#because it detracted from the scene too much

[muninnhuginn]

The thing is that the dynamic between John and James does sound genuinely fascinating from the glimpses we get of it.

John says that James was always better at (social) stuff. James did go out and become a police officer, marry Lucy, and just generally have more of a "normal" life, but it's clear that Lucy thinks John and James *aren't* as dissimilar as John believes. James may have been better at masking, but he clearly didn't have an easy ride either. Still, John is envious of his brother and feels like James is what he *could* have been if he'd been able to venture out into the world. The fact that both brothers had crushes on Lucy only serves to hammer that in.

On the other hand, John is an incredibly successful puzzle solver and spending most of his life in his house in no way detracts from that. The murders he solves appear to be beyond the capabilities of James going by the reactions of everyone else. There's an argument to be had about how much is difference in solving vs being tied in by procedure and social niceties, but either way, John gets accurate results much faster than James ever did. Even if John does very much ignore behavioural factors as he attempts to simplify each crime scene to a "puzzle to be solved".

There's also something to be said for how James' coworkers didn't clock he had been replaced. How none of them even knew he *had* a twin brother. Obviously, there's an element of it being down to the writing in that the game couldn't be given away too quickly, but it does speak of a more distant relationship with his coworkers (perhaps aside from his former partner). And there's the voicemail where James says (though given the context, this can't be taken as 100% true) that he was the one most like their father, in his choice to run away. It was a hint to John, but it only worked as such because they had so little that tied them together in the first place. They grew up together, shared their childhood, and yet, they hadn't spoken in years. Makes me wonder how much of it was neither wanting to be the first to reach out. On John's side that makes total sense (James is the "social successful" one, after all) but James' side is much more a mystery (though, "they're more alike than they seem" comes to mind).

Of course, both of them were impacted by their father leaving as he did. It's spelled out several times that John and James reacted differently. John turning inwards (only pushed further by his bullies and discovering his love of puzzles) whilst James focused outwards (to become more socially successful). But we find that John doesn't want to lose the social aspects once he's found a place for himself. That James is able to go almost entirely non-contact with his family despite knowing the impact his own father had on his family. The one stuck in his house ventures out as the one surrounded by family escapes it all.

All in all, John and James are pretty interesting characters even if we only know one of them secondhand.

*However*, when we actually *see* James in person, my main thought is "that's a second David Mitchell"

[moons-and-mobility-aids]

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen | Chapter Sixteen | Chapter Seventeen | Chapter Eighteen | Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty | Chapter Twenty-One | Chapter Twenty-Two | Chapter Twenty-Three | Chapter Twenty-Four | Chapter Twenty-Five | Chapter Twenty-Six | Chapter Twenty-Seven

Content Warnings: Adult content (video of a MMM threesome, d/s dynamics, praise kink), mostly accurate depictions of being an onlyfans creator ( hi, I am one), reader is fem, uses a wheelchair, and has cerebral palsy. Taglist: @alohastitch0626, @jspidey5

Your thoughts have been straying to them more often than you'd like to admit.

From the moment Prongs subscribed to you, they've been a persistent presence at the back of your mind. Their comments, their likes, their messages—all carrying an undercurrent of something that piques your curiosity. You've never been one to pay too much attention to specific followers, but these three...they're different.

Is it the way Prongs flirts without crossing boundaries, his words always respectful yet suggestive? Or perhaps it's Padfoot's bravado, his messages imbued with a confidence that makes you want to learn more about the man behind the screen. And then there's Moony, ever present and yet so elusive, his own brand of mystery stirring questions within you.

The knowledge that they are creators as well is inescapable. It was made evident when Prongs subscribed to your OnlyFans, and the content on his free feed has not gone unnoticed by you. You hesitate to watch any of it, afraid of what you might feel if you do, yet curiosity gnaws at you with persistent teeth.

The temptation to find their profiles on the free porn sites has been there since the beginning, a low hum in the back of your mind. You know they have them—Prongs mentions his in his bio, and it would be strange if Moony and Padfoot didn't as well. But you've held yourself back, created an unspoken rule: just because they consume your content doesn't mean you need to consume theirs.

Today, that rule is harder to follow. Your curiosity is piqued, not just by what they've said but by the mystery of them. The way they speak, the things they like... it paints a picture you're desperate to see filled in. You want to know what their voices sound like, how they move, the dynamic between them that's hinted at in every message, and if you’re being honest, the thought of seeing them together on screen sends a thrill through you that's hard to ignore.

You power up your laptop, the screen's glow casting long shadows across your desk. It doesn't take long to find what you're looking for—their online identities are well known in certain circles, their usernames public, their content tantalisingly explicit.

The thumbnail image of the first video you find is eye-catching; as always, their faces are hidden, their identities preserved by careful angles and strategic cropping, but there's an intimacy to the way their bodies entwine that speaks volumes, even in this tiny preview.

Your pulse quickens as you hover over the play button. You've watched countless videos before—you create adult content yourself, after all—but there's something different about this one. Perhaps it's the fact that you've interacted with them, shared a few messages, imagined them watching you perform with the same intensity you're about to direct at their on-screen display.

You click play.

The video starts mid-scene, the three of them already engaged, their bodies tangled. It's not the polished product of a professional studio; there are no theatrical lights or artificial poses. Instead, it captures a scene that feels stolen from someone's private moments—intimate, raw, and achingly real.

You can't see their faces, as expected, but somehow that doesn't detract from the allure. If anything, it enhances it, allowing your imagination to fill in the gaps, painting a picture that's more personal than any explicit detail could provide.

Prongs is on his knees on the bed, holding Padfoot's hips as he drives into him from behind. Their movements are fluid yet intense, a testament to familiarity and desire woven together. Even without seeing Prongs's face, you can hear his heavy breaths punctuated by soft grunts, each one matching the rhythm of his slow, deliberate thrusts. Padfoot is on all fours, his head buried in the sheets, but his participation is far from passive. Every now and then, his back arches, a low moan escaping him and getting absorbed into the fabric beneath.

Then your gaze shifts, and you find Moony.

He's positioned at the head of the bed, leaning against the headboard, legs spread wide. One hand rests in Padfoot's hair, fingers tangling in the dark strands while guiding him where he wants. Padfoot's mouth works eagerly on him, the sound of slick movement barely audible over the ragged breaths filling the room. Moony's other hand lies idle on his thigh, fingers tracing absent patterns on his own skin, a stark contrast to the control he exerts elsewhere. Despite the fervor with which Padfoot services him, it's clear who sets the pace, who holds the reins of this encounter.

His voice is the first to reach your ears—steady, low, a soothing balm that belies the tension beneath. And yet, there's something else in his tone, an edge that prickles at your senses and sends shivers down your spine.

"Good boy," Moony murmurs, the words slipping out like a caress. "Just like that, Pads."

You lean closer to the screen, breath hitching as you hear him—really hear him—for the first time. His voice is just as you imagined it: firm but not harsh, commanding without needing to raise its volume. It's clear who holds the reins here, even if Prongs is the one driving the action.

Prongs grunts softly, the sound reverberating through the room as he buries himself deeper into Padfoot. He moves with calculated precision, each thrust gaining momentum as he finds his rhythm. There's a restraint in his movements, a sense of control teetering on the edge of release. You can almost feel the anticipation coiling within him, waiting for the signal to let go. Despite being the one physically leading, it's obvious he's not the one calling the shots.

"Such a greedy boy," Moony's voice coos, a softness there that contradicts the rough pull of his fingers through Padfoot's hair. He tugs lightly, guiding Padfoot's movements with a firm but gentle hand. "You need it so much, don't you?"

The sound that rumbles from Padfoot's throat is all the answer he needs, and Moony chuckles.

Prongs makes a sound, half-growl and half-gasp, as he thrusts into Padfoot. His grip appears to tighten on Padfoot's hips, fingers digging into firm flesh. The rhythm is relentless, driving them both towards a precipice they can't yet see but can feel looming ever closer.

"Fuck," Prongs breathes, the word barely audible over the slick sounds of their bodies moving together. "So fucking tight."

Padfoot whimpers, the noise muffled by the length filling his mouth. His body rocks forward with each of Prongs's thrusts, pushing him further onto Moony.

It's too much—the sight of them, the sounds they make, the raw intimacy of this moment. It's like watching a dance only they know the steps to, a silent understanding passed between them with every move. You feel like an outsider here, looking in on something sacred and private.

Yet you can't tear your eyes away.

The camera angle shifts, bringing into sharper focus the way Moony's hand rests in Padfoot's hair, fingers rhythmically tightening and loosening as if conducting an orchestra of pleasure. It's a subtle show of power, one that belies the calm detachment in his voice. Yet there's a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, a soft hum of approval when Padfoot's moans grow louder and Prongs's breath hitches with each slow, deliberate thrust.

"Fuck, Moony... can I—" Prongs's voice is strained, the words barely more than a breathless rasp against the backdrop of flesh meeting flesh.

"No." The denial is swift, Moony's voice steady even as it curls around the edges with a hint of amusement. "Not yet. You wait until I say."

A low groan rumbles from Prongs's throat, but he doesn't protest further. His hands tighten around Padfoot's hips, guiding him with an urgency that borders on desperation. Yet even as he seeks release, there's a restraint to his movements, a conscious effort to hold back the tide that threatens to sweep him under. It's as though he's fighting against the current, struggling to stay afloat while Moony's words pull him deeper into uncharted waters.

The sounds of Padfoot's pleasure grow in volume and urgency, mingling with the wet noises of his mouth working over Moony's length. His breath hitches as he tries to keep pace with the onslaught of sensation, giving himself over entirely to the moment.

You watch, entranced by the scene playing out before you. There's a rawness to it, yes, but also an unexpected intimacy in the way their bodies respond to one another. This is more than just sex; it's a display of trust, of need, a manifestation of a bond that runs deeper than skin.

A low groan ripples through Moony, his fingers flexing against Padfoot's scalp. He tugs the dark curls, pulling Padfoot’s head back, forcing him to look up. The camera angle still shields Padfoot's face from view, but there's no mistaking the tension coiling in Moony's frame, the tremor in his voice as he speaks.

"You're doing so well for us, Pads," Moony murmurs, his voice barely audible above the rasp of cloth and skin. His hand moves from Padfoot's hair, disappearing from view but its destination is clear — a gentle caress against a cheek that goes unseen but not unfelt. "You want to come, don't you? You've been such a good boy."

Padfoot makes a sound, half-choked and desperate, as he nods. The motion is sharp, almost frantic, and the camera holds steady, capturing the raw edge of need that vibrates through him.

A soft chuckle rumbles from Moony, and the camera pans out slightly, bringing Prongs back into view. He’s straining, holding back with visible effort even as he drives into Padfoot with a steady rhythm. “What do you think, Prongs? Has he earned it?”

Prongs groans, the sound thick with need. “Yes. Fuck, yes.”

You can't see Moony's face, but you can hear the satisfaction in his voice as his hand returns to Padfoot's hair, guiding him back to his waiting erection. "Come for me, Pads."

The command sends a ripple of anticipation through you, and you watch as Padfoot's body stiffens, his hips jerking in sync with the low moan that escapes his lips. The sound is muffled by Moony's cock, but it's loud enough to send a shiver down your spine.

Prongs lets out a deep grunt then, his rhythm faltering as he reaches his own climax. His body trembles against Padfoot's, the two of them caught in the throes of ecstasy under Moony's watchful gaze.

"Good boys," Moony murmurs, his hand still buried in Padfoot’s hair.

The video cuts out then, leaving behind only the image of them lying there together, bodies still moving in small, unconscious ways from the aftershocks of their shared pleasure. It feels intimate, like something you shouldn’t be seeing but can't tear yourself away from.

As the screen goes dark, you lean back in your chair, your heart racing and your skin tingling from what you've just witnessed. You’ve seen plenty of porn before, and made hours of it yourself, but this… this was something else entirely. More real, more visceral. There’s a connection between them that’s hard to put into words, a bond that transcends the physical act they’ve just performed.

You close your laptop, letting the images settle in your mind. You've heard their voices now, seen them in action, and it's only fuelled your curiosity, your interest. You wonder how they would react if they knew you were watching too, with the same intensity they've been watching you.

For now, you let the moment linger. You've stepped over a boundary today, one that feels both exhilarating and dangerous, but there is no regret. Only anticipation for what comes next.

[physalian]

When can you "tell" instead of "show"?

Based on some beta feedback I got, I have thoughts on a narrative style that is very “tell��� over “show” and when it might be useful to be a little leaner. This is highly, highly subjective and no matter how much potential a story might have to be entertaining, some readers will get turned off by the lack of “immersion” no matter what you say to them. Doesn’t make the book bad, doesn’t make the reader wrong, you just can’t please everyone.

So I got some feedback on my new novella, Tell Me How Long, about a group of marine biologists with the chance of a lifetime to save a Mer, sick from the epidemic of bleaching coral reefs. Outside of fanfic, where I don’t have to tell you the worldbuilding, it’s all been done by the canon, I don’t write short stories. My usual wordcount is 100k+ words, easy, for sci-fi and fantasy.

TMHL was written like a fanfic, in many ways. I’d pulled the OC characters from my other work and tossed them into this little ficlet because I was suffering some writer’s block and I like mermaids and here we are. It’s 20k words and is bereft of the following:

A main villain character

Romantic subplots

Manufactured drama for a 3rd act “falling out” between characters

Lengthy backstory for all but 2 characters

Lore or magic

The main threat is simply time, the ravages of a disease, and the nihilism of the MC raging against the creep of global warming destroying the reefs she loves so dearly.

It has themes, too, asking the question of whether commodification of the natural world is necessary for preservation, of which all the main humans have different perspectives on.

My merfolk cannot speak, so while they can learn Sign and can understand English, there’s no place for lengthy conversations between mer and humans or opportunities for explanations of backstory.

It is absolutely a very “telling” story, lots of speeding through the MC’s days while dealing with and treating this disease. She does get moments of introspection, this is my only WIP from the past 9 years of my writing career that does not have multiple narrators. It’s all Finley all the time.

But due to the nature of this story and setting, 4/6ths of it is set on and around a single boat anchored in the Great Barrier Reef, there is no justification for extra scenes away from the action.

Nor are these mer trapped by anything except the need for medicine and while they do trust these immediate humans, they’re itching to leave as soon as they can, so there’s no precedent for longer, fluffier moments, when half the characters aren’t invested in establishing a long-lasting friendship with the other half.

I wrote it this way because you’re not here for Finley’s (MC) daily hum-drum of life. You’re here for the mer. Who is she outside of this job? Not important. What’s her family life like? Not important. What’s going on in the rest of the world? Not important. What’s the backstory for the rest of the team? Not important.

So much I could add simply does not matter, is not important, and would only detract from the reason you’re reading it: You want to know if they’ll save the mer, and if, in doing so, they’ll tell the rest of the world that mer still exist.

Does this leave some threadbare characters? Absolutely. The story I wanted to tell was not one of individuals with great depth and symbolism, it’s the collective effort of a generation facing the consequences of inaction by our elders.

And in that way, I think “telling” in terms of not having those slower moments, in not being all that flowery, in not giving the individual humans many solo scenes to really define who they are and what they stand for, works for this specific kind of story.

There can be a time to hold back on the rich character development, I think, when “what they do” matters more to the story than “who they are”.

I do plan to go back and add in some extra detail, but we’re talking 400 words at most across the entire story, a sentence or two here or there for clarity.

But at the end of the day, this is the story I wanted to tell, written in the way I wanted to tell it.

[grilledcheese-savage]

New au idea: Opposites Detract

I came up with this a couple years ago but I still kinda like it so here’s what it was

- Lila gets the miraculous of the ladybug instead of Marinette after her fake persona goes too far. She either doesn’t know about the miraculous at this point, or does know, but still doesn’t have all the pieces in the puzzle.

- she will get a redemption arc in this, it’s mostly the proximity of being ladybug and having people around her to make her better.

- here’s what I like most about this au though, everyone HATES ladybug in this. Like, HATES WITH A PASSION. Because she messes up at first when fighting the stone guy and makes everything so much worse, simply because she doesn’t care about the repercussions. She doesn’t do the miraculous ladybug and the damage is permanent. This causes an avalanche of hate to come upon her and chat noir (even though he didn’t really do much.) So from now on the public shits on ladybug like Spider-man. It makes it a lot harder to their job and also causes her to face what she’s done head-on.

-I remember both her and Adrien meeting Master fu very early on, mostly because he realizes his grave mistake giving her the ladybug miraculous. Adrien does not like Lila at all.

- same time she actually runs into Marinette and she’s the first person who’s kind to her after all this. A la umbrella scene. Both Lila and Adrien gain a crush on her. They fight each other like siblings it’s really funny.

- Lila’s first real friend (other than marinette) is Chloe. She feels like she doesn’t have to wear a mask around her. She kinda feeds into her horrible energy tho until she gets redeemed.

- I thought about how interesting it could be if some of the worst people got redeemed in this and everything kinda happens backwards.In fact, I think Adrien gets worse 😂 but he does learn how to stand up for himself.

All in all, it’s a pretty out of character au, but it’s a fun character study. Like, imagining all the possibilities people could change. I think Lila at first would also want to abuse her ladybug power but again, being ladybug makes her want to do better and gain redemption. She’s still a psychopath and a compulsive liar but she learns to live in society and enjoy her life without hatred fueling her every decision.

Idk something to think about. Also her name is Coccinella

[neuroticbookworm]

Cherry Magic Thailand is doing so many things so correctly.

Integrating Japan into the adaptation, acknowledging the original and giving it the shoutout it deserves, and more importantly, bridging the cultural gaps that might be too hard to translate, like Japan's workplace hierarchy and culture

Filling in with scenes that doesn't detract or deviate from the original too much, and yet add depth to the existing narrative. The dinner meetup scene with Aachi and Jinta was already excellent, but then I watched Jinta walk into an alley and have an half-hearted argument with a stray cat, which he then took home. I was squealing, and not just because I got to meet the cute cat early. They're taking the off-screen moments in the original version and bringing them forward. This opens the show up to explore uncovered ground, and can add to Karan and Aachi's dynamics later.

We already knew Thailand is not gonna hold back on physical intimacy, but I did not expect Karan to lean in and almost kiss Aachi's mole! IN EPISODE ONE! I was screaming, kicking my feet and altogether losing my little mind!

Tay Tawan is so pretty he hurts my eyes, and I still won't look away. Newwie's physical comedy serves Aachi well, but he is also good at adding depth to Aachi's interiority in the quieter moments. Sing Harit, my beloved, is back on my screen and so fucking funny. Jinta might be the version of Tsuge I finally love, dialled down enough to feel human yet still weird enough to feel wacky and fun.

So.

Can y'all tell I fucking loved the episode?

[ageless-soul-au]

From FACTION ch 27:

Link closed their eyes to breathe, then looked in the mirror again. They were wearing a knee-length, blue tunic with a laced belt that cinched their waist, trousers, white boots, a white and gold scarf worn in a way that slightly obscured their missing arm, and a Ravio-appropriate amount of jewelry. They'd forgone makeup, thinking it'd be too much from the start, but… the nagging voice that said the clothes were too feminine on their own was still very present. It wasn't a dress, but…

“The last time I saw her, I dressed—... It was... very masculine,” Link murmured. “I don't suppose anyone has told her otherwise— They're not allowed to pass information— so…”

[...]

After they entered, the first thing Dahlia did was a double take aimed at Link. “Who—.... Link? What the hell are you wearing? What is this?”

Link set a hand on their hip and tried to breathe, to remain unaffected. “....I'm wearing whatever I damn well please. It's not your concern,” they said, attempting to sound level.

The embroidery for this one was interesting to figure out! It needed to be subtle enough that it didn't detract from the overall look but also be visually interesting enough that the tunic didn't look plain. Link's hair was ALSO super interesting because it curls and has a decent amount of volume, so when it's all a similar length and not long enough to weigh itself down, it goes POOF!

Link is so cute, I love them 😭 this was a serious scene but I'm so so glad we've finally gotten to the gender thing!! 🩷🤍💜🖤💙

Link (he/she/they) belongs to ASAU! Please don't tag any other AUs!

🫐Kio's kofi🫐

[ponett]

Heya inspiring dev here, I'm brain-storming for a game concept based on classical RPGs (specifically on the 2000s Tales Of titles), I wanted to ask as somebody who's being a big fan of RPGs and a game developer yourself, what is the one big sin in terms of design you should avoid doing for a game in vein of the games of that era?

This might not be a particularly helpful response, but I generally shy away from "always do this"/"never do this" type game design advice these days. What works for one game might not work for another, and what sucks in one game might be exactly what another game needs. It's all about execution, and knowing how different choices enhance or detract from the overall experience you're trying to craft.

Players tend to vocally dislike anything that inconveniences them. Random encounters, for example. Everyone says they hate those. But random encounters have their place! They can be used effectively, and you can also design around them to make them more palatable for a modern audience, or you can just use them exactly how the classics did if that's the experience you're going for. People complain about limited inventory space, but having a smaller number of items usually means players will actually use what they have, rather than sitting on a stockpile of 99 of everything "just in case they need it later." People say they hate ice sliding puzzles in games, but I put some in SLARPG because I thought that was what that section of the game needed and by god, I'd do it again!!!

Uhhh anyway for a small piece of actual actionable advice: it's annoying when there's an incredibly long cutscene directly before a boss fight and you have to watch the whole thing again if you die and try again. Being able to fast forward dialogue or outright skip a scene is good, but so is structuring things so that longer dialogue scenes tend to come after bosses rather than before them, or placing a point where the player can stop and save between the long dialogue scene and the boss fight.

Also PS1/PS2 era JRPGs (especially FF) were often obsessed with including tons of obscure missable items that you could permanently lock yourself out of obtaining by progressing the story too far. Again, I won't say this is something you should never do - the argument can easily be made that this increases replayability, or that it encourages players to talk to their friends about secrets. But it can get frustrating if you do it too much, and it can encourage paranoid behavior in players.

[the-golden-comet]

✨💋Friday Kiss/Last Line/ OC Confessions/Writing Share Mega Tag (wew)💋✨

Thank you for tagging me for writing shares, last lines, and OC Confessions @thecomfywriter , @saturnine-saturneight , @davycoquette , @sableglass ,@wyked-ao3 , @fortunatetragedy , @the-letterbox-archives , @theink-stainedfolk , and @drchenquill ! 💛✨

I know it’s still a little early, but it’s Friday somewhere (right? 🤣) Time to SMOOCH (among other tags. Thank you if you have tagged me recently, by the way! I may miss some, but I always appreciate being tagged 💛✨)

Rules: Pick one of these tags (or all, if it applies) ✨to do:

Rules: Post a scene where one of your character's does a confession to another character from your wip. It doesn't have to be a love confession. Maybe it's a lie. Maybe it's a crime. Maybe it's betrayal. Go buckwild, go crazy!

Rules: From your story/WIP, share a kiss. It can be any kiss, from forehead kisses, familial pecks on the cheek, platonic kisses, to full-blown make-outs.

Rules: Post a last line from your story/WIP

Rules: Post a snippet from your writing

Rules: So many rules. So little time 😵‍💫

The Peter Hart confession that covers ALL OF THESE lovely tags. Prepare to melt 🫠

Benji hiccuped as tears fell down to the floorboards. Too emotional for words, he mustered a quick head nod. Peter sighed low, shaking his head. “Oh, Benjamin….why on earth didn’t you tell me?”

The noble shook his head once more. Peter tried again, his tone greatly hurt now, yet soft and unthreatening: “ Benjamin…. ”

Through his gentle sobs, the prince spoke in a cracking voice. “I….I didn’t want my heart to break…..” His lips curled as he tried to bottle his sorrow, but the waves wouldn’t cease. Finally, the onslaught of passionate grief overflowed from his chest to his tear ducts, and down his freckled face.

“Benjamin…..” Peter whispered low and gently.

“…..J-just break my h-heart already…..!” Benji’s crying breath hitched. The amulet was glowing brightly around his trembling bosom, yet the light did not detract the tears.

Peter cupped his hands over Benjamin’s cheeks, wiping the streams away with his thumbs. Tenderly, he tilted the prince’s head up to meet his eyes as he cooed gently down: “You should have told me, Benjamin….because you’d never know that….” He confessed through his own swelling voice. “…..that I feel the same.”

Benjamin’s shining eyes widened in shock. But, before he could let Peter’s words sink in, the captain leaned forward and met their lips. Slowly, sweetly, he kissed Benji as he tried to calm the crying mess of a man in his arms.

The noble’s breath hitched into Peter’s mouth, but he didn’t fight the kiss. Instead, he leaned into it with his whole heart as he finally relinquished his remaining reservation. Giving Hart total control, Benjamin moved his lips and jaw in tandem with the captain. Much like their dancing, he let Peter lead…..and Peter would absolutely take.

I am leaving this as an +open tag for anyone who wants to do one, some, or all of these ✨

✨👇Tag list for writing snippets below the cut. DM me if you’d like to be added 👇✨

Tag List for writing tidbits (lmk if you want + or -)

@jev-urisk , @talesofsorrowandofruin , @glasshouses-and-stones , @alinacapellabooks , @fortunatetragedy , @deanwax , @dyrewrites , @honeybewrites , @drchenquill , @paeliae-occasionally , @lychhiker-writes , @thatuselesshuman , @katenewmanwrites , @zackprincebooks , @fantasy-things-and-such , @billybatsonmylove , @madi-konrad , @houseplantblank , @far-cry-from-finality , @froggy-pposto , @avaseofpeonies , @topazadine , @thecoolerlucky , @theaistired , @willtheweaver , @rivenantiqnerd @somethingclevermahogony , @noxxytocin , @leahnardo-da-veggie , @addicted2coke-theothercoke , @illarian-rambling , @the-letterbox-archives , @theink-stainedfolk , @ominous-feychild , @saturnine-saturneight , @words-after-midnight , @sableglass , @cowboybrunch , @moltenwrites , @pixies-love-envy , @davycoquette , @writeahurricane @nczaversnick , @greenfinchwriter , @oliolioxenfreewrites , @lavender-gloom , @smellyrottentrees , @aintgonnatakethis , @thecomfywriter

[one-and-a-half-yikes]

Don't mind me but can you plz rant about colly a lil more... :3

I'll do you one BETTER @ch1-kasak0

I'm gonna talk about Colly AND do an accidental Cuphead analysis on the side lmao

I will say, it is crazy to me that years ago, one of the reasons I had for why I didn't like the idea of Cupanny was because I perceived Fanny as someone un-ambitious, who seemed to have a bleak outlook and no real hope for a better future, something that was completely antithetical to what Cuphead needed in his life.

Obviously I don't hold that viewpoint about Fanny anymore, but I do think it's funny how that critique of mine (which I never shared on here I should add and I regret it lol) came back around but in an unexpected way. The Labyrinth arc was genuinely the deepest look we've gotten into Cuphead. With the thing that hit me the most stepping into Cuphead's dream and really seeing how much of himself is consumed by the guilt he feels about making a deal with the Devil, was how that guilt had basically consumed his personhood in a way.

Mugman dreams of being a pilot for the Calix Animi, of marrying Cala and having a whole, completed family; that his parents never left, that his dad was alive; Mugman dreamed of a future for himself. A fantasy that could never really be real, at least mostly, but it was a future nonetheless. Everyone, except Felix who's a special situation given his circumstances, dreamed of a future. Something that they were fighting towards even after they left the Labyrinth.

Except Cuphead.

He could never envision a future for himself, because so much of what made up who Cuphead was as a child was stripped from him that he's essentially a husk of who he was. We saw the real Cuphead in his dreamscape. He had aspirations, and goals he wanted to reach. But when your whole is spent struggling to survive it's hard to have real goals and aspire to them. It's hard to dream a dream that you hope comes true.

And then the gala happened.

Something that seemed out of reach for someone like himself suddenly seemed like a real, genuine reality within his reach. All because of his love for Holly. His love for her made him finally see a real future. A real dream. For one second, Cuphead didn't think about a bleak horizon that he was walking towards, but instead a beautiful sunrise that he wanted to walk towards hand-in-hand with Holly and it says a lot. It really does. In my Cuphead analysis I did say that his dream was still him in the background playing the role of Cuphead the Supporter rather than playing an active role in his own future where his own ambitions and drive exist alongside Holly's. But it doesn't detract from how much his love made him see something that for the longest he never saw as possible and that means something. It really does.

But oh, bitch I'm not even done yet. Y'all asked for this!!!

There's this one scene, I'm too lazy to go back and find it again (EDIT: I couldn't find it for some reason so my source is trust me bro), where Cuphead and Holly, and maybe Mugs was there I think, were talking and Holly said something along the lines of "I like your childish side" (paraphrasing). And that stuck with me, because when, in the other previous relationships that Cuphead had, has he ever been told that being his actual true self is the part they like the most about him? That the sulking badboy persona who's all rough edges and mysterious isn't nearly as interesting as the real him.

The thing I think a lot of people sort of forget, is that for Cuphead it's not a persona, it's just who he is. Because everything else has been stripped from him via abuse and threats to himself and his brother. From unethical experiments forced on him as punishment, to beatings from the boss when they screw up a job, to being yelled and cursed out by Hat because they messed up during training, and so on. So much of who he is, who he was, was taken from him and all that's left is whatever identity Cuphead needs to put on in that exact moment. Mugman was right when he said that for Cuphead, it's always about the damn mission. Keeping him and his brother safe, desperately trying to right his wrongs, and just trying to not have anyone see his weaknesses means the Cuphead we saw before in the Labyrinth is a ghost. Someone else entirely. A speck in the distance that feels entirely out of reach now to Cuphead.

But there's this part of him that he's tried to keep safe and held close and we see that in the Wonderful Winter arc. When Cuphead and Mugman started chasing each other, throwing snowballs at one another, it's the closest we get to seeing Cup in a light where he's not putting on a persona; the real him. And Holly notices that, too. But not just that she notices that, but that she is intrigued by it enough that she wants to get to know him more.

Holly had a crush on Cuphead, but the Tree Princess chapter is where she really fell for him. Which makes sense cause that's the chapter where she truly realizes the depth there is to his character and how multifaceted he was as a person. He wasn't just a killer thug like she'd first assumed, but a true complex person, just like her and all the other Questers.

And I think that's fucking beautiful man.

Of course I'd love to gush about Cuphead's perspective on Holly, but there's not really enough to say outside of:

You know it's true love when you're willing to spill all your secrets to this one person; to bear your whole heart and soul to them if it means being able to have them back in your life.

[jackie-monochrome]

ALRIGHT SO

I watched HTTYD 2 for the first time and I have Thoughts. Spoiler warning ig but like, pretty sure everyone's watched the film who's reading this post anyway.

Thing number one: THEY DID THE GANG SO DIRTY???? Transitioning from RTTE to the second film gave me massive whiplash on that front, they gave them like???? no time????? no lines????? like wtf man????? Astrid turns up occasionally to give Hiccup a pep talk, with the rest of her limited screentime being devoted to a b-plot that was kinda pretty bad. Snotlout, the twins, and Fishlegs only barely exist, and the whole love thingy situation with Eret, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Fishlegs was just....bleh.

Thing number two: The film simultaneously felt too fast and too slow. The slow scenes sometimes dragged a bit too long imo, and the fast scenes could be pretty difficult to follow, with just, a lot of stuff going on, but not in a good way (if that makes sense?).

Visuals were gorgeous throughout, the closeup shots of the dragons was cool because wow the skin looks so textured. Loved how they kept the philosophy of the scenes only being lit with objects actually there (or whatever it was), the lighting was ough yes very nice. The motion of the people (particularly hiccup) felt very motion-capture, but not enough to detract from the film.

I really wish I could've seen more of him exploring the uncharted parts of the world, that was cool (ig rtte is that but ehh).

There were definitely flashes of brilliance in the film as well. The flight scenes with Hiccup and Toothless were stunning, the scene where Stoick meets Valka is great, Stoicks funeral was also very good. One of my favourite moments was Hiccup flying in on the wingsuit, covering Drago in zippleback gas, and blowing him up because yes yes yes this is the person with the heart of a cheif and soul of a dragon!!!!!

Returning to visuals, there are many shots that are just gorgeous. I would say that it felt less like every frame could be a painting (which the 1st on genuinely did feel like a lot of the time) and more like a lot of okay stuff and then BAM most beautiful shot you've ever seen. They really got the sense of scale well, and did a good job placing how big and fast the dragons are in the 3d space (most of the time), something which I felt the shows were lacking, probably just due to not having the budget for huge sweeping landscapes that actually look any good, among many other reasons I'm sure.

Love that Hiccup kept the changes to the sword that Viggo made (even though yes, Viggo being the one to have the idea was added retroactively). Also cool that it retracts and stuff, it's cool to see the final design after the iterations in rtte. same for wingsuit.

Loved that Toothless's loyalty/friendship/love for Hiccup was what brought him back.

Drago was super forgettable as a villain ngl. I just kinda didn't care about him. I was very surprised that Hiccup didn't bring up his leg when Drago was monologuing about losing his arm to a dragon. Also was Drago supposed to be Hiccups foil? Or something? idk, whatever, I just didn't care about him. Why did he have a big army? idk he just does. Literally what even was his end goal i genuinely don't remember and I just watched the film.

If they could make the film cover a short TV show to flesh out basically everything more that could've been neat, but idk if the budget would stretch that far and still produce something good. Maybe the film was trying to fit in too much? Idk lol.

I'll probably watch No.3 on my own cause my family would NOT stop talking -_-

Anyway this is by far the longest post I've ever made so if you made it this far I'm impressed.

[dreamerwriternstargazer]

So Oct 3rd is coming up :D spoilers for Oct 3rd below

As I was lying in bed debating whether to get up I realised I very badly want to make a piece for Oct 3rd, I’ve wanted to for ages but I’ve been hesitant and unsure

1. It means so so much to me, I want to do the scene justice

2. There’s just so much to do for that one scene you know? So many different ways to portray it I have loads and no ideas all at once

3. I don’t draw faces so portraying the anguish of the scene is a challenge, a welcome challenge! But a challenge nonetheless

So first, debate on what aspect I want to present, what is my focus. Of course I want to depict Mina’s anguish and pain, I think there’s not very many artworks that have her at the centre of the scene, it’s her and Jonathan. But I also want to do that too!! I want to show the comfort and support she has

Depending on whether I focus purely on Mina, or Jonmina together, want to be able to portray it so that in looking at the piece you feel a scream in your chest and can almost hear hers.

But can that be done in combining the ideas, having Jonathan present in a painting that has her anguish at the focus?

One of my friends suggested a wonderful idea to get around the issue of the face, *illustrate the scene through her reflection on a cracked mirror*

Which I think is stunning especially because oooh the mirror crack’d references there could be (though it’s a long time since I read that poem I’d better reread it and see if it’s relevant)

Also vampires, mirrors, the fact she’s obscured suggests her impending transformation

Also “foul bauble of man’s vanity” reference, nice visual parallel with Jonathan and losing his mirror.

The options as it stands:

1. Mina alone and reflected in the mirror, a piece highlighting her pain and fear and anguish as a victim and allegory for SA

2. Mina in the same pose, kneeling, blood spattered, shattered mirror reflection, but with Jonathan holding her tight from behind. I like this idea very much but how does it influence the message and idea? It must be said though she’s a victim she’s not *alone* in her victimhood, on two counts. Jonathan has suffered at the hands of the Count too, albeit to a different degree and it was because she didn’t want him to be hurt again that she didn’t scream out during the assault, and also even if he hadn’t been through it, he would still not let her feel alone. None of them do, none of them for even a second blame her.

3. Make a separate piece of Jonmina as well as the Mina alone piece

This option I’m considering because I can’t decide whether it would be better to have them in separate pieces or not. I like the idea of keeping Jonathan in the main one about Mina, but is that messy, does that detract from the pain and fear I want to portray? It’s supposed to be her perception

Or does it make it better and more complex, I can portray the actual scene, he is holding her she is not alone, but the mirror sort of represents her skewed perspective, so we have both pain and hope, loneliness and companionship in one

If it were two different pieces though then I feel like separate, the message for both only heightens. To combine I worry muddies them both, I don’t do justice to either the significance of his comfort or her pain. Which is why I could do a separate piece of him holding her after the others leave, lying down on the bed, alongside the first one of her reflected in the mirror.

(I feel like I would then need a third piece to make a triptych and complete a series but that’s a whole other discussion~)

Anyway, fellow Dracula/artist/both fans advise!! What to do what to do…

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

There is all this Nonsense going in Miraculous, and I'm STILL stuck on "Master Fu canonically let the holocaust happen". Like, "Mentor is too scared of failure" is valid and interesting, but why tf would they use WW2 for emphasizing that?!?! And Fu is Chinese. Maybe we should have made a bigger deal about the rising sun flag, actually. Having access to ALL the miraculouses, and still shrugging and walking away from goddamn concentration camps is just- what??? Literally no one would have asked the question, except as a joke, if they didn't put a scene of him and his wife fleeing the nazis. Why would they do this.

Yeah, that was certainly a choice.

When it comes to magic-based fiction that's set in the "real world" or even just stuff that uses secret societies or advanced technology, you generally have to be willing to not think about the way these things should have changed history. It's just part of the standard suspension of disbelief requirements needed to enjoy these genres. If you can't do that - and it's fine if you can't! - then these types of stories aren't for you the same way that dark romance isn't for me.

For example, I once saw someone getting upset about the North American miracle box being in the hands of someone clearly tied to the indigenous population because it meant that the previous guardians could have stopped colonization, but didn't, and it's like, I get where you're coming from, but I think you're taking this a little too seriously. You can't enjoy shows like Miraculous if you try to take them that seriously and that goes for shows aimed at adults, too! The genre generally doesn't support that level of realism.

However, that defense only works if the show keeps itself removed from actual history. Once you include real-world political elements like Joan of Arc - who is famous for her involvement in France's war against England - or World War Two imagery, then you're asking your audience to think about that stuff, which is a terrible idea! Miraculous is not deep enough to support that level of scrutiny! Keep the setting modern and make any past Chosen tied to things that didn't really happen! There was no reason to hint at WWII. It adds nothing of value to the show. If anything, it detracts from the show because why would Fu have time to stop and help while he's running away from Nazis? Why wouldn't he get involved if the guardians had an established history of messing with European politics? Which they canonically do since they were around until the 1800's, meaning that Joan could only have a miraculous if they gave it to her since she's from the early 1400's. It would have been so much better if Gabriel had gone to a random time and randomly landed in front of Fu's shop, allowing Ladybug and Chat Noir to duck inside on a seemingly normal day.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hello there! Do you have any tips for 'kill your darlings' and what kind of scenes to cut from a story? Anything in particular to look for?

"Kill Your Darlings"

The phrase "kill your darlings" is one of the most parroted yet least understood bits of writing advice. Writers too often take this advice to heart, believing they must go through their story and eradicate anything they deeply love... and that's not just immensely stressful--it's wrong.

"Kill your darlings" just means "don't let yourself be so blinded by love of something in your story that you don't realize it doesn't belong." In other words, you may really REALLY love your protagonist's best friend's quirky girlfriend, but what does she actually contribute to the story? What role does she play that's so important that taking her out would make the story fall apart or diminish the reader's understanding of setting, circumstances, character, or plot? If the answer is, "Well, she doesn't really contribute anything other than a little humor. But there are other characters who provide that. If I take her out of the story, nothing changes. The story still works, the reader's understanding doesn't suffer..." Bad news, this character is "a darling" and she needs to be cut from the story. As much as you might adore this character, she's just taking up space on the page and in the reader's mind, which detracts from characters who are actually important.

So, that's what you look for... look first at the things you love best about your story (characters, moments, events, conversations, setting details, character details, descriptions--literally anything) and ask yourself, "Does this really serve a purpose? Is anything negatively impacted if I remove it?" And really, you should do this for every element of your story. It's just that it's most important with the things you love best, because those are the things you're most likely to think are working when they actually aren't.

And don't stress too much about it... Critique partners and beta readers will be sure to spot things that don't work in your story, so even if you miss some things, it's okay. They'll be caught.

Although, the truth of the matter is, if you let the protagonist's best friend's quirky girlfriend slip through even though she adds nothing to your story, as long as she doesn't get too much page time and wrestle the spotlight away from more important things, it's probably not going to ruin your story or the reader's enjoyment. It's just that you don't want too many unhelpful "darlings" running around in your story.

Happy writing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[faerynova]

Hey, you dont have to answer but curiosity is killing me. Is there going to be a scene with Scott confronting rex about noahs broken nose? Also, is Noah going to turn Evo at any point? Sorry if its too much to spoil or if im rude for asking, this Has been keeping me up at night 😭😭😭 literaly.

not rude at all we love talking about our story!!

you should poke at @function-heartbeat-sync next time tho, that's me and @ghostly-cabbage's blog for the fic! we answer asks over there and weve got sneak peeks and memes and other cool stuff

but to answer the actual questions--nope! noah wont be going evo. thats something we decided early on and have actually mentioned in the comments section of EC when asked

with his character development and story arc, him going evo actually detracts from stuff we have planned. if we turned him evo, we wouldnt half ass it. we'd crank it up to 11 and it would become too much. as much as we like giving characters trauma, some traumas just dont fit well enough for fun storytelling

plus! part of the reason we felt comfortable ditching that episode entirely is because we eventually will get more into beverly's character, and imo shes a MUCH better candidate to explore the horrors of going evo and recovering and reintegrating into society after losing, in her case, YEARS of her life being a feral monster

as for scott. scott isnt a very confrontational guy, but we prommy that there WILL be a conversation of some flavor about it

[jetra4ivor]

I’m really troubled by the fact that the people who want to promote the fan made “MCSM Block by Block” YouTube series remake are so reticent to hear criticisms.

I am not confident that they’re going to be able to live up to the lofty goals of having a multiple part TV series on YouTube. Here’s why:

We’ve seen nothing about how they intend to actually tell the story.

We’ve seen CONCEPTS for changes in the story. We’ve seen CONCEPTS for character designs. We’ve been told there’s a new voice cast, no clue who they are. We’ve been told there’s new changes to the story, but they won’t solidify what they are and are relying on concept teaser trailers for things they’d like to do, but that they may not necessarily deliver. We’ve been told Eric Stripe gives their blessing… okay??? That doesn’t mean they’re good storytellers though. We’ve been told they can use some Minecraft fan music… okay?!?? That doesn’t mean the entire show is going to be musically coherent…

And whenever I bring up these concerns, I get told I’m just being too much of a worry wort. They don’t seem to be taking this remake seriously, while the fans of MCSM ARE taking it seriously.

It’s one thing to mock up scenes and action shots you’d LIKE to have in a trailer… it’s another thing entirely to start sitting down and writing out the dialogue and working on the real meat and potatoes of the narrative for how the themes and story beats fit together. You can make a trailer with scenes set to a music track… but can you write natural sounding dialogue? Does the scene fit the theme of the story? What is the theme you’re working on? What added content enhances or detract from this theme?

And thus far I have not see the Block by Block team produce anything that reassures me that they can handle this stuff. In fact, whenever I bring it up I inevitably get told this:

And that pisses me off. Because I care about MCSM. And if you’re going to go around advertising that you’re going to remake the game into a TV show, there are certain expectations fans have of the quality there… and you’re not helping by teasing stuff that you may not even include in the story because you haven’t written it yet!

So here’s a test I’d like to see. Have the Block by Block team do a 2 minute introduction. Like the prologue from MCSM. Not only will this give your team the ability to work out the kinks of production flow, but it will help reassure fans who are concerned that you know what you’re doing and that you can deliver on your VERY HIGH promises. Not only that, but it will give us an idea of what level of quality to expect and what kind of performances the voice actors will bring.

I understand I am in no position to demand anything of the sort. But I do think it would go a long way to hyping up the reality of this project more than a flashy trailer filled with scenes that aren’t even in the story. I do not understand this need for “secrecy” around the story. It’s MCSM. We know what to expect from that story. What we WANT is to see you can do it JUSTICE.

The biggest issue fan projects have is that they often focus too much on the superficial. The fun stuff. The cool action scenes or abilities. They don’t focus on the meat and potatoes of story building and structure and that’s why so many fan projects suffer.

I don’t want to see this project suffer.

God… sometimes it feels like I care more about this project than the people working on it…

[dreadfuldevotee]

very glad I follow so many loumand enthusiasts like you. there will always be idiots detracting from what they had together but louis & armand liked each other! that is a very important part of the story! they had intelligent conversations and clung together to escape loneliness the way all vampires do and tried their best to take care of each other despite being way, way too fucked up to even care for themselves.

Ha, thank you! It saddens me that I feel like im out here fighting demons over them, but not that much because I love talking about them. If Loumand has no fans, I am dead and there is no afterlife because I would be scratching my feelings out on them on all the walls in Rolin Jones's house.

And, yes! It's really easy to point out all the ways these two didn't mesh that I feel like we don't spend enough time talking about how they fall together in the first place!

Louis is trying to find what it means to be himself, now with Lestat seemingly dead and the growing distance between him and Claudia, and is attracted to Armand's allure. Their courtship is a lot more classically romantic in their long walks along the river and philosophical conversations over smokey Parisian backdrops. It's not really touched upon, but Armand is vastly educated (a grumbling acknowledgement of a rare MDR good move) and willing and capable of engaging with Louis in ways Lestat wasn't (Season 1 conflicts sprouting in no small amount out of Lestats unwillingness and inability to understand Race). Coming off that explosive dynamic of Loustat, Louis finds Armand as a more easeful experience. I think it certainly helps that even Claudia, judgemental of Louis' romanticisms, is unthreatened by Armand's advances on Louis until he quite literally puts his hands on her.

For Armand, Louis is a breath of fresh air. Once again- hating his job and the role he plays, Armand is so attracted to Louis' independence and connection to humanity. He's not only curious about Louis but also feels safe with him. Its easy to misunderstand the bench scene, but that moment is about Louis speaking to that scared child Armand revealed to him and saying "I am staying here with you, you aren't alone", and Armand's metaphorical sigh of relief that he can share this burden with anyone else. If i had to describe their relationship in one word, the answer is easily "Safety"