#and I thought what better to ease myself back into writing than this idea i've been wanting to flesh out

[brighteststar707]

Parallels

You carry parts of past lives with you. You can't help it, you're made up of all the people you've loved before.

A reset theory idea I revived from a years-old draft about picking up traits from people you spend a lot of time around (as I'm quite prone to doing🤭).

There has always been this strange familiarity to you. Even back in the early days, it always felt like you were someone Saeyoung had known for years.

He likes to tease you about being easy to read, but it's more than that. The things he recognises in you are things he has grown to love so much in his closest friends.

He loves to tell silly jokes just to hear you laugh. When he promised you a life that would be happy and without worry, he meant it. Your laugh is infectious, addicting even. A laugh from you is an affirmation to someone as insecure as him.

It took him a while to catch on to the way your giggles resemble Yoosung's sometimes. It's not every time, but more than enough times to be a noticeable quirk of yours. The slight hiss of air escaping through your teeth, the precursor to a proper, real laugh.

That was the first parallel he drew. But it was not the last.

He thought he was imagining things at first, making connections where there weren't any to be made. But then you teasingly called him honey for the first time, truly affectionate and sugary-sweet and it was impossible to not think about how he had seen Zen do the same thing before to make fans of his blush. Of course, this trick worked just as well on him when you did it. When you were in these moods, you were magnetic, more so than even Zen could be.

There is something about how, during discussions, you pause to gather your thoughts right before you're about to conclude a point. You have told him you do it to try and collect your thoughts into a coherent sentence so you don't jumble everything up. He thinks it's smart (and cute). It's something he is trying to implement in his life now.

He also knows it's something Jumin practices and advises others to do too. On occasion, during RFA gatherings, Saeyoung watches you and Jumin have a conversation and fall into similar patterns of speech. It's mesmerising, like watching two mirror images.

It is only after a few years, after getting closer to Jaehee at all that realises there are similarities between the two of you too.

He sees a small echo of her in the way that you tackle challenges, not just the resilience he has always known you're capable of but the way you can dissect a problem down to its core and handle it piece by piece. In the tone and cadence you use when instructing others, kind but deliberate, with no room for doubt.

But she's also in your excitement, in the way your voice builds up and rises in pitch when you're talking about something you love. If it wasn't something he recognised from your first weeks together, he'd attribute it to your many musical movie nights.

It wouldn't be fair to say that these traits are identical to theirs. They're things that are so inherent to you, he couldn't imagine you without your funny hiss-laugh or the cadence of your voice when you're measuring out your words. He finds comfort all the same in the little overlap between you and his friends. It may puzzle him sometimes, but he wouldn't change it for the world.

The cherry on the cake was one day when you were chatting and you scrunched your nose before telling a joke, in the same way he knows he does sometimes. His heart swelled three sizes that day and he wouldn't stop teasing you about it.

[froggiewrites]

hey, congrats on 100 followers! i love the way you write zoro and sanji and the final chapter of "picture you" has me craving some zoro x reader x sanji smut. could we maybe get a taste of that, please? 🙏

I've been thinking about writing a threesome for Sanji and Zoro since I finished Picture You, but I was nervous to try it, so thank you for giving me an excuse to push myself out of my comfort zone a bit 😊 I hope you enjoy it!

Two for One

Pairing: Zoro x Reader x Sanji

NSFW

Summary: Sanji and Zoro have been fighting even worse than usual lately for reasons beyond your comprehension, and everyone else is growing sick of it. Once you finally figure out why, you decide you three are all going to solve this together. Warnings: Smut, Clueless Reader, Canon Typical Zosan Fighting, Praise Kink (if you squint) Word Count: 3.2k

“Shut the hell up, mosshead!”

“Only if you get out of my goddamn face, you damn cook!”

Your crewmates were moments away from tearing each other’s throats out. They always were, of course, but the tension had grown so thick lately it was almost hard to breathe in the same room as them. You have no idea what caused them to turn into rabid dogs, constantly barking in your ears, but it was absolutely unbearable.

“Will you two stop?” Nami smacks them both softly upside the head, glaring harshly. “Don’t make this our problem. Look around, you two. Look at what you’re doing.” There’s something behind her words you can’t quite make out, and both of their gazes turn specifically to you, taking in your tense shoulders and the way you’ve begun to hunch in on yourself a bit. The tension eases slightly as they both slump a little with shame, before Sanji quickly grabs your hands.

“I’m so sorry, my dear. I never meant to make you uncomfortable. The brute and I will stop now. “

“Brute?” Zoro snaps. “You little–” He looks at your face before stopping, letting out a huff, and storming out.

Sanji reluctantly lets go of your hands when a timer goes off in the distance. “Well, duty calls, angel.” He skitters off into the kitchen.

The rest of the crew lets out a relieved sigh. Brook places a skeletal hand on your shoulder. “Good luck with that.”

“What?”

Robin and Franky chuckle, like this is a joke you aren’t in on, and Nami sighs. “You really don’t know?”

“Know what exactly?”

“Oh my god.” She sighs, resting her head in her hands. Everyone else laughs again, slowly filing out and patting her on the back, silently designating her with the task of explaining.

“What is it? What don’t I know?”

“The reason they’ve been fighting. You haven’t noticed a pattern at all?”

You think back to all of the most recent arguments you’ve witnessed, and you can’t think of a single thing that connects them. One about who was more handsome, one over who was stronger, and, strangely, one over who was better at fishing, which is something you didn’t think either of them were particularly invested in. “They’re the same stupid fights they’ve always been, just worse.”

“Not…exactly. Think harder. Have you walked in on any fights recently? Or have they always started when you’re there?”

You’ve been unfortunate enough to witness the rising tension firsthand every time recently. “I’ve been there for all of them. It’s sucked.”

“So you’ve been there for every single one.”

“Well I don’t know if they’ve fought when I’m not around. I’m not there.”

She sighs deeply. “I–okay. That’s fair actually. If I told you they barely ever fought when you weren’t around, would that help at all?”

You narrow your eyes, puffing out your cheeks slightly in thought. “It’s…my fault.”

“Yes?”

“They’re…mad at me.”

“Wait–”

“They hate me.”

“No! Oh my god. They’re fighting over you. Because they’re in love with you.”

Your eyes widen, jaw going slack against your will. “What?”

“You really never noticed? Why do you think Sanji insists on dragging you to the kitchen and slowly rolling up his sleeves directly in front of you, and constantly unbuttoning his top button? Or why Zoro insists on training in front of you, or doing push ups with you on his back?”

You pout. “They’re my friends and they wanna spend time with me?”

Nami hesitates at that. “Okay, um. Yes. That too. But they only do it with you. Sanji hates letting other people into the kitchen that much. And Zoro hates being bothered when he’s training. They’re trying to show off. They want to show off how strong and cool they are, because they want you to fall at their feet and beg to have sex with them.” She sees your eyes dim a bit at that, so she quickly corrects. “They want you to like them, is the point. I mean they definitely also want the sex, but really they just want you, and the idea of the other one getting you first pisses them off.”

You blink. “Oh.” You shift, eyes narrowing in thought. “So…they want to have sex with me.”

“Yeah. A lot.”

You think for a moment, wondering how you could possibly choose between the two of them. Your dear friends, your dear, wonderful, handsome, sexy friends. “What do I do now?”

“You pick one, I guess.” Nami sees the frown on your face, and you can see the realization sink in. “Or…you don’t?”

“Do you think they’d be okay with that?”

“For anyone else? No, probably not. I think their pride would get in the way. But for you?” She smirks. “I think they’d do anything you wanted, and they wouldn’t even have to think for a single second about it.”

“I wouldn’t want to push them into anything they’re uncomfortable with.”

“You think they of all people could be pushed into anything they’re uncomfortable with?” She laughs. “I promise you, they wouldn’t. Just go ask. I think you’ll be happy with their response. And the rest of us won’t have to listen to their stupid dick measuring contests anymore.”

You leave the kitchen, steps lighter and filled with determination. Your extremely hot and wonderful friends want you, and you want them. You have great things ahead of you.

Zoro is up in the crow’s nest training, shirtless and sweating, which seems to be his default state. He sees you out of the corner of his eyes, and his next slash is particularly strong and dramatic. He even looks back to see how you react. How did you not notice the way his eyes lingered on you before?

“Hey Zoro?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you meet me in my room in about an hour? I need to talk to you.”

His eyes absolutely light up, even if his face remains neutral. “Hm? Yeah, sure, I can do that.” When he thinks you aren’t looking, he has the smuggest smirk you’ve ever seen on his face. He thinks he’s won. And he has, in a way.

You wander to find Sanji in the kitchen next. “Sanji?”

“Yes, my love?” He gives you an affectionate smile before returning his attention back to the onions he’s chopping.

“Can you meet me in my room in an hour? I have something important to talk to you about.”

He doesn’t try to hide the way he lights up, giving you a heartstopping smile. “Of course, angel! I won’t keep you waiting!” He starts humming a love song as you leave, affection written clearly on his face.

And then you wait. A few times you wonder if this is a bad idea, if it will make them hate you, but you reassure yourself that Nami would have told you if it would fail. She wouldn’t let you walk into a trap like that. You bounce your leg anxiously as you wait for your friends to arrive.

Sanji is first, of course. He shows up exactly an hour from when you talked, down to the second, an offering of your favorite drink in hand. “Hello, darling. I brought something for you!” His smile is so excited you almost feel bad for not letting him know the rest.

“Thank you, Sanji. That’s so sweet.” You take it gladly, taking a grateful sip and letting the flavor wash over you.

“So what did you want to talk about?” He’s leaning closer, longing clear on his face, but you hold strong instead of kissing him senseless like you want to.

“I can’t start until we’re all here.”

“We? All?”

Zoro opens the door nearly immediately after, joy clear on his face before it sours at the sight of Sanji. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“Darling, why is this bastard interrupting?” Sanji is glaring at him, putting himself between you two as though he’s protecting you.

You set your drink down on a table before regarding both of them. “I need to talk to both of you. …If you’re okay with that.”

They regard each other a moment before humming in affirmation, looking at you expectantly.

“So I found out recently that you guys are…fond of me.”

They nod.

“And I’m fond of both of you.”

Another nod.

“And I thought that…maybe…we could all share in that fondness. Together. At the same time.”

“You want a threesome?” Zoro is straight to the point.

“Well, more than one, ideally.” He laughs, while Sanji sits in silence, brow furrowed in thought. You continue, unable to stop yourself in your anxiety. “I like you guys a lot, and I was hoping you’d be okay with this, but I understand if you aren’t–”

“I’m okay with it.” Sanji speaks up with a firmness you didn’t expect. You expected an argument, maybe reluctant agreement, but he seems to have no reservations. “Whatever you want, I’ll do. Simple as that.”

“I don’t want this if you don’t, though.”

“I do want this.” His cheeks turn a little pink. “The thought is…not terrible.”

“I’m also down.” Zoro immediately starts approaching. “So we should start now, right? Break this whole thing in?”

You freeze for a moment, a deer in headlights. You really expected at least a little arguing. “So you guys are really okay with it?”

“Yeah.”

“Absolutely.”

“Shit. Um, okay. I wasn’t ready for this to go well. Uh, let’s start then. I guess.”

“Yes ma’am!” Sanji is on you before you can even process he’s moved, hands hooking under your thighs and pulling you against him. He kisses you hard, but before you can sink in and enjoy, he’s flipped you around to face Zoro. “Let’s christen this voyage, huh?”

Zoro scoffs. “That was so cheesy.” Even with his annoyed grumble, he seems pretty thrilled. He captures your mouth with his own, rough and demanding. His lips are chapped, and he quickly slides his tongue across your lips, demanding they open. You do so gladly, allowing his entrance, and you’re quickly overwhelmed by the sensation of Zoro taking what he wants from you as Sanji grinds against you, hands wandering and squeezing everything they find. He gropes your breasts, your thighs, before eventually landing on your clothed cunt, making you gasp into Zoro’s mouth.

“God, darling, you feel just as wonderful as I imagined.” Sanji’s voice is dripping with affection and lust as he squeezes you again. “So soft, so perfect. Absolutely made for us.”

Zoro parts from you just to comment. “You really are,” he mutters, squeezing your tits. “Absolutely perfect. Can’t wait to ruin you.”

Sanji makes a soft tsk. “Not ruin. You could never ruin such perfection.”

“Watch me.”

Zoro quickly sheds you of your top and bra, leaving your tits on display for the two of them. They both pause in their movements a moment, just quietly admiring your body, before their hands fight over who gets to feel you first. Sanji ends up with your right breast and Zoro ends up with your left as they both squeeze and prod however they want. When Zoro gives a particularly hard squeeze to your nipple you can’t help but whine, rolling your head forward into his shoulder. This makes you miss the shit-eating grin he gives Sanji, but the other man notices it immediately. In response, he shoves his hands down your pants, rougher than he would normally be, quickly finding your clit to rub.

“Oh god,” you cry, muffled by the fabric of Zoro’s shirt.

“Hear that, mosshead? That was all me.”

“Oh yeah?” Zoro’s voice is cocky as he rolls your breast in his fingers again, making you moan. “I’d say that was me.”

“You two are insufferable,” you murmur.

“You think?” They chorus, and you realize that there’s always one thing they can agree on: a common enemy. Quickly their hands start to work in unison instead of opposition, Zoro always squeezing whenever Sanji takes a break and vice versa. They don’t allow you a single moment of peace, always pushing you closer and closer to the brink, closer and closer to losing yourself, before they pull back, not quite ready to give you your pleasure quite yet.

You don’t remember losing your pants. You were too focused on the feeling of Sanji’s bare erection pressed against your ass, the feeling of his warmth against your back, the sight of Zoro’s scarred chest and perfect cock right before your face. Sanji pushes you down so you’re eye level with it as he lines himself up with your entrance.

“Get ready, sweetheart. We’re not going to go easy on you.”

“Don’t listen to him, angel. We’d never be rougher than you can take.” You can’t help but notice the implication that there is a level of roughness you can take, but you don’t voice the thought, left silent by the heat of their bodies and the tension in the room. You’re practically drooling at this point for somebody, anybody to fill one of your waiting holes.

“Please,” you mutter, unsure exactly what you’re asking for, or from who you want it. You just want them, all of them, and they’re more than happy to provide.

“Of course, sweetheart. Just relax. We’ll take care of you.” Zoro’s voice is gentler than you’d expect when brushes his tip against your mouth. His hand tangles itself in your hair, ready to guide you forward, but he’s careful not to pull too hard.

“We’re here for you, always.” Sanji’s voice is gentle as well, but his hands on your thighs are rougher than you’d expect. You had always imagined him a tender lover, treating you as though you’re made of glass, but it seems the spirit of competition has made his hold a little tighter. You’re excited to see if it makes any other parts of him rougher as well.

They thrust in at the same time. Zoro fills your throat slowly but steadily, and Sanji fills your hole in a single thrust, pushing you forward into Zoro. You moan around him, and he shivers at the feeling of the vibrations. He pets your head affectionately, muttering quietly, “That’s it, sunshine. Just like that.”

“Oh god angel, you’re even more perfect than I imagined.” Sanji relishes in the feeling of bottoming out in you, in your warmth and wetness. He allows his eyes to close for a moment, head thrown back with pleasure, before he allows his hands to settle on your hips and prepares himself for the job ahead.

They make eye contact, sharing a single nod before they begin to move without mercy.

You expect Zoro to demolish your throat without hesitation, but his movements are slow and precise. You expect Sanji to take his time enjoying you, but his thrusts are quick and deep, relishing in the feeling of you. You wonder if having them together has evened them out, bringing them to a center between Zoro’s harshness and Sanji’s carefulness that allows them both to lose themselves a bit, treating you less like a toy or glass and more like another person who’s simply thrilled to participate.

As you move, Sanji squeezes your hips just firm enough to keep you still without risking bruising your skin. He leans down, pressing warm kisses to your back, muttering praising words, yes and more and just like that, angel against your skin. Zoro is also whispering to you, as one hand rests in your hair and the other rests on the back of your neck possessively. His words are less obviously worshiping but no less affectionate, even as he whispers more and yes, good girl and fuck to nobody in particular. You close your eyes, soaking in the words of the men against you, absorbing their warmth and affection and need. You don’t think you’ve ever heard their voices turn more desperate or wanting than they are right now.

Sanji gives one particularly hard thrust, pushing you further up Zoro’s cock until your nose is resting in his pubic hair, and they both give a deep moan in unison.

“Yes!”

“God, there you go!”

You honestly couldn’t tell who said what at this point, too lost in the sensation of it all.

As their thrusts grow rougher and more sloppy, Zoro’s hand starts to grip your hair tighter, pulling in a way that makes you keen. Sanji slides one of his hands from your hip to your clit, rubbing small precise circles around the bud. You thrust your hips slightly when he does, and you can hear him chuckle. “Almost there, darling. Just a little more.”

Zoro cums first, thrusting deep into your throat and holding you there as he cums in your mouth, inadvertently forcing you to swallow it all. He gives a few small thrusts into your mouth, fully emptying himself, before he pulls out. You manage to ground yourself for long enough to look him in the eye and open your mouth wide, sticking out your tongue, showing him not a single drop was wasted. He groans, lust clear on his face.

You expect Sanji to be second as his thrusts grow more erratic, but then you hear his soft whispers. “So close, angel. Just a little more. Together now.” His finger on your clit is relentless, calluses rubbing you in all the right ways. It’s only once you let out a high pitched moan, tightening around him, that he allows himself to release into you, painting your insides white. You clench around him, and he leans forward, biting gently into your shoulder, just enough to ground himself. He continues thrusting into you and giving attention to your clit until he’s sure you’re finished, before he finally pulls out, cum leaking from your cunt onto the wooden floor.

You’re about ready to collapse, but before you can, a pair of strong arms wraps around you, guiding you to your bed. “You did great,” Zoro murmurs softly, resting your head against your pillows. Sanji disappears for a moment before reappearing with a damp washcloth, which he uses to lovingly clean you up and erase any trace of the act other than the bite mark on your shoulder and cum inside of you.

“Did you like that?” You murmur sleepily. You know they did, felt it firsthand, but you still feel the need to confirm.

“More than you could ever know,” Sanji whispers tenderly. He then grows a vicious smirk. “And it felt wonderful to be the first one to make you cum, darling. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, with or without current company.”

Zoro scoffs. “You may have made her cum first but I’ll make her cum faster next time, just you watch.”

“In your dreams, mosshead. Though I guess you do know something about cumming fast.”

“Watch yourself, cook.”

You laugh as you realize this didn’t solve any of the arguments your crew thought it would. That’s alright, though. You didn’t mind. They could fight over you any day.

[marbleboa]

Hiii sorry but lately I've been hyperfixated on the 7th division and Takeuchi ended up being my fav... And I saw your art of him and I loved it, I wanted to know if you had any headcanons about him ;3

Absolutely delighted to see a Takeuchi guy here, take my hand op. I do indeed have Many Thoughts, a lot of these more character musings than straightforward headcanons but! I hope these rambles interest you!

-I made this post a bit ago talking about how his whole Battle Mode deal changes his body, and further building on that— I imagine the frequent use of this has taken its toll, similar to Shibata: issues with his back, joints, etc. Projecting my TMJ on him as well, though I think all of this does ease somewhat as he uses his powers less and starts taking better care of himself.

-The power of his energy blasts is somewhat dampened by comparatively long charge up times and the way he always announces his attacks to enemies. He’s very particular about making sure all of his battle moves have impressive names—often several-words long.

-He and Mob are on a similar wavelength to me. Something something Ishiguro talking about how hard to read Takeuchi is, the way he skirts on the edge of the rest of the Scars’ circle, the way his powers seemed to be the only part of him valued by others…it’s like a different, lonelier path Mob could’ve gone on. I think he has similar difficulties figuring out what he wants from his future, like we see from Mob at the start of season 3.

-I think he’s close with Tsuchiya. Granted this is an anime only thing, but I really liked the detail where when Tsuchiya tackles Shimazaki off a building she calls out for Takeuchi by name and he immediately moves to help. It feels like a maneuver they’ve done before, like they know each other well enough to know what the other needs in a fight. It makes sense that they’d train together with both their powers being classified as qigong too.

-Post-Claw I feel like a few of the Scars go through this phase but Takeuchi especially, he gets in this mindset of like. I must now use my powers against Evil™️ so I can make up for what I’ve done. Because…fighting with powers, black/white ideologies, that’s a lot more familiar to the Scars than writing resumes or apartment-hunting or dealing with other people. Once Claw falls he does this vigilante stuff aimlessly for a while(maybe even runs into Teru again doing the same thing, haha).

-Following from that, I think eventually he gets back in touch with Tsuchiya and stays with her and Mukai for a while as he figures out what he wants to do. (I’m. Not quite sure what that is myself. I’m working on it)

-After Claw, he, Muraki and Sakurai have a book club every other Saturday. Takeuchi enjoys mystery novels.

-There’s more I’d like to research on the particulars re: ethnicities especially so I can improve on how I draw his features, but thus far I’ve been imagining at least part of his ancestry being somewhere from southern India.

-I’ve dabbled with the idea that his name is actually a tsūshōmei, or legal alias, something long-term residents of Japan from other countries can get for various reasons. One thought I had was that Toichiro picked him up in his global search for espers, and he was given another name by Claw to cover up any connection to his family. Or, someone in his family made that change after they started living in Japan, and he was born there under that name. Not sure if I’ll commit to this though, more to look into there too.

-I definitely think he was kidnapped by the organization some way or another— his powers were likely very strong at a young age so they probably got to him under the guise of mentorship. I’d like to think he eventually tries to get back in touch with his family once Claw’s gone.

-Really likes birds. He and Muraki are in close competition for Pigeons of Seasoning City’s Favorite

-He’s ambidextrous!

[laufreyjarson]

some thoughts as i ease back into deity worship;

having to step away from my practice for awhile, i was worried that i wouldn't be able to communicate with my fulltrúi as clearly as before.

granted, communication between me and loki/freyja has always been pretty straightforward, and is only interrupted by my own lack of perception (in this case, i wasn't very open to receiving communication since i was mentally preoccupied). i was nervous, though, that my absence had caused them to lose interest in me. however, as soon as i opened back up to it, things were back to normal, and i didn't lose my ability to tap into their energy and interpret signs!!

i'm neurodivergent and i don't do well with abstract concepts or vague answers, so divination tends to be my best friend when i want to spend some time with deities and confirm any thoughts, feelings, or intuitions i get. that being said, i'm trying to expand my practice, and i think loki and freyja have been reaching out to me in discreet ways to re-incorporate their presences into my daily life.

recent experiences;

- i have pulled the tower in every single tarot reading i've done in the past two years. this card represents what loki tends to represent for me, and i didn't make this connection until recently. i did a deity reading this past sunday, and when pulling the first card to represent the deity i was working with (just to confirm), i pulled the tower! i asked on the pendulum if the tower in my readings has been loki showing up for me, and he said yes. i was really touched by this...!

- so many spiders. as always. and they don't go away until i give loki an offering. please help

- i have a few diagnosed mental illnesses, most of which are manageable but a lot more debilitating than i like to acknowledge. a major symptom is that i have a hard time finding the motivation to take care of myself, but ever since may, i've had the energy to take the extra step and do the best i can! i prayed to freyja regarding this and after acknowledging her role in my self care, my acne started to clear up, which i've had for twelve years, and is cystic + sooo stubborn

- around a month ago, i had the sudden idea to create a journal where i write down nice/positive things people have said about me. this came after a mental rut where i was experiencing extremely low confidence. i asked freyja if it was her idea and if she wanted it dedicated to her as an offering, and she said yes!

- i'm very mild mannered and a huge people pleaser, but recently i've had this fire inside of me that's allowed me to stand up for myself and set better boundaries. i asked loki if this is him, and he confirmed it is!

- i got a very intense impulse to weave bracelets for both of them. i put them around my wrists as a kind of protection, because i do love offerings i can wear! of course loki's snapped after an hour and i had to make a new one, but that was mostly my fault ><

there's so much more, and all i can feel is this huge sense of gratitude as i realize they have been showing up for me in every facet of my life, even though i was too distracted to fully realize or acknowledge it. the silent support that they have shown me is so so meaningful, and only proves to me that my love, care, and respect for them is reciprocated! all i can say is i'm so so happy. i will never take this relationship i have built with loki and freyja for granted.

[iamthecomet]

What was it like for you when you started writing ghost fics? What made you start/what type of fic did you start with?

Hope your day is well! If not, use this as a vent post. 😊

(Here’s me paying the Per tax)

hnnnggg oh GOD that picture of Per. FUCK. My day was a good one so far, no venting necessary! So, I love this question, and I have a whole ass story about it. I have a feeling I'm going to write an entire essay about this--I'm sorry in advance.

I'm throwing that part under a cut for scrolling ease.

So Flip of a Switch was the first Ghost fic I ever wrote. It's also the first smut I've ever written and let people other than my best friend read. I was struck by HORRIBLE Ghost brain rot last summer. I was going through some BULLSHIT and Ghost turned up for me in a big way. It was like they fell back into my lap when I needed them the most. And I was devouring fan fiction like crazy. And the thing about me with any fixation is that eventually--inevitably. I will need to write about it. And With Ghost I desperately didn't want to. I had convinced myself that fan fiction was a "waste of my time" because I wanted to be a "real writer"** and all that other toxic bullshit society brainwashed me into think. But I was powerless and I couldn't resist. So, I wrote that fic in the beginning of September last year and I buried it. I threw all of my effort into the novel I was trying to finish. And then into the new story idea I had (which is laughably Ghost adjacent I just needed to write about it and couldn't give myself permission). And I pretended to forget about it, and read fan fic and looked longingly at tumblr. And then, almost two months later, I gave up. I was watching this community happen from outside and I wanted in. Kinktober looked so fucking fun and I'd missed it and I just...wanted to be a part of this. And truly, whether they know it or not, @st-danger and @kroas-adtam were two of the biggest reasons why I finally just gave in and posted my fic. Theirs were the fics I went back to over and over again. And theirs were tumblrs I looked at over and over and went "I want to know these people so bad" (And now I do!! ♥♥). I wanted to talk to people about ghouls. I wanted Ghost friends. I wanted to WRITE about ghouls and scream about them with people who wanted to scream back. And it was slow at first. Some moments I wondered why I even bothered because clearly no one cared. And then I wrote more, and I persisted, and I forced myself into conversations on tumblr and uh.... Hi. here we are. I cannot put into words the parts of me this community has healed. I am a different (better, happier) person because of it. I've changed my view on what I actually want to do with my life because of it. Fuck man, I'm so happy I gave into my fixation almost a year ago and went "fuck it I'm doing it." **Fan fiction is real writing. Fic writers are real writers. I knew that all along. I just had convinced myself that because I was trying to write professionally I couldn't also write fan fic. It was a reflection on how I thought of myself--not other people who wrote fic too. Everyone who wrote fic was/is a real writer to me, but I couldn't figure out how to include myself in that.

[giggly-squiggily]

Hi!! I've read about the limited requests, and I decided to try my luck and make a request myself 😅

I'd like to request a fic with Lee Ikuya and Lers Haru and Makoto from Free! Iwatobi Swim Club... maybe Ikuya is grumpier than usual about a practice that didn't go smoothly and the others cheer him up, or something like that

I hope I wasn't too late, but I won't mind if you don't choose my idea. You're a great writer and I'm sure you'll receive a ton of amazing requests ^_^

I can't wait to read your future works ❤���

YEEE THIS IS CUTE! :D I love Ikuya so much, and to bring in the boys for this fic- YESH! I can absolutely write this for you, friend!

Cloud 9 (Taglist peeps):

@myreygn @baby-tickles2022 @cupcake-spice13

Still too long.

That was the only thought going through Ikuya’s head as he glared down at the stop watch, his most recent time blinking at him mockingly. Behind him, others whooped and groaned as they gained their own times, some breaking personal records while others bowed in defeat.

No good. No good at all. He needed to get better-

“Ikuya. We’re heading out- ready to go?” Haru’s voice shook him out of his thoughts, startling him some. He had forgotten their teams were doing a group practice today. “We gotta stop by the swim school on the way back to pick up Makoto.”

“You go on ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.” Ikuya shrugged as he began walking back to the pool, stopping when a hand grabbed his bicep. “Haru, let me go.”

“Ikuya- you’re doing it again.” Haru pointed out, voice firm. He didn’t need to turn around to feel the effects of the look he was getting. “Come on- we’re going home.”

“You can’t tell me what to do! I’m my own person!” Ikuya ripped his arm away with a glare of his own, wincing some at the surprised expression Haru wore. “Sorry- I just…I just need to give it one more go- just to see if I can meet my time. Then I’ll give up for the day.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“....okay.” Haru folded his arms, stepping back as Ikuya pulled down his goggles, reaching the diving board. “But only one attempt. Makoto’s waiting for us.”

~~~

One attempt ended up being two- then three, and before long Ikuya was gasping for air against the side of the pool, muscles burning and lungs screaming at him to give it a rest. He knew he needed to call it quits, but the damn number on the watch was still 20 seconds longer than he wanted. If he could only…

“Ehem.” Feet stood before him, then legs. Finally, Makoto’s pinched expression was before him. Wait- Makoto?

Oh…

Oh.

“Shit- god, I’m so sorry!” He scrambled to get out, slipping in his efforts to climb up the side of the pool. “Oh my god I can’t believe I did that-”

“Ikuya, calm down.” Makoto offered a hand, easing Ikuya out of the pool. Seconds later a towel was tossed around his shoulders, warm and smelling of chlorine. “It’s fine- Haru texted me that you guys were gonna be late so I drove over.”

“Oh…” Ikuya shrunk some in his towel, shame coloring his face as he dared a peek around the taller boy. Sure enough, Haru was where he left him, sitting against the wall watching. When their eyes met, he gave a short wave, making Ikuya’s stomach drop. Oh he screwed up big time. 

~~~

“I’m really sorry, guys.” Ikuya leaned against the backseat window as Makoto drove them home, Haru’s apartment coming into view within minutes. The entire ride was…tense. Makoto did his best to keep the conversation going, but Haru was determined to stay quiet and Ikuya was a mess of guilt, so it was more him filling the void with random events that went down with his kids and the people he ran into.

“And then Nao swung by- it was great seeing him again! Oh- we’re here.” The moment Makoto turned off the car, Haru was already out, leaving the two behind as he unlocked the front door.

“He’s pissed.” Ikuya sank. Makoto gave him a sympathetic look through the rearview mirror.

“It’s only because you made him worry. The last time you pushed yourself, we almost lost you.”

“I know- and I feel terrible about it. I just- I’m so far behind on everything I’m doing; I’m not making good numbers during practice, and it’s starting to affect me everywhere else. My grades are starting to slip and even Hiyomi’s worried about me. I figured if I could at least make my time today, then maybe everything else would follow suit?” He held his head, letting it rest against the front seat. “I’m really sorry, Makoto. I didn’t keep my promise.”

“It’s okay by me- I was planning on coming myself anyway. It’s Haru you should apologize to.” Makoto reached back, squeezing his hand. “Come on- let’s go in and try to make amends. I’ll tempt him with mackerel as you grovel for his forgiveness.”

“Okay. Thanks, Makoto.” Ikuya squeezed his hand back as they climbed out of the car, facing the apartment.

Grovel. Easy.

~~~

The second Ikuya came through the doors, arms latched around him, pulling him back until he was thrown into the nearest couch. “Whoa! What the hell- Haru!”

“You promised me only one attempt, and then you kept going.” He sounded pissed, real pissed. For a second Ikuya didn’t know what was gonna happen.

Then it came.

“AH! Aheahhahahhahahhahaha! H-Hahahhahru, wahhhahhait!” Ikuya let out a startled squeal when fingers attacked his ribs, pinching and prodding as they drew out the reluctant sound. “Whahhahhat theheheheh hehehehehhhell?! Mahahhahahakhoohoohohoto hehehehehelp mehehehehheehe!”

The taller boy blinked a few times at the sight, taken aback by Haru’s sudden ambush. Then he was smiling, laughing in his hands as Ikuya squeaked and thrashed against the couch. “Sorry, Ikuya. Maybe you should try what we talked about? That might help.”

“Trahhahahahitohohohohohr-ahheahhahahahaha not thehehehehhehehre!” Ikuya all but squealed when Haru dug his hands into his armpits, vibrating them in circles as the green haired boy kicked and laughed. “Pleahahhahhahahhse Hahahhahahru!”

“Breaking promises and calling Makoto a traitor? Who do you think you are?” Haru looked over his shoulder, something rare and playful in his expression as he nodded behind him. “Wanna help me instead?”

“Hmm….okay!” Within minutes Makoto had Ikuya’s foot in an armlock, digging into the socked sole.

The absolute scream Ikuya let out probably would have gotten them a noise complaint.

Worth it.

“HAHAHHHAHARU! MAHAHAHHAKOOHOHOHOHOTO! PLEAHHAHHASE I’M SHAHAHHARRY! I’M SHAHAHHHAHRRY! HAHEHAHAHAHHAHA!” Ikuya was on the verge of silence with Haru tracing his belly and Makoto tapping along his foot, cheeks flushed and eyes beginning to mist over. Upon seeing this, Haru tapped the other- signaling a break. Ikuya all but gasped when it came to an end, arms weakly curling around his belly as he blinked away mirthful tears. “Hahhaharu…Mahahhakoto…I’m sorry, rehehahally.”

“...I've already forgiven you, dork.” Haru poked his forehead, chuckling at the shocked look upon Ikuya’s face. “I get it- you want to get better. I'm all for it. But if you do that mess again, I’m kicking your ass.”

“Haru- you can’t even open a water bottle without help. How are you gonna- WHOA!” Makoto yelped when Haru lunged at him, sending them both tumbling to the carpeted floor. “Haru! Hahahhahahharu- hahahahhang ohooohohohn!”

Ikuya giggled softly against the couch cushions, resting his eyes as Haru and Makoto carried on with their game. It was such a relief they weren’t mad at him anymore.

“I’ll do better. I promise.” Ikuya whispered in the cushions, voice lost in the sounds of mirth around him.

Thanks for reading!

[amiserableseriesofevents]

Ginia, my heart!!!!

17, 32 and 32 for the writer questions ask game!

Hello! As per your request, I will answer to question 34 instead of 32 two times 😌🥰🥰

17. Do you write your story from start to finish, or do you write the scenes out of order?

From start to finish or else I will lose ALL my motivation in a blink the moment I write the scenes I like the most, never going back to find the fillers/connecting scenes between them.

Worst case scenario I leave behind a [] with a comment, like [thing A/B should happen here] or [check if they haven't already talked about this, and if they have find something else to talk about here] but I will start and go to the end with no detours because I know myself very well, and I know I'd get lost in subplots and holes.

This being said, I do actually have one of the last scenes of my own original writing project already written and just waiting to be connected to the rest of the story — but it's the only exception and it serves as a motivation to complete the story to reach that moment!

32. How do you feel about smut?

Funny how you're asking me this when I've just finished spewing out 14k of filth for the Halloween special of my theatre au!

So, thoughts: at first I was utterly convinced I could never write it because it made me cringe. Like, I could picture she scenes perfectly in my head but if I tried to write them it would sound like an anatomy manual or something. Then I discovered this only happens when I write it in Italian, so no smut in my own stories but plenty of it in my fics!!

I'm not saying I'm especially good at it, sometimes I still get lost in practical matters (I think I've reinvented physics and human anatomy in the last thing I wrote lmao), and othersI feel I've been using "cock" or "moan" 100 times in the same sentence but I have fun writing it and that's all that matters to me.

34. What are your thoughts on non-con and dub-con?

Very interesting question. I don't think I'd be able to write either because I feel my smut works only if with the filth there's also a lot of sweetness and love and good feelings in it — there are times when I'd just want them to get to the point but they keep waxing poetry about how much they love each other, for example.

I don't like reading of non-con because it doesn't make me feel at ease, and not in a good way. I like it if it happens and then the focus is on the characters having to deal with its aftermath because I love the character/relationship studies that come out of it, the angst, the guilt, the rejection, the whole difficult healing journey. But I don't like to read the sheer act of it because it really makes me feel bad (no judgement at all for those who like to read/write about it, this is my own personal taste).

I like the idea of dub-con but only up to a certain point, then it also gives me the creeps and I have to stop reading it. Luckily it doesn't happen often, I can stomach it better than pure non-con, but it's not my favorite so to speak. I like con-non-con though! I read a Clegan fic with it (I completely forgot the title) and it was really intriguing.

I love fluffy smut, angsty smut, filthy smut, psychological warfare smut (lmao), but I vastly prefer when consent is in the picture 😅

Thank you for you question dear ♥️♥️

[librathefangirl]

i need to know about all of these fics NOW (no pressure take your time ofc ofc)

Wrath of a Captain

Moment of Rest (a Decade Too Late)

Hitmen!Demon bros AU

Galand exposes Meliodas' demon secret

How to Demon (Yes, Captain, This is Really Necessary)

Meliodas and the Kids AU #1

also never realized how silly i name my documents till now 😭😭😭‼️‼️‼️

Ahh hearing you excited about all these is making me excited to write them again (hoping to get back to writing more soon - october was a mess and a half :( but I have 2 whumptober fics that I almost finished that should maybe might be posted soon?)

Okay so...

Wrath of a Captain

Fun fact about this one is that it was one of (possibly the) first nnt fic ideas I wrote down when I first got into the fandom. Tho in what - 1-1,5 years? - I've still barely started writing it (oops). But not for lack of interest! I'm still excited about this one, I just haven't been able to specify the scenario enough to start writing (I keep getting distracted by other fic ideas lol).

To summarize the idea in three words: Protective Captain Meliodas.

And here's a rough summary I wrote for myself:

The Seven Deadly sins were a well-known force only fools would take lightly. Though faced with a captain that was small and short, and seemed the complete opposite of wrath itself, it was easy to underestimate him. But just because the captain didn't get angry, didn't mean he never got close. Especially if one were foolish enough to dare attack his team.

A Moment of Rest (a Decade Too Late)

This is a fic I started this summer and then kinda forgot about (oh the art of finishing a fic before moving on to the next one). It takes place after the Capital of the Dead arc and deals with the aftermath of Sins being split-up for 10 years from King's perspective. Now, I can't remember, if it originally was supposed to be "Meliodas was alone for 10 years" angst or "Meliodas was alone for 10 years and demons don't do well in isolation" angst, but it's probably gonna end up being the second one now. Which means the rest of the Sins, while not knowing Meliodas' full story, knows he is a demon and how these past 10 years would have affected him because of it.

Here's a little sneak peek:

The princess had already retired into the Boar Hat, while Ban had simply settled for grabbing Meliodas and sprawling out on the ground. He wasn’t sleeping. His ease was a facade at best. King knew that he too was plagued by these past ten years, and the guilt they brought. It had never been supposed to go this far… Meliodas seemed dazed. A state hopefully only brought forth by the lull of sleep slowly claiming him. He wasn’t quite asleep yet though. To an outsider he might have seemed to be, but King knew him better. His guard was still firmly up, although slowly but surely being picked apart by Ban’s hand repeatedly running through his hair. Meliodas was curled up tighter than he normally would, yet at the same time more relaxed than King had seen him since before they were framed. His head was neatly tucked on top of Ban’s chest. Ear over his heart, no doubt. He’d always had a particular fondness of that, their captain. Easily soothed by the beat of a heart – by the beat of their hearts at least.

Hitmen!Demon bros AU

Oooh this one. thiiiis one! I'm still mostly in the planning stage for this one, but I can't wait until I get to share the full thing with you all. Like the name suggests, it's a modern (possibly slight futuristic) AU where the DK raised his sons as hitmen. It's gonna be a multichapter fic (probably my longest wip yet) and there will be lots of demon bros angst!

Fun fact, while the I had thought about this AU a bit, I wasn't necessarily planning on writing it at first. Then my mind provided me with this super angsty demon bros scene and an awful chapter cliffhanger, and well, now I'm invested. I need to know how this story ends. (If this sounds familiar, I did mention this once before).

Anyway, I have written the first 300-something words, setting up the angst before a jump back in time, so here's a sneak peek:

Perhaps one of the most defining moments in Meliodas’ life happened on January 29th the year he was turning 26. The day Meliodas found himself on a rooftop staring down his own little brother, a raised gun in both their hands aimed at each other. The only sound was the falling rain as the world itself seemed to hold its breath waiting for who would make the first move. At that moment, Meliodas had thought he had known exactly how the day would end. He had known it in the calculating part of his mind that he never could quite shut off, and had felt it in his heart that seemed to break every time he saw his little brother. He had thought he knew what would happen. He had been wrong. Everybody has a choice, but sometimes it doesn’t matter what you chose.

Galand exposes Meliodas' demon secret

Now this one I've shared a bit about before - partly to complain about my (still going strong) habit of stopping my writing in the middle of a sentence. Sadly, I haven't really made any progress since then. Mostly because I can't remember where tf the story was supposed to go (did I even have a plan?? I found the story aka the snippet of writing in a school notebook I hadn't used for months, so who knows).

Anyway! What I do know is that Galand fucks everything up on purpose, and is the one to reveal Meliodas' demon secret to the rest of the Sins. How the story continues from there, well, I'll figure that out eventually. For now, the last part of the fic looks like this:

It had all started with a confrontation with one of the Ten Commandments. Galand of Truth. He hadn’t even seemed to be looking for a fight – not in that moment anyway – King had noticed. He’d just been there to stir up trouble. Always playing games as usual¸ Meliodas had said. Well, games or not, Galand really had caused trouble. The demon had been quick to pick up on the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins’ surprise that Meliodas seemed to know him personally, and then deduced...DEDUCED WHAT??

How to Demon (Yes, Captain, This is Really Necessary)

This is actually a request/fic idea I got from a reader on ao3. It's also mostly still in the planning stage, having taken a backseat to my Febuwhump fic. But the idea is basically Melin giving a lesson on demons to the Sins with the (reluctant) aid of Meliodas. Or in other words, Merlin is sick of being (almost) the only one who knows how to keep Mel alive and will make it everybody's probably whether they want to or not. It'll also take place in the same AU as The Heat of the Storm (which means more of my demon thermoregulation, yay! - oh, actually, sidenote: I'm working on a post about that hc).

So, we'll have random demon lore/headcanons/stuff, some humor, and, of course, angst (probably more angst than should come from this otherwise humorous idea).

Meliodas and the Kids AU #1

The first of (at least) three fics taking place in the Meliodas and the Kids AU (aka Meliodas Adopts the Sins). In this AU, instead of the Sins becoming knights together way down the line, Meliodas ends up adopting/taking them in as kids* over the years.

Now, I use the term kids loosely here since neither King nor Gowther will actually be kids in the normal sense. But Gowther will be on his own for the first time and also still new to the world, and King, well, I still got some ideas for his relationship with Mel (and also, he is still significantly younger than Mel, so I say he still counts as his kid).

This first fic will consist of six chapters (one for each "kid"), exploring how Meliodas ended up taking them all in, and the dynamics of this mismatched little family (mostly the kids relationships' with Mel).

(Also Elizabeth is probably gonna be dead-dead in this AU).

Here's a sneak peek from the first (Merlin's) chapter:

When you find yourself stuck in time, it’s good to set up some rules for yourself, unless you want to lose yourself to madness. Meliodas didn’t have the luxury for madness. Madness was not going to solve anything. He would still be stuck here, unaging and undying, without an end in sight. Submitting to madness would also be admitting that the only purpose his life had left was suffering. An eternity alone in the human realm as a punishment for his crimes against the Demon King. His father was a huge asshole, okay? Meliodas was not about to give him the satisfaction of watching him break. So, he made some rules. The most important one was: do not get attached. [some other stuff not included in this sneak peek] Do not get attached. It was simple and important – and Meliodas had broken the rule before he had even made it.

(also I love your wip titles XD and will definitely send an ask for some ramblings of your own - but that will have to wait, I've got an 8am lecture in less than 7 hours and need to get some sleep, so Imma put a to be continued on the wip talk for now)

WIP Tag/Ask Game!

[civilight-eterna]

Ok hear me out. Perfumer's known for her scents and perfumes and her super sensitive nose. Foxes IRL are known for marking their territory with their extremely pungent urine. Can you connect the dots and make Lena scent marking piss kink real for me?

first time writing piss kink pls be nice IT'S SO NAUGHTY

going with lena/erato/pallas this time!

cw: piss (duh)

...

Lena had known for a while that the greenery of the convalescent garden harbored an admirer from time to time. Sometimes she'd peer over her shoulder for something she'd forgotten and catch sight of the familiar pastel pink plumage that crowned the head of one with a fervent gaze.

Just as soon as she'd notice, however, she'd alight like a fearful canary and dip through the leaves.

"Pallas," Lena remarks to her near-asleep partner, fluttering her fingers through her bangs. "She's here again." With a bemused chuckle, she adds, "Looking a little afraid of the fox in the hen house, as it were."

"'Tis not fear that stays her hand, my lady, but thine ephemeral expression of care for the flowers, surely."

"Alright. Even if that's true...shouldn't she introduce herself properly? You're close, aren't you?"

"Verily, indeed. Alas, if only she could hold her liquor a little better-"

"And...she knows I'm alright with everything, right?"

"Most assuredly. The nature of our relationship, I took great care explaining. She knows she is welcomed. I simply thought it uncouth to goad her were she not amenable."

"Of course. Hm. Suppose you let her know we could speak, all of us together? Do you think she'd feel more at ease...beside a friend she knows well?"

"I shall make a correspondence with her posthaste. After, that is-my mid-morning rest."

"Fine. Rest well then."

Pallas laid down back where she had been sunning herself and spoke out the side of her mouth.

"...If you so feel any urges again-"

Lena giggled heartily, voice light as wind chimes, "Pallas, please. It's no fun if I tell you exactly when I'll do it again!"

They shared a laugh, and Lena went back to tending her flowers.

...

"I understand you wanted to talk to me?" Erato was speaking clearly, confidently, but Lena could see the tension in her shoulders.

"Mmhm, but perhaps I could say the same to you. I've seen you around the garden so often, and sensed your eyes on me more times than that." Lena props her backside against her desk, arms folded, one ankle crossed elegantly over the other. "I have an idea...what's on your mind." She sent a sidelong glance to Pallas with a gentle smile, "But I think I'd really like to just hear it from you."

"Lena..." Erato swallowed, "It's just that. For all the words that oft flow so easily from me, I can't find what to say when I'm before you. I can't describe you for the life of me, because what words I find aren't enough. But-" Erato's fingers trail the fabric edge hugging her chest, stroking towards her heart. "-I haven't courage enough to express myself another way."

"Hmm, I see. I think I understand." Lena sits herself on the edge of the desk fully. She does not miss the subtle part of Erato's mouth as she languidly crosses one leg clear over the other, but she only smiles fondly. "Would you be seeking some inspiration? Maybe you could both, come over here and kneel?" Lena draws a finger to her lips, "So I can tell you what good girls you are."

...

Lena's office becomes a haven for the three of them, at which she sits center as its goddess. Truthfully, she doesn't have such grandiose ideas of herself, but with Pallas and Erato repeating it in such earnest as they touch each other, touch her, from between her legs, she could stand to believe it.

If she could stand at all. They really are so naturally lyrical as they sing her praises, press kisses against her legs and thighs, and it's not long before Lena is ripping her own tights open to let Erato's silver tongue slide deep against her.

"Nnh-" Her legs flex, over Pallas' shoulder, around Erato's waist, and her head is going blank with disbelief that she gets to share so much affection with both of them at once. She's felt the yearning fill her stomach like the pit of an overripe peach for so long, and she knows it's been longer for Erato, and knows that her and Pallas have so much love to share.

Erato does something clever with her tongue and Lena gasps, arching and curling her fingers into her hair, and as she loses her balance Pallas is there with a hand at her back, so chivalrous to a fault, ready to keep her upright.

Lena is so close. She feels a sudden unbearable urge behind her cunt at the sight of Erato framed between her legs, and she grabs for her face, draws her up-

"Erato-"

She doesn't have to say another word. Erato pliantly tips her head back for the long, wet kiss that follows, bracing her hands on Lena's inner thighs to sit upright between her legs-

Lena cups the back of her neck and rocks herself forward, hands slipping, anchoring on Erato's shoulders to keep her breasts right against her cunt as they kiss, as the pressure mounts inside.

Such a pretty bird. Such a full, soft body.

"Aaahn-Lenaaa-" Erato pants into her mouth.

"Stay-stay like this-I want, I want to-" Lena murmurs desperately, and Erato presses tight and close, the front of her dress slipping down, the shape of her body plumping up against her-

With a poorly-contained cry, Lena is cumming, and some primordial part of her id releases everything at once.

She pisses all over Erato's breasts, the hot liquid soaking the delicate fabric until it clings to her body. Erato is cupping herself so closely against Lena that it pools in her modest cleavage for a few moments before dripping down, drenching the fabric clear to her navel.

Mine, she thinks, mine, mine, mine.

In a daze, she registers movement from between her legs, of both Pallas and Erato rising to their feet, the former taking her hand to help her dismount the desk.

They're all absolutely filthy, one way or another.

"Might I suggest-" Pallas gingerly wipes her mouth, then gestures towards the herbal spas, "-a wholesome group-bath?"

"Y-Yes. I think that's in order." Lena agrees, casting a glance in Erato's direction. Now she understands what it's like to be speechless, to worry about what to say or how to say it-

But Erato simply grins wide.

"Absolutely."

...

The three of them soak in the huge bath. Dried herbs and flowers perfume the water, and Lena sits with a slumbering head on each shoulder.

She thinks to herself that perhaps, when they do it again, she won't let them wash off so quickly.

[maya-matlin]

hi my love!!!! 💞💕💗 so I'm rewatching riverdale and wanted to ask you something if you don't mind?? you know I ship bhva and barchie but I just wanted to hear why you love bughead over barchie? I've heard you talk about it before and sorry if you're tired of answering this question lol also is there anything that would've made you ship barchie, like if they write them differently or anything?? ily 😘😘

Hi! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ No, it's okay. To be honest, so much of the reason why I prefer Bughead is that I'm more inclined to prefer that type of couple. Riverdale barely allowed Betty and Jughead to have a friendship pre-Bughead, but something I liked is that they weren't necessarily spending time together and bonding with the idea of falling in love. There was no expectation that it was going to turn into the super serious relationship it was. But, Betty and Jughead bonded over investigating and seeing each other through family problems and came to realize that they were much more similar and compatible than they'd thought. They had this effortless ease and were very passionate about each other. Neither had to change or downplay part of who they were just to feel loved by the other. Betty and Jughead loved all of each other, including each other's flaws. They found a very sweet home and stability within each other. And on top of that, they seemed to have a lot of passion and excitement within the relationship. Rather than adhering to the idea of what couples are supposed to do, they had their own stuff. They discussed investigations in bed and considered searching for clues in the woods a date night. Bughead's relationship was just.. so distinctly them. They shared every aspect of their lives with each other and FELT like best friends in love. It felt like endgame, honestly. Riverdale's writing was always questionable, but in this case their romantic relationship was very well defined. They'd created a couple so ridiculously compatible that only poorly executed plot devices and attempts to bring back years old baggage successfully tore them apart "for good". But even during the time jump years, the handful of times Betty and Jughead were allowed to talk or exist in the same story line and have real conversations, that connection always shone through. It was difficult (at least for me) to see how they couldn't be together when the characters almost demanded they be paired up.

When it comes to Betty's relationship with Archie, it started off as a so-so thing with the potential to turn into something really sweet. At least in season 1. Betty became a much stronger, happier, more confident version of herself once she got over Archie and found love with someone who actually understood her. Once Riverdale finally got around to exploring a romance between Betty and Archie, it came across to me that Betty was a shell of her former self, almost acting out of self hatred, and felt so down on herself that she kept forcing herself to become the ideal partner for Archie while he was allowed to get everything he ever wanted without any attempts to be a better or particularly decent partner to Betty. There's a version of Riverdale where Betty and Archie ending up together could have been a satisfying, full circle ending. The problem is, the concept was abandoned so early on that the most memorable, strongest part of the series seemed dedicated to setting up something much different. Betty no longer felt like the woman who was supposed to end up with Archie. I never bought that Betty felt nearly as loved and as seen as she did with Jughead. On Archie's end, it never felt as though he was particularly passionate about Betty either and just kind of settling for whoever might give him a family.

For me to ship this couple, Archie would have had to be a different type of character. I found myself disliking adult Archie more often than not and felt as though a sexist narrative surrounded the entire BA relationship. Not to mention the way the season 4 cheating played out and Betty and Archie's involvement post-high school. Other shows weren't afraid to explore love triangles between best friends being fucking damaging. On shows like Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill, it took years for those wounds to heal. Even after they did, the trust issues remained and it took actual effort for things to be even remotely "fine" afterwards. On Riverdale, Jughead and Veronica were hurt by Betty and Archie but weren't allowed to voice their pain TO BETTY AND ARCHIE. So it's like this wasted potential not only for drama, but for the catharsis factor of Veronica and Jughead being allowed to speak their piece. Betty seemed to carry guilt over what happened and struggled for years with self worth as a result. Archie? He just kind of got the red carpet rolled out for him when he returned from the army and never had to deal with any sort of backlash or anything that would complicate things for his life. And that's the kind of character I could never ship with Betty. Bad writing aside, Archie is the kind of person who could be living with and planning a future with Veronica in one episode and in bed with Betty, her best friend and the person he cheated with in high school, in the very next episode.

[illicien]

Very interested in 4, 7, and 9 for the WIP game

WIP Game

Under the cut cuz snippets snippets snippets

4. The Devil Is A Gentleman

(I think I've posted a little about this and even snippets before, but I am hoping to get to working on this one soon. HYDRA!Cap x Winter Soldier x EKO Zemo!)

He positioned himself well, making certain that neither one of them was at his back, brown eyes focused on him, sharp and wary at first before his posture started to ease. Expected, given what most men saw when they noticed him.

“Gosh, I suppose I should thank you for doing all the work for me,” Steve smiled. “Normally I’d deal with it myself but I’m not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.”

It was interesting to see the man’s continued wariness. Most people saw the shield and suit and simply stood down, language barriers be damned, but it seemed like the man’s initial ease had been incredibly short-lived. Brown eyes flicked away from him to look at the Soldier again, and Steve sighed a bit. Well, he supposed the problem was just treating the stranger like a civilian, rather than acknowledging the fact that his squad had not only located this base but eliminated everyone within except for the Soldier.

“Recognize him, do you?”

“... I wondered where his handler might have been.” The man spoke finally, his thick accent harder to place than Steve would’ve expected. “I did not expect you.”

7. All The Ways I Died

(I started writing this a little while ago because of some conversations about WinterBaron and Hanahaki - and that's precisely what this is.)

It was several petals later that the bitterness crept in. As though it hadn't been enough that the last time he'd loved someone it had led him to devastating ruin and agony, yet he'd lived through it. Now, as he was finally beginning to think that maybe he didn't want to die - that maybe he could accomplish something meaningful again - love had decided that wasn't allowed.

He didn't know his flowers well; he'd been a happy married man for most of his adult life, hanahaki disease seemed like something impossible to him, something that happened to other people, and then like something that couldn't happen to him for how badly destroyed his heart had been. He had no way of guessing what the flowers that had begun to grow in his lungs were, but he knew who they bloomed for and it was especially agonizing to be aware of it.

9. Seeing Double

(I think this was among my first fics I started writing for WinterBaron. It had struck me as odd that in the handful of fics I'd read where there was miraculously a second Bucky, at no point did anyone think to talk to the 'wizard', and since I wrote Stephen for years before WinterBaron I thought: well, I'll do it myself!)

"... shit. So, what are we supposed to do with him?"

"Keep him, naturally."

"Nah, I don't think you need your hands on another Winter Soldier."

"And you have a better idea, do you, Sam?"

"Yeah, we take him to the wizard."

"He's not a wizard--"

"What wizard?"

💜

[demonslayedher]

What are some blood demon art concepts you find interesting but they weren’t explored in the canon?

This was one of the Asks that made me go, "uuuuuuhhhhh..."

The reason for this is that I find myself most creative in response to a problem. For example, in this fic I came up with the Mirror Demon because I wanted a demon that might be fought with the final form of Flower Breath. That's why in a lot of hypotheticals or potential AUs I'm asked about, my first response is to set the perimeters and figure out how to work within those constraints, such as asking what would be in-character. Constraints drive creativity, like how well you can write a haiku within a given set of rules.

What I'm less good at is divergent creativity: coming up with something out of nothing, no limits.

That brings me to how I'd like to answer this Ask: with a breakdown of my brainstorming methods!

A common phenomenon is that children are better at divergent thinking--imagining all the possibilities--than adults, who have had that ability beaten out of them by the emphasis on "rightness" and that some ideas are "stupid." It takes exercising this part of the brain to be able to think in more original ways instead of just "the best" ways. This page breaks it down pretty simply and explains it with the paperclip test/game, and here's more ideas for other exercises and different kinds of goals you could potentially have for creative thinking.

When I am doing a group brainstorming exercise, be it in a classroom or office setting, what I find works best is a leader/moderator at the board who can catch things and write fast and potentially legibly (within reason for how fast they're writing), and the method should be agreed upon in advance--for example, mind-mapping, which uses branches from a main idea to show relationships between ideas. Typically, this means starting with a main idea in the center and branching out into different categories as more ideas come to you. Another methods is writing things in a list format, thinking of as many things as you can in a given category. These are basics found in any cheesy corporate "how to increase creativity" guide, but they are helpful in easing people into how to brainstorm.

The challenge is to set a time frame--short enough that you are forced to think fast, long enough that it gets painful. The time frame is up to you, whether it's setting a timer for one minute or however long it takes for you to write while eating melting gelato. Okay, maybe in a formal setting you'll set a timer to keep everyone on the same page.

While you might have a different ultimate goal in the purpose of your brainstorming, what you're going for here is not quality, but quantity--as many ideas as possible--and that means not throwing any stupid ideas out. If anything, the stupid ideas are where magic starts to happen. It's the shift from "basic stuff anyone could think of off the top of their head" to "oh, I never would had thought of this otherwise." You have to force yourself to think past the initial, obvious-feeling, correct-feeling ideas to access what's more unusual, and that usually means some stupid ideas first. It's like dusting out the cobwebs of this part of your brain you aren't usually accessing. I've also heard this process described as tossing out your first ten ideas, at least in a creative script-writing approach.

Refining your ideas, convergent thinking, comes later. But only after you've gotten some ideas to work with!

The reason a legible mind-map or list works well in a group setting is because this means everyone can observe the ideas after the initial "hurry, hurry, think, think" stage. Everyone can discuss them and decide which ones to throw out, and even draw lines showing more connections and circling whatever ideas you want to come back to.

But do I look like a corporate board room to you? No. I ate gelato today while writing this:

When it's just me using it, I don't care about legibility, and I use a mix of mind-mapping arrows and lists and flow of consciousness. While playing with story ideas I might whole pages of doodles that look like this with fragments of character lines. This gave me a way to observe my own thoughts about Demon Blood Techniques and their unlimited potential, and I found that I kept myself thinking quickly by asking questions and then answering myself.

Also, I got lines like "Skunk demon" and "so now we're the Magic School Bus."

Some of the themes I found interesting were the repeated effects of sound waves (Kyogai, Nakime, Flute Demon), and infinity (the fortress, the ability to regenerate, the ability to replicate, etc.). One of the themes I thought deeper on was how much I love Kyogai's abilities, and not just Kyogai himself. For as much as other Blood Techniques are based on things we've seen in other media (being trapped in good dreams, alternate dimensional spaces, spider threads, body duplicates, illusions, etc)., Kyogai's abilities were very unexpected, but also had a rationale to them. However, instead of the sound waves only changing the orientation and spatial locations of the rooms, he also had big air claws, which otherwise would seem like they have nothing to do with the orientation of a room. In the first place, air claws and redecorating seem they have nothing to do with drums. It's the combination of these factors that make Kyogai's Blood Technique so impressive and refreshing.

Once I made that observation, I made a couple of lists of potential means that a demon might use and ways that a Demon Slayer or prey might be overcome, and then I connected them semi-randomly. I got connections like "temperature" and "memories," like how a demon might raise the temperature of a room little by little and call to a demon slayer's mind memories of their childhood, until they are completely overwhelmed with that last summer they spent in childhood innocence as they are in reality boiling alive, and "color" with "invading body," like if a chameleon-like demon can match the color of a Nichirin blade then it can gain control over the swordsman's hands and forearms, whatever grip created that color.

My favorite, though, was "fingernails" and "suffocation," because it gave me a very vivid mental image of a demon sweeping its hand like it's going to grab a swordsman's face, but draws away just shy of touching them. However, with its long fingernails, it's grabbed the Breath just about to enter a swordsman, and pulls it right out of them.

Horrific, am I right!?!?

So anyway. That's what I got from my divergent thinking experiment today. It's the kind of thing I tell myself I need to do more of when trying to write my own original fiction, but kind of like physical exercise, I think about it more than I actually do it. ^^;

[for-kelsey]

Girl, My Thoughts While Near Water.

I've spent a few days away from poetic writing, or whatever I do here, to get a feel of what I want you to understand. Last night, I told you that I want to be a maximalist in our love; I think that deserves a better explanation.

I spent some time over the weekend gathering myself and taking a walk to Fan Pier Park. That's where we took our coffees, you bit my knee, did a cartwheel, and took pictures of the two of us. I enjoyed sitting with you and letting the time go by, basking in your presence and feeling your warmth against me. I miss that feeling of being with you and exploring a bit more than I'm used to. Perhaps that's why I went back there to center myself. I didn't sit in the same place, and instead walked all the way to the end of the pier, to the final post, and sat. I felt the cold breeze pass over me but dared not to move as that was my spot. I wore my pink hoodie and same white shoes, brought sunglasses, the new Lana album, and my journal. What a sparse thing it is, the journal, and it needed the love that I poured into it. It's not profound writing, but it's what needed to be put down.

I talk about my love towards you and all of the positive changes that I've seen in myself; how I need a reminder that you fell in love with me for who I am. Our trust for one another, the strangeness of being alone again. I miss you like crazy, and you know that. Being in a city full of people is somewhat drab when the person you wish to see isn't there. I listened to the new Lana album, my third time through it with the intention of really understanding. At times it was tremendously sad or hopeful, but always engaging. I listen to it because I know you love it, and I want to be a part of the life that you love. I've come to appreciate these albums and your commentary, their meanings to you, and the stories that are behind them.

I've heard that we forget things if we don't tell them to others. Perhaps that's why I like hanging on your every word and writing to you. It's definitely why I want to ask you so many questions and hear about your endeavors in life. I don't want to forget a thing. Maybe this is the same reason you have so many polaroid pictures, and why I need to start taking some of you. You truly don't understand the power of your own beauty, and the ease of how you wield it. The level of confidence in yourself, your femininity, your strength, is always on display. It doesn't matter if you're bustling around in lace or ripped pajamas, you have an aura about you that the world needs to see. I don't think you see it yourself, too often, and I want to change that. I once told you that it feels like flowers blooming through my chest, but I realize that being with you is much more than that; I'll find the words to describe it someday.

You existing, and me being your beholder, brings a smile to my face; us existing together is what people spend all of their lives looking for. Being a couple is what gives me the most power. My heart feels like the sirring of an ocean and my body feels doused in sunshine.

You need to be cherished for all that you give to me, and I plan to do just that. This is the idea of the maximum coming back. I want us to have grand experiences and memories that last beyond a lifetime. No, this doesn't always mean some magnificent adventure or all of our money down the drain. It means that I want to take extra care of the details of loving you and experiencing life together; we can explore the world or just the corners of an apartment, breathe in the fresh air of forests, walk shopping centers, watch endless movies, talk over candlelight, and stay up way too late. I'll wake you up with kisses each morning no matter what. You deserve love; let me give it to you forever.

[menagerie-of-monsters]

Find the Word Game

Eyyy it's time for one of these again!! Thanks @vcaudley for the tag - I'll tag in @authoralexharvey, @writerfae, @eruden-writes, and @k--havok for the fun.

If you accept the challenge, your words will be: white, black, up, down, center

My words are: cloud, ache, green, spectral, piercing

For fun, I tried to source all of these from In the Claws of the Raven Prince, the draft of which I finished just this week! It'll be coming out on April 21st :)

Snips after the readmore!

Cloud

Chapter: Stag Courtship

"I missed you," I admitted, the touch of his mouth on my neck sending warmth scudding through me, like clouds on a windswept day. "More than I've ever missed anyone ever before. I didn't think that was even possible." "You did?" His warm mouth ran against my skin as he inhaled again, his body relaxing. I hadn't even recognized the edge of tension until it vanished. For the first time since I'd met him, Ayre was at ease, sprawled naked in the sunlight with me, hearing me tell him that he was wanted. I turned to face him, putting my arms on his shoulders and looking him full in the face. My breasts brushed his freckled chest, my side leaned against his bare thigh and grass tickling my skin. "Ayre Xirangyl," I said, putting my heart into my voice as I said his name. "Manticore. Commander of the Furies. Most beautiful of the Raven Princes. Of course I missed you. You belong here. You belong with me, and you belong to me. You're my soulmate."

Ache

Chapter: In Front of Everyone

We didn't get to bed until well after midnight, with new cat-claw scratches on my back and chest and a pleasant ache deep inside me. My body didn't quite know what to do with all the sex, but I certainly wasn't going to have any less of it. The idea of spending weeks doing little else with Ayre appealed in a soul-deep way, something that felt stronger than the usual lure of a honeymoon. Once the war was over, there would be nothing holding us apart anymore. I could tell him everything, and give him everything. We could finally be balanced, a trinity in truth.

Green

Chapter: Swordsmanship

They started dividing us into different classes as the winter turned to spring and the wheat in the fields started to push slender green blades towards the sky. Some of my fellows were hopeless with a sword, but did better with one of the other weapons they tried us on: spear, mace, battle-axe. I couldn't embrace the brutality of the mace or axe, and according to my Captain I wielded a spear like a barge-poler, but as the months wore on the sword started to feel more natural. After six months, under the friendly warmth of an alien sun, they moved me from the garrison to the training-camp a day's ride from the battle-lines, and I realized how little I knew.

Spectral

Chapter: Life and Death

Shame sat heavy in my gut, as cold and slimy as a toad beneath a stone. I couldn't bring myself to tell the lie and protest my innocence, and I didn't think it would read true even if I could. I'd only known Ayre for a day. I'd been saved by Stag Court. And yet it didn't matter much. If I could have chosen my loyalty, I would have thrown in my lot with Ayre without hesitation--but even that faint consideration left me with the haunted feeling all down my back, the top of my spine tingling with the spectral sensation of the shard that had robbed me of a future. To betray Stag Court was to become an oathbreaker, and to break the healing that had saved my life. I'm the perfect slave, I thought bitterly. The punishment for breaking faith was instant, and six months of scarring beneath the healing magic meant that even Ayre's healers wouldn't be able to save me from suffocating to death in his arms.

Piercing

Chapter: Going to War

"May the road be ever straight beneath your feet, and the wind carry you the secrets you desire," I said to him, feeling oddly like I was giving a benediction. He leaned down to rest his forehead against mine. "I seek to return to my home and hearth before I grow weary," he said, with the same ritualistic cadence. "Wait for me, Lilly." "I will," I promised. "Claim that kiss when you return." "I'm eager to do exactly that." From above us, a piercing cry cut through the night air, and Ayre huffed a laugh. "I think they're impatient, darling. Off I go, lest I receive a scolding."

[cryptidsurveys]

Saturday, October 5th, 2024.

So, how's adulting treating you in the 2020s? Are you smashing those expectations, or do you just wanna Netflix and chill all day? First of all, it was never really Netflix & Chill; for me, it was more like YouTube & Rot. Anyway, I'm certainly not smashing any societal expectations, but I am doing better than what I once believed was possible. It gives me hope that I can continue to make progress.

Remember all the fads and trends from the 2010s? Which one makes you cringe the most when looking back now? Vaguely…? I've never been a particularly trendy person. Most of that stuff just goes over my head. As for things that make me cringe…hmm. Maybe early memes. We've come a long way since the days of Courage Wolf and Socially Awkward Penguin.

In the 2020s, are you living the glamorous life you thought all adults had in the 2010s, or is it more like trying to keep houseplants alive and failing miserably? I never thought every adult had a glamorous life, but I was (and am) guilty of idealizing adulthood, especially when confronted with curated and idyllic social media posts. And heck, not even that - something as basic as a "grocery haul mom vlog" would make me yearn for that middle class suburban dream. ;D The second half is more like my actual experience. I don't have any house plants, but as I ease further into adult responsibilities, it continues to feel like a case of having so much to do and not nearly enough time in which to do it. There's always something I neglect for the sake of something else. It makes leisure activities feel like luxuries I can't afford, but…I mean, look at what I'm doing right now. And look at what I'm NOT doing (aka vacuuming the living room/family room). On one hand, I know I need better time management, but on the other, I can't just go, go, go without feeling like I'm slowly losing my sanity. It's a balance I have yet to strike.

Tell us about a moment in the 2010s when you thought you were the coolest kid on the block, but looking back, you were just as awkward as the rest of us. You know…I think I'll keep those embarrassing memories to myself.

So, do you adult better with a fancy planner and color-coded schedules, or are you just winging it with Post-it notes and sheer luck? My life is so routine and repetitive that I don't really need a planner/calendar. I also don't have much of an issue remembering important dates, but I will write them down if I feel like there's a chance I might forget them. I guess I'm closer to Post-It notes and sheer luck, but it works because I don't have all that much going on. Just the animal shelter (typically Friday through Tuesday), therapy (every other Wednesday), trips to the Mountain Park (whenever I can fit them in), grocery shopping (usually Wednesday mornings), and outings with my mom (also whenever I can fit them in).

In the 2020s, have you finally mastered the art of adulting, or do you still have an impressive collection of takeout menus and not a clue about cooking? I don't get takeout or go out to eat all that often, but I'm also not much of a cook. Most of my meals involve the microwave in some capacity. I can cook - it's not hard to follow a recipe and wind up with something tasty - but for whatever reason, I just…don't. Part of it is probably eating disorder related, but I don't think that's all of it. I wish I did more cooking - the idea appeals to me, as does the chance to eat even healthier - but instead I just eat the same few meals and snacks over and over again.

Looking back on the 2010s, what was the cringiest song you couldn't stop listening to on your iPod, and did you ever dare to sing it in public? CAUSE EVERY TIME WE TOUCH I GET THIS FEELING AND EVERY TIME WE KISS I SWEAR I COULD FLY CAN'T YOU FEEL MY HEART BEAT FAST I WANT THIS TO LAST NEED YOU BY MY SIDE It was apparently released in 2006, but it didn't cross my radar until the 2010s, so. And yeah, it was playing in Walmart a few months ago, and it was all I could do to contain myself.

Are you living the dream of having a fabulous wardrobe that puts fashion bloggers to shame, or is your closet a chaotic mix of hand-me-downs and sale-rack finds? It's a mix of Walmart, thrift store finds, and animal shelter shirts/sweaters. I'm not putting any fashion bloggers to shame, but you can definitely tell where my priorities lie.

Do you miss the simpler times of the 2010s when social media was all about posting selfies, or are you loving the meme culture that dominates the 2020s? I do miss the social media culture of Tumblr and Instagram especially. It felt so much more personal and tight-knit, a true slice of life, and I formed some great online friendships around that time. These days, everything feels so impersonal. Everyone's an influencer, their lives are a walking advertisement, and none of it feels real. I wouldn't even know where to start finding online friends anymore. Sure, some of the content is interesting/inspiring, but the people behind it feel so distant.

Tell us your most epic "adulting fail" moment that made you wish you could just teleport back to your carefree teenage years. Probably my failed attempt to work at the animal shelter back in 2021. I quickly crashed and burned. It didn't make me wish for my teenage days, but it was extremely disheartening, shame inducing, etc. I've been back volunteering there for about a year and a half now, close to full time since mid-July (I think…? I'll come back and edit this if I can find the exact date), and things are mostly stable aside from a few hiccups, but…I don't know. The failure of 2021 still haunts me. I want the animal shelter to be part of my life forever, but the fear of losing it all over again keeps me from taking that final plunge. Hopefully one day…

How do you balance being a responsible adult in the 2020s and still secretly longing for the reckless fun you had in the 2010s? I wasn't having much reckless fun. It was more like reckless self-destruction (that might have seemed like fun at times but...yeah). I'm also not a completely responsible/independent adult. There is a part of me that longs for more down time, and I have a complicated sense of nostalgia for my bed rotting days, but I know going back to that wouldn't make me happy. I'd be bored and restless and miserable just like I was before.

Confess your most significant guilty pleasure from the 2010s that you can't believe you indulged in. No judgment here! Probably conspiracies and all the rabbit holes that came with them. That obsession persisted into the early 2020s as well. I felt so hopeless in my own life that an apocalypse actually sounded like an appealing alternative.

Do you have a "best worst" purchase from the 2010s that you still can't believe you spent money on? No.

In the 2020s, have you upgraded your hangover-curing skills from greasy fast food to some sophisticated avocado toast? No. I just drastically reduced my alcohol intake. These days, I might drink once or twice a year, if even that, and not nearly as much in quantity.

What's your go-to dance move when you hit the dance floor in the 2020s, and did it come from an embarrassing attempt in the 2010s? I've never gone out dancing.

How do you cope with adulting burnout in the 2020s, and does it involve a secret stash of chocolate or a Netflix binge? Even though the animal shelter is my passion and I can't imagine my life without it, I still need time away to recharge. I try to make the most of my days off and do things that genuinely refill my cup or reset my social meter. Make art, visit the Mountain Park, purposeful bed rotting with some trash YouTube, maybe put off some house cleaning if necessary (or tackle it if it will make me feel better - it just depends), etc. I'm also fortunate enough to be in a place where I can take extra days off if I need them, but I try not to resort to that too often. The whole point is to get as accustomed to the grind as I can.

Share the most hilariously awkward Zoom moment you had during the great pandemic of the 2020s. I've never used Zoom.

Looking back on the 2010s, what was the weirdest internet challenge you participated in, and did you regret it immediately? I don't think I've ever participated in an internet challenge… Except for things like NaNoWriMo and Inktober, but those are…idk…more wholesome? Not stupid?

Have you finally embraced the fact that you're an adult, or do you still find yourself wishing you had Hermione Granger's time-turner to go back to simpler times? I have accepted…or have resigned myself to the fact…that I can't go back. Not if I want the possibility of a good life in the future. It's daunting as all hell - sometimes the responsibility is overwhelming, and there's only more to come - but I have to keep pushing forward.

So, did you ever jump on the "juice cleanse" bandwagon in the 2010s, and did you last more than a day before devouring a pizza? No.

How do you handle those moments in the 2020s when you feel like you're just a kid pretending to be an adult? Like the first time I went grocery shopping by myself? That was surreal. As a teen, I used to go to the mall by myself like it was nothing (well, "by myself" with friends lmao), but for some reason, grocery shopping was a whole different (and even somewhat trippy) experience. Even though I'm getting more comfortable going places on my own (mainly therapy and the animal shelter), I still have a strong sense of imposter syndrome.

In the 2010s, what was your worst fashion faux pas that you wish had never seen the light of day? Hmmm. Let's just say I definitely had some…outfits…

Are you now the queen or king of adulting, doling out life advice like Oprah, or are you still secretly calling your mom for help with laundry? I'm still fumbling around and trying to figure it out, and probably fooling absolutely no one.

Looking ahead to the rest of the 2020s, what are your hopes and dreams for your adulting journey, and how will you embrace the chaos with a sense of humor? There's just so much I want to learn/do - from the big stuff all the way down to the minor details. I think the main thing is that I want to be employed at the animal shelter before the 2020s pass. As for embracing chaos with a sense of humor…well, it often feels like hilarity is one thin line away from hysterics, so…while I'm not terrible at it, I surely could be better.

[kaleahsbraindump]

To-Do List Supremacy

This month is almost over and that is absolutely insane. I hope all has been splendid and beautiful and sensational with you all.

Things for me have been busier but in a great way. I've been doing lots of thinking, some planning, even more thinking, and even more planning. Truthfully, I struggle a bit with planning, especially with what feels like larger-scale things, but there is also a part of me that thrives off of being organized and prepared. Though the former is more predominant, they do exist at once, parallel to one another.

As time has gone on, I feel like I've been able to grab the reigns on the way I work. Or at least have been able to give myself the space and time to understand it all a little better. Instead of fighting my, at times, sporadic nature and thoughts, I have been relishing in the relief that comes along with working with the current rather than against it. I'm finding a bit of a groove with myself. I often have like five things going on in my head at once, whether they're ideas or things I need to do or that person I was meaning to google or song someone told me to listen to or question I needed to ask about that thing I'm supposed to do, and that can get overwhelming or feel out of hand at times, becoming so scarily easy to let things slip my mind. SO. I've been revisiting the groundbreaking, revolutionary thing that some may call the to-do list. It's insane, I know, I promise you can all stop clapping now. But seriously, nothing has been able to center my thoughts and ground me like a good ol' to-do list. And I have to write it out by hand, too. That is very important to me. I used to do this every day in high school in my agenda with homework and whatnot, and somewhere between then and not too long ago, I had buried the art. Luckily I found my shovel and dug it back up and it's working wonders. Truly. Part of it is the satisfaction of ticking off or filling in the little boxes beside each task. It's really great. So great that I've started making lists for silly daily things like 'put away laundry' or 'go to yoga class' or 'write in journal'. It makes me feel waaaay more at ease within my very active mind and I could not advocate more if I tried.

Anywho, if you're anything like me, try a to-do list. And hand-write it. And use fun pens (or crayons...lately I've been into crayons, not sure what that's about).

Love you all and I'm very excited to finally get to share said things I've been planning oh so sooooooooooon.

Lots of love always