#and ignore the fact that it's technically 5 on that list

[nyxypoo]

current wishlist

taiju mhm mhm mhm

shadow ehehehehe

kiryuuuuu GAH either one tbh

unfortunately ****

[thesvnandthemooon]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤

18+ MINORS DNI

a/n: ——

summary: natasha romanoff x female!reader. based on the movie “the notebook”; you’re allie, nat’s noah. fluff + angst

warnings: light smut—fingering (r receiving), weapons (is this something i need to mention? idk lol)

word count: 7k

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5

✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷ ✷

Natasha meeting your family was not on your list of priorities.

In fact, imagining her at dinner with your parents or in your grandparents' living room was enough to make you shudder. The mere idea of her chatting with your mother over a cup of coffee?

Horrendous. A nightmare.

You try to keep her a secret. Your secret. Your summer love, your escape from reality, your something so impossibly out of place in the world you grew up in you're not even sure she's real.

But then, she's leaning against the gate of your grandparents' house again. You'd recognize the red hair and black leather jacket from a mile away. The way she sticks out in the uniform, boring normalcy of your neighborhood is almost offensive.

"No, no, no", you mutter under your breath, throwing the door open. You fly down the stairs and run up to her, silently praying nobody will see you. You grab her arm and yank her away from the gate. "You can't be serious right now-"

"Y/N", your father suddenly calls. You stiffen. "Who's that?"

Slowly, you turn around. Natasha follows your gaze until she's met with the sight of your father. It takes all of her strength not to crack a grin — the ironed pastel polo, the khakis, the loafers that look like he's never walked on actual grass. Way too pristine for a casual evening at home.

You elbow her side when you notice how she raises her eyebrows, but her expression doesn't waver.

"A friend", you say awkwardly, tugging at her arm again. She ignores you. "We're just, uhm..."

"Going for a ride", Natasha finishes unhelpfully.

"Around town."

"Maybe get some ice cream."

"No booze", you add. Your father stares at you, his expression both stoic and amused. "Even though I, uhm, technically-"

"Alright", he finally cuts you off. "What's going on? Is this a date?"

Your face flushes at the blunt question. If he figures this out, you're doomed — your parents insist on meeting every person you go out with. Then, they subject them to scrutiny sharper than police officers grilling suspects. Passing that test is nearly impossible.

You know better than to hope for their approval, especially when it comes to Natasha.

"No!", you blurt out. "She's just- we-"

"I'm a friend", she says, pinching your side. The noise you let out is completely undignified, but at least you stop rambling incoherent nonsense. "Nothing to worry about, sir."

"Right", your father says slowly. He lets his eyes run up and down your body, from head to toe, assessing your appearance. You didn't dress casually, and you know it. His eyes narrow. "Well, if you're going to spend time together, you should come in and introduce her. It's almost dinner time anyway. How does pot roast sound?"

She's enjoying your discomfort much more than she should. Smoothly, she replies that pot roast does sound good. Her eyes meet yours, twinkling teasingly. Suddenly, you envision it happening.

Natasha, surrounded by your parents and grandparents. She'll stick out like a sore thumb. No way are they going to endorse her.

You feel like ripping your hair out.

"We're good", you quickly say, grabbing Natasha's arm. "We'll just-"

"I insist", he says. "Come on."

With that, he opens the gate a little wider and looks at you expectantly. Natasha, ever-charming and professional when necessary, nods and intertwines her hand with yours. You mutter a quiet "traitor" as you're led inside.

The house smells like garlic and the lavender potpourri your grandmother keeps everywhere, which is a disgusting combination. You feel Natasha's fingers brush against your shoulders as she takes off your jacket for you. Your dad watches her as she does that. You can't quite figure out what he's thinking.

"Honey, we've got company", he calls out as you enter the dining room. Your mom pokes her head out of the kitchen, eyeing Natasha warily.

"You are?"

"Natasha, ma'am."

"A 'friend' of Y/N's", your father says. "We'll need another plate."

Your mother scrutinizes Natasha shamelessly. You know she can see every detail, from the scar above her eyebrow to the dirt clinging to her boots. She'll bring it up later.

"Friends", she repeats. Her gaze locks with yours. You lift your chin with an air of defiance. "You're staying for dinner, I assume?"

"Oh, she's not-"

"Nonsense. Sit down", your father says, shooing you to the table.

Natasha swiftly slides a chair back and gestures for you to sit. Cheeks burning, you avoid everyone else's eyes as you sit down. Her hand briefly brushes against yours. At least she's next to you.

Your mother offers Natasha some wine. She declines politely, saying she doesn't drink — a blatant lie, as you had vodka when you were staying at her house. But you're actually relieved. This should at least be something your parents will be impressed by.

Your grandparents don't pay much attention to Natasha. It hasn't even crossed their minds that she could be more than just your friend. You came out years ago, but they've been ignoring that piece of information expertly. It doesn't fit their narrative.

But your parents know what's going on. They keep their eyes on Natasha even as they're picking at their salad or sipping wine. Eventually, your mother clears her throat. A sound you remember from your childhood, one that usually meant trouble. You stiffen in your chair.

"So", she says, setting down her fork and knife. "What do you do, Natasha?"

"A bit of everything", she says. Her eyes don't give much away. You shrink into your seat as you realize that you don't exactly know what she does, either. "You have a lovely home, by the way."

"Oh, thank you." Your mother watches her, eyes narrowed with the realization that Natasha managed to evade her question. She purses her lips. "So-"

"Your daughter is lovely as well", she adds.

You want to sink into the floor.

You spend the rest of the evening trying to steer your parents' attention away from Natasha. Somehow, it works — soon enough, they're talking about friends they saw in town and upcoming church events. You catch your grandmother glance at Natasha's jacket, draped over her chair, repeatedly, but she doesn't comment on it.

You know what's going through their heads, and you don't like it. Thankfully, Natasha is as smooth as can be. She's not too engaged in the conversation, but she appears just interested enough for it to be polite. She laughs at the right moments, she compliments the food, she asks the right questions and gives answers that are too vague to be judged easily.

Finally, you've cleaned off your plates of apple pie. Natasha helps stack the dishes and clean off the table, then you excuse yourselves.

Stepping outside feels like a huge weight falling from your shoulders.

"Dear god", you say, leaning against the trunk of the tree you used to climb when you were a child. Natasha smiles, her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket. "I'm done. Seriously. This was a nightmare."

"It wasn't that bad", she says. "They like me, I think."

You raise your eyebrows. "I'm not even going to comment on that."

"Rude." She steps closer, brushing her elbow against your side. You smile faintly. "I think I made a good impression, no?"

"It could've been worse", you admit, though you're not too sure about the 'made a good impression'-thing. Impressing your parents? Nearly impossible. "I'm just glad we got this over with. Next time, pick me up somewhere else."

Natasha leans in, her hands still in the pockets of her jackets. She smirks, brushing her nose against yours before kissing you. A quick kiss, but you feel the thrill shoot through your veins. Kitchen window, you think, then peck her lips before pulling away. You rest your head against the rough bark of the trunk.

Your smile makes Natasha fall in love all over again.

. . .

"What do you mean you 'don't know'?"

You glance up from your book. Your eyebrows are furrowed, your foot is tapping a restless pattern against the firm cushions of the couch. This has been going on for twenty minutes and you're very close to hiding in your room.

"I just don't know, okay? I don't know what she does. She didn't tell me."

Your mother rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips. Something white and furry — your grandmother's devil cat named Thoreau — slithers past her legs and disappears into the hallway.

"Y/N", she says, stepping closer. "There's no way you've been going out with that...woman and don't know what she does. Who she is, in fact. I mean, have you looked at her?"

Oh, you have. You know what she's talking about. It makes your frustration spike.

"What's so bad about her, huh?", you snap, shutting your book abruptly. Her eyes widen for a split second. "She's nice. She treats me well. She's smart and funny. I really don't get why you dislike her so much!"

"Excuse me? I never said I-“

"You don't have to say anything!"

"Y/N!" Her voice cuts through the air, sharp and unrelenting. You feel yourself flinch. "Don't use that tone with me. I want to know who she is. Who she really is. Because even you seem to have no clue."

You go silent. Your face falls, revealing how accurate your mother's observation is.

You don't know Natasha. You know her, but you don't know her. What you gathered so far are little pieces of information, minuscule bits, knowledge that won't get you far.

You have no idea where she's from, or why she's in this town, what shes does.

But you know that she loves black coffee and braids, and movies and swimming. She loves falling asleep with her head on your chest, though she usually doesn't sleep through the night.

She counts stars when she doesn't know what to talk about. At night, she crosses streets without looking twice.

She can't draw to save her life. Her sketch of a mouse looked more like a gray circle with legs. But when she used a pen to draw on your arm, you wished the ink would seep into your skin so the drawing would never fade away.

Whether you know the things that actually matter is a question you can't answer.

You shift under your mother's gaze, slowly averting your eyes. Your bottom lip hurts from the way you chew on it. Your fingers lightly dig into your thigh.

"What do you want me to do?", you ask. You sound more petulant than you'd like to admit.

She exhales, willing herself to soften a little. Tentatively, she sits down next to you and takes your book. She stares at the cover as if gathering her thoughts. She tries to remind herself that this is nothing more than a summer romance — something that'll pass eventually. Rather sooner than later, she hopes.

"Talk to her", she says. "Make sure you know what you're getting into. Because you're not about to ruin your life because of one summer."

Her words hit harder than expected. You can tell she's serious, because she always is. You've started to think she's incapable of making jokes.

It all settles in your stomach, makes your thoughts churn. You nod, imperceptibly almost, but your mother notices. She reaches over to squeeze your hand before getting up.

Eyes glued to the cover of your book, you sit there. The image blurs, as does the title.

You've built a fragile, beautiful thing together — and you need answers from Natasha before summer slips away.

. . .

It's a warm summer night. You managed to sneak out at a little after midnight, carefully walking down the stairs and shutting the window behind you. The seat of Natasha's SUV had started to feel familiar as you sat down in her car.

Now, you're back at the lake behind her house. Its surface shimmers in the milky moonlight. The towel creates a barrier between your thighs and the wood of the dock you're sitting on, preventing you from getting splinters. Your toes dip into the water, which is definitely much cooler already. Summer is coming to an end.

She swims up to you so she's right in front of the dock. Her fingertips loosely wrap around your ankle and she presses a kiss to it, her lips cold and wet against your skin. You can't tell whether she knows how your thoughts are racing, how you've been trying to voice your fears for an eternity now.

"Join me", she says, rubbing circles against your skin. Her green eyes seem deeper than the lake she's in.

You tilt your head, your eyebrows raised skeptically. It's tempting, really, but the idea of getting all wet and cold isn't a pleasant one.

"I don't know", you hesitate. "I think I'm fine right here."

Natasha hums and squeezes your ankle. She tugs on it, lightly enough to not make you worry too much. "You say that now...", she then says, quickly causing you to change your mind about not worrying.

With one swift pull, you slip from the dock. The world tilts, you gasp, and suddenly, you're underwater. But you're pulled back up before your panic can take root, her arms around your thighs, the cold water a stark contrast to the heat simmering in your chest. Natasha's smile matches yours.

"Got you."

"I'm wet", you mutter, brushing wayward strands of hair out of your face. She presses her lips against your jaw. Your fingers grasp her chin and you give her a real kiss, a slow and all-consuming one, sweet from the lake water.

Your hands run into her hair, combing through it and untangling it. Her fingertips dig into your thighs. You feel the spinning sensation in your head slow down.

Finally, you part. Your lips hover close to hers, letting you swallow her breath. Natasha kisses your bottom lip and then trails her lips down your neck until she reaches your chest. Her tongue traces the seam of your bikini top.

You stop her before she can go further. Your fingers rake through her hair, making her pause.

"I need to talk to you", you admit. She looks up, worry crossing her features. "It's nothing bad. I think."

"Your parents?", she asks, slowly lowering you into the water. Her arms stay wrapped around your waist in a loose hold.

The smile on your face is bitter. You sigh and touch her jaw, fingers lightly drumming against it. "Kind of", you say. "But also...everything else. Us. This. I mean...summer is about to end. What happens then?"

She should've anticipated this conversation. Summer won't last forever — you'll leave, as will she. Responsibilities loom over her like dark clouds. Suddenly, she sees a future in which she never meets you again.

"I don't know", she murmurs. Her hand slides up and down your back repeatedly, fingertips slipping under the tight fabric of your bikini. "I didn't think about it."

Her words feel like a needle in your chest. You've been awake way too many times, tossing and turning, wondering what your future is going to look like. Whether she's in it as well.

There's no way she's this indifferent to what happens next.

"You didn't?"

"I mean..." She sighs and leans in, her lips briefly pressing against your temple. "Of course I did. In a way. But I've mostly been focused on the now. You're leaving, aren't you? You're going back to college. And I..."

Natasha doesn't say anything else. You look at her with your eyebrows raised, silently promoting her to keep going. You both know what you are doing once summer ends. Where you're going, who you're going to be with, all that stuff.

But Natasha? You have no idea. She won't tell you.

"Listen", she begins, letting go of you. The loss of contact is unbearable. "There are things you're better off not knowing."

"Are you kidding?" You swim closer, the water brushing along your body. Disbelief is written all over your face. "Natasha, please tell me you aren't serious. If it's that bad, you have to tell me. I need to know. I mean, my mom-"

"Is that's what this is about?" Her voice hasn't changed in volume, but the tone is so very different. Cold, biting, accusatory. It makes you stop in your tracks. "Your parents?"

"No!" You exhale and squeeze your eyes shut for a moment, willing yourself to not start a fight. "No. Of course not. I don't care what they think. But sometimes, even they are right. Natasha, I need to know. You have to tell me if you want this to keep going."

"Of course I want to keep this going", she snaps. "But what if I tell you and then never hear from you again, huh? You ever thought about that?"

You shake your head and grab her hand. She recoils initially but then relaxes, her eyes locked on your face warily. "We can sort it out. I really don't believe it can be that bad."

Seconds of silence. Her hand twitches in yours and she frowns. When she looks away, it feels like everything has started to slip from your grasp.

"You're naive", she states quietly. Your chest burns with an odd mixture of shame and defensiveness. If only you knew that she isn't trying to insult you — no, this is her attempt at keeping you safe from whatever mess her life is.

She's seen your life. Has met your parents, heard about your upbringing. She knows you're wealthy, a top student at one of the USA's most prestigious universities. Your future is dipped in diamonds and gold, enhanced by glasses of champagne and dinner parties.

Natasha's life is bullets and blood. There's nothing else to be said.

"Stop pushing me away", you plead. She feels her throat constrict. "We can work this out. We can get through this."

"I'm not pushing you away", she argues. "I'm being realistic. There's a difference between the two."

"Maybe it's both", you say, wading closer to her again. "It probably is. But I want to know, Nat."

Stubbornness gives way to exhaustion. She shakes her head and pulls her hand away from yours.

"Not yet", she says weakly. You watch her swim to the latter attached to the dock. Her hands grab the metal bars and she pulls herself up, water dripping off her body. Her skin is smooth in the pale light. Trying to stop her seems futile.

She grabs a towel and wraps herself into it. Her figure retreats towards the house, getting smaller and less defined with each step. You wait for a moment, then you exhale in frustration and follow her inside.

The wooden floors feel slippery underneath your feet. You blindly reach for the light switch only to find out the electricity is gone — again. You don't even bother looking for the flashlight, as you've already memorized the layout of the small house.

"Natasha", you call, not seeing her in the living room. You peek into the bedroom, but it's empty. "For fuck's sake, don't do this!"

Something touches your spine. You whip around with a start. You aren't quite sure what you were expecting, but you should've known it'd be her. She stares at you, making no move to apologize.

"It's late", she says.

You blink, caught off guard for a moment. "What?"

"It's late. You're probably tired."

"Natasha-"

"Let's go to sleep", she says, sounding resolute. You give in.

The mattress is the same, but she changed the bedsheets. They're a navy blue and not as faded as the floral ones, but they're just as soft.

There's a distance between the two of you. Your back is facing her, she's staring at the ceiling. She tries closing her eyes, falling asleep, but it doesn't work. At some point, she rolls over. Her front is flush with your back. Her lips ghost over your shoulder as her arm tentatively wraps around your middle.

You find yourself scooting into the touch.

"Asleep?", she murmurs, her hand under your shirt now.

"No."

Natasha's lips press against the back of your neck. Her breath is warm on your skin and your eyes close automatically. Her hand cups your breast, massaging it gently. You feel goosebumps form all over you.

"Still mad at me?", she whispers, rolling your nipple between her cold fingers. You huff, but the sound morphs into a quiet moan.

"I don't know", you say breathily. Her thumb brushes over the sensitive bud. Suddenly, you're wet again, but this time not because of lake water. "Shit."

Natasha kisses along your neck. Her teeth graze your skin before she sucks on it, leaving love bites behind. "You want to?"

You turn your head, burying your nose in the soft pillow underneath you. It's petulant, in a way, causing Natasha to smile. She kisses your earlobe.

"Yes or no?", she asks. You sigh at the realization that you can either get over yourself and say yes, or disappear into the shower and take care of this yourself.

It's not a hard decision.

"Yes", you mutter. Natasha hums and leaves wet kisses behind your ear, her breath hot.

"You're sure?"

"I said yes, didn't I?"

"I like to double-check", she replies.

Lips against your skin, she slips the strap of your top off your shoulder. Your head lolls back, resting against her forehead. Her hand trails from your arm to your stomach. She undoes the drawstring of your shorts and the gentle pressure around your waist disappears. Her fingers press against your cunt and she breathes into your ear.

You stifle a moan when she slides her fingers through your cunt, gathering wetness. Her fingertips pinch your clit and you let a soft whine slip. Heat spreads on your skin.

"You're so pretty", she mumbles. The kisses on your shoulder turn more feverish, peppered all over you, hot and wet and open-mouthed. You writhe against her, your flushing face hidden in your pillow. Her fingers slip into you, leaving you no time to get used to the sensation. "It'd be a shame if you stayed mad."

You don't respond. Natasha's fingers curl inside of you, hitting that sweet spot and making you even wetter. You're dripping down her wrist, ruining the sheets. Her fingers are slick with your arousal.

A third finger works you open. Waves of pleasure roll down your back and add to the coil in your lower belly. Heat floods your veins and your vision goes blurry. You see stars, but they're oh so different from the ones in the sky.

Natasha's movements slow down right before you're about to come. When you turn your head to look at her and protest, she doubles down and starts moving faster. Surprised moans tumble from your lips, your eyes wide. Her thumb rubs circles on your clit. Her expression remains the same, but you can see her pupils dilate.

Your eyes hold hers as you come, walls clenching around her and cheeks red. Aftershocks buzz through your body.

"Still mad at me?", she mumbles. You feel her lips drag across your jaw.

"A little", you admit, thought your voice, softened and breathy, betrays you. You can feel her smile against your cheek, the gentle curve of her lips, and, weirdly, it hurts not being able to see it. You pull away just enough to look at her.

Sometimes, it feels like her eyes are the only glimpse of her world you're allowed to see. A world she lived in long before she entered yours.

You roll over and rest your forehead against hers. You grasp her hand and bring it up to your lips, kissing her still wet fingers.

"I want to know you", you say quietly. "I don't know if you want me to know you."

"That's..." She hesitates, her voice cracking. "That's not true. It's just not that simple, Y/N."

You watch her with furrowed eyebrows. Slowly, you intertwine your fingers with her. She doesn't waver, doesn't pull away — which is something, at least. But it's not what you were hoping for.

Her green eyes meet yours again. Her world flickers in front of you, blurry and unsteady, too faint to decipher.

"I never asked for simple", you then say. "I'm not simple, either. None of this ever was. I told you from the beginning."

"That's different."

"It's really not."

"It is."

Her voice is louder this time. You let go of her hand and prop yourself up on your elbow, your eyes narrowed. Natasha's eyes are challenging, but she can't hide the vulnerability that shimmers through.

"Don't yell at me", you warn quietly.

"I'm not yelling", she mutters, her gaze shifting away from you. Her jaw tightens with both frustration and guilt. "My point stands. You have a pretentious family. So what? Not the biggest issue I can think of."

You raise your eyebrows and shift to fully sit up. Her words sting — downplaying your struggles is something you didn't expect from her. Apparently, Natasha notices the effect her words had, and she quickly sits up as well.

"You know what I meant. I know it's not easy for you, either, but you've got to understand that things are difficult."

"I can't understand until you explain it to me", you say, growing more frustrated with every second. "What is it, huh? Are you secretly married? Have a kid somewhere? Maybe you killed someone."

The last sentence — one you definitely weren't being serious about — makes her eyes widen.

Guilt. It hits her like a flash flood. Hands stained with blood, so many lives taken, a past she doesn't want to be hers. With you, she thought she could pretend. Push it all away, be someone else for once.

The thought that you may think of her like that — that she's someone who's capable of ending lives — hurts more than it should. Suddenly, she feels like you can sense the darkness she's kept buried for so long.

She sits up abruptly, jaw clenched, hands curling into fists. Seeing her like this does everything but soothe your worries.

"What?", she says quietly. She sounds anguished, hurt, and you're the reason.

Natasha and you stare at each other. You can hear the wind outside, the cicadas, and for the first time ever, the nightly noises don't manage to calm you down. For some reason, they make everything worse.

You don't know how to backtrack, so you don't. You grow more helpless by the second, until she finally speaks again.

"You have no idea what you're talking about", she says. "You don't get to joke about that. It's not funny. Not to me."

"Natasha..."

"I'm serious", she cuts you off. "You don't know who I am. You have no idea. I can promise you that. A few weeks spent with me don't fucking change that."

"Then help me! Explain it to me! But don't just leave me in the dark like this!"

"It doesn't fit into your world, Y/N", she says, suddenly getting up. She starts rubbing her neck — an anxious little mannerism you haven't seen her exhibit yet. "Explaining it won't do anything. It'll only change how you see me, and I don't know if I can deal with that."

"Then what's the solution, hm? You'll keep it from me forever?"

"Forever doesn't exist with us!"

Everything seems to freeze. You were about to get up, but your body seems to have changed its mind. You stay seated on the mattress, staring up at her with disbelief and utter, pure heartbreak.

"Is that what you think?", you ask slowly. Natasha almost winces. "That this will just end?"

"Most likely", she says, taking a step backward. Her hand reaches behind her until she finds the dresser. She grabs its edge, her knuckles turning white. "You don't know what you're asking for, Y/N."

"I'm asking for you", you say, finally managing to get up.

"You're being naive."

"Stop calling me that!"

"It's true!"

"You're yelling again", you warn.

Natasha turns, her back facing you. She rubs the back of her neck as she breathes unevenly.

You hesitate as you stand there. Then, slowly as to not spook her, you reach out. Your fingertips brush against her lower back and she flinches. But she doesn't pull away, so you press your palm against her back. You step closer and press your lips to her shoulder.

"I don't care if it doesn't fit", you mumble, though it's a lie — you do care. You want to be part of her world, whatever it may be like. "I just want to make this work, Nat."

She takes a moment to reply. Her voice is raw, her breathing ragged. She faces you again, her green eyes filled with something bitter.

"You think you can just fix everything?", she asks. "Just waltz in and make everything better? Because it doesn't work like that."

"I don't want to fix anything", you say quietly. Your other hand touches her waist, and to your surprise, she leans into you. You study her, wary and careful. "I just want to understand."

"You can't understand until you know everything", Natasha says. "And I don't think you want to know everything."

You stare at her, eyes flickering with concern. It's not like your life has been perfect, or that you've been shielded from everything that isn't all sunshine and daisies, but you can't imagine what could possibly be this bad.

"I don't want everything", you say. "I want you."

Natasha goes rigid for a moment. Then she relaxes, muscles loosening and shoulders slumping. Like a cat landing on a stretched out blanket, you catch her. She buries her face in your neck, her body held upright by your arms around her waist. You can feel her breathe you in.

You smell like her.

. . .

The rain is heavy. It soaks through your clothes and leaves the ends of your hair dripping. You barely make it into Natasha's car without slipping.

"You're wet again", she says, handing you a blanket. "No umbrella?"

You wipe the water out of your face and snort. "No. Forgot to grab it."

"Could've gone back inside."

The look you throw at her shuts her up. She starts the car and drives out of the neighborhood. Only the pelting of the rain on the roof fills the silence between you.

You've never been like this with each other. Until now, it was easy. But that's the way it is, right? Things are easy until they aren't anymore.

"Where are we going?", you ask, adjusting the blanket around your shoulders. You lift one corner of it to pat your hair dry.

"Just driving", she mumbles. Her knuckles are tight around the steering wheel, her eyes focused on the road, but you can tell there's more.

You don't say anything. You just lean back and enjoy being the one who gets to play passenger princess, even if your clothes are sticking to your skin. You drive through your favorite part of town — the cute little corner with the bookshop and the park full of flowers —, then Natasha suddenly takes a turn.

You recognize the neighborhood, but she hasn't taken you here before.

"Huh", you mumble, staring out the window. You're slumped into the seat lazily. "New location unlocked?"

"Something like that."

In front of a bed and breakfast, she stops. She unbuckles and gets out, nodding at you to follow her. Despite your confusion, you don't hesitate.

Inside the building, it's warm and quiet. It smells like cookies and flowers; freshly picked ones, sitting on the counter next to the staircase. The steps creak under your feet as you go upstairs.

Natasha fishes another key out of her pocket and unlocks a door. The room that appears in front of you is exactly what you expected — corny grandma-bedsheets on top of a wooden bed, with pictures of cats on the walls and a plush rug.

"I don't understand", you murmur, brushing your hand over little notebook on the desk. It's for the guests to write in. "What is this?"

"I'm staying here", she says, digging through a backpack, "until I leave."

You pause, your eyes flickering up. For some reason, you thought Natasha would always be here. Even after you go back to college. Like a safe place you could retreat to whenever the world becomes too much.

A very selfish thought, but a comforting one nevertheless.

"You...you don't live here", you say slowly, as if realizing it for the first time. Which may or may not be very accurate. "You're leaving. You're leaving?"

"I am."

Your eyes widen as she keeps pulling stuff out of the backpack and putting it aside. A gun. A taser. Some kind of earpiece. Your heart starts rabbiting in your chest, but you force yourself to stay calm.

"Uhm-"

"You said you wanted to know me, didn't you?" She turns around. Her eyes are cold and her walls are up. "This is me. This —" She pulls another weapon, which looks like an odd sort of bracelet, out of her backpack, "this is me. This."

You laugh nervously. Part of you won't believe this is real. It has to be some kind of joke. But Natasha is completely serious.

She wraps the bracelet around her wrist and clicks on it. It tightens around her wrist and lights up. You take a step back and bump against the door. Her eyes meet yours, and for a split second, the facade slips. You see it — a deep, unrelenting sadness, the kind that comes with inevitability, the quiet acceptance of something she knew would happen but hoped never would.

"Does it fit?", she prompts you.

You frown and take a stubborn step closer. You're trying hard not to let it show, but your heartbeat is still racing. "Natasha, don't-"

"You wanted to know who I am", she cuts you off. "This is me."

"I don't care", you plead, stepping closer once more. This time, it's Natasha who takes a step back. "I said I wanted to know you. I still do. I want to know you, whatever that means."

"Y/N", she says quietly. "Nobody wants to know me. I can promise you that."

"I do", you say, stubborn and frantic. "You've been keeping this from me for two months, and I still want to know you."

"I've been keeping it from you for a reason."

She has a point. If she'd pulled out a gun on your first date, you would've bolted.

But now? For some reason, you're still here. Still trying to get her to listen, despite the fact that there are multiple weapons scattered across the floor. Suddenly, the scars on her body make more sense. The bruises, the healed cuts. You've learned to love them. The way you trace them with your lips is proof enough.

But with Natasha, you didn't have to learn. It just happened — one day, you looked at her and loved her.

Even now, you do.

"Why would you do that?", you ask, both baffled and understanding her point. "Why would you keep something like this from me?"

"Because this?" She laughs, her voice tinged with bittersweet regret. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to fall in love, Y/N. Things usually end before I do, anyways. But I fell in love with you."

The words wash over you like waves. For a moment, everything stops — the rain outside, your thoughts, your pulse. All you can do is stare at her, her words echoing in your mind.

"So what?", you suddenly shout, even surprising yourself. "You fall in love and leave because it 'wasn't supposed to happen'? Is that it?"

You breathe heavily, the words burning in your chest. You bite back tears, your jaw clenching.

"We'll just walk away when it's too much?", you continue. You're no longer trying to control your voice, so it keeps rising. "Pretend it never happened?"

"You don't get it", she snaps. "This isn't a fairytale. Fuck, all I wanted was someone to help me take my mind off things."

"And you got that, didn't you?" Full of anger and frustration, you grab the backpack and shove it against her chest. She doesn't falter, even when you keep pushing your fists against her. Your tears and sobs are silent. "You got that damn fling. Now you can leave, huh? Leave everything in pieces!"

She recoils slightly, then she shoves the backpack off her with more force than you expected. It hits the ground with a low thud.

"That's now what this was!", she says, her voice cracking. "You're not just a fling, Y/N. Which is exactly why I need to end this."

"You're not making any sense!"

"I'm not?", she yells. She whips around and grabs her wallet. Suddenly, you've got an ID card in your hand. "Here! Am I making sense now?"

You're too stunned to speak. Your eyes are glued to the card in your hand, rereading the words, trying to understand what's going on.

SHIELD. Field operative. Special agent.

The words swim around in your brain uselessly. You're not sure you've heard of any of this before.

"You...?"

"I'm a spy", Natasha says sharply. She grabs the card and puts it away again, hiding it in her purse. "I'm an assassin."

That does the trick. Every word is wiped from your supply of smartass remarks, your knees seem to buckle for a moment, you go completely quiet. You grab the desk next to you for support, leaning on it.

There's a silent challenge to the way she's looking at you. Chin slightly raised, her eyes filled with an unusual coldness. Her fair skin is even paler than usual.

"An assassin", you repeat, voice cracking.

"Yes", she says, watching you with a mixture of regret and defiance. "Former assassin, but...that doesn't change anything. It's what I am. What I've always been. I'm a trained killer, Y/N."

You stare at her as you try to wrap your head around this. Natasha, the woman you love — the one who kissed your forehead when you were sleepy, who read books to you — is a killer.

"You're a killer", you repeat, as if that'd make it easier to grasp. It doesn't. The words feel bitter on your tongue, strange and foreign.

Natasha doesn't move, doesn't say anything. Her mask falters. What you see now is raw pain.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

"You're sorry?" You let out a hollow laugh, but deep down, you want to sob. "How was I supposed to find out, huh? 'Hey, by the way, I killed people'? Fuck, Nat, I...fuck."

She crosses her arms and takes another step back. Her legs bump against the bed. Outside, the rain starts pouring heavily.

"I thought I could keep it separate", she admits, her voice quieter now. You close your eyes at the sound of it and resist pulling her into you like you've done so many times. "That I could pretend I'm someone else when I'm with you."

Your hands ball into fists. You squeeze your eyes shut.

"It didn't work", she continues, softening. "You made me feel more like myself than anyone ever could."

When you open your eyes again, they're glossed over with tears. You exhale slowly, shakily, and force yourself to look at her.

"This isn't fair", you whisper. "It really, really isn't. You don't get to make me fall in love only to do...this."

"I told you", Natasha says quietly, "I didn't plan for this to happen. I just didn't want to be alone."

"Well, there you are." You laugh bitterly and scrub a hand down your face. "All of this just to end up alone again. You happy now?"

"Y/N, I never wanted to hurt you."

"But you did!" You step closer, the anger pulsing through your body. You can feel how warm your face is. "You hurt me. You hurt yourself, too. You screwed up, just admit it!"

"Fine!", she yells. "I screwed up!"

"You did!", you shout. The tears start flowing, hot and damp. Natasha's heart gives a painful twist at the sight. "You screwed up, and you hurt me, and you, and I- I- god, fuck you!"

Her hand reaches out on instinct, but her outstretched fingers never even brush against your arm.

"Don't", you hiss, pushing her hand away. "Don't touch me. Not now."

She pulls back and swallows, her eyes darting away from you.

"I'm sorry", she says.

The words linger in the air. You stand there, trying to slow your breathing. You cover your face with your hands and inhale raggedly. The tears feel warm against your palms.

"This is it?", you ask numbly. "We're done?"

"I'm sorry", she repeats. You shake your head and wipe your face with your hands.

"Fuck you", you repeat. You step away from the door, open it, and slam it shut before Natasha can react.

She stays in the bedroom, frozen in place. Her eyes are glued to the door.

Gone. Gone are two months of whatever it is you two had.

The lake, the diner, the drive-in. Nights spent buried in each other, bodies so close it was unclear where one ended and the other began.

She should feel relief. At least she doesn't have to live a lie anymore — now, you know the truth. You've walked away and she's the one left standing alone. And worst of all?: She deserves it.

The rain continues to pour outside, but inside the room, there is nothing but the quiet of the aftermath.

[bluu3berry]

HYDE INFO DUMP!!!

Main-Story !!

1. He is the biological mutated son of Sebastian, Hyde was made after an experiment gone wrong in the facility causing them to discovering Sebastian can mitosis due to his genes

.2. Hyde was never a baby but was actually born at the age of 6! He spent most of his time in the dark due to the poor conditions of the hadal black site.

3. Hyde however only escaped after Sebastian escaping which allowed him to leave and find Sebastian, not knowing the thing he created was alive he kinda just left it there. Hyde followed Sebastian since it was the first non-harmful thing to approach them in awhile

4. After Hyde followed Sebastian, for a good couple of days Sebastian kinda... Ignored them denying it was his, but due to loneliness and nothing ,, 'similar" status of him he started to grow fond of Hyde!

5. He started to do a ""business trade" with a literal 8 year old, he would give Hyde shelter, food, warmth, and protection as long as hyde would collect items for him that Sebastian couldn't get himself!

Hyde facts!!

1. Hyde is physically disabled due to his impure genes he has trouble slithering in land and prefers to stay near watery areas. Plus more which I'll talk about later

2. He has very sensitive eyes causing him to be extremely hurt at bright light sources (like the sun, or the flash bang)

3. . Hearing, he can hear normally but if he isn't paying direct attention to you he cannot hear you at times, so he is known to be going " what?, huh? What did you say?"

4. One of his mutations caused his third arm to fuse together by the elbow! Still functional separately but it gets odd to control for him!

5. Hyde is genderless! He has nothing.. to define him in that way, so yes he is canonically nonbinary, why does he use he/they? Well he picked up those pronouns from his father

6. Hyde will eat Expendables. He has no morals against them since he was never a human and never will be, he only knows them as bad people and what he learned from his father.. But he did get curious once.

7. Hyde used to be great friends with an Expendable, however this expendable was murdered due to the void mass leaving just the Expendables clothing, which is where Hyde got his bandana from. He learned his lesson that day.

8. Hyde hates sea food, he hates eating it, not because it's technically cannibalism because he just hates sea food. He will visibility gag at the thought of eating shrimp or a squid

More facts!!

9. Hyde loves to color and draw but it's usually really bad drawings due to well,, he has bad vision and poor mobility in his dominate hand which is left hand!

10. Hyde is asexual and aromantic he has no current interest for the future (or even in the future) to get in any romantic or sexual relationships when he reaches that age.

11.. one of hyde's best friends is eyefestation! He finds the shark soothing and usually shares his shitty drawings with the creature, finding her like a mother figure he never had.

12. Hyde hates pandomieums.

13. Hyde is 6ft from the waist up (at the age of 10), not counting his tail which makes him easily into the 20ft counting due to him being shorter then his father.

14. Hyde has a forked tongue and loves to chew on it, so usually it looks like it's a single tongue due to how much he chews on it!

15. Hyde got his name from well hiding! Sebastian would find Him hiding around corners stalking him before he realized what the thing actually is.

16. Hyde's subject name which is Z-13-1 given by the scientist was due to the scientist not thinking Hyde was sentient at all, thinking him more as a drone that Sebastian could control.

-Ping list!

@anon-coke @pucabearry @scramble-eg

@thelunarsystemwrites @superbfirnacho @the-second-reason

[valeriianz]

For the fic writer asks:

4. Obviously you did research for BitB. I'd love you to ramble about it if you like I'm sure you've got STORIES

5. Did you outline it?

7. How'd you decide it would be Hob's pov?

25-27 I'd love to know a/some favorite lines, details, and any lore you might want to share

omg TJ what wonderful questions! thank you!! this is going to get LONG!

4: Rambling about research!

do you wanna see a screen shot of my bookmarks under my "band au" folder?

man, and that's only what could fit on the screen.

there is... SO MUCH i chose to ignore for this fic. ideas that i had to drop, lines or extra details about the other band members equipment. more logistics, what Lucienne actually does, what Mervyn has to put up with as the new touring stage manager... i realized very early on that i couldn't possibly cram all this (super cool and eye opening) information into the fic and still keep reader's interest and, most importantly, to not stray away from the fact that this is a dreamling fic. whenever i felt myself getting carried away with a side character or job or even social media numbers, gossip, outside POVs, i had to reign myself in and get back on track. there will be time for exploring everything i missed in side stories after BitB is finished. i just hope i still have the energy to write it all.

once, i was so deep into research that after publishing chapter 2, i went into work and when my chef asked what "GA" meant on my prep list, i answered with full confidence, "general admission."

(it means "get ahead.")

the worst part of this entire writing process is im still learning new shit. i havent rewatched or read a lot of what i've saved because, to be very honest, i was feeling a little burnt out. it's why we're kinda full steam dreamling now. it's why ive been glossing over a lot of technical stuff and being vague about conversations amongst the crew/not including it at all. i don't prefer ignoring my research, but at the end of the day i want to still enjoy writing this fic and finish it. even if i can't be as descriptive and detailed and nuanced as i used to be.

5: Did you outline the fic?

(also asked by @hardly-an-escape!)

i wouldn't call what i have a proper "outline," it's more like a 20k word document filled to the brim with notes that i skim at least a dozen times while i'm writing a new chapter (being in my brain is literally hell). i live multichapter life very dangerously. i copy and paste lines or sections (always scattered, never together! augh!) that are meant to go together and plop them in a new document titled "band au ch.#" and then i structure the chapter around what i want to happen.

but to answer this question in the plainest of terms: yeah. i know exactly what's going to happen up until the very end. even if its all in my head and the only concrete shit that's written down are beats/plot points. i'll figure out the rest later!

7: How'd you decide it would be Hob's POV?

i actually never even considered writing it from Dream's POV. this was my first fic in the fandom (which is so nuts to think about lol) and writing in Dream's POV sounded so scary lol. i also just thought Hob's would be easier because i have worked a few backstage shows, back in my college years. i figured eh, i can make this work. and i loved exploring how weird and mysterious musicians can be, from a normie's POV. making Hob a fan first and having him worry about developing a parasocial relationship... it was fun to explore.

25: Share your favorite line

oh god, i have so many haha.

“What are you thinking about?” starting in ch.2 and onward lmao

“It’s–” Dream laughs quietly, bitterly. “I don’t like change.” He says each word with emphasis, eyes trailing down to fixate somewhere past Hob. “And I still hold onto the things I can control, like my instruments–” his eyes swing up to regard Hob apologetically. “Or my clothes or my–” he brings a hand up and wiggles his fingers around his head. “My hair.” ch.4

"His majesty is pleased." ch.5

“You are obsessive,” he states, slow and cool and with a quiet smile cracking through his composure. “Just like me.” ch.7

“You look good.” Hob has to lean in to say so, unwilling to raise his voice amongst the roar of the fans. ch.11

“Del looks like porcelain, but she’s actually made of steel.” Desire swirls the contents of their glass before pushing their shoulders back with a deep breath. “She's tougher than all of us.” ch.11

“Everything. I want…” his fingers tighten in Hob’s hair, pulling him closer, speaking against his lips. “…Everything.” ch.14

26: Share your favorite detail

how intentionally coy Dream behaves. i love keeping him a mystery and deciding when and how much to allow his intentions to peek through has been so fun lol.

Despair is in fact covered in tattoos and piercings! i say this because i feel like sometimes i forget lmao. (but also her and Hob don't interact much so. my bad haha).

Delirium's constant explosion of color in the way she dresses <3

Hob's dedication to his job, Dream, and the people he cares about the most. i don't care if people think i'm making him too soft and good, im gonna project on that man and make him a sweet, sweet simp lmao

and ah, this doesn't matter anymore, and i kinda regret doing it but. i originally had Dream's favorite bass all black but the pickguard was white. so it actually looked like Jessamy. not gonna lie when @designtheendless drew it all black i decided i liked it better that way. and truly i do. that's when i went back to ch.1 and changed it haha. to actually see the guitar with Dream, all done up sparkling black and purple flecks... gosh it's just so him. but then i got up to the reveal that the guitar's name was Jessamy and i was like, "oh, right." lmao. no one seems to care so i'll leave it be.

27: Share a piece of lore you made up for the story

i have a lot lmao. and this post is already so long... im hoping i can get to some if not all of it in side fics in the future. but for now, here's some that's more like headcanons but:

Dream hates flying. he can full on go into panic attacks on the plane if he allows himself to get into his own head.

this was mentioned briefly in ch.4, while Dream was discussing the formation of the band, but Despair was in another band before joining Endless. she is the only character in the fic who gets to keep her English roots (lol sorry) and is the oldest in the band (30).

all of the band members ages: Dream, Desire, and Death are all 28 and Delirium is 22.

Dream can experience subdrop after going too hard during a performance.

Dream paints his own nails, it's very therapeutic.

as an exercise, i explored my own headcanons for Dream in this verse in a word doc, and one thing i will share from it that you might find interesting: If I were to ever give Dream a theological values, I would describe him as a satanist. He is a physical and pragmatic person, nonconforming, and although he is introverted, he enjoys being a part of a community (he loves his band).

also found this in my notes: How Desire and Dream got along was Death making them fight it out. Hob raises an eyebrow “like in a brawl?” He couldn't imagine Desire throwing hands. “No, in a pillow fight that escalated in hair pulling and verbal taunts.”

fic writer asks

[nico-drawings]

You know, you start seeing a lot of reels and posts and shorts about a series and so you start to watch it. And you see how a lot of people like one character and it is really common to see this: men relating a lot to a male character that is badass and kicks ass and them looking up to him and wanting to be like him. And 90% of the time that character is a fucking piece of shit.

Well nothing could have preprared me for the gigantic asshole that is Daemon Targaryen. It is honestly impressive how many good things I have seen said about him AND HOW MUCH OF A HORRIBLE PERSON HE IS. OH MY GOD. I have heard so much stuff about how much Daemon is a great warrior and how much he loves his brother Viserys and how much he DOESN'T want the throne. And. No. For fuck's sake no. How can people look up to this absolute garbage of a man. I can make a LONG list of the awful things Daemon has done to people.

Season 1:

Episode 1:

- Sitting on Viserys' throne (not that bad, but it shows how much he respects his brother's title)

- Called his wife both ugly AND a bitch (sexist piece of shit)

- Made fun of the death of Otto's wife (Otto is a bastard that deserves it, but he's still an asshole to make fun of someone's mourning)

- Making Otto's knight trip after asking for Alicent's blessing just to humiliate the Hightowers even more (doing so by making the horse trip, fighting dirty is a dick move)

- Made a toast celebrating the death of Viserys' death, even calling him "Heir for a day" to mock him

Episode 2:

- Stole the egg of Viserys' dead son, basically spitting on his death again

Episode 3:

- Beat the shit out of a messanger because the little brat couldn't accept the fact that he was sucking so much at a war that his big brother had to send him reinforcements (yeah he won before they arrived, doesn't change the fact that it was quite literally a reaction at the level of a tantrum)

Episode 4:

- Called his wife a bitch AGAIN and joked about her being probably infertile due to being harsh and stuff like that

- Bringing his teen niece to a brothel, grooming her and having sex with her (hey, it does not matter if morality is different in Westeros and Rhaenera is technically an adult, THAT'S HIS NIECE THAT IS HALF HIS AGE. THERE'S A POWER INBALANCE HERE. AND NO, BECAUSE OTHER CHARACTERS DO IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER. VISERYS CAN GO DIE IN A DITCH AS WELL FOR HIS RELANTIONSHIP WITH ALICENT FOR ALL I CARE)

- Boosting about fucking his niece to her FATHER and then proposing a marriage with her, acting like she's a prize for his success in battle

Episode 5:

- Killing his wife (of course she wasn't manipulable so she had to die)

- Mocking the cousin of his wife about having her inheritance

- Almost started to make out with Rhaenyra in front of everyone at the banquet before her marriage

Episode 6:

Wow, actually nothing in this one. They even kept him from making the same choice Viserys made with Aemma.

Episode 7:

- Fucking his niece again, he just doesn't learn I see. Oh yeah and he marries her. I'm sure they won't be toxic.

Episode 8:

Wow nothing again. Unbelievable, I am surprised. Did his two wives help him become a decent person? It has been like more than 10 years between the start of episode 6 and the end of episode 8 so it could be.

Episode 9:

Nothing again, but he wasn't in it so.

Episode 10:

- HERE HE COMES BACK WITH THE STEELCHAIR! Calling Alicent a whore and telling Rhaenys what she should have done.

- Ignoring his wife screaming for him, what a great husband (god that birthing scene, why jesus christ)

- Basically commanding Rhaenyra's council of war like it's his, just like the conversation with Otto. This doesn't make him an asshole per se, but it is a great showing of not being able to read the room. If the entire conflict hinges upon the fact that her legitimacy is being discussed you shouldn't really talk like YOU are the boss instead of HER.

- Basically saying that Vyseris and Rhaenyra aren't good leaders in front of EVERYONE. This man is not smart. At ALL.

- Chocking Rhaenyra and saying Vyseris' reign was useless. He is pathetic beyond belief.

Season 2:

Episode1:

- Wow less than 5 minutes into season 2 and he's already kicking. Giving Rhaenis orders, undermining Rhaenyra's authority and basically telling Rhaenis that Luke's death is her fault.

- Treating both Mysaria and Erryk like shit.

- Not trying to be there for Rhaenyra for Luke's death not even for a second, not one word, nothing. I understand, Rhaenyra's pain doesn't help in a war, but the war in question hasn't been going on for not even a MONTH. And with the naval blockade and the loyalty of some of the clans they already struck back. You CAN hug your wife for 5 seconds due to the death of her son, you won't lose the war if you do.

- I know some people try to defend him by saying stuff like "Oh he just ordered to kill Aemond". Why would they kill the kid then. I'm not joking, why the kid ESPECIALLY? Do people really think a random rat killer would be smart enough to kill the prince because he, one day, would get on the throne? Why would he even care? Even the guard loyal to Daemon wouldn't care about that. Hell, Haelena would be more straightforward and reasonable for a random person, since she's an adult and she saw them. But no, the MALE child specifically to destroy the bloodline. Come on, Daemon ordered it, "a son for a son", he doesn't care if it's a child. And even if he didn't, and it's a huge if, it just shows how little in control he is. He is not able to do anything right.

Episode 2:

- Throws a tantrum, lashing out to Rhaenyra, insults Vyseris in front of her and basically tells her "You're only on the throne so that I wouldn't, you don't deserve it".

Episode 3:

- Taking an offense in being called "Prince" instead of "King". You are not the king boy, pipe down. The crown isn't yours. Ego piercing the clouds, seriously.

Episode 4:

- I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because he was tripping balls, but seriously? Killing young Rhaenyra? Yeah that's not a good look.

- He told a teen to kill his grandfather, and then said to his face that his family is shit.

- So you DO know that that Psycho of Aemond is basically you but 30 years younger.

Episode 5:

- "Daemon never wanted the crown!" His literal subconscious in the form of his mother (that he was fucking) told him he deserved it more than his brother. What else do you need?

- He scoofs anytime he is remembered that the crown isn't his.

- "The true heir of Viserys" he calls himself, he seems SO loyal to Rhaenyra (that's sarcasm)

Episode 6:

- The allucination with the Viserys conversation due to the "heir for a day" comment made me realize that he never apologized for it. Not once.

Episode 7:

Surprisingly nothing, I mean yeah he killed the Lord of the rivers with Alyn's help, but the man was to going to die anyway so. I don't know if it counts.

Episode 8:

Nothing again, not denying the treason proposal was fishy but at the end he bent the knee so all good.

Now that season 2 has ended and season 3 won't come out for a year or more, the list by episodes is over. I will use this to elaborate my thoughts.

Watching Daemon Targaryen in the series and seeing his reception by the fandom made me realize how the "media literacy is dead" is yes wrong but is also very justifiable as an opinion. Because the Daemon situation is really the last installment of this behaviour, especially from men: Walter White, the guy from American Psycho, hell even Ken from the Barbie movie. How much can these characters been latched onto, been seen as incredible and as a goal, while their entire purpose in the story is to have a giant glowing sign that reads "this is a bad person and this how they fit into our messed up society" or maybe they are part of a story and they are not there to be an omen, but they are very openly written to be bad people. Daemon falls into the second category. He has a very distinct role in the series and that's to be the ambigous guy with a giant ego, always understimating everyone around him, while constantly being punished for such way of thinking and arriving, at the end, at finding purpose in being under someone and serving them. Daemon is constantly dismissive towards other people: he thinks he's beneath everyone and everything. That he can do and say anything he likes. And he gets fucked every single time for it. He thought he could insult Vyseris' child, he got sent away. He thought he could steal his egg, he had soldiers and a dragon at his doorstep to take it back. He thought he could start a war at sea and win easily and he had to use Laenor's tactic to win or use Vyseris' troops, otherwise he would have lost horribly. He thought he could have his way with Rhaenyra, he was banished for it. He thought he could command his second wife, ignore her desires and choose for her, she made her own dragon burn her alive in order to make a choice for herself. He thought he could take revenge for Rhaenyra and hurt the greens, he not only gave an order so shallow that it could have been misinterpreted but Rhaenyra was disgusted by it and it ruined her reputation throught the seven kingdoms. He thought he could make the Blackwoods kill their rivals without a problem, if the young Tally hadn't grew balls the size of Caraxes the entirety of the River people wouldn't have followed him even if the dragon was about to burn them all alive.

THAT is who Daemon is: an incompetent, egomaniac that is constantly needed to be reminded that he ain't shit.

And yet so many people think he's the most badass character in the show. They think he's a loving brother, a great husband, a genius when it comes to war and a great warrior. All of those things, Daemon Targaryen is not.

And if you enjoy him as a character, well I only have one thing to say to you: that's fine. Because Daemon is written BEAUTIFULLY. He is coherent to a fault.

You can see that he loves Vyseris, but he's a psycho that has never respected him so he constantly hurts him because he's a piece of shit.

He doesn't respect Rhaenyra because to him she's always gonna be a child because Daemon is a groomer. She is also not fit to be queen because she's like Vyseris, someone that Daemon never thought to be a good king, and he wasn't entirely wrong. Because, mind you, if Vyseris had a backbone, Daemon would have lost his head. He got too many chances.

Daemon will always envy Rhaenyra because in a way he was always seeking Vyseris' attention, he always wanted to be praised by him, but he always wanted to be praised for being HIMSELF, hence why he never tried to act as Vyseris would have liked. He wanted Vyseris to like Daemon, not the Daemon that acted like Vyseris would have wanted.

Daemon could never be in a good relantionship because he can't respect anyone else outside of himself. His first wife was his equal. In no way that woman would have bent to his will. His second wife was more accomodating, but she had pride in herself and at the end choose for herself. And Rhaenyra? She's supposed to be BENEATH him, he could never accept that.

Daemon can never shut his mouth because to him, being himself is more important than reason. My brother is mad at me for maybe having fucked his daughter? Well I'll double down, I have every right to get her- oh he banished me. The entirery of the conflict revolves around my wife's claim being questioned? Well I want to fight this war in this way, so I'll give orders, go to Harrenal to build an army and win by myself- oh one of her council members has come here to ask me to betray her and lead the war because he doesn't believe she's good enough to lead.

You can almost always predict Daemon before he speaks or acts, that's how well he was written. And it is also very EASY to see how he was written. Seriously, his actions are up there, they have been documented episode by episode, if you still don't see it I don't know what to tell you. Anyone that has seen him throw a fit for not being called King is seriously still trying to say that he didn't want the crown? HIS FIRST SCENE IN THE ENTIRE SERIES WAS HIM ON THE IRON THRONE.

ONLY. And I repeat, ONLY in the last episode Daemon has let go. Only then. Because he finally realized, due to the visions: "Okay I need to get my shit together, this is bigger than me" and it took a vision of quite literally zombies killing a dragon and marching towards the world of the living to make Daemon Targaryen lower his head.

I repeat: this is not a post about Daemon being a shitty character and me saying that his fans are dumb. It is, however, a post about how men have, once again, latched onto a toxic and objectively bad male character in a show and ignored 90% of how he was written in order to have a cool character to kin. It is also about people not being able to. Understand writing because saying "Daemon never wanted the crown" is like saying "Aegon always wanted the crown" and I think we all know he never wanted it.

Also also, this post, about making a list of all the bad things a character has done, can be done about a lot of other characters, I am aware. But no other character in this show has been read as wrongly and has been lifted so high as Daemon has.

[comfortlesshurt]

alrighty, I locked in for a couple days and now I get to reward myself by yelling into the tumblr void about the series progress

first off, there are TWO FICS over 50% done, v exciting stuff. I know they've been over 50% for a bit now, but like... let me have my motivation, okay? we are in the HARD PART of the project where it all looks overwhelming, so I'll take the wins I can

also tex fic is finished and through round 1 of editing. it still needs another major edit and i need to finish fic 1 to make sure no info conflicts between the two, but the serious work for that is done

there are a few more days left before NotNaNo, but even going in with today's word counts, focusing on fics 1 and 2 should put them pretty close to finished by the end of November unless I was super off with the word count estimate

also had a really good writing day yesterday!

ignore those date projections at the bottom because like... those assume either i write 3k every day or i write 3k twice a week and 1.2k the other 5 days, and I canNOT do that consistently. but that July 23rd date is realistic! that's me continuing to hit my average based on the past 106 days since starting this project, so there's a good chance I finish this project in a total of just over a year (in which case I will never shut up about writing 450k in a year, so watch out)

finally, fic 1 is a huge portion of that daily par number in the first row, so... unless I fall majorly away from the intended timeline, that required daily par will go down a LOT at the end of december, which will be nice. the goal is still to focus a lot on this project and only really jump over to side projects as they call to me, but it's easier to do that when your average isn't struggling to keep up with your daily par number. it simply does not feel good to be constantly working just to barely get over the par.

as far as editing, i'm starting to fear i didn't budget enough time for that in my early projections, so the timeline might be off there. those due dates listed are for the final rough draft, which doesn't get a chance to rest before immediately going into a month of editing. something just tells me now that a month isn't going to be enough to cover a content edit for each fic. it's also relying on the technical edits being done week-to-week as each chapter goes up.

also added one more tracking tool recently:

this is to look at all the projects week-to-week, and really what it's done is made it obvious that I am in fact very focused on fic 1 lmao. in my defense, that's the one that has consistently had the highest required par, so it's easy to treat it as the most important. also, up to 27-aug is rough. I started writing these fics in Word, so I didn't have day-to-day stats to go back and check. I could only find those once I switched to Reedsy, so for the record I did not write 54k between 20-aug and 27-aug. same with the tex fic--that wasn't all written in one week.

this chart still only looks at ILaD progress, so you can see where I take my break in October and it cuts down a lot... but that's excluding the 10k that went into an unrelated fic, so I don't think taking this break has actually cut down on my writing much. it's just made me have a better time with it temporarily. i took a couple days off writing completely during October but like... I didn't really enjoy that? so I don't think that's the solution I'm looking for long-term.

anyway, thanks for coming to my ted talk. i will infodump again, and probably soon since all the end of the month posts are coming up in the next week.

[it-is-i-zim]

So I've decided to make a Captain Boomerang reading list

Here it is I guess. I'm only doing a Post-Flashpoint reading list cuz I'm not a fan of Pre-Flashpoint content for Captain Boomerang. Especially in terms of the 1987 Suicide Squad. But I will I guess put down Identity Crisis, because while it's not a very good story for Captain Boomerang and he acts super out of character, it's still technically canon I guess???? With the exception of Owen Mercer???? It's weird. I guess it's not really a reading list though, just a bunch of comics he shows up in???? I will be completely ignoring some though just because I didn't like them very much.

Identity Crisis #2

Identity Crisis #3

Identity Crisis #4

Identity Crisis #5

Knight Terrors: Robin #1

Knight Terrors: Robin #2

(The above comics aren't great for showcasing his personality. In fact in Knight Terrors: Robin #2 I think he literally only shows up as just like... the legs of his corpse. Again. Not great. The below comics are a lot better for him)

Robin (1993) #62

Robin (1993) #63

Robin (1993) #64

Okay so I know the above comics are Post Crisis comics, but they still give him a better characterization than the 1987 Suicide Squad comics.

Suicide Squad (2011) #3

Suicide Squad (2011) #4

Suicide Squad (2011) #12

Suicide Squad (2011) #13

Suicide Squad (2011) #14

Suicide Squad (2011) #15

Suicide Squad (2011) #16

Suicide Squad (2011) #24

Suicide Squad (2011) #25

Suicide Squad (2011) #27

Suicide Squad (2011) #28

Suicide Squad (2011) #29

He was sort of in and out of the 2011 comics. Also I must point out that one of the writers in #27. That is not Owen Mercer. That's still Digger Harkness. Don't know how the writer made that mistake but whatever.

And now here is where he actually starts to show up a bit more. Personally I'd recommend reading all of the New Suicide Squad because it gives you just a bit more info but Captain Boomerang doesn't show up until the New Suicide Squad #5

New Suicide Squad #5

New Suicide Squad #6

New Suicide Squad #7

New Suicide Squad #8

New Suicide Squad #9

New Suicide Squad #10

New Suicide Squad #11

New Suicide Squad #12

New Suicide Squad Annual #1

The Flash (2016) #18

The Flash (2016) #19

New Suicide Squad #13

New Suicide Squad #14

New Suicide Squad #15

New Suicide Squad #16

New Suicide Squad #17

New Suicide Squad #19

New Suicide Squad #20

New Suicide Squad #21

By this point I will also state that it's a good idea to read Suicide Squad (2016) issues #3-#5 as well as #9, #23, and #24 in the order in which they appear (#3 after #47. I put #47 after #2 because of the little section within the last 8 pages of #2) (#9 is between #8 and Justice League VS Suicide Squad #1) (#23 you read after #22, and #24 after #23) (#26 you can skip. It's part of a different arc entirely and idk where it starts or stops) (And then wíth #45 and #46, while it is definitely part of the Suicide Squad story, you aren't hindered by ignoring it entirely and Captain Boomerang wasn't there at all)

Suicide Squad: Rebirth

Suicide Squad (2016) #1

Suicide Squad (2016) #2

Suicide Squad (2016) #47

Suicide Squad (2016) #6

Suicide Squad (2016) #7

Suicide Squad (2016) #8

Justice League VS Suicide Squad #1

Justice League VS Suicide Squad #2

Justice League VS Suicide Squad #3

Justice League VS Suicide Squad #4

Justice League VS Suicide Squad #5

Justice League VS Suicide Squad #6

Suicide Squad (2016) #10

Suicide Squad (2016) #11

Suicide Squad (2016) #12

Suicide Squad (2016) #13

Suicide Squad (2016) #14

Suicide Squad (2016) #15

Suicide Squad (2016) #16

Suicide Squad (2016) #17

Suicide Squad (2016) #18

Suicide Squad (2016) #19

Suicide Squad (2016) #20

Suicide Squad (2016) #21

Suicide Squad (2016) #22

Suicide Squad (2016) #25

Suicide Squad (2016) #27

Suicide Squad (2016) #28

Suicide Squad (2016) #29

Suicide Squad (2016) #30

Suicide Squad (2016) #31

Suicide Squad (2016) #32

Suicide Squad (2016) #33

Suicide Squad (2016) #34

Suicide Squad (2016) #35

Suicide Squad (2016) #36

Suicide Squad (2016) #37

Suicide Squad (2016) #38

Suicide Squad (2016) #39

Suicide Squad (2016) #40

Suicide Squad (2016) #41

Suicide Squad (2016) #42

Suicide Squad (2016) #43

Suicide Squad (2016) #44

Suicide Squad (2016) #48

Suicide Squad (2016) #49

Suicide Squad (2016) #50

I'd also read all of the 2019 Suicide Squad (below) but I didn't even really do that and I was mostly fine. Captain Boomerang only showed up in #4 and #5 but that story, as well as Captain Boomerang, continued on into The Flash Annual #3

Suicide Squad (2019) #4

Suicide Squad (2019) #5

The Flash (2016) Annual #3

Aquaman and The Flash: Voidsong #1 (the only modern comic that I've found so far where you actually see him fighting the Flash)

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #4 (not in but it's important. Also only the Harcourt story. Must read some time after Suicide Squad [2016] #17. Preferably after you read The Flash Annual #3 because it takes place some time after that)

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #5 (also not in but it's still important. Also only the Harcourt story)

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #6 (last issue so far, but he might show up in issue 7 cuz issue 6 leaves with a cliffhanger. Will update if he does show up. If he dies I will just get rid of this but entirely because fuck that. Also only the Harcourt Story still.)

Edit: He did not show up in issue 7. They, in fact, just ended it with a gun pointed to his head. Wtf. George deserves so much better than this. 😤

Below comics are just ones I enjoyed but idk specifically where they fit into the canon, not that canon even matters.

Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #16

Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #17

Suicide Squad Special: War Crimes

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #1 (For Deadshot and Katana)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #2 (For Deadshot and Katana)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #3 (For Deadshot and Katana)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #4 (For Deadshot and Katana)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #5 (For Deadshot and Katana)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Deadshot and Katana #6 (For Deadshot and Katana)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Amanda Waller #5 (Amanda Waller Part Only)

Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Amanda Waller #6 (Amanda Waller Part Only)

(I know Captain Boomerang is in Suicide Squad Most Wanted: El Diablo and Boomerang #1 and #2, but he was not characterized very well in my opinion so for the life of me, I cannot recommend the comic at all.)

Comics he has 0 personality in but his design was so bomb that I cannot recommend it enough (someone please draw Captain Boomerang from Harley screws up the DCU. PLEASE!!! I'm on my knees begging. I don't care if you don't even remove the parasite on his face at this point. It's too much of a good design to waste)

Batman: Urban Legends #17

Multiversity: Harley Screw Screw Up the DCU #3

Multiversity: Harley Screw Screw Up the DCU #4

Multiversity: Harley Screw Screw Up the DCU #5

Multiversity: Harley Screw Screw Up the DCU #6

[harley-rose25]

Explaining how/why Eren is a psychopath/sociopath for funnsies (it's a very long post)

So, some days ago I was thinking about how whenever I or anyone else says we think Eren Yeager has some kind of cluster B personality disorder someone shows up to tell us we are wrong and don't understand the character; but, then I realized that I haven't actually explained my reasons and why I think this, so here's this post to do just that.

first of all, I think, when I say Eren is a psychopath/has aspd/whatever you wanna call it people think that I'm saying Eren is evil, that he's just an evil psycho that decided to do the rumbling and murder billions of people cause he's just an evil monster and that's it; there's no reason other than he just wanted to kill billions of people, thought it'd be fun. That is not what I'm saying. First of all, I don't believe that people with ASPD are necessarily bad people. I'm not making a judgment on Eren moral character, rather I'm presenting my theory on one factor that makes Eren the way he is, and really it's all just for fun.

My understanding of ASPD is based on the DSM-5 (my copy of the DSM-5 was printed in 2013) and various accounts from people diagnosed with ASPD, but I'm not a professional so, obviously, this isn't meant to be educational. I will also note that technically a person can not be diagnosed with ASPD until they are 18 years of age; but, since Eren is not a real person (in this reality) and we aren't actually diagnosing anyone, we are going to ignore that.

I will list the criteria for ASPD and indicated which one I believe apply to Eren and which ones don't.

According to the DSM-5 the criteria for ASPD are as follows: A. "A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of of the rights of others as indicated by 3 or more of the following"

"Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behavior, as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest" Yes. I'm gonna say this one does pertain Eren. Him murdering 3 people is a pretty substantial example of an act that would be grounds for arrest, He also makes attempts to physically assault people on at least 2 occasions in the 1st two episodes. One being an old man and the other a Military officer, this showing his disregard for authority. His disregard is also shown when he is disappointed that Levi actually follows orders, and again when he's about the disregard orders himself and transform during the female titan chase, and then also basically all of season 4.

"deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure." No, but also Yes, actually. I don't think Eren is ever really deceitful other than not telling anyone about the future memories or about the the royal blood titan Dina; which was to protect Historia (and also I think to prevent the military from attempting to feed him to someone else and thus preventing him from actually accomplishing anything) and his infiltration into Marley, but since that was an undercover military operation (that was un authorized and that he just decided to do himself) deceitfulness in these instances is not indicative of a pattern of behavior. Although the fact that he lied by omission for 4 years while creating a cult following to form a coupe that would take over the government shows that he is very capable and willing to be extremely deceitful when it suites his goals. So, actually Yes this kinda does apply to Eren.

"Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead." Yes. See Eren's entire character. Ok, he actually is really good at long term planning and maintaining a goal; see Him deciding to join the scouts at like 8 and then never wavering and following through on that at (what 14?) See basically all of season 4. However, Eren is impulsive and doesn't plan ahead, in the moment. He is emotionally charged and as such will charge into situations without thinking and without considering the consequences.

"Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults." Yes. See Eren attempting to assault an old man in the 1st episode, also attempting to assault a military officer in the 2nd, also see him violently headbutting Mikasa in (the 4th or 5th??)

"Reckless disregard for safety of self or others." Yes. See Eren's entire character. He's called a suicidal maniac for a reason. He does also seem to have a slight disregard for others safety, not because he doesn't care about them, he wants them to be safe, but it seems that his valuing others doesn't temper his actions; however, I think this fits better as evidence under criteria number 3.

"Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations." No, I don't think this one applies to Eren.

"Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another" If you asked someone to explain what ASPD or psychopathy is I think there's a pretty high chance they'll say something about lack of remorse, and Yes, this one does, also, apply to Eren. See him murdering 3 adult men and immediately justifying it (whether or not you agree that the 3 human trafficker's deserved what they got isn't relevant.) , see Eren killing a bunch of people by throwing Annie onto a building and then never even mentioning it (that might be anime only Idk; I heard that fight was different in the manga)

So according to the DSM-5 You need 3 of the above 7 criteria; Eren has 5 or 6. If He existed in the real world he would 100% be diagnosed with some kind of cluster B personality disorder if not ASPD. On to some other points that aren't listed as criteria in the DSM-5; I've watched/viewed contend by a number of people diagnosed with ASPD; so, some things I've noted:

People with ASPD often suffer from boredom; They are bored easily. and Kid Eren was also very bored

They also tend to have 'dead eyes' or eyes that look empty and without emotion. It might be weird to link this to Eren because his Bright and expressive Teal Eyes are like one of his defining features but look at His eyes as a kid and especially before meeting Armin, before Mikasa, before Armin shows him the book and tells him about his dream to see the outside world. Before any of this Eren's eyes are pretty dead.

I've seen people argue that its because of the world he lives in. That the violence and trauma of the world he's in makes him this way. I disagree; I think that the world being the way it is in AOT is what gives Eren a semblance or normalcy. Fighting Titans gives him something to do and focus his aggression on. I think one way to tell if a character behavior is because of the world or because of their innate self is to compare them to other people in that world and the other people we see in AOT don't have the same or really even a very similar mind to Eren. He is clearly abnormal.

I could probably say more but I'm gonna stop... for now at least.

[cassiasims]

list of top 10 noncanon witherward universe ships as cooked up by tumblr user cee cassiasims:

1) eliot/ollivan. the og ‘wouldn’t it be funny’ rarepair. in an imaginary universe with witherward book 3 where they inevitably would’ve met (ollivan self-exiling to france and eliot daydreaming about visiting paris/mentioning how easy it is to dimension hop back to the witherward using portals in other countries is Not a coincidence) i would be so fucking insufferable about them. i am already insufferable about them. them having sex would make everyone’s lives worse including their own and i cannot help but root for it

2) ollivan/virgil/lev. far more problematic than ollivan/virgil (which will also appear on this list) for the sole reason of dragging lev into it. exists purely in my mind as a one off threesome that temporarily ruins ollivan’s friendship with them both and makes everything worse overall, much to lev’s disappointment. also virgil being the centre of a love triangle is just a really funny concept to me so

3) eliot/cassia. let’s just set aside the fact that cassia is a comphet lesbian for a moment. or maybe don’t! so many fun flavours for this one. hooking up all along while she’s with gedeon….right person wrong time….unrequited crush on eliot’s end that just leads to resentment….just walk with me for a moment. eliot/cassia is like the stem cell of witherward ships it can be anything you want it to be 💜

4) hester/alana. PROBLEMATIC AGE GAP YURI now cheer. ok yeah i guess alana could’ve had ollivan and cassia young and maybe the gap isn’t that big but still. i think they have messy hate sex and also i think hester is a stone top. came to me in a dream. technically they were in a room together that one time at fisk’s ball so it’s possible!!!

5) ollivan/virgil. really important to me that everyone knows this was canon TO ME given ollivan’s weird fucking resentment over virgil “abandoning” him to get a boyfriend but we’ll work with the letter of the law here. in my head this is a deliberate foil to the canon onesided jasper/ollivan with ollivan being in unrequited love with boybestie virgil. and also i think they fooled around a bit before virgil started seeing lev but neither of them deeped it that much. honestly this ship is like the foundation that enabled all my other non-canon insanity so we have a lot to thank it for

6) eliot/fowler. hatesex + the inherent eroticism of fucking your father’s murderer. makes so much sense it’s almost boring. next

7) ilsa/cassia. a bit weird since ilsa is famously the sister of cassia’s ex but that’s kind of a recurrent problem with the femslash ships in this series so i just ignore it. cassia canonically has a huge friendcrush on ilsa it isn’t hard to take it from there. see eliot/fowler on ‘makes so much sense it’s almost boring.’ next!

8) sybella/lev/virgil. another ship that exists because i think it’d be funny to psychologically torture ollivan (lev and virgil finally open their relationship but to his EX and not him). but also there’s a vision here…ollivan did promise society secretary to lev and virgil and presumably they got the position when sybella got promoted to president after ollivan left. and they do search camden together as a group of 3 in wayward. i think virgil is honestly just lev-sexual but if he’s tolerating any third it’s sybella tbh they have complementary personalities. and also it’s funny

9) sybella/cassia: another ‘let’s give ollivan psychic damage’ ship, this time with his ex gf and his baby sister. but also there’s roots here…sybella and cassia genuinely do have a lot in common and sybella advocates for cassia a lot in wayward. and also i think cassia needs someone firm to shock her into her gay awakening. did i mention it’d kill ollivan

10) eliot/cassia/gedeon: maybe polyamory could’ve saved them. probably not but it’s fun to try. plus you can call them the zoo trio and that’s so cute. if this were going down a canon friendly slant it’d be eliot as cassia and gedeon’s third but idgaf. in my fantasy world gedeon waits hopefully outside cassia’s bedroom door in case she graciously allows him to be her and eliot’s third once in a blue moon. and that should be respected.

[zermizo]

you [erased some that were weird tho] 3. do you miss anyone? 4. what are you looking forward to? 5. is there anyone who can always make you smile? 6. is it hard for you to get over someone? 7. what was your life like last year? 8. have you ever cried because you were so annoyed? 9. who did you last see in person? 10. are you good at hiding your feelings? 11. are you listening to music right now? 12. what is something you want right now? 13. how do you feel right now? 15. personality description 16. have you ever wanted to tell someone something but you didn’t? 17. opinion on insecurities. 18. do you miss how things were a year ago 19. have you ever been to New York? 20. what is your favourite song at the moment? 21. age and birthday? 23. fear(s) 24. height 25. role model 26. idol(s) 27. things i hate 28. i’ll love you if… 29. favourite film(s) 30. favourite tv show(s) 31. 3 random facts 32. are your friends mainly girls or guys? 33. something you want to learn 34. most embarrassing moment 35. favourite subject 36. 3 dreams you want to fulfill? 37. favourite actor/actress 38. favourite comedian(s) 39. favourite sport(s) 40. favourite memory 41. relationship status 42. favourite book(s) 43. favourite song ever 44. age you get mistaken for 45. how you found out about your idol 46. what my last text message says 49. where i want to be right now 50. favourite picture of your idol 51. starsign 52. something i’m talented at 53. 5 things that make me happy 54. something thats worrying me at the moment 55. tumblr friends 56. favourite food(s) 57. favourite animal(s) 58. description of my best friend 59. why i joined tumblr 60. do you have a funny joke [[i zoned out during the organization proccess so if there are any asks you're uncomfortable w, just ignore them]]

3 bird

4 end of the day

5 you

6 sometimes

7 alot more naive to to internet interaction

8 yes

9 technically my brother

10 yes

11 no

12 rather not say

13 annoyed and angry

15 idk

16 yes

17 it's ok to be insecure it's only human

18 id rather die then go back to how it was

19 nope

20 butchers vanity

21 age 14, bday 26 nov

23 spiders

24 idk where a tape measure is so im just gonna assume it's like 178-179 cm maybe

25 brother

26 idk

27 list is long and i don't feel like writing all that

28 elaborate

29 wonka i guess

30 i got nothing

31 mosquitoes are attached to potassium, if you dissolve styrofoam in nail polish cleaner you get napalm, in fallout 4 everyone likes artificial gorillas

32 all of you guys are nonbinary or trans so idk

33 drums

34 to many to count rather not think of them

35 like school? uhh biology i guess

36 i got nothing

37 nobody

38 nobody

39 dodgeball

40 found a bird outside my doot hurt and had a zip tie around it's leg so i helped it to the best of my ability

41 aromantic

42 im reading how to kill a mockingbird so i guess that

43 can't choose

44 10-17

45 n/a

46 Ily<3/p

49 same spot my home but alone

50 n/a

51 idk and im too lazy to look it up again

52 ¯⁠\[•-•]/⁠¯

53 uhhhh talking to you, being around animals, sleeping, talking to friends in general, playing games

55 uhh you,Large,Axel i don't think i interact with alot of my moots

56 eggs

57 bird, dog, cat

58 well unable? describe your self

59 deltarune

60 nothing at the moment

[read-and-write-]

Weekend WIP game

I was tagged by @daisymae-12 @happiness-of-the-pursuit @suseagull04 @inexplicablymine @gay-flyboys @rockyroadkylers thank you for the tag!

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more). (questions for artists/gifmakers here).

1. WIP List: This WIP list truly is just based on vibes, this is every fic that has made itself a place in my google docs, notes app, discord chat or voice note that's longer than 2 minutes (or all of them)

let's ignore the fact only two of them have real titles

two bros chilling on the ice 5 feet apart 'cause they're rivals (Figure Skating AU)

High School AU

Super Six and the Siren's Call

Spiderman AU

June, a child of divorce character study

MasterChef Celebrity AU

Carved within the beauty, the darkness in between

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest?

Super Six and the Siren's Call, it's HEFTY, it's CHONKY, it's 40k+ words and growing

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest?

Either Super Six and the Siren's Call or two bros chilling on the ice(...) mostly because the outline for both is BIG

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

I love writing Super Six and the Sirens Call, writing with @inexplicablymine and @happiness-of-the-pursuit it's really one of the biggest highlights of the AU, we get excited together whenever we get to write something new, we yell at each other (with love) and it's really just very fun

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

two bros chlling on the ice(...) it's a 30 chapter outline that I am tackling on my own, and on top of that I am applying to myself the level of nitpicky I apply every time I read a figure skating au because I always want them to be as accurate as possible.

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why?

two bros chlling on the ice(...) I feel like even for myself I have set up very high expectations in many aspects, and when I sit down to write sometimes I just think that maybe it might just not be enough.

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why?

Compared to my life before now I do try to have betas for almost every fic, mostly for grammar reasons since I need it. Now long fics are generally the ones where I know I could not do without betas at all.

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block?

High School AU kind of crashed before it started, I had an idea and a plan but then many things happened that left it in a space where no words are coming out anymore

and figure skating au but i am really having a mind set of ojos que no ven corazón que no siente

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

Is it really an OC if it's someone's family member who would technically exist in canon? asjdjsdhs let's say yes

Alex's abuelita in SSASC, truly one of my favourites, I am really enjoying writing her and also giving her more lore than would be known, with that being said anything else is a spoiler so stay tuned and find out yourself!

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

I don't write smut but people have called my outlines sexy!

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

June character study probably, follows the same path that Alex's fic did, just a walk through June's relationship with her parents divorce and her role in the family as a mediator.

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)?

Super Six and the Siren's call really does have a very interesting characterization, there's something about putting your blorbos in different worlds and dangerous situations that brings out the best in them.

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)?

Yes, yes I've mentioned it everywhere Super Six and the Sirens Call, I love the setting for this one, I love all the places they go to, the one's they mention, it's great

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

Super Six and the Siren's Call, next to Rhys and Beas we have done a hella ton of world building, investigation, writing, rewriting, editing, planning out promotional material.

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why?

two bros chlling on the ice(...) it's a long, long fic with a trope and a setting many people like. I try really hard not to create any expectations because in the end what people think it's something I can't control and yet.

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

I have not dreamt about these ones but I do dream about fics all the time, and also just about writing fics.

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't?

I think to a degree most long fics I want to write have complexities that a one-shot doesn't have. But let's say two bros chlling on the ice(...) because what I am going to say is very true for it.

In the narrative aspect there's a lot of thought that needs to be placed in how the story gets hold, divide the chapters in a way that enriches the story instead of dragging it down

Another aspect is that despite everything I find myself not familiar enough with the general environment where these characters are placed aka I'm not American so a lot of investigation and asking a lot of questions needs to come into place before writing because I want to be as faithful as possible.

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour?

I'd like to believe I am always hilarious

Super Six and the Sirens Call it's a group effort of mixing feelings and jokes, it really has some very funny lines in it but I can't take credit for them really

I think two bros chlling on the ice(...) also has a fair share of humour if beta comments are anything to go by

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process?

Super Six and the Sirens Call has a fair amount of outsiders POVs that I have found to be very fun to write, try out the new voices and see how the world looks through others people's eyes.

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs.

-MasterChef Celebrity AU has a plan to mix both prose and TV scripts as a way to tell the story, and it's not about two participants

-SpiderMan AU is a 5+1, and I want it to be a long one while still falling under the realm of what can be considered a one shot

No pressure tags and sorry if you've already done this c: @14carrotghoul @raysletters @heybuddy-drabbles @cricketnationrise @moondal514 @littlemisskittentoes and an open tag for anyone else who wants to do it!

[saint-starflicker]

My Top 10 dark academia stageplays:

#10 Cleansed by Sarah Kane

This playwright is known for deconstructions of stageplays themselves. Kane's later works replaced characters with voices, or did away with settings, and became so avant-garde that they weren't shows anymore but experiences. While Cleansed still had something like a plot or characters, it's a surrealist story set at a university—according to the script—that nobody treats as a university because they're only trapped there by a serial-killer torturer man. It is gory, depending on the stage effects budget many audience members are prone to walk out, but if you can withstand the shows of violence then you might find that there is meaningfulness at every instance of it.

#9 Rope's End by Patrick Hamilton

The morality of murder as discussed by elitist post-grads. I think The Secret History fans would like this for the similar themes. There was a movie adaptation in 1948 directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

#8 The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman

There is a movie version from 1961 that I consider "malicious compliance" to the Hays Code policy of bury-your-lesbians. The doomed-to-death character was not a bad person, and an intolerant society is worse off for having lost her.

#7 The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel

Tilly Hunsdorfer has a science fair project to put together, but her home life continues a legacy of child abuse. I have not watched the 1972 film adaptation, but the internet has informed me of its existence.

#6 The Awakening of Spring by Frank Wedekind

Written in 1891, translated into English by Edward Bond in 1974, again by Ted Hughes in 1995, and translated/adapted by Anya Reiss in 2014. When young people aren't guided and educated about facts of life that are traditionally ignored or repressed, then their actions become destructive. There was a very popular Broadway musical adaptation and American Sign Language revival, but I'm trying to keep to listing stageplays that are not musicals.

#5 Proof by David Auburn

A father and daughter duo are mathematicians who figuratively walk a tightrope between genius and madness. There was a movie adaptation in 2005.

#4 Master Class by Terrence McNally

This might not technically be a musical, because the featured songs are selected from other operas that Callas starred in, so I'm including this on the list. A retired opera singer, the legendary Maria Callas, teaches a room full of opera singers. Each song they select to perform sets off a series of monologues from the impassioned Callas about her life, portraying wartime poverty through to the betrayal of torrid love affairs, and how her voice was a gift and a curse.

#3 Educating Rita by Willy Russell

This is much more on the academia side than the dark side, but I think people that liked Dead Poets Society 1989 for the themes will like this stageplay or it's 1983 movie adaptation.

#2 Arcadia by Tom Stoppard

In the year 1809, the honorable Septimus Hodge tutors a teenaged gentlewoman with a keen interest in mathematics and physics. In 1993, two historians and a mathematician stay at the estate and try to find out what happened there between 1809 and 1813: sword duels, extramarital affairs, secret letters, famous poets, and how the brilliant Thomasina died tragically young and unsung. They clash with regards to academic "office politics" and the importance of the humanities versus the sciences.

Honorable Mentions:

The History Boys by Alan Bennett

In terms of how this stageplay and the 2006 movie adaptation tackles social issues, it's technically better than Dead Poets Society on every count: directly confronting misogyny and racism in academia, and having canonically queer boys and men in a convoluted relationship triangle as they try to prepare for university entrance examinations. There is a death. The History Boys absolutely qualifies as the genre Dark Academia. At the same time, I cannot recommend it because the way one main thread of subplot was handled really bothered me.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile by Steve Martin

While this list got much less dark from Proof on downwards, this might also be less academic. Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso meet at a café, the eponymous "Lapin Agile", and banter with the entire cast of characters about their life and philosophies. I found the entire play both funny and fun, and I really think it gets the neurons firing in sparkly ways.

Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley

At a Catholic school, a nun tries to prevent a priest from further interfering sexually with one of their students. The stageplay keeps the audience in doubt(!) about whether or not he did what he was accused of, as the story spirals into explorations of faith, race, sexual orientation, pragmatism versus principle, and whether what we're shown in our limited ways to witness can really be what it is. There was a movie adaptation in 2008 starring Meryl Streep.

#1

I don't actually know what to put here. Recommend a stageplay that you think belongs in this spot.

[judebernie]

Top 10 Digital Marketing Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Fix Them)

Let’s be real—digital marketing can feel like a maze, especially when you're just starting out. With algorithms changing like the weather and tools launching every other week, it’s easy to trip up.

But here’s the good news: mistakes are just stepping stones if you know how to fix them.

So, whether you're running your own brand, managing client campaigns, or just dipping your toes into this wild world of digital marketing, here are the Top 10 digital marketing mistakes to avoid—plus how to bounce back from them like a pro.

🧱 1. Trying to Be Everywhere at Once

The Mistake:

“Should I be on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest…?” Sound familiar?

A lot of beginners (and even pros!) fall into the trap of trying to be present on every platform. The result? Burnout, scattered energy, and mediocre results.

The Fix:

Pick 2 platforms where your audience hangs out most. Go deep, not wide. Learn the platform, its trends, and how your audience interacts there. Once you're confident, then explore expanding to others.

🕵️‍♀️ 2. Ignoring Your Target Audience

The Mistake:

Creating content without a clear picture of who it's for is like shouting into the void. If you try to speak to everyone, you speak to no one.

The Fix:

Create a buyer persona—think of your ideal customer. What's their age? Interests? Pain points? Where do they hang out online? Tools like HubSpot’s Make My Persona can help with this. Tailor your messaging like you’re talking directly to them.

💡 3. Focusing on Selling, Not Helping

The Mistake:

Buy now. Shop here. Limited offer! These are fine… sometimes. But if all your content sounds like a sales pitch, people will scroll away.

The Fix:

Focus on adding value first. Teach. Inspire. Entertain. Use the 80/20 rule—80% of your content should be helpful or entertaining, and only 20% should promote your offer. Think “how can I help?” before “how can I sell?”

🔎 4. Neglecting SEO

The Mistake:

You post awesome content, but no one sees it. Why? Because it’s not optimized for search engines.

The Fix:

Learn basic SEO. Use keywords your audience is searching for (use Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner). Optimize titles, meta descriptions, and headers. And don’t forget about alt text for images. SEO might feel technical, but once you get the hang of it—it’s a total game-changer.

🧠 5. Not Using Data to Guide Decisions

The Mistake:

Creating content based on what you think works instead of what actually does.

The Fix:

Let analytics be your best friend. Use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or Instagram analytics to track what’s working. Look at which posts get the most engagement, where your traffic comes from, and what times your audience is online. Adjust based on facts, not feelings.

📆 6. Inconsistent Posting

The Mistake:

Posting five times one week… then going MIA for a month.

Consistency builds trust and keeps your brand top-of-mind. When you ghost your audience, they forget you.

The Fix:

Create a content calendar. Plan your content weekly or monthly. Use tools like Notion, Trello, or Google Sheets. Automate where you can with schedulers like Buffer or Metricool. Even posting just 3 times a week consistently is better than random bursts.

🎯 7. Skipping the CTA (Call-to-Action)

The Mistake:

You write an amazing post… and then leave your readers hanging. No next step. No direction.

The Fix:

Always include a clear CTA. It doesn’t have to be salesy. Ask them to comment, share, visit your website, or check out a freebie. Your audience needs a little nudge—give it to them.

🏗️ 8. Not Building an Email List

The Mistake:

Relying only on social media to connect with your audience. Remember: you don’t own your followers—Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok does.

The Fix:

Start building your email list early. Offer a lead magnet like a free eBook, checklist, or discount in exchange for emails. Use tools like Mailchimp, Brevo, or ConvertKit. Email lets you build a direct line with your audience—on your terms.

🎥 9. Ignoring Video Content

The Mistake:

Thinking video is “too hard,” “too expensive,” or “not your thing.” Here’s the truth: video is dominating every platform—reels, shorts, lives, you name it.

The Fix:

Start small. You don’t need studio lighting or a fancy camera. Your phone + natural light = plenty good. Try a 30-second tip video, a behind-the-scenes clip, or a simple tutorial. Bonus: videos build trust faster than text alone.

⏳ 10. Expecting Instant Results

The Mistake:

You’ve been posting for a month and still no viral post, no sales, no followers. You’re ready to quit.

The Fix:

Digital marketing is a long game. Growth takes time. Algorithms need to “learn” your content. SEO takes months to show results. Stick with it, track progress, tweak as you go. Be patient—your breakthrough could be one post away.

🚀 Final Thoughts: Learn Fast, Fail Forward

Let’s face it—we all make mistakes. The difference between those who grow and those who quit is simple: the willingness to learn and adjust.

So don’t be too hard on yourself. The digital world moves fast, and no one has it all figured out. You’ll fumble, you’ll learn, and that’s exactly how you’ll grow.

Want to really become a digital marketing pro?

Start with one fix from this list today. Just one. Then build from there. Your future self (and your audience) will thank you.

Over to you! Have you made any of these mistakes before? (We all have 😅) Drop your experience or questions in the comments—I’d love to hear your story and help if I can!

[risersol]

Wall Seepage Control: Stop the Damp Before It Destroys Your Walls

Ever walked into your room and caught a whiff of that musty, damp smell?

Then you spot it—the weird patch on your wall, paint bubbling up like it’s got a fever. And you just know the water’s found a way in.

Wall seepage control is one of those things nobody talks about until it’s too late.

Let’s be real— You don’t wake up thinking, “Today’s the day I fix water inside my walls.” But when it hits, it hits. Your paint’s peeling, walls look sad, and if you ignore it long enough—boom, mould.

In this article, I’m going to break it down for you—how to spot seepage early, fix it smart, and stop it from messing with your property long-term.

Let’s dive in.

What Even Is Wall Seepage?

Alright, let’s not get technical here.

Wall seepage is basically water sneaking into your walls. Could be rainwater, could be leaking pipes inside the wall, or even just bad drainage near your foundation. Once it gets in, it stays—spreading slow but steady.

The damage?

Paint gets flaky

Plaster softens

Mould shows up

Your walls look dirty, feel wet

The whole place starts smelling weird

Bottom line—it eats away at your home and your wallet if you don’t get on top of it.

How Do You Know You Need Wall Seepage Control?

Here’s what I tell everyone:

If it looks off, smells off, or feels off... it’s probably wall seepage.

But let’s list the red flags:

Paint bubbling or peeling

Damp patches (usually in corners, ceilings, or near bathrooms)

White powdery stuff on walls (this is called efflorescence—fancy word, annoying problem)

Funky smell—you’ll know it

Visible mould or mildew

Cracked plaster

If you’ve seen any of these, it’s time to talk wall seepage control. Don’t wait for your walls to look like a horror movie backdrop.

Why This Stuff Happens: Common Causes

Let’s not blame the wall. It’s innocent. Here’s where the real problem usually lies:

1. Poor Waterproofing

Whoever built the place skipped corners. It happens.

2. Leaky Plumbing

A small pipe leak inside the wall can lead to massive wall seepage.

3. Cracks in Exterior Walls

Rainwater finds those cracks. And trust me—it will get in.

4. No Drainage Slope

Water sits near the foundation? That’s an open invite for seepage.

5. Faulty Roofs and Gutters

All that runoff water from your roof? It’s going somewhere. And if your gutters aren’t doing their job—it’s straight into your walls.

Knowing the root cause makes wall seepage control way easier. You fix the source—not just the symptom.

How to Fix Wall Seepage Like a Pro (Or Hire One Who Knows)

Okay, you’ve got the problem. What now?

Here’s what I suggest:

🛠 Step-by-step Wall Seepage Control Plan:

1. Identify the Source

Use a moisture meter or just check areas near bathrooms, kitchens, exterior walls. Look for dampness.

2. Crack Repairs

Use polyurethane sealants or cement-based fillers for wall cracks.

For larger gaps—call a pro.

3. Waterproof Coatings

Apply waterproof paint or membrane coatings over affected walls.

Some folks even add an extra layer of plaster for good measure.

4. Re-Route Drainage

Make sure water flows away from your house.

Extend downspouts, regrade soil, fix gutters.

5. Check Plumbing

Bring in a plumber.

Tiny leaks inside your wall will haunt you later.

6. Dehumidifiers + Ventilation

Get moisture out of your indoor air.

Especially helpful for basements and bathrooms.

Wall seepage control isn’t one-and-done. It’s maintenance, baby. Keep checking for signs. Be aggressive about fixing issues early.

Real Talk: Why Ignoring Wall Seepage Is a Costly Mistake

Let me hit you with some straight facts:

It lowers your property value.

Insurance might not cover damage from negligence.

It leads to health issues (black mould is no joke).

Repairs cost 3x more if you wait too long.

I’ve seen folks spend $200 on sealing a crack… …and others who ignored it, then paid $8,000 fixing entire walls and floors.

Don’t be the second guy. Wall seepage control is a small fix now or a giant money pit later.

Pro Tips for Long-Term Wall Seepage Control

Here’s how I handle it in properties I manage:

✅ Annual inspections—inside and outside the house

✅ Waterproofing once every 5–7 years

✅ Silicone sealants around windows/doors

✅ Keep gutters clean (seriously, do it every season)

✅ Check your roof after every major storm

It’s boring maintenance… but it saves you thousands.

Quick Fixes That Aren’t Really Fixes (Avoid These)

Don’t fall for patch jobs.

"Just repaint it." �� Yeah, until the paint peels again in 2 months.

"Cover it with wallpaper." → You just trapped moisture. Congrats—you made it worse.

"Use a fan." → That’s like using a fan to cool a fire. Doesn’t solve the problem.

If you want real wall seepage control, solve the root issue.

Internal Linking Tip:

If you’re dealing with seepage, check out our post on Roof Heat Proofing—it ties directly into preventing moisture buildup in top-floor walls. Also, don’t miss our guide on Affordable Home Waterproofing Services.

FAQs About Wall Seepage Control

Q: How long does it take to fix wall seepage?

Depends on the damage. Minor issues? A day or two. Major leaks inside the wall? Might take a week or more with drying and sealing.

Q: Can I fix wall seepage myself?

Yes and no. You can seal small cracks and apply waterproof paint. But if there’s plumbing or structural stuff, get a professional.

Q: Is wall seepage harmful to health?

Absolutely. Mould can trigger allergies, asthma, even respiratory infections over time. Especially dangerous for kids or older adults.

Q: How much does wall seepage control cost in the US?

On average? Anywhere between $500 to $2,500. It depends on what’s causing it and how bad it’s gotten.

Q: What’s the best waterproofing material for walls?

Cement-based waterproof coatings or elastomeric paint. Both are solid choices.

Final Thoughts: Wall Seepage Control Is Non-Negotiable

Look, this isn’t one of those “wait and see” problems.

It’s like having termites—you don’t see them until half your house is gone.

Take wall seepage control seriously. Do it early. Do it right. Or you’ll pay for it later—with interest.

So, if you’ve spotted the signs, make the call. Fix the source. Seal the damage. Keep moisture out for good.

And yeah… that smell you’ve been ignoring? It’s not going away on its own.

Want more real home care tips without the fluff? Check out our deep dives on mould control, basement waterproofing, and plumbing leak detection.

Let’s keep your home dry, solid, and smell-free. Wall seepage control starts with action—take it today.

[codeexpertinsights]

You want search engines to list your website for relevant keywords! However, despite applying all of your expertise and appropriate procedures, you still don't receive the intended outcomes. Since all websites experience issues like poor interlinking, spammy traffic, and delayed page loading, we usually ignore these facts! However, ignorance may cause traffic to decline. Either you are attempting to address an issue that you are currently encountering, or you are here to prevent your traffic from falling off. In any event, we have outlined a few technical SEO problems along with preventative measures.

[pooma-un-women]

EDUCATORS ARE EVERYTHING, THEY ARE SCULPTORS ENCHANTERS, EN LIGHTERS AND CREATORS OF THE FUTURE!

Good teachers help their students learn more while teaching less. Since questioning power lies at the core of all scientific and technological advancement, students must cultivate this skill. For teachers to inspire children, they need to develop professional skills.

Effective teachers spend less time instructing and more time assisting their pupils in learning. Students must develop this ability since it is fundamental to all scientific and technical progress to question power. Teachers must acquire professional skills to motivate pupils.

Kindness, a good sense of humour, a good personality, deep knowledge, and an excellent education are just a few of the qualities that make someone remarkable.

An excellent instructor never knows when to stop having an impact—his influence lasts forever - William Adams

All educators aspire to be good educators, but what exactly is the myth of a "good teacher"? Who is that? What qualities are they? How do you go about becoming one?

Those who enjoy teaching typically find that teaching positions are both rewarding and fulfilling. Even if I don't think I'm a very good teacher, I am a teacher nonetheless, and I suppose the beginning of good things comes from the fact that most of my pupils genuinely love me.

I was considering what makes a good teacher and how I could become one. Or what traits and attributes ought a competent teacher to have? I, therefore, listed the attributes that I thought were most

1-AMITY AND MILD MANNERS

Being kind and nice to his students is, in my opinion, the most crucial quality that a good teacher may possess. It is advantageous if his pupils feel free to discuss their issues with him without fear of repercussions. Though bizarrely, I believe that kids view their professors as their enemies all the time. They can never be close to one another with this mentality, and aside from that, how many instructors did you like who were aloof, haughty, and unfriendly?

2-A VIRTUOUS CHARACTER

There is nothing doubtful about it—an excellent teacher has a really good personality. Positive teachers constantly draw in their students, which improves understanding and communication and yields positive outcomes in the end. Everyone can have a nice, likeable, presentable, and good personality. Simply put, smell nice, dress correctly, and show a little gentleness and kindness. That's it.

3-EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND OUTSTANDING INSTRUCTION

A competent teacher's expertise and education are also crucial qualities. "A teacher is only as good as his knowledge is," goes the proverb. Ultimately, what he is doing is carrying out the duties of a teacher. He will never become well-known if he is ignorant about the subject matter he teaches. It is therefore morally required that you only enroll in courses in which you truly excel. If not, it isn't worthwhile.

4-AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR

An excellent teacher's ability to communicate is one of his most valuable qualities. He/she ought to be an excellent speaker. This quality will be advantageous in several ways.

AS AN ILLUSTRATION:

▪️His/her ability to communicate will improve and his ability to deliver lectures will improve as well.

▪️He/she immediately gains more class strength if he is a skilled speaker. A person with a passable speaking voice is highly sought after.

▪️Good speakers are constantly in short supply in this world.

5-AN EFFECTIVE LISTENER 

A competent teacher should not only be an effective communicator but also an even better listener. An old Turkish saying goes, "If speaking is silver, then listening is gold." Keep in mind that a good listener will always have lots of admirers and friends. Someone needs someone who can listen to them too, because they don't want to hear them all the time. A good teacher begins to transform into a great teacher when he begins to cultivate this trait of patience in himself.

6-POSSESSING A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR

The trait of having a good sense of humour is another essential feature for an effective teacher to possess. Since they are younger in the mind, it makes sense that they should enjoy themselves more in the classroom. After all, teachers typically mentor the next generation of students. Thus, an effective teacher can maintain the class's discipline in addition to having a good sense of humour and great interpersonal skills.

7-KINDNESS

Educators should be kind, compassionate, courteous, and generous. This is the final but unquestionably most crucial quality for him to possess. Pupils ought to adore him/her; when they do, they treat him/her like an angel. Eventually, they will learn to respect him, accomplish their responsibilities, and do better work.

Finally, I believe that an educator cannot be deemed effective only because they have the attributes listed in this section. Similarly, warning signs do not always indicate a bad teacher—rather, they indicate a behaviour that needs work. Similar to how educators must adapt their instruction to meet the demands of each student, your particular circumstances may call for specific traits and warning signs. The way a variety of personal and professional elements come together and are applied in a classroom makes teachers effective.

Always ..Be nice, gentle, and Vibrant.

(About the writer: Dr. Jemi Sudhakar, Principal, Velammal Vidyashram, Chennai)