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onepiece-fics · 11 months

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The strawhats reacting to receiving gifts

Summary: How do the strawhats react to receiving (personal) gifts? Gender neutral reader.

Authors note: Soooo the request was a lot more general than what I ended up writing but I hope this still works <3

Also I added links for pictures for most of their gifts if you're curious of how I imagined it :)

Warnings: Chopper and Brook are FULLY platonic!!

Word count: 2346

Luffy

Neither Luffy nor you are very materialistic people, but giving gifts isn’t always about that. You love doing various little crafts. You decided a while ago to start learning how to crochet, and your first project was gonna be to make a little crochet plush of Thousand Sunny!

After about a week of working on your project, you finally finish it, and you’re ready to give it to your captain. You go out to the lawn deck, seeing him playing around with Chopper in what looks like a game of tag. Of course, your captain is winning by quite a lot due to his powers. You shake your head before you call his name, feeling bad for the reindeer with the frustrated expression on his face.

“Luffy! Could you come here for a second?” you call out. He stops dead in his tracks and looks at you, arms behind your back. His interest is immediately piqued at how suspicious you look.

“Oh! Y/N! Whatcha got behind your back?” he asks, voice full of excitement. He tries to look behind your back, turning around your body to see what's in your hands.

“Here! I made this for you” you say, holding your arms out to show him the plush. It takes him a minute to register what you’re holding out to him, but when he sees what it is his face lights up with his iconic grin.

“Y/N!! That’s awesome!! You made Sunny!” he can’t hold his excitement anymore and he lifts you up by your waist and spins you around in a circle. He lets you go and looks intensely at the plush.

“Oh my god, I have to show Franky… Chopper look at it!!” he shows the reindeer whose face also lits up. He turns to you again, taking ahold of your shoulders with a grin on his face.

“This is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much” he says and gives you a peck on the cheek before he runs off to find Franky.

Zoro

Zoro is one of those people who’s absolutely awful at both giving and receiving gifts, but honestly, that’s part of the fun for you. On the last island you were at you found a jewelry shop and found a cool-looking bracelet that you knew you had to buy for him, and you couldn't wait to see his reaction.

“Zoro!” you exclaim as you see him waiting for you on the ship. His face lights up as he sees you and he greets you with an arm around your shoulder as you come up to him.

“I got you something!” you say, a smile wide on your face. He looks surprised, a blush on his face coming immediately.

“For me? Y/N you really don’t have to give me anything…” he starts as he receives the bag from the store and looks inside.

“Nonsense. I saw it and I thought of you so I wanted to give it to you” you tell him. He opens up the packaging the bracelet lays inside and takes it out, admiring the handiwork done on it. “Do you like it?” you ask as he puts it on his wrist.

“Uhm. Yeah, it’s really cool…” he says, blush still on his face. You know him well enough to tell that he loves it, even if he can’t express it well. The way his face flushes red will forever expose how he truly feels.

Nami

As much as Nami obsesses with money, you know that what truly makes a good gift for her are handmade ones. That’s why you decided to make friendship bracelets for the two of you. At first, you were scared she would find it silly, but after finding the cutest pearls and decorations on the last island, you knew you had to do it.

“Nami! I got you something!” you say as you approach her. She’s sitting under the tangerine trees, book in her hands and leaning against one of the trees. She looks up at you and smiles.

“Lean your arm out and close your eyes” you order and she obeys, putting her book aside. You carefully put the bracelet around her wrist and she smiles, she can tell just by the feeling of it what it is. As she opens her eyes her face lights up.

“Y/N! It’s so cute oh my god! Thank you!” she immediately gets up to hug you tightly, squeezing you tightly. You laugh at her reaction and hug her back. She pulls away from you to admire the jewelry on her wrist.

“Did you make this?!” she asks excitedly and you nod.

“Yeah, and I made a matching one for myself too!” you say, feeling your face heat up with a blush. Nami squeals in excitement and brings you in for another hug. She’s such a sucker for handmade gifts.

Usopp

Having found a funny-looking book in a bookstore, you knew that you needed to give it to Usopp. He needed to read it out loud for story time with you and Chopper. The three of you are sitting in the library, about to have your weekly tradition of listening to Usopp's stories.

“Oh, Usopp, I found this book, you should try reading it for us today!” you say excitedly. He takes the book and inspects it closely.

“Hmm, I suppose I could… I can’t promise it’ll be up to Captain Usopp's standards though!” he says, a smile on his face. You and Chopper shuffle excitedly, getting cozy and preparing for the story to begin.

“Wait, where did you find this?” he asks as he opens the book. His face is full of confusion and he’s scratching his head.

“Oh, I just found it in a bookstore at the last island…?” you reply, confused. “Is there something wrong with it?” you ask.

“No… It’s just… This is a very famous book from East Blue… And there seems to be an autograph from the original author…!” his face lights up as he turns to look at you. “Thank you so much, Y/N, this is so amazing! I can’t believe I get to read this all over again… And with his autograph…”

You smile at his excitement. A happy Usopp is a happy you.

Sanji

You know for a fact that Sanji will always love anything you give him, regardless of what it is. You still think he deserves the best of the best though, so you decide to crochet some nice and warm gloves for him. One night you both have nightly surveillance duty, and seeing him lighting his cigarette in the cold weather, hands shaking from the freezing air, you knew it was the perfect moment to give him his gift.

“Ah, Sanji, I made you something” you softly tell him. Taking it out of your pockets, you hand him a small present, all wrapped up in cute wrapping paper.

“Oh dearest! Thank you so much, but why so suddenly?” he asks as he receives the present. His cheeks are blushing and he has a warm smile on his face as he unwraps his gift. He gasps as he sees the gloves, soft wooly patterns across the palms, with the fingers freed at the top.

“Oh, you know… I just figured it was cold for you in the winter when you light your cigarette and all that…” you tell him shyly. He brings you in for a big hug and places his head on yours.

“Thank you so much, Y/N. I really don’t deserve this but… Thank you” he says, giving you a kiss on the top of your head. You snuggle into his chest and let out a content sigh.

“Sanji, you deserve all the gifts in the world”.

Chopper

You absolutely adore Chopper, just like everyone else, and you just absolutely LOVE making him even cuter. Having found a cute, pink scarf on the island you were visiting, you couldn’t not give it to him.

As you approach the deer from behind, carefully sneaking, you softly wrap the scarf around his neck. He lets out a noise of surprise and turns around to see you, squealing at his cuteness.

“Oh my god! Chopper! You look so cute!” you exclaim, grabbing the attention of your crewmates.

“Huh? Wait what?” he says, looking down at the scarf hanging around his neck. His eyes widen as he realizes what's happened. “Wait what?” he repeats again.

“I found this scarf and I thought of you! It fits you so well!” you say, and Robin and Usopp hum in agreement.

“It does fit you really well, Chopper” Usopp says, examining the deer up close.

“It’s really cute” Robin says with a soft smile on her face.

“I- I’m not cute! Stop! I’m a man, I’m not cute!” Chopper exclaims, an embarrassed look on his face. Despite his words, he’s making no attempt to take off the scarf. You all know he secretly loves to be babied by all of you.

Robin

Have you ever heard of the knitted sweater curse? It’s an old myth that if you knit a sweater for your partner, then you’ll break up! You knew though that that would never happen with Robin. All those people who broke up over a sweater were because they didn’t understand the amount of work that goes into one. Robin, however, is very well aware of the time and effort it takes to knit!

One chilly afternoon you approach her, sweater folded up in your arms and you give her a shy smile. Her face lights up as she sees you, making you feel giddy inside.

“I uh… I made you this sweater, I hope it fits” you say and hand it to her. She touches the wooly material, a smile big on her face.

“Thank you so much, dear. How long did this take you? It’s absolutely wonderful… It feels so soft, I bet it’s going to be so warm and cozy” she says, blush on her face. You know she’s not used to receiving gifts randomly so you can tell that she’s a little bit flustered.

“It took me a few weeks to be honest, but I’m happy you like it!” you beam a smile at her.

It didn’t matter how long it took you to make something, or how frustrating it was, it was always worth it at the end when you see the love in her eyes.

Franky

Franky is one of those people that’s kinda hard to give gifts to. You know that regardless of what you end up giving him, he’ll appreciate it, but you still want to give him something personal. After a lot of thinking, you decide to make him something super simple: a flower crown. After all, a cyborg wearing a flower crown would be cute, right?

“Hey Franky!” you say as you approach him. He turns around to look at you, and you motion at him to bend down to your height. As you lean towards him you put the flower crown on top of his head before giving him a quick kiss on the forehead.

“Oh? What’s all this?” he asks with a smirk on his face as he stands back up. He goes to touch the flower crown before you stop him.

“Wait what is this?” he laughs.

“No, No! Don’t take it off! Let me take a picture first!” you giggle. You take out your phone, snapping a picture of him and showing it to him. His smile widens and he laughs at the picture.

“It’s a flower crown! Isn’t it cute? I made it myself!” you exclaim and his eyes fill up with adoration.

“Thank you so much dear, I love it. It suits the cyborg aesthetic superrr well”.

Brook

Giving Brook a gift was always a gamble: you never knew if he was going to take it seriously or turn it into a dad joke. After you had found a cool-looking guitar plectrum in a second-hand store though you felt like you had to give it to him, it SCREAMED his vibes.

“Ah, Brook, I found this earlier and I figured you might like it” you say as you hand the skeleton the plectrum. He takes the plectrum and inspects it.

“Ooohh, Y/N, do you know what this is?” he asks and you shake your head.

“This… The symbol on this plectrum… It’s a symbol for a band that I liked when I was younger…” he starts. It’s hard to read his emotions, with the whole having no face and all, but you can tell he’s surprised to see it.

“Oh? What was their music like?” you ask him. Brook thinks for a minute.

“Ahh, it’s been so long since I heard it but… If you want I could try playing one of their songs?” he asks. You nod your head in response and call Luffy and Usopp over, knowing that they’ll love it too.

“Well… It goes kind of like this…” he brings his guitar out and starts playing, the music floating through the air. It’s a sort of soft sound, yet with a lot of emotions behind it. Luffy and Usopp are both moving their heads to the beat as if they’re in a concert crowd and you close your eyes to focus on the sound. It’s so beautiful.

The skeleton stops playing his guitar and takes a moment before he speaks.

“Y/N… Thank you so much for bringing back these memories. It really means a whole lot”. You look up at him with a soft smile.

“I feel like I could cry right now… Oh. But I don’t have any tear ducts!”.

And there goes the dad jokes.

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genericpuff · 4 months

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Regarding how you can get away with imperfect art in a comic. I wanted to submit this webcomic for referral for your followers (and you, of course, but I know you are busy).

Cursed Princess Club

The artist is inexperienced, but you get to see them grow and improve as the series progresses. Interesting, complex characters. Character development (both good AND bad which I love). Redemption for some, but doesn't hand-wave the awfulness of others.

Genuinely, sincerely, and truly (of course imo), one of the best written comics in Webtoons. The author understands narrative structure and archetypes. They passed English/Literature. It is also in printed format.

Highly recommend.

ahahah yess Cursed Princess Club is great!! I haven't completed it yet, unfortunately now it's behind Daily Pass so you can only read it online in the most inconvenient way possible, but it's worth the read for sure. I love seeing webcomic creators improve through their craft as time goes on :' ) <3

#ask me anything #ama #anon ama #anon ask me anything #webtoon recommendation #cursed princess club

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blondeboyfriend · 1 year

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𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 (𝟏𝟖+)

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐍𝐈

[ PAIRING ] Dio Brando x reader [ AUTHOR'S NOTE ] Listen... stoner bff!Dio is a hard sell, but just roll with it. Join me on this ooc journey. (if this looks familiar, that's because this a repost) [ SYNOPSIS ] You get high with your bestie and reveal that no one has ever made you come before. [ WORD COUNT ] 1.5k [ CONTENT ] Modern AU, porn/no plot, weed, dubcon (you're both high), oral sex, vaginal fingering, orgasm delay, teasing.

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. You and your best friend, Dio, had spent most of the day lazing around, soaking up the mild summer sun that peered through your window. Neither of you had anything of major importance to do, so you both decided getting high and being lumps on your couch was the best way to utilize such a carefree day.

It started out chill, the two of you splitting a bowl with a sprinkling of kief on top. But it didn’t take long for Dio to talk up his “impeccable rolling skills” and demand that you smoke a blunt. You hemmed and hawed, not wanting to smoke that much of your stash, especially because you knew Dio wouldn’t throw five.

But of course he convinced you. Dio constantly weaponized your crush on him to get what he wanted.

It ended up that his rolling skills were truly unmatched. You watched in awe as he crafted a pristine, perfectly fat blunt. You handled it like it was holy, almost too nervous to spark it. However the blonde managed to goad you into lighting it.

You took a puff and slowly breathed out a thick plume of smoke. You passed the blunt back and forth, watching as your exhales filled the room with a smoky haze. After five hits Dio slid off the couch and weaseled his way under the coffee table.

“I cannot be perceived on a visual level right now. Don’t look at me or there will be consequences.”

“Oh, alright. Well… Wanna hear something fucked up?” you asked, passing the blunt to Dio even though he was well beyond his limit.

You looked down at him, not heeding his previous request. You needed to see him, to experience his beauty. Anytime you got high with Dio you couldn’t help but think about how his lips would feel brushing up against yours, how his fingers would feel inside your cunt. Plus he looked so ridiculous, it was distracting. His feet and arms gracelessly stuck out from under the table, limbs too long for concealment.

He was never very good at keeping composure when smoking top-shelf shit.

“Of course,” he replied as he grabbed the blunt from you. His elegant fingers rubbed up against yours and you felt lightheaded from his touch.

You giggled. “No one has ever made me come before.”

He poked his blonde head out from the table, his dark eyes radiating pity.

“Surely you’re joking.”

“Nope. I wish. Every sexual encounter I’ve had has been disappointing.”

“That’s tragic. Don’t tell me things like that,” he said, taking a hit.

You reached for it, assuming it was your turn, but Dio didn’t hand it over.

“You said you wanted to hear something fucked up!”

“I thought you’d talk about something fun like a car accident. What you said was just… sad.”

Dio took a sizable puff, blowing the smoke in your face. You scowled and snatched the blunt from him. He gazed up at you, his face adorned with a condescending smirk.

“I could make you come.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Though I can’t imagine it’d be difficult.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you asked, getting defensive.

He made grabby hands which you proceeded to kick away. He pouted and sighed. Seeing him like this was hilarious. You almost felt like getting Dio high domesticated him. He was a little slower, a little sweeter, but still somewhat of a gadfly.

“You seem easy.”

“What?!” you exclaimed while stubbing out the joint in an empty glass.

“No, not… not easy. I mean, hm.” He was choosing his words carefully. “You would probably come fast because you’ve never come… before.”

“Okay well I don’t know if you know this, but there is this thing called masturbation and people do it.”

“I, Dio, know what masturbation is.”

“So you just assumed I don’t masturbate? Is that the vibe I give off?”

“Stop saying so many words,” Dio groaned, resuming his place next to you on the couch. “Do you want to come or not?”

“Excuse me?”

Dio was getting annoyed with you and frustrated by his inability to articulate his thoughts to his liking. “You want me to make you come, right? That’s what you’re getting at.”

“Sure?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Lay down,” he ordered. “Take your shorts off.”

You were more than happy to do so. Quickly you pulled your shorts off along with your underwear and threw them across the room. You grabbed one of the pillows and placed it on the arm rest and reclined, letting your body sink into the cushions. Dio turned to you and got on his knees before settling into a modified child’s pose, leaving his head in your lap.

It was quite a view. You ran your fingers through his thick hair, watching the silky, golden strands slide between them. He looked angelic, though with a rather Luciferian feel.

“Has anyone ever gone down on you before?”

“Kinda? A guy tried, but gave up after like a minute.”

“That hardly counts,” he said, spreading apart your folds.

You had no witty retort so you kept quiet.

Dio slipped two fingers inside your cunt, pressing them up against your walls. When he pulled them out he sucked them clean, his eyes never leaving yours. He had apparently decided he could be perceived at this time.

“You taste divine.”

“Th—thanks? Thank you.”

He gave you a quizzical look and began to suck on your clit, deeming your comment unworthy of a response. You didn’t mind; you were too focused on how your clit throbbed in between his soft lips.

“That feels so good,” you mewled.

“I know,” he said, ego untempered even though he was high.

He flicked the tip of his tongue against your clit as your body bloomed with arousal. You watched as he lapped at your cunt, his back arched like a cat. It was such a contrived position, an attempt to maximize his allure, but it worked. He had you transfixed, a successful spell cast. You surrendered yourself to him and his enchanting looks.

With each languid lick, you felt as if you were ascending to a higher plane. You cursed Dio for being right. He had barely put in any work and you were already fighting back crashing waves of euphoria. It wasn’t necessarily better than masturbation, just different. Being able to lie back and let someone else do the work was a treat.

Your legs flexed and your toes curled as Dio tongued the side of your clit. He thrust three of his fingers inside you, curling them upwards almost as if he was beckoning your orgasm.

“Fuck,” you groaned.

You clenched your teeth and tried to stave off the warmth overtaking you. It was as if every cell in your body was drowning in pleasure. It all became too much to bear and you buried your face in your hands.

Dio let out a displeased groan.

“Did I tell you to stop playing with my hair?”

You uncovered your face and met his gaze. It was cold and unfeeling. You resumed running your fingers through his hair.

“That’s what I thought,” he muttered.

He began to fingerfuck you while he traced your aching clit with his tongue. You gritted your teeth and struggled not to clench your fists. The last thing you wanted to do was yank on his hair while his teeth were so close to your cunt.

“D—shit—Dio, I’m gonna—”

“Not yet,” he cooed.

“Fuck,” you moaned. “Please!”

He encircled your clit with his tongue and managed to squeeze his pinky inside you along with his fingers. You gasped, nearly choking on your own breath.

“Hush. Not yet,” he said sweetly.

You let out a pained groan as he kissed your clit. “I hate you.”

Like clockwork he grazed your folds with his teeth. Shockingly you didn’t hate the sensation.

“So good,” you mumbled, unable to form a complete sentence.

His eyes seemed to light up, like he was proud of what he was accomplishing.

Your orgasm wasn’t bombastic. You didn’t shriek Dio’s name or flop around uncontrollably. Your body felt tingly and your muscles tensed up. Your breathing quickened and you whined a little, begging for more.

Dio sat up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He plucked the blunt out of the cup and lit it, taking a drag. He then laid on top of you and cupped your cheek with one of his hands. He placed his lips on yours and pushed his tongue past your teeth. You let your tongue writhe against his as he exhaled the smoke in your mouth.

“Told you,” he whispered in your ear.

You blew the smoke in his face, making him wriggle his nose.

“Yeah, yeah. It was good,” you said, trying to act as if you weren’t beaming on the inside.

“Hmph. If you think that was good, wait until I fuck you.”

#dio brando x reader #dio x reader #dio brando smut #dio smut #jjba x reader #jojo's bizarre adventure smut #jjba smut #.fics #.jjba #.dio #reader insert #x reader

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bihansthot · 11 months

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Ok now that I've seen Scorpions dialogues I wanted to change a little my request, still make it like a s rivals to lovers type of thing with Smoke x reader, but is more of like "we disliked each other at first but we say our good on us and became close", kinda like with Kenshi and Johnny

I’m so sorry for the wait lovely, this is soooooo not my wheel house T_T Hopefully it came out ok and you enjoy it!

Title: First Impressions Can Be Deceiving

Rating: Mature (sweet loving)

Pairing: Smoke x Afab!Reader

Summary: After the events that happened at Madam Bo’s you were convinced you hated the Lin Kuei, especially the one who hurt Madam Bo, but as time goes on you realized you may have misjudged him, and develop feelings for him?!

Author’s Note: I am AWFUL at enemies/rivals to lovers, and tried my best, Smoke is very kind and gentle like the sweet cinnamon roll he is. Please like/comment/reblog if you enjoyed it. Thank you lovelies <3

Your first impression of the warrior called Smoke was not a good one, you were introduced to him at the raid on Madam Bo’s Tea House and even though Lord Liu Kang had assured you Smoke and his fellow Lin Kuei were there to test you and the other champions, Smoke’s actions had left a bad taste in your mouth. Surely there was a better way to subdue Madam Bo than to throw her off a balcony, even if she was tougher than she looked she was still a respected elder. You didn’t like the whole thing and maybe your anger should have been directed at Lord Liu Kang, but in your mind, it was the Lin Kuei to blame.

The next time you saw the Lin Kuei was when you and the other champions were training at the Wu Shi academy and despite your earlier misgivings you were slowly starting to realize maybe Smoke at least wasn’t as bad or arrogant as you thought he was. He was polite and courteous to Lord Liu Kang and the rest of you. It perplexed you because you had already made up your mind you didn’t like him or the Lin Kuei. His voice cuts through your thoughts though before you had time to process things fully.

“How are you liking your time at the Wushi Academy? The monks truly are masters at their craft are they not?” Smoke asks taking a seat next to you.

“Their dedication is second to none, it’s quiet a sight to behold,” you reply, forcing yourself to make polite small talk.

“I can’t help but feel like I need to apologize to you, the other warriors don’t seem to have any problems with myself of my brothers, but you seem to. The Tea House was a test, Madam Bo knew all about it and was in on it, I would never hurt an elderly woman of my own accord. So, I’m sorry we deceived you, but I assure you it was all at the behest of Lord Liu Kang,” Smoke tries to explain for what seems like the thousandth time.

“You bashed her head into a railing and threw her off a balcony! In on it or not that’s just too much! You could have killed her!” You snap at him angrily. “Madam Bo is a kindly old proprietress not a master martial artist!”

“That’s where you’re wrong y/n, Madam Bo is a former Lin Kuei and IS a master martial artist, she trained Raiden and Kang Lao from childhood as she helped raise my brothers and I when she was in the Lin Kuei,” Smoke explains emphatically, desperate to convey the fact he wasn’t the bad guy here.

“She, she was Lin Kuei? Seriously?” You ask in disbelief shocked by this new revelation.

“Yes, she taught my brothers and I everything we know, well outside of my magic and my brother’s birthrights,” Smoke continues. “She’s much more sturdy than she looks, it was actually her idea to throw her off the balcony, she said it had to look realistic, to make sure the three of you actually fought to your full potential.”

“I, I see, maybe I misjudged you all but I still don’t like how the whole thing went down, and I still don’t trust you or the Lin Kuei,” you huff as you stand up and brush off your pants before stalking off. Thankfully you don’t have to deal with the Lin Kuei for long, Lord Liu Kang had other plans for them and you don’t see Smoke again until after the conflict with Titan Shang Tsung.

“Hello my dear, in order to help keep Earthrealm’s defenders strong and at peak performance I’ve organized a training exercise,” Lord Liu Kang addresses you as he materializes from his portal giving you quite the start.

“Y-yes, Lord Liu Kang, of course, as you wish,” you nod enthusiastically, looking forward to keeping your skills sharp.

“You will be training with the newly formed Shirai Ryu, their Grandmaster Kuai Liang and second-in-command Tomas, will assist you in your training and when they are satisfied will let me know you have completed your training,” he states authoritatively.

You wince internally, not them, they were the Lin Kuei, they may have a new name and might have sworn their loyalty to defending the Earthrealm, just like you had but you still had reservations about the trip. You had been able to avoid them at the Wushi Academy but it would be impossible like this, but you couldn’t say no to Lord Liu Kang. Sighing deeply you relent, “yes Lord Liu Kang, I will do my best.”

You make your preparations to travel to Japan and once you’re ready Lord Liu Kang appears to you again to transfer you there via a portal, the Shirai Ryu compound was well hidden in the countryside and traditional travel would have required many modes of transportation, so you were grateful to Lord Liu Kang for his assistance. Once you arrive you are formally introduced to Grandmaster Scorpion and his fiancée Harumi, both seem like good and honorable people despite the Grandmaster’s familial ties to the Lin Kuei’s Grandmaster, someone you definitely were not fond of. Maybe you had misjudged the former Lin Kuei members, you did think to yourself how Smoke had gone out of his way to sit with you and explain the situation with Madame Bo, slowly you found yourself less hostile. The longer you stayed with the Shirai Ryu and trained with them the fonder you found yourself of them, particularly Smoke, he was actually dare you say, sweet?

“How are you enjoying your time here, y/n?” Smoke asked you one night after the communal meal while you were enjoying the lush gardens of the Shirai Ryu Temple.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here immensely, the gardens are my favorite place to be, they’re so peaceful and serene, it makes me feel at peace,” you answer truthfully.

“I’m glad, I know you haven’t always been the biggest fan of me, but I have honestly always admired you and your skills and it’s been my pleasure to help you develop and hone your skills further, if there’s anything else I can do just let me know,” Smoke stands up making ready to leave and you tug on his pants.

“Stay with me for a bit?” You ask, almost surprised with yourself but you couldn’t lie to yourself any longer, somewhere along your stay you had developed feelings for the smoke wielder, and if you’re curious to see if he felt the same way.

“My pleasure,” Tomas answers and sits back down next to you enjoying the serene setting of the gardens with you.

“I, I have a confession to make, when I first met you I disliked you, no, down right hated you and your brothers for the events of the Tea House, but now I realize you’re nothing like that thug,” you pause to gather your courage. “The truth is Smoke, I find myself having feelings for you, I care about you and want to be closer to you, I want to be with you,” you confess, your cheeks flushed with the embarrassing words.

“I had hoped you felt the same way about me as I do for you, but I didn’t want to cross any lines or make you feel uncomfortable but zlatíčko I think I’ve been in love with you since the moment we crossed paths. Please, call me Tomas,” he returns your confession enthusiastically.

“T-Tomas,” you try his name and like the way it sounds coming from your lips, and if Tomas’ expression is anything to go by, so does he. His silvery eyes are lidded with pleasure and a faint blush spreads across his cheeks, he leans forward and closes the gap between the two of you as you share your first kiss together. It’s soft and gentle, slow and patient and wonderfully warm, the action ignites a spark of arousal just simmering in your belly, you’re immediately hungry for more. You tilt your head to the side letting the warrior deepen the kiss as you hungrily part your lips and welcome his warm tongue, it slides softly along your bottom lip as if asking permission before delving inside. You moan softly at the welcome intrusion and suck softly on his tongue pulling a soft moan from the smoke wielder, your hands wrap around him pulling him closer as your hands continue to glide over his well-muscled arms.

“Mmm zlatíčko, if you keep this up I may not be able to stop myself, I’ve found myself many lonely nights with just my thoughts of you to keep me company,” he whispers, biting his lower lip as if embarrassed.

“What if I told you I don’t want you to stop, what if I told you I may have thought about you the same way,” you reply sweetly, your lips finding his neck and sucking softly.

Smoke moans low in his throat, “please don’t tempt me, I want you so desperately,” he all but pleads with you.

“So, take me,” you whisper in a sweet invitation as you climb into his lap and you’re met with his hardness and it makes you feel bolder as you reach your hand down and start stroking at his clothed manhood. The moan he makes is so amazing and makes you feel lightheaded with arousal as you palm him harder through his pants and suck on his neck harder. Your lips soon find his again as you kiss him hard, teeth clicking together as you battle for dominance, he eventually concedes defeat as your tongue dances in his mouth and intertwines with his. You soon find yourself topless as the skilled warrior divests you of your bothersome garment, his face is pressed hotly between your breasts as he shudders slightly and rubs his smooth face against your lovely mounds. His skilled hands make quick work of your bra as he cups your breasts lovingly in his large callous hands.

“I, I must warn you zlatíčko, I’m not very skilled in the ways of pleasure, but I’m happy to do whatever I can to please you,” Smoke breathes out, embarrassed by his own shortcomings.

“We’ll have to figure it out together then because I’m afraid I’m in the same boat, I’ve well seen how things are done though,” you explain, the flush spreading to the tips of your ears now as you confide your inexperience to the other.

Softly Smoke presses a kiss to the top of your breast before his lips close around your nipple as he sucks lightly, the other hand teasing and lightly pinching your other breast earning a soft moan from you. He gradually applies more pressure sucking fervently on your nipple as his tongue swirls along the pebbled nub the action causing more heat and arousal to build up in your stomach as you feel your pants getting sticky and uncomfortable. You dip your hand underneath his waistband to grab onto his velvety shaft and he feels big and you’re suddenly a bit more nervous than you already were, but you trusted Tomas not to hurt you, so you gather your courage and start stroking his cock.

“Oh shit, that feels so good,” he hisses pulling away from your nipple and moans slightly the sound getting stuck in his throat.

“I want you, please,” you whine cutting the foreplay short the feeling of his hard cock so eager for you stroking your ego to the point that waiting is no longer an option.

“Are you sure?” He asks panting softly as you keep stroking his length in his pants as he moves to continue undressing you but stops to make sure this is what you really want.

“Make love to me Tomas,” you sigh softly giving him a soft kiss before rolling off him and lying in the soft grass of the picturesque garden.

“As you wish my lady,” he smiles and swallows audibly, clearly battling with some nerves, but he shakes them off the best he can as he pulls his top off and helps pull your pants and panties off. He can’t help himself though, he has to sneak a taste as he presses your thighs apart and slots his head in between your thighs, and runs his tongue over your luscious little pussy, it's welcoming and sticky with your want. He moans deeply as he gets his taste and the vibrations reverberate through your body pulling a startled cry of his name from you.

“Tomas please, stop teasing,” you whimper and wriggle the action of just his tongue alone was almost enough to overload your inexperienced body.

“Sorry,” he offers sheepishly before kicking his pants off and positioning himself between your legs, he grabs his cock and rubs the slick velvety head along your slit a few times before resting at your entrance. “Let me know if it hurts,” he tells you before kissing your forehead and slowly pushing inside your impossibly tight warmth.

You cry softly as you feel his cock opening you up and pushing inside you, it feels full, so full, and slightly uncomfortable, you suddenly feel a jolt of pain and a slight tearing sensation as Tomas keeps pushing steadily in. “Oh fuck, it hurts a little, but at the same time it feels nice, I-I can’t explain it,” you whimper as you wrap your arms around Smoke’s well-built shoulders.

Tomas immediately stills, “do you want me to pull out, or stop? We don’t have to do this,” he insists.

You shake your head ‘no’ and squeeze gently around him earning a sharp breath from Tomas, “no, please keep going.” You squirm slightly and roll your hips experimentally against his cock as he finishes burying it inside your plush walls, it feels like it's too much but at the same time, it feels like it was built just for you. “Oh Tomas, you feel so good,” you whine.

“Heh, I was about to say the same thing about you zlatíčko,” he quips back as he holds himself still, letting you adjust despite his desire to feel more of your sticky, tight wetness.

“You-you can move, I think, please?” You ask him softly as the burn and sting dissipate as your body acclimates to his cock.

He starts thrusting slowly and it feels heavenly, you moan immediately as his cock starts moving inside your tight canal. He makes soft noises as his cock disappears in and out of your tight, wet pussy, “god, you’re perfect zlatíčko, so warm and tight, it feels so much better than my hand.”

“Tell me about it,” you moan in agreement and cant your hips slightly and suddenly cry out sharply as Tomas’ cock suddenly hits something inside you that makes you see stars. “Do, do that again,” you practically demand and Tomas repeats the action pulling another shaky cry from you. “Oh please, yes, that’s so good Tomas,” you whimper as you focus on keeping your hips at the perfect angle so each one of his thrusts hit that sweet spot over and over. You cling to his body as he thrusts in and out of you, the arousal building and building in your stomach as he keeps a steady pace.

“I’m not going to last much longer zlatíčko, where do you want me to cum?” Tomas asks and he’s breathy and dripping in sweat as he starts fucking you harder now, chasing his release.

You panic and you aren’t sure where you want him, “in-inside please, I want to feel you cum, please Tomas, just a little more, I’m so close,” you beg him, eyes squeezing closed as your stomach tightens almost unpleasantly.

“As you wish,” he pants and keeps plunging in and out of your tight pussy, his body shaking with exertion.

“To-Tomas!” You squeal as your orgasm suddenly washes over you, the pleasure jolting down your spine as your toes curl and you feel lightheaded as you hit your high.

Tomas holds you tight and moans loudly as you want soaks his cock making it hard to keep it inside you, he manages though as he quickly falls over the edge as your pussy walls flutter and grasp his cock.

You shake slightly as you feel Tomas’ release flooding your tight pussy and you whine at the sensation, you can’t stop shaking as the feeling of your lingering orgasm intensifies knowing you had pushed Tomas to his limit too.

Tomas tries to pull in deep breaths of air as he tries to get his breathing back under control as he moves to pull out of you, concerned he might be hurting you.

“Please stay close, it feels so good,” you whimper, shyly as you hold him, unwilling to let go of your post-coitus glow.

“Whatever you want zlatíčko,” he smiles and holds you until you're ready to let him go.

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physalian · 3 months

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What No One Tells You About Writing 8— “Anyone can write a book”

Yes. But actually no. I say “writing is easy” in that it doesn’t take a degree and textbook learning to understand. You can get an English or lit degree if you want, but writing is incredibly subjective. It’s not even like an art degree that has you study different mediums and historical styles. “Writing is easy” in that it’s about feeling, and instinct, and a little bit of common sense. Anyone can do it in that it doesn’t take financial investment to start. Steal a tchotchke pen and paper from a hotel room—you’ve got all the tools you need. I have a communications degree and 9 years of experience, and I'm about to publish my first supernatural fantasy novel.

Writing is not easy, however, if any of the following applies to you:

You want to make enough money to do this full time

You want to appeal to mass audiences

You want to be a NYT bestseller**** or get an adaptation

You want to be regarded as the best of your generation and fill bookstore shelves

1. It takes a healthy dose of self-awareness and a reality check

I beta’d for an author who thought that he was comparable to GRRM, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, because both have adult themes in their book and if GRRM can do it, why can’t he? The sheer vastness of the divide between ASOIAF and this awful, awful manuscript wasn’t worth putting into words for the amount I was being paid, though I tried.

Yes, you can write whatever you want. Yes, you can write to please yourself and stroke your ego. You can write the hammiest wish-fulfillment author insert that you desire. But you can’t expect anyone else to want to read or pay money for it. It’s great to have confidence as an author and envision your success, but starting right off the bat with “everyone will love this book because I’m really smart and I love this book” is only going to leave you bitter and penniless.

2. You might be an expert in your given field, doesn’t automatically make you an expert at storycrafting

I really, truly want the above godawful toe wart of a human (who tried to justify pedophilia in his book with the Israel-Palestine conflict) to stop featuring in my writing advice, but I know he’s not the only person out there who thinks like this. You might have a doctorate in engineering, medicine, political science, chemistry, physics, history, paleontology—any field you want. That does not mean you can successfully translate your expertise into a well-crafted and compelling narrative. It means you can write a college textbook lecturing your readers for 300 pages. Heck, if you can't explain what you do like I'm 5 years old, then you're not an expert in your field.

Elements of good storytelling include well-rounded characters, solid pacing, compelling themes and motifs, an engaging main conflict and character arcs and edge-of-your-seat action, romance, debates, and arguments. It’s so much more than “I’m going to write a textbook, but have my character tell it to you, and everyone will love it”.

They won’t.

3. “I’m gonna be a millionaire like JKR”

The frustrating thing about making money writing is that at the end of the day, you are still selling a product. Which means that it doesn’t matter how amazing you think it is, if it’s not what sells. The Fifty Shades series is hardly a poetic epic with deep, meaningful characters and themes, but it sold. It got adaptations. Why? Because it was a product people wanted and its writing style appeals to mass audiences who aren’t entertained by fluffy, antiquated prose. I hated the Divergent books. They soullessly and shamelessly fed off the success of Hunger Games. But they sold because “teen dystopia HP houses” was what audiences craved and what Hollywood was pushing to make movies out of.

Personally I don’t have any nostalgia for Harry Potter and I both wish I did so I could have one more beloved series and fandom to participate in, but also am glad I don’t because of JKR. HP is chock full of plot holes and “fuck it we’ll do it live” worldbuilding and so many concepts that look cool on paper until you really start thinking about it.

JKR didn’t make a million dollars because she wrote the greatest fantasy series. JKR made a million dollars because she wrote a book that sells every goddamn piece of lore for $15.99 or more and collects on all those sweet, sweet royalties. She understood that she’s selling a product, not just a story, selling everything from Slytherin ties and wizarding robes to golden snitches, sorting hats, wands, chocolate frogs, and every other prop seen in the movies.

You sure can chase trends and I’m sure Divergent is somebody’s favorite book and you can hock chocolate frogs. Everyone’s writing goals are different.

4. “But GRRM did it” (or, adhering to genre expectations)

Circling back to this one. Once again, you can write whatever you want, no one is stopping you. However, books are products and if what’s in the summary and on the cover isn’t what’s on the pages, you’re going to upset and annoy your readers. For example, if I slap a chiseled six-pack of man meat on my book cover with flowy calligraphy for the title that reads something like Sex and Pink Champagne and my summary is all about how protagonist girl gets the adonis of her dreams, you’re not going to be happy if, 200 pages in, the plot detours and Mr. Sexy fucks off to sell NFTs.

It doesn’t meet genre expectations.

GoT kicks off with incest and child defenestration. It tells you *exactly* what you’re getting into immediately. You can subvert plot expectations all you want. You can subvert tropes and archetypes and throw in all kinds of twists and turns. But if you’re writing a YA novel and 100 pages in after campfire songs and the power of friendship, Protagonist gets assaulted in a 7-11 parking lot because you wanted to be ~edgy~ you’re going to piss off your readers.

Take Mulan for example. It has a dramatic tonal shift so powerful, the musical stops being a musical because it’s traumatized. Mulan doesn’t drop in the grizzled and horrifying wasteland of a battlefield with thousands of dead soldiers in an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It’s already a war movie, the possibility is already there.

If you want to write adult content, then write a book for audiences who are prepared for and want to read adult content. Otherwise you’re setting yourself up for failure.

5. “Okay but it’s not entertaining”

Your first job as an author is to entertain (your second is to do it responsibly imo). There’s millions of books out there—why should someone read yours? Whether that’s entertainment through a feel-good romance or a gut-wrenching tragedy, you need to keep convincing your readers to stay invested in the story, otherwise they can and will put it down to read something else. No one is obligated to read your book to the end.

So, yeah your protagonist might have all the elements of your own personal tragedies and it sure is meaningful to you, but the way you wrote it is incredibly boring and no one will care. It might be the most brilliant heist plot ever conceived, but you focused on all the wrong elements, the pacing is whack, and your protagonist is annoying, so no one will read it.

Very few individual elements can be good enough to carry the entire manuscript and the likelihood of an author being really good at one thing and awful at the rest is slim. Readers can quit a book over the most arbitrary reasons. Do you want to die on a hill of “I’m not changing my annoying protagonist, I’m right and they will see”? They won’t. The arguments authors get into with me over how I hated their protagonist or I told them which parts were boring and dragged because I “didn’t understand the story” are pointless. If it’s boring or confusing or annoying, no one will read it.

6. First Drafts are drafts for a reason

Actually writing is less than half the time and effort spent on getting a book to publication. Probably less than a quarter. The rest of that time is spent editing and rewriting. Some first drafts will be better than others, not arguing that, but your first run through your story has a non-zero chance of needing revisions, even for something as small as typos and punctuation.

You have to edit for pacing and tonal shifts, erroneous details and entire scenes, character inconsistencies and goals. You have to make sure your conversations flow believably, that you hit every talking point that scene requires. You have to make sure your character’s motivations don’t create plot holes and that they’re always on track like a real person and not a creation of your imagination. You have to make sure your action scenes and sex scenes are legible and as thrilling for a reader as they are for you. You have to make sure your worldbuilding is consistent and logical and easy to understand.

Some people outline heavily before starting page one. Some people have a sticky note of “beginning middle end” and run off that. Some have whole folders of different documents to keep track of all their elements. Everyone’s writing process is different, but it is a process, not a one-and-done. It requires revisions, seeking feedback, implementing that feedback, and more revisions until it’s as good as it can be.

Yes, you need to edit. No, you’re not the writing god who penned perfection on your first try. Maybe a piece of your story is perfect on the first draft, but not the whole thing from start to finish. It’s okay that your story isn’t what you thought it would be when you started, and it’s no failing of you as a writer to need edits or even massive changes. It happens to everyone.

7. “Writing is easy, thus it’s not a real job”

Really the notion that creatives are lesser than corporate business people solving problems that their business created. But specifically for writing, the idea that it’s just putting words on a page, thus it’s easy and anyone can do it, so it’s not impressive or deserving of praise and you really need a real job (you probably will because writing doesn’t make much money for most people, but that’s just how it shakes out).

I know ENNS won’t appeal to everyone. I know there will be people who hate my characters, who don’t understand them or don’t agree with their philosophies or find my writing trite and too lean and not ~immersive~. I know there’ll be homophobes out there who won’t even read it but hear about it and make assumptions and will leave me crap reviews. I know it’s not the greatest supernatural fantasy novel ever written.

I’m not in it to make money or get a movie deal and see my merch all over the shelves and get my own theme park. I write so that even one reader might see themselves in my characters and know they’re not alone. So that even one reader has one of my characters as their favorite and that character motivates them to do the Thing or keep moving forward or be brave enough to finally do whatever they’ve been too afraid to attempt before. I want to help people, even if at the end of the day, my writing only helps myself.

Yes I need supplemental income (who doesn’t these days). It’s the way of the world. But I’m doing what I love in my free time and it is a real job because it takes work, and it might not have monetary value but its value to me is priceless.

#writing #writing advice #writing resources #writing a book #writing tips #writing tools #writeblr #what no one tells you about writing #the writing process #long post

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roguerevieweradl · 8 days

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Heathers Review (Pelican Productions) - 12/09/2024

Stepping into Heathers, I knew we were in for a wild ride, but I wasn’t prepared for the sheer power and presence of this cast.

Tayla Prime as Heather Chandler was an absolute force of nature. She dominated the stage with so much authority that I found myself genuinely intimidated from the audience! I wouldn’t dare cross her Chandler—if I were in Westerberg High, I’d be running for the hills. It was a performance that oozed confidence and power, embodying the iconic ‘mythic b****’ perfectly.

Teagan Garvey as JD had some great moments, especially in the beginning where he played up JD’s charm to a T. His descent into madness was compelling, with Garvey really showcasing the complexity of the role. There were a few moments where his vocals fell a little flat, but overall, he was stellar and brought a lot to the table.

Then there’s Samantha Keough as Veronica—wow. I have never been so in awe of a voice. She didn’t just deliver; she owned the character, adding her unique vocal flair rather than just doing a by-the-numbers version of Veronica. I’d go so far as to say she’s one of the best Veronicas I’ve seen in Adelaide!

Caitlin Laventure as Heather Duke was a standout for me. Talk about a triple threat—the dancing, the singing, the acting, all flawlessly executed. I honestly can’t believe she isn’t already a staple in the professional scene. It was hard to keep my eyes off her whenever she was on stage.

Lily Horton-Stewarts Heather McNamara was another highlight. "Lifeboat" was a real emotional journey, and she took the audience right along with her. I could feel her anxiety bubbling under the surface, and when it broke, it was powerful. A beautifully crafted performance.

And then, Darcie Yelland as Martha—my heart. She brought so much warmth and life to Martha that you just wanted to give her a hug. By the time "Kindergarten Boyfriend" hit, I was a complete mess. It’s a challenging role to pull off, but Yelland absolutely nailed it.

I have to mention my favorite duo of the night: Zach Bartlett and Freddie Windle as Kurt and Ram. These two bounced off each other perfectly, delivering the humor and energy the roles require. They’re an iconic duo, and I truly hope to see them working together in the future!

Hannah Brown as Ms. Fleming brought so much life to the ditzy teacher role. You could really sense how much she cared about her News Crew… which made for a lot of laughs. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her performance!

The song of the night had to be ‘My Dead Gay Son’. The dads, Leo Sage and Hanno de Klerk, absolutely nailed it! The audience couldn’t stop clapping, and we just wanted more. Well done to both actors for a standout performance.

The ensemble deserves massive credit as well. The choreography and vocals were tight and well-constructed, with each piece fitting together like a perfectly synchronized puzzle. You could just feel the joy radiating off the entire cast, which gave the performance an extra spark of magic.

As for the set design, it was nothing short of spectacular. I loved the concept—especially how the brick wall split apart, and the two-story levels made the stage feel dynamic and immersive. I found myself wondering how long it took to build because it was just so beautifully crafted.

The lighting was also brilliantly executed. I loved how they played within the scheme. My favorite moment had to be during the bomb sequence, where the stage transformed into what looked like a disco ball for just a moment, symbolizing the explosion—it was an inventive and effective choice.

Sound was mostly on point. While there were a few minor issues with mics not being turned on in time or some effects coming in late, the sound mix overall was fantastic. Missing a couple of lines didn’t take away from how well everything sounded.

Big shoutout to the creative team. You’ve put on an amazing rendition of Heathers, and I’m excited to see what you all work on next. Overall, this cast for Heathers knocked it out of the park. From powerhouse performances to stellar ensemble work, this show was a treat from start to finish.

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sleepyfan-blog · 4 months

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Curse

Author’s Note: Tallis part three! I hope you enjoy :D first. Previous

Tagged: @the-pure-angel @egrets-not-regrets @whorety-k @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

Warnings: flesh-change, unhappy ending

Summary: The apothecaries attempt to reverse Lord Tallis’ accidental shrinking.

You patiently wait for Lord Tallis' name to be called in the waiting room, carefully cradling the currently tiny Astartes close to your chest. He's been grumbling for several minutes about the intricacies of the magical spell he had been attempting to create for minutes now. You really don't understand the intricacies of warp-craft, and as you are not warp-touched yourself, you would not be able to use any of the spells or learning that you had observed as you had served the Thousand Sons and Lord Tallis in particular. But you patiently and attentively listened to his grumpy ramblings, offering understanding noises and gentle taps on the back with the tip of one of your fingers at the appropriate points. It was entirely possible that Lord Tallis would be able to figure out what had gone wrong and reverse how he'd accidentally shrunk himself before the apothecary sorcerers were able to treat him.

Tallis eventually settled down in your hands, smiling warmly up at you, one of his currently tiny hands lightly squeezing one of your fingers "I am grateful that you are so dutiful and careful... Especially when mishaps like this happen."

"You saved me from oblivion or worse, my lord." You respond, smiling back at him "Of course I will serve you to the best of my abilities for as long as you will have me, my lord."

"Still... Your diligence and care have long since repaid any life debt that you owed me, and yet you stay. For that I am grateful, truly." Tallis murmurs, leaning into you, a soft rumbling sound coming from his chest. It sounded similar to a purr.

You nod wordlessly in response, unsure as to just how to respond. You truly felt that it was an honor to be able to serve the Adeptus Astartes in such a direct way... And you were much better treated by Tallis and his brothers than you had been on the merchant vessel that you'd been born on, and you'd expected to live out your life and die on. Unlike with the merchant vessel, Tallis had allowed you to explore some of the worlds that he visited - if it was safe for you to do so.

Before your mind could wander too far, Lord Tallis' name was called out and you walked over to the Apothecary, holding out the tiny Tallis in your cupped hands. You weren't sure if he could swim through the air in this form, nor if it was safe for him to use even that minor warp-based ability while shrunken down. "Here he is, Lord Apothecary." You murmur quietly.

Tallis waves sheepishly up at one of his older brothers, explaining the spell he'd been tinkering with, and what he'd intended for the spell to do. He wasn't sure what exactly had gone wrong, and had woken up to you hovering over him some amount of time after the spell had backlashed and knocked him out.

The apothecary sighed, shaking his head a little before responding "A spell of that magnitude should be fairly easy to reverse." He addresses you directly "Place him in the cleansing basin carefully. I will then begin to activate the runes of reversal and see how they affect him."

"Yes sir." You answer as you do as you're told, waiting and watching with baited breath. Most of the time reversing spells like this went well and the Thousand Son in question was able to return to their duties without issue. Sometimes attempting to reverse whatever they'd done to themselves brought on the awful and terrible Flesh-changing curse and the Thousand Son would either need to be killed as the accompanying madness would make him a danger to himself and everyone else around him... Or if the flesh-change curse was in the beginning stages, he would be put into stasis, in the hopes that one day a cure would be found and those brothers in stasis could be saved.

The Imperium of man worshipped no gods. It was, in fact, banned and strictly enforced on the ship that you'd been born and raised on. Still, little rituals for good luck and good fortune were common amongst your fellow star-sailors. The desire to perform several of them as the blue light of the warp washed over Lord Tallis was nearly overwhelming, but you held fast, not wanting to potentially distract anyone. The warp-light intensified and you heard several alarms sound at once.

You were grabbed by one of the apprentice apothecaries as the light further intensified, his voice quiet but firm "You must come with me, something is going wrong in the cleansing basin, and we don't want to put you in danger. Once things have settled down, then you might be allowed to see him again."

Your heart sinks in worry, though you know better than to try to struggle against the might and strength of an Astartes. "I... yes, lord."

You wait what feels like several long eternities and was definitely at least hours - if not days, though it's hard to tell the time on a ship in eternal twilight - before First Captain Ahriman himself knocks on the door to the small but comfortable quarters you'd been assigned as Lord Tallis' personal serf. The expression on his face is somber and does not bode well. You bow deeply and murmur "Please come in, Lord Ahriman. How... How is Lord Tallis?"

The first captain looked at you for a long moment before answering "He has been put in stasis, due to showing signs of the flesh change. Were you aware that he'd been feeling poorly?"

Guilt and horror flash across your face and echo through your soul "No, I... I had no idea, Lord Ahriman." As a personal serf... As you had been a personal serf to a Thousand Son, part of your training involved learning the signs and symptoms of the Flesh Change... But as far as you knew, Lord Tallis hadn't been showing any of the signs or complaining of any of the internal symptoms of the curse-illness or whatever the fuck the Flesh Change was.

He looks at you carefully for several moments before nodding "Very well. While I would hope that the curse for the flesh change occurs in your lifetime, as it would mean that my brothers in stasis would be able to be freed of such a thing, and that any other brothers who begin to fall ill can be cured without being killed... I do not know how likely that is. Would you like to see his stasis pod, and say goodbye?"

You nod, tears blurring your vision "Yes please, lord Ahriman." You manage out, voice shaking and cracking with the grief and sorrow you were feeling.

First Captain Ahriman is kind enough to shorten his stride as you stumble behind him, sniffling and trying to keep the tears out of your eyes, leading you to where Lord Tallis had been put into stasis. He was his proper size, but his scales were a duller shade, and you could see the bubbling ripples of something beneath his skin, trying to escape and frozen by the force of the stasis field.

Your knees buckled and you shamelessly threw yourself at the edge of the forcefield, arms wrapping around it as best as you could, weeping, mumbling endless apologies for not realizing that he was suffering, wishing that he would be able to be saved. You choke back the words that you love him - which you do. How could you not have fallen in love with such a talented, charismatic, charming individual? Of course you had. You weren't sure if Astartes could feel such things, and you'd... Tended to his personal needs when he asked with zeal and enthusiasm. But you hadn't known if he felt the same - and you'd been happy to serve at his side, in his shadow, for the rest of your life. It wasn't fair that he was gone now. He wasn't supposed to be gone first. Astartes were near-immortal unless they were killed. He was supposed to have out-lived you by centuries.

First captain Ahriman quietly excuses himself from the room, allowing you to grieve and wail in private. You weep and cling to his stasis chamber until you fall unconscious, heartbroken.

#flesh change 40k #ahzek ahriman #reader insert #thousand sons #adeptus astartes #my writing #Celestial Seas AU #thousand sons x reader #oc: tallis

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rederiswrites · 1 year

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My Pennsic camp has one athletic person, which the rest of us regard with a sort of baffled awe. We have one active, serious heavy fighter, whom we listen to with the amusement of a person who does care about that subject, but like, way way less. We have one person who likes football, and he is well aware that that's embarrassing in this social circle and tries not to bring up the sportsball. We have two people who care about the SCA social hierarchy, and we regard this with a sort of ironic bemusement and treat them with no additional respect whatsoever.

"Seems like a huge pain in the ass tbh" we say, and they agree. Being the titular leaders of the entire SCA barony encompassing Boston and its suburbs is fucking WORK, and expensive at that. Fuck it, we say, and they almost agree.

Overwhelmingly, we're anarchic, anti-authoritarian craft nerds. As I explained to new camp members this year, we're Fraggles--"We each lead ourselves, and we all lead each other". We're nearly half teenagers and children, and they also are feral creatures, raised to think for themselves. "What should I do if I'm out and I see someone with a fancy crown?" asks one of my wards, new to the event. I begin to explain that, at least at Pennsic, you can just step aside with a slight bow and keep moving, when the mom next to me just says, "Avoid them." "Or that," I say. "That works 99% of the time."

What we care about is Doing. Making. Cooking in the fire. Pottery. Learning how to work heavy bronze wire. Casting pewter in the fire pit. Midnight sweet potatoes in the coals. Shibori dyeing with an indigo dye bath, fascinated by the slight rotting-plant odor. Brewing and distilling. Firing stained glass at midnight in the middle of camp. In our camp, you earn respect because of what you've done. The only authority we care about comes from expertise, from actions. Assumed authority, official authority, pretensions of greatness, have historically pulled some truly remarkable acts of creative spite out of our members.

In my shop, I serve knights and duchesses. I do not use titles to any of them. Someone drops a hint: "I mean, if you'd like I'd take you as apprentice, too." Apprenticing to a Laurel is a good way to climb the ranks towards Laurel yourself. But I know I'm better than her already, and don't need the cookie. "I don't think I'm apprentice material," I laugh. She doesn't bring it up again.

In other words, these are my people. Creative rebels.

#SCA #Pennsic #this is ridiculous

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caroliimeh · 1 year

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[Long post]

Being trans is so cool and fun and rewarding and I wouldn’t live my life any other way. There’s something inherently beautiful about crafting your own identity; about rejecting societal norms and prejudices and blazing your own path forward through this fucked up world we live in. I was raised religious; my dad is a pastor. I was always told that God makes no mistakes and that I should be content with the way I was created. But if there is a God, I like to think that they gave us free will for a reason - so that we as humans can share in the act of creation.

I’ve known I was a girl as long as I can remember. Up until a few years ago, I was too terrified to tell anyone. I’m so glad that I did. It was never a decision about whether or not I was a girl. It was a decision I made to accept what I knew about myself and begin to participate in the divine act of creation.

I’m happier now than I have ever been in my life. It’s not easy being trans, especially in the current social and political climate. Trans people are constantly being demonized, stigmatized, and bullied by so many in positions of authority. Every day the news shows a new story about how trans women are either biologically advantaged or confused men; or how the worst thing an AFAB person can do is cut off their boobs and “pretend “ to be a man. Not a day goes by where I don’t feel targeted or threatened; either by awful people on the internet, by people’s nasty looks at me just for existing around them, or from the government trying to make me illegal. That being said, it’s still infinitely better to endure all of that than to try and live as a man.

Being trans is awesome. Every morning I wake up and I feel lucky that I get to live this life. If I could go back and tell five-year-old me anything, I’d tell that frightened little girl that life does get better. That it’s okay to be scared, but it’s better to speak out and make her voice heard. That trying on Mom’s high heels and makeup in the bathroom with the door locked wasn’t a thing that most boys did. That, yes, being a girl is actually an option. It would have saved me so much trouble later on.

Being trans saved my life. It has saved many other lives throughout the span of history and it will continue to do so for as long as we as humans exist. To any trans people reading this: You are beautiful. You are validated. Your existence is not a burden on anyone who truly matters. Your story is not over. It is of the utmost importance that we do not lose hope in the face of prejudice and malice; instead, we must all support each other through times like these.

The poet Andrea Gibson once said, “I suppose I love this life, in spite of my clenched fist.” My hope for anyone who sees this post is that you will love your own life; and that you also will not be afraid, like I once was, to clench your fist in spite of the world. Exist unapologetically. Spread love. Everything will get better, I promise you. You are not alone in this.

#transgender #trans #transisbeautiful #trans joy

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dailycharacteroption · 7 months

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Planar Tour Guide: The First World part 5

(art by SilviaBobekova on DeviantArt)

Conclusions

The First World is, to put it simply, a place of generative chaos, where even the act of destroying something or someone just means it will come back later, though perhaps not unchanged. It is the ultimate progenitive chaos in a sort of cosmic answer to the entropic, destructive chaos of the Maelstrom (Which I get whey they did it that way, but I don’t personally agree with. More on that when I tackle the Maelstrom)

But because it is always changing and draws upon everything that ever was, will be, won’t, and never will be, it is also a place of simultaneous wonder and horror. The same forest of mushrooms that inspired childlike awe before may become a place of horror when the effects that the spores of said mushrooms have are revealed, to say nothing of bright, childlike fey that turn monstrous in disposition at the drop of the hat.

Of course, not every trip to the First World is like that. Sometimes things are exactly how they seem, whatever that may be, but it’s no excuse to let your guard down. Even Elysium, the plane of chaos and good, has it’s dangers, and the First World has no pretense of rightness and fairness. In fact, what is right is purely determined by who is in charge of a realm, in a poignant parody of how mortal authority and law tends to work.

I suppose at it’s core, that’s what a lot of fairylands in fiction are: exaggerated parodies of every subject the author seeks to bring up. The wilds are simultaneously more fantastical and wondrous, but also even more fickle and dangerous, and so too are the politics of the pockets of civilization you find there as well.

That’s not to say that there are not goodly fey and other entities as well, of course, some seem to embody concepts such as noble righteousness or simply being kind and sweet all the time, after all, so there are also plenty of allies to be found there, even if their outlook is somewhat alien, which can also lead to conflict as well.

The concept of a “fairyland” is very old, as it is a derivative of the almost universal concept of an “otherworld” where spirits dwell. Sometimes this is a land of the dead, sometimes it’s more a place of nature spirits and monsters, and so on. Perhaps the most well-known ideas of a land of the fae comes from Gaelic mythology, where we hear names like Tir na Nog, Elpahme (which does sound a lot like the Nordic Alfheim, doesn’t it?), and so on.

Such realms varied in apparent size depending on the telling, and could range from hidden illusion-cloaked castles or cities far from civilization, to being entire realms or dimensions of their own. The only really consistent way to get to them seems to have been getting lost, however, either losing one’s way from civilization or following a fey creature to one of the entrances.

A lot of more modern depictions of such fairylands often borrow imagery from the works of Lewis Carrol, particularly Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, and other such stories where it’s clear that imagination is a massive defining force of the realm (so much so that we the reader are left wondering if any of it was real to begin with). As we’ve seen with the Dreamlands, however, events in the First World don’t need to be “real” in the traditional sense to have far-reaching consequences back in familiar realms.

All said, if your adventure takes you into the First World, your GM has an opportunity to craft a truly unforgettable and surreal experience, but it is one that must be handled with care. I hope you enjoyed this special, and look forward to more archetypes and options next week!

#pathfinder #First World #planar tour guide

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danpuff-ao3 · 1 year

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Top 5. Fanfic authors :) Or if you feel like it: Top 10

Ooh hello hello! Thanks for the ask! Also for the "more" allowance, as I'm notoriously bad at staying within the allowable number of anything 😂 More is more!! I'll make a solid effort to stay within 5 if I can, so let's see!

perverse_idyll (@perverse-idyll): Longtime fave. As in...when was The White Road first posted? '08, '09? Since then, essentially. I read TWR and was sold and I've been sold ever since. PI is such a thoughtful, sharp, crafty, passionate writer. More than that, we are very closely aligned in how we see the characters and dynamics and she writes in a way that feels so honest and true to who they are. All of her work is so gorgeous and real and forever strikes a chord in my soul. All the better now that I can call her friend and know that she's just as fabulous a human as she is a writer! :)

Writcraft (@writcraft): Another writing crush turned friend! They have written so many incredible stories across multiple pairings, though in the beginning I only read Snarry of course! They have such a great variety, not only with fandoms and ships, but genres, from darker and angstier works (Tangled Web, Dirge Without Music) to more wholesome and romantic stories (Friends of Dorothy, Luck of the Draw.) I love their focus on different types of relationships, and especially appreciate the dedication to queer themes that feels both celebratory and validating, for all of the joy and hurt of the queer experience. (How We Were Warriors for queer themes & history, A Life Worth Remembering for polyamory.) And the boldness in some works that feel more experimental and different (Breathless for a poetic second person POV, Birdsong for the creepy horror.)...If I remember correctly, Hector's Arms was my first Writ fic and I clicked on their profile and happily gorged myself on their other works. And found not only fics I didn't know I needed, and have reread time and again (Broken Promises, Shattered Dreams; A Lion's Heart; Loved You a Long Time), but also one of my favorite fics in general, The Beating of This Fragile Heart!

Arrisha (@arrisha-ao3): Brilliant, brilliant writer! Also a ruthless sadist I'm pretty sure. I am deeply in awe of the emotional devastation she leaves in her wake. The brutal angst of it all is truly, truly admirable, my hat is off to her for that. And while Ab Intra, Ab Extra and The Syntax of Things are brilliant...I am extra in love with her shorter works, Loose Ends and Molly's Advice. I like to think I'm an angst lover, but woo-boy does Arrisha make me wanna grab a white flag sometimes. She knows just where to pull on those heartstrings and strangle you with them. (I feel like this is coming across as both rude and terrifying, but I could not be gushing more, I swear.)

drawlight | ripeteeth (@foxconfessorandthewolf): Though their works aren't currently online right now, still a favorite. The Forest King!! I loved that fic. The Lighthouse Keeper...Strange Pilgrims...Suspiria...so many goodies. Their writing is truly phenomenal (even their original writings I had a peek at!) The stunning and vivid and gritty prose, that manages to be both poetic and sharp as a knife. GOD. Killer writing. 10/10. I have their works saved to my Kindle 🙏 And I'm always excited when I see their works on AO3 again! Have to mention them since they are truly one of the best and I have all the love for them AND their work!!

eldritcher: Their work is so strange, and in the most unique and lovely of ways. "Strange" can seem so rude but I know they know what I mean by it! They craft their works with such purpose and thoughtfulness and with such great love for words and imagery and mythology. All of their works are ripe with meaning, and strung together with such artistic precision! There is nothing out there like eldritcher's works, I swear, and I am in LOVE with what they do. I discovered their work through @consistentsquash's rec for The Tumtum Tree and had to devour what more I could find! Dithyramb, Pasiphaë, Ariel, and other great snarries! I am eagerly awaiting the final chapter of The Lamb of Tartary! Then other interesting tales and ships in The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, Plenitude, Exaltation, Once of Eden. I am so amazed of their mind and their craft and am forever excited to see what else they're working on!!

I could probably carry on with more, but I think that makes for a nice solid Top 5 list...😅 Though if it bothers me too much I'll come back later to reblog with more 👀 Goodness knows I've read a lot and there are many creators I admire so so much!! 😌

#asked & answered #top 5 fic writers #very uncool fangirl squeeing

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wackus-bonkus-maximus · 2 years

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Omggg I just finished binge reading ondlb and I am IN LOVE!! Its so good am amazed at your writing!! Literally the best enemies fic in the fandom and one of my all time favs!!

ahh thank you! 🥺🙏🏼💗 sometimes i shake my head at myself for going so hard on a fanfic, but honestly i'm really proud of how it's turning out! i'm so so glad you're enjoying it 💕

if you like odnlb, i have more enemies au recs for you by some very talented authors who are truly skilled and whose abilities give me this exact feeling!

citrus and lavender by @heartfulselkie - this is like one of THE fics that inspired odnlb! the way selkie writes is just delicious, and the story is incredibly and lovingly crafted. they are exceptionally good at grabbing you by the heartstrings and making you feel the characters' emotions in your own body. c&l is one of my favorites and has a really special place in my heart <3

as time goes by by @redundant-lava - based on casablanca - 1942. it's amazingly written, clever, and emotionally gutting. this was MADE to be an mlb enemies au and lava did such a good job with it. i will never stop rec-ing it!

once more, with feeling by @zimtlein - this one is rated e, just a heads up. it's so so good! the way the relationship develops between marinette and adrien had me reeling from the first chapter. it's kind of dark but sooo romantic. if it's your speed, it's a good one to binge!

et donc, ils dansent by dame_de_la_chance - amazing, awe-inspiring! the feelings i felt while reading this! the way the enemies dynamic is portrayed is just so juicy, and there's so much pining. i go back and read it every so often to soak in the masterfulness.

heroes don't love villains by vrdant - gosh this one is so good. i have read it so many dozens of times and it's still not enough. this author is such a good writer and captures feelings so well. this one will be burned into your soul for sure.

marionette strings by @rosekasa (maketea on ao3) - absolutely stunning. omg. i reread it again while writing these recs and it shook me to my soul. alizeh is a master of the craft and a master of enemies ladynoir. this fic changed me and it will change you too.

(can i rec my own fic as well? matter of luck is just a fun romp. i haven't abandoned it, just had all my time sucked in by odnlb :) but as soon as that's done, back i go to matter of luck!)

all of these fics have inspired and influenced me in some way. i cannot rec each one enough, especially because enemies ladynoir is currently my favorite flavor of fic >:))

#if i missed a user pls tag them for me!#i tried to find all the available blogs but i'm not sure i succeded #enemies au #ladynoir enemies au #mlb enemies au #ladynoir #ml #miraculous ladybug #ml fic recs #fic recs #heartfulselkie #redundant-lava #zimtlein #dame_de_la_chance #vrdant #rosekasa #maketea #odnlb #one does not love breathing

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the-martyrfication-of-the-matron · 14 days

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hellooooo oml i am like drinking so i might ot be the most sensical rn but hello. helloo

i commissioned you ocne and idk how many comms you get so this might be sooo obvious who i am but !!!! your art is so lovely. its so beautifl. i look at it and i see a painting. i see a visison. i look at the piece you made for me and feel like i robbed you with the costs for how it has shifted and tken a new place in my heart. i look at it so fondly bc how can you make something so beautiful ??? oml the skill and dedication you have put into honing your craft astounds me. it takes my breath away. sometimes i feel jealous for not knowing you bc i wish i could peel back your skin and peer into your brain and learn what churns in your head and how you generate your ideas and just. how much effort goes into making such beautiful things

oml and your writing HHAH. i went into the new lycorris radiata fic prologue recently (i can[t believe you deleted the original chap one i lovoveeed that thing king) (it took me like five attempts to speel king right) and i love the changes. i was writing a review in my notes app about it and i was painstaking lygoing through it all and i think i was liikkek??? 600 words in /?? and my phone had the audacity to nottt translates my notes over when i changed phones as if i haven't been working on my review for a week. fml.

but it is so beaitufl. you write like a fairytale. this issooo embarrassig and i'm gonna wake up tomorrow so embarrassed for sending this and feeling so parascial lmao but your art is truly beautiful. its like a microcosm of everything that makes you you even if i dont know you adn tyu build this tneous connection between the reader and the author and the stry and it leaves me in awe. you wrrite like a fairytale. the description is beautiful the characterisation is awe-inspiring and it creates a little place in my ribs where i think back on it and go wow. ths is the kind of story i will think back on for years to come.

SORRY I AM thteee sappiest drunk everr. we've arely talked this is sooo embarrassing but idk. yiour arrt is so gorgeous and i hope you know that. hope you wake up ever morning and you know you've put something so beautifyl out into the world and there is something who dearly anticipates every next word and who thinks your art is beautiful and your writing has changed somethingi nme. i love avra. i love vyla.d i love every word i've read and i wish i could share that oherently in my original review that i lsot but alas.

i'm so sorry LMAMO this will probably bee sooo weird for you to recieve frma strangero ntumbulr. i so need to sober up but its just so breathtaking. your brain is breath taking. i cannot wait for the day you next update or share art or do anything creative bc your wriitng is beautiful your art is beautiful and i smm sooso grateful you shared it with the world. is so beautiful i cannot help but believe you yourslef must be beautiful bc who else could create the kind of art you do

ok im done now im not reading thiisi ober nd i have no idea how long it actually is LMAOA i wish you the best strangerr. you are the kind of person someone would yearn to know (sorry i probs sound sooo parasocial haaha0 and i hope you are soo well

I’m screaming and crying and throwing up and I’m tearing off my clothes so I can run into the woods and howl at the moon and turn into a canine beast

This is

Everything to me, drunk anon, you are everything to me. I will one day get a printer so I can print this ask out, and I will post a YouTube video of me eating the entire thing, with no cuts, and no audio. Full on mukbang. Because I need this to be a part of my soul. And people will argue that consuming something does not integrate it into you forever but I would rather this be a part of me for only a short while than never at all

This has me feral and insane, you’re so sweet about me and you write in such a poetic prose I need you to write some kind of fiction now.

For this alone I will draw you a thousand pieces of art, using my own blood sweat and tears as my materials if I must. You are everything, Anon.

I wish that review still existed simply so I could read more of your words because if this is you drunk then I cannot imagine how you talk sober.

#I have a migraine and if I have to eat this ask I will do it #I’m screenshotting it and adding it to my favourites btw <3 #remembering you forever anon

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