#and I’m so so so grateful to everyone who has read and boosted

[ashadeintheshade]

City of Angels, Epilogue

They are home.

Read now on Ao3.

[anbaisai]

Finally had time to sit down and write, but honestly there’s not much to be said other than thank you to everyone who wrote a message on my tree! I really enjoyed reading every single message and screenshotting to save them into a folder for when I need a lil boost ww (including one from Mr. Viper himself above that got a laugh out of me, thanks Jamil really appreciate you thinking I’m cool)

Some sappiness under the cut:

I never expected to receive this much support for my silly yume/oc ship content when I began posting, and I really don’t have the words to express how grateful I am. I’ve met many wonderful people through this fandom, and also just had lots of fun in general making art. I mean it when I say I genuinely never had this much motivation and inspiration to create for any fandom (or original content) in the past. There was a long, long period in my life during which trying to find even a crumb of motivation to draw felt impossible. There was always some reason that I couldn’t - be it school/life being too busy, feeling too tired, having other stuff to do first, etc. I thought I’d never rediscover my love and passion for art, until I finally pushed myself to design my Yuu for real (instead of just thinking about it) and then everything just snowballed from there. (For context, I began playing TWST in 2020 and, despite being very much in love with it, only began drawing anything for it this year.)

I have such a massive list of ideas that I still want to draw (plus several asks that I want to answer that I just haven’t had the time to yet), so I’m certainly going to be kept busy for a while. After previously making every excuse possible for not drawing, I’ve learned that yeah, once you really love something you will squeeze time out for it no matter how hard things get, because it kills you not to. All those times when I wondered when I’d ever be able to draw as much as my favourite artists now feel like a distant relic of the past, and I have Twisted Wonderland (especially Jamil) and this community to thank for it. If anyone reading this is going through something similar, I promise it gets better - you will need to put in the effort to make it start, but you will get there.

There’s also my past experiences of being in fandoms that, well, did not welcome yume/self-shipping type content. If I so much as thought of creating any, the fear of being ridiculed would make me back away from the idea immediately. I’m glad to see that sentiment seems to be no longer the norm, but also the TWST fandom has been one of the most supportive of yume content I’ve ever seen. To everyone wanting to participate but has been hesitating, you absolutely should! My only regret is not starting sooner, seriously. In a sense I feel like I'm fulfilling a childhood dream of mine, and all of my past hesitation and anxiety just dissipated once... as cringe as it sounds - once love took over. So go pour your love and passion into that character you adore, they deserve it.

Anyways, wishing everyone a happy holidays and happy new year! Here’s to another year of enjoying TWST and creating for the things we love ❤

[jungkoode]

Okay! Soooo. Let’s talk, you nasty gremlins.

Listen—at first I noticed the burner, fake accounts and ngl I laughed a bit because I couldn’t frankly believe the Kiki Nation would go to such lengths. So at first? Yeah. It was funny. I imagined one of you with seven tabs open, switching wigs and reblogging like you were staging a one-woman Broadway musical. I respect the commitment. But the thing is… it’s gotten kind of out of hand.

When two-thirds of the notes on a post are from duplicates, it starts feeling less like support and more like smoke and mirrors. I don’t want to build this space on inflated numbers. I want to match my energy to your energy, and I can’t do that if the stats are lying to me. I’m here trying to vibe with idk 70 constant present readers when it might just be 10 and their burner alts in matching outfits.

So. In the spirit of transparency and being fair to everyone, I’m going to make a few changes:

If I suspect accounts are fake, those notes won’t count toward goals.

Reblogs need to have hashtags or some kind of commentary to count—otherwise they don’t actually boost visibility.

I might limit the number of milestone notes counted per user.

I may also add Wattpad goal tracking to balance platform interaction.

This isn’t me being mad, I promise. It’s me being honest, because I want this space to stay real. I’m just trying to keep things sustainable, healthy, and grounded. You know I’m always grateful for support, but it has to be rooted in sincerity, not illusion. So I’ll be updating the previous goal system post at some point and tweaking the rules.

If you have suggestions that make sense, my inbox is open. But I’m not entertaining petty whining or passive-aggressive guilt trips. That’s not how we operate here. This blog has always been a good-vibes-only zone, and I intend to keep it that way.

For now—the easiest way to support the fic without any chaos is to recommend it.

Send it to friends who read. Get them to reblog and like if they’re enjoying it too. Suggest it when people ask for fic recs, boost it on TikTok if that’s your thing. But please don’t go feral and start randomly DMing or inboxing unrelated authors like “YO CHECK THIS OUT.” I will literally cringe so hard I’ll smother you and then block everyone in a panic. Don’t do that. Be normal. Use social skills. I’m begging.

We good? Okay. Love you, you chaotic goblins. (with love). ❤️

—Kiki

Edit: Just to be super clear, and for everyone’s peace of mind—I genuinely do not have anyone specific in mind when I talk about this. I’m referring strictly to burner accounts in the obvious sense: the ones with no icon, no content, no presence. You know the type. This was never meant to target anyone, and I need it to stay that way. If I catch wind of any witch hunts or people turning this into some weird callout situation—I will block. I mean it. That kind of behavior is not welcome here. Not among Kiki Nation citizens (ha), and not toward any reader or author. Stay in line. This is not the time to develop a white knight complex.

[ppenguinpperson]

"Isabeau picked Sif, Bonnie picked Frin.." Mirabelle jumps, horror dawning upon her. "I... I have no letters left!!!" Siffrin tilts their head, watching her like an amused cat. They stick their tongue out at her. Teasing..!! Even in these difficult times, they tease her!! She puffs out her cheeks, now determined to find a new nickname. She’s never taken a class on nicknames, but she's sure that if she tries hard enough, she'll come up with something...!!!

Mirabelle feels like Siffrin is a different person than they were this morning. They’re opening up, reaching out to everyone in their party. They even talked things out with Bonnie. Seeing them laughing together, like they did before Siffrin lost his eye, fills her heart with delight.

She doesn’t know why they’re acting like this out of nowhere, but she’s not going to pry. Despite the circumstances, this past day has been wonderful, her bond with her friends stronger than ever before. Though their journey through the House fills her with fear, she knows they’ve got her back.

After defeating another strong Sadness, the traveler leads you into a big, empty room. They declare it safe after a brief inspection. Bonnie calls for another snack time. You lay down your rapier, and sit in a circle with your friends.

---

It turns out that Siffrin handled things with Bonnie better than Mirabelle could have imagined. He probably wanted to talk to them now, in case the King… no. They’ll slay the King, save Vaguarde, and they’ll be okay. Bonnie’s determination could single handedly defeat him.

With their confidence boosted, everyone’s ready to tackle the last floor. Like he did after their last snack break, Siffrin checks in on everyone. When they get to her, a smile that you can’t help breaks out across her face. “Siffrin!” She says, joy seeping from your voice.

He blinks at you. Despite his newfound openness, she still can’t read his expressions.

She giggles. “Sorry, I just wanted to say your name.”

“Mira!” He replies, a smile now on his face. It doesn’t meet his eyes, but his smiles almost never do. Her heart still fills with warmth at the sight.

She giggles again. Feeling bold, she says, “Sif!”

“NO.”

She startles, tensing up. Eyes wide, she looks to Isabeau, who’s glaring at her. “Sif is MY Siffrin nickname, Mira. You HAVE to pick another one,” he crosses his arms, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I won’t budge on that.”

Mirabelle can only continue to stare at him in shock. What?? What?? Only his nickname?? That’s not how it works!! That’s- what about Mira?? What about Bonbon?? She can’t get her thoughts in order, so she’s grateful when Madame Odile interrupts with a frustrated groan.

“GEMS ALIVE, Isabeau.”

The fighter startles like a cat with bristled fur. He stammers for a moment, giving you a chance to collect your thoughts.

“What? B-but you and Siffrin share ‘Mira’!!” She squeezes her hands together. Next to her, Siffrin hides under their hat. “It’s not fair!!!”

Instead of stammering, Isa falls quiet for a moment. Then, he sighs, and the tension in his body dissipates. “That’s true.” In a second, he’s back to his usual cheerful self. “Alright, in the spirit of fairness, we can get joint custody on “Sif”, then!”

Though he’s smiling again, Mirabelle can’t shake her anxiety just yet. Even she can tell that this is important to Isabeau. He usually never gets upset, so for him to do so right now, even if only over a silly nickname… She’d rather not upset him further. She’d choose him over a nickname in a heartbeat.

“... You know, I think I’ll pick another nickname for Siffrin after all.”

She plays with the jingly things on her cloak, trying to think of a nickname for her friend. They’re still standing before her, unspeaking, observing her. She mutters to herself, considering her options. Can’t be “Sif”, Isabeau picked that one. Bonnie picked “Frin”, so… so…!

You jump. “I… I have no letters left…!”

Siffrin tilts their head, watching her like an amused cat. They stick their tongue out at her. Teasing..!! Even in these difficult times, they tease her!! She puffs out her cheeks, now determined to find a new nickname. She’s never taken a class on nicknames, but all of her friends have them, so… if she just studies those…

Bonnie calls Odile ‘Dile’, Siffrin ‘Frin’, and herself ‘Belle’. Looks like they just remove the first part of the name to get their nicknames. They already got ‘Frin’, though… maybe ‘Iffrin?’ ‘Rin’? No. It sucks. She’ll die before she gives them a sucky nickname.

Only for Isabeau they use ‘Za’, so.. ‘Ziffrin’? … if all else fails, she can use that. Oh, no, wait- would Bonnie take that as making fun of them?? Making fun of their nicknames?? No. She has to use something else.

Madame Odile doesn’t use nicknames. She calls everyone their full names, including Boniface.

Mirabelle’s not risking taking inspiration from Isabeau.

Siffrin uses ‘Mira’, ‘Isa’, ‘Bonnie’... Oh!! OH!!! ‘Bonnie’!!!

If all the letters are taken, why not add on more?? ‘Siffrinnie’?? ‘Siffrie’??? Wait, no!! You’ve got it!!!

“Siffie!” She grins. Siffrin, who has by now walked away from her, looks to her in surprise. “Siffie!! I’ll call you Siffie!!”

Their eyes widen. They quickly hide under their hat, a telltale sign that they’re hiding something. Loudly, Isabeau ‘Awww’s, and so does Odile, but quieter. Bonnie laughs.

“I told you that you could use ‘Sif’, Mira!! Why’d you go and make a cuter nickname?” Isabeau laments, placing a hand over his heart. “You’re making me look bad!”

She puffs up, proud to have created a cuter nickname than ‘Sif’. “You should have let me use yours when you had the chance. We’re at war now.” His laugh that follows is boisterous, filling up the room.

“Maybe I’ll start calling you ‘Siffie’ too.” Odile teases. Siffrin grumbles something unintelligible.

Mirabelle glares at Isa, pouting. “But of course. Everyone is allowed to call Siffie that.”

“Yeahhh!!” Bonnie grins, their eyes creasing into thin lines. “We’ll call you Siffie forever!!! No Frin, no Sif,” Isabeau winces, “No Siffrin!!! Only Siffie!!!”

The housemaiden giggles. “Only if they like it!” Despite the warm reception, Siffrin hasn’t said a word about what they feel. She intertwines her fingers and looks at them. “Do you?”

“... It’s fine.” Siffie says, still hiding under their hat.

[tinypandacakes]

the next chapter of trapper, keeper is turning out to be another long one T.T 11k, RIP to my beta reader.

But it should be up on Sunday if I can get it all cleaned up! I feel like sometimes I’m just so long winded…but this chapter and the last are pivotal for everything to move forward to the good good stuff :3

I’m really grateful for everyone who has stuck with me on this story and left such kind comments 🥹 comments are so encouraging and I re-read them for a boost when I’m having a bad writing day 💕

[inklore]

I saw you post about how people should like to comment on writers work but I slightly sympathise bc some people are embarrassed and/or think that their comment/reblog would be useless. But more people are coming to this app to read a fic like another wattpad or an ‘easier’ ao3 instead of using their acc to post what they like yk

Srry for the rant <333

no need to apologize for the rant it’s always welcome here if it’s done in kind and yours was <3

i get what your saying about people coming to the app thinking it’s like all the other reading platforms but if we’re being honest i’d say ao3 is easier, better selection, plus when someone views your work your ‘hits’ go up and that can sometimes help more people find your work if they go by that / sort the fics on ao3 like that. wattpad literally has the same system of ‘views’ on your work that help boost it, but also commenting there is really big (as someone who was once on wp comments meant everything which is why i don’t get how ppl don’t understand that comments are everything here as well).

you could also say these other platforms make it seem like tumblr works the same way and it doesn’t, but even when writers try to spread the word on that fact not everyone wants to listen or sees it because people don’t rb (which tumblr was made for that let’s not forget).

but on this great app it doesn’t matter how many people view our work, read it silently, press the little heart, no one will see it unless you rb it. and being shy about commenting and thinking comments won’t matter is backwards thinking to me. how do you think writers feel knowing they have 100 notes and 10 of them are rbs and 0 comments? like we know there’s people out there reading our work and not even giving the pointless heart to it and there’s not much we can do about it, and yeah we are so grateful for all of it, but what we wouldn’t give to even have ONE PERSON comment some emojis on our fic. let us know that someone other than ourselves actually liked it. a ‘like’ can mean anything, it can mean nothing. it does nothing. it’s nice, it’s acknowledging, but that’s all it does. it’s a silent compliment that keeps our minds wondering.

if you weren’t embarrassed to read the fic you shouldn’t be embarrassed to comment on it. i’m not trying to sound harsh but it’s 2023, half the population reads fic. devours it. ppl are famous authors because of it now or get ‘tiktok fame’ over liking it. you commenting ‘omg amazing’ or putting two little emojis in a writers comments is only going to make them feel seen. feel great. feel like they’re not just posting stuff on here for bots. so i don’t super sympathize with people who are embarrassed because i just can’t wrap my head around it. but i’m also saying it’s okay and i’ve never once saw a writer get mad over anything someone has commented on their work (unless it’s been mean or a criticism they didn’t ask for or a ‘part two pls’).

if you like something on here reblog it!!!! comment on it!!!!!

[yagamisdiary]

amara i just wanna say you and your fanfics are so dear to me. i've been here since 2022 when eldia started and i dont know how i didnt get to read parasite before that cause i was a fanfic kid since 2016 and when parasite was ongoing i was literally reading aot fanfics but i loved both fanfics SO much. i love your lives and this tumblr page and you are genuinely such a cool person to follow and i love how you are still niche and the community feels tight and close i just love absolutely everything about your works and i appreciate u so much i have such good memories of being in my own little world reading eldia and emerging myself into that world and sendind messages here guessing the traitor and i remember i guessed marco and when i found out i was SHOOOCKED. anyway i just love u ur so cool🫶🏻

hehe thank u 🤍🤍 as much fun as it was during the parasite era, i personally had more fun during the eldia era. everyone guessing who the traitors were and coming up with theories was so fun and interactive and just gave me such like a boost when it came to finishing the chapters and the book in general.

i’m so grateful to u and everyone else who has supported both books or either or and thanks for sticking around this long🫶🏼

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Your writing is good enough, in fact one of the best in the fandom, it's just that engagement has become very hard lately. I feel it's a mix of too much new content so people read less fics, a lot of new fans treat writers like content creators and only know the Like button (which is cool but doesn't motivate/encourage us). And then if you're not part of the very active clique on here you'll often be ignored as well. I've been writing for the fandom since season 1 came out and while I still get likes daily on my fics, comments have become a very rare thing now and it's completely killed my motivation to even want to write anymore, and tbh also to want to read. It may come back, it may not but for now it is what it is. Don't feel bad about it, the problem isn't you and it's definitely not the quality of your writing.

Thank you for being kind, and I’m sorry that you’re being made to feel this way too!

I do think it is human nature to stick to what you know and the safety bubble of your friendship group, I don’t resent people for that. I understand it. But I would encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone. I have found some banging fics and authors by imposing myself upon people I don’t know lol

I do try to mix and engage with everyone I see that crosses my dash in some capacity, as I know cliques can make fandom feel inaccessible, and I am all about nurturing community and encouraging people to be creative.

I grow weary of supporting others and never being supported myself though. I am so grateful to the people who do boost my day by reblogging, commenting, etc. but it feels like I am largely ignored, simply because I don’t check the right boxes for the circle of fake niceness that many people subscribe to. I bring a kind of “slide into your DMs to resolve issues” vibe to the fandom that people don’t really like 😬

I was discussing this with a friend earlier, and we touched upon how people newer to fandom, or just younger in age, view fandom the same as other consumerist platforms like TikTok and Instagram, so if they read a fic that they perceive as better than theirs, they won’t share it, out of fear of squashing their own reach, which just isn’t how fandom works.

The competitive edge is killing fandom and writers need to start realising they need to be supporting each other, not stepping on one another’s necks to “get ahead”. There is no Tumblr fame. We’re all fucking losers here, whether your follower count is 5 or 50,000.

[oraclekleo]

Hello Kleo, how are you doing today hun? It has been a while seeing you on here, I hope everything is well 🤍.

I actually would love to participate in your game if it's still open ⭐. Tbh, all of your games are so fun and accurate so I really don't wanna miss on this one.

My name is Sarah S. Gemini sun.

I would like a reading on my career or love (single) whatever calls for you is fine with me

Hello Sarah!

I’m alright most of the time, only slightly overworked but that’s normal at this time of the year. 🙂 I hope you are also feeling well these days and I’m happy you like my little tarot games. I’m always pleased when people enjoy my content.

The game is of course still open and I’m sorry it took me a bit longer to respond this time, I got busy but I’m back. As usual for me now, I include the cards I pull for you in case there was any special hidden meaning in them meant only for you to see. And even if you see none there, all the cards are so beautiful that it can’t do any harm. 

Let’s have a look at your cards now!

Cards: 21. Magickal Manifestation (The Solitary Witch Oracle), 3 of Cups, Queen of Wands, 7 of Wands (Cozy Witch Tarot)

Your magickal or significant number in the upcoming days might be the number 3. You might need to pick one direction out of three possible ones or you might witness three of your dreams coming true when you already thought your manifestations didn’t work that well. You might need to use your energy and effort to get where you want to be but it’s going to be worth it. You might have made mistakes in the past. It’s time for you to say ‘sorry’ now, learn the lesson and move on. While everyone needs to be accountable, there’s literally no reason to bash yourself over mistakes from the past.

If in doubt, surround yourself with your coven (or tribe, soul family). Maybe you felt isolated lately but the cards encourage you to dress for success and go out. Forget about your insecurities, we all have imperfections and the whole magic is simply in your own approach. Will you proudly own the way you are and radiate confidence and happiness or will you keep fighting the windmills in a never ending pursuit of ideal appearance? You are the only one original and that’s what makes you beautiful. As soon as you start loving yourself, you will also attract your Right Person and be able to love them with all their imperfections, too. For now, you might feel the calling to hang out with people dear to you, who will support you and boost your self-esteem in a healthy and fun way.

Your cards are really mostly about unwinding and having fun. Maybe you have been tense these days and before making any important decision about your career, you need to relax. Come again if needed later on as this game will stay open for a while and maybe next time I can see more about your career in the cards.

Thank you so much for requesting the reading!

I'm always grateful for any feedback.

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[raspberrybesitos]

hi nini!

i’m back with another “gentle reminders” ask. it goes in line with one of my personal goals this year of trying to work on my kindness and how i show that kindness to others.

the beginning of a new year is always a bit tough for many people, for many reasons but at the scale of the fandom, i have noticed some negativity starting to spread. maybe it’s bound to happen on any social media but i always considered tumblr to be different, to be over the kind of discourse you could find on other apps. this place has been a true haven for many of us and i would like to keep it that way, so i thought, as a way to counterbalance this negativity, i could compensate with a nice message for one of the driving forces in the fandom: our dear writers.

i would like to begin by saying thank you.  thank you for dedicating your time, your energy, your love and sharing pieces of yourself with us. the fandom wouldn’t be what it is without you: just like a body needs a brain or a heart to function properly, fandoms need writers like they need others contributing. thank you for offering diversity, engaging with different tropes and characters to reach as many readers as possible. i will admit, some things proposed are not my cup of tea but i know they can be enjoyed by others, the same way some of my favorite fics wouldn’t necessarily attract others. so thank you for giving a chance to everyone to find what they enjoy, to discover, to learn, to cry, to laugh, to love and to be able to do so in an open, safe space. thank you for interacting with us as well. thank you for responding to our questions, sharing snippets when we get impatient, teasing us with your new ideas and making life a little more fun and exciting every day. and of course, thank you for doing all of this for free. for expecting so little in return when you give us so much.

now a few things i want you to remember: 

although we’re all thankful for having access to your art, your first fan should be yourself. write what you enjoy, write that self-indulgent fic, write your favorite trope, an improbable duo or crossover because you’ve always wanted to. do it for yourself. in the same way, have fun with it. writing is a hobby, it’s not your job, it’s not supposed to be a chore. so do what makes you happy. don’t worry about updating fics, about being slow, about posting too much or too little. some things might take time, some might need an hour to be posted but in the end, they all matter just the same. they’re worth being read and cherished and we will appreciate them. whether you have thousands of notes or barely a few hundreds, you have your place here. you’re still an amazing writer, you’re still an artist regardless of the stats. 

whether i've had time to binge-read your stories or just discovered you. thank you. i love you. i’m grateful for you. i see and appreciate your work. your efforts. you.  i’m sorry if you’ve ever been received with negativity but i hope this can make up for some of it.  you deserve nothing but kindness and appreciation and i hope you know how much you matter here.

sending you all my love,

anna 💗

omg sweet anna!! 😭 where do i even begin??

this is incredibly kind. despite all the discourse that’s happened lately on social media, people like you who choose to spread kindness trump all negativity.

my page being called a safe space is truly the highest praise, thank you 🥹 genuinely hope people find my blog as a safe space to be who they are, and to just be. 🫶🏼

thank you so so much for your generosity, and the gentle reminders. i’ve been down in the dumps about my writing lately, and this just boosted my confidence and motivation. 🥹

you unknowingly made my whole MONTH with your sweetness, and i just want you to know how grateful i am for you. your love and warmth is palpable, i wanna grab you and hug you through the screen! thank you for being here and for being you. 🫂

i love you, sweet girl!! 🩷

[seoafin]

Hii I know I just sent in a message but I didn’t realize u posted chapter 2 of dog days on ur Ao3. So I had to go read it and send u more praise and compliments （>∀<）

“I would find you,” Satoru says calmly, gaze burning. “In another life, I would still find you. The three of us would be together.”

^ this line right here literally made me squeal as I read it. I had to read it over and over to soak it all in.

It reminds me of this quote from Everything Everywhere At Once “In Another Life, I Think I Would Have Really Liked Just Doing Laundry and Taxes With You“.

The idea that Satoru would choose mc and suguru in every universe no matter the other possibilities is such a precious idea to me.

Also I just love how the mc has so much love for everyone in her life despite not being able to accept love easily. Which I strongly relate to😭.

Finally, I read about how you believe there’s no need to differentiate platonic and romantic love. I think the way u worded it was really beautiful. I definitely felt this a lot lately with my friends and I could never put it in the right words but u did it so well!!! The way you write about the idea of love (as well in your fanfics) are amazing and it goes beyond what I used to believe what love was. I’m not the best at explaining myself in words but I am really grateful I came across your writing. I don’t think I would ever find a writer who could convey how I feel almost everyday through their writing than you have. It’s quite funny when you think about how strong a fanfic could make someone feel and relate ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡

Enough of my rant, I hope you get everything you deserve in this lifetime and more! And I will continue to look forward to your writings (≧◡≦) ♡

im so happy you understood that little ramble on the nuances of love and it wasn't confusing! i find that one's standard of living can be dramatically boosted by embracing platonic love to have the same impact as romantic love in your life. or better yet, just not worrying about the distinctions!!!! love is love, just enjoy it!!!! also im sooooooo amazed that my modest little fic reminded you of the amazing eeaao!!!!! ahhhhhhhhh!!!! thank u so so soo much for reading im so happy u enjoyed the chapter weird gojo n all <33333

[do-it-with-ddodsons]

March..

This month has flown by. The whirlwind of February slowly faded, giving way to a majestic March. Then, on March 4th, I finally received my interview letter. I had been hoping it would come on the first Monday, and when it didn’t, I felt disappointed and tried to let it go.

But when the email finally arrived, I couldn’t contain myself—I shouted from the next room, “Oh my God, oh my God… JOSHHHH!!” He immediately knew what it was. With excitement in his voice, he simply asked, “You got it?” I burst into tears, hugged him tight, and in that moment, we were just so incredibly happy.

Now, we’re just waiting—hopefully only a couple more months. Two or three, that’s the goal

Then came the next step: the medical exam. Everyone says it’s the bigger hurdle—more stressful than the actual interview. That only added to my frustration because, honestly, this one thing could determine whether a couple more months get added to our stay or not.

So, I didn’t waste time. I booked my medical appointment and biometrics all within the same week and arranged some time off work to get it all done. Everything now feels like a countdown—and every detail matters.

I had about two weeks to stay healthy before the medical, so I avoided anything that could make me sick. I’d read so many posts from applicants who were sent for a sputum test (for tuberculosis), even if they were non-smokers and seemed perfectly fine. That’s when my anxiety kicked in. I have the weakest lungs—seriously. As a child, I had multiple bouts of pneumonitis and pneumonia. Even baby powder could trigger an allergic reaction.

So I went into full prep mode. Thankfully, I was breathing in fresh provincial air and ocean breeze, which helped a lot. I drank turmeric tea daily, boosted my immune system, and made sure to take long walks each day. I got all my documents in order and moved forward.

I stayed at Manila Prince Hotel, and honestly, I enjoyed my time there. The accommodation was part of what my husband had paid for earlier, which was a nice touch. I didn’t tell anyone I was going through the process—not even family. Especially not my judgmental side of the family (special mention to them). I just didn’t want anything jinxed. So I kept it all to myself until it was done.

And thankfully—my prayers were answered. My lungs were clear. I cried after the first day and again on the second, when I received multiple vaccines. But those tears were full of relief and happiness. I told my husband, and of course, he was over the moon.

Now I have about 20 days left before my interview—the final step. And every time I’m reminded that I’m healthy, I cry all over again, like a baby, and wrap my arms around my husband. It’s been a journey.

Exhausted but worth it.

Another blessing I think I can count is the job offer I received recently—though it’s for a completely different line of work than what I’m used to. I’m still unsure if I should move forward with it. It took the employer quite some time to finalize everything (I get it, he was busy), but maybe it was also partly on me—I hesitated and took a while to actually sign the contract.

Now I’m sitting in this space of uncertainty, wondering if it’s still meant for me, or if it was just a passing opportunity. Either way, I’m still grateful. A door opened, and that alone already felt like a sign of better days ahead.

This month’s been so full of tension and waiting that, naturally, intimacy took a bit of a backseat. There was less connection in the bedroom, but I completely understand why. The stress, the pressure, the constant mental load—it all adds up. We were both just trying to get through each day, holding it together. And honestly, just having each other to lean on was enough. We knew this was temporary.

One last step and we are all set. I am happy that everything is coming together..and looking forward to greater things ahead. Me, Josh and Bailey and pur future kid(s).

"I am fully prepared and calm for my US spousal visa interview. The consul will be understanding and will not ask about the last time I was with my husband. My interview will be short, straightforward, and successful. I receive my visa approval effortlessly!"

[gottahaveguts]

Hi, I am Nisreen from Gaza.🍉🇵🇸

I am a mother of three children, and I support them alone after they lost their father.

My family is in a dangerous situation due to the ongoing war, and my brother, who suffers from bipolar disorder, is in critical condition due to the lack of treatment. We are in urgent need of help to escape this crisis.

Any support, no matter how small, can make a difference and save lives.

I would be extremely grateful if you could share my campaign or contribute to it.

Thank you so much for standing with us in these difficult times.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-help-needed-a-journey-from-gaza-to-safety

Signal boosting.

[lucielxbe]

NGS2P5. ⋆ interview; reflecting.

once more, and no more boring interviews. but luciel supposes he’ll give a bit more this time, it’s his last nextgen interview after all.

we’ve reached the end of the show, any words?

“at some point, i thought i couldn’t make it this far but i did. joining this show was… more than i could ever expect. i learnt a lot; both the good and the bad. now, i carry impactful experiences i don’t think i can ever forget. it’s amazing. i used to do singing as a hobby, but pursuing it professionally… these days, i really have thoughts about them. dancing isn’t bad either, it’s actually fun to give your all.”

what about rapping?

luciel gives an awkward laugh at that. he knows that he hasn’t shown much of his rapping ever since the first performance for do better. “you’ll probably see it after the show ends,” he makes a lighthearted joke.

you seemed to be getting closer with siwoo.

of course. this again. “we went for the movies, and even though we were silent for a good two hours, it felt more comfortable being in each other’s presence, enough for us to hangout longer after. it took up some practice time, but it was worth it. our synergy was greater than i thought. we exchanged contacts too, so that’s a huge bonus? haha~ i do find siwoo quite adorable actually, enough for me to pull his cheeks…” luciel makes a squishing movement with his hand at that. “despite what people say about him, he’s actually really nice. he’s just awkward with expressing it, but he also expresses his kindness in a different way. you just have to get closer to him, talk to him a couple of times; then you’ll know. he’s sincerely trying his best.”

was luciel covering for siwoo? admittedly, a little. he thought about the conflict that happened during the team building exercise, and even though he would have liked to see siwoo fall, he didn’t particularly enjoyed seeing siwoo getting unfairly treated that way. so he threw in a nice word for him.

now, about your performance… yes, you know how it goes.

“i do, and i’ll compare to it to my earlier performances. especially do better. during the practice of bang, i watched my older performances. i cringed a lot. who was this odd fellow? i felt shameful watching it, and i had to watch it until the end. there were so many things i didn’t liked about it — but here’s where i can say that because i didn’t liked it, i know that i improved. watching puzzle was more bearable. for this, i’m grateful to everyone i worked with. my teammates and the coaches, and of course the judges. everyone’s words, advices and criticism shaped me into who i am today as a performer. even reading my fans comments online gives a boost to my confidence. i’ll also take this time to talk about my team individually. inho and jay helped me out with the vocals a lot. jay has a creative eye for things, working him with him seemed to open my mind somehow, he views things in a different perspective. inho has a nice voice, he helped me refined my singing. seira is the kind of person that makes you want to keep going, she works very hard and i think she did great too. siwoo’s trying, and he really tried. his dark circles are horrendous without makeup on. once he’s decided on something, he never stops.”

wow, he talked a lot huh? even the interviewer is making hand signals for him to stop at this time. he throws in a sad look, acting as if he was about to cry and made some sniffing sounds.

“to everyone, thank you for supporting ryeo jihyun on nextgen,” he says as he bows, ending the interview.

[angelichl]

.

[finniestoncrane]

I just read one of your Oswald Cobblepot (from the 2022 movie) x reader fics and I need more 😭 May I request reader being flirted on while Oz is not around? She tries to politely put the guy down, but he won't get off her hair until Oz walks in and she clings to him to make a point that she is not interested. Would be great if you could add some comfort afterwards! Thank you so much and no pressure!

anon you're killing me this was such a good idea and it gave me all kinds of emotions while i wrote it u-u ily and pls come back for more and also i'm sorry it's so long i got carried away i just love him tho and here are more of my penguin fics

Daddy's Got You

Farrell!Penguin x Female!Reader, word count: 3.5k request info • prompt list • send me a request • kofi • masterlist minors DNI!! 🔞 cw for nsfw stuff: use of force, tw for a tiny bit of non-con kissing, violence/beating (deserved), exhibitionism, pet names

Throngs of crowds surged in a strange unison to the music that played over the bass-boosted speakers. You weaved in and out of them, working your way to the bar, only briefly looking up from the floor where you carefully watched your step to see if Oz was in his office, if he was standing by the windows waiting for you to come in. Through the glass you could make out his form, sitting hunched over the desk. He was always so busy with work, and so stressed too. You could head straight up, maybe soothe him, relax him a little bit, but you knew how much he loved it when you brought him a drink. It felt like you were his wife, his stay-at-home little woman who lived to please him when you walked through the door with a glass of his favourite scotch. It was so much more personal than having one of the wait staff bring it, much more intimate.

At the bar, you hover back for a moment, not wanting to seem impatient. You might be the owner’s girlfriend, but you’re just a normal customer like everyone else. Oz didn’t see it like that, but you still did. It was strange to be suddenly whisked above your normal station in life, waited on and spoiled by Oswald Cobblepot, when just months before you had been applying for a minimum-wage, part-time job behind this same bar. And you still weren’t sure why he’d been so taken by you, but you were grateful, because the moment he stepped up to you, leaning against the varnished wood and puffing on his cigar, you developed an intense crush on him. It still didn’t feel believable that the feelings were reciprocated.

Smiling, warmed by the memories of your first meeting, your first date, and a lot of other firsts, you realised you’d been standing back for a while, and the bar was now a bit quieter. Approaching it, you made brief eye contact with a waiter at the other end who began walking towards you. You opened your mouth to speak, but a body suddenly appeared directly in front of you, hand out and reaching over the bar, snapping fingers and loud, brash words.

“Hey, little help! If you’re not too busy doing nothing, can I get a drink? Bourbon, if you can find the time.”

You eased to the side from behind them, catching the waiter’s eye and making a bit of a judgemental face at the man in front of you, shaking your head and gesturing to him so the waiter could serve his first. And although he tried to stifle his smile, the waiter laughed and held up one finger to you before starting on the small order for the asshole who cut in line. Which was a shame, because it obviously signalled to him that there was someone behind him, and he turned to speak, his face turning from blank and practised apology to an uneasy leer.

“Oh…oh! I’m sorry, were you in line?”

“Yes, I was. But it’s fine, I’m not in any huge rush.”

“I don’t believe that, girl like you always has someone waiting for her.”

“Ah, but they can wait patiently, unlike some.”

He leaned in, you tilted your head away from him, but it only exposed your neck for more of his body to move in towards.

“Hm, find it hard to believe anyone could wait patiently for you. Let me buy you a drink.”

You stepped back, turning your body completely away from him.

“That’s fine, it’s not necessary.”

“Wasn’t a question. Hey, you!” He snapped his fingers again. “Quicker with the bourbon, huh? And can I get a…what was it?”

“A scotch and a glass of champagne.”

“A scotch and a- you need two drinks?” You nodded, face blank. “Scotch and a glass of your finest champagne then!” He turned back to you. “You’re welcome. No need to say thanks, I’m sure you can show me your gratitude in some other way. Maybe give me your number?”

“Oh, no thank you. If that’s the case, let me just give you the money.”

“Hey, woah! Ok, maybe that was the wrong approach with a girl like you. Sorry. I’ve seen you around here though, and this is the first time I’ve been able to catch you before you disappear.”

“You’re in here a lot?”

“So are you.”

You raised your eyebrows at him, rolling your eyes as you turned back towards the bar, leaning your body on it. From the corner of your eye, you noticed him lean his body back, eyes wandering over your body, smirking at you as they gazed up and down over your slightly bent pose. You stood back up, soothing down your dress and coughing, trying to let him know politely that you were very aware of his staring.

“Listen, yeah, I’m in here a lot. And I notice you every time. I like your style, and some other things about you too.”

“I’m not interested, sorry.”

“Rude, at least let me make my case here.”

“I’m not being rude. I’d just rather not waste your time. Since you seem so busy.”

“Hey, come on, let me show you what you’ll be missing if you walk away from me.” He moved his hand towards yours, which rested on the bar. You pulled it back before he could make contact.

“Ok, I’ll just get my drinks later.”

“Woah, wait, where you going?”

He grabbed your arm as you walked off, trying to make it to the back of the building where the stairs to Oz’s office were. Snatching it back and shaking free you leaned into him to say some choice words, but chose not to. Instead, you swiftly turned and walked off, not realising he was still following behind until you were at the back of the room and encased in shadows, where the music was quiet enough that you could hear his footsteps, but not quiet enough that you noticed before it was too late. Before he had you cornered, unnoticeable to anyone else, too focused on dancing and drinking. Your back was up against the wall as he approached you, the knuckles of one hand gently trailing down your neck, while the palm of his other found your hip and snaked round to your lower back. You flinched as he leaned his face towards yours.

“Come on, don’t be like that.”

He dove forwards, his head between your neck and shoulder, kissing at the skin while his hands, one around your back and the other pressed on to your hip, held you against the wall, his body doing most of the work in keeping you pinned against it. His mouth, wet and hot, opened against your skin, teeth grazing against you as he forcefully made his way up to your cheek, closing in to your mouth before you were interrupted by someone close by clearing their throat. Looking to the side, you could see some figures, hard to tell in the shadows, but as they stepped closer you knew you could recognise one figure in particular. Oswald. And given that it was Oswald up front, it was a safe bet that the two figures behind him were his goons.

“Hate to break up a party, but what’s going on over here, kids?”

Without looking up from your neck, one hand mercifully left it’s grip on your body to shoo off the three men who stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“How about you lay off, buddy. We’re not bothering anyone.”

As your eyes adjusted to the darkness and you could read the look of solid irritation on Oz’s face, you stuttered some words out.

“I’m fine, it’s ok. It’s not what it looks like.”

“No sweet cheeks, I think this is exactly what it looks like.”

With a snap of his fingers, the two men who stood dutifully behind him, hands clasped in front of their hulking bodies, stepped forward and took an arm each of your assailant. A string of saliva trailed from your neck to his mouth, and your stomach lurched, mouth downturned in shame and disgust. As he was hauled up the stairs, Oz started up behind them, and you followed behind Oz, worried that he might be thinking the worst of you, not afraid for your life but afraid for your relationship, which you valued above everything else.

As you entered the office, your new ‘friend’ was being tossed to the ground, landing hard and smacking his back against a coffee table. The two goons separated off to the side, leaving space for Oswald to approach the pathetic loser who cringed on the floor.

“You mind telling me what was happening, son?”

Realisation flitted over his face, quickly followed by panic.

“Oh my god…y-you’re Oswald Cobblepot, I mean Mr. Cobblepot. Or Penguin? Sorry, Mr. Penguin?”

“How about sir for right now, eh?”

Oz shot a quick look at you, before motioning for the crumpled and significantly more nervous looking man on the floor to continue explaining himself before his audience.

“Yes, right s-sir. Well, sir, it was nothing really. She was flirting with at the bar.”

You scoffed, eyebrows furrowing as your upper lip turned up into a snarl, head shaking at his words. Oz looked at you, nodding slowly. He turned back and took a step forwards.

“Is that right then?”

“Yes, sir. I don’t know if she’s here grifting or not, but she was very willing up until you guys showed up. I didn’t get the wrong idea, I promise. She was all over me right before that!”

Oz took another step forwards, leaning over the man on the floor, smiling wide as he stood back up and moved back to you, standing protectively in front of you.

“No, see that’s not what happened.”

“Sir, I swear to you-”

“Oh, don’t make it worse for yourself kid. I saw you, watched the whole thing. She wasn’t interested in you, it was obvious even from up here.”

“You couldn’t hear though, she really was-”

Oz put his hand up, silencing the man with just the confidence and authority in the gesture.

“Don’t lie to me kid. I saw everything. Besides,” he brushed a loose strand of hair delicately behind your ear, “my princess would never do something like that to me, and especially not standing in my own club.”

“Oh fuck, oh god, Mr Cobblepot, Sir! I’m so sorry sir. I didn’t know, I had no idea!”

“So if you don’t know if she’s with someone, it’s ok for you to have her against a wall against her will? No class in dogs like you, none at all.”

With a snap of his fingers, Oz walked to his desk, sitting down in the leather desk chair, opening the bottom drawer and ushering you over. The goons began dealing severe blows to the man on the floor, who whimpered and pleaded until all he could muster were grunts and groans. Oz poured two drinks into crystal glasses, handing you one and gesturing for you to sit down in his lap.

“It’s not cold, baby, and it’s not your usual drink. But it’ll settle your nerves.”

He drank his entirely in one gulp, setting the glass down and turning his attentions to you completely, ignoring the yelps and thuds mere feet away from you both. You were the only thing that mattered to him the moment, in most moments. He held you close, checking over your neck where the stranger had been so aggressively kissing you. With his large, thick fingers, Oz held your chin and tilted your head in every angle to ensure there were no bruises, no marks he might have missed that would signify how swiftly the man on the floor might meet his end.

Satisfied that you were left unmarred by your encounter, he dropped your chin, hand moving instead to your cheek as he stared deep into your eyes.

“You ok, doll?”

“I’m fine, I’m ok.”

“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry I didn’t see it happen faster. If I’d known he’d followed you I would have take him out back and shot him.”

“Ozzie, it’s ok. I’m ok.” You offered him a weak smile. You were telling the truth, you were fine. You could handle yourself. But you were still shaken, and something about being sat in his lap, the sincerity in his voice as he tried to reassure himself more than you that everything was ok, had you melting, desperate for him to hold you, considering how bad things might have been had he not been there to save you. He must have noticed the tiny, fleeting moment of fear that crossed behind your eyes, as he was suddenly wrapped around you tighter, holding you close to his chest as he offered a small kiss to your forehead, resting his chin on top of your head while you rested on his chest.

“Oh sweetheart, come here. Daddy’s got you now. We’ll make it all better huh?”

He tilted your head up to him again, where his lips met yours in a gentle and passionate embrace. You leant into it heavily, resting what felt like all of your body weight on his mouth alone, lips tingling against his, the breaths from his nose warming you under him. You opened your eyes, lips still against his, peppering tiny little finishing kisses, looking up to meet his eyes. But he was staring, unblinking at the bleeding and broken man on the floor. The goons had done their worst, and Oz nodded to the door, through which they left in silence.

“Oz?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Are you…ok?”

“I was just thinking we should show this asshole how you actually treat a woman? Might be a good finish to his punishment for him to see someone else take you like he so badly wanted to.”

Before you could ask him if he was sure, checking that he wasn’t just acting out of pure rage, his mouth was clamped over yours again, moaning deeply into you, the sheer volume alone vibrating through your chest as he stood you up, following you, hands around you and over you, fitful grabbing and squeezing on every curve, every part of you he could easily reach as you both stumbled over to the tall filing cabinet to the left of his desk.

Taking hold of your hips, he hoisted you up and on top of it, letting your legs dangle over the edge as he walked back to his desk, wheeling his chair over and sitting down in it in front of you. He lifted your legs up onto his knee, one at a time, taking off your shoes. With them both off, he kissed your ankle, trailing kisses all the way up your legs, onto your knee, straining to kiss at your inner thighs, his large palms on the tops of them as his fingers pushed back the hem of your dress, exposing more and more of you to him, and to the beaten and bloodied man who breathed heavily on the floor.

With one deep, longing kiss against the front of your panties, his groan sending tingles through your entire body, Oz turned away from you, his attention now with new enemy.

“I want you to sit there, squinting through those two black eyes you got, and watch me do what you will never get the chance at. I want you to watch me make her cum.”

He wheeled the chair to the side slightly, offering you in full view to the room, and pulled your pants to the side. The man on the floor turned his head, slowly and painfully, to the ground.

“Oh what, now you’re gonna show a modicum of respect? You look at me! Look me in the eyes you piece of shit.”

When he was certain that the man’s gaze was being held by his own, Oz slipped one large finger between your folds, teasing at your entrance. He pressed it in further and out again, completely, returning it with another one of his fingers, pressed in and exploring your cunt. Wet sounds filled the room as he inserted his digits up to the knuckles, his rings teasing at your lips, cold and hard compared to his warm and soft digits. He crooked them inside of you, pressuring spots that had you groaning under his touch, writing on the top of the cabinet and thrusting yourself into him. At a slight yelp, his fingers ring deep in you, he withdrew them completely, a small trail of your arousal following them. He brought his fingers up and to his face, inhaling at them the way he did his cigars before he lit them, and putting them completely in his mouth, sucking your slick off of it and moaning at the taste of you on his tongue. Oz laughed, sneering at the man in the corner, turning his full attention to you. He shifted you forward on the surface, pressing his face against your pussy, at the perfect height to devour you. He pressed his palms against your thighs and rubbed them up, curving around your waist and taking your dress up with them, letting it sit at your waist as he lowered his hands again, fingers dipping into your panties and pulling them down and off, tucking them into the pocket of his suit jacket.

He pressed his face to you, slightly crooked nose making contact first, rubbing against you as his tongue pressed out and in between your lips, flicking up and down quickly, lapping at the already copious amounts of your juices. He moaned in pleasure, looking up at you as you ran your hands through the thinning hair on top of his head, fingers digging into the thicker hair at the sides to pull him closer into you, desperate for his touch and the sounds of approval. As if he was reading your thoughts, he pulled back slightly, licking your lips in between his words

“Baby, tell him how good I am. Tell him…mmm…how good Daddy feels…how nice his tongue is against your clit…how you would never want some disgusting low life…hmm…to touch you when you…oh…when you have Oswald Cobblepot to take care…of you.”

Through your breathy moans you managed to get some words out, stammered slowly as your body threatened to reach an early climax, the threats, the dramatic show of it all, the way his breath, how against you, warmed you from the pit of your stomach to your flushed red cheeks.

“Daddy you feel…so…good.”

“Yeah…god you taste so good for daddy…hmmm…he does it better than anyone else could, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, Daddy!”

“Tell him you’re mine, tell him you’re all mine.”

“You’re all mine Daddy…Please don’t stop! Make me cum, only you can. Please…please…”

At your begging, he flattened his tongue and pressed it into you, his self-satisfied laughter sending waves of pleasured sensations through your whole body. And with his tongue moving to circle your clit, he wrapped his mouth around you and sucked, pressing the bud between his teeth, feeling the different texture of the one golden one against you as he shook his head from side to side, moaning as he buried his face deeper between your thighs. One finger teased at you, legs spread and gaping, and before he had even worked it completely in you, you started screaming out his name, over and over again as you came. Barely any of you touched the cabinet, because Oz was there licking it up, ingesting every drop of you he had managed to tease you. As you shuddered, overstimulation threatening a scream from your lungs, he pulled back, smiling up at you and winking.

From his pocket, he pulled out a monogrammed handkerchief and wiped your cum from his chin, tucking it back in with your panties. He took your hand and helped you hop down from the cabinet, holding you when your legs, still shaking and weak from your orgasm, failed under you slightly. He kissed your forehead, holding you into him.

“Good girl.” He whispered it softly in your ear, a smile audible on his face, though your eyes were closed as you swayed on weak legs in a dream-like state. He held your hand in his and walked you out of the room, stopping before the man for a moment, where Oz spat down at him.

“That’s the only taste of her you’ll ever get, you fuckin’ dog.”

Outside of the door, Oz jabbed his thumb towards the room, sending his goons back in to finish the task at hand. He led you down the stairs, where you could hear the echoes of the pleading, begging him.

“Please Mr. penguin, sir! Please don’t-” but they were stopped abruptly by whatever horrific end was planned for him. Oz led you to the bar, one arm on your lower back, gently touching to guide you through the crowds, the bartenders already pouring drinks at the sight of him. He sat you down on a stool, hand on your knee and brushed your hair behind your ear, cupping your cheek.

“You did the right thing trying to come to me Princess. You know Daddy’s here to protect you, always.” You placed your palm on his chest, and he placed his hand over yours, holding you close as he bent forward to kiss your forehead again, humming in pleasure just from having you near him.