#This is by-far the saddest thing i've read in a while

[zuzu-draws]

Can someone explain to me why I, a sukuna fan from day 1, want to cry over Gojo's death. Feels like i'm going through a withdrawal of sorts, :') I just know that once the series is over and everyone's dead (Sukuna included), the fix-it fics are gonna hit soo good ..

[manic-sapphic]

~oh, just catra leaning full tilt into a mental breakdown of proportions on par w total planetary destruction. so, just another tuesday. don't worry about it~

corrupted catra is still such an interesting figure to me and fun af to theorize about. i mean, how tf did catra know adora came through a portal? no one told her that shit in their actual reality. i'm pretty sure it's not an uncommon theory that she's drawing some knowledge from the planet itself after being exposed to the portal magic.

but i almost view it kind of like, similar to how much of the first ones tech - such as light hope or the crystal castle itself - can almost be seen as possessing a sort of sentience able to both read thoughts and store knowledge, so could the portal itself. cause catra wasn't the only thing corrupted - the portal was from the moment of its creation. everyone knew it would be in some way or another; that's why they tried to stop catra from pulling the lever.

and based off the reality it creates, almost all of it reflects a reality we see catra actually enjoys - the polar opposite of the reality they'd all just left. and after every other character we see lost to the expanding entropy of the corrupted reality is gone for good - catra is the only one who crawls back out.

i view the corrupted portal almost like a sentient entity itself that catra created when she opened the portal, however unintentionally. it gives her the reality she wants - the one she misses - and when it all falls apart along with her, it's almost like maybe cause of her connection w this entity as it's accidental creator, it fused w her in such a way not only she - but this portal entity itself - could come back to finish what they started.

this time, armed with all the knowledge stored by the planet itself - which doesn't seem too far-fetched of a concept, given that (as we find out later) the magic of etheria has been essentially being mined and stored by first ones tech all this time. and the portal was created using a combo of etheria's magic and first ones tech - the sword.

just some thoughts i've had about it that i'm sure others probably have as well.

also though, i included the few seconds after adora punches out corrupted catra as a gif cause while her expression is angry right after she does it - it quickly falls to one i see as a sadness. she knows she had to do it, but she wishes she didn't. probably partly from seeing what had become of catra that made her have to do it.

which also kinda kills me when i think of the prior episode, Remember, when adora and catra are in the woods and adora says to her "this can't be what you wanted!" the saddest thing about that, to me, is that it's honestly not. but at that point, what catra wanted was something i dunno if she even fully understood; but either way, she just felt she knew that she could never have it.

[reallylilyreally]

Honestly, I’d read anything you write, it’s that bloody good.

But if I had to pick - its more of your spectacular characterisation in either second string or in proximal damage.

Second string, I would welcome every and any crumb and morsel; but proximal damage, ngl, have been thinking regularly on the bittersweet position James Douglass has been currently left in. The need for Goblin Fort resolution might be winning by a hair here.

Love your work.

JUST FOR YOU i have started this! Don't hold out much hope for actual resolution though, this is looking like the first thing i've ever written that doesn't end well for the babes.

Margaret thinks about lying, when Ev asked her what she thought of James Douglass. But she's pretty sure she's going to marry this man, and she doesn't want to get into the habit of not telling him what she's thinking.

"I think he might be the saddest man I've ever met," she says, and isn't shocked by the shock on Ev's face.

“You think he’s sad?” Ev asks her, brow furrowed with concern.

She shrugs, doesn’t say you don’t? and let the topic drop, leans over the center console of the car Ev’s managed to beg, borrow or steal from someone, and lets him smudge her lipstick for the last ten minutes of their evening. He kisses her like he can’t quite forget he might be gone in a week and dead a week after that, and she burns with the need to have as much of him as she can while he’s still mostly hers. Because even ruining her hair and creasing her skirts and making her sob into his mouth, Everett Blakely still belongs more than a little bit to the United States Armed Forces and they’ll claim the rest of him eventually. 

So she lets him worship her, for ten minutes, swift and efficient with all that pilot focus, and then teases him for the mess he’s made of them both as he pulls the seat back to driving height. 

“I think that one was a team effort,” he says, sucking his fingers clean and reaching over with his other hand to fix her hair. 

Margaret leans into the touch, eyes on the soft smile on his red mouth, and thinks that they make a wonderful team as he puts the car into gear and pulls out of the dark spot in the woods, heading back towards the lights of town and the barracks and the looming threat of curfew.

“Really though,” he asks, just before they reach her street. “What did you think of Dougie?”

She thinks about it. Douglass is Ev’s bombardier, and his best friend, as far as she can tell. “He seems very sweet,” she tells him, and means it.

[oblivionsdream]

Hey @oblivionsdream !

I have 2 questions - bear with me…

As you know, I love your work, but have only just recently started actively engaging with it.

I actually first came across you and your Jester x knight OC’s at least a year or two ago, when a fellow DinLuke shipper tagged it with #dinluke, so it showed up on my feed. If you aren’t into Star Wars and are unfamiliar with it - that’s the romantic pairing between Din Djarin (the Mandalorian) and Luke Skywalker.

For a while, I actually thought that it was a medieval DinLuke au because there are quite a few fanarts exploring that ship in different universes (including ours) and different timelines, etc.

One of the things that lent credence to this idea was the fact that the king looks so much like the Jedi, Quinlan Vos.

The characters do also closely match the personalities that a lot of the fandom have collectively given Din and Luke on tumblr - like Luke actually being a feral mischievous gremlin underneath his serene Jedi facade, and Din actually being the more composed (and often lovingly exasperated) of the two.

It was a surprise when I looked more into it and realised that they are original characters, completely unrelated to DinLuke and Star Wars as a whole.

So I guess I’m just curious what was the inspiration behind the Jingly Menace and his steadfast, taciturn knight? Was it a song or a meme or just watching a medieval show and during a scene with a jester, you had a sudden burst of creative juices like “Eureka! Pretty jester x hot knight!”

Sorry if you’ve already answered this and I’ve just missed it while scrolling through your page.

My other question (this I know has been queried to JM himself but he nervously evaded the question) when JM is shown crying in one of the first pictures you posted of him, what was the actual reason that you had in mind behind it? Was it just simply because his attempts to get the hot mysterious knights attention had thus far been unsuccessful (from his perspective anyway) and he succumbed to a private moment of vulnerability?

Every time I look at it, I’m dying to know!

Anyway, love you! Hope the JM comic is still on the horizon at some point - coz I would buy and read the crap out of it!

Hey there!

I honestly had no idea what DinLuke is though I've seen the tags. My knowledge of Star Wars comes from whatever I have absorbed against my will being online and when my best friend made me watch the prequels a few years ago 😂

So Jester solely came to be because I've loved jesters for many years at this point. I just find them fun but there's never enough content for them out there so I just wanted to make my own oc. I also just love trickster characters- anything fae like or I always adored Loki in Norse mythology so he's very based into those kind of mischievous vibes and humor.

Augustine was purely accidental. I saw some Tumblr post about a knight or maybe it was about a jester and a knight (I no longer remember) so I thought it would be funny to doodle Jester with a random knight being a menace asking him about his big sword. Augustine was never supposed to be a character. But then I just kept coming up with other ideas for Jester and this random knight whose face he never saw and whelp here we are.

Soooo the crying. It was definitely a private moment no one else was supposed to witness. Part of something I find interesting with playing with Jester's character is the idea that sometimes the seemingly happiest and funniest people are also the saddest but they just cover it up with a smile. His backstory before coming to the castle is still something that affects him but also he feels lonely at court. He constantly craves the validation of attention he didnt really get as a kid and is constantly surrounded by people but also he feels very lonely in court. He is in a strange place of being neither noble but also not quite a commoner/servant. Nobility will look down on him and not take him serious because he's just a silly guy but the servants are wary to get too close because of his close relationship with the king and the fact that he technically has a higher status as Court Jester. He is one of Monty's closest confidantes but his own secrets keep him from being fully honest with his king. It's a strange place of feeling alone in the middle of a crowded court where everyone sees his silly jester persona and make up but no one sees beneath it.

I still hope to make a comic! Just trying to find the time to get all my ideas in order. Thanks for liking my silly guys!

[semiweirdshipper]

Hello♥️ I was wondering What is your opinion or feelings on the new Killers? For example these four: The Unknown, the Singularity, the Lich/Vecna, The Dark Lord/Dracula??

Thank you for your ask my lovely villainfan ❤️

I know it's been a hot minute since I've been on Dead by Daylight (almost two years I think). And so a lot of new faces have hit the list since then. I've definitely seen game play of all of them and read some of the lore. Here are my opinions so far- oh, I added Chucky if that was okay.

The Singularity

I'm all for robots, but this thing actually gives me the chills. I read it's backstory and stuff a while back and it's definitely an awesome character. Fanfiction wise, I would not write the Singularity romantically. I don't think it particularly likes humans either. If I were to write it in a story, I would either write it as a protector who grows new feelings towards a reader, or I would write it as a dangerous obstacle/problem like I did the Dredge in My Saddest Journey.

The Unknown

Very interesting character. Not sleep paralysis inducing at all! I have not been able to read the backstory or lore on this character yet, but I think it's pretty cool. I would not write it romantically, though, simply because of their childish personality. Friendship wise, I think they'd be great to pair up with a reader. The Unknown is someone who I see being a good friend and very protective, especially if the reader is nice and understanding towards them. Emotional support slasher for sure!

Vecna

Once again, I haven't been able to read lore about this character yet. I don't know his reason for being evil. But, what I can say is that he gives me the same vibes Pinhead and Pyramid Head do; an overpowered, magical monster capable of great pain and destruction and only has mercy towards certain humans that he deems worthy. I would write him romantically. I think he'd make a good ace partner as well. One-hundred percent an emotional supporter. I can already taste the angst he'll generate.

Dracula

Seven feet tall, despises humans and feeds off their blood, turns into a wolf and bat, and has phenomenal powers? ANGST. Can you taste it? Can you taste the angst this vampire is going to cause? Imagine a traumatized reader absolutely terrified but in need of help, and his lifeless heart is kind enough to try and support them. I would write him romantically. He'd be a good ace partner as well. But ohhhhhhhh, the angst! I'm totally writing him as a cat to stalk the reader to learn more about them- call me weird, it's literally my name!

Chucky

Is it a sex toy? Kidding. I love Chucky. I wouldn't write him romantically, but I think it would be fun to pair him up platonically with a reader. And, I might sound really crazy here, but I see him being as kind of a father figure as well. Imagine him helping a traumatized reader and other killers try coming around or displaying romantic interests? He'd slice them up immediately. Chucky also has unique elements that would be fun to meddle with. Emotional support slasher any day!

[fullmetalgirl98]

30 days Hypnosis Mic challenge

DAY 9: favorite duet song

🎤 「Murder at the House of Magic (奇術館の殺人 / Kijutsu-kan no Satsujin) 」 - Gentaro & Dice (2nd duet)

(link)

Just to make it immediately clear: my obsession level is high (yes, this post is going to be super long, and yes, I apologize in advance for that). I'm not exaggerating when I say that I know every single word of this song by heart. I even made a fanart for this song. Check it out, if you're curious 👉 (link)

I became aware of the existence of this duet far too late, in April 2022, i think??, and in the saddest way possible: through the wiki while searching for only God knows now what kind of other stuff. Of course, considering that Dice and Gentaro are two of my fave characters ever, it was a scandal for me not to have known earlier about the existence of a new duet of theirs, other than Once upon a time in Shibuya, which is iconic in itself, so I went crazy, obviously, and dashed off in search of the song (with very little success, I have to say)... and when I finally found it and it started playing, I almost had a heart attack. What. the actual. hell. was. that.

I expected everything, except something of that sort.

Right from the very first notes, I knew this was gonna be BIG stuff. I mean, VERY BIG.

The vibe it gave me, initially, was something alien, the instrumental intro smelled a lot like the X-files theme song to me (link).

Then Gentaro started, in his usual calm and sexy tone, and I caught the word "satsujin jiken". But so far, let's say, nothing exceptionally new. I knew I should expect some mystery to solve... I mean, the title spoke loud ¯\(ツ)/¯

But poor little naive Anna, soon after the bomb was dropped straight to the center of an indefinite part of my brain.

A serious Dice.

A bloody serious Dice. A Dice that, instead of rapping, was literally speaking (or at least, the initial impression was seriously that). I...I've never heard Dice speaking in such a hard, deadly serious yet sexy, defiant, cocky and confident tone, like... I- ... I didn't even think he could ever speak in such a way!? Like. Dice. HELLO?! Where is my genuine idiotic cute drenched cat gone?! I'm scared?? But at the same time extremely intrigued?? WTF?! Help??!! Let's make one thing clear: when I first heard the song, I obviously had not read the translation yet. So, how shall I explain what I thought ... mhm... the impression was that he was speaking not in a good-guy-trying-to-be-cool sense, absolutely not. His tone was blatantly the tone of a thug. And a particularly dangerous one. The impact of the very first verse of his, "Danna shindanda na, zannen da" was something absurd. I swear. Something of disarming power. And then the tone used in the "tamannee na" immediately afterwards. Guys, I swear to you. I had completely lost my mind. I was totally in love with this new Dice, you have no idea. I was going crazy, I just wanted to know WHY he was talking in that absolutely crazy HOT way. I LOVE how it's clearly perceivable that Dice is speaking with a smirk on his face, that of someone who is sure that he cannot be set up. And I could go on listing word by word all the vocal proclivities that have slowly sent me further and further into the hyperuranium BUT I will refrain from doing so for your sake, because this post would probably become longer than it already is going to be. And then the refrain. Simply BRILLIANT. I mean, it's already not enough that this too, like Stella, is a song set up as a story told by Gentaro, in which he then becomes one of the characters in the plot (you can't tell I have logic behind my preferences, can you?), but a semi-occult code was also inserted?????? Who the hell came up with the idea of putting the spelling of Dice and Gentaro's names at the beginning of each verse of the chorus? WHO? Give a fucking award to the composer, I beg you: (A)Up & down, Rikou na yatsu wo, Sukkari damashite Ganchuu nai Wakattenda Dare na no ka Izure wa Subete wo raizarai;

Yurusan, Meshi toraeru, Nogasanai shi Genkei nai Takara, Rou sezu shite, Umaku moratte Say Good Bye I don't know if i'm making the point clear enough, here.

And then the whole Uh!(Ah!)Uh!Uh!(Ah!) thing. Gentaro firing off his "Ichi wa ichi, zero wa zero, hachi wa hachi" with that studied air of his who knows he has the other guy completely on the hook. And the way you can perfectly sense that the mood of the conversation is starting to turn against Dice, when he throws out that "Nani?!" and then that "Kuso!" so particularly intense (KYAAAAAHHH (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄)).

OH, and I can't help but mention how the "Hachiji nijuppun" thing practically became a meme between me and @justanotherniky (fixed message in chat at 8:20 p.m.: "HACHIJI NIJUPPUN" when we don't happen to forget about it).

I swear guys, you have no idea how much I lost my mind behind this duet. Because c'mon, I don't know if you guys are realizing, but it's fucking genius. And, last but not least, how not to mention the classic "Uso desu kedo ne~" at the close. Epic.

[strangerstime]

Perhaps this information will totally influence my future writings

This topic exhausted itself a long time ago. But is it always a bad thing to return to something that still weighs on you to this day? Yeah, I'm talking about Sun and Moon Show.

So why did I pull this topic out of the nailed coffin when I have already stated my opinion before? Well, there are reasons for that. My friend, @visionthefox, often makes little posts debating this, and I read them from time to time. And the post about Bloodmoon and Lunar has me quite interested. More specifically the fact that BM broke his arm. I was impressed: in a show made for kids, they showed that moment in a very violent and intimidating way. For that they have my respect. I hadn't heard my boys' voices in quite a while and was immensely happy to hear the two of them again (if you remember, it was after BM and Lunar died that I finally gave up on the show). But my happiness didn't last long.

I watched a few other episodes, including gameplay episodes (where I think the BM actor underplayed emotionally, since I saw him as Moon the whole time, but Ruin Eclipse behaved pretty similarly, but not about that), and was somewhat disappointed. Not only that they made two hysterical twins out of my fun and active twins (which is justifiable, since they've been betrayed many times and suffered mentally from it), but also how much the plot became… monotonous? I just didn't have the fervor to find out what happens next.

You may say to me, "Well, it's a show for kids! Why pick on it?" Well, I came to this show when I was a kid. And I thought it was pretty strong script-wise. So what happened? When did those subtle plot lines weaving together turn into constant "here-this-twists!"? All in all, it's pretty sad. I don't deny that there are some positive aspects to the show: I like that the BMs are shown to be much more serious and more realistic, with their complexes and fears; that they brought up Lunar and BM's "brotherhood" (After a year- KHEM) and other minor pluses, but there's nothing here that can bring my attention back. The saddest thing is when watching something leaves no emotion at all…. Just emptiness...

I am in no way judging you if you like this Show! This is my subjective opinion, which I just decided to express for one simple reason: I feel guilty.

Guilty of falling for it, of following the creators' leash, of deciding to base my universe on it and thereby creating so many problems for myself that I won't be able to solve anytime soon, because all the problems start from the first comics… I've only been doing this for a year, and I realize I'm as far from perfect as the Earth is from the Moon. I realize that I should have thought of the consequences earlier, but I was going with my emotions and hopes, which ultimately didn't come to fruition. I accept the fact that people unfamiliar with SAMS will not get on board, they will be confused and end up drowning in trying to understand what is going on here. Which leads me to ask just one question:

"What should I do now?"

Is it worth restarting the whole thing? Flush a whole year of my efforts down the toilet to convey the true essence of my complicated plot? Or should I give up and just pretend like this is how it's supposed to be, finally finishing at least one part of this story….

Many people won't get to this point, but the few that do, hear me: never repeat my mistakes. Don't put your fate in the hands of other people.

End of communication.

[anulithots]

Because you love storytelling, what are your top 5 fav (fictional) books ever? Do you love live- stage drama? Oh, and do you love fairy tales like Andersen, Grimms, etc? If you are, what are your top 5 fav fairy tales?

As I read your blog, I can tell that you love story telling and story as a whole (sorry if it's kinda weird to say). Love your blog so much 🥰💐

Awww thank you!

I dooo like storytelling, it's my solace and comfort place and how my little neurodivergent self processes the world.

Top 5 favorite fictional books:

The Little Prince. The movie fundamentally shaped my childhood, and the book shapes me now. It's such a beautiful story and I've quoted it... quite a few times 😅

Six of Crows. I looove all the characters, their dynamics, the growth they have and how they fit into the larger world. The way all character dynamics and backstories are explored is soooo well done. It's 'be gays, do crimes' in a book and I love it so much,

The wild robot (is it obvious now I used to read a lot of middle grade and never reaaalllyy got into young adult - I've been reading lots of fanfic - so now I'm trying to find a new genre to like.) It's the sweetest little found family between a robot and a gosling ever.

Sherlock Holmes (not finished yet). I've only read a bit so far. THe main duo of Sherlock Holmes and Watson are so fun to read. Their banter, Sherlock's willingness to do crimes and Watson wanting to go along with it because he finds Sherlock interesting. Sherlock Holmes himself being so adhd core. He accidentally became the best man at a wedding for the people he was trying to spy on. It's peak fiction.

(The BBC show had very good characters and character dynamics, but the mystery was kinda... lackluster to be honest)

Blind Trust by @goodluckclove. Such a comfort read, all the characters and dynamics are thoroughly explored. And everyone deserves hugs and happiness. It feels like reading a slice of life show mixed with the saddest backstories and well done emotional writing and akjsdfkl. It was so fun and comforting to read.

Honorable mentions I'll have to reread: Howl's Moving Castle, The Hunger Games (my tbr list got messed around), Heaven Official's blessing.

TBR list: haikyuu, sherlock holmes, The picture of dorian gray, Six of Crows duology, Heaven Official's blessing, The Hunger Games, Omniscient reader's viewpoint.

ALSO ALSO. If anyone ever has recommendations for books that are commentaries with lots of deep contemplation and explorations of themes of some sorts... the ones that sit with you afterwards and make you look at the world in a new way.... I'm alwayyys open to recommendations.

Do you love live- stage drama?

I've only seen one😅. I don't remember what it was called. One of those classic desi ones. Ended tragically and such. I've never gotten into it, but I think I'd like it if I ever did! Maybe when I have ✨ le independence✨ I'll see some. I'm always open to suggestions in my inbox!

Oh, and do you love fairy tales like Andersen, Grimms, etc? If you are, what are your top 5 fav fairy tales?

I've never read any, but I did have a phase where I was interested in them. I watched and read lots and lots of summaries.

I liked the little mermaid one. The ending tragedy sat with little me for a while. The idea that her sisters cared enough to give her the option of her old life at the expense of the prince, that she loved him so much - even if it was unrequited - that she'd rather sacrifice herself... the moral dilemmaasss klajflkasdf. (Also the queer allegories heheh)

The Rapunzel one also was nice... I've heard lots of versions and such.

Um kajdfk I don't remember everythinggg. But they were dark and I loved how dark they were. Since they were 'fairy tales for children' it's pretty much the first dark thing I was exposed to. I honestly love dark things for that weight they add to stories and my fairy tale phase probably played a major part in that.

Thank you so much for the ask!

[just-nonsense-bungaku]

花人局/Hanamotase/Flower and Badger Game Translyrics!

I've really wanted to write lyrics for hanamotase for a while now, ever since I finished reading Tousaku (I'm sure anyone who's read it can understand why). I honestly think this is the saddest Yorushika song, and that's saying a lot when the entirety of Elma exists. Since I should be doing something else right now, I managed to write these in a couple hours. They're really messy, but I'm actually really proud of them this time. There's a lot of anaphora and epistrophe.

I keep it in my heart, the flower you gave me that day,

I was still in a daze as the dawn bore you away

I woke up in a room with you nowhere in sight

Feeling only your warmth as you left me behind

So last night I got drunk and forgot, and I think something happened, but I wouldn’t know

There’s just a feeling that’s left in my heart that my night hadn’t been quite so lonely

I’m hungover and can’t even think, so I might’ve imagined the feeling of warmth

And even if I don’t know in the end, well, I think that’s alright in its own way

In the sink, I see a toothbrush next to somebody’s cup, and a bottle of lotion

They don’t mean a thing, I don’t know them at all

The pillow smells like flowers from someone I knew

I kept it in my heart, the flower you gave me that day

Still I’m stuck in a daze as the dawn takes you away

I wake up in a room with you nowhere in sight

Feeling only your warmth as you left me behind

So last night I got drunk, and I think there was something important, but I can’t recall

Some kinda badger game sounds about right, but I don’t really care at the moment

My hangover is already gone, so I guess I can think but I’m not really sure

And being honest, I’d rather not know, so I think it’s alright if I don’t

A window with a blooming lavender, a dirt-covered sink, and an unfinished muffler

I don’t know why I don’t know them at all,

And suddenly the scent of the spring fills the room

The flower-badger game can take even storm-clouds away

And I’m left all alone in the fading of the day

Sparing me nothing but the last ray of light

In a daze, just like when you had left me behind

So last night I got drunk, but I think I remember a bit more than I had said before

I can recall that my life will go on, even if I feel lost when you��re gone

Even now, I remember the day when you showed me a flower and told me of its name

And so I kept it there deep in my heart, to remember when you went away

Surely then, tomorrow I’ll meet up with you

With that look upon your face like it’s nothing new

You’ll say that you’re sorry you took such a long time

I’ll laugh as I say “I’ve done that too”

Wanting nothing but those words, I’m waiting for you

As the sunset turns to night, I’m waiting for you

So that I don’t forget, I’ll write songs of flowers and love

All alone in the night, knowing words won’t be enough

And sleeping in a room where you’re far out of sight

Knowing only your warmth as you leave me behind

I’ve been a fool, I know, but I can’t let it go

For the flower you left me as springtime overflowed

I’m living in this town when you’re so far ahead

Knowing only the warmth that you left on our bed

Knowing only a flower and words left unsaid

Wanting nothing but those words, I’m waiting for you…

As the sunset turns to night, I’m waiting for you…

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

It has been a while since I've read a powerful, moving children's novel and I knew that Louder Than Hunger would scratch that itch. I would say that it firmly straddles the line between middle-grade and YA, as the protagonist is a young teen but the main subject matter (anorexia) is dark and it doesn't shy away from the graphic reality of that. It's probably best suited to readers aged 13+ and every reader should proceed with caution.

Jake loves books, musical theatre and spending time with his grandma. He hates food, mirrors and feeling enormous. He is desperate to avoid attention, so he tries his best to be as small as he possibly can be and not eating seems to be the only way to do that. How long can he possibly keep it up before he disappears?

Jake is haunted by the malevolent voice of his eating disorder, which consistently interrupts his thoughts, seemingly whenever he is otherwise having a good time. It's such an honest, accurate representation of how an eating disorder operates and makes for devastating reading that had me on edge the whole way.

Many readers will agree that there is nothing better than the smell of new books but Jake almost treats inhaling the scent as eating or consuming. This reversal of something that is so often considered to be harmless and calming was quite disturbing and just one of many examples of the damage within the mind of someone with an eating disorder.

I have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder but I definitely have an unhealthy relationship with food. I read every nutritional label, I count calories and I try my best to keep within my 'allowance'. I don't get physical symptoms when I fail to do these things but I think it does affect my mood. It's exhausting and difficult, so I can only imagine how hard it must be when it consumes your whole life.

Jake's description of how it feels when he eats and thinks about the food inside his body could only come from someone who has definitely had these thoughts before. It's so graphic and it actually made me feel queasy. I will actually go as far as to say that it caused me to be disgusted by eggs and cereal and other foods that I loved, so I would again urge precaution before encouraging young readers with disordered eating to read this book.

I think the saddest part of the book was that Jake is a strong empath and he is well aware of the worry that he is causing his family. Despite this, it's not enough for him to silence the voice, which is literally louder than his very natural hunger. He wants to eat but his mind simply won't allow him to. I think one of the book's strongest merits is the way it illustrates eating disorders as existing in the mind rather than the body. Many sufferers really want to eat and get better but their illness is just too fierce and controlling.

Louder Than Hunger is a thought-provoking, emotional read. I think I wanted Jake to build more on his friendships and for there to be a bit more of a plot. However, I have since learned that this is based on the author's own experience, which makes sense because it does read like a memoir in places. I'm really glad I read it because it's an important topic that young readers should be aware of and it's an accurate portrayal. It's authentic and hopeful but really quite raw, so take care of yourself while reading!

[slickshoesareyoucrazy]

45

I met A when I was 12. That's an age that's a big deal, but nobody really talks about it. 16 gets some press (I met my friend K when I was 16...more about her in a bit). 18 and 21 get a lot (I got close to my friends B and D between these ages...I've talked about them some here). I met J when I was 25. That was a big deal. I had the Boy the year I turned 30. That was a big deal too.

40 is supposed to be a big deal, but I basically got totally forgotten the year I turned 40. Id lost a lot of people I thought were my friends (but not B or D or K or A). My stupid brother picked my 40th birthday to move out of my parents' house, so of course, who gives a shit about Jen when her brother requires attention? I didn't even get a token dinner out at a chain restaurant that year.

All the birthdays since have been meaningless (let's get real...except for my 26th birthday when J proposed and my 16th when A was the only friend who showed up to a party I tried to throw myself, they've all been pretty shitty...before and since 40...I can't remember a 'good' one except for 26...hell, less than a week after my 28th birthday, I lost my first pregnancy in traumatic fashion...not a huge fan of birthdays, honestly). I don't really evaluate the years I've lived on my birthday, but I do think about my age sometimes and I've been thinking a lot about 45 this week.

A died when he was 45 (my age now). And I've of course been thinking of that since it happening early December. But my friend K just had her first baby on Friday, at 45 (she'll be 46 in early May). That's so wild. She texted me this week while we were on the road to tell me the good news. Baby Z is here! 😃❤️💕 As everyone reading can probably guess the road to motherhood for K had a lot of rough patches in it. I'm so grateful she's ok. Baby Z is too. "We can't wait for you to meet her!" I can't wait to meet her either, but I wonder what that's gonna feel like. To see and maybe hold the first baby of my friend who's my age 4.5 months after my friend who's my age died. I wonder how bad this kid is going to be spoiled and protected 😂😂😂😂❤️ K told me she was pregnant (she was waiting until it was a super sure thing this time to tell people, which I get) the Monday after A's funeral. She didn't know he had passed. She felt guilty and shitty about coming at me with euphoric happiness, but I told her I welcomed that (true). I feel guilty that I inadvertently made her think (MORE) about her own mortality, and her partner's, and her friends', because of A.

Anyway this is rambling, but 45 has made it real weird so far. This is hands down my weirdest year. Maybe my saddest, but also oddly still pretty good in a lot of fucked up ways.

[annestie]

Spread love to fanfic writers! Answer these questions about your fanfics then send this to 5 other fanfic writers Name a fic you loved writing the most. Name a fic that others loved but you didn’t care for as much. Name a fic you had the most fun writing. Name a fic that you are the most proud of. Name a fic that you wish had gotten more recognition. Name your happiest/saddest/most comedic fics! -SnomoScribbles (side blog)

This is so sweet of you to send to me. Thank you!

1. Name a fic you loved writing the most.

I think my most loved fic so far is Ma' Yawntu. Just because I've spent over 6 months (almost a year!?) writing it and I've definitely grown a bit attached.

2. Name a fic that others loved but you didn’t care for as much.

I love my all my fics but probably Whoops if I had to name one. I did not expect that fic to get over 1k hits and it currently stands at 5k. It was my first Avatar fic and I was still trying to nail down how to write each of the characters lol. It's certainly is an experience for me to look back at how I wrote it.

3. Name a fic you had the most fun writing.

I had the most fun writing 4 times Ao'nung kissed Neteyam and 1 time Neteyam kissed Ao'nung. I love fluff and I love reading it and I especially love thinking of those 4+1/5+1 things.

4. Name a fic that you are the most proud of.

I'm the most proud of Ma' Yawntu. I have a word document that I've used to write it and all the extras that currently has 83k words. I sometimes can't believe I actually wrote it in about a year.

5. Name a fic that you wish had gotten more recognition.

I wish my fic The Day of Loneliness got more recognition. It's about Tuk being upset because she was left alone on Pandora's version of Valentines while her friends and family are busy being in love. It's a gen fic so I knew it wouldn't get that much love but I still really like it.

6. Name your happiest/saddest/most comedic fics!

The Courting Gift is one of my saddest but specifically the one I posted to Ao3. The end scene I wrote just makes me sad

5 times Ron went without realizing that Draco and Harry were together and the 1 time he finally came to realize how close they actually were is one of my funniest. It's not in the Avatar fandom and I probably wouldn't characterize the characters the same now. But it holds a special place in my heart.

Breakfast is one of my happiest. It's pure fluff.

Ok I'm done. Have a nice day!

[ratheread]

My opinion on each kotlc book.

These are my personal opinions on each book so yeah if you dont agree cool I really don't care. I'm working on rereading the series so i show a better opinion on the books i havent read for awhile. Tw: Spoilers.

•Book one- Kotlc

Its good it's the most page time Dex has, but couldn't the black swan leave a note or something being like hey we're not the bad guys. Also why did forkle leave Sophie and Dex alone with no way to get back to the Lost Cities. I feel bad for sophie too because in this book fitz comes in and is like "Yeahhh.... so your an elf and can't live with humans. Oh also you know all the stuff the humans taught you... yeah it's wrong."

•Book 2- Exile

Again another good one except dex doesn't have nearly enough page time. Silveny is the best animal in the series I also think this is the first book that Iggy gets a makeover. Also Keefe getting more page time I love, the sokeefe moments. And of course the neverseen makes an appearance. And Sophie almost being killed by limbium. And brant being a psycho. And Sophie seeing her wanderling.

•Book 3- Everblaze

The saddest so far with the best councilor being killed. But he was trying to protect Sophie and Alden and fitz. Oh yeah and Alden's mind being broken and fitz being a bitch and lashing out at everyone. Rip Kenric

•Book 4- Neverseen

This book contains a bunch of sofitz. This when I was battling shipping sokeefe and sofitz which lasted until book 8. Loved calla and rip her

•Book 5- Lodestar

Took me the longest because of Keefe joining the neverseen. Poor Sophie. And Keefe being dumb was mainly in this.

•Book 6- nightfall

YAY SOPHIES PARENTS ARE ALIVE. This is the most page time Amy's gotten. It's not bad but yeah.

Book 7- flashback

Sofitz gets together kinda annoying but I had hight expectations for this ship but it kinda sunk quickly. They about kiss then sliveny goes into labor (Ty silveny for breaking that kiss before it could happen) The vackers get exposed. And Sophie and fitz get stuck in the healing center for a month and sokeefe moments are the best. BUT SOPHIE BEING UNMATCHABLE

Book 8- legacy

This is my favorite book so far (Tho 8.5 is close) SOFITZ BREAKS UP. Poor Sophie having to deal with Fitz temper. Glad they did. Sofitz was doomed from the start. And poor Keefe omg I shed the most tears over this book. And poor Keefe and his toxic mom being the mf she is. But the sokeefe is cute. Even though Sophie is unmatchable FITZ WASNT THERE he offered to help her find her parents. Also I'm not that surprised that orlie isn't Sophie's mom. I've suspected for awhile.

Book 8.5- Unlocked

I like the background we get for the characters. Keefes stuff is the best. It's also the most page time Dex has gotten in while. I like how in novella we get Sophie and keefes perspective. It made if more enjoyable. Keefes file is just hilarious. The art was gorgeous and I loved how some ot the pages looked like actual writing.

Book 9- Stellarlune

Alright this book was good arguable better then 8.5 and 8. I loved the kiss in chapter 42 and jealous fitz was great. I didn't like everyone's attitude at all. (I wrote an entire post on that) but ro got a bunch of page time and so did dex so that was great. Kenric gets the most page time he's had ever. (Not him being mentioned) and same with Oralie. I don't understand why Sophie hates her so much she does have some valid points but not many. I had such expectations for the kiss and it met them perfectly. Overall fitz handled things pretty well so yeah. Keefe and Sophie flirting yes please. OMFG THE CLIFFHANGER. I can't wait to see what happens 10.

[trashlie]

Maybe a little sad but Yui reminds me of my mom and what happened to Rand is kinda what's happened to my dad over the years. He's exhausted. Ran out of spoons years ago. (Thankfully my dad's been great to me despite this). But while Rand's convo with Shinae really upset me like, good God man, people who've run out of spoons really think that, and really think distancing themselves is for the best because they're not bad people they're just exhausted to the point of apathy. It's sad but it's hard for me to hate Rand or even Yui or Kousuke because that's just... kinda what my life looks like haha. People can be a twisted, narcissistic manipulator but someone can still love them without excusing the faults. However, the first thing that happens when you recognize who you're living with is just this seething uncontainable bitterness. I'm nervous for what will happen to Kousuke when his world shatters fully at seeing glimpses of who his mom really is. The paranoia doesn't go away, you still feel the scars on your brain sometimes. But it takes having the right people in your life to finally obtain a solid sense of "this is who I am without her, and she can't control me anymore." AND learning how to play the games your mom has without giving into the manipulation and causing scenes or losing yourself. It's tricky but possible. I don't think for the purpose of the story we'll get to see that be possible with Yui (she's objectively much worse than my mom lol but the vibe fits) but I do hope we get to see some peace for Rand and Kousuke someday. They deserve to grow past the exhaustion, paranoia, and apathy.

Oh nonny :( My heart goes out to you and anyone else who has had to endure and survive these situations. One of my really good friends has a narcissistic mom, and it took a long time for her to recognize her for who and what she is and start to see her tactics for what they were - tactics. And her mom grew so much worse once she lost that control over my friend. Even as a bystander, it's so difficult to watch, because you can also see the tactics for what they are, you get to see every time they put themselves first and every time they fight someone they're supposed to love that point of exhaustion. I'm glad you still have a good relationship with your dad despite that, though! That's such a hard thing to go through and I think there are some people who don't realize just how hard it is to tread those waters. :(

As a reader it is SO easy to sit back and go "they're adults they know better than this, they should do better than this" but the saddest thing about this scenario is what happens when this continues for years and yeas and years. Just as Nol wanted to get as far away as possible, can we blame Rand for distancing himself? Unfortunately not.

I, too, struggle to hate Rand and I've had some conversations with people lately who think that offering Rand empathy means you condone with his behavior. And while I don't think I condone "neglecting your children", it's far more than that. ILY really exemplifies the whole "be kind to others because you never know what they're going through" mentality.

For similar (but different) ways, reading ILY has left me grappling with a lot of my unresolved feelings with my family and parenthood in general. What scares me SO much about being a parent is exactly this: you now have a job that means putting yourself first, sacrificing your wants and needs to meet theirs. And a lot of people aren't good at it. A lot of people never learn how to do it. Or they can only do their best with what they have, they can only do their best but sometimes their best isn't enough. Sometimes they have less spoons, negative spoons.

It's not so cut and dry that we can say "You are a father you have to do better." I think there's a pointed difference between not wanting to be a father, not wanting anything to do with your child and not having the energy TO be a good father. I like exploring this because it's such a human thing, there's not necessarily a good vs bad here. Rand's choices have hurt a lot of people but it feels like he's not choosing to be an asshole dad - it just happens that it's turning out this way.

I think that's the big take away. Life is not a series of good people and bad people; it's just the culmination of everyone trying to get by. And yeah, some people actively make shitty choices. Some parents actively make the choice to not be there, to prioritize themselves. They actively choose to let someone else shoulder that burden for them because they don't want to be a part of this, they aren't attached. But I don't think that's the case for Rand and we can't view it through that lens. And tbh that goes for life in general. I don't think it means we MUST forgive the people who have hurt us, but at least it provides a little more understanding?

Regarding what happens after you come to terms with who that manipulative parent really is, yes, I've had that fear, too. I think Kousuke will crash and burn HARD before he gets to grow again. It's not just that he has to figure out what his mother has done and that he is a result of all of it, but that loss of security because of how well she's isolated him, it's that sense of identity that he won't know anymore. It's SCARY - I can't blame him for staying in his safe bubble. I can't blame him that every time he gets close to the truth he runs away because it isn't easy. In Kousuke's case, it means cutting him off from the only person he believes cares about him, the only person who has brought him comfort. That's why it's so easy for me to empathize with Kousuke now and take interest in seeing what he's going to do and how it will happen. He doesn't face an easy choice at all, does he :(

Mentioning that you have to learn how to play their games also made me think - I think one of the keys to putting a stop to Yui (or, at the very least, freeing themselves from her tyranny) is that they need that sense of community. And I think having Kousuke deflect from her and join them would be a great benefit from them all because he does, to some degree, know how to play her game. He's been doing it to Nol as long as he's known him.

Idk I think.... there's going to be a LOT of work for Kousuke and healing will not be easy. It will probably be ugly and might involve steps backwards even as he moves forward but I feel really hopeful about him. You and others who have lived in those situations go to show that it's possible to get out of that AND to heal and recover.

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I hope it can lend insight to others so that they might be able to view this part of the story through a different lens. No one has to forgive or even love these characters, but I hope it helps people understand better the grey nuances of enduring abuse.

[lillllbabygirl]

i just really can't take this anymore. any of it. i'm like. done. i am just done. and i am tired. i am so fucking tired. i have this constant headache. i'm fighting so fucking hard no body has any fucking idea how hard i am fighting just to keep fighting, and i am so fucking tired, i am truly just so fucking tired, i can barely take it anymore. i just don't know what to do anymore. i truly can't live a life like this. i can however so 100x better, but no ones given me the chance, nothing's giving me the chance, nothing is letting up. off of my fucking back, and i can't carry all this shit alone anymore. i want forward, but everything's BELIEVE ME, everything's bringing me back, and i can't take it anymore, i really... just can't. i'm the strongest, toughest, most unforgivably hopeful and driven, and solution seeking person i know, and have ever known by far. i truly truly fucking care when i say i care i mean that at least 10x more than you hear it, and i am so tired i can't even have room for my own thoughts anymore, i don't feel like me, i feel fucking used and disgusted with myself and the person that lays here right now, and everyday, is nothing but me, and nothing of a lack of trying and caring and trying to be just as genuinely me as any other fucking day since day 1, since the start. but there are so many days that go by now where i am completely stepped on, and disregarded, and left out of everything that seems like normal and functioning, and social, and just existing, and i'm truly, GOD, I AM TRULY SO FUCKING TIRED OF IT. i just want to be a person and idk why that seems so difficult to me because i have never stopped trying with every inch of me, and i just don't get why i am going no where. i've tried DETACHING, IVE TRIED EVERYTHING AND NOTHING MY POINT IS, I KNOW NO BODY IS GOING TO SAVE ME BUT ME BUT I DIDNT EVEN FUCK MYSELF IN THE FIRST PLACE AND I DIDNT FILL MY PLATE UP LIKE THIS I DIDNT MAKE THE STUPID DECISIONS THAT OTHER PEOPLE MADE FOR ME AND FUCKED ME SO SEVERELY AND ITS TRULY THE SADDEST THING TO SEE MYSELF LIKE THIS BECAUSE I AM REALLY STRUGGLING AND SUFFERING AND FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT EVER STOPPED DOING THAT I KNOW YOU CANT IMAGINE WHAT ITS LIKE FOR ME BECAUSE EVERYBODY I KNOW AT SOME POINT HAS HAD A FUCKING BREAK BUT MY INCREDIBLE AND MOVING AND UNBELIEVABLY RESILIENT STORY AND IMMOVABLE SELF IS SO FUCKING TIRED LORD GOD SOMEBODY JUST READ THIS AND KNOW THAT I AM SO FUCKING TIRED AND TRULY FEEL ME AND EMPATHIZE WITH ME PLEASE BECAUSE THIS SHIT IS LONELY AND I DONT NEED ATTENTION I NEED FUCKING HELP AND IM DONE WITH JUST OF GETTING STARTED ASKING AND IM DONE PUSHING SO HARD TIRELESSLY AT THESE WALLS CLOSING IN ON ME AND IM DONE SELF LOATHING AND IM DONE SELF PITYING AND CRYING AND CLIMBING BUT REALLY JUST CLAWING AT THESE WALLS FOR A WAY UP OUT OF THIS FUCKING HOLE THAT NO BODY SEES AND IM SO TIRED OF BEING SO FUCKING SEEMINGLY OPEN AND HAPPY AND OKAY AND FORGIVING AND UNDERSTANDING AND TOLERANT AND FUNCTIONING AND SEEMING LIKE I AM SURVIVING ALL THIS BULLSHIT BECAUSE IM REALLY REALLY REALLY JUST FUCKING NOT I AM AN AMAZING SMART TALENTED PERSON BUT ALL THOSE ADJECTIVES MEAN NOTHING WHEN THIS IS WHAT I LIVE WITH THESE FUCKING HUGE ASS WALLS WHILE EVERYTHING SEEMS OUT IN THE OPEN AND GOOD AND OKAY AND ITS REALLY JUST NOT! ITS NOT OKAY? I AM NOT OKAY AND I HAVENT EVER BEEN okay OR good, AND THATS ALWAYS THE FUCKING ANSWER YOUVE HEARD FROM ME BECAUSE ITS AUTOMATIC BUT TO BE REAL WITH YOU I HAVEN'T EVER MET SOMEBODY WITH WALLS AS BIG AS MINE AND IS STILL SURVIVING DOWN HERE WHILE STARVING ITS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND THIS STRES IS KILLING ME AND I DONT CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS. I DONT CARE. I AM TIRED. I AM AWAKE. THERES NO DIFFERENCE, IN THE START AND FINISH OF THE DAY TO ME IM THIS TIRED CONTINUOUSLY, IM THIS HURT ALL THE FUCKING TIME AND IM SO SORE AND I FEEL SO FUCKING FULL OF SHIT FOR TRYING TO BE OKAY ALLLLLL THIS MOTHER FUCKING TIME WHEN I DONT EVEN HAVE A SENSE OF FUCKING TIME SO WHATS THE POINT IN SPENDING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE? EVERYTHING IVE WANTED FEELS LIKE ITS GONE TO ME AND EVERYTHING

I AM FEELS LIKE IT WEARING AWAY. AND FOR GODS SAKE I AM SO FUCKING TIRED.

but today, just like any other day, i go to sleep feeling sleepless and wakeless at the same time, and ready for the end of the day to start at the beginning again. and somebody not to hear me whining about how i truly feel, because i'd rather secretly wither away, than stare sympathy in the face of the people i just want to say, they're proud of me, and for me to really agree and feel that way because of the accomplishments i've made. no more sitting in place, begging for a damn thing, but providing things to show how i truly feel and who i am today is something to be mattered with. idek if thats a fucking word, but fuck it, means something, i'm too tired anyway, i've said, and done enough now. no this is not a suicide letter, how could i kill myself, when i'm already otw. anyways. fuck this. shit. goodnight/goodmorning. & welcome to my world, & a little time incomprehensible piece of my head. you're welcome. :) congratulations.

[some-teeth-in-a-trench-coat]

Last minute adding while eating dinner because I ADHD'd both this and food and now it's way past bedtime but I need to eat so I may as well type as I chew!

What is left to say? I can say that, although I originally intended it to be more "balanced", it turns out most characters are Jewish. This doesn't represent the population at large within the universe of course, I would estimate Jews make up about 0.8% of the global population. And yes, that is me being intentionally optimistic because the current number in reality is 0.2% but this is my world and I get to decide that good things happen*.

I can say that the vast majority of Jewish characters are Orthodox by today's standards, but in my optimism I've decided the labels and denominations of the present day are not fully applicable and one of those things where you learn about it in history class but it takes a lot of understanding the social and cultural context of the time in order to really understand why such a thing would occur. The idea of splitting Judaism in such a way, especially with judgement cast between groups, is foreign to them.

And yes, I like happy endings. I like to imagine that things will be okay in spite of everything bad I know to be real. I want to tell stories where people face unbearable hardships that tell you you're not hurting alone and they survive and tell you that despite all this there is hope. There are of course silly "episodes" too. You need to laugh in between. I think it helps the more emotionally heavy moments land if you've had time to have a bit of fun in between and I love the comedy aspects! I'm mainly saying this is my approach to the big things. If you prefer sad endings I'm not judging, just telling you not to expect this from my stories.

Hmm what else? I think I can feel my brain shutting down actually so just gonna list some fun facts:

Moth Wizard (character) has a wizard staff that consists of a lightbulb at the end of a rusty pipe and some wires. The bulb glows when he uses his magic, but it's a bit unclear whether he understands or cares about the difference between controlling a moth with magic and controlling it with a magically powered lightbulb.

There is a bus driver wizard, who is a Jewish lesbian and maintains an antique bus (from our time!) with her bisexual wife and I love them so much. The bus isn't magical though, but almost with how much love has been put into it. The wizard uses portals and similar magic to drive the bus across the world in seconds! Why a bus? To carry large numbers of passengers! They provide an invaluable service to their community.

I am so far behind on naming characters, the only proper names I've given are Brakha and Natan (Hebrew names, meaning "blessing" and "he gave"), but their story is probably the one I have most developed, despite them coming from the prompt "you should put a talking skeleton in your world regardless of genre." I took the prompt and asked some ethical questions about the premise, and ended up with the world's saddest skinless trans girl.

I love talking about Moth Wizard (setting and character) please keep asking me about Moth Wizard (setting or character)

*In case anyone reading this has doubts about "proportionally more Jews in the world" being an actively good thing, I'd like to direct them to this infographic, but content warning: The Holocaust/Shoah. I encourage you to compare the percentages.

please tell us more about moth wizard

With pleasure!!! (Although I have to keep it short because I need to sleep pretty soon BUT I can add more tomorrow)

Moth Wizard is one of my OCs and also the (temporary) name of the setting in which he is the main character.

Moth Wizard the character is a Jewish trans man who has learned magic and specializes exclusively in controlling moths. He is likely autistic and loves lepidopterans (moths and butterflies) and struggles with social cues and understanding what other people are thinking or able to infer from a situation. My boyfriend has recently been reading me the Discworld books (focusing on the Watch recently finishing Feet of Clay, which was amazing btw but I think my favorite scene was Dorfl's last one... reminds me of a certain story from the Talmud teehee) so if you're familiar, I find that Moth Wizard is a lot like Carrot Ironfoundersson. He's kind and humble and just wants to help, but can sometimes be totally oblivious to how others interpret a situation. The main difference being that Moth Wizard is not quite so charismatic, both in his social awkwardness and in his humble appearance.

The idea is that he's only the main character in the sense that we take his point of view and that he is in every "episode" (I think of the story in terms of a TV show, I'll probably never get that far but the IDEA is that I'm gonna do it all in Blender), but every story is actually about someone else, it's like he just walks in and becomes a side character to someone else's adventure, with a different adventure each episode.

Moth Wizard the setting is a post apocalyptic fantasy world. Essentially, although humans and most of the Earth survived, war and climate change and the hunger of capitalism escalated until most established power structures crumbled, and then on top of all that, suddenly humans could do magic! Basically, chaos. But not the end of humanity. And the survivors built new communities and generally speaking there is peace, or at least no group is large or organized or armed enough to engage in anything that can be called "war" and still seeing the smoke from the last time war happened, few are eager to change it. But that's politics, not what I meant to talk about.

People who decide to pursue magic are called wizards, and generally they will specialize around some concept, because it's just a lot more convenient. It was originally teenagers who discovered magic, because the way magic works is that you need to do it on purpose. You need to focus and genuinely try, in that special way that you stop doing as you grow older, because you learn that all you'll achieve is making yourself look stupid. To use magic in the world of Moth Wizard, you need to be vulnerable and put your faith in what you're doing, enough that you might cry if it doesn't work because of disappointment and/or embarrassment. And teens are great at that. Children have imagination, yes, but they're not vulnerable in the same way (and also I need some way to make sure children aren't going around summoning dragons or raising the dead), and usually they're not as desperately hopeless as someone experiencing puberty and all the horrors that come with it. Teens are perfect because (generally) they have pride to hurt and hopes to crush, but still haven't "grown up" to the point where they don't believe in magic enough to be truly vulnerable about it.

That's all I've got time to say right now, but if you want more Right Now, here's a link to a list of my most developed characters, each with a brief description!

And you can also join the "Moth Wizard fandom" community if you'd like, where I will occasionally post bonus content, and I'm hoping if more people join we can have discussions about it! Totally optional but here's the invite link for anyone interested!

Thank you so much for the ask, anon!!!