#but also heed this advice and if you're not sure

[moth-time]

I was gonna ramble in the tags but actually, here's one more mildly adjacent piece of advice:

If you're sending an email in a professional setting, please make sure your email looks legit. We get so much spam even with solid filtering if your email is shady it's gonna get yeeted.

Professional emails include:

A personalized greeting. If you know the name of the person you're writing to, put that in. Otherwise, "Dear [company name] team/support" or whatever.

A short explanation of why you're writing. YES, EVEN IF your email has an attachment with the whole text. No one is opening attachments on blank emails from unknown email addresses, nor should they. "I am writing to you about [x], I have attached [y] for reasons". Include key information in the body.

A sensible title (what are you writing about?)

Sign your name and if relevant, your organization or company. If you run a business, a custom signature with your business information allowing people to look you up will get you a lot of mileage.

and also echoing @nianeyna don't feel bad if you didn't know this, or got caught by a spam email before. No one teaches this shit, spam and phishing is insidious af, we are all fucking tired of dealing with it and it's not going away.

Also do your elderly relatives a solid and teach them this.

oh my god do not click links in emails that tell you to verify your data or your bank account gets locked or click links in messages telling you your safety protocol is ending, like, tomorrow, you will get SCAMMED SO BAD AND YOU WILL LOSE A LOT OF FUCKING MONEY never ever let anyone pressure you into giving away login information especially to your online banking by creating a sense of urgency oh my GOD

some things to look out for

1. spelling mistakes. do you know how many rounds of marketing and sales experts these things go through? if theres a spelling mistake dont click it

2. not using your name. if an email adresses you with "dear customer" or, even worse, a generic "ladies and gentlemen", it is most likely not actually targeted to you

3. verifying or login links. even IF your bank was stupid enough to send these to customers, dont EVER click those. look at me. they can legally argue that youve given your data away and thus they dont have to pay you anything back DONT CLICK THAT FUCKING LINK

4. creating a sense of urgency. do this or we lock your account next week. do this or your ebanking stops working tomorrow. give us all your money in cash or your beloved granddaughter will get HANGED FOR MURDERING BABIES. no serious organisation would ever do something like that over email or sms. ever. hands off.

5. ALWAYS CHECK WHO SENT YOU THE EMAIL. the display name and the email adress can vary a LOT. anyone can check the display name. look at the email adress. does it look weird? call the fucking place it says its from. you will likely hear a very weary sigh.

6. if its in a phonecall, scammers love preventing you from hanging up or talking to other people to have a little bit of a think about whats happening. there should always be a possibility to go hey i wanna think about this ill call back the official number thanks.

7. do not, i repeat, do NOT a) call a phone number flashing on your screen promising to rid your computer of viruses after clicking a dodgy link and b) let them install shit on your computer like. uh. idk. teamviewer.

7.i. TEAM VIEWER LETS PEOPLE USE YOUR COMPUTER HOWEVER THEY WANT AS LONG AS THEYRE CONNECTED. IF YOU DONT KNOW FOR FUCKING SURE YOURE TALKING TO ACTUAL TECH SUPPORT DONT GIVE ANYONE ACCESS TO YOUR COMPUTER.

fun little addendum: did you know a link can just automatically download shit? like. a virus? an app you can't uninstall unless you reset your entire device? dont click links unless youre extremely sure you know where they lead. hover your mouse over it and check the url.

thanks.

[bellaxgiornata]

Under the Weather

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader Word Count: 2.2k

Summary: Despite the fact that he's coming down with a cold, Matt refuses to heed your advice on staying inside instead of running around Hell's Kitchen in the freezing autumn rain. In the morning, you're left with an even sicker, more stubborn Devil.

Warnings/tags: 18+; Nothing but fluff and a stubborn, flirty Devil

a/n: Yet another little fluffy fic for Mandy's Sweater Weather Challenge by the lovely @she-likesorchids! Can you tell I had to make sure all my boys got a fic? This one was for the prompt "Let's just stay in bed." Feedback is always appreciated!

Finally finished with the after dinner cleanup, you washed your hands in the kitchen sink, the pounding of the rain outside the apartment a persistent backdrop to the evening. As you turned off the faucet and reached over to grab the towel from the nearby hook, you heard the bedroom door slide open. Glancing up from your place at the sink as you dried your hands, you spotted Matt exiting the bedroom dressed in his black suit, his black mask on his head but not yet pulled down over his face. You frowned at the sight of him, eyes focusing back on the windows covered in rainfall as the light from the billboard across the street flooded through them, coating the living room in a dark blue.

Focusing back on Matt, you hung up the towel before you began to make your way through the kitchen towards him. You noticed how he'd stopped mid-step on his way to the stairs leading to the roof access as you walked, his head shifting over his shoulder towards you. 

"Matt," you said, tone lightly chastising. 

It didn’t escape your notice how he'd instantly stiffened at the sound of your voice. You could also tell by the way his shoulders were slightly slumped forward and the faint red tinge visible on his nose that he still felt a bit under the weather. But of course, Matthew being Matthew, he apparently was still planning to go out. You should have known as much.

"Maybe you should stay in tonight," you suggested carefully, eyeing the thin material of his shirt as the rain only continued to dump onto the roof of the apartment. "You know, like we talked about earlier? At dinner?"

He turned fully towards you, straightening his back as his sightless gaze landed on your chest. His eyes narrowed a bit and you knew he was about to pretend the big bad Devil wasn't sick, but the faint sniffle from his stuffed up nose ruined whatever effect he thought he was about to have on you. 

“I’m fine, sweetheart," he told you.

His voice was a little distorted because of the congestion and you scoffed immediately. Crossing your arms over your chest, you quirked a brow at him.

"You're sick, Matt," you pointed out. "You need rest. You said yourself earlier that nothing was going on tonight in Hell’s Kitchen. So stay in and take care of yourself. You'll be no help to anyone in the city if something actually happens and you're even sicker."

Matt shook his head at you, that stubborn expression still on his face. Of course he wasn't going to listen. He was going to ignore what he needed to do for himself for the sake of the people of Hell’s Kitchen, and as much as you loved and admired that about him, he really needed to learn one of these days that he was still only human. He needed to take care of himself. 

But getting that through his head was damn near impossible. 

"I don't get sick," he countered, voice still noticeably off. "I’m completely fine, sweetheart. I'm just going out for a bit to keep an eye on things. You don't need to wait up for me."

“Matt, it’s barely above freezing outside right now!” you exclaimed, throwing a hand towards the living room window. “And it’s raining . Ten degrees less and that would be snow right now! What you're wearing isn't even remotely warm. You’re going to make yourself incredibly sick if you go running around rooftops tonight dressed in that !”

Matt’s lips drew into a devilish smirk, a smug expression overtaking his features. The look might have had the desired effect on you if he hadn’t sniffled loudly yet again, his red nose scrunching up as he did. 

“You like this suit,” he countered.

“No,” you said, holding up a hand as you corrected him. “I like how you look in this suit, Matt. I absolutely hate how little protection it offers for knives, baseball bats, and cold weather. There’s a massive difference.”

“I’ll be just fine,” he assured you.

Matt reached a hand up, pulling his mask down until it covered his face, leaving only his lips and chin visible. The gesture was meant to end the conversation, you were aware of that. Sighing in exasperation, you rolled your eyes at him. You knew damn well he was going to be miserable come morning.

“We all know you’re just going to do what you want anyway,” you grumbled, crossing the rest of the way over towards him. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t need you bleeding out and sick later.”

“I’m not sick,” he countered immediately.

“Mhmm,” you hummed out, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek, just below the black fabric of his mask. “Sure you’re not, babe. I’ll remember that when you’re clinging to me tomorrow and complaining about how awful you feel.”

You could tell by the way his lips pursed and the fabric had shifted along his face that he was shooting you an irritated look. The corner of your own mouth quirked up into a smirk. You’d seen Matt sick a couple of times before and he was always absolutely desperate for physical comfort–though you figured with his heightened senses, being sick felt a whole lot worse to him. And you figured it probably muted his usual ability to navigate the world as he was used to, especially with a stuffed up nose affecting his sense of smell.

“I do not get clingy ,” he disagreed with obvious distaste.

“Whatever you say, Matty,” you replied, lightly patting him on the arm.

You turned, making your way over towards the leather couch. If Matt was going to run around outside in the equivalent of tissue paper while he was sick, you were going to relax and watch some television while being smart and not going outside in the freezing autumn rain. 

“I do not get clingy!” he stated again.

Abruptly he turned, storming his way over towards the staircase. You settled into the cushions of the couch with a shake of your head. 

“Alright, you don’t get clingy when you’re sick,” you told him.

As you picked up the television remote from the coffee table, you saw Matt had paused yet again at the sound of your voice. Head turning just over his shoulder, cocked a bit to the side, you didn’t miss the deep frown spreading over his lips.

“You didn’t mean that,” he pointed out, tapping a gloved hand to his ear. “I could hear your heart.”

Rolling your eyes playfully at him, you flashed him a grin before you focused on the television across the room. “Of course I didn’t,” you told him, turning on the TV. “Because you do get clingy when you’re sick.”

Matt rumbled out a noise of frustration, stalking his way up the stairs and towards the roof access without another word. He obviously knew he wasn’t winning this argument with you. You began scanning through the channels, looking for a fall baking show to watch as he pulled the door open, the sound of the rain outside briefly louder until the door closed with a sharp clang after him. Shaking your head again, you finally settled on what you were looking for. 

“You’re going to be so miserable in the morning,” you muttered under your breath, aware he could still hear you.

°•°•°•°•°•°

Something ice cold landed on your bare stomach and your eyes immediately snapped open, the chill pulling you straight from your sleep. A miserable, muffled groan met your ears over the sound of light rain pattering outside as your barely conscious mind tried to quickly piece everything together.

You were in bed with Matt curled up against the back of you. Apparently it was his icy cold hand on your stomach that had woken you. He shifted behind you, his frigid hand on your bare stomach drawing you further towards him just before he buried his face against the back of your neck. You shivered at how cold he felt against you–Matt was usually a furnace who kept you warm.

“Matt, you’re freezing,” you whispered, trying to glance over your shoulder at him.

“I know,” he groaned, pulling himself in tighter to the back of you. “You’re so warm, though.”

You frowned immediately at the thick, congested sound of his voice. He sounded far worse than he had last night. And that was the only thing keeping you from your usual reaction to Matt’s nearly naked body wrapped so tight around yours.

“You’re sick,” you pointed out.

He groaned again, shaking his head against the back of your neck. “Don’t say it,” he begged, his voice almost a whine. "Don't even say it, sweetheart."

Sighing at his plea for you to not rub the consequences of his actions in his face, your hand dropped down to cover the one he had on your stomach. You did your best attempting to warm it up, rubbing your hand back and forth across his large one. Matt hummed out a pleased noise in response, the sound quite nasally.

“Fine, but you’re sick, Matt,” you pointed out. “I need to take your temperature. See what medicine we still have in the apartment for you to take because I might need to run to the store." You paused when he pitifully moaned in protest at that. "And you’re not going into the office to help Foggy with that thing this morning. I’ll call him myself. Him and Karen can handle things on their own. You need rest.”

“Only if you stay with me,” he murmured, his arm tightening around your waist. “You’re so warm and comfortable. Don't want you to go. Let's just stay in bed .”

Clearing your throat, you pitched your voice lower as you grinned and said, “I’m not clingy, sweetheart.”

Matt groaned again, burying his face further into your neck. “ Not funny,” he muttered.

“Maybe to you,” you countered, still grinning, “but I think it’s quite pertinent.” Patting the back of his hand that was holding you firmly to the front of himself, you said, "I need to get up, Matty. Need to call Fog for you and find the thermometer. And check the medicine cabinet to see what we have. Maybe make us both some hot tea while I'm up."

You felt the way he shook his head once again against you, muttering out a noise of disagreement. He began shifting behind you in the bed, soon tossing one of his legs over the top of both of yours. It was so easy to forget how muscular and powerful Matt was sometimes because you were so used to seeing him walking around the apartment in barely anything most of the time, his muscles often on display. But his single leg was solid and heavy , easily trapping you beneath the weight of it as he refused to release his hold on you and let you up.

" Matt !" you laughed out, reaching your hand down to playfully swat his thigh. "I'm trying to help you!"

"No. Don't want it," he muttered, words muffled against your skin. " Mine ," his congested voice nearly purred as he curled possessively around you.

Your eyes widened in surprise, another little laugh falling out of you. That was new. 

"Matt, I at least need to call Fog and get your temperature–you're positively freezing," you told him. "Let me help you. Please?"

He grumbled discontentedly in response, not making any attempt to move. You shifted as best as you could in his restricting embrace, trying to get a look at him.

" Please ?" you tried again, drawing the word out. 

It was a moment before he released a resigned sigh beside your ear, his warm breath brushing over your shoulder a sharp contrast to his cold skin pressed against you. 

"Will you come back to bed after?" he asked. "Stay with me?"

"If that's what you want, I can stay with you for a bit longer this morning," you relented. "But only after I get all of that done."

Matt hummed out a noise of disagreement, shaking his head. "Uh uh," he mumbled. "I'll give you ten minutes."

You laughed once again, unable to help yourself. "Excuse me? You'll give me ten minutes?" you asked him. "What happens if I take longer than that?"

Gradually he drew his thick thigh from off the top of you, his cold hand retreating from your stomach soon after. Your brows briefly furrowed before he gave your ass a light, unexpected smack. Instantly your eyes widened in shock at the gesture. 

"The Devil will bring you back to bed," he warned. 

That familiar dark, gravelly tone of his was hard to miss, even with how congested he sounded. A jolt of something shot through you at his threat, the hair on the back of your neck raising. Matt rumbled out a noise behind you in response to your body's reaction. 

"Better hurry," he teased. "Time is running out, sweetheart."

Tossing the covers off of yourself, you climbed out of bed and grabbed your phone from the nightstand. Though as you headed to the bathroom to check the medicine cabinet and grab the thermometer, you admittedly found yourself curious about what a sick Devil might do to you if you took too long. 

[skzaholix]

changbin x reader ‹ as your boyfriend › reqs open !

I feel like changbin is such a whiny baby

like he always wants your affection and if he doesn't get it he'll be whining

he's also the type to when you give him compliments

let's say about his muscles or his pretty down turned smile

he'll always dismiss it and tell you to stop lying to him

but as soon as he's by himself or not facing you he'll be smiling so hard

changbin is the type to be an aggressive lover boy

like self depreciation? that better not even come out of your mouth

he's quick to push away your insecurities by saying something like "hey! don't you dare say that"

but then I also feel like he's one to also listen

I feel like he gives amazing advice aswell

like let's say you're seriously insecure about something you wanna improve or whatnot

it can be anything and he'll hear you out and give you his opinion on it

he's also someone who takes heed into someone's feelings

like your feelings and emotions are his top priority

he just wants to protect you oml 😭

I feel like his favorite season with you would be any season tbh

he's probably not big on decorating but he just loves to see how excited you are

on and valentines day he'll make sure to be perfect for you

also when getting with you, he'll be more into couple cliches like mistletoe

this man will deliberately hold on over your head just to give you a kiss

as if you'd be opposed either way

new years countdown best believe he's whisking you away to give you a kiss exactly on new years

he's just perfect ngl

[lunaroseblake]

Adrenaline - Chapter 9 'Relief'

Summary: Zayne is trying to cope and you're finally awake.

I hope you've all got your tissues ready for this one!

It had been two days since your operation, well technically three if you counted today but it had been the longest few days that Zayne had ever known. He hadn’t gone home just incase something happened to you, thinking that at least if he was at the hospital then he could help if the need came about. He’d slept in his office, though what little sleep he did manage to get was plagued with nightmares causing slight dark circles to form beneath his eyes. The staff areas were equipped with showers at least and he did have a couple changes of clothes in his office for incidents such as this one, plus the cafeteria did offer a range of decent meals, so he didn’t really see the point of going home for now, only wanting to stay by your side and make sure that you were safe.

When your friends had visited however, he had stepped aside and left them their own privacy with you, also apologising to Rafayel and Xavier for how he’d been after your surgery and formally introducing himself, even if they already knew who he was. They’d taken it all in stride, deciding to not hold anything against him as they could only imagine what he’d been through whilst operating on you. Every visitor that had come had brought you get well gifts and flowers, Rafayels bouquet being the most extravagant of them all but as they weren’t allowed in the ICU, Zayne had placed them all in his office and tended to them until they would be able to go with you in to your own room when you were moved out of intensive care.

You’d been kept fully sedated for the first day to allow your body to come to terms with all of the trauma it had sustained before staff began to lower the dosages, leaving you on the painkillers and letting your body decide when it was going to wake you up, all under the watchful eye of Zayne. He’d fully expected you to stay on the ventilator for a few more days but you continued to exceed his expectations when earlier that morning it was deemed your lungs were working well enough for you to try and breathe on your own. He’d been with you when it happened and you would need to be closely monitored but as he had no plans whatsoever for the rest of the day he was more than happy to sit by your side as he took your hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Your skin still felt a little cooler than normal but it was to be expected since as you weren’t moving around “I’m here.” He said softly, giving your vitals a quick check over and listening to the sound of your slow but steady breaths.

Heeding Greysons advice he had decided to take some time off, taking a step away from doing any surgery as he knew he wasn’t in the best frame of mind for that and wouldn’t be for a little while. He still did some paperwork and answered emails however, but the more hands on side he left down to Greyson, needing some time to properly process what he’d been through. Getting himself more comfortable he placed a book on to his lap with his hand that wasn’t holding yours and flicked through the pages until he got to his marker. He only managed to read a few pages before a notification dinged on his phone, a reminder. With everything that had happened, he had completely forgotten that he’d managed to get a booking for a restaurant you’d been dying to go to, the wait time for a free space being over a month. He was going to surprise you with it, a nice romantic candlelit dinner which may or may not lead to more afterwards.

He gave a light sigh as he closed his book, turning to look at your still form, the bruising you had was more prominent now, the days having let the full colours of blue and purple bloom across your skin“Y/N, will you do me a favour? “ His voice was quiet “I need you to wake up…” He knew it was going to take time but he wanted more than anything to see your eyes open, his heart felt like it was in a vice at not being able to do anymore for you at the moment and he hated that fact. He would only feel relief when he knew you were awake “Please wake up Y/N…” He pleaded almost imperceptibly. He knew that there was a possibility you may have some brain damage after being without oxygen for a short while when clinically dead, but the scans so far were hopeful.

He absentmindedly rubbed small circles on the top of your hand with his thumb, his anxiety of questioning his own actions beginning to creep back in to him, questioning himself as to whether he’d done absolutely everything he could to help you. He felt the overwhelming sadness run through him once more and he had a hard time fighting to keep his tears at bay. He didn’t think he’d ever cried so much in his life as he had in these past few days, it just made it that much clearer to him the depth of the feelings he held for you “Wake up… Please wake up soon Y/N…” It was silent for a short while as he managed to calm himself back down, though he never let go of your hand, needing to know you were there, a lifeline he was clinging on to.

“Z… Zayne?” It had been so quiet, your voice weak enough that he almost put it down to his imagination before he felt the smallest twitch of your fingers against his hand and he felt his heart falter slightly when he glanced towards your face and saw that your eyes were open. “Y/N?” He almost didn’t believe it, that you were awake before him, he’d stood before he even knew it sending the book he’d been reading flying across the floor as he kept ahold of your hand and he nearly couldn’t contain the flood of relief that went through him as he smiled. Your eyes were still slightly glazed over in confusion as they tried to focus on his face “I’m here Y/N, I’m here.” He gently stroked your cheek as he watched your eyes become clearer.

You felt like you hadn’t had a drink in an eternity, your mouth and throat drier than a desert as you focused on the man in front of you “You’re crying…” You croaked out and Zayne laughed, even though you were still coming to terms with everything that was going on, a dim thought in your mind told you that it was one of the most beautiful sounds you’d ever heard. “Because I’m happy, I’m so so happy you’re awake Y/N” He leaned over, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead and you saw the way his shoulders shook slightly as more tears rolled down his cheeks “Zayne, it’s okay…” You wanted to sound comforting, but your throat was that dry it was more a breathless, scratchy, crackle of a sound. You began to move your arm that wasn’t currently being held hostage by Zaynes hand but frowned when you found some restraint.

Glancing down you saw your arm in a sling, confusion only settling in further “What happened?” You were trying to desperately clear the cobwebs from your mind away as you turned your head to Zayne who had taken his seat once more and was pouring out a glass of water. He hesitated before speaking “What’s the last thing that you can remember?” You closed your eyes trying to sort through the hazy images that were flickering in and out of your grasp “I was… With Xavier, we… I had pancakes?” It was so hard to remember, everything was a blur and it was draining what little energy you had.

A glass of water was held out in front of your lips “Here, small sips only” He tilted the cup enough that you were able to take little sips of the water, watching to make sure you didn’t take too much. The relief was immediate, the cool water soothing your dry throat and you could have easily downed the whole glass if it weren’t for Zayne restricting your intake. Placing the glass down he waited patiently to see if there was anything else you could recall.

As your mind ever so slowly cleared, memories were getting easier to grasp on to “We went to find where the metaflux fluctuations were coming from and then…” Something shiny reflected in the corner of your eyesight and it was like putting the last puzzle piece in to place. With a click, everything came flooding back. The attack, Rafayel, the wanderer, blood, so much blood, people shouting, alarms blaring and the sound of your heart stopping. Everything was coming back thick and fast and you began to hyperventilate so much so that the monitor next to you burst in to a barrage of alarms, it hadn’t been a nightmare, it had all been very very real “Y/N! Y/N calm down, you’re okay, everything is okay, look at me, you’re safe okay? You’re safe” He soothed you gently, having quickly moved so he could take your face between his hands, getting you to look at him as he began to take deep breaths getting you to copy him doing so. “Deep breaths, you’re alright, I’m here, everything’s okay.”

A nurse had hurried over hearing the alarms but Zayne didn’t pay any attention to her, solely fixed on you and trying to calm your breathing. It took a few seconds for you to get yourself breathing steadily again, though your chest was pounding, your fragile heart hammering against broken ribs making you wince “It… Hurts…” You managed out through breathless pants and Zayne gave a nod to the nurse who went to fetch some more painkillers. “I know snowflake, I know, keep breathing slowly for me” He gently placed his hand over where the incision on your chest was, letting his cool touch soothe the wounds beneath. You closed your eyes at the feeling, calming yourself down more until your heart rate returned to something resembling normal.

Zayne watched as the nurse came back and gave you more painkillers, making sure not to give you too much as he moved to take a seat again, gently taking your hand once more as he did so “You need to be careful Y/N, you’ve suffered a lot of damage and it’s going to take a while for you to recover” You breathed slowly, trying to take in what Zayne was saying but your mind was going back to the last thing you fully remembered, Rafayel telling you to look at the sunset with him and you thinking you wished Zayne were there with you before it had all gone dark. “I died…” It wasn’t a question but Zayne gave a solemn nod anyway. He squeezed your hand gently and hesitated before deciding to fill in the rest of the blanks for you “The trauma you sustained from being hit was immense Y/N” He blocked out the memories of seeing the awful state your chest had been in when you’d arrived here “Paramedics were able to resuscitate you before you were flown here, you needed blood transfusions after the amount you’d lost.” He made sure that you wanted him to continue and after a slight pause you nodded your head, you wanted to know what happened, needed to know.

“When you arrived your were still critical, your blood pressure was too low that we took you immediately to surgery” He had to remind himself that you were alive in front of him, that he wasn’t dreaming as the images of you being dead before him flashed to the forefront of his mind “You flatlined again on the operating table, I saw your heart stop Y/N… I thought I’d lost you…” You could see his eyes glisten with the threat of unspilt tears and it made your heart break to see him so upset and worked up. You managed to lift your hand enough to gently caress the side of his face and smiled at him “Zayne… I’m here aren’t I? You saved me” He turned his head slightly so he was able to press a kiss to your palm, keeping your hand held close to him as though he was afraid you were going to disappear.

You remained silent in each others company for a while, him not quite believing that you were finally awake, and seemingly fine enough that you were able to remember what happened, and you, feeling tired, sore and guilty that you had put Zayne through that experience before remembering something else, guilt slamming in to you some more “I’m sorry I missed our date…” You were slightly taken aback when Zayne laughed again and you made a silent promise to yourself that you would do whatever you could to keep him happy and smiling as he was now “Oh my little snowflake, you can miss a thousand dates if it means I get to see you alive and well everyday.” You felt heat rise to your cheeks at that, which only caused Zayne to smile more at seeing your blush before he leant forward towards you, the cool skin of his forehead gently touching yours.

You brought your hand up to his cheek again “I’m so sorry Zayne” And you meant it, sorry for missing your date, for not being strong enough to hold on, twice, for causing him all that pain and suffering. You felt his lips brush against yours “You have nothing to be sorry for” He whispered before pressing a sweet kiss to your lips “Though please… Don’t EVER let me see you like that again, I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it.” You kissed him again, a light peck before pulling away slightly “I’ll try not to Doctor, I wouldn’t say being like this is something I want to get used to” You teased lightly before frowning. Lifting your hand, you gently moved to trail your fingers along the dark circles beneath his eyes “When was that last time you slept?”

Zayne quirked his eyebrow at you “You’ve just had major heart surgery, were clinically dead and you’re worried about me?” You stayed silent, giving him a pointed look, waiting for him to answer and he sighed in slight exasperation. “Don’t worry about me Y/N, I’ve had less sleep when I was studying to become a doctor. What you need to focus on now is getting yourself better. Doctors orders.” You pouted slightly at that though you could feel the tiredness begin to take hold again. The pain medication had gradually begun kicking in, turning the pain in your chest in to a dull throb and making you drowsy.

Zayne saw how you were trying to fight off the way your eyelids were getting heavier as he moved his hand to gently stroke through your hair, knowing it made you sleepy when he did. He gently pressed a kiss to your forehead as he listened to your breathing slow from being relaxed as sleep began to claim you “Rest my love.” He murmured quietly, finally able to feel at peace knowing that you were going to be okay.

[yenonnoff]

TEACH ME HOW TO LOVE! 10. strangers (?) at an amusement park

“hi!” 

you smiled, face-to-face with atsumu. he stared at you briefly before responding with a curt nod—perhaps his unique way of greeting others. still, this was progress (at least you hoped it was). 

this time around, you plan on heeding kuroo’s advice. with one goal in mind—finding something tolerable about atsumu miya—you'll end the meeting on a good note and all the cursing done behind each other’s backs will surely be forgiven! 

you're well aware that it's ambitious of you. one way or another, you have to tolerate him and his smug behavior; tolerate his lazy smiles and vexatious comments; tolerate his oftentimes irritating candor. you could only hope and cross your fingers that the chances of today going well weren’t completely zero. 

usually atsumu plasters on an indifferent mien, but today, his eyes are limpid and curiously looking you up and down. raising a confounded brow, you asked, “what's wrong?” 

“do you want people to recognize you?” he said, simultaneously adjusting his denim cap with one hand. 

a playful smile crept onto your face, augmenting your co-star’s confusion. “what, i think i look pretty good.” 

momentarily, you caught it: the patent way atsumu cringed, his back slightly rigid. he looked beyond disgusted, eliciting a satisfied grin from you.

he cleared his throat, replying, “yeah, you’ll look pretty good when your picture appears on the news tomorrow.”

“we won’t get caught,” you said plainly. “practically everyone leaves at five p.m. anyway.” 

atsumu glanced at his watch, quietly reading the bolded numbers: 4:45. 

“you sound so sure,” he turned towards you. 

“that’s because i am, i’ve been here countless times with my friends before.”

he folded his arms, his shoulders relaxed as a subtle breeze passed by. “and you weren’t caught once?” 

“not once.” 

there was a pause between the two, the chaotic cheers from within the amusement park filling the brief silence. when the noise dispersed, atsumu said, “is that so? this’ll be the second time i’ve come here. the first was during high school with some friends.” 

you resisted a stunned smile. another wave of pandemonium blared, causing atsumu to tense, annoyance evident in his furrowed eyebrows. while his focus was elsewhere, you inhaled sharply, attempting to control your exaltation. 

this was definitely progress—good progress. was this the first time atsumu has mentioned anything personal about himself? it made you wonder if he’s still in contact with the friends he mentioned, or if he had a positive experience at this amusement park. 

when your co-star shifted his gaze back onto you, you were reminded of their current predicament—of their opposition and dislike for one another. you inhaled again; you doubt you'll ever discover the answer to those questions. 

after the film ends, you're out of there. these current circumstance were only temporary, and you were determined to resolve them quickly and soon. 

you hum in response, digging for your phone in your bag. “you’re in luck, i know this place like the back of my hand,” you smiled. “come, i compiled a list of rides i want to go on today.” 

approaching you, atsumu peered over your shoulder. he leaned closer while you navigated your notes app. he grimaced, your list seemed never-ending. 

“we’re going on all of them?”

“yes, all of them,” you reaffirmed. 

he grumbled disapprovingly. “i don’t have all day to do that, y’know.” 

you turn, peering up at his narrowed eyes in a nonchalant manner. you also wish you were doing something else—something more productive and less headache-inducing—but here you were. 

“don’t tell me you’re backing down? or, perhaps,” you paused, a finger resting on your chin, “are you afraid of heights? do you have motion sickness or something like that?” 

swiftly making an apologetic expression, you continued, “if you do, why didn’t you tell me? we would’ve went somewh—"

“no,” he interjected sternly, “i don’t have any of those things.” 

“oh, is that so?” you said disbelievingly, irking your co-star in the process. 

atsumu (scarily) smiles—not one formed out of joy, but rather impish stubbornness. 

“y’know what? fine, let’s go on all of them and see who is most exhausted at the end.” 

your eyes widened. you already knew from the way he lifted his denim cap and raked an impatient hand through his hair, that you were getting your way. still, you didn’t know he’d give in that willingly and easily. 

were you becoming an expert on how to effectively push atsumu miya’s buttons? 

“oh, but,” you paused, a thought suddenly coming to mind, “it’s not five yet. should we wait a bit?” 

“no, those roller coasters aren’t going to ride themselves. let’s get going.” 

before you knew it, he'd sidestepped you, walking towards the entrance. 

you knew you shouldn’t get your hopes up, but you was smiling like an idiot. this wasn’t a dream, right?

approaching a lone worker at the entrance, the two actors were greeted with a welcoming smile. 

“perfect weather to go on rides, right?” the worker commented in an exuberant manner. “oh! there’s an event happening today specifically for couples. it’ll begin at nine p.m., you should definitely check it out.” 

by the time the worker finished, her confident and uplifting smile had turned into a confused and blank frown. she looked extremely lost, alternating between the disgusted faces of the two figures. 

when neither of you responded, the worker cleared her throat harshly. the silence and utterly repugnant expressions were too much to bear. she had just clocked in too... she wasn’t going to let this galling situation ruin her shift. 

“sorry!” she smiled nervously. “i mistook the two of you as couples. there are numerous events today for friends as well.” 

her words didn’t alleviate the disgusted expressions—it seemed to have augmented them instead. 

attempting to reassure the worried worker, you said, “oh, we’re not friends. more like co-workers?” 

atsumu intervened, causing you to shift your attention to the blond actor. “don’t say that, it sounds equally as bad.” 

“then what are we? acquaintances?” 

you two shared a mutual look of revulsion. 

“strangers,” atsumu asserted, a less mild expression of disgust on his face. he turned to look at the worker who’s been quietly observing the tense scene in front of her. “we’re strangers. i don’t know who she is,” he smiled charmingly.

a muted and hesitant laugh escaped the worker’s lips. what kind of response were you supposed to give in a situation like this?

“…i see. you can swipe your card here.” she finally said. 

shortly after, you both walked into the amusement park, leaving the worker standing bewildered. what had she just witnessed?

a slight breeze glazed by as you and atsumu stood under a lamppost. 

with one hand tucked warmly in his pocket and the other holding tightly onto his phone, atsumu glanced at you. 

“will you be okay?” he asked. 

you only nodded briefly. he didn’t inquire out of concern, he only asked to point out your shaking legs and fatigued appearance. 

after hours of continuously riding roller coasters back and forth, you were going to feel some sort of exhaustion. it didn’t help that atsumu had said it so cunningly with a smug expression on his face. 

“looks like i won,” he mused. 

you grumbled—but you had to admit, atsumu handled himself well. usually after about the seventh ride, your friends all back down and are completely exhausted. 

you smiled tiredly. “are you sure this is the second time you’ve been here?” 

“of course it is. maybe you’re the one with motion sickness,” he said. 

before you could respond, a taxi arrived in front of you. atsumu was the one who had called for it, seeing as his co-star’s voice was extremely hoarse and dry. you wondered if atsumu’s eardrums were alright. 

opening the door, you looked at him over your shoulder. “you’re taking a different taxi, right?” 

“yeah, will you be okay?” he teased. 

you allowed yourself a short laugh, telling him a brief thank you before disappearing into the car.

masterlist ⌒☆ previous ⌒☆ next

fun facts:

whenever y/n and her friends go to the amusement park, kenma 8 out of 9 times will insist on staying behind while the others ride the roller coaster. sometimes, he'll record them and silently laugh to himself.

once, kenma went on a ride with his sandals and he was gripping onto them for dear life. luckily none of them flew off.

kuroo accidentally ventured around the souvenir/candy store once and got chased around by a child with a sugar rush.

TEACH ME HOW TO LOVE! ｡ｏ♡ an atsumu miya smau

synopsis: when y/n l/n, a rising actress, decides to star in a romance film that could make or break her career, she’s unable to showcase her skills, revealing her inexperience within the romance department instead. worst of all, atsumu miya, her co-star and the main lead’s love interest, seems to hate her guts! with absolutely, unbearably zero chemistry between the two, an idea was proposed: spend time with one another in the upcoming weeks. will y/n be able to ignore her professionalism and listen to her heart? and will she, a clueless romantic, be able to pick up on the signs her co-star is sending her?

a/n: sorry to everyone who doesnt like roller coasters + has a fear of heights i can relate i also have a fear of heights ure not alone LMAOO this was a difficult ch to write omg idk if i like or hate it (nvm i hate it)

taglist is open! dm or ask to be a part of it! (those bolded were unable to be tagged)

⌒☆ @kqbukimono @empathum @clyver @chosoluv @moonplethxra @sunarots @marga-j @rukia-uchiha-98 @wyrcan @thechaosoflonging @rintarousgirl @ast4rg1rl @seiamor @saiewithakatana @usermins @literally-a-ferret @terrarain @iuspired @haruskatana

[yanderenightmare]

Rules

Don't spam the same request, please. If I haven't posted your request for whatever reason, sending it in again won't increase its chances of being posted.

However, don't be discouraged from sending in multiple requests! The above rule is only meant as a measure to avoid getting the same request. You can still request the same character as much as you like if the vibe, prompt, idea, or plot is different! Hope that makes sense!

When your request mentions several characters, please specify if it's supposed to be poly or separate stories with the same theme - or something else entirely.

Unspecified requests will be assumed as noncon/dubcon and yandere, given that this is a yandere blog. But feel free to request other things; just make sure to specify your preference.

One-worded requests that only mention a name are often ignored. To increase your chances, add a vibe, prompt, idea, or anything extra to give me a sense of what you want.

Contrariwise, requests that seem like fully realized stories or paragraphs are also often ignored due to the lack of freedom I, as the author, am allowed. Hope that's understandable!

Regarding what you're allowed to request, I'm nothing if not flexible. Know that you won't ever be kink-shamed here. That being said, there are certain things I probably won't ever write, such as scat, child death/abortions, other pregnancy scares, and extreme gore.

I feel hesitant putting up these restrictions as I have and do write ass-play, pregnancy, and somewhat gore... But I suppose there's a line of extremity somewhere that I won't cross.

All in all, you don't have to heed this warning so much. If there's a request I don't feel like writing, I'll just ignore it. Don't worry; it won't warrant a block.

In the same spirit, keep in mind that sending a request does not, under any circumstances, entitle you to a reply. I, as the owner of this blog, will exercise my right to do whatever I want with it. No hard feelings.

In other news. Don't trauma dump in my inbox, on DM, or in the comment section of my posts. Your comments will be deleted, and in the worst case, you will be blocked.

Trauma dumping entails anything from the unprompted sharing of personal stories to offhand negativity regarding the contents of this blog based on personal arguments, viewpoints, and experiences.

Other reasons that might warrant a block include negative spamming or reblogs out to witchhunt my blog, hateful comments and personal attacks that target either me or others, and irrelevant asks sent to my inbox.

Irrelevant asks entail anything unrelated to my previous posts, requests, or positive and critical feedback. Yes, critical feedback is accepted, but not when the line between relevant discourse and senseless slander is crossed.

Examples of irrelevant asks include petitioning me for donations or spreading information on topics, people, and other blogs.

Please respect the blog's simple parameters, as in nothing aside from smut and the occasional writing advice and sexual psychology discussions.

WELCOME ♡ NAVIGATION ♡ KO-FI ♡ REQUEST ♡ MASTERLISTS

[hisui-dreamer]

I saw the recent request from skinny lector, I loved it, I felt identified, idk if it's not much, I could request the same but with my favs lilia, jamil, vil and rook, when skinny lector fem would like to be more voluptuous (like more curves kdjsj) but because of her metabolism she can't gain weight and this frustrates her :(( , tenks ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡

his unwavering support

Characters: Lilia, Jamil, Vil, Rook

Synopsis: Your body's metabolism can be frustrating, but at least he's right here to support you.

Tags: body image issues, comfort, fluff, bot proofread

Word count: 813

Notes: as always, i hope everyone can be happy and comfortable in their own skin and body!

Part 1 ✧ Masterlist

he thinks it's a human thing, but he's very supportive nonetheless

he finds you perfect in all ways, and really it's your spirit that has captivated him

but he'd encourage you to be what you want to be

this old fae is just happy to see you happy

and he's extra ready to help you by making sure you're eating enough nutrients of course!

he's raised silver, and now he'll take good care of you too!

but the recipes always seen rather lacking...

no worries, he'll just add more nutrients!

don't pay heed to the ominous smell and colour, it's totally not edible!

yeahh maybe you shouldn't let him make food for you

still he'll be all the more willing to support you

he'll pop in at random hours of the day to see if you're hungry, and thankfully he'll give you ready made snacks

just, for your sake, don't eat his cooking

"Beastie! There you are." Lilia rushes up to you with a basket in hand. "I have prepared a dish for us to share. Please, do give it a try. I promise it's not as bad as it looks," he beams, but the less than pleasant smell is more than enough for you to doubt his words.

Jamil is very understanding and supportive of your insecurities

he truly loves you for who you are, and he couldn't be more grateful that you love him

but he understands that's just how insecurities work and he'd try his best to help you

he's a great listener, so he's always here to lend you an ear if you feel the need to rant

ever the practical and mindful thinker, he'd also offer practical advice on, life habits, diets, and even self-confidence tips

if you like his cooking, he's all the more willing to cook for you

always extends an invitation to you to kalim's banquets

and he makes sure to save a portion for you to eat later, so when you eventually get hungry, he can easily heat it up and serve it to you

keeps snacks on him at all times just in case you're suddenly hungry

all in all, he’s very accommodating and he’ll adapt to your every need

"Ya amar, is the food to your liking?" Jamil asks, reaching over with a napkin to gently wipe your cheek of sauce. At your nod, he smiles contentedly. "I'm glad, take your time and eat slowly, there's plently more left." He says as he starts eating his own plate.

he understands what it feels like to want to change yoruself

he himself has worked incredibly hard to achieve his own desired physique

but definitely emphasizes self-acceptance and confidence regardless of physical appearance

he'll love you regardless for who you are, even better when you're happy and confident in your own skin

he'll encourage you to work hard towards your goals

makes use of his knowledge on diets and nutrition, high protein smoothies!

once you've set yourself realistic goals, he'll be there every step of the way to make sure you're not slacking off

beware, he's a strict coach once he's invested

when he sees you in school, he'll chastise you on eating your meals and staying hydrated properly

you will not hurt your body to pursue your ideals, absolutely not on his watch

he'll sprinkle in bits of affection here and there to keep you motivated, so keep at it!

"Darling, I don't want you to feel like you have to change yourself. You are perfect just the way you are," Vil says, before laying a sweet peck on your forehead. "No one else would ever be worthy of being my lover, please know that." His breath tickles your forehead.

Rook finds beauty in anything and everything, but he can't deny he has a bias towards you

he'll genuinely be confused, but he's careful about asking you to elaborate your insecurities

he would never want to hurt your feelings

he definitely he waxes poetry about your beauty

he can be a little bit dramatic, but he means well

but man, he could go on for days about how your smile sends butterflies to his stomach

it's kind of a, he won't shut up about it so you'll have to accept his compliments

all the while, he’ll still support you whenever you need though

he understands that this is what you want, and he’ll be there for you every step of the way

literally

stalking showing up randomly throughout the day to make sure his beloved is doing well

your huntsman is… very devoted

"Mon chou, you are beautiful just the way you are. Beauty is not just about shape or size. It's the inner essence that makes a person shine. I am fascinated by everything that you are, and I hope that you can find the same joy within yourself. Je suis là pour toi, toujours."

Part 1 ✧ Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

[illuminatedquill]

Sabine x Ezra/Anakin x Padme:

It's Like Poetry, It Rhymes

I'm already falling I couldn't help it, didn't think of the risk I got a problem, problem when I look in your eyes You're mine and you know it I'd still do it even if we were cursed Won't you be my problem? It's okay with me if it hurts - BANKS, Under the Table

George Lucas has a phrase that I always come back to regarding his work: "It's like poetry, it rhymes."

He said this in reference to Luke's battle with Vader in the Emperor's Throne Room aboard the second Death Star. During the climax of the duel, Luke faces the same choice his father did so many years ago.

And Luke chooses differently. Instead of killing Vader, he tosses aside his weapon and chooses to stop fighting. He wins the battle without violence and claims the mantle of Jedi Knight, which helps Anakin return to himself fully and turn on the Emperor.

For this post, I'm using this phrase to another interesting similarity within Star Wars: the relationship between Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger having echoes of the doomed romance of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala.

There's no way that Filoni is not aware how he's setting these two up.

Sabine, clearly, has resemblances to Ahsoka's former master; it doesn't surprise me that Ahsoka immediately cut Sabine's training short after the Purge of Mandalore.

Sabine is messy, angry, reckless, impulsive, and obviously depressed after experiencing so much trauma in her life. Despite her efforts to keep up appearances that everything's fine with her, we can tell in the Ahoska premiere that she still keenly feels the loss of Ezra and her family.

Anakin was the same way. We know his story; I won't re-hash it here.

Because of Sabine's inability to reflect on her problems - much like Anakin - they tend to influence her decisions. She can't focus on what needs to be done, versus what she wants to be done.

Love versus duty. The age old conundrum.

She should have destroyed the map to Thrawn. She didn't. She could not face returning to a galaxy without Ezra Bridger in it.

Anakin prevented Jedi Master Mace Windu from finishing Palpatine because he wanted the knowledge to save Padme from death.

Anakin's decision, I also want to remind, led to Padme's death being realized. In doing what he did to prevent it, he ended up causing it to come true.

Sabine's decision to save Ezra . . . well, we've yet to see how Filoni plays this out. But I think there might be a similar outcome here; some sort of consequence for Ezra due to Sabine's actions.

The galaxy - both times - shifted on its axis and began to spiral towards darkness. The Empire rose. Thrawn returned.

The seeds of darkness have already been planted in Sabine. Her decision to hand over the map to Baylon was a failure of temptation. And once you go down the path of the dark side, it's incredibly hard to turn away. Yoda told this to Luke and he failed to heed his advice until it was almost too late.

Lucas, with Luke and Vader, had them face the same dilemma in their respective journeys to show how different their choices would be and how their characters, despite being so much alike, were ultimately different.

So Filoni, with Sabine and Ezra, is - at least in my point of view - doing the same. He's going to have these two reckon with what Sabine did only for them to choose differently than what happened with Anakin and Padme.

We never really saw Anakin and Padme reconcile after his fall. That's the tragedy of their relationship.

But with Sabine and Ezra, there's still hope. They can choose better and not end up cursed like their predecessors.

For one, Ahsoka is literally right there. I'm uncertain as to how much she knows about the reason for Anakin's downfall but if she does know (or Anakin's Force ghost reveals it to her) then she's perfectly armed with the knowledge to make sure Sabine doesn't follow the same path.

Sabine and Ezra also have much more of a personal history with each other. Their foundation is built on stronger material than Anakin and Padme's. There's a lot of trust and respect and love already built into it.

But, admittedly, Sabine's actions threaten to unmake that relationship. I've talked about it before in a previous post; that she could end up losing Ezra due to her selfishness.

And that's not even mentioning the reactions from Hera. Hera, thinking of her son, Jacen, and her desire to raise him in a galaxy not at war. Now it's being threatened by Thrawn's return.

All because of Sabine's need to save Ezra.

I really don't know how, but I'm excited to see Sabine and Ezra work it out. Because we've never seen a proper redemption arc in Star Wars. Anakin was redeemed, yes, but he died shortly afterwards.

Sabine has to put in the work to make up for what she did. She's already started on the path by staying behind with Ahsoka instead of going home with Ezra, but being open to the Force now means that there's only more trials and temptations ahead.

I can't overstate how worried we should be for Sabine. She messed up so badly before being able to tap into the Force. And now she has it.

I know she's on the path to set things right but that temptation will never go away. It will only be amplified, going forward, and I'm sure that there will be more opportunities for abuse considering the inevitable conflict between Thrawn and the New Republic.

And then there's Ezra, of course. Her desire to keep him safe.

Because he wouldn't sit on the sidelines, even if he wanted to. Sabine's actions, like it or not, have involved him in ways that he cannot understand. He'll be at the center of this fight.

I expect Sabine is going to experience some troubling visions soon. I'm thinking similar to what Luke faced in the cave on Dagobah, or even what Anakin saw during his encounter with the Mortis gods.

There's nowhere to hide anymore now that she's stuck on Peridea.

The Force, I'm sure, is going to have a lot to show Sabine about herself that's been hidden away. I hope she's ready.

Much as I want to see these two together and living happily, it can't happen until Sabine and Ezra work through these issues together.

Because if they can't, well . . . we've seen how that story ends.

[shootertron-stuff]

PSA: Imperial Fists

Just because Imperial Fists are content to stay in one place and have a high pain tolerance doesn't mean you can just shove them in a tiny enclosure and hit them whenever you like. Surviving does not mean thriving! Imperial Fists, owing to their training and self-image as stoic soldiers who never complain, are good at hiding the fact they are suffering, especially around caretakers they consider heretics.

An Imperial Fist's natural environment is a spacious fortress filled with enrichment. They actually have a wide range of interests, and need room to express their natural behaviors, like swordfighting and scrimshaw! Many Imperial Fists enjoy reading about galactic history, as well. I recommend investing in a void battle strategy board, a library, a gym, a cork gun shootery, and an armory full of dummy weapons (so they don't hurt themselves playing). Don't be afraid to tap into public resources, though express caution when leading your Imperial Fist out in public, especially around the Lost and Damned.

While Fists are famed for their pain tolerance that can even become masochism, with some even enjoying the pain from broken bones, regular pain sessions are not the same as hitting them when you're mad they're destroying the furniture in their tiny cells in boredom. They will come to resent you and become even more destructive.

Instead, set aside time each day (or week, if you can't manage every day) to spank, whip, and/or zap your Imperial Fist, making sure to praise them for taking it so well. Rogal Dorn's lads thrive on routine.

If you cannot find a Pain Glove, there are commercially available electrostimulation machines that can also stimulate their pain receptors.

If you heed my advice, you slowly will develop a genuine bond of trust with your Imperial Fist, and they may even cook and clean for you like a true homemaker.

[taniahylian]

Reverse 1999 theory: Matilda's orb contains the same kind of fog as Aperion's cave

Okay, first of all, and before I start, this discussion will contain spoilers for chapters 4, 5 and the extra mini chapter, so if you haven't finished those, please do so before coming back. Okay, now on to the theory.

So, I was thinking back to the story of ch5 and about the connections to the mini story that comes afterwards, and something caught my attention. The caves in Aperion, including, the prison cell, have a kind of fog that is able to alter people's minds and give them "insights" into the truth. For example, Regulus and APPLe were able to exactly recall the distances between the planets and the Sun, solve the "Unsolvable puzzle", and deduce the existence of Ceres. Not only that, but they also "saw" Ceres in the cell.

Later on, Vertin and 37 go into the cave of truth, which is the core of the island, and 37 urges Vertin to meditate about the Storm and ask the questions she needs answers to.

Imo this is similar to what we see Matilda do in each and every divination; she'd ask the person she's with to concentrate on whatever they want answers about. Then, she'd see the answer in the fog inside the orb.

Of course, in Matilda's case, the fog isn't all around her, but safely stored inside the orb, so she'd use incense and other implements to help her reach the state of mind necessary to interpret the signs in the crystal ball. She also tells Kaalaa Bauna that divination is very similar to meditation; similarly, 37 tells Vertin that she has to close her eyes and meditate in order to reach the answer she seeks.

Now, in case you're not yet convinced, divination, in Reverse 1999, isn't exactly "telling the future", but more a means to gain insights and understandings about reality that wouldn't have been accomplished in normal circumstances, at least not in such a short amount of time. Matilda even tells us as much in one of her voice lines.

Imo this is similar to what we see happen with Regulus and APPLe in the cave; they made a deduction based on knowledge they already possessed, but they wouldn't have been able to make this deduction in other circumstances.

More so, what Matilda sees in the orb are just "omens", and she goes on to thell Sotheby that numbers, like what the inhabitants of the island see in the cave of truth, are also a kind of omens.

Having stablished this, I want to make a comparison between a conversation Sotheby and Matilda have, and something that happened in ch5. When they're looking for the missing file, Sotheby asks Matilda why doesn't she just divine the truth about the storm, and Matilda seems horrified about the idea and rejects it compleatly, saying the most likely result they'd obtain would be nothing.

She even goes as far as to say that inquiring about the Storm will only bring misfortune, and we know Matilda is actually very cautious when it comes to divination because, as she says, it can be a dangerous activity and you must always have complete control of it.

I'm not sure what would happen if she doesn't heed this advice, and tbh I don't think Matilda knows either, but she's not willing to risk it and I think it's wise for her to be cautious. Especially because of what we see happen with Vertin when she does inquire about the Storm.

After she closes her eyes, Vertin makes one question after another about the Storm, none of which would have a simple straight-forward answer, I assume.

Immediately after, the calmness of the cave is thrown into chaos and she "sees" the Gorgon current.

Then she feels the stone bangle heat up and she gets distracted to the point of being thrown out of this meditative state, which 37 warns would be a big mistake "because to Aperion this is..." and we don't get to hear the rest of what she was going to say, but it's safe to assume that interrupting this is very bad.

Now, this is just especulation, but I wonder if Vertin's complicated questions + being thrown out of the meditation, are what caused the Gorgon current to disappear, ending Aperion's exile from the outside world and allowing the planes to reach it. Though I'm sure Arcana had something to do with this as well. I assume we'll need to wait for ch6 to find out.

But of course, this is just a theory. I'd be happy to read your thoughts and opinions on it!

[megamagimugi]

Hey there, my friend! I saw you reblogging an artist ask game, so please allow me to make you a few questions 🥰

How about 2, 12 (I'm interested if you're willing to share!), 15 and 25? 💖

Sure thing, my friend!

Based on this:

2. How long have you been drawing?

Short answer: for as long as I can remember.

Long answer: I drew a lot as a kid (fun fact: I used to make quick uncolored pencil drawings to tell stories, kinda like storyboards; I would do it for hours and use so much paper that my parents eventually told me to draw on both sides😅). The fact that my older sister was very good at drawing - and I was very competitive - also motivated me to work hard and try to get as good as her. Then I drew less often in high school and in my first college since I had less time and was focused on schoolwork, and then started doing it more often again as I now study graphic design and would like to maybe become an animator if possible - the dream job of my childhood that I gave up on too early. When it comes to digital art specifically... I got my tablet, the very same one I use to this day (Wacom Intuos 4), for Christmas when I was about 15 or 16. Because it was so hard for me to learn how to draw digitally, and like I said I soon started spending less time drawing in general, sometimes I didn't use my tablet for long periods of time. That, of course, eventually changed into using it nearly every day.

12. Is it okay for people to ask you about your process?

Yes, it's okie dokie to ask!

...Or did you mean you wanted to know right now?

In which case, well, it depends on the medium and the specific piece since I don't always do my art the same way. Generally in digital art, for the characters I like to do a rough sketch first, then either a cleaner sketch or lineart (I rarely bother to do both, even in animation - unless my initial rough animation is like... really rough and basic, just to get the feel of the motion). Then I do flat colors, often on separate layers, and then shade/render each part. Or I do the whole character minus the sketch on one layer, it really depends. For example, I did Mario and Luigi both on one layer in my Brothership repaint/wallpaper, other that the yellow glow on their hands. For backgrounds... it really depends, but I usually build them up layer after layer, from general shapes to details, like a normal painting. Of course, I use some sort of sketch for most of them too, unless I don't need it because the BG is very simple or abstract. If I don't want my sketch to be visible, I basically just remove it and refine the parts that look bad without it, sometimes adding some brush strokes imitating lineart in some places. Happens to both characters and backgrounds. I use different brushes to create different effects, but in the majority of my works I've been sharing on here, I only really use a hard round pressure opacity brush for both the final sketch and rendering.

15. How long does an average piece take you to complete?

This one is always tricky to answer (yes, I've been asked this before by some classmates). Uh, several hours? It's really hard to tell exactly simply because I rarely just sit down and complete a whole piece in one go. Unless it's just a simple sketch/doodle. So in reality my average pieces often take me a few days.

25. Do you like to draw in silence, or with music?

There's one piece of advice in Richard Williams' fantastic book The Animator's Survival Kit that I don't think I'll ever be able to heed. It's this one:

Sorry but no, I do almost everything with music. It makes things more enjoyable and ironically makes it easier to focus in the long run. So, definitely drawing with music💯😁

Thank you so much for the ask, @silenzahra!😊

[soapy-soartp]

Day 17 of @whumperless-whump-event

Day:  17 - IN HOT WATER

Prompt: Dangerously high fever / Cool baths / "We have to get that number down somehow."

Sick baby hong er and caretaker XL

Fandom: TGCF

Characters: Hong'er, Xie Lian, Yin YU

When Xie Lian woke up he was met with the strange sight of a small dirty figure laying next to him. The poor thing was shivering and filthy and curled up trying to make themself as small as possible. Through his sleep-addled mind, he wonders why there's a child in their bed instead of his husband- oh. *Oh*.

Then it all clicks.

This child is his husband. He slowly sits up, trying not to disturb or frighten the child, who he now knows is little Hong’er.

“Hong’er…?” He quietly calls out, reaching out for the child but not quite touching.

The only thing he gets in response is a heartbreaking whimper and the little one curling up more. Xie Lian reaches out to wipe away some of the sweat and grime on the child but he reels back when he feels just how much heat is emanating from him. 

He pushes back Hong’er’s badly cut bangs and feels his forehead, he’s absolutely burning up!

That can’t be normal… 

So fearing for his husband's health he quickly opens his communication array and contacts Yin Yu for extra supplies and information, he doesn’t really know what to do with a thoroughly sick child. 

Yin Yu responds quickly and assures him that he’ll have everything they could possibly need at the shrine shortly. He also added that if Hong’er’s temperature was concerning it’s best to cool him down somehow.

He gripes at the fact they’re at Piqu shrine instead of paradise manor. It would’ve been a lot more comfortable for Hong’er there… though maybe it is safe here in a smaller village. He leaves Hong’er in Rouye’s care while he heeds the advice given to him.

Quickly, he begins to fill up the tub with water, forgoing the heating talisman that they’d usually use. He hopes the natural temperature of the river water is cool enough for the fever to go down. Well even if it weren’t at least Hong’er will be getting cleaned.

While he managed to half fill the tub with water, Yin Yu knocked and let himself in. He was carrying piles of pillows and blankets and a change of clothes for Hong’er.

“Your Highness,” the masked man greets with a nod.

“Yin Yu! Thank you for getting these!” He says with a smile as he reaches for the items, “Ah? What’s this?”

“Just some extra supplies, Your Highness, food, medical supplies, and such.”

“Thank you again, Yin Yu! Could I trouble you to find out more information on caring for a sick child?”

“Anything you need, Your Highness, I’ll be going now. I’ll send whatever I can find to you.”

Xie Lian nods as Yin Yu leaves. Then he turns to the child on the sleeping mats again. Walking over with the mass of blankets and pillows he puts them tk the side as he checks on the other again. Rouye was circling the still shivering child, adorably the silk band seems extremely concerned for the child.

“Hong Hong’er…?”

Another whine answers him as the child begins to tremble more.

“I'm going to lift you up and get you into a cold bath alright…” he explains slowly, waiting for a sign of resistance before carefully picking up the trembling body and bringing him over to the tub.

He slowly takes off the filthy clothes the child wore and lowers him into the water. He takes great care to make sure the other’s head will stay above water and his heart breaks a bit after seeing him flinch harshly as he gets lowered in.

“Sorry, but you're burning up and we need to get your temperature down,” he explains.

Hong’er finally opens his eyes, one a dark void and a bright blood red. He clings to his arms as if scared of the water, Xie Lian smiles sympathetically and lets him. He uses his other hand to pour water over the child, which causes even more shivering.

 Xie Lian keeps smiling softly at the child while he carefully explains what he’s doing, taking great care to not aggravate the clear injuries that the child has. He washes soft skin and knotted hair of the dirty and grim that's stuck to them. By the time he’s finished the water is a dark murky brown but Hong’er is clean, pliant, and his temperature slightly went down.

He motions for Rouye to hand him a fluffy towel that Yin Yu brought, himself not being able to move because Hong’er was still clinging to him. Rouye dutifully brings him the towel and he bundles up the sleepy child and brings him to their nest of pillows and blankets. 

He makes quick work of tending to the child’s injuries and dressing him in simple yet finely made red robes. Then he grabs some of the fruit Yin Yi brought and begins to hand feed the child as he rests against Xie Lian’s chest.

[furious-haste-of-malice]

"I heard things about you," he said in a low voice. "They say you gain favours by offering your fána to others. And I know it to be true. Even if you won't admit it, I've seen how you act when we fight. How you will always evade and deny and scream and throw insults, but also show off your fána and make sure it touches mine –" 

✦ ⁺ ‧ Day 5 ⁺ Tulkas x Melkor (background/implied Melkor x Mairon) ✦ ⁺ ‧ Synopsis: Tulkas chases Melkor with the intention of stopping him from committing evil deeds - and satisfying an age-old craving. ✦ ⁺ ‧ Featuring/prompts: Hate sex, rough sex, non-con, humiliation/degradation, light bondage ✦ ⁺ ‧ Warnings: Non-con (I mean it), physical violence Also available on AO3

AN: Day 5 of @silmsmutweek. Please heed the warnings - this may be rather unpleasant to read for some of you.

"Get away from me!" 

"That'd suit you just fine, huh?" 

Black claw-like nails dug into ruddy flesh, leaving angry red marks as the two Valar rolled down a grassy hill in the plains of Valinor. Their fight was heated and bitter, neither willing to give up – Melkor kept insisting that he had done nothing wrong, while Tulkas was adamant that he had been acting suspicious and had decided to apprehend him before any evil deeds could be committed. If anything his resistance made it seem like he had something to hide, as the Champion of the Valar proudly proclaimed. 

Despite his best efforts Melkor ended up trapped underneath his bulk when they stopped rolling. 

"Look," Tulkas began, and for once his laughter stopped. "You may have fooled Manwë, but I don't believe you've changed. In fact I think you're up to something."

For some reason this idiot has convinced himself that he knows something. Melkor bared his teeth and snarled, though he couldn't shake the vague feeling of dread crawling up his spine. This seemed to be more serious than he had initially assumed, and unfortunately for him, his chances of beating Tulkas in a fight weren't too good. The memories of his painful, humiliating defeat were fresh on his mind and being imprisoned in Mandos for ages had certainly not helped matters. 

"So all of a sudden you know better than everyone else? You, Tulkas the wise, the last person anyone in their right mind would ever ask for advice? Don't make me laugh," Melkor sneered. He barely managed to catch Tulkas' fist as the other attempted to retaliate against his mockery. 

"Laugh all you want while you still can. I know evil when I see it," Tulkas said. 

Melkor's eyes lit up like blue flames. "What do you even want from me?! Your king has accepted me as one of the Valar, yet you continue to pursue me! Do you want me to sit quietly in a corner and grovel at your feet? Would that please you enough to leave me alone?" 

Silence ensued as Tulkas pondered those words. His arm relaxed slightly, allowing Melkor to finally push his fist away, but his weight on top of him was unyielding and he couldn't get away; not like this anyway. Perhaps he could find another way – though before he could come up with a plan, he noticed how the other Vala was staring down at him, his expression shifting from righteous anger to something different. 

"Please me, huh?" Tulkas mused. "Why, it would indeed. And I must say I'm not surprised that you would attempt to suggest such a thing." 

"It was not a suggestion, you imbecile!" Melkor tried to struggle again, only to be pinned to the ground even more forcefully. 

"I don't think so." 

Tulkas suddenly grasped his chin with one of his large hands, eyeing the Dark Vala with something akin to interest in his eyes. 

"I heard things about you," he said in a low voice. "They say you gain favours by offering your fána to others. And I know it to be true. Even if you won't admit it, I've seen how you act when we fight. How you will always evade and deny and scream and throw insults, but also show off your fána and make sure it touches mine –" 

"My fána is touching yours because I'm defending myself! How on Arda did you fail to understand that?!" Melkor cried out indignantly, but Tulkas wasn't listening. Instead, he reached for his robe and tore it with ease, exposing his angrily heaving chest. 

"Aye, even now you deny it, yet I know better," he said and reached for one of his nipples, hardened from rubbing against the fabric. He pinched it, causing Melkor to let out a pained noise before he could stop himself. 

"Sometimes I wonder if you want me to chase you, beat you into submission and..." Tulkas used his hand holding the Dark Vala's chin to force eye contact while continuing to roughly fondle his chest. "... offer yourself to me so I leave you alone. Is that it, slut?" 

"Unhand me and go play out your sick fantasies with someone else!" 

Tulkas shook his head. "You're a liar and everyone knows it."

Faster than lightning, he let go of Melkor's chin to backhand him across the face, causing him to drop to the ground in a daze. While the Dark Vala was incapacitated, he grabbed a rope he had brought with him and tied his hands together before forcibly removing the rest of his clothes.

"I believe I deserve a reward for all the trouble you caused and I'll take it whether you like it or not," Tulkas growled. 

Did he... plan this?!

Melkor's eyes widened in panic, and his reaction seemed to please him. 

"Now you stop shouting, hm? Don't worry, I'll be gentle if you behave."

Tulkas' weight was suddenly lifted, but any attempt at another escape or defending himself by kicking him was foiled when he immediately took hold his thighs to force his legs apart, positioning himself in-between, and pushing them back against his chest to expose the most vulnerable part of his fána. Melkor struggled and protested as fiercely as he could, but unfortunately the Champion of the Valar was stronger than him. 

"Indeed, you're prettier than I used to think," Tulkas mused, not bothering to suppress a pleased groan as he greedily spread him open with both hands and admired the tight, twitching hole presenting itself to him. "And you put up a good fight if you try, as if you were made to be conquered by me... aye, I admit I've been desiring this for a long time."

"Stop! Let me go! I –" Melkor bit his lip. Despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to plead – though something told him it'd be futile anyway, and heightening his enemy's pleasure was all he would achieve. 

Impatient, Tulkas spat on his hand and unceremoniously shoved two spit-slicked fingers inside of him, his free hand holding his legs in place. Melkor had to bite down harder to keep himself from crying out in pain. It was the first time someone touched him like this after many years in captivity, it hurt and it was so unlike the loving, gentle touches he remembered from a different time, when he was at home and felt safe and Mairon was with him – no, he couldn't think of Mairon now. He had grown to treasure these memories as one of few comforts he'd had in his lonely cell in Mandos and he would need them again so very soon, he couldn't allow them to be poisoned by another's violation of his fána. 

Melkor kept cursing the other Vala and tried to kick him, but Tulkas thwarted all of his attempts and continued to force his passage open with merciless determination. 

"Stop being difficult or I'll have to beat you again," he said, and Melkor's blood froze; from the tone of his voice and the utter lack of Tulkas' usual smile and boisterous laughter revealed that this was a serious threat. 

He was going to have to endure this too, the greatest humiliation forced upon him by his most hated enemy. His thoughts were racing, desperately trying to find a way out – he wanted Mairon to come and save him, but he knew he couldn't reach him from Valinor and even if he could, what chance would a Maia have against the Champion of the Valar? As the pain between his legs grew and bruises began to form, Melkor even thought about calling for Manwë, but would his holy, perfect brother even hear him? Would he side with him or would he accept what was done to him as yet another justified punishment? 

Tulkas forced his cock inside him without warning, and this time Melkor couldn't stop himself from screaming, his lips already bloody from being bitten. It hurt so much more than his fingers, stretching him wide despite his fána's desperate attempts at resistance. 

"Tulkas, stop!" His cry was weak, and the only response he received was a dark chuckle as the other Vala began moving inside of him. 

"Not before I've gotten my fill of that tight little hole of yours."

Melkor tried to shed his fána then, his ëala wanting nothing more than to escape, but Tulkas' grip was too strong. He was forced to stay where he was, pressed against the ground as the sacred soil of Valinor was stained with their sweat and blood dripping out of his abused hole. 

To his horror, he soon felt Tulkas' hand reaching for his cock and stroking him with rough, hasty movements. There truly were no limits to how much he would be degraded, and even when he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to numb himself to the pain and unwanted pleasure, he couldn't stop his fána from responding. 

"You're going to cum because I know you enjoy it, slut," Tulkas growled triumphantly. 

Melkor didn't bother arguing. By now he had long realised that his enemy was playing out some kind of twisted fantasy he had made up in his mind, and he would see it through to the end. There was nothing he could do to change that, no matter how much he resisted. The only option he had left was to endure, to escape once Tulkas was done with him and find a quiet place to lick his wounds. 

There was no relief when the combined efforts of his hand and his rapidly thrusting cock forced an orgasm out of Melkor, causing him to arch his back and coat both himself and his enemy in viscous white liquid. He didn't need to open his eyes to know that Tulkas was smiling. His torment seemed to go on for an eternity until he finally felt something wet and sticky inside him, marring his fána and completing the utter humiliation of his very being. 

Tulkas pulled out of him to admire his handiwork, grasping both of the Dark Vala's thighs to keep him from closing his legs. 

"You look good like that, fucked open and filled with my seed," he purred. "I'd even say you've never looked prettier." 

Melkor only let out a whimper in response, still keeping his eyes closed. He didn't want to see it. He didn't want to process what had just happened. All he wanted to was to leave his fána behind, get as far away as he could, clean himself and forget, forget, forget, until he had successfully convinced himself that his dignity had never been violated this way. 

Yet when he was left lying in the grass, leaking blood and cum with every shuddering breath, Melkor couldn't move. His ëala was heavy with shame, as if Tulkas was still on top of him and holding him down, and his breath came in short, uneven gasps. Even his own fána refused him now, tainted with the essence of another, of something repulsive and unwanted. 

I'm fine. I'm the mightiest of them all, they'll never truly defeat me.

Instead of opening his eyes, Melkor fled into the depths of his mind and summoned memories of happier times, of bliss instead of pain, of Mairon's smile and his warm, comforting embrace. Mairon would fix this for him if he couldn't. Mairon would make him whole again. It was the only reassurance he had, and he clung to it as his fána went numb and he slowly drifted into a state of unconsciousness. 

If you enjoyed, please consider liking and reblogging!♡

You can find more Silm Smut Week on my main blog @cilil

[rikas-things]

Diabolik Alcoholik part 4

To read more or get caught up, please check out the table of contents:

Reiji smiled again as he placed his hands on his hips, though it was far closer to a sneer than an honest smile.

"But of course! What, were you not expecting to meet Ayato so soon? Perhaps your guilty conscience has plagued you?"

Her brows furrowed.

"He attacked me first!" She defended, "It was self-defense!"

"That's not at all how it appeared to me," he dropped his smile as he spoke, his voice dry and laced with suspicion.

"I have no reason to-" he held a hand up before she could continue.

"Whether it was or wasn't is of little consequence. The fact of the matter is that you've made an enemy. If you wish to remain in good cheer I suggest you take heed of this: 'to follow your heart is to lose your mind.'"

"What does that mean?"

"Think of it as a warning to keep your wits about you. You seem like the outspoken type, and I'm advising against that. That hotheadedness will not do you good in the long run."

She thought his words over for a moment, not quite sure what the advice he gave had to do with the saying he used but she was willing to try if it meant facing "Ayato's" ire as little as possible.

She grew a determined look in her eyes; she had no idea what kind of family this was or why they invited her into their mansion but maybe she could make this work-who knows?

She could probably make a new friend and become a big sister to some of the little ones!

Whatever they were like, she hoped they'd be nicer to her than Ayato.

"I'm ready. Where can I meet them?"

Reiji put his fingers to his chin as he fell deep in thought.

"Hmm...it seems a few of them have already gathered in the living room."

She eyed him over, wondering to herself how he could tell where they were since she couldn't see a Bluetooth device on his person.

"My brothers are an eccentric bunch, but aside from Ayato, they're mild-mannered."

This time she was completely silent, mulling over one singular word.

"Brothers."

To the mind of someone as boy-crazed as Yui, you might as well be telling her you're giving her a million dollars.

While Ayato was awful she couldn't deny he was quite attractive, and, as she gave Reiji a good look, he was also quite handsome in his own right too.

Messy yet fantastic hair, gorgeously soulful eyes, a strong, chiseled jawline...

If his brothers were anything close to what she witnessed here, she knew she'd have the time of her life.

She ran full speed ahead toward the end of the hallway, hearts in her eyes and arms open wide to accept any beautiful men that were waiting for her-when an ice-cold glass of reality splashed her face.

It came in the form of Ayato Sakamaki, who was wide awake and sporting two large knots on his head and a very unsavory frown.

"This sucks...my head friggin' hurts!" He muttered to himself as he sulked in his chair, his hair and school clothes as disheveled as ever.

As soon as he turned his head, Yui dashed behind the wall and stuck herself against the wall in an attempt to blend in, mortified.

This is bad, this is so bad! She thought to herself. I can't be alone with this guy!

"Hey," a low voice came from her shoulder, which set her alarm off.

Yui turned and nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned to the source of the voice.

"I could smell you from my seat, you idiot!" Ayato roared.

He then sneered at her.

"I got two head injuries 'cause of you! So prepare yourself! I'll show the meaning of the word Hell!" On the last note he showed her a dark grin.

She smiled as she sweated profusely, barely hiding her fear.

How do I get out of this??

"Ahem," another voice rang through the hall.

Reiji appeared with a bitter grin on his face.

"As much as I'd love for you two to finish your chit-chat, it's time for you to make your way to the living room."

As Ayato ranted about Reiji taking too long, Yui let out a long, loud sigh of relief.

A little too loud, as Ayato caught wind of it and turned his attention to her, leading no end of threats and jabs at her expense.

Having heard enough, Reiji intervened as he adjusted his glasses.

"Enough of this, hurry up for the meeting, you two!"

[jennycalendar]

Speaking from the experience of someone who dealt with the most traumatic experience of my life when I entered adulthood and also tried to push it down so I didn't crap out: if you don't make time for system maintenance (feeling your feelings and grappling with what happened) your mind will make time FOR you. At the most inconvenient time and a thousand times more destructively than if you'd just dealt with it in the first place. It's rough, and I'm sorry you're dealing with it, too. And believe me I get the instinct. But I've wrecked my life too many ways to count because I decided it didn't matter and I couldn't deal with it. Please don't make that mistake. It's okay to not be okay, and I promise with the right type of help you can deal with trauma and still function. Take care of yourself

i appreciate this take immensely i just … my experience was sorta the inverse? i let all of my feelings out in college and the consequences were dire; people were hurt who never deserved that — AND i did fully spend all of last year in an intense sea of feelings that i was feeling absolutely all of the time. i am not sure how to access the more negative feelings now. they feel sorta paper-jammed. stuck. if i find a way to get to them i will certainly try n heed ur compassionately thoughtful advice.

[quinloki]

hello, sorry if this is too real of an ask if you're not feeling too well recently, but I've been meaning to ask if you have any advice when it comes to tackling really dark topics in fanfics?? I've been meaning to write a darkfic with the Kid pirates main 4 as slasher movie villains (think Jason Voorhees vibes) with a touch of yandere tendencies, so there's not gonna be a lot of comfort/fluff in this fic. this is naturally gonna be hard to write especially when it comes to wanting to write dark and disturbing scenes without wanting to glorify or romanticise abusive behavior or stockholm syndrome, not to mention not wanting to upset or trigger survivors, especially as one myself, so any advice would be lovely. thank you ^-^

I’m going to start this off with what I think should be your most important takeaway from this:

It’s okay to romanticize abuse in fiction.

It’s okay to romanticize horror, murder, etc. etc. in fiction.

Fiction is where we can do the really uncomfortable stuff. Where we can explore the darks part of existing, because it’s good to be able to go “I connect with this and I should consider why.” Or “this brings me comfort, how can I break that down?” Stuff like that.

Sometimes it helps us realize a view or understanding we had that we thought was good is inherently flawed. (I am reminded of viewers being very angry when they realized the character in The Boys they connected with was *not* a good guy and did not get redeemed.)

What we have to be careful about is not condoning such themes in reality.

Horror movies and books go into deep dark territory all the time, but often hobby writers can be held to odd standards by comparison, which gets a bit frustrating at times.

How to avoid that AND present dark fic properly?

On Ao3 and tumblr just tag your story - character death, gore, stalking, Stockholm syndrome, abuse, toxic relationship, dubcon, noncon as applicable, excessive descriptions of blood and gore, etc.

You don’t have to get specific - you don’t have to say who dies/survives. You can admit to “this has a bad end” if you want - I had a webcomic warn me about that and it was NOT kidding.

Some responsibility is on the writer for dark fic, yes, but honestly that’s just in terms of being sure you label it well. Avoiding and heeding those tags is solely on the reader - as long as you didn’t, say, write about disarticulation in exacting detail without warning “excessive descriptions of blood and gore”.

You can put additional warnings in the summary, or even as a heads up before a particularly intense chapter.

And, you’re not going to be perfect. If someone says “hey can you add [x] tag?” Be open to it - but don’t add any and every tag requested - sometimes people can be demanding in tag requests and you have the right to decide where the line really is.

For example someone might ask that you add a tag involving eye-trauma. It’s a squick of mine, people getting injured on, in, around their eyes, and I wouldn’t be upset with a heads up - but I also think it’s covered under warnings of gore.

Someone might ask that you tag a specific character’s death - personally? I wouldn’t. “Character death” is enough. “Slasher/horror” honestly should really be enough cause even though I don’t watch horror movies I have a keen understanding that you do not get attached to characters in a horror story.

As long as you hit the broad strokes, I think that’s enough. The idea is that no one wants to walk into a slasher when they were expecting fluff.

As for taking care of ourselves as writers while we write dark content, that’s harder to give advice on. I really have to be in a steady frame of mind to write dark stuff, but if I know there’s vindication in there somewhere it’s much easier. (There’s a stalker in A Light Touch that gets his due and as someone who has had more than 6, it was cathartic to write.)

But sometimes there’s catharsis in the bad guy winning too. You’ve got to understand those lines for yourself - I can’t really give you advice cause it’s so different for everyone. But listen to yourself.

If it feels like a slog, leave it.

If it’s not getting out of your mind, write it.

You’re not “weird” if you write your darkest shit when you’re happiest, or vice versa. What you need to do is just keep an eye on yourself - there is no world in which you should suffer in order to write “good dark content”.

For better or worse, that’s the best advice I have - I hope it’s helped ^_^