relationship! the key thing about edizzy, the thing that defines their dynamic and that makes the relationship so compelling, is that they both deeply (albeit in fucked up ways) love each other but despite that at the same time THEY DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER, not even a little bit, and they never have.

you'll see canyon meta sometimes try to establish otherwise, but it's always sort of goofy like a lot of canyon arguments, usually the evidence will be, like, an isolated screencap where con smiles for a brief moment while ed does something in the foreground (often if you actually watch the scene it turns out he's reacting to something unrelated). or people will say ed trying to show izzy all stede's stuff must show that izzy used to respond positively to that sort of thing, instead of what's obviously going on in the scene which is that ed is desperately lonely and doesn't have anyone to talk to EXCEPT izzy.

but look at what we know about them. the parts of ed's personality that show the most when he's actually having a good time are the parts of him izzy likes the least. when ed's having fun he gets silly and playful. izzy disapproves of play and silliness on principle, and he especially hates it in ed, because he sees it as ed rejecting the blackbeard persona and therefore rejecting izzy himself. it's oil and water. this is reinforced by the parallels between izzy and mary: it's not like stede and mary used to like each other before their marriage decayed. they were miserable together from the moment they met; they don't have any shared interests and neither understands the other's creativity; and they don't really start to become friends until they give up on trying to make their relationship something it never could have been and try being honest with themselves and each other. in the same way it's not till around s2e6, after ed and izzy have both stopped lying to themselves and izzy has gotten over most of his hangups, that they even really get to a place where they might have been capable of starting to build an actual friendship. this is also part of why djenks ended up framing the relationship as family: a lot of familial relationships are people who've been through lots of huge life-defining events together and love each other deeply because of it but that doesn't mean they actually like being around each other.

if you want two guys who actually like each other, gentlebeard is great for that, in addition to being in love they also just like each other so much. if you want two guys who USED to like each other but don't really anymore and haven't fully realized that yet, you want ed & jack. ed and izzy work well together, they've been through all sorts of adventures together, they've probably saved each other's lives a dozen times over, izzy worships ed for his piracy prowess and general hypermasculinity, ed values izzy's performance as his first mate and also secretly craves his fatherly approval. they care deeply for each other for all those reasons. but there is no way there have ever once in their whole relationship just enjoyed hanging out with each other. they simply do not enjoy each other's company! they have all this deep emotion tied up in each other but on the most basic level they just don't like each other at all and i'm not sure either of them even fully realizes it! and that core tension is THE ENTIRE KEY to what makes their relationship like it is.

#441.

[the-artist-grimm]

14, 18, and 27 for the ask game :3

ASK GAME

14. what’s something you’ve always wanted to do but maybe been to scared to do?

Hm...honestly just reaching out to artists I admire-I always get shy about reaching out and saying hi to people online, and even if we're mutuals I always get shy about messaging.

18. do you believe in ghosts and/or aliens?

For aliens statistically there's got to be SOME form of life out there, like there's so many planets and galaxies that for only Earth to have life on it seems very improbable. It may not be intelligent life or life like in movies or games, but there's got to be at least something out there.

As for ghosts neutral. I grew up with a father who was a funeral director/volunteered in a cemetery, and sometimes my mother would take my twin and myself over to visit him at work, especially when his original boss was still alive-she had no grandkids so she enjoyed seeing us visit. I often poked my head into empty chapels with bodies laid out for viewings and wandered the halls with not a sight of anything ghostly, and did the same thing at the cemetery my father volunteered at with no sights either. But in the same turn there are things that people just can't explain, so I don't really go 'yes they exist' or 'no they do not'.

Which on that mention of my upbringing that's actually part of why most of my OC characters have stories with heavy themes of life/death and why I'm so into Cult of the Lamb-I find the whole thing fascinating and love exploring the different ways humans contend with mortality. It's interesting writing and studying the different ways people react to death, considering how normal it was to me growing up.

27. are you a spiritual person?

I'm assuming this means religious? In that case not particularly, same with ghosts I can't really say yes a god or gods exist or no they do not since that's not really something you can easily prove or disprove-I'm basically agnostic. Only have been to church outside of just wandering around to study stained glass like...four times. Once for a funeral, then a cousin's wedding, then twice when my mother attempted to try taking us till stopping after realizing how little interest my sister and I had. My house wasn't religious at all growing up and still isn't religious.

What I do like however is religious imagery, like Cult of the Lamb especially though has gotten me really hooked on trying to incorporate it a little in my work. I've always loved gothic architecture and stained glass, but since getting into this fandom I've also found that I'm drawn to the silhouettes of religious garments or the compositions within stained glass or paintings.

My main OC Chrysa (which I post OC stuff here @illustratemuse ) for example is a priestess in training for the Goddess of Death, and her outfit is modeled slightly after a nun's! The necklace her weapon hangs de-transformed from as well is basically a rosary too, though its beads represent the stages of grief.

[midnight--sadness]

had an idea—early 2010 games, like 2012/2013. gi-hun is VERY newly postpartum and looking for ways to make any money for his baby. in-ho doesn’t really give a shit about anything and is just looking for a semi-honorable way to die bc of the death of his last mate or some other circumstance.

I think it would actually be really interesting for in-ho’s character especially, because we know he’s very sensitive to things like pregnancy and children. I think it would be sick to see how he would react to postpartum stuff, especially considering he never actually got to live through it. The development of him going borderline suicidal to “I have to protect you, no matter what.” wondering how he would react to gi-hun’s postpartum heavy bleeding, difficulty walking/being physically active, etc.

I had this really vivid idea of gi-hun being insistent he can’t let his milk dry up, because if they do vote to get out and he leaves with nothing, he won’t be able to afford formula. Idk just. The thought of gi-hun in the bathroom w in-ho rubbing his back/holding his hand while he has to waste everything into the toilet or paper towels because the pressure gets to be too painful. (I thought abt in-ho “assisting”, i says horny-ly, but i think it would take away from the narrative)

so basically it would leave in-ho w/ very difficult decisions like

a) gotta kill a shitton of people to make sure everyone votes out so gi-hun can get away

b) kill a lot of people to ensure him winning, at the expense of his own life (which is worst case scenario for him, bc he LOVES milky bbygirl and wants to stay with him/care for him on the outside)

c) idk some other scenarios I haven’t thought of. asking to hear other perspectives/thoughts

note: gi-hun’s baby wouldn’t be in-ho’s, would be some jackass alpha’s who abandoned him w/ it because he was in debt or couldn’t accept responsibility. Another motivator for in-hun, he’s got a vendetta against the mf for essentially forcing baby mama gi-hun into dying to save his own baby—basically same thing that happened to in-ho’s wife different flavor

ooohhhhh i love this!!

i'm assuming that gihun's baby would be gayeong.

in this case, maybe inho signed up for the games but before he could actually be picked up and taken to the island, his wife and child both died. and now he kinda has to go to the games anyway since he cant pull out (lol), maybe even to repay the money that he was given by that unknown criminal.

so there they are, an alpha grieving his mate and child and a newly postpartum omega.... the possiblities are so delicious!!

i like to think that the first game is always red light, green light because it eliminates a large ammount of players (kind of like the cornucopia bloodbath in the hunger games). so, inho is there, considering not even making his way across the field when gihun's scent reaches him. he smells sweet, like honey and milk, clearly a new mother and inho's alpha instincts immediately put him on alert. maybe he is especially sensitive since his body was preparing to be a father and he needed to immediately pick up the scent of his new pup (or whatever idk). and he sees how gihun is moving, hand clasped to his belly, still sore from birth and thinks "i need to protect him".

gihun basically becomes the reason inho actually tries to survive the games. taking care of him calms inho down, makes him "docile" in a sense, and even when gihun is stressed and on the verge of a breakdown bc it isnt normal for omegas to be separated from their babies so soon after birth, inho helps him relax, telling him that he will do anything to get gihun to see his baby again and gihun, our sweet girl, says that inho has to get out alive as well so he can meet gayeong.

inho has no issues with killing other players if necessary, doing anything to ensure gihun leaves during the next vote. but as the money piles up people get greedier and not even their lives are worth much....

if they stay for most of the games, i can see inho helping gihun with his milk is a more traditional way, since breastfeeding helps the uterus contract and lowers general pains and aches in the body. it would kinda relax inho as well, since helping this omega would make his alpha hindebrain feel proud to be useful.

when they get out, both richer than ever, gihun introduces inho to gayeong (who had been staying with his mother). gihun and inho bond and inho becomes gayeong's new father and like two years later he gets gihun pregnant with twins 🫶🫶

[istoleyoursk1n]

Hello, I saw your requests are open after I read some of your stuff and wanted to give an idea. One thing I don’t see too often in fantasy is anti-magic types so I’d like to request a Tav that is magically blank. What I mean by that is where everyone else either has magic or is effected by it, Tav can be neither of these. Try to hit them with a lightning bolt? Doesn’t work. Illusions? Doesn’t work. Enchantments? Nah. This makes them a terrifying mage hunter that can go toe to toe with many magic creatures and users. Of course they need to work around not being healed by magic as well. (Choose whoever for the characters!)

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅•

How would the boys react to a Tav who’s incapable of being harmed by or creating magic?

(If any of you won't see one for the girls, just ask <3)

.

.

: ̗̀➛ ASTARION

“I know I’ve already got the delightfully excellent privilege of looks to me, darling, but damn it all! You’d think those lazing Gods would grant me more than just a dashing face to get me through my troubles too!”

Immediately comes asking how the hell you gained such an ability and if so, how could he get some of that for himself.

He's envious of the fact that nearly all magic seems to have little to zero effects on you. He's far too consumed by the amount of advantages it gives you that he doesn't exactly see the downsides.

I mean, he’s seen you take a fireball to your face and shake it off as if it was nothing. However, the sight of you bleeding out as every magical healing potion and spell does absolutely nothing to aid you ends up being the very thing that makes him wonder if it would be worth it.

But hey! It's rather entertaining for him to watch every foe you encounter gasp in shock when they realize all the magic spells they throw at you do nothing to hinder your each attack.

The funniest thing he saw was someone trying to manipulate you with a charm spell only for you to humiliate them for their obvious attempt.

: ̗̀➛ WYLL

“By the hells, you’re immune to magic? That’s one darn good of an advantage to have, especially on a journey such as ours. Though, it's a shame that you’ll never get to see the delights that come with it, you would have loved it, I’m sure!”

He wasn't all too bothered by the fact you couldn't create magic. Some people lived all their lives without using them and they still made fine warriors, why should he judge you?

However, he was completely shocked when he first watched a lightning bolt strike your body only for you to shrug it off. You didn't even have the burn marks that would have came from it.

After figuring out your little situation, he was both deeply fascinated and impressed. There's no way anything is stopping either of you now, not when you are immune to nearly all types of magic.

Be prepared because this man does start to give you ridiculous titles over your unique ability. “The anti-magician”, “The impenetrable magic consumer”, it gets worse and worse but it's making you both laugh.

Yet, what he does find quite concerning is the number of times he's witnessed your other companions use you as a personal test dummy in terms of magic-based attacks. He’s always quick to grab you out of those situations even though you were mostly okay with it.

: ̗̀➛ GALE

“Immune to magic? Truly? Are you telling me a particularly powerful sorcerer could cast a tremendously potent necrotic spell on you and you’d just... Stand there… with not so much as a bruise? Are you certain you’re from this plane of existence-”

What in the fuck <— His initial reaction lmao

He’s never even seen anything that could resist most if not all magic, even worse that you can't even seem to make it yourslf.

He’s spent the majority of his life so heavily involved with magic and the weave that he could hardly see himself without it, better yet, he doesn't even understand how you live so mundanely.

Heck! Even lower-class citizens could learn magic if not already know how to cast a basic spell or two. Now he has a hundred different questions running through his head and you could probably only answer half of them.

Perhaps he even suspected that you may have just used a multitude of potions of resistance on yourself to turn out this way but if so, the effects should have worn off by now.

Either way, he’s bewildered by you. Intensely interested in how this situation of yours came to be and if there is truly a limit to what magic you can resist. Though, trust that he won't try to experiment on you for himself.

: ̗̀➛ HALSIN

“Ah, though I understand the loss of seizing the art of magic for oneself is rather unfortunate, this only means that perhaps a far more naturalistic path awaits you. One I hope brings nothing but joy and aid in our journey ahead.”

Pleasantly surprised but also curious about it all. When you say all magic do you truly mean all? And if he were to bring a magical flame near your skin, would you feel it's warmth?

Though, he doesn't press on the matter too much. However, there are occasions when he has forgotten about your immunity and ends up shielding you from a magical blast you could have easily taken yourself.

Reflexes perhaps. He’s fairly used to jumping in to protect those he cares for and he does get a tad bit embarrassed over the fact that your magic immunity slipped his mind once or twice due to his own impulses.

Though worry not if magical healing spells or potions don't work on you! He knows plenty of natural ways to heal your wounds. Though it will take significantly longer.

Regardless, he's happy to be of service to you, even teaching you some ways to use herbs and the fauna around you to make a quick remedy to all sorts of wounds so you won't have to ever struggle as much as you did before.

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅•

[toast-tales]

Lately I’ve been working on my own characters’ backstories/motivations. The part in your last post about working backwards and asking “What has to happen to this character to make them do this?” was super helpful!

What do you think is most important when creating a believable, well rounded character?

I’m also curious about your personal approach to writing vore and G/t, both in a thematic way and a “describing what’s happening” way. Are there any unique challenges that come with writing about that subject matter?

What advice would you give to someone who wants to include it in their story? Any aspects you try to avoid or incorporate?

Thank you for your time, I’ve been loving all the itwom worldbuilding asks lately!

- Kate (Novorehere)

Hey there Kate! Welcome to my inbox <3

I'll try and break down my answers below:

Creating a Good Character

First of all, I won't say I'm a master at this or anything. But I think one of the things I would say is good advice is: be very clear on what a character's motivations are. I always used to get tripped up on character "goals," especially when it wasn't always super clear in the story. But I think the better way to approach it is something more under the surface, maybe something the character's not aware of all the time, but it's something that drives their actions constantly.

I think it helps when you want to see how a scene or interaction goes, or what a character decides to do going forward, or how they react, etc. It opens up a world of possibilities in terms of what their life looks like, and what little details you can add that make them seem more "real."

Christopher has a driving motivation of control. And the other question you have to ask is why a character has said motivation. Look at their backstory, look at their childhood and formative years, and ask yourself what they took out of that, what defensive mechanisms they developed to deal with it, etc. Christopher desires control in his life because of a lack of it in his childhood, with abusive parents and very few resources. His driving motivation is to avoid a situation like that for himself again. That bled into a lot of things as far as his personality, but it also affected lots of little things that just add that little bit of flavor to his character, that made him feel like a real person. He wears his hair long because he was never allowed to wear it that way as a kid, and he wants to distance himself from the way his father looked. He takes care of his appearance because he grew up in a situation where he wasn't taken to the dentist, or had nice clothes, or even just basic hygiene stuff. These aren't things even touched on in the story, but I think it helps to have in the back of your head as you write the character. You can sprinkle in little bits here and there, and I think that set dressing is sometimes what makes characters and stories feel alive.

And I know your characters, Kate, so I know you know how to do this already, but I would also definitely say - look at your character's flaws. Look at their weaknesses, and make sure they get a chance to shine. Put your character in a situation they are not prepared for - let them fail, and see what happens. I think some of the most interesting interactions come out of a character absolutely getting their ass handed to them, or being forced to grapple with their own weaknesses. Perfect characters are boring. Failure is interesting, and can lead to profound character growth if done right. That's how we learn, right?

Every trait, good or bad, can be pushed to extremes that are detrimental or helpful. Kindhearted characters can get taken advantage of. Manipulative bastards can charm information out of the enemy. I also think that's a fun concept to play with - not looking at traits as "good" or "bad," but just seeing the possibilities for both, depending on the situation.

Writing Vore/GT

So one piece of advice that I got from an IRL writing friend (who read ITWOM without being into vore, lol), specifically for vore, was to focus on the physical aspect of it instead of avoiding it. That may have just been advice for me. But it's something I've tried to do more in Cursed Cravings and other writing I've done since - I get too carried away in the feeling of it (which I wouldn't say DON'T include, actually, as that's probably my favorite anyways), but I tend to avoid direct physical descriptions of the act and I think for some people, it kind of makes it harder to connect.

For instance, my friend mentioned that all she could think about when reading a vore scene in my story was like, the fact that she could smell her own breath and how that just completely distracted her. I never really mentioned that giants' breath doesn't have a scent to humans - definitely an oversight on my part, lol!

I'd say that adding in some physical sensations along with the emotions will help ground vore scenes. And I think you've got a pretty good handle on that yourself, frankly. And of course, the physical sensations that the character focuses on will change depending on their state of mind about it, and the sensations you choose to focus on can help direct the emotional feeling of a scene. I think the most interesting part of writing "unwilling to willing" vore, from the perspective of the same character, is how the perspective on the same physical sensation (heat, scent, darkness, moisture) can change based on the emotional state/level of trust/etc that's been built up.

For GT, I think something I want to work on more is just...adding in the details that separate it from a normal scene between normal sized characters. It sounds simple, but I think it's easy to just get into the habit of treating GT scenes normally, especially if it's two characters who do this thing frequently. Is there anything that would impede communication in some way? What is the tiny person leaning against? What does this very normal thing look like from their perspective? Is there something you can briefly describe that will help remind the audience that "this person is four inches tall?" What do the creases in the giant's palm feel like? What extra details does a tiny person notice? What details does a giant not notice?

That's all going to vary depending on the nature of the GT characters, of course. In ITWOM, giants evolved in such a way that a lot of traditional GT roadblocks are moot, but there's still a need to reinforce the idea that a giant and a human interacting is much different than two normal sized characters interacting. I wish I had more specific advice on that front, but it's something I'm still trying to work on myself, lol!

I've found that writing same-size AUs of, say, Danny and Christopher, helped remind me of what's unique about human/giant relationships. So that can be a fun way to explore it too, just by way of contrast.

Anyways, I know that was a lot, but I hope that's helpful for you too! Dude, just reach out anytime. We're all figuring out this writing thing together, and I know as I grow and get better, you guys will too, and we all have something unique we can learn from each other, in my opinion. You are all so inspiring to my own writing! And I really look forward to seeing what heroes you put out in the future (wink, wink).

[markantonys]

bridgerton s3 part 2 thoughts! full spoilers for the whole season, and i will also discuss some book spoilers relating to the future siblings - i haven't read the books and never will, but i know the main points of most of the siblings' stories due to Existing Online. haha i also briefly discuss some wheel of time book spoilers because i was reminded of a certain WOT couple at one point in these episodes!

first things first: I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE GOT NOT ONE BUT TWO (2)!!!!!!!!! CANONICALLY QUEER BRIDGERTON SIBLINGS!!!! AND MY TWO FAVORITES, AT THAT!!!! but i will save that for discussion at the end of the post because it is BY FAR my favorite aspect of these episodes.

but even with that aside, i definitely liked this half a lot more than part 1! screentime felt more balanced and it didn't feel like the sideplots were eating up as much time as it did in part 1.

penelope and colin storyline

they were Fine to me in part 1, but their story was more compelling in this half since we moved on from bland run-of-the-mill childhood-friends-to-lovers and into the meaty and much more unique emotional drama of how penelope being lady whistledown affects their relationship. just as i'd hoped for! and i thought the pacing of this was pretty good too because colin found out early enough that he had enough time left in the season to react properly and work through it, rather than it being some 11th-hour reveal that's hastily swept aside to make way for the HEA. it was juuuuust when i was starting to feel that the "colin makes a hater comment about LW in front of penelope, causing her to look ill with anxiety" shtick was getting old that he found out the truth, so, pretty good timing.

colin was more interesting in this half due to wrestling with the whole "penelope is LW" reveal, but overall, in the season as a whole, he was kinda giving us nothing. they really dropped the ball on him because he just never at any point felt like the co-lead character of the season. for daphne & simon and kate & anthony it felt like a pretty balanced exploration of both characters as individuals on top of the romance, but this season it was 100% the penelope show and colin felt basically like a prop. and penelope's a great character and had great stuff this season, so i enjoyed all the time spent on her, but we needed more for colin to go along with it. after 8 episodes, i still don't feel i know much about who he is as a person besides that he's nice and loyal. although on the flipside, i have no problem with male characters whose entire personality is loving their wives haha i love that shit! so a warm welcome for colin into the Wifeguy Club!

speaking of wifeguys, time for my WOT connection, which is that penelope and colin were SO gawene-coded in a couple scenes that it actually killed me! colin's lil arc of feeling kinda jealous of/intimidated by penelope's power as LW at first and most importantly his "what use can i ever be to her when she's so self-sufficient and doesn't need anything from me?" worries, culminating in him realizing "if the only thing i do in my life is love and support such an incredible woman, i'll be completely satisfied" (paraphrasing), i was like, that is soooo TOM gawyn with egwene being amyrlin!!! and when penelope had that line to him about like "i don't need you to take care of me, i never loved you because of what you can do for me, but because you're kind" (paraphrasing) i gasped and clapped my hand to my forehead because it was almost exactly what i had egwene saying to gawyn in my fic chapter that i posted mere days ago!!!!! literally shook to my core haha i was the leo dicaprio pointing at the TV meme x10 in that moment.

eloise and cressida storyline

wonderful to see eloise and penelope's friendship mended! i thought that whole arc was really well done this season, and especially in this half when eloise is dealing with her ex-bff being engaged to her brother who doesn't know she's LW but eloise knows and feels caught in the middle, just lots of messy, complicated emotions in that whole situation and they did a great job with all that.

i really enjoyed cressida in the first half of the season, but in this half it felt like she got a bit too much time. she also kinda reverted back to her mean girl ways (though out of desperation rather than malice), which was less interesting than the different, softer side we saw from her in the first half and made her time in this half feel like more of a drag. but overall, she's a very layered character and the actress did a fantastic job with her, and in this half of the season i always understood why she was doing what she was doing and sympathized with her. it can't be said that she didn't fuck around and find out, but i still felt bad for her in the end! i really liked the moment when colin with his rose-tinted glasses was like "but your family will forgive you and all will be well!" because that's what family has always been like to him, and cressida was like "ummm no, some of us have shitty families and you bridgertons are too naive to realize that", it was a very good moment.

(i will also say, i know this is a highly unpopular opinion for a queer bridgerton fan to have, but i was never on the eloise/cressida train haha i can 100% see the vibes that others picked up on, but they just never did anything for me for whatever reason! i know eloise was the "obvious" choice for a wlw bridgerton but i personally am so SO thrilled that they went for francesca instead, i guess just because i connect so deeply with her character in a way i never have with eloise. also, now that i'm thinking about it, i think eloise vibes the most like aroace to me, i struggle to picture her having a relationship with *anyone* of any gender.)

other storylines

i'm so happy for violet and marcus!! crossing my fingers that we'll see more of them in s4 since their romance is only just budding; it would be so interesting to see him interacting with her kids and getting integrated into the family dynamic (and for us to meet his kids too! though i acknowledge we don't need MORE side characters haha). and i loved the danbury siblings scenes and them getting to the root of their childhood issues and working them out. and of course, violet and lady danbury continue to be THE best duo of all time <33 i adore their friendship so so much, i can't even describe how much!

we got more time with kate and anthony in this half, and all of it was perfect. they're gonna be parents!!!! though alas, it seems like they've made their final exit from the show with them going off to live in india for a while. sad to see them go, but not surprised at all. i see lots of book fans whining about the prior leads leaving and how it's weird for daphne to not be at her own brother's wedding etc, and i do agree that the show/family is gonna start feeling kinda empty as the older siblings & spouses exit, but that's just a necessity of this medium. you can't have main cast be contracted for 6 more seasons just to show up for 2 lines of dialogue per season and hang out in the background of wedding scenes. you can do that in a book, but you can't do it in a tv show. just something we have to live with! and a lot of the complaints take such a "how DARE these actors want to move on with their lives and do other projects instead of dropping everything to prioritize having a minor role on bridgerton for the rest of this decade" tone, which stinks of Fan Entitlement.

i am curious about what might become of penelope, because it sounds like she's kinda continuing whistledown but just as herself and in a more responsible manner that won't hurt people (tho idk how a gossip column can possibly NOT hurt anyone haha the whole "penelope shouldn't give up LW because it's Feminist and Empowering and Gives A Voice To The Voiceless" narrative kinda had me going X Doubt). update: i just saw an interview with the showrunner where she confirmed that penelope will be in s4 and have a storyline. nice!

the featheringtons had much less in this half which i was glad about and they were taken more seriously and not just treated as comic relief, and portia had some really good scenes with penelope.

there was also much less of the mondriches, which i was fine with; i'm very fond of them and enjoyed their stuff this season, but it felt appropriate that they took more of a backseat in this half. i was sad will had to give up the club though! it felt like he had to fully capitulate to the ton and give up his own work that he's passionate about in order to win the esteem of snobby aristocrats, which was a bummer. the showrunner interview mentioned we'll be seeing them again in s4 and will be seeing some more of will's friendship with benedict, so i'm happy about that!

NOW ONTO THE GAYS!!!!

we've all been yearning for bi benedict ever since s1, and i can't BELIEVE it actually happened!!!! i'm over the moon!!!! and i'm so glad i watched the episodes straightaway without having seen any spoilers first so i got to experience the "holy shit, are they............are they going where i think they're going????" adrenaline rush completely pure and unknowing. it was the absolute most wonderful surprise!!! i'll give a lil summary here for those who are curious about how much queer content there actually is.

so, in episode 7 (or maybe it was the end of 6?) benedict gets invited to dinner with his female FWB and her male friend, who turns out to be her other FWB. AS SOON AS this invitation was extended i was like "oho, is benedict going to be needing 3 tickets to challengers?" so imagine my delight when it turned out that indeed, the 2 FWBs invited him in hopes of a threesome! benedict has a very brief moment of connection with/attraction to the man, and then he gets propositioned, but he's flustered and leaves. he returns to talk to his own FWB the next day and she explains to him about bisexuality and he's like icarly interesting.jpg and says that he's met men who like other men in the past but that he himself has never felt attracted to a man "before" (implying that last night, he did, for the first time). he does some soul-searching and then leaves his own brother's wedding reception to go have a threesome, which is extremely biconic of him. (at the wedding he also gives eloise a nice speech about how love is infinite, in the context of her worrying that colin and penelope marrying each other means they'll have less time for her, but it vibed to me like benedict is poly as well as bi, but who knows if that will go any further than this FWB threesome situation; i'd imagine his endgame will still be a monogamous relationship, but you never know!)

this storyline concludes with the female FWB admitting that she's caught feelings for benedict and wants to become serious (and monogamous) with him, but he politely turns her down because he feels "free" for the first time and wants to keep exploring life and isn't interested in a serious relationship right now, and might not ever be. my only gripe with the storyline is that i wish the male FWB had been introduced an episode or two earlier so we could watch benedict building a connection with him and feeling a budding attraction for an episode or two before the initial threesome proposition occurs to trigger him to actually acknowledge that attraction; as it is, it all happens kind of abruptly and our boy speedruns his entire bi awakening in the span of a single episode, bless him lmao but i'm assuming neither FWB will appear in s4 (they felt like one-season characters to me), so if so, it's fine to not spend too much time developing those specific relationships. the Point of the storyline was for benedict to realize he likes men too and likes non-conventional relationships, and that was accomplished with flying colors!

later on there's reference to "next year's masquerade ball" and i know a masquerade ball is where benedict first meets his endgame love interest in the books, so it seems just about guaranteed that s4 will be about benedict's book. i'm super curious about what direction it will go in! in the book, it sounds like their trope is Forbidden Romance, with the forbidden aspect being class difference (he's an aristocrat and she's a servant), so adding some kind of queer element as an additional reason for why it's Forbidden feels like a viable option, especially after s3 took pains to establish that benedict is interested in queer/non-traditional relationships.

but what form might that hypothetical queer element take? a monogamous m/m romance with genderbent sophie? or could we see trans or genderqueer sophie, in line with the cinderella metaphors about masquerade and disguise and identity and presenting differently in different environments? or might they go for some kind of poly or open relationship endgame for benedict? i don't know! there's so many options! it's also entirely possible that sophie will remain a cis woman and benedict will have a monogamous endgame with her, which i would also welcome because it is actually VERY rare to see rep of bi people ending up very happy in monogamous different-gender relationships, while still remaining firmly bi (most of the time bi characters end up in same-gender relationships, or end up in different-gender ones while dismissing their prior same-gender attractions as just a phase, or are chaotic sluts who cheat because they aren't content with only being with one person).

now on to francesca. we know for 100% fact that her love interest has been genderbent into a woman, because she was introduced at the end of the final episode! so francesca's endgame love story is guaranteed to be wlw, which is so exciting! (for context, her book endgame love interest is john's cousin michael stirling, and in the show she met john's cousin michaela stirling, so that's how we know with 100% certainty.)

taking it back a bit to the rest of her story this season, we see her and john courting, then getting engaged and married in a small wedding at bridgerton house with just the family, because they both hate being the center of attention. it was all incredibly wholesome introvert4introvert content and i adored it!!!! kept going "this is literally my ideal marriage" during so many of their scenes haha

but there is somewhat of a question of, is francesca actually attracted to john/men in general? throughout the season and even after the introduction of michaela stirling, i assumed yes; francesca clearly adores john and states that she loves him, and her body language around him seemed to me to show attraction. but after finishing the season and reading discussion online, i saw people saying that francesca seemed disappointed with kissing john at their wedding (which i'd interpreted as her just feeling shy about kissing him in front of people) and that it was a marked contrast to how flustered and interested she is when she meets michaela. so for me, the jury's out on whether she's more bi-leaning or lesbian-leaning; now that i know canon wlw francesca is a thing, i'd need to rewatch the season again to analyze her behavior with john more closely to decide what vibe i'm getting there! because on first watch it wasn't even on my radar to consider that maybe she's not actually attracted to men.

i will admit, i would be kinda disappointed if she *isn't* truly in love with john, just for the fact that i found it so delightful and refreshing to see a quiet romance that's so different from the loud melodramatic ones, as is discussed many many times during francesca's storyline this season. and i did notice that francesca tripping over her words upon meeting michaela is exactly what violet had said she did when she first met her late husband, and violet was bringing this up to say "but your way of loving john is different from that and that's valid". so i definitely CAN imagine that maybe they're making a deliberate point here that, actually, the reason why francesca's love for john looks so different from other characters' for their spouses is because she does NOT in fact have spousal love for him, but rather platonic love that she's misinterpreted as romantic. but i would just be mildly annoyed if The Point turned out to be "actually, violet is right and True Romantic Love must always be flustering and tongue-tying and dramatic" lmao but that's a personal gripe for me as a very quiet person who loved seeing the type of romantic relationship i would prefer depicted with francesca and john; i can also see the counterargument that a storyline of a repressed lesbian trying to untangle her actual feelings from comphet and societal expectations would be very powerful and important! and particularly interesting to explore in this regency context.

now on to some bigger book spoilers. so from what i understand, in the books, john dies, leaving francesca as a widow, and her love story with michael is about dealing with grief and learning to open herself up to love again after loss. i've seen the argument that francesca actually being a lesbian who wasn't genuinely in love with john would cheapen this storyline, and i can see that point for sure, but otoh it's abundantly clear that she does have a very deep care and love for him regardless of whether or not it's romantic/sexual, so i think no matter what, we will still see her being very affected and pained by his death and struggling with guilt about falling for someone else (his cousin! a woman!) etc.

what i'm most curious about here is the timing! there was some leak that michaela's actress is allegedly booked as a small part in s3 and a main role in s4. i'd been wondering if maybe they would start combining books, but in the interview i read, the showrunner confirmed that the plan is still to do only one book/sibling per season, so it seems that s4 will only be benedict's book. which makes sense, because i believe in the books francesca is married to john for 2 years before he dies and then it's another few years before she starts romancing michael, so i'd guess s4 will just see francesca develop a friendship with michaela and then maybe john dies towards the end of the season, then we do a timeskip between seasons and s5 is about francesca and michaela. but then there's still eloise to contend with, maybe she would be s5 and francesca not until 6.

i really really hope we'll get some francesca-benedict bonding next season (or s5/6 depending on the timing of francesca having her gay realization; it seems still subconscious for her as of now) since they are officially The Queer Siblings!!! i need to see them find this out about each other and talk about it together and be confidants for each other. it will also be so fascinating to see violet & the other siblings react to a queer bridgerton endgame romance. violet wants her kids to be happy, but she sometimes struggles with realizing that what happiness looks like to them may not align exactly with what happiness looks like to her, so i could definitely see her needing to take a moment to readjust her perspective and realize that francesca not being able to legally marry michaela in a public manner known to all of the ton and have biological kids with her doesn't mean they can't be just as happy as her straight kids and their partners. (on that note, i remember that in the past people have suggested francesca could be a great candidate for a wlw bridgerton because her status as a widow allows her a lot more societal freedom than a never-married woman, so i love that the show went with her! i can totally see her endgame being that of a respectable widow living peacefully in the countryside with her Dear Friend.)

i remember straightaway francesca set off my gaydar in 3x01 when she was reluctant about entering the marriage mart and dismissive at the idea of finding True Love and going ??? when people asked what qualities she wanted in a husband, and there was a scene of her talking with other debutante girls and i went "man i would love it if she got a girlfriend" but never in a million years did i actually think that was a real possibility! so i'm SO thrilled that they're going there, and like i mentioned before i quite like that they went with the polite introvert sister instead of the outspoken rebel sister to be the gay one because it just feels like a subversion of expectations and stereotypes for me, and because all season i'd been seeing so much of myself in francesca and then, finding out she's gay like me!!!! cherry on top!! and then for michaela, in the books i believe michael is yet another rake, which the show sets up for michaela too with her joking about being even more scandalous than john's stories might make her out to be - the rake is the backbone of the regency romance genre, so getting to see a wlw version of the trope with a female rake is going to be SO much fun!! esp with the setup that francesca is fairly society-conforming as of now; michaela broadening her horizons could be something interesting to explore.

wow this post got super long lmao i'm just so excited! canon queer bridgerton siblings singlehandedly turned this show from "i casually enjoy it as a few hours of fun which i forget about soon after it's over" to "i'm literally frothing at the mouth i need the next season NOW" and That is the power of representation, baby!

[youandthemountains]

What are some of your favorite trek novels? sorry if this question is hard to answer, I'm looking into reading some myself but I know it can be hit-or-miss with a lot of them 😅

Oooh no, thank you for asking!!!

I am by no means an expert - @electronickingdomfox is definitely more widely read in terms of trek books.

Obviously I'm also biased, but as a Bones Enjoyer, my favorite trek books I've read so far have been:

Dreams of the Raven by Carmen Carter - so good for bones backstory, especially what he was like as a fresh faced intern and how his beliefs and self perception changed over time. Very good if you enjoy pacifist, anti-hierarchial organization bones. It's very much a bones-centric triumvirate book. It's also had some of the best writing of bones as a doctor specifically that I've read so far, in terms of how his career shaped his worldview and how he interacts with people. It even gets into the different constitution of the work - for instance there's scenes in the autopsy room where Kirk wonders how McCoy works down there. There's also other medical staff with different personalities which also helps bones shine - really highlights that what stands out about him isn't just that he's the Doctor Character, which can sometimes be his flattened role, but the way he chooses to handle his position. The plot itself gets a little silly but I adore the character work.

Sarek by AC Crispin - an interesting look into Spock's relationship with his family, with plenty of triumvirate scenes and a really beautiful sense of how he sees McCoy as a comfort. Also really beautiful and mournful story about Sarek and Amanda, as she passes away. A lot about grief and the ways a family deals with it so def a warning for that too.

The Autobiography of Mr. Spock by Una McCormack - SO MUCH good stuff in here, ties later trek into Spock's life so well and bones is so ever present in it <3. Such a good Spock character study, lots of interesting insight into his beliefs and psychology bc it's the perspective of him reflecting on his life so you see more of how he changed and grew. Loved a lot of what they added to his early life, and his relationships and how his perspectives changed as he grew older and learned more. Like I particularly enjoyed all the insight into his family life, and how during the 5YM he was only aware of the parts of his life story you understand as a child, but over time has learned about wider things going on that affected the events in his family's life which in turn affected how they raised him, who could only react to their actions without knowing their context. Also enjoy its perspective on Vulcan in general - a very good shades of gray book.

Shadows on the Sun by Michael Jan Friedman - I can only half recommend this book honestly. It's a McCoy's Divorce book which actually I do enjoy and some of his characterization makes sense in terms of how he was in their marriage. I also like the idea of McCoy having a little chip on his shoulder about growing up lower class - fully just a characterization I made up that this book and some other beta canon leans into. As the book goes on though, McCoys written a little too damsel in distress-y and just seems way less competent in general which is annoying. Also while I do believe he'd still carry love for everyone he's loved including his ex-wife, I don't believe he'd go back to her or become her affair partner like the book has him do near the end (after these scenes where she gets him drunk and basically forces some kisses on him, like WHAT is going on here.)

Haven't yet read, but recommend:

Diane Duane books including The Wounded Sky, Spock's World, the Rihannsu series. Haven't yet read them because they're my treat for when I run out of trek novels. Every quote I've seen from them looks sooo enticing.

The Entropy Effect - again haven't read it yet, looks great

Ex Machina - have not yet read, intriguing quotes

[warydoom]

Hiya!

I have thought through stuff and wanted to ask if you could make a little guide...or something for me and anyone else with my huge problem.

It seems....I can't write wholesomeness! Cause you said that the character Simon seems "fishy". (To all other people: Basically, Simon was comforting another character. That is not the vibe that scene was giving off)

That vibe will unfortunately ruin a whole lot of scenes to come. So, maybe? How do I make a person "sound" sincere and comforting; not creepy or fishy? Cause I thought I was projecting love and care.

Any advice?

THE BIG GUIDE TO WRITING WHOLESOME VIBES

(aka How To Stop Accidentally Writing Emotional Manipulators)

Step 1: Ask: Who Has the Power Right Now?

Any time one character is comforting another, especially after trauma, power dynamics matter. Ask yourself:

Is the comforting character older? In a position of authority?

Do they know more than the person they’re comforting?

Are they physically closer, or touching the other person?

If the answer to any of these is yes, the comforting character’s behavior needs to be extra careful not to cross into infintalizing, pushy, or invasive territory, even if they mean well.

Tip: Give the hurt character agency. Let them speak first. Let them say “no” to something. Let them lead the tone.

Step 2: Soften the Speech

Characters often sound creepy when their comfort talk is too smooth, too rehearsed, or too moralizing.

Sincerity isn’t always perfect. It’s raw. It rambles. It contradicts itself. It stops mid-sentence.

Avoid:

Long speeches with a clear agenda

Phrases like “you should…” or “our priority is…”

Talking like a therapist with a script

Instead:

Add pauses, hesitations, backtracking

Let the character say, “I don’t know” or “That’s what I tell myself”

Show emotion in their delivery: sighs, eye contact, failed attempts

Step 3: Touch Must Be Earned

Touch is a powerful comfort tool — but without permission or emotional build-up, it can feel off.

A comforting character who touches without warning — even just holding a hand or stroking hair — can accidentally read as controlling, possessive, or invasive, especially in vulnerable scenes.

Instead:

Have them ask for permission: “Can I hold your hand?”

Wait for initiation: “He offered a hand, but didn’t force it.”

And let the touch be clumsy, or hesitant: “They almost pulled away, then stayed.”

Step 4: Make It a Conversation, Not a Monologue

Comforting scenes often fall flat when one character talks too much, while the other just listens and reacts.

Comfort isn’t, and never will be, a TED Talk. It’s not a moral or life lesson. It’s a shared space.

Instead:

Let the comforted person interrupt, contradict, ask questions

Include moments of silence, awkwardness, or deflection

Make the comforting character stop and say: “Do you want to talk about it?” (That's my favorite. The answer doesn't even have to be yes. Just let them ask.)

Step 5: Be Careful With Logic During Emotion

Sometimes the comforting character means to be reassuring: “See? It’s not your fault!” but ends up sounding like they’re dismissing the other person’s feelings.

Logic doesn’t always comfort. It can often sound like minimizing pain.

Instead:

Acknowledge emotion first, before facts: “That must be so overwhelming. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now.”

Reassure with presence, not proof: “Even if none of this makes sense, I’m here.”

Step 6: Comfort Happens In the Small Stuff

The most effective comfort often comes from the smallest moments:

A blanket pulled over someone’s shoulders

A quiet “I’ve got you” when no one else is around

Sitting nearby without talking

TLDR, Check Your Comfort Scene For:

Who’s in control? (Power check)

Is the dialogue too perfect? (Sincerity check)

Was the touch asked for? (Consent check)

Is it a shared moment? (Balance check)

Does it feel emotionally true, or just logical? (Vibe check)

And remember: “I’m here” can hit harder than a thousand pretty speeches. Hope this helps!

[avelera]

So I wrote 7,800 words of an entirely new Dreamling fic yesterday pretty much out of NOWHERE based on a what-if headcanon chat that got ENTIRELY out of hand.

Basically, I’ve always found it weird that Hob is, well, WEIRD for an immortal. And I adore it! There’s basically no other immortals in fiction, or very few, who consistently have a day job, don’t become superheroes of enlightened morality in a couple lifetimes, or otherwise leave normal mortal life behind. Except Hob.

But there’s other weird stuff Hob gets up to in the comics especially. Namely: nothing. He sees a Sea Serpent in Hob’s Leviathan and just sort of… shrugs it off. He supposedly ran into a vampire coven while hanging out with a Constantine and they killed Constantine and kinda left him alone. He seemed otherwise pretty unphased. Between 1689-1889, unless he’s with Dream, very little happens to him. He just seems prosperous in both meetings.

But while Dream is gone, during the Blitz, his wife Peggy dies in his arms. That’s pretty dramatic. That’s main character tragedy.

So what if… Dream subconsciously pigeonholes Hob as not a fellow immortal of increasing antiquity, now over half a millennia old, but… just a guy. Just the guy he met in 1389? That certainly seems to be part of why he reacts so poorly to being called lonely in 1889. He can’t fathom that the human mudpuppy he met in a tavern that was basically a hovel could suddenly have INSIGHT into one such as him. But Hob was over 500 years old at that point! And Dream respects other eldritch creatures like fae and demigods, even if they are younger than him. So what gives that he doesn’t see the 500+ year old immortal human as maybe capable of insight into the life of a fellow eldritch being?

Because Dream doesn’t think of Hob that way.

And Dream IS the human subconscious.

Things get really meta from there because right you’ve got all these Doylist reasons that Hob is Just A Guy who seems allergic to getting involved with any of the grand stories of Sandman except as a bit part. A minor character even in his own story. But since it’s a story about stories, you can make it Watsonian too.

Maybe because Dream doesn’t think HE has a story (he says, in the comic which is ABOUT his story, thus undermining his point with a 4th wall break) and Hob is the only person in his life who is basically a normal friend and not a subject or family member or eldritch colleague… does he mentally pigeonhole Hob as not having a story either but just being witness to other people’s stories, like Jim?

It’s kind of weird isn’t it how in Hob’s Leviathan he spends the whole thing WONDERING what secrets lie beneath the surface of the ocean but when the sea serpent bursts forth he just sort of… shrugs?

It’s a bit weird too, in the show, even though I adore how unexpected the beat is, that after 34 years’ delay, Dream shows up and Hob barely reacts except to quip that he’s late. Though I’m sure Dream was very grateful. 

… so I kinda wanted to do a one-shot about how this is actually an eldritch effect Dream accidentally cast on Hob. He sees Hob as just his normal friend despite being immortal. So Hob is Normal. Aggressively normal. He has a day job despite being 600+ years old. He exhibits none of the typical behavior one would expect out of a man who loves life so much he refused to die. And Dream realizes this when he learns that Hob’s 20th century was INSANE, filled with adventures and high drama and lost love and passion. A century where Hob was the protagonist in his own life story again. And it all abruptly stopped and he went back to having a normal human job the second Dream was free.

Anyway, Dream is gutted by the realization. The rest is them figuring out how the fuck this HAPPENED and if it can be fixed.