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sweetkpopmusings · 6 months ago

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long for you (interlude) | h. hyunjin <3

a/n: here's the interlude! only one more part of the fic left after this </3 this one is angsty, but i hope you enjoy it nevertheless >.< currently at work so i might make edits to it later lol if you want to be added to the tag list, you can reply to this post or send me an ask! pics not mine <3

♡ find all parts here ♡

content: fluff, romance, fake dating, angst, a happy ending | wc: 3.7k | warnings: mentions of food/eating, lots of crying | pairing: nonbinary!painter!hyunjin x gn!writer!reader | requests: open

synopsis: y/n is a writer with a long-awaited, well-deserved career opportunity. despite the excitement, there’s one major problem: the publisher expects a modern love story, equally romcom-like and authentic, but y/n lacks the inspiration to write something worth reading. through a chance meeting with mutual friends, y/n and hyunjin bond over upcoming deadlines and creative blocks. before the conversation ends, they discover that the ridiculous plot of fake dating might just work to solve their inspirational dry spell.

interlude: love untold

“y/n!”

a familiar voice calls your name. you look around the crowd, searching for anyone you recognize, not quite sure what you’re trying to find. when you see his face, you understand why the way he called your name sounded so much like home.

chan hurries over the second you wave to him, and you instinctively smile at his lopsided curls bouncing with each step he takes. you melt into his bear hug, warmed by the contact and the closeness of his bright smile. it’s only once you realize that he has run into you here that you feel a tiny wave of shock roll over you.

“wait, chan,” you tilt your head, “how are you…why are you here?”

he laughs, “i’m just as surprised to see you, y/n. i’m here interviewing for a new job.”

“oh wow! that’s great! how did it go?”

“i have the interview tomorrow, actually. i figured i’d get in a day early to feel out the area and make sure i like it.”

“and? what’s your review so far?”

chan’s excited grin is replaced by a soft smile, “seeing you makes it perfect.”

with a simple sentence, chan has you blushing the way you did as a teenager. it didn’t take much to fall into the old rhythm with him: easy conversation, light touches, inside jokes suddenly at the front of your mind despite not having been uttered in years. you two could have lost yourselves in each other’s presence anywhere, but chan suggests you migrate into a coffee shop to continue the conversation. as your agenda for the rest of the day is empty, you lead chan to a nearby coffee shop, relaxing into your seat with your favorite drink and the comfort of an old companion.

“so, tell me everything that’s been going on with you!”

you laugh, “chan. we haven’t seen each other in what, two, three years now? i hardly think telling you everything is possible.”

“i thought you said you had the rest of the night free?”

you roll your eyes, and chan giggles at his own joke. quietly, you prioritize what information to share, careful not to spiral and think about how much has changed since your last conversation with chan.

“i guess i can start with the fact that i got a book deal.”

chan just about drops his drink, “no way, y/n! that’s amazing! wow! i knew you’d do it one day. i know it has been your dream for ages. i’m so proud of you!”

“thank you, chan,” you pause to ensure he knows the depth of your gratitude, “it is a ghostwriting contract, so my name won’t be on it, but it feels surreal that someone’s paying me to write a book.”

“do you know when it’ll come out? i need to be first in line to buy it.”

“i honestly have no idea, but i’m turning in the manuscript tomorrow. the first draft of it, anyway.”

“wooooow,” chan leans back in his chair, “i’m so impressed. you’re like a big-time author now.”

“okay, don’t get ahead of yourself,” you scoff, still complimented by his pride in you, “but what about you? what brings you here for a new job?”

“eh, nothing as exciting as your news. i just want something new. i haven’t been feeling inspired with the work i do now, and i need a change of scenery. i moved back home after we…you know. it was great to go back to my roots. it’s time for me to move forward, turn a new page, start a life where no one knows me. at least that was the plan until i ran into you.”

you both laugh, and you reply, “if your interview tomorrow goes well, i can act like i don’t know you, so things can go according to plan.”

chan laughs boyishly, the way you always remembered it, “i appreciate your support, but i’d hate nothing more than for you to forget about me.”

you nod. you’d often caught yourself wondering whether chan still thought about you, whether he remembered any details of you and your life together. the space between you two was never supposed to grow this vast, but you figure that’s just how these things go sometimes. you feel a pang in your chest, sitting across from him, aware of how much he still means to you, despite it all.

“not to draw attention to the elephant in the room,” chan starts, feigning confidence over the redness in his ears, “are you seeing anyone?”

“please,” you laugh dryly, “you know i’m not.”

chan hums, observing you for a few extra seconds, “something’s going on in your love life.”

“chan!” you gape at him with disbelief, “based on what evidence?”

he leans closer to you, elbows on the table and eyes focused, “come on. i know you better than most people, especially when it comes to this stuff. who is it?”

you frown, hoping you can get him to believe that nothing is happening. predictably, even after years of separation, chan waits patiently. silent, stubborn, supportive.

“fine,” you sigh, spinning your cup a few times to delay your admission, “i was involved–well, not really involved, per se. there was…someone. we had something. at least, i thought we did, and i thought they thought so too. then, they ended things without warning. i can’t say they were in the wrong because being able to end things was a part of our…agreement…but it still hurt. i felt–feel–blindsided and delusional and stupid for getting my hopes up. i don’t think there’s anything to do now except move on, which sucks because it felt special. but hey,” you laugh sordidly, “i’ve been wrong about that before.”

chan smiles, some sadness peeking through, “we both have been wrong about that before.”

you nod, coming up empty on what to say next. chan watches you to ensure you’ve shared everything you wanted to before he speaks again.

“i’m sorry, y/n. i don’t know what they were thinking, and i won’t ask you to dredge up every detail, but i don’t need to know the whole situation to know that they made a mistake. you are so special. loving and being loved by you is the greatest gift i’ve ever known. you deserve someone who recognizes that, and i’m sorry that they weren’t smart enough to.”

you clear your throat, overwhelmed by chan’s words, “thanks, chan.”

“of course,” he smiles, “i’m what you could call an expert on this subject.”

you both laugh again, and chan continues, “all i wanted to do was give you the best. i still want to. i always thought if we saw each other again…” chan pauses to ensure he’s caught your gaze, “i would love to be the person that gives you what you deserve, if you’d let me.”

oh.

“chan…”

“you don’t have to answer right now. besides, i wouldn’t ask for your time if we still lived as far apart as we do now. i just mean that, one way or another, i’d love to be back in your life. i still love you, and i always will, regardless of what that love looks like.”

a smile spreads across your face. chan, as you always remembered, never fails to surround you with warmth. you tell him so as you both say your goodbyes. you promise to call, much to chan’s excitement. he promises to tell you how the interview goes, and you can’t help but hope that he gets the job in the city, this city, your city.

later, while you muscle through the final edits of your first manuscript, jisung stops by to confirm that you’re eating and drinking enough. against your best efforts, you mention chan right away.

“chan’s here?” jisung’s eyes are wide, though you can’t tell with which emotion.

you nod, “yeah, he’s interviewing for a job tomorrow.”

“oh wow, good for him!” jisung pauses his celebration for chan to ask the inevitable, “how did it feel to see him after…everything?”

you sigh, wondering how far down memory lane you were willing to travel, “it felt…good. we were comfortable right away, and, though it was clear time had passed, we were as connected as we had always been. he actually…i think, if he moves here, he wants to give us another shot.”

“whoa,” jisung looks arguably more shocked than you were when chan made his abrupt confession.

“yeah. i was surprised too. but i don’t know…i felt surprised in a good way, i think. obviously the whole hyunjin situation is fresh, and i’d be lying if i said i was over it. yet running into chan randomly for him to admit that he still wants to be with me, in some capacity at least, maybe that’s happening for a reason. i’ve felt so cynical about love for a long time. what if chan is the happy ending i’ve been craving all along?”

“i’m glad that seeing him went so well,” jisung chuckles, “i know when you two were with each other, you constantly talked about building a future together. you were happy with chan, there’s no denying that. but…”

“i know, i know,” you cut him off, so he doesn’t have to be the one to bring up the uncomfortable reminder, “he was my first love, and my first heartbreak. i can’t forget that he ended things because i distanced myself from him. i was scared, jisung. even though, or perhaps because, we were so young, our relationship was so idyllic. everything seemed to line up perfectly, and yet there was a pit in my stomach because i always worried that something was missing. could it have been that i found what was missing by growing up?”

“you sound like me,” he teases, a bit impressed, “it genuinely could be that you needed time apart to figure yourselves out before you could make it work. you and chan were great together; anyone could see that. if giving that relationship another, more mature try, is the right move, then you have my full support. but y/n…is chan the one you want to be with?”

“i…” you glance over at the poem hanging on your fridge, briefly feeling the way hyunjin’s words had moved you that night not so far in the past, “i’ve been feeling cynical about love and relationships for a long time. seeing chan made me feel hopeful again.”

“was it really chan that changed your mind?”

you roll your eyes and scoff, “whatever hyunjin made me feel doesn’t count. we weren’t even together anyway.”

jisung sighs, “just because you weren’t technically together doesn’t mean you didn’t build a relationship. the way you felt about hyunjin is what changed your mind on love, if you ask me. and, as we’ve already established, i have earned my wisdom when it comes to love.”

you both laugh, relieving the tension. jisung definitely knew what he was talking about, and you know that he wouldn’t say anything regarding your love life if it weren’t important.

“what do you think i should do?”

a sweet and sympathetic smile appears on jisung’s face, “you know i can’t answer that. what i can say is i hope you chase after what’s right for you now. the younger version of you deserved real love, and who you are now deserves real love. that love might look different, whether it comes from the same person or not. it’s probably the romantic in me, but i think you’ll know if you’ve found that love. i hope you trust your gut, and i’ll support you no matter who or what you choose.”

with that, you thank him and remind him that you have a novel to finish, which means you don’t quite have the time for an existential crisis about love tonight. he laughs, wishes you luck, and heads home. you sit at the table for a while, quietly thinking to yourself about the events of the day. you never thought you’d be in a position like this, but you guess that signing up to live out one fanfic trope makes you more susceptible to living out other ones too. with that in mind, after finishing your edits, you decide to add one last line to the ending.

after all that had happened to us, and in spite of whatever would come, the center of everything was this: i have longed for you since the moment i met you; therefore, i will always love you.

before you can second guess yourself, you send it to your publisher and close your laptop. unable to resist the tears, you sit at your kitchen table, full of relief and sadness, and cry. regardless of what tomorrow brings, one love story has ended. in chasing toward your tomorrow, you have to live with saying goodbye.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

“hyunjin!” jeongin looks up from his desk, face composed but eyes wide with surprise, “i wasn’t expecting to see you so soon.”

hyunjin approximates a smile to the best of their abilities, “i figured i should hand the final piece in directly.”

“as always, i appreciate the personal touch,” jeongin grins and points to the large canvas leaning against hyunjin’s body, “is that it?”

“yes,” they gaze down, peeking at the image, “i finally finished it.”

quiet, hyunjin places the painting on a work table in front of jeongin. jeongin examines it, thoroughly dedicated to appreciating every brushstroke. the compliments on his artistic choices are personal and detailed, but hyunjin barely registers them. they’re sure they will be able to hear the precise, sincere feedback a different night, maybe when the exhibition opens, so hyunjin only feels a twinge of regret at being spaced out yet again. jeongin must have been able to tell that hyunjin was only half there because he quickly transitions his praise into a goodbye. hyunjin gratefully accepts the exit plan.

“oh, and hyunjin?”

hyunjin pauses near the door, facing their friend with their full attention, “yeah?”

“take care of yourself, yeah?”

“of course.”

hyunjin makes it only a block before the tears start streaming. hearing those words from jeongin, the type of friend to refrain from casual sentimentality, breaks hyunjin’s thinly veiled detachment. the facade they barely maintained in the past few weeks lacked resilience. how could there be any solidity to him when hyunjin spent the recent past floating away?

they walk aimlessly for some amount of time, landing at a park bench. the afternoon sun would usually deter them from this spot, but the overcast sky makes the place feel less visible, less connected to the rest of the outside world. hyunjin hadn’t been outside for more than a few minutes at a time since the conversation at the restaurant, so they melt into the bench with hopes that vitamin d will cure them of their self-inflicted heartbreak. cure is perhaps too strong of a hope. hyunjin doesn’t believe anything could undo the hurt he caused, but he wants to believe that the suffering won’t last forever.

in case the sunshine can’t clear all their problems away, hyunjin calls minho. they feel selfish and stupid and hate that they could be interrupting someone else’s good day, but he can’t think of anything useful on his own. all the time in the studio, all the distancing from friends, all the nights spent writing in their journals couldn’t remove the pit in their stomach, the rock in their chest. the guilt weighed so much more because your name was written all over it.

“hyunjin,” minho answers on the third ring, “how can i help you?”

they laugh through the tears, sniffling, “your customer service knows no bounds.”

“i expect a tip.”

hyunjin laughs again, grateful for a fleeting lightness in his chest before confronting everything that’s crashing down, “minho, i messed up.”

minho sighs on the other side of the line, “do you want to talk about it?”

thankfully, minho doesn’t rush hyunjin to respond. hyunjin, overcome with just about every emotion they’ve felt in the past few weeks, feels another wave of tears emerge in the presence of his friend’s patience and understanding. they’re not sure what they’re looking for, but being able to admit their mistakes feels like the right place to start.

“i really cared about y/n. like…deeply. more than i’ve cared about someone in a long time, if ever. i miss them, and it’s my fault. it’s like a sick joke. this whole arrangement was built around us finding inspiration for our work, and now, because i got scared, i learned what yearning actually feels like. i feel it in my body, like the urge to reach out for something–someone–that isn’t there anymore. it’s so cliché, and i used to make fun of people for saying it when they went through a breakup, but i look for y/n in everything i see. they’re gone. the feeling of them beside me is like a phantom limb, but i am responsible for the amputation. i feel like i can’t even be sad about it because i’m the one who left. i can’t even say i don’t know what went wrong because i ruined it. i regret it. minho, i don’t know what to do.”

“hyunjin,” minho sighs, “you need to be kinder to yourself. yes, you made a mistake, but you don’t deserve to tear yourself apart for it.”

“don’t i though? what i have–had–with y/n was so special. they deserve so much more than what i gave them, what i was giving them and then immaturely ripped away. they were so kind to me, so honest. and i threw that all away without so much as an explanation.”

“okay,” minho lets out a breath with a hint of frustration, “i really think you’re taking this self-flagellation thing way too far, but i won’t waste time arguing with you if you don’t want to believe me–”

“where did you learn ‘self-flagellation’?”

“hyunjin, seriously?” minho deadpans.

hyunjin can perfectly picture the annoyed look on minho’s face, and he laughs, “sorry, you’re right. we were being serious and vulnerable. i shouldn’t have interrupted with a joke.”

“exactly, you shouldn’t have interrupted the vulnerability.”

“are you talking about you or y/n now?”

“a little bit of both, but mostly y/n. you got scared because you two were so open with each other. you felt seen in a way you hadn’t before. that’s rare. all of us would be or have been intimidated by something like that.”

“not everyone runs away though,” hyunjin frowns, kicking a rock by their foot, “i did the thing you’re not supposed to do when you find someone as…perfect as y/n.”

“do you want them back?”

hyunjin bites his lip, scared even now to be honest about their desire, “it’s not like they would give me a second chance. they’re smarter than that.”

“that’s not the question i asked,” minho replies, kind yet firm.

panicking, they reply, “you know, even though it was a fake relationship, we kissed once. it was my idea, sort of as a joke. we did it anyway, ‘for the plot,’” hyunjin chuckles, “there was this clarity, in the seconds after we kissed. i realized then and there that i was far more tied to y/n than i ever expected or could have hoped. i know it sounds dramatic, but it’s like, with them, my heart and soul were…now they’re…life isn’t…i just thought that things would have turned out a completely different way, and maybe i was romanticizing things–i probably was, i always do–but that doesn’t change the fact that…”

hyunjin pauses their rambling to take a deep breath, knowing there are only a few words left to say, “i want to be with y/n.”

for a brief second, the weight of everything falls away into sweet certainty. hyunjin wants to be with you, plain and simple. their stomach twists at the fact that you weren’t together because they ran away, but his heart leaps in hope that maybe things could still change.

“do you feel better now that you’ve said it?”

hyunjin sighs, relief rather than regret, “yeah. i do.”

“good,” minho pauses, and hyunjin imagines he’s cracking his knuckles in preparation for the nitty gritty advice he’s about to drop, “i think it’s important to point out that, just because you were fake dating each other doesn’t mean that you two didn’t have a relationship at all. you shared a connection, and the bond you built together was real, even if you weren’t earnestly trying to be romantic partners.”

oh.

hyunjin stays silent, so minho continues, “like i said, running away from someone, something special, because you’re scared of how much they mean to you is a mistake we all have or will make. don’t keep beating yourself up for it. also, don’t keep being dumb by avoiding y/n. if you feel the way you say you feel, then you owe it to yourself and to them to be honest, even if it’s coming a little late. take a chance. you’re already hurt, and you’ve already hurt them. what else do you have to lose?”

“i can’t believe you called me dumb while giving me the most insightful advice i’ve ever heard.”

minho laughs, “life’s about balance, hyunjin.”

hyunjin rolls their eyes, “i guess you’re right. about both things.”

“mhm. i usually am.”

hyunjin scoffs, “okay, if you’re going to gloat about being wise, i’m going to hang up.”

“good!” minho sighs the way one does after a long day’s work, “it’ll give you time to figure out how you’re going to get your person back.”

“you’re so annoying,” hyunjin huffs, “thank you. i’ll tell you how it goes.”

minho hums in agreement, rushing out a don’t forget to stop being dumb! as hyunjin ends the call. hyunjin sets their phone down next to them on the bench and takes a deep breath. the late afternoon is already melting its way into the evening. as hyunjin stares at the setting sun in the distance, they think about the beloved painting above their desk. out there, somewhere in the same city, there’s a chance you are at your bedroom window, saying goodbye to another day with hyunjin on the outside, a part of the world not welcomed into your home. what they wouldn’t give to change that.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

tag list: @velvetmoonlght @tirena1 (<333 tysm)

#sweetkpopmusings #stray kids fluff #hwang hyunjin #hyunjin x reader #stray kids x reader #stray kids fic #fake dating au #skz hyunjin #non idol au #skz fic #skz x reader #skz fluff #skz au #stray kids au #stray kids hyunjin #stray kids angst #skz angst #long for you

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herrenxenoberg · 12 days ago

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Fandorm Showcase #15 - Robin Hood

Before I get into the showcase itself, I'm giving a loving shoutout to @gummibunnie for the amazing Robin Hood fan event doodles that I adore so much, the character outfits and the event itself is amazing and it definitely has canon event vibes if it's official, especially the fact it centers around Rook and Vil playing the lead roles (my ideal TWST couple), so thank you to @gummibunnie for giving me the inspiration for this fandorm.

Now let's get to the showcase!

Inspired by Robin Hood, we have the glorious and magnificent dorm...

Griffvereign!

It combines both the words Griff (another term for Lion) and sovereign (a supreme ruler).

This dorm focuses on ambitions for power and dominance over people, fueled by the desire of recognitions and status. Although everyone in this dorm all wanted to be leader, they all share one goal in common, and that is developing social connections with others, in order to gain trust and support from one another. The theme of this dorm mostly focuses around the medieval era, similar to Robin Hood, with the people having more sophisticated mannerisms.

"A dorm founded on the Regent Prince's spirit of humility. Students in this dorm treat one another on equal terms no matter the status or position."

Requirements and Traits:

Have social influence

Ambition for greater goals and opportunities

Drive to hide your insecurities by increasing your own ego

Onto the dorm uniform design:

The lion helmet only applies to the housewarden fit, which will be explained later as we move down the showcase. This pretty much takes inspiration from medieval outfits as well as some fantasy outfits for that extra detail.

Introducing the character roster...

Greet the elegant and illustrious housewardeness of Griffvereign...

Jacquelinne Gryffin! (Twisted Off Prince John)

Being the first ever housewardeness in NRC on her second year, she didn't get very good reception from the others due to her being a female in an all-boys school (in our server, this rule has been overturned in favor of female TWST OCs), and the fact she only took over this position after her older brother, who was the previous housewarden, has left for his internship the year she entered sophomore semester. Although she hails from the royal Gryffin family as the queen's maiden, she wants to have recognition of her own due to the fact her older brother gets more attention than she does, both in the family and in the public eye. In order to better fit in with the crowd she's trying to appease, she dawns on a lion helmet to mask her appearance, as it also comes with voice changing magic, and that her name is sometimes shortened to Jacque to make it sound "manly". She always tries her best to appeal to people she is leading, although she is still the queen's maiden. However, her consort and vice housewarden has a different idea in mind for her.

Notable Members:

Lacelyn Pythone (Junior, Vice Housewarden) - Jacquelinne's childhood friend and vice housewarden (also a snake beastman) for both her and her older brother, but he favors Jacquelinne's presence over her brother not because they're friends, it's for a different purpose. (Twisted off Sir Hiss)

Fowke Buckingham (Junior) - A wolf beastman who also acts as the dorm's enforcer, ensuring people fall in line and show respect for their housewardeness. (Twisted off The Sheriff of Nottingham)

Clerenbald Caiman (Junior) - A crocodile beastman who is an excellent archer and has a sense of pride for being the best archer there is. (Twisted off Captain Crocodile)

Alane Cluckstein (Junior) - A rooster beastman who charms people with his serenades on his lute and storytelling, which you can usually find him sitting in a tree playing the lute. (Twisted off Alan-A-Dale)

Synopsis:

It was your ordinary day in Night Raven College, everything is fine and dandy, until suddenly, members from Griffvereign came in and started demanding the students for tax pay! Turns out it was the school's monthly tax season (which for some reason Crowley approved of this), that everyone has to pay a certain amount of fee for doing things that would cost the school's overall resources, and all of this was issued by the housewardeness of Griffvereign, "Jacque".

It's up to our main protagonists to look into the bottom of this and stop the tax season from draining more pockets.

I tried to incorporate story elements of Robin Hood into the modern setting, which is a bit difficult, but this is the best I can do.

Next Up: Pinocchio

#twisted wonderland #twst oc #twst fandorms #robin hood #prince john

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my-castles-crumbling · 18 days ago

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Hey Cas,

I have sent asks before & have an anon name however I don't want this one to be associated with my other asks as this shares a few details I don't want connected with other details for anonymity sake (I'm probably being paranoid but...)

Anyways I have this family member who I'm going to refer to as 🍋‍🟩. He is about 15 years older than me and has a house, a wife, and dependants. He's been really generous with me (details below) and I really liked him when I was a kid. Unfortunately, he's been known to use some negative stereotypes and occasionally make other bigoted comments.

The favours:

1. So I really love cooking and baking but the oven in my house doesn't work correctly so lately he's been letting me cook/bake in his basement.

2. I don't have any money online so for the last 2 years I have been using Spotify free, but today he was setting up a Spotify family account and offered to add me. So now I don't have to deal with Spotify ads.

For a bit of background I'm a minor with emotionally abusive parents that about half of my family recognize as overprotective & stressful but not actually abusive (the others think my parents are the best). Due to this I don't feel safe calling 🍋‍🟩 out on his comments but being able to go to his place and cook has been amazing and really calming.

The problem: I feel really bad about taking 🍋‍🟩's help without calling him out and also I'm very worried about when I turn 18, once I can (hopefully) escape my parents would it be okay to still take his help if he still offers? Would doing so necessitate me call him out immediately? What if I heard something he said but not the whole conversation? Would I need to come out? Could I just come out partially until I'm fully financially independent? Is it even okay that I am now taking his help as a queer kid? Or should I try and subtly stop? What if he wants something more in return then the deal we already have (approximately 10% of what I make at his house)?

I'm really scared and unsure what the right thing(s) to do are and I'd really like some advice if possible.

Thank you so much for listening.

- ...

Hi!

Okay so first thing's first: Your safety is the most important thing. If taking Lemon Man's help is ensuring your safety (and he is not doing anything inappropriate TO you) then absolutely, take his help. Yeah, he's a bigot, but all the more reason to exploit his help, you know? I know that seems mean, but yeah...

Second: Calling people out for their problematic thoughts and bigotry is only a good idea when your safety isn't on the line. You have no obligation to do that right now, because you are literally a minor and relying on Lemon Man to help you live. And when you turn 18, you may STILL be relying on him. Only once you are in a situation where you aren't relying on him, then you can (and should) call him out.

Third: Please do not come out until you feel comfortable. Whenever that is. If you NEVER feel comfortable coming out to him, don't. You don't owe him that.

Fourth: You owe this man nothing. Yes, he has helped you and that is lovely, but he is doing that under the impression that you will give him some of what you cook. That's all you need to give him. You don't need to give him info about your identity. If he wants something more in return, I guess decide if it's worth it. But remember that this is a weird power dynamic, so if it even seems a LITTLE icky, say no and get out of there. Food is absolutely fine, but other things, not so much.

But yeah, right now, you do not need to call him out on anything. That's not your responsibility. He's a safe place, and you don't need to give that up.

Sending you love <3

#asks #ask #ask cas

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empressofthewind · 5 months ago

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Hello! I’ve been reading some of your meronia fanfictions and wanted to say you are an incredibly skilled storyteller and really make the characters feel true to their canon counterparts. Thank you so much for your absolutely amazing writing, you are a blessing in this fandom ❤️

There was a question I’ve been wondering about if you don’t mind. In a few of your AU Mello lives and begins working in partnership with Near fics, it’s mentioned that in the outcome of the Kira case Mello lost completely and Near was the winner.

I was curious in your AU what happened at the end of the Kira case that made it turn out this way?

And why do you position Mello as the full-out loser instead of something more similar to the OG canon where his skills and ability to see and contribute something Near couldn’t was the only reason Near won?

If you are willing to share I would love to know your thoughts! if not it's oc totally fine and understandable so feel free to ignore haha

Hello! First of all, thank you very much 🥺🫶 this is really really kind!! Second of all, this is an excellent question and you are perfectly welcome to ask - I'm always happy to answer questions about my fics :-)

My best answer to this is that the way I characterise the ending is highly dependent on the specific POV I'm writing from. I write all my fics in third person limited, which is structured in such a way that it gives a glimpse into the character's inner world. As a result, there's always bias in the way they perceive things. My interpretation of Near is that he's wired to view things as objectively as possible in most cases, so his narration is generally trustworthy. Mello's inner workings are a lot more chaotic, and I tend to write him as a fairly unreliable narrator. On that basis, the idea that he would have "lost" after the Kira case is entirely his perception. His goal was always to catch Kira and bring an end to the case with his own hands, as exemplified by the line "If you can do that, then I'll get Kira myself", which he says to Near in Chapter 79 (in reference to their interrogation of Mogi). At this point in the narrative he's directly working with Near, but he never thinks of it that way. He rationalises this as "using Near", and the competition as far as he's concerned is still alive and well.

He definitely has some character development by the end, but I don't think enough has changed for him to accept the idea of a joint victory. Rather, the development that happens is in him accepting the idea of losing. As much as I do think he kidnapped Takada with the intention of saving Near's life and ensuring Near's victory, I tend to assume he saw this as surrendering, not as a collaborative effort like Near does. I very strongly believe that if he had survived long enough to see the end of the case, he would have considered himself the loser. Ultimately, Near was the one in the warehouse, Near was the one who got to put Light in his place, and Near was the one who ended up with L's title. To Mello, that's more than enough to constitute a loss.

I hope this answers your question!!!

#asks

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hummingbird-games · 29 days ago

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Dev Diaries

December 28th, 2024

And just like that, I'm writing and posting the very last devlog of the year! I wasn't sure what 2024 would bring, and yeah I did get sucker punched more than once, but I also had some nice and welcomed surprises.

So! What now?

HSD:JY 2

...I'm not playing. I really need a devlog dedicated to solely High School Daze stuff. 🤡 Just need to decide what's not spoilery and what's not (too) ranty.

KO-FI RESUMES! AGAIN!!

Given that I wasn't producing anything of note, free or worthy of money, I paused billing again LOL! Fun stuff going up again in the new year! 2025 will be me figuring out how to continue to be consistent *and* decide what kind of content I want to post there versus elsewhere.

LOVED VN

T'was not meant for this game to release this year buuuuut I'm really hype for Summer 2025 now! #LovedVN is a summer tale, and I find myself thinking about these characters a lot. Depending on where I am, you might get a sneak preview during the Amare Fest, but I promise I'm making this project worth the wait for all of us.

OH, BOY

Yeah, no, I really wrote this game for me AND IT WILL SHOW BUT I DON'T CAREEEEEEE!!

My teammates for this project are amazing??? Absolutely fantastic humans??? The best of the best???? And they too are in love with this story (and the main characters) as much as I am??

"Gemini, you keep talking about this game like we know what you're talking about." Okay. Fair. Oops.

Oh, Boy is a bite sized, romance flavored game with multiple endings about college sophomore Janella who's Going Through Things™️ with her friends and decides to go to a concert on campus. There, she sees the guy she loves to hate (...or is it hates to lo-- *BANG*) Kendrick, and you, dear player, determine how the night ends!

(BTW it's SFW game so like...yeah. But! There will be bonus content shaped something of the 18+ variety so stay tuned if you're freaky like that???? 🤣)

Aaaaaand there will be partial voice acting!!! I casted both roles and my GOD they are Janella and Kendrick??????? It's insane how much giggling I've done going over the script and realizing their voices will be saying the lines. Like......this is probably my fave project idea to date because of the trope involved (bickering to lovers, yes that's totally a legit trope, leave me beeeeee.)

Mmmm what else can I share with y'all...

The new tunes!!!! Have a sneak peek of one of them:

I want to get permission from my artists to share art tingz first, so maybe that'll be a next month task! (Janella is so cute and Kendrick is definitely the star of homegirl's dreams! Also we're getting CGs which is SO!! EXCITING!!)

A fun development fact: when testing this game before I rejoiced that I'd have a designated programmer, I wanted to ensure all the endings were achievable. But I had to make a whole ass GUIDE because I kept getting the same two endings 🤡 I'm still in awe at how much I struggled.

ENDING NOTE

I have no idea the posting order of things, so if my yearly game review post is live, check that out! If not, I have 3 more days left in the month to post it!

Thank y'all so, so much for another year of sillies and games and blogging and creation. 💛 Hummingbird Games turned 4 this year and I'm a little sad that I can't call myself a toddler dev anymore. I'm a whole kid now, and ehhhh, "kid dev" just doesn't sound all that good to me 🤣

I'll workshop it!

Happy New Year from yours truly,

Gemini 😊

#gamedev #loved vn #oh boy vn #updates and things #gamedev rambles #otome #amare game #for the tag readers: I'm laughing at the all caps ☠️#also Oh Boy will be a full game (no worries about a demo and having to wait for the rest)#I know. a big first for me 🤣

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mittch22 · 1 year ago

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I love your headcanons for the WGP! Such underutilized characters that Pixar will never come back to. Which makes it all the more fun to come up with the headcanons and their personalities.

Also do you have headcanons for the regional replacements of Jeff Gorvette in the international dubs of Cars 2: Long Ge (my personal bias), Flash Nilsson, Memo Rojas Jr, Frosty Winterbumper and Vitaly Petrov?

Another Ask! Thank you!!!

I must admit, it was a challenging one. I like to have a little background info before I add HC's to pre-made characters. But alas, there is not much to go on.

Im glad you bought these fine chaps to my attention. They are VERY cool. My favourite is Vitaly personally. Lets give this a go, shall we?

Long Ge - He is insanely polite and will go above and beyond to ensure the comfort of others in his presence, even sometimes to his own detriment.

He can occasionally get a little nervous talking to others, but thats down to a small amount of social anxiety. He wants everyone to like him.

Long Ge is respectful of his fellow competitors at all times, however, he can occasionally get a little arrogant, but its all in good humour.

He is heavily supportive of racers in need, especially when it comes to physical injury. Regardless of his position on the track, he will stop to help if he deems it necessary. In his spare time, he will volunteer to assist those in need.

He loves traditional board games.

Lightning McQueen ended up introducing him to Tex Dinoco and they got along straight off the bat.

Flash Nilsson - Flash is spritely and energetic and its utterly contagious. He knows exactly how to get a party going and how to keep it rolling.

He's amazing at poker.

He gets jestfully angry when fellows sing or play the Flash Gordan theme song when he enters a room or aproaches a group. He will start singing along with it though.

He's a bit of a practical joker and can spend ages thinking up amazing pranks to play on his friends. He loves to have a good laugh.

Flash spends a lot of time practicing on different tracks and honing his skillset in a variety of different ways. He's always looking to improve himself and learn loads of different techniques for different situations.

Memo Rojas Jr - Memo loves learning about different cultures and sightseeing the countries he visits.

He is a highly suspicious vehicle and carries a luck charm with him for his races.

You'll never not hear him humming or singing musical tunes and jigging along to it.

He gets on really well with Raoul and they have become quite firm friends after the WGP.

Memo is rediculously quick off the mark and shocks fellow racers with his ability to just shoot himself forward off the starting line. It can be quite startling and intimidating.

Frosty Winterbumper - Frosty is a talker. As in he is an incessant talker. Good luck shutting him up. Especially when its on a subject that he is particularly interested in.

He loves basking in gentle sunshine and believes there's nothing better than a quality nap and a decent amount of relaxation time.

He is a bit of a risk taker on the track and enjoys the rush of that.

Despite his wintery namesake, he despises being in cold environments. He can't stand the cold and will do pretty much anything to ensure he stays warm. A deeply set chill can really throw him off his game.

Vitaly Petrov (Виталий Петров) - Vitaly is an avid chess player. His father was a regional champion at the game and athough Vitaly had bigger interests in racing, he is still very good at the game. So good luck beating him.

He is used to freezing climates from growing up racing in rally sprints and ice races and just doesnt seem to get cold. He has techniques for staying warm and he will always share them with any fellow racer who feels the cold easily.

Vitaly is the only race fan in his family and built himself up in the racing world from scratch and he absolutely loves it. He does it purely for his own enjoyment. It just turns out he's really damn good at it.

Chrysler help you if you find yourself in a snowball fight with him. He is pretty merciless.

Bonus content:

I have an amusing screenshot (at least I found it amusing). Tumblr is being a bit funny on mobile at the moment with asks. And for some reason its staging out the words in the ask box when I go to answer it. This is what it came up with:

PS: His name is Frosty Winterbum now.

#pixar cars #cars #cars fandom #cars pixar #cars 2 #cars headcanons #cars 2 (2011)#vitaly petrov #long ge #flash nilsson #memo rojas jr #frosty winterbumper #asks #frosty winterbum

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ajwinter-is-a-nerd · 1 year ago

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LawLight Polls - Opening January 25, 2024

Please note: this is the starting of the new poll thread. This can be considered a repost of the final re-blog on the initial Lawlight Polls thread. [With additional information at the bottom]

After facing several blockades, I am happy to announce that we are FINALLY KICKING OFF - and things are going to look different.

There will be ONE work vs. work to start off the polls.

The Longfic Lawlight MVPs

The Sweet Taste of Silver by LumiOlivier (Tumblr: @lumiolivierlithium) vs. Passengers by Pyreneese (Tumblr: @pyreneese)

Poll Open Date: January 25, 2024

Special Hashtag: #WintersLawlightBible

Thank you both for interacting/agreeing to participate! Both of your works were fantastic and deserve all the recognition in the world.

Additional big thank you to all authors who replied. I was going to try to find a way to include each other who gave permission/interacted a work vs. work poll - but INSTEAD, I will just be ensuring that they are showcased in the polls yet to come.

As a general reminder, don't be a dick. Fanfiction author's work for free. Read them, give them some love, they are both amazing stories and deserve all the praise in the world.

Read below: Future Poll Introduction/questions that no one asked, but I'm answering anyway

What will the polls look like in the future?

I have changed the format so that the polls will focus on Lawlight tropes. Each poll will have my own recommended Fan Fics in that category, and I will invite others to showcase any stories that they recommend in either of the tropes.

For example:

Politician Light vs. Detective Light

L played a character to trick Light vs. L is exactly the unkempt genius he portrays himself to be

Yotsuba Arc vs. Alternate Universe

This way we can include short fics and longfics all in one. It doesn't require me to have to review and search for tropes in each story (as long as I know the ones that I've read myself) (this is so I don't get overworked again and die).

***To avoid any possibility of thinking that the polls are merely a circular way of comparing two specific works, my own suggestions will always include as many as possible. They are to be used as reference, not as a "one or the other". ***

This was, in my opinion, the best way to respect the majority of author's works and wishes.

From my experience of myself and speaking to other fanfic author's, the idea of people talking about and recommending their fanfic is awesome, but the idea of using it as a competition is unnecessary stress or possible other ick feelings.

From hereforth, I will do my best to have as many discussions and recommendations about Lawlight fic as possible in ways that makes everyone as happy as possible!

How will my fanfic recommendations be included in the polls?

This may change around. When I first had the idea, I wanted to make an indexed list. - obviously when you go on A03 there are tropes and you are able to look things up yourself. However, I wanted to make an index that would help with the themes we might have a hard time explaining.

Such as, "L is playing a part vs. L is actually the weirdo he is as displayed in the show".

All this to say, I want to save them and make record of them, but I don't know how well an actual indexed concept would work. So then - I introduce - HELLO IT WILL BE A MESS BUT I WILL SHOWCASE THEM TO MY BEST ABILITIES.

For each trope, any recommended Fanfictions that came in, they will all be shared along with the final poll Re-Blog.

This will be lined up fairly simple. Trope 1: [List underneath] Trope 2: [List underneath]

What is even the point of your recommendations if others are expected to also share their favourites in that trope?

*huff*. Well - my recommendations will be up there for the polling period in hopes to get the gears rolling.

I feel like after all of this work and reading if I didn't share some of my favourites it would be weird.

I'm an author and I want to recommend my Lawlight fan fiction to be included?

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.

If you are an author and you want your work showcased in ANY of the polls, just reblog this post, or make a post and tag me in it (with the WintersLawlightBible hashtag) saying that you wrote a fanfic and include the link. As long as it is A03, I will read it and include it into as many themes as I find possible.

(Also, if you shared it, and was like - actually, my story also fits in this theme too, but you seemed to miss it. Let me know and I'll add it again.)

I want this event to be something that helps A03 authors.

What can I do to make this work better so everyone can see the most fanfictions as possible?

Leave Kudos and kind comments on the authors works.

Respond/Re-blog with any suggested tropes you may have.

Closing Thoughts

I am excited to start moving forward, hopefully we can turn this stress case of a project into something fun!

I am already working on scheduling the next polls and compiling the proper recommendation lists.

I won't have a set schedule because a roller coaster has less ups and downs than I do - but I will aim to do around one a month.

WOOOT LET'S DO THIS.

#winterslawlightbible #lawlight #death note #death note fanfiction #deathnote fanfiction #deathnote fan fiction #lawlight fanfiction #lawlight fan fiction #death note polls #deathnote polls #lawlight polls #fan fiction #fanfic #a03 #a03 fanfiction #lawlight recommentations #trope wars

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ciaossu-imagines · 1 year ago

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The gift giving question is so cute! Can you write what sort of gifts Fon, Colonnello, and Reborn would like? If you’re only doing one character then just Fon is fine!

I can for sure try to do this up for you! Thanks for the request, my lovely anon, and I hope you'll enjoy the headcanons!

Fon

I do think, with Fon, the old adage of the thought being what counts, not the gift is really very much the truth. He's always grateful for any gifts he's given. He's not one to really expect to receive gifts, even on traditional gift-giving occasions, and is always just touched that people thought of him and did get him something.

Now, I will say that Fon is going to be especially touched though if the gift itself has some thought put into it. Gifts that are personal in some way, that shows that the person was truly thinking of him and what he would enjoy or could use will touch him deep in his soul.

If a gift is handmade or home-baked, it's automatically an amazing gift to Fon. If someone went through the trouble of using their time to make him something instead of taking the quicker and easier way of just buying it, it shows a lot of care towards him, in Fon's mind, and it really humbles him and makes him very happy.

Now Fon doesn't have a lot of hobbies but food and tea are big things for him. Getting him or making him food or new tea blends to try are always safe gifts to give him.

Another safe gift idea for Fon? I think he would really enjoy those 'experience' gifts. Gift him tickets to a concert or event, book a time for an escape room, schedule a hot air balloon ride, pay for yoga classes for the two of you, etc., etc. Get him a gift of an experience you can share with him, either one he would enjoy or something completely new the two of you can experience and have fun with together because in the end, it's the experiences, not the possessions, that Fon believes make a life the happiest it can be.

Colonello

Colonello is actually really easy to buy gifts for. Even if you're not exactly sure what to get him, I can see Colonello as being the kind of guy who does have a wish list or some sort of mental list of things he'd like for gift-giving occasions. He'll happy either share the list or suggest something off of it that he knows the person can afford or make if he's asked what he wants for a gift.

In general though, Colonello is easy to buy for. Buy him a new gun, a new knife, replacement bandanas because he goes through them really fast actually (he loses them frequently), replace his boots every couple of years…all of those are instant winners for him.

I also see Colonello actually really enjoying survival training and the survivalist scene so getting him anything related to that is going to make him really happy too. He also gets really into the survival boot-camp events or the fake zombie apocalypse events so signing the two of you up to experience one of those together is going to ensure your gift is the favourite of those he receives.

Reborn

You know those people who are always like 'you don't need to get me a gift, I don't need one, you really shouldn't have'? Yeah, Reborn is not that kind of person. So far from that kind of person, actually. You should have and, in fact, you need to get him a gift if it is a gift-giving occasion. He will be so freaking offended if you don't and will consider it a sign of disrespect.

That's not to say that Reborn is greedy or materialistic. The dollar value of the gift isn't really going to matter much to Reborn unless he knows the person is made of money, rolling in the cash, and the gift given by them is some cheap, impersonal gift from the Dollar Store or something along those lines.

What matters to Reborn when it comes to gifts? That there was thought and intentions behind the gift. Don't just go into a store and pick up any old random thing or pick up the knitting needles and knit him a quick pair of mittens that you would have given just any old person. He really cares that the people giving him presents, whether they be handmade presents, the gift of entertainment (like putting on a play or show for him or getting him tickets to an event), or material gifts, take the time, don't rush the gift-giving process or leave it until the last minute, and give him gifts that reflect how they see Reborn or what they think he would like.

So, all in all, it really is the thought that counts for Reborn because it's knowing that he's respected enough by people to warrant their time, their imagination and creativity, and their full attention when it came to choosing the right gift, is what he evaluates the actual present by.

#replies #katekyo hitman reborn #khr #headcanons #colonello #fon #reborn

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spider-murdock · 1 year ago

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Uuuuuuh .. share your experience with Charlie, if you want!!!! Amazing, so happy for you! <3

Absolutely! It's a LONG ASS POST, so I put it under a cut.

So for the photo op me and my sister got in line and they were running super behind schedule but I think they were trying to ensure everyone got in and out close to their allotted time.

So me and my sis got in line, and we were ushered in. The first thing that hit was just how handsome he was, his smile lines and his eye crinkles were so sweet! And also noticed just how skinny he was??! Like I feel like he lost a lot of weight since KIN and even the born again set pics?

Then it was our turn and he fistbumped me and my sister, gave us both a side hug and was the SOFTEST HUMAN ALIVE. Like he made us feel so special in the 10 seconds of interaction and said "bless you for coming" as we walked out.

The autograph was a little different and I put it in bullet points this morning:

Screencap from the 2 second video before my phone got taken by a crew member at fan expo.

But I got to meet him and was one of the early ones in line

He was once again so sweet and soft spoken

I have a tough name to pronounce so he asked

“Am I saying it right?”

I said “yes, im sorry that it is tough to pronounce” and

he said “ don’t you dare apologize for your name it’s lovely”

Then I asked him if he was enjoying Toronto

And he said he loves the city but didn’t get to explore this time

Then he signed and told me to enjoy fan expo and I told him the same, and "thank you for doing what you do and hope you have an amazing day"

Finally the panel! I was in line a couple of hours before the event started because I knew how crowded it was going to get. I met some lovely people who were SUPER nice to me and we got to the beginning of the line for the panel.

Charlie and Vincent were HILARIOUS. Just so sweet and funny and kind.

Memorable Highlights:

He gave an anecdote about pulling an all nighter before his stardust audition

He wants to cosplay at a fan expo with his 6 year old daughter, and thinks Bluey may be a good idea

He made a joke about him and Vincent showering together

He thinks All Dressed Ruffles are "tremendous" and HATED ketchup flavored chips

WHEW that's all I can think of at the top of my head. I'm still processing it all and am just insanely happy.

I'll be posting my terrible quality videos of the fan panel on tumblr as well.

#charlie cox #daredevil #matt murdock #fan expo #toronto fan expo

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sassafrassing-blog · 2 years ago

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Just wanted to say I absolutely adore feign! Unfortunately found it at 1 am yesterday but whose timing is good on ao3 anyway??? Started it for kakashi, stayed for the beautiful character dynamics and dialogue! Your character voice is totally amazing. Do you edit at all as you go, or does it come out that fully formed?? Either way, thanks for sharing with us! Looking forward to the next one, whenever the muse strikes again :)

LMAO sorry I wrecked your sleep schedule 😅

Thank you so much for the lovely note! 😘 I 1000% edit as I write which is why it takes me so long to crank out chapters... And I have to edit in a linear fashion, so I will always start at the top and go line by line reading out loud to ensure it "flows" and sounds consistent.

And I'm trying to work on my other story Eldritch, but I swear Feign has me in a chokehold...

#sassafrassinganswers #anon #feign

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monsterkong · 4 months ago

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youtube

How Jillian Hilman Transformed Her Short-Term Rental Business with Smart Revenue Management

Hello, lovely STR Sisterhood! 🌸 Today, I’m so excited to share some golden nuggets from my interview with the fabulous Jillian Hilman, a rockstar real estate investor with a passion for revenue management. But before we jump into the details, here’s a little inspiration from Alex L.:

"I am thankful for my struggle because without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength." 💪

Jillian’s journey embodies this perfectly, and if you’re looking to take your short-term rental business to the next level, you’re in for a treat! 🎉

Meet Jillian: A Real Estate Investor Turned Revenue Management Pro 🏡📊

Jillian’s story starts in the world of long-term rentals, but like many of us, she couldn’t resist the allure of short-term rentals. 😍 After purchasing her first property near Seattle, she quickly expanded her portfolio and dove into co-hosting for other property owners.

Jillian is a numbers person at heart (she has a finance background), but don’t let that fool you—she’s all about making real estate fun and exciting!

“Once you get one property, you just want more,” Jillian laughs.

Why Revenue Management Is a Game Changer for STR Owners 🎯

When Jillian noticed a dip in revenue, she knew something needed to change. She teamed up with Jake Cohen from Step-by-Step BNB and discovered the ins and outs of PriceLabs, a dynamic pricing tool. But she quickly learned that PriceLabs isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it solution.

“It’s essential to manage your pricing weekly,” Jillian emphasizes.

Her approach involves setting up seasonal profiles, refining comp sets, and making weekly pricing adjustments—all tailored to her specific market.

Jillian’s Top Tips for Revenue Management Success 🚀

If you’re just getting started with revenue management, Jillian has some expert advice to share:

Create Seasonal Profiles: Customize your pricing to reflect the unique highs and lows of your market. Are you in a ski town? Your winter rates will differ from your summer rates!

Fine-Tune Your Comp Sets: Make sure the properties you’re comparing yours to have similar amenities. This ensures you’re pricing your property competitively.

Don’t Set It and Forget It: Check your pricing weekly to ensure it stays in line with market trends.

The Power of Community 💬

One thing Jillian didn’t expect when she started in STRs was how important community would be. Through the STR Success Accelerator, she found a network of supportive women who have been invaluable to her success.

“The friendships and support I’ve found through the community are amazing.”

Looking Ahead: Jillian’s Revenue Management Workshop at the Beach Retreat! 🌊

And guess what? Jillian will be teaching a Revenue Management Workshop at our upcoming Beach Retreat! 🏖️ Whether you’re a beginner or looking to fine-tune your strategy, Jillian will provide actionable insights to help you grow your business. Plus, attendees can book one-on-one sessions with her for personalized advice!

Wrapping Up 🌟

Jillian’s story is proof that with the right strategy and a proactive approach, you can transform your short-term rental business. If you want to learn more or book a free consultation with Jillian, visit StepByStepBNB.com.

Until next time, keep thriving and remember to make it a great one! ✨

#AirBnB #Real Estate #Short Term Rentals #Passive Income #Investing #Youtube

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imariejoyce · 5 months ago

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First time traveling in Japan...

Memorable Experiences, Itinerary and some Travel Tips..

It was Thursday morning, and we got up early to ensure we arrived at the airport on time and didn’t miss our flight (not to mention the excitement of heading to Japan for the first time!). The flight from Amsterdam to Narita was over sixteen hours, so I packed my E-reader with a few ePub books to keep me occupied. However, in reality, I spent most of the flight watching movies and catching up on sleep. 😅

We arrived at Narita Airport around 9:30 am. Since it was spring, the weather was ideal for our month-long vacation in that beautiful country. I was truly impressed by how clean and organized the airport was, from the smooth immigration lines to the restrooms equipped with built-in bidets (which I definitely want to have when we get our own house).

I'm traveling with three Dutch people, and as expected, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with their pace, especially since I'm a short Asian woman who's not exactly the athletic type. Haha!

When we arrived at the hotel (which was really small, typical of hotel rooms in Japan), we quickly dropped off our luggage and headed out to enjoy some authentic ramen at a nearby Japanese restaurant. It was delicious and inexpensive; I couldn't help but compare the prices to our favorite ramen spot in Amsterdam. lol. The taste was almost the same, though, so it's still worth it whenever I'm craving some creamy ramen soup back in the Netherlands. 😊

This vacation had been postponed for quite a while due to COVID-19, so preparing for it was quite an experience🥲 . It was initially planned for 2021, but with all the health measures in place globally, we had to delay. We even faced flight cancellations just three weeks before our trip to Japan, which ended up making the plane tickets more expensive than usual.

Our itinerary is pretty intense, especially for someone like me who has moved past that phase of cramming everything while on vacation. Haha. These days, I prefer to take my time and truly appreciate the places or landmarks rather than just snapping a quick photo and rushing off to the next spot, while it was fun, it’s not my style anymore. I've been there, done that. So, this vacation is definitely a challenge for me. 😅

I’ll also attach our itinerary here so that anyone reading this can get some ideas, but as I said—this is a pretty extreme itinerary for most people, especially for a typical Asian traveler 😅. I'll also share some tips at the end of this blog to help you prepare if you're traveling to Japan from the Netherlands or anywhere else in Europe.

This was the first time I traveled for a month with my boyfriend and his family, and I quickly realized how important it is to consider a few key factors when planning a trip to Japan—especially when it��s your first time traveling with others. Since it was my first experience sharing accommodations with other people, I didn’t get enough rest after those long days of walking (which for me is about 30k steps per day—poor little feet 🥲).

I was constantly thinking of the noise I might be making, whether it was going to the bathroom or worrying about snoring, which meant I often woke up in the middle of the night. The lack of good sleep left me feeling exhausted in the mornings, and with another packed day of activities ahead, the fatigue from long walks and sleepless nights really started to build up. 🥲

If you’re traveling with others for the first time, especially on a long trip like this, it’s important to think about what you want to do, where to stay, and how to ensure everyone is comfortable—something I learned the hard way! 😅

For the rest of our stay, I was mostly exhausted, but I have to thank all the amazing food for helping to compensate for my tired feet and lack of sleep. It was definitely a test of our relationship at times—I even considered flying back to the Netherlands or booking a flight to the Philippines. But my boyfriend was great at addressing my concerns and calming me down after a few breakdowns along the way! 😆

I truly consider Japan as one of the best countries I’ve ever visited. I definitely want to go back, but next time, I plan to create my own itinerary and book separate hotels for the entire stay. I’m even thinking about returning solo if time allows, as Japan is one of the safest places in the world to travel alone.

As promised, here is the itinerary of our month-long trip in Japan: Japan itinerary.

And here are some travel tips:

The JR Pass is definitely worth considering if you're traveling for a month and have a busy itinerary that takes you from Tokyo up to the north. It's valid for a maximum of 21 days and currently costs 100,000 yen. However, I recommend calculating the costs of your planned trip in advance to determine if the JR Pass offers better value compared to purchasing individual tickets for each destination. For us, given our packed schedule, the JR Pass saved us some euros.

https://www.digital.go.jp/en/services/visit_japan_web-en/ ->You can also register on this site to bypass the customs line at the airport. The site offers a wealth of information about traveling in Japan as well. :)

Japan Travel App is also handy to have. It is something like NS or 9292 here in The Netherlands which is use for transportation.

If you're interested in visiting TeamLab, be aware that they have two separate branches: TeamLab Planets and TeamLab Borderless, each located in different areas. We found TeamLab Borderless to be more impressive than TeamLab Planets. :)

Kyoto is always a delightful city to visit, especially for its temples. However, it can be quite tiring trying to see them all! :) My favorites include Koko-en, Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, and Jonangu Shrine, as well as the lovely Nara Park.

If you're into games and Harry Potter, Universal Studios is definitely worth a visit! :)

Besides the Atomic Bomb Museum, Hiroshima is also famous for its okonomiyaki, so make sure you try it while you're there. :)

Nikko is another lovely city up north. The Oku Nikko Hike is a must-do, and I think you'll really enjoy the waterfalls.

We visited Hakodate primarily for the Cherry Blossom park, but in the autumn and winter, there isn’t much else to do. Still, it’s a great place to enjoy some sushi!

For Noboribetsu, the Dai-ichi Takimotokan hotel offers a fantastic onsen area and is the largest onsen facility in Noboribetsu. It’s a bit pricey, but worth the experience. The Mt. Usuzan Hike is also worthwhile, though the sulfur smell can be strong; the volcanic scenery is impressive.

Sapporo was my favorite—it’s like Tokyo but less busy. The food is delicious and affordable. If you like dried fish or seaweed, visit the Nijo Market for it and their fresh fish and enjoy a meal with their sashimi.

Pack light! We traveled to Japan with just one checked-in luggage and a backpack each. By the time we returned to the Netherlands, we had an additional checked-in bag and a new cabin bag 😂. The food and souvenirs are very affordable, and with tax-free shopping available almost everywhere, it’s tempting to pick up a lot of souvenirs.

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