#but our dm started having me keep track of whos turn it is and their hit points

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

On Good Behaviour 7

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, threats, age gap, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: after release, you try to get on the right track but your new boss isn’t much help. (ex-con reader)

Characters: Loki

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

"May I get the bill?" Laufeyson inquires as he checks his watch. 

You put a finger in the air, "mine's separate, thanks." 

"Pardon you," your boss dismisses you with a flick of his fingers. "One bill is acceptable." 

Braxton nods and spins to go about his task. You stiffen in your chair. Fulla sighs. Frigga tuts. 

"How kind of you, darling," his mother intones. "Treating all of us to a pleasant lunch." 

"It is a wonder that you've not snared yourself a woman. There are those who prefer money over personality," Fulla trills. Laufeyson growls. 

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Laufeyson," you fold your hands in your lap. "And thank you two for having me. I hate to impose." 

"Hm, oh, she is a stickler for rules," Laufeyson chirps dryly. "Not a toe out of line." 

You let the comment roll off of you. You are as anxious as him to be over with this. You sense the squint in your direction from Frigga as Fulla eyes up her nephew. 

The server returns. He hands the bill to Laufeyson who returns his credit card. You wait for it to process and try not to wither away in the tension. 

Laufeyson is the first to stand. You follow suit. The older women make no move to rise. 

"We'll finish our drinks," Frigga smiles. "And I will see you at your father's event." 

He takes a deep breath and nods. He bends to kiss her cheek, "yes, mother." 

"Buh bye, Loki," Fulla wiggles her fingers. 

He sighs. He comes around and kisses her too. 

"Oh, I knew you loved Foo Foo still," she giggles. 

He stands with a roll of his eyes and gestures past his aunt, "we've work to do." 

"Yes, so important. Ta ta," Fulla calls after him. 

"Nice meeting you," you say then pivot to follow your simmering boss. 

Great. They've got him pissier than usual. You're used to the prickly demeanour. Prison is full of assholes. He's another breed. He tries to hide it behind his stiff upper lip and tailored suits. 

You go outside and approach the car. He unlocks the doors. You wait for him to get in before you do. He starts the engine as his silence persists. 

"You're not very gracious," he says at last as he reverses out of the spot. 

You frown, "I appreciate the lunch. I can reimburse--" 

"That isn't my meaning. Water?" 

"Water... I..." you swallow. "It's part of my probation." 

He snorts. "Ah, yes. No, that makes sense." 

The taunt in his voice makes you wince. You knew this was some trap from the moment he told you to make the reservation. It's not surprising. It's no different than the woman who sold you the skirt Fulla loved so much. People judge you at a glance. It almost makes you want to just go back to prison. People look at you like you belong there. 

He drives on and your eyes narrow at the road. You twist in your seat as he goes straight where he should turn. You scalp bristles like it would when Tonya would hang outside your cell a bit too long. You cross a leg over the other and grip the door. 

As the buildings grow familiar, the pavement cracks, and the brick grimier, the realisation sinks deep into your chest. This is your neighbourhood. Well out of the way of the office and surely far from his own abode. 

He pulls in at your building and you check the time. Would he really be so thoughtful as to drive you home? You look at him. He smirks. 

"I am curious to see what kind of hole a rat like you crawls back to every day," his eyes meet yours with a glimmer. 

This is your punishment. Not for anything you did. For his own embarrassment. For what he meant to do and was kept from following through on. 

"Well, aren't you excited to be home?" He slithers. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Since when--" He pokes your shoulder meanly, "do you question me? Let us remember the order of things. I am still your boss." 

"Yes, Mr. Laufeyson," you latch onto your purse and undo your seat belt. 

You open the door and get out. You look up at the apartment building with the dingy windows and chipped brick facade. You brace yourself as you start forward. Laufeyson's steps echo your own. 

You dig out your keys and unlock the grated front door. It's heavy; a deterrent for non-residents. You get to the inner door and twist the key again. As you start up the stairs, he hums. 

"Hm, that skirt is not too gauche on you," he muses and you nearly trip over the top step as he brushes your ass with his hand. He snickers at your stumble. "It would look better off." 

You blink and keep going. Your body goes rigid as you get closer to your apartment door. You stop to unlock that too and enter. He presses against you as he trails you in. You quickly move away from him. He clucks as you hang your purse and step out of your shoes. 

"Mm, shoes off in a place like this," he remarks. 

You look around. The kitchen is a part of the front room. There's only the bathroom aside from that. It's what you can afford. He tilts his head mockingly. 

"Well, I do see that you certainly are in desperate need of employment..." he removes his jacket and hangs it over your purse. "But you can show me how much you really want this job." 

You stare at him. His lips slant and he closes in. He looks you up and down. 

"I've spent my patience, so let us finish what we started." 

His intent pours over you like ice water. Bumps raise on your skin and you shudder. You clench your jaw and swallow it down. You know how to survive. That's all you're doing. 

You grab his tie, so roughly he flinches. His hands go to yours, easing your touch. 

“Do try to repress your darker tendencies. This isn’t a street brawl.” 

You stare at his throat as he drops his hands. You gently loosen the knot of his lie and unloop it from around his neck. You feel the silk then fold it neatly and set it aside. You can’t speak. You have nothing to say. You’ve always been the to do what needs to be done. 

You turn back to him. He grabs your upper arms and you inhale in surprises. He urges you deeper into the apartment. He stops you in the centre of the floor. Once more, he lets you go. 

You feel him watching you as you unbutton his shirts. His chest rises with a triumphant breath. You push the fabric back on his shoulders, his undershirts taut across his torso. You expected... less. He looks skinnier. 

You tug his shirt tails free and strip away his button-up. You take your time in folding that too. He wants it proper, so you can be diligent. 

Next the undershirt. He lifts his arms, gaze boring down on you like a laser. Put it with his other shirt. Then his belt. You pause, hands on the buckle, and steel yourself. 

He chuckles, “let us not pretend you are the sacred virgin--” 

You grip it tight and shove your thumb under the leather. You push free the end and unlash it, jerking him as you do. You flick open his fly and he hums.  

You want to choke him with his damn belt. He’s enjoying this too much. That’s the point, isn’t it? Keep him happy and he won’t ruin your life. 

You shove his pants down and he catches your hands. He brings them up as the fabric rumbles just along the top of his thighs. He tuts. 

“Darling, I know you must eager, especially after all those years behind bars--” 

“I’m not doing it without a condom,” you insist. 

He snickers and pokes his tongue into his cheek. He releases you and steps around you. You stare at the wall as he turns and struts to the fold out couch. He tests it with his knee. 

“In my jacket is my wallet... I do hope you can resist taking anything else,” he grabs the top of his pants as he pulls his foot back to the floor. 

You spin and go to the door. You search his jacket. You find his leather wallet and unfold it. There are four condoms inside in a short chain. The intentionality of that makes your blood boil. 

You turn back to your grim apartment. The peeling walls, the stained carpet, the emptiness of such a small space. You are at the bottom and he can see it so clearly. 

As you near the bed, he sprawls across it on his back, naked. You try not to notice his dick and how it lays rigid up his stomach. You are going to have to. There’s no avoiding it. 

You almost wish he’d done it at the office. Anywhere but your home. It’s not much but it’s what you have. It’s the seed of what you’re trying to grow. 

You get up on the bed and walk on your knees toward him, between his legs. He has his arms bent behind his head as he watches you. You peel open the condom and take him in hand. You roll the rubber down his length. He groans and twitches. 

“Darling, I said have some kindness. You needn’t rush,” he purrs, “Slow.” 

You meet his green eyes and wince. That gleam in them. He is a cruel man. Maybe he never did the things you have, but he is worse. You never enjoyed what you did. You only did it because you really believed it was your only choice. 

Just like this. 

You grip him and pull up your skirt with your other hand. You climb over him and direct him between your legs. You press his tip again your cunt, rubbing it up and down, trying to cozen yourself into this. You tilt your hips slightly as you do. 

You aim him along your entrance and hold your breath. You close your eyes and lower your head. You lower yourself, the blunt pressure forcing a whine from your throat. You put your hand flat to his stomach as you sink down. 

You grunt and bite down as your walls resist him. You lift yourself and try again. You rock on him, coaxing through the tension. Finally, you take all of him and shiver out a breath. He moans and spreads his hands across your thighs. 

A glance at his face has you horrified. His eyes are alight as he watches the intersect of your bodies. You rock slowly and slip your hand off his stomach. 

“Mmmmm,” he purrs and runs his hands over your skirt.  

He picks open the button at the bottom of your blouse; and the next; and the next; every one until it falls open. He grabs your bra and tugs it down until your tits spill over the top. He fondles you as you focus on moving your hips. 

You grind against him, the friction easing the singe in your walls. Not enough to get you off, only enough to get you through. Your breath shallows and so does his. He cups your tits and runs his thumbs around your nipples. He groans as your motion builds. 

His hands crawl back down your stomach. He frames your hips and pulls you down to your limit. You whimper as he holds you there. He bites his lip. 

“You are much more delightful than anticipated,” he snarls and drags his hands down to clutch your skirt in his fists. “Go on.” 

You lean forward and press your palms to his chest. Your pace quickens with ever tilt of your hip. He squeezes the fabric of your skirt, twisting it until it’s tight around your stomach. He keeps it wrapped around one fist as his other hand kneads your ass. 

He urges you on, rocking his hips from below. His face is flushed, his arms and chests strained, his throat constricted as he chokes on his moans. A ripple rolls through him. 

“Faster,” he hisses. You oblige. “Mm, darling, yes—oh—oh--” He sputters as his eyes roll back. “That’s-- like that--” You buck your hips, faster and faster. Finish already. “Dar-dar-darling...” he growls and snaps his mouth shut.  

His jaw clenches and he spasms. The way he quakes and tense, then whimpers, assures you that it’s done. He got what he wants and you gave it to him. He must feel like such a big man. He has to if you feel this small. 

[treeba-rk]

a small collection of shit the tumblr treebark community has tagged about cc!renchanting. Everyone feel free to contribute, many of these are pretty recent (from the infinite pining era), not from old posts!

#omg just call him hes not your ex   #i think about this so much. bro really was just like man that guy was weird. i think i’m in lo— #also this was very heterosexual of martyn. #relationship goals (they are not dating) #I hate them so much I fucking hate them #MARTYN WHEN I CATCH YOU MARTYN #can martyn like get a job #is this real?? #never a boring day following martyn on Tumblr #once again im reblogging the gayest ass mcyt fanart from none other than martyn in the little wood #martyn this is a really gay post to reblog /silly #its the single pathetic bisexual dogboy swag # everyone say thank youse to false #theyre having gay sex in that box. ok! #this is why joel betrayed dogwarts right at the start #fellas is it gay to do Whatever this is #treebark in the eyes of those around them is apparently horrifying #the server has chemicals in the water that turns the fucking ccs gay for Ren diggity Dog #Jesus christ #martyn intheliitlewood what are you doing in my falafal #I almost went full crazy insane treebark fangirl in the tags until I saw martyn inthelittlewood official reblogged it #SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA ENTER YOUR SLUT ERA AND THAT IS FINE TOO #fuckin slay martyn go kiss men Now we just pray he doesn't find the smut artists and find out people assume he's a bottom #he broke into our house and won’t leave :( turns out he’s the one who built the house? i think that’s why we let him stay #‘classic treebark bait’ MY ASS #martyn that shit is straight out of a fanfic #i think martyn can lurk in treebark tag if he wants #martyn once again outing himself as a renboy #shoutout to cherri for the renchanting propaganda god bless #WTF REN YOU CANT DO THIS TO US #they make me homophobic #mans woke up in a cold sweat checked his tumblr askbox wrote That and then fucked off for the rest of the day like nothing happened #the m in martyn stands for manic pixie dream girl #people be normal in the tags challenge: failed #why is martyn writing fanfiction and putting it on my dash at 3 am? #Top 10 Signs You Should Dm Him:#Number 1: you're writing fanfiction in tumblr ask box answers

this is an incredible collection and i am flabbergasted by how you keep track of this. treebarkblr is hilarious

<3 <3 <3

[mycrofts-umbrella]

Hiii! 28 fem here, I'm **not** replacing anyone, just looking for anyone who would be interested in more stories with me. I have more time to write so if you are 21+ please don't hesitate to send me a dm! Most random stuff but willing to do original characters as well! I love talking ooc, it helps keep me engaged and I love plotting and collaborating! Can do some days of rapid fire responses, other times it might take a few days. I know real life comes first and I will always be patient so no worries. Would love to hear from you!

Here are some of the fandoms with pairings/tropes I like:

**Spock/Kirk** - Wholesome sci-fi adventures, potential for shorter procedural missions, would ideally want to expand and write other members of the enterprise as needed (such as Bones, Sulu, Nyota, Chekov, Scotty, Nurse Chapel, etc.), would play/write either characters

**Charles/Erik** - Friends to Lovers to Enemies, would do either post xmen first class cherik or would do older versions of them, darker themes, I would prefer to write Erik in this because I don't think I can do the optimistic Charles justice, we need to plot further with this one cause I would be down for lots of ideas

**Deadpool/Spider-Man** - slooooooow burn to even get to friends then maybe 🌈, would mainly start as Deadpool and Spider-Man running into each other doing work/patrols in the city and mexican food, prefer to write as Deadpool but would be willing to write Peter

**Deadpool/Wolverine** - post movie, Logan has nightmares, differences in their timelines, Logan visits this universe's version of the X-Men. Would be open to writing either.

**Harry/Hermione** - my preference would be to start sometime during deathly hallows after Ron left and Harry and Hermione are still dealing with the Horcrux, and writing either is good with me

**Hannibal/Will** - MURDER HUSBANDS 4EVER, post fall, (or I also have very many ideas for this ship, oh man), I would loooove to play Will for once in my friggin life but I would also understand that your sweet soul could not handle Hannibal and I have experience writing hanni

**Lestat/Louis** - set season 2 finale, during the hurricane, sweet *sweet* depressing vampire cuddles while mourning our daughter crying blood, but I get that's a LOT to start so also start of s3 rockstat era, Louis doing Lestat's makeup, would write either, genuinely love these two, tho more experience writing Lestat

**Daniel/Armand** - devil's minion era, or post season 2 TV show devil's minion, Armand IS ALICE au(?), open to writing either (would also do a one shot for Daniel/Louis)

**Crowley/Aziraphale** - I prefer writing Crowley but that's cause I have a very specific view of him and his feelings for Aziraphale, however I do like writing Aziraphale too, post season 2, or lots of different ideas for this one too

**Joker/Akechi** - set p5r term 3, OR Akechi has a palace that they do after Sae’s palace and before Shido’s cause I think Akechi should get to do a patricide, or whenever joker sleeps and goes to the Velvet Room, Akechi is there or they know they are the two tricksters from the start and Joker starts in the metaverse with Akechi and Joker knows about Akechi’s murders but Akechi is his only family until he finally meets the phantom thieves and starts to pull away from Akechi and wants to turn him in

**Lucy/The Ghoul/Cooper Howard** - heterosexuals strike again, post season finale as they track down Kyle McLaughlin and figure out what is happening, would probably prefer to play The Ghoul but I would also like Lucy too so IDK not a hard preference actually

**Hughie/OC** - AU he leaves the boys and lives a normal life and is cherished for ONCE in his ridiculous existence, would be fine with either male or female OC just not starlight sorry Annie January you have a cool name but your powers kinda suck and ur personality is idk I just think him and Kimiko would have been cute 🥰

**Homelander/OC** - again I'm fine with male or female and would prefer to write the OC but am open to it. OC could be someone new joining The Seven or someone he somehow met during his childhood (maybe even Sage or Hughie)

**Tyrion Lannister/Daenerys Targaryen** - rewind a few seasons, take things slower then follow the journey to King's Landing and the Red Keep, maybe when they first met, would write either but have more experience as Daenerys. (Sidenote: I also ship Jorah/Dany and Tyrion/Varys so same thing)

**AU / Tropes** I like and would do with ANY of the ships and characters above or even OCs:

Soulmate AU

Hanahaki disease

Teammates/Roommates

Childhood best friends

Enemies-to-lovers

Coffeeshop (always - one exists in every fandom and ship)

Stockholm syndrome 🕊️

Powers OR (No Powers for fandoms that have supes, mutants, magic, etc. )

Amnesia where person A wakes up and doesn't remember person B but wrongly (rightly) assumes person B is their spouse/significant other or just memory loss of critical moments

If you're interested at all, my dms are open! Thank you! 🖤🫶🏼🩵

[badassxbirdy]

It’s time once again for an activity update. If you’re new here: these posts help me to keep track of what the frick I’ve been doing, particularly when tumblr breaks or the brain fog strikes. This update includes replies and interactions posted from the 1st of January to the 3rd of February, as well as anything queued or in drafts at the time of posting. Everything else can be found in previous updates under this tag. There’s also the full thread tracker here.

The navigation page for mobile users can be found here.

If you want to see all IC interactions without the other stuff, click here. If you’d like to start something new, there are opens and memes, or you can just hit up the DM’s. You can also add Tyler on Discord for IC texting. Username is the same as her url, just let me know who you are if you add her.

The full activity update (along with OOC housekeeping) is below the cut. Bold text = links.

Now onto the update!

OOC Housekeeping

Thank you for the lovely birthday messages! 🥰

I'm still trying to shake off this infection, and so I once again want to stress that any shoddy replies are NOT a reflection of my enthusiasm for writing with you! My brain frequently turns into mush, particularly when my health issues decide to kick off, and that has been a bit of a struggle as of late. I very much mean it when I say this: it’s not you, it’s me!

Threads, replies, and other IC interactions: (in alphabetical order by username.)

@2kyears

"Have you forgotten that you should not steal someone’s property?" - link

@day0fwrath

TY AND JARTHER TIIIIIME! 🥳 - queued

@demcnsinmymind - link to the roadside besties tracker page here

Tyler is having a Bad Time™️, and I am yelling about the entire situation! ☠️ - link

Taking Lance on a hunt - link

Giving Lance a haircut - queued

Car trouble - drafted

Adorable sleepover vibes - queued

Azzy proves a point - queued

@derschwarzeengel - link to our tracker page here

"I can’t mansplain manipulate manwhore my way out of this one guys!" - link

Terrible ideas - drafted

@florafound - link to our tracker page here

Trap! - drafted

@gentle-hearted

"Did you just call me... small?" - drafted

@heavenguided

Tyler is judging Michael. 😂 - queued

@malka-lisitsa

Suspicious Tyler is suspicious - queued

@milleroptimism

Pizzaless and insulted 😔 - link

@multi-royalty

Bad aim - drafted

@nightiingaled - link to our tracker page here

Killian is injured, Tyler is panicking. - link

“I am a grownup!” - link

Ty meets the weird little eldritch man! - link

Time for The Talk. 😭 - link

The bby gets a home, and I am cry. - link

@normallyxstranger

“You seem to be doing a great job at being a nuisance. ” (Victor) - link

The greatest shirt in existence! (Mason) - queued

"I’m lonely but not in a hot mysterious way" (Jamie) - drafted

@ofteaandmagic

Extreme awkwardness - queued

“Sorry for being British.” - queued

@stupidiinspades

Doomed by the narrative - link

@sunmad

“Sorry for acting so strange and irregular; It will happen again.” - link

@timeisbrain

Accidental coffee stealing - link

@wolfskrieger

"Does the hate come from the heart or just out of habit?" - link

Headcanon, dash games, and assorted silliness:

Ty's opinion on Elisiel - link

Mel's opinion on Ty - link

Lance and Azzy's opinions on Ty - link and link

Thread and dash commentary - link and link

I think that’s everything, but as always, please let me know if I’ve missed something. I never intentionally drop threads without notifying, so if it’s not here, I am either having a brain fart or I simply have not seen it. Remember to be kind to yourselves! ❤️ — Em

[tgmsunmontue]

What to write weekend?

I have no social events this weekend, so it's going to be life admin, household chores, writing and drawing. (And unfucking some of my habitat because there are spaces in my house which desperately need it. Again.)

HOWEVER - so I spend time actually writing rather than just day-dreaming about writing, please reply to this post, send me an ask (anon is on), or a DM. You can choose up to three letters/numbers from the PINNED POST which I just updated (I've copy/pasted below the ones I'm most interested in working on). I will write 150-200 words per letter/number (yep, down a little from the 250 just because I don't want to stress myself out and disappoint people when I can't do it - this is meant to motivate me, not make me anxious).

Tracking is here for those of you that like spreadsheets.

(Hopefully removed the tags from the people so they don't get MORE notifications!)

1) Sagas of Solitude 16/21 - IceMav with side Hangster AU - angsty Nepo!Baby Bradley Bradshaw who has to keep his relationship with Mav and Ice a secret when he starts at the USNA. Featuring married Ice and Mav (but not to each other). Prologue He Remembers and Lonely Nights are both set in this verse. (Last updated 2nd Jan)

2) Season to Taste 34/42 Celebrity Chef Bradley and Naval Aviator Jake Seresin who have a relationship spanning the globe before they realize how tightly bound they are to one another. Heading into this little world. (Last updated 9th January)

WIP STATUS (+ FIC IDEAS CURRENTLY GERMINATING)

FYI - everyone is welcome to take any of the ideas and do their own spin. Don't plagiarise obviously, but definitely feel free to take it and add your own twist.

A) Upon which our souls touch - 8/? - Hangster Fantasy AU (Last updated 1st January 2025)

B) Never knew I was missing you - 7/9 - Hangster AU with Jake a naval aviator and Bradley and A-list Hollywood star. They meet on a dating app. Famous and cat fishing that isn't cat fishing because online relationships are rife but...? (Tumblr idea) (Last updated 9th January 2025)

C) The terrible drunken sex which turns into Hangman wanting to prove he is GOOD at sex and then Bradley catching feelings. (Tumblr post)

D) IceMav with unknown about children because the US Navy is evil and produced offspring because of genetics being a THING. (Tumblr ramblings)

E) Cyclone/Maverick - Cyclone is struggling to deal with being attracted to the most annoying person he's ever met. Why does he like him so much?

H) From the top 4/? - an Ice/Mav epistolary fic where Jake and Bradley matchmake them, not realising exactly who it is they've matched together. AU divergent ish. (Last updated 4th January 2025)

K) Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide - 12/?Transformers cross-over for help me yeagrave is 110% to blame for me adding this... (related to this post) (Last updated 1st January 2025)

L) Hangster Sports Team AU with Hangster being ex-es (like stood up at the alter type exes) and the trade deadline coming in hot and Bradley being traded in and all hell is about to break loose... Ramblings and more here.

S) Jake is a blacksmith and artist and Bradley is a high school history teacher.

T) Jake and Bradley becoming friends on Instagram through competitive thirst traps. (Tumblr post)

U) Jake vs Bradley kissing competition with no touching (tumblr post from iprefervillains)

V) Actual fleshed out "wrong number" AU from caystar13star

W) The amnesia fic if the-ace-with-spades doesn't mind me absconding with another of their ideas.

[imitative-magpie]

Defanging Fear Itself

‘When I say end, I don't mean "lifeless", I mean "terminated life as we know it". This is an important distinction.’

 I keep staring at my dms, vacantly, pondering just what I’ve done. When I started to reach out out into the void, I had thought this was a noble sacrifice, and that if only I reached out-

Maybe I could erase all the harm that I’ve created. I think I lost track of that, somehow along the way. I was so caught up with filling this hollow part inside of me, so caught up with keeping myself warm that I hadn’t even considered the people I was setting on fire just to do so. 

…And here’s this guy, right? I’ve been talking to him for a while, and he just gets it. Everytime he talks to me, he’s given me nothing but sure guidance as if he can peer right into my mind and see just what I’m feeling- and lord, do I feel so much. It’s like I’m holding back an ocean of anxieties, and one word is the detonator. I think about what he’s told me a lot, mostly about how he died because I just couldn’t understand it. Why did someone so clever and swift have to die? How could you devote your whole life to something, only for it to turn around and stab you in the back? I think about myself, how I gave into the impulse, and I wound up in the hospital with an atrial fibrillation. I've given my whole life to something, and it's going to eat me alive.

‘Why did it have to end though? The world, I mean?’

Who am I trying to find? Would it really be helping them, if I asked them to remember me? Would sorry really be enough to rekindle their souls and make things right again?..Or am I just doing this for me? Maybe it’s better that I live my life, never knowing. The people I hurt may be living a beautiful life, far from the pain of whatever timeline that’s been shattered underneath my fingertips. I can only hope they are. 

He was willing to trade humanity for enlightenment, and because of it he was killed. Well, what does that make me?

 Is that who I truly am? 

Am I willing to kill the things I’ve been trying to save? Fear, it’s all I’ve talked about since I created this blog. Humans have been telling tales of fear since the dawn of man, because we crave the cortisol and adrenaline like rich silk under our fingers. I don’t think I was laying to rest your fears, when I came out of the dark to carve into you with inquiry, I think I was just breathing life into old wounds, and you deserved better than that. Trading a complete life for a high that will never hit the same hardly seems fair, so let's turn around and bite the hand that feeds us out of spite. It's hurt you, and it's hurt me. If we don't we'll succumb to desensitization, or an even worse fate. We need to defang these fears before they swallow us whole. 

I’ll defang myself first.

I promise. 

(Consent for this documented information has been given by all parties involved.)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Rachel Connolly:

Earlier this year, I had a bout of what my friends and I term “mental health”. I was always tired. I couldn’t concentrate. I felt burnt out by the volume of communication that social media facilitates. I am 31 and, like many people my age, I’m in multiple group chats on WhatsApp and often find myself added to new ones. I use Instagram to post work and selfies, and to chat with people via the DM function. I use X similarly. (I’m too old for TikTok.) I enjoy some of this. I like talking nonsense with my friends. But I’d started to question how deliberate much of it was. I’d find myself posting a picture of a book I was reading and think, why do I need an audience to read? I began to wonder if, in the cycle of curating, recording and publicising our lives on social media, the things we do that are not seen and affirmed by people online feel somehow less “real”. My work as a writer means I probably get more online communication than the average person. Last year I published my first novel, and I have since noticed the slightly strange way that novels are discussed online. I get tagged in Instagram posts saying that my book is about a messy girl, a sad girl, a distant girl or a cold girl. There is an algorithmic basis to this. The easiest way to attract attention on social media is to talk about a trend everyone else is talking about, or to slot whatever you’re talking about into one of these trends.

So everywhere you look it is Brat summers or trad wives, cottage-core or bloke-core, high-functioning anxiety, parentified children or whatever happens to be the latest term for pathologising your life experience. Everything is flattened, simplified. I worried that being immersed in it was making me think this way too. A friend recently got a “dumb” phone, a Nokia 3210, to use when she’s out of the house. She leaves her smartphone at home like a landline. It has made her happier, she says. I needed a break too, but I was drawn to the idea of spending some time cut off from all communication. A reset, of sorts. I found a weekend-long silent retreat, no phones allowed, and booked myself in. My craving for a break is not uncommon. Social media is such a constant background presence in our lives that it’s easy to forget how recent it is. Facebook, which feels impossibly passé, is only 20. Instagram is not yet 15. Researchers first used the term “digital detox”, to refer to a period of abstention from phones and laptops, in 2012, around the same time that social media was really taking off (chat rooms had been around since the turn of the 1990s without the concept surfacing).

Digital detoxes remained unusual for a time. In 2015, Essena O’Neill, an Australian influencer with 612,000 Instagram followers, made news around the world when she released a statement about quitting the platform. Today, similar moves by celebrities are so common they barely make headlines. Billie Eilish deleted all social media apps from her phone. Actress Tavi Gevinson wrote about using an assistant to manage her Instagram. It has been hard to keep track of the number of times Stephen Fry has quit and rejoined Twitter over the years. These dramatic exits can seem amusing, especially when they’re followed by sheepish returns, but mostly they underscore how addictive and overwhelming social media can be. My silent retreat took place in a large house in rural Devon. I arrived on Friday, one of a group of about 50. We were allowed to speak during registration and, because I had gone there determined not to use reductive labels, I could already sense myself reaching for them. A young man told me he had done several silent retreats before. Ah, I thought, so you’re the type of person who does these often. Then I caught myself. What type would that be?

During the first meditation session, our instructors explained that we would sit and try to embody, rather than think about, the question “What is this?” This distinction struck me as confusing to the point of meaninglessness. But they explained that one way of attempting “not to think” about the question was to resist the urge to answer it. They encouraged us to focus instead on how we felt, on the physical sensations in our bodies. If you have never tried this, I will say that it is extremely difficult. We sat cross-legged for 30 minutes. I stared at a wall. Then we walked in a circle for 10 minutes. Then we sat down again, and so on, for about two hours. Then it was bedtime. I enjoyed the communality of me and the other girls silently working through our evening routines together. I realised that I had never decided to bring my phone everywhere, like an appendage to my body

The next two days were structured around meditation and chores. At 6.30am we were woken by a bell. We did two hours of meditation, after which we had breakfast. Then a break, followed by another two hours of meditation and lunch. My chore was washing up after we ate. Then more meditation, dinner, another break, meditation, bed. If sitting in an uncomfortable position and staring at a wall while trying not to think sounds impossibly boring, I would say it is not so different from the way my days would unfold when I worked in offices, traipsing from my desk to the tea station and back. More earnestly, I would say I could not have imagined how much I would enjoy the retreat, or how much I’d get out of it. Over the weekend, one of the instructors spoke about trying to be more conscious of the labels we put on our experiences and interactions. It struck me that a similar fatigue with the overload of digital communication is probably what draws a lot of people to try a silent retreat. We were all the type of person who is fed up with “types of people”.

On my first morning after breakfast, I went outside. The countryside seemed fantastically vivid. The blackbirds looked as beautiful as anything I had seen before. I watched one, like a dash of ink, flickering against the mottled grey sky, then two sailing as a pair, in tune with each other. I watched a cloud of them, pulsing. It reminded me of a jellyfish. Back inside, from my seat in the meditation room, I could see a tree that the birds would visit. When I was frustrated with the way my thoughts rattled around my head, reviewing unsaid rebuttals to months-old arguments, I watched the birds and imagined the paths they were taking in the world. One of my issues with the task “embody but try not to think” is that the semantic distinction between thinking and feeling is hard to grasp. If you notice that you feel happy or sad, is that a thought? Or a feeling? I found animals a useful framework to try to understand the distinction, as they negotiate the world using senses. A bird might fly north because of an environmental cue, but it does not say to itself in words, “I want to fly north.” I came to understand the task not as emptying your head of thoughts, but rather resisting the tendency to narrate things to yourself in words. I noticed that this interior monologuing would lead me along familiar, superficial trains of thought, to recent memories associated with certain feelings, say, and soon enough back to mundane anxieties.

At night, I would sit outside and look at the stars. The clouds, invisible in the darkness, shifted to expose one patch of stars, then another, making it look like the sky itself was swelling and shrinking. Memories and ideas still came to me, but deeper, more interesting ones than before. It was as if I had cleared the way for them. I remembered that I used to look at the stars when I was a teenager. I used to read about how they’re born, how they sustain themselves, why we see only some of them, how they die. On Monday morning at breakfast, we were allowed to speak again. Some participants had found the weekend hard, they said. One person had cried repeatedly. Others said that eating in silence had made them feel as though everyone was being cold towards them. As they talked, I remembered old corporate jobs where I was always the office loser. People could sense the aura of failure emanating from me, so I would eat lunch by myself, in silence. I got used to it. I didn’t feel I was learning anything valuable at the time, but life can surprise you. Sticking out is not so bad, I realised. This is the message of most children’s books, but one it’s easy to lose sight of as an adult. Other people’s perceptions of you, real or imagined, don’t have to influence how you see yourself. Social media is designed to erase this perspective. Much of the anxiety it fosters comes from forcing you to see yourself, constantly, as relative to others.

[manicpixxiedreambitch]

Okay so there is this person, right? To protect his/their privacy, I’m referring to them as Mitch. This is nowhere near their actual name. He is a good friend of mine, and I am grinding my teeth in annoyance because they have a boyfriend who is a MAJOR red flag. The boyfriend guilt trips him over everything, forced them to cut off a bunch of their friends, tries to keep them from texting other people, and then it gets WORSE. The dude used to track them on Life 360. He can have the password to their phone, but they can’t have the password to his. HE MONITORS THEIR DMS WITH THEIR FRIENDS. He goes through their phone. Any time they mention hanging out with friends he tries to guilt trip them and say something like “Oh well we haven’t really talked much in three months or whatever but okay” or “That’s fine, I’ll just burn myself out working to keep myself busy while you’re out on vacation with them, but hanging out with them must be more fun” and try to manipulate them into doing what he says. I’ve been trying for MONTHS now to get Mitch to dump him, but Mitch is still hesitant to leave the relationship. Apparently a few weeks ago Mitch did in fact try to dump the guy and the fucking douche nozzle replied with “Oh, you really decided to do this to me on a day I was feeling really suicidal???”

🚩🚩🚩

And so of course Mitch being the kindhearted person that dumbass DEFINITELY DOES NOT DESERVE, felt guilty enough to stay. The guy proceeded to love bomb them like crazy afterwards, too. Three days later I’m hearing this and I’m like “Well he seems happy enough all of a sudden with you he must not be so suicidal anymore. You should dump him now.” And Mitch is like “No because he’s being so nice now!!! And loving and attentive and he has issues but he’s trying to change.” And I am like “Bro you JUST wanted to break up with him. How long has he been telling you he’s trying to change and what changes have you seen?” And Mitch listing a few small things that were the bare fucking minimum like “Oh well I guess he’s not getting so mad. Like the other day I mentioned wanting to hang out with (mutual friend) and he didn’t get mad about it, he just acted a little weird.” And showed me the texts where he got “weird” where he essentially said “We never hang out anymore… but it’s just so much easier with your friends, ig”. BRO WHAT THE FUCK?????? And I’m pretty sure it’s like Mitch has to ask the dude before they even try to think about hanging out with their friends. The guy doesn’t even go to our school. He goes to an entirely different school. And I have this one friend who used to date the guy before and he said the guy was doing that bullshit then, too. And I’m trying to tell Mitch that they deserve someone SO MUCH BETTER. They said that they understand that but they really want their relationship to work. I essentially told them their relationship was more than a couple cracks in the wall or a leaky pipe, it was a whole burning house. And they are still with the guy and it’s so SO frustrating because I can’t stop thinking about how much more they deserve.

I can’t stop thinking about them, and at first I was convincing myself that it’s nothing. I’m not interested in Mitch, I’m just a concerned friend who hates their toxic boyfriend and wants the best for them. I’m just protective of my friends.

…right???

Wrong. Because then the thoughts turned to something different. I keep thinking about how they deserve better. How if they were MY partner, I wouldn’t be treating them like that. I’d be giving them respect and space when they need it, and I wouldn’t make them ask for my permission for anything. And then it proceeded to me thinking about how cute they are and how amazing they are. And then I started having these little daydreams of taking them out on a date.

So, in spite of me saying literally two months ago that despite being bisexual, I have never felt myself attracted to people beyond male and female, I am finding myself developing the smallest, tiniest crush on my trans/genderfluid friend.

What the fuck do I even do with this??????

[renmackree]

For the prompt game - 126 for college!Stiles using Derek's insta DMs as a notes app

I was a Teenaged Mothman part 4 of ???? One day, one day this will be a fic.

Prompt me up!: Open

126. “we’re quite literally fugitives of the state.” - “so no pizza?”

Stiles was laying on his bed with the packet of paper in front of him. He flipped another page open and began circling words in bright red ink and adding little notations on the edge of the paper. He glanced up at the clock, sighing even deeper as he tapped the pen against his lips. It was nearly midnight and he still hadn't heard anything from Lydia on if she was coming home tonight. His roommate had found a new 'fresh face' at the bar and was trying them out before seeing if they were worthy of the great Lydia Martin ride. He had been thinking about just texting her, but the last time that happened the partner she was with had suggested a threesome.

Stiles loves Lydia to death, but no. He was far more interested in someone else right now anyways.

"We’re quite literally fugitives of the state," Steven Dex said on the TV, Stiles' eyes moving to the screen. He had put on one of the Mothman movies (specifically I Was a Teenaged Mothman Too) and couldn't help but smile as Derek Hale's character came on screen.

"So no pizza?" Erik Weizer asked, Stiles mouthing the line along with the actor. 

Stiles tossed the Dissertation from one of their potential candidates to the side and grabbed his phone. While he might not be able to text Lydia, there was someone else he could try. He wasn't sure if the man would even answer, they had only just began texting in some strange turn of events.

SS: Why did Erik Weizer always want Pizza? Did the writers just say hey, that's your one trait? Like pizza and get slammed into walls by Steven?

Stiles went back to watching the scene where Steven and Erik were tracking down where the Alpha moth had gone. It was one of the most quoted Sterik scenes in the franchise and had actually been the part where Stiles himself had started shipping them. He had actually been a little jealous of Jared Ormly who played Erik. To be that close to Derek Hale at ALL times? Yeah, that was the dream.

He heard his phone go off, checking to see if it was Lydia. Stiles jumped up in surprise, seeing Derek had texted him back. He rolled over his bed clutching his phone and kicking his feet in the most awkward and foolish way he possibly could before reading through the texts.

DH: Jared actually said a lot of those lines off the cuff. Most of our lines were improv between the two of us. DH: What movie are you watching?

Stiles grinned, typing back as fast as his fingers could go.

SS: I was a Teenaged Mothman too. 

DH: Gross, that's the one where they used Jello instead of fake blood.

SS: I couldn't eat my dad's Jello salad for a year without thinking about it. He stopped making it because I laughed too hard every time he brought it out. I kept thinking about that stupid line.

DH: "His weakness is the light, quick shine it on his blood?"

SS: That's the one. Do you remember every movie's script?

The phone started to ring, Stiles sitting up and holding it out in front of him with an almost confused look. "Oh my god, who the hell calls in the year 2023?!" The name read "Derek Hale FOR REAL" and Stiles cleared his throat as he answered the phone.

"H-hey, what's up?"

"What was the last line?" Derek's voice was soft, almost like he was trying to keep quiet while talking to Stiles. 

"Uh, Erik just said 'I hope you know what you're doing.'" Stiles looked up to the movie, watching as the scene shifted to a close up of Derek's character contemplating.

"I don't think any of us know what we're doing." Derek was saying the line in almost perfect sync with the TV, Stiles hearing the young 19 year old and the now 30 something murmuring in his ear. "We're teenagers, Erik. We shouldn't have to deal with this. But we will. And come morning, there will only be one Mothman left. It's him or me, and right now, I'm going to do my damndest to make sure it's me."

Stiles whistled low, letting out a chuckle. "Bravo. You're truly a thespian. Such a riveting line."

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic, but thank you." Derek chuckled. God it was like bells ringing on a clear day and stars falling from the sky. Stiles was a fucking mess when it came to Derek Hale. "It's not the first time you've said that."

"I'll tell you you're a good actor every day. Not many people stick through a series like this and come back from the grave with a new boyfriend."

"I made them write that in to my contract. If Steven Dex is resurrected, he has to end up with Erik." Derek's phone rustled a little and he sighed. "Just like I made them remove my social media restrictions so I could answer you."

Stiles swallowed hard, clearing his throat as he licked his lips. "You.., did what?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then Derek sighed. "I couldn't respond to you because my original contract I signed when I was 15 said I couldn't respond to private DMs on social media. Laura thought it was a good idea since underage and in Hollywood, but I really was glad you found me again. I didn't think you would remember."

Again. Found him AGAIN? Stiles wracked his brain, trying to remember when in his whole life he had met Derek Hale. Wait. He met Derek Hale?? Derek Hale knew who he was the whole time???

"Uh, yeah! Of course. I was wondering why you weren't responding but. Glad we could talk now."

"I have to go, we have a press conference tomorrow. Hope you finish your paper."

"Yep! Have a good night, thanks for the call!" Stiles hung up the phone and stared at it, looking over the screen. "When the fuck did I meet Derek Hale?"

[saltymcsaltything]

I know I am conditioned by trauma to see red flags everywhere and assume the worst of anyone I don't know and trust because experience has shown that it's the safer default, so it's very hard not to see malice and contempt in the behavior and words of @photomatt

But I am trying to turn that off enough to appeal to reason, because in reflecting on his most recent posts in particular, I think it's possible, however much my instincts scream otherwise, that he's just ignorant of what the trans community experiences and actually can't understand why we see his words and actions as harmful and transphobic.

This entire debacle keeps making me think of the double empathy problem - he cannot possibly understand the truly vile hate and abuse we are exposed to on this site or the lengths even small blogs have to go to in order to curate our experience into something that feels remotely safe. Many of us have been physically and sexually assaulted because of our gender and we are at risk of being murdered. TERFs on this site *gleefully celebrate the deaths of trans people including children* and actively target people with a history of self harm and suicidal ideation. That is the context of trans lives that has him painting us as toxic for mocking him and his overreaction to 'threats' that most of us wouldn't even bat an eye at. I don't doubt that anons and DMs have been sent to him that are far worse than the hammer car thing, but he's still only seeing a tiny sliver of the hate levelled against trans people. Maybe if he considers how what he is experiencing happens every day ending with Y for any trans blogger with a sizeable following and that Tumblr's track record for taking action against that is beyond abysmal, he might snap out of this pattern of centering himself over the user's who have been pushed past their breaking point by the years of failure in addressing biased moderation and complete lack of visible action against hate speech. If he does, maybe there's an opportunity to actually see something positive come from this.

@photomatt, I am going to attempt to put aside my visceral aversion to so much of what you've said and done over the last few days and try to get you to understand *why* you've faced the backlash you have, because it is clear you do not really understand our experiences and cannot empathize with them. And please don't claim that you do, your actions and tone towards us say otherwise and it's insulting to watch you claim allyship when you have contributed to the harm we endure on a daily basis. You need to sit with th knowledge that you have hurt us because of your ignorance, reflect, and start actually listening to us. Stop centering yourself and work to see what your actions, words, and the past and present failures of Tumblr as an organization have done to the trans community. Keep in mind that you admitted to having a contract moderator that was actively targeting us and colluding with others to do the same, and understand that the harm done by that didn't disappear when they were dealt with - if anything disclosing that ripped open gaping wounds, and your actions since have poured salt in them.

I doubt this is worth the effort at this point since you seem to have fully entrenched your defensiveness and your framing of a community in the current political climate that is constantly under threat of actual, life threatening physical violence for the crime of existing as "toxic", but if you have even an ounce of humility and genuine desire to support us, I hope you'll consider taking a step back and reflecting on your recent behavior from the perspective of users who have seen communities they have painstakingly built on Tumblr where we had a modicum of safety repeatedly decimated by disastrous policies and practices, and who have for years been actively targeted by bigots who want to see us erased from existence and openly brag about their attacks. Put yourself in the shoes not of a CEO but someone who's existence is under theat on multiple levels on a daily basis, and then read the way that you, the most powerful person on the platform talks about a member of the community who was the target of a malicious campaign of harassment, mass reporting, hate speech, vile accusations and death threats. Try to see what we see - especially the avoidance of the biggest issue for the community, which is the harassment campaign that TERFs are gloating about in the notes of your posts.

Behavior is communication, and your behavior feels *abusive* given your position of power in the context of what we face on a daily basis. Users desperate for a scrap of hope that the common threats that we are faced with on this platform might be dealt with in a meaningful way saw the most powerful person on the platform focusing solely on the "violations" of a single user who was being brigaded by one of the most vitriolic and toxic groups on the platform. Not addressing the harassment being visited on her spoke volumes - it told us you *do not care* about the harm that is done to us on a daily basis by bad actors, but you absolutely care about whats directed at you and @staff. While I sympathize with line level employees who are caught in the cross fire of the backlash you incited with your ignorance and callous disregard for a community that is routinely traumatized, I don't have much empathy to spare for those in leadership who have a level of power and privilege no ordinary user on this platform comes close to having, especially after witnessing how quickly you will wield that power to protect *your* in-group and yourself from a *sliver* of the abuse the trans community endures on a daily basis. It was sickening witnessing how quickly blogs mocking you were banned when people who have done *far worse* to us for years have been able to do so with impunity under your watch when all it would take us for you to look at a single report of the hate and abuse we report and wield the same ban hammer against people who should have been held accountable *years* ago. Knowing you would do for you and yours but not for us is utterly depressing.

And it's not only the trans community dealing with hate speech, death threats and harassment, but in this instance that was who your behavior was harming when you showed what you were capable of doing to protect your people when the issue you repeatedly failed to address but clearly could have was the *massive* flood of hate that the trans community repeatedly reports but sees scant evidence of any response. If there *is* meaningful action in the background, the lack of transparency makes it meaningless because from our perspective there isn't anything being dive to address mass coordinated harassment campaigns that *should* be easy to mask since so much of it is copy/paste anon hate spammed in asks. You claim standard policy is to not comment on moderation decisions but then decided to make an exception in this instance to, from our perspective, shit on a victim of a targeted smear campaign and make claims about their behavior that did not match the evidence you made available, while invoking law enforcement action against someone who is at increased risk of police violence and then doubling down on how much *you and your people* were being hurt when criticized for failing to address the entire situation and for centering your own feelings over an entire community who's suffering on your platform you fail to acknowledge.

Make an exception and tell us what you've actually done to address transphobic harassment. Not doing so when you made an exception to talk about the victim of one of their campaigns is a bad look and is part of why you are being accused of upholding and enabling systemic transphobia. Sticking to your policy of silence for transphobes but making an exception to talk about a banned trans user looks pretty biased,and given the well documented track record of Tumblr when it comes to bias against the LGBTQIA+ community, it's a really bad look. As CEO you should be sufficiently cognizant of the history of these issues and the ongoing problems with moderation to recognize how easy it is for users which have been conditioned to expect the worst to see this as biased. You desperately need to gain some perspective before putting your keystrokes out there on these issues

Your behavior has hurt vulnerable people. It has made people feel unsafe. You're angry about being called a transphobe, but your actions have harmed the trans community and your inaction in addressing those targeting us looks like tacit approval of their behavior. If you cannot clearly and unequivocally commit to take action against the transphobic harassment we face from malicious users on the platform, then your inaction creates and upholds systemic transphobia. Your intentions and principles are immaterial when the impact is harmful. If that hurts you so much to be called out for upholding and enabling transphobia, *do something about it*

I don't think you can be reached at this point and I am not even sure that assuming your intentions are not deliberately malicious is even reasonable, but I would sure like to be proven wrong for once.

But I won't hold my breath. Long before this situation I had blocked you for your ableist behavior regarding forced animations. Suggesting that disabled users could simply pay for premium features in order to have a safe user experience was a stunningly insensitive take. That comment belied your ignorance of the potentially fatal effects of visually triggered seizure disorders and the widespread prevalence and debilitating symptoms of other visually triggered conditions like vertigo and migraine. Your embrace of the prevailing societal opinion that actually, making disabled people pay more to exist at every possible opportunity is just good business was disheartening and caused me to write you off as a fake ally. All you have done recently is provide further evidence that my suspicions were well founded, and at this point if you don't wake up and start actually working to address your failures instead of becoming defensive and painting people you have hurt as toxic, you won't have any users left on this site but the transphobes you are protecting, inadvertently or otherwise. I guarantee other communities are watching you closely and spotting the sane red flags that the disability and trans communities have. You have a lot of work to do to repair the damage you've inflicted and to start actually fixing the problems that have plagued this site for years. None of us are going to want to support this site financially ever again if you continue to behave like this, so your threats to abandon Tumblr are toothless because people are already leaving. You have a chance to salvage this situation if you are actually willing to do the work, and then maybe you can actually monetize things on here in a way that doesn't alienate the user base so that people are actually happy to support the platform.

If you actually believe in the principles you posted, actively work to uphold them *here* take action to protect and support the trans community instead of stepping on a landmine you easily could have avoided by seeking perspective before responding. Prove that you are actually doing something about Nazis and transphobes - give us an option to report transphobic hate speech specifically and release metrics - reports submitted and actions taken. Hell, release metrics on all of the reports - some of those mass reporting campaigns should be pretty easy to spot.

Please actually give a shit about users. You have a great deal of power and you have welded it against vulnerable people. However justified you may feel in doing so, you're still contributing to harm, and you should rethink the way you respond because it makes you appear vindictive and capricious.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

upon his grace 1

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, age gap, power dynamics, cheating, bullying, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You are called to court after the end of the civil war, but find yourself facing many challenges, expected and not. (fantasy medieval au)

Characters: king!Steve Rogers

Note: bro, Idk how I start at point A and get to fucking outer space. Also happy bday to Steverino.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

The gardens of Astra Castle are unlike any you’ve seen before. Certainly, you’ve never been to a royal castle previously. Your father’s own hold is modest, still bearing the wooden foundation, whereas the rich lords have poured mortar and built in stone. 

So, it is a great honour to be among the noble women chosen to serve the queen. Most unexpected. As a daughter of a lower house, it is rather unusual, but it comes with the newly set writ tabled at the end of the uprising. That is how your father tells it anyhow. 

King Steven is as newly crowned as he is newlywed. After a lengthy revolt against the previous king, the land has settled, and upon his victory, the new ruler promises the expansion of prosperity to all. The very precedence of his war rested on the greed of the former court and its covetous lords. 

To those who took up his mantle, he has made good his word. To the commoners, he has sent bread and ale, livestock and alms; to the nobles, he has granted titles and lands. You were of the same doubt as your father, however, you expected to be forgotten in the disarray. 

Yet, you were not. You’re there with several other ladies. A set of blond twins borne of a duke and duchess, the sole heir of a widowed countess, and several earl’s daughters such as yourself. Unlike them, you do not wear satin or silk, not muslin either. You have only the dyed linen your mother attempted to enhance with some embroidery around the cuffs and collar. 

“Marcia and Marigold,” the twins introduce themselves as you cluster together in the gardens, grooms and servants bustling around carriages and chests. “Lady Calliope,” they call out the countess’ daughter, “we met prior, yes? Your mother is near Estrela.” 

“She is,” Calliope answers in her stern manner, herself seeming a widow in her black dress. The shimmery fabric makes up for its single tone. 

“Ameri, Dorida, and... Selene,” they point to the other girls, themselves clothed in scarlet, rose, and azure respectively. “We know the earls, your fathers. They gathered at our father’s hold for the battle near Caffre.” 

The twins take turns speak so that sometimes you cannot track whose lips are moving. It is even that they trade off in the middle of sentences. You find yourself almost as lost by their words as your new surroundings. 

“And you...” The twins turn their jade eyes upon you. It is there you have found the only difference in them; they have the same heights, the same hair, the same gowns even, but there is a sliver of grey through Marcia’s green iris. “We haven’t figured who you are.” 

“My father is an earl. In Woodsdam.” 

“Woodsdam,” they echo in unison and share a look. They are perplexed. 

“A minor house,” Calliope provides. “a farmer more than a noble, if I’m not mistaken.” 

“We have vast lands and we tend to them, yes,” you assure. You expect their condescension. Your father warned you for it but he bid that you keep your chin up. The king has given him a mission of his own and so you will represent the family for the time. “We keep our people well and we fed the king’s troops when they marched." 

“Mm, sounds very... common,” Marigold grins and her sister snorts into her hand. 

“We know many lords like us, yes. They work hard amidst their vassals. It keeps the lands strong so that we may better serve the crown,” you return evenly.  

Your mother helped you prepare. She coached you to keep your manners and your spine. The latter is much more difficult as you face these ladies and their bobbles with only a ribbon in your hair and a pair of patched gloves. 

“Woodsdam? I think I rode through it once on the way to my grandfather’s summer castle,” Ameri tuts, “it was little more than a swamp.” 

“It must’ve been the spring rains, perhaps, lady,” you offer. 

“Summer house,” she enunciates, “one travels there in the summer.” 

Your cheek twitches at her barbed retort. Very well. You are not used to their sharpness. Their chittering has thus far centered on gossip and the cost of their new caps. 

“A wonder the pauper’s daughter received an invite. Are you certain you can read, lady?” Dorida snipes and looks to the twins for approval. You notice how they all tend to do so. 

“It was sent to my father, Lord Eldon,” your voice quavers. You are not so strong as your mother bid you to be.  

They cackle at your meek response, “the precious maiden of Woodsdam.” 

You put your head down as the activity all around threatens to swallow you up. You wish the ground would rent and you would fall right through. All your excitement has dissipated to a sludge in your veins. You touch your cheek as you try not to show your embarrassment. 

“The Lord of Woodsdam,” a deep voice startles you as boots approach from behind, “is that what I heard?” 

You stiffen up as the ladies before you hush and blink, almost in tandem. They curtsey as their faces wash over in shock and you turn to face the newcomer. A man in a deep blue vest over black sleeves and grey breeches. He wears belt of gold and a circlet across his brow in a similar hue. It is that which betrays his statues. 

You lower your eyes and mimic the other women, mortified to be faced with new king so informally. You would not think him wandering out in the yard. Still, he has vowed to be unlike the former leige. That he would be of the people. 

“King Steven, your majesty,” the others titter in a messy chant and you murmur your own propriety as you back away. You find yourself still to the shoulder of the king as the other ladies give no room for you to join. 

The vision of him stains your mind. He is tall, with dark blond tresses that extend past his neck, and blue eyes which put his own attire to shame. He has a jaw which looks etched in stone and a bearing which matches his rank. He is tall and broad and a finely built knight. 

“It is an honour,” Marcia says most boldly. 

“You may rise,” he allows in a breezy timbre. “I did hear my wife would receive new ladies. Young ladies.” 

“Your majesty,” the murmur rolls across each lip. 

“It is much needed. We have so many established ladies at court and yet we need to think of the future. Of the next generation,” he declares as he emphasizes his words with his large hand. You watch his garnet ring to keep from so brazenly looking him in the face. 

“Certainly, your majesty,” Marcia and Marigold chime in unision. 

“And don’t worry for there are many young lords as well,” the king laughs galely at the quip which makes the ladies, yourself included, blush. “Ah, then, Woodsdam I believe we were speaking of...” 

You blink and glance at the other ladies. They are cowed, unsure if they were overheard in their derision. You hope as much as they that they were not. It is rather unflattering. 

“My father, Lord Eldon,” you explain, “your majesty.” 

“You? You are the young lady of Woodsdam I heard so much of.” 

“You did? Er, your majesty,” you curtsey apologetically; unnecessarily. 

“Certainly, I did. Your father was a great assistance in me holding counsel with the lower lords. He is very patient. “When not about his duty, he spoke of you oft. Though what matters are more important than family?” 

“Yes, your majesty,” you can’t help a smile, “my father is a very kind man.” 

“Kind and courageous. I’m certain you’ve inherited as much,” the king praises, “and these other ladies. The twins who belong to Mawsley, the Countess of Clovers daughter, and the three earls daughters from the White Plains.” 

The ladies each bow their heads as he proclaims them by their forebearers’ titles. You watch from aside, feeling even more out-of-place. The king recites them all proudly as he extends a finger for each. 

“Allow me myself to extend a welcome to Astra. When you are sorted, my wife shall receive you all and have you acquainted with the grounds. I hope you enjoy them, we’ve had the gardeners at work day and night,” he pronounces, “for now, I must be off, for a king has many obligations and not so much time.” 

He bows and turns on his heel, marching off with his shoulder straight and head high. He walks as a soldier does, not some lord. You’ve seen the difference before, more recently in the aftermath of battle. A soldier is more akin to a farmer, much as your father, whereas a Lord tends to keep his steps tight. 

“Wow, oh my,” Dorida fans herself, “he is rather handsome.” 

“Oh yes,” Marcia and Marigold say, the latter forging ahead, “we met him at our father’s castle. He is ever so charming.” 

“Hm, and the queen would love to hear it, I’m certain,” Calliope intones brusquely. 

“The queen is not here,” Ameri sneers, “so what does it matter? Besides, is it so wrong to state a truth?” 

“He is very elegant,” Selene agrees. 

“Much too kind, as well,” Marigold snips, “Woodsdam? He speaks as if it more than some paltry farmhouse.” 

“You’d never even heard of it,” Calliope remarks. 

“And how had you, hm? You seem the bookish type. Perhaps you should leave the maps to the men. What good will a river or road do for a widow’s welp?” 

“Needn’t be cruel,” Calliope rebuffs. 

“Pity if this is the lot they send,” Marcia shakes her head as the sisters share another cryptic look. 

You keep to yourself. That is all you can do. It is better to watch and learn than to leap and land wherever you might. Your mother always said so and she was your best teacher. 

“Right, there must be some maid who might show us to our rooms,” Marigold stands on her toes and waves at each passing servant. “I tire of the sunlight and boorish company.” 

👑

You have two trunks awaiting you in your chambers. Not as the other ladies who had at least a dozen each. Less humble than your lunger are the rooms themselves.

There is an antechamber hung with tapestries showing wildlife and flora, a table set for two and cushioned bench by the window. The bedroom is draped in similar hangings with a four-post bed and a grand hearth. A desk, another bench, a woven carpet, and fine accouterments on square tables. And a closet for the commode as well and a pot in the far corner of the bedchamber. 

If only your mother and father could see this. They would be just as amazed. You can’t help but admire all of it. To touch the curtains as you approach the window and stare off at the afternoon sky. The gardens are a medley of hues; petals and thorns; leaves and dirt. It’s all so wonderful, you can still hardly believe it. 

Seems those other ladies can’t either. You can’t help but think of their words anon. They said so outrightly what you doubted inwardly. You don’t belong here. It must be so clear to them. 

You lean on the ledge and peer down into the garden pathways. It is almost a labyrinth with how intricately they’ve laid out the hedges. You lower yourself down to your elbows and cross your arms as you sigh. 

Your eyes are drawn from the swaying roses to the dark speck that appears below. You squint at first. From the second floor, it is harder to discern. It is the glimmer of gold in his hair and the defined gait that gives away the king. For an instant, you believe you might be dreaming. 

He walks along one path and to the next. There is another with him. A man with darker hair and a stauncher figure. They speak and stop just as they enter a circled walkway centered by a large vase of flowers. The other man talks, though you can hear neither, and the king rubs his chin. 

You should turn away. They might think you an eavesdropper. Oh, too late! You don’t dare move as the king tilts his head. You wouldn’t want to pique his attention. You cannot tell if he has spotted you. Not until he raises a hand and waves. The other man stops and looks to follow the gesture. 

You stand up straight but before you can flee in horror, you recall yourself. It is improper to turn your back to the king. You lift your hand and return the wave. He dips his head and turns to clap his companion’s shoulder, pointing him onward. 

Oh, you hope he is not unhappy. If you pray, perhaps he will not have recognised you. You needn’t an enemy of the king as well. 

[nerdieforpedro]

Weekend Update - 01/07/2024

Nerdie! Happy New Year! How was your first week of 2024?

….I could have used more sleep, but it wasn’t horrible. Just okay overall. There were a few high points. I'm getting organized in life and in fanfiction.

That's a good thing. You're taking your planning seriously? This is The Way. So what's on the way? *laughs at their poor joke*

Don't abuse The Way like that. It's to be respected! But that did earn a giggle. Anyway...

1. The New Year began with all the Pickled Peñas! The @pickled-pena challenge fics were posted on 01/01 but by using the tag: trickle pickle you can still write a Pickled Peña fic if you so choose until January 31st. All Pickle Peña fics are listed here.

2. I finished my Space smut with feelings series Sard’ika Sessions. 🥰 You never forget your first series. It’s quite special, I feel I represented Din well and bent The Creed but didn’t remove any helmets prematurely. I put in all the feelings I wanted (because smut can have feelings too!) And Din saying the things that I giggled and squealed as I wrote them. 😘 This is The Way. Din had his way, all the ways. 🥰

3. Working on WIPs via the WIP Tag/Ask game which @trulybetty got me into. I thank her for including me. I may need to work on some of those titles.

Pedro characters from the WIP list include:

Dave York (4 from the list - guess which ones)

Marcus Pike (has 2)

Dieter Bravo (has 3)

Frankie Morales (@i-own-loki he's not dying)

Joel Miller (Frankie and he are tied for one each)

Din Djarin (one as well)

New characters to my writing:

Benny Miller (one listed, 2-3 not listed)

Santiago Garcia (two listed)

When I turn my brain off after coming home. I note different ideas or vibes I had. Sometimes there's bullet points, sentences or just a few words and a description. @tinytinymenace also has this same issue.

Well, there are three people to thank for plunge into the York Pit. The first, is @goodwithcheese with her asks to be about Dave which lead me to write 3-4 paragraphs to each ask. Also her end of the year confessional. Which is hilarious because apparently the way I misspelled someone’s name (I won’t say who, I feel embarrassed about it still 😣) was specific to me. It should also be noted, that maybe one of the two people I’ll mention next reblogged it saying they may know who it is and to DM them. So subtle, and I laughed because my reaction was, “How did they know?!” 🤣 The person who pointed out the spelling error was @for-a-longlongtime who should be a PI 🕵️ and had encouraged me to start writing the Dave cat-mouse fic. As for the reblog, that was the sweet @legendary-pink-dot who I’m not sure if it was my spelling mistake or the way I write. Special mention goes to @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin for her recent Dave York fic Inamorata

So your friends seem extremely observant!

That they are! If you want to learn about physics, keeping track of where body parts are and tantalizing smut you read Adi’s Nothing that I Didn’t Know she’s going to have more and we’re going to need all the hydration. Dot ran the Catfish Pond PhD Degree program in 2023. She knows our dear Frankie “Catfish” Morales exceptionally well, every curl and freckle I’m pretty sure. Both very smart and eagle- eyed ladies. 👀

Sounds like we should check both of them out! They sound like a blast!

They both are! And so is Megan when she and @trulybetty when they aren’t trying to get us all under control and herd cats and organize things. 😅 Or maybe they are with threats usually, but nice ones. You gotta be there.

We don’t know what to make of that. We’re concerned but intrigued.

As am I most of the time. It’s a good place to be. 😎

Making her update long enough, Hornado hooligan departs!

Wait, what does that name mean?

Ask @mysterious-moonstruck-musings and @undercoverpena they know, they’re both menaces. ❤️❤️

Love Nerdie 💕

[thepatchycat]

POV: You've made a big mistake.

(Context and base sketch under the cut~)

So I was playing DnD last night with some friends, and our current situation is that we (four Level 8 adventurers) were trying to track down a murderer and ended up tumbling down a slide into a storeroom at an underground black market. Instead of doing the smart thing and retreating to investigate later with better preparation and maybe even an iota of information about what was going on, one of us tried to snoop around in plain sight. He actually did pretty okay for a while, but he ended up getting caught by the guards of whatever mysterious organization is running this black market; the rest of us came out to fight, and so did the apparent big boss of the market, some dragonborn fellow who was very clearly in charge.

This Big Bad Dragonborn promptly brainwashed me, the party druid, into turning into a giant elk and attacking an ally. Charging into a ramming attack, I crit and took out over half my friend's health, and said friend was then put to sleep by an enemy sorcerer. Down two party members (one of whom had become an active threat) and with our cleric put on the ground by a guard, our business-minded sorcerer tried to negotiate a surrender. Big Bad Dragonborn accepted and had my druid de-wild shape before returning to his side, presumably to be tied up and taken prisoner with the rest.

Our cleric, however, was intent on freeing me from the mind control. An earlier Dispel Magic had not worked, but this second one did, and my little gnome druid came back to her senses right next to the Big Bad Dragonborn who'd brainwashed her into hurting her friend. Pissed about this but lacking a high enough ceiling to bring down lightning, I decided to blast this guy with a Moonbeam.

I love Moonbeam! Great spell, can be cast at higher levels and sticks around with concentration to keep doing damage on additional turns. It also has the handy side effect of potentially revealing shape-shifted creatures, should they fail the save for it (and shapechangers have disadvantage).

The Big Bad Dragonborn failed the save.

...Needless to say, the Big Bad Dragon was extremely displeased with being revealed. Our party is now all unconscious (save for our sorcerer, who wisely followed through on surrendering). I am, not for the first time, very grateful that we have a merciful DM who makes villains* that will take us prisoner rather than killing us immediately.

*Technically speaking, we don't even know how villainous this guy is, aside from apparently running a black market. The vibes are bad but we really have no information. We just came in and started causing problems.

Anyway, inspired by both the entertaining trainwreck of a session and a very cool artbook of dragons my sister gave me for Christmas, I decided to sketch what I imagined the reveal moment to look like, shortly before my druid took a face full of noxious gas that put her to sleep :P

[badassxbirdy]

Happy New Year! It’s time once again for an activity update. If you’re new here: these posts help me to keep track of what the frick I’ve been doing, particularly when tumblr breaks or the brain fog strikes. This update includes replies and interactions posted from the 1st of December to the 1st of January, as well as anything queued or in drafts at the time of posting. Everything else can be found in previous updates under this tag. There’s also the full thread tracker here.

The navigation page for mobile users can be found here.

If you want to see all IC interactions without the other stuff, click here. If you’d like to start something new, there are opens and memes, or you can just hit up the DM’s. You can also add Tyler on Discord for IC texting. Username is the same as her url, just let me know who you are if you add her.

The full activity update (along with OOC housekeeping) is below the cut. Bold text = links.

Now onto the update!

OOC Housekeeping

Happy new yeaaaaaar! I hope you’ve all been having a lovely holiday season. ❤️

This update is being posted via mobile, so please excuse any formatting issues.

I've fallen very behind over the Christmas season. Your patience is appreciated!

rpthreadtracker will be updated this week.

I once again want to stress that any shoddy replies are NOT a reflection of my enthusiasm for writing with you! My brain frequently turns into mush, particularly when my health issues decide to kick off, and that has been a bit of a struggle as of late. I very much mean it when I say this: it’s not you, it’s me!

Threads, replies, and other IC interactions: (in alphabetical order by username.)

@day0fwrath

TY AND JARTHER TIIIIIME! 🥳 - drafted

@demcnsinmymind - link to the roadside besties tracker page here

Tyler is having a Bad Time™️, and I am yelling about the entire situation! ☠️ - link

Taking Lance on a hunt - drafted

Giving Lance a haircut - drafted

Car trouble - drafted

Adorable sleepover vibes - drafted

Azzy proves a point - drafted

@fixdeath

Graceful water spillage. 😂 - link

@florafound - link to our tracker page here

An important hot sauce discussion. - link

@heavenguided

Tyler is judging Michael. 😂 - drafted

@itsonlyfinn

Species-ism 😂 - link

@kingofthewebxxx

At the crime scene. - link

@nightiingaled - link to our tracker page here

Killian is injured, Tyler is panicking. - drafted

"I am a grownup!” - drafted

Ty meets the weird little eldritch man! - drafted

Blanket fort - link

Time for The Talk. 😭 - drafted

Mel is making a face. 👀- drafted

@sunmad

“Sorry for acting so strange and irregular; It will happen again.” - drafted

@vyrulent

Halloween plans - link

Headcanon, dash games, and assorted silliness:

Ty's Christmas mischief - link

Floor plan of the Walker household! - link

Thread and dash commentary - link and link

I think that’s everything, but as always, please let me know if I’ve missed something. I never intentionally drop threads without notifying, so if it’s not here, I am either having a brain fart or I simply have not seen it. Remember to be kind to yourselves! ❤️ — Em

[maryklikbase]

📣 Admin Is Killing Your Growth. Klik base Is the Cure.

If your calendar looks like a battlefield and your inbox should qualify for disaster relief, you’re not alone.

Founders, coaches, and small teams are drowning in admin and losing leads while they’re at it.

That’s why more of them are turning to Klik base, a new kind of support system that blends human brainpower with AI precision. These aren’t your typical virtual assistants. Klikbase connects you to Intelligent Assistants—remote professionals trained for 632+ hours and equipped with automation tools that keep you organized, responsive, and moving fast.

Because when you’re building something big, you can’t afford to move slow. 🚀

🚀 The Rise of AI-First Assistants

Let’s be honest: spreadsheets, sticky notes, and playing chase with your inbox aren’t exactly anyone’s idea of productivity. That’s where Klik base’s intelligent assistants (IAs) step in. Powered by AI, they don’t just respond to commands—they anticipate what you need next, adapt to your style, and help you get the mission-critical work done without breaking a sweat.

Imagine getting matched with a digital sidekick who’s not only well-trained (we’re talking 600+ hours before Day 1), but who can automate boring stuff, flag important emails, follow up with leads, and even plan your team’s social media schedule. Suddenly, achieving inbox zero and keeping clients happy isn’t just a pipe dream—it’s Tuesday.

🎯 What Sets Klikbase Apart

So, what’s actually different about an IA vs. your old-school VA? Think of the VA as someone waiting for your to-do list. Now picture an IA who creates the to-do list, finds ways to optimize it, automates half the tasks, and even lets you know when it’s all done.

Here’s how Klik base stands out:

Personalized intelligence: Whether you’re a founder, a marketing team, or a busy executive, your IA learns how you work and tailors support to your flow.

Real-time social management: Forget missed DMs or cold leads—your IA tracks engagement, responds, and makes sure potential clients never fall through the cracks.

Proactive planning: From scheduling meetings to prepping reports and nudging you about important deadlines, it’s like an extra brain (with zero need for coffee breaks).

📈 Real Wins From Real Teams

Don’t take our word for it—here’s what Klik base users are saying:

“My IA set up automations that saved me six hours a week and honestly handles my inbox better than I ever did.”— Alex G., SaaS Founder

“Having an IA from Klik base on my team means clients never wait for answers and our socials run like clockwork, even during busy launches.”— Reina T., Business Coach

It’s more than just less busywork. It’s about giving you the freedom to focus on high-impact projects, build new ideas, and actually breathe.

💡 How To Start Providing More Value (Today)

Ready to level up how you work, grow your socials, and engage clients before the competition does? Here’s a quick checklist:

Automate your admin: Let your IA handle the scheduling, follow-ups, and inbox triage.

Boost your online presence: Your IA can schedule posts, respond to comments, and track hot leads in real time.

Keep your team focused: With less on your plate, your whole team can dedicate energy to what matters (and maybe even log off early for once).

Show clients you care: Faster follow-up, smarter insights, more personal touches—every client feels like your only client.

✨ Final Word

Work isn’t getting slower or simpler, but working smarter is finally possible. If you want fewer headaches, more high-fives, and a team (or company, or one-person show) that punches above its weight—Klikbase’s intelligent assistants are waiting for you.

Ready to see the difference?👉 Visit us: www.klikbase.com👉 Book a discovery call👉 Follow @Klikbase on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter📲 Follow us: @Klikbase on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

[no-code-chatbot-builder]

How I Revolutionized Customer Support on Instagram with Botbuz Chatbot

It all started one Sunday evening. I was sipping coffee and scrolling through my business’s Instagram DMs, feeling completely overwhelmed. Notifications were piling up, customers were asking the same questions again and again, and I could barely keep up.

Running an online store was already challenging enough — and Instagram, while an amazing platform for brand visibility, was quickly turning into a never-ending customer support channel. Messages like “Is this in stock?”, “How long does shipping take?”, and “What’s the return policy?” bombarded me every day.

That’s when I realized: I needed a better way to manage customer support on Instagram.

And that’s where my journey with Botbuz Instagram Chatbot began.

The Breaking Point

My brand was growing, and that was a blessing. But more orders meant more questions. More followers meant more DMs. And while I loved the engagement, it quickly became clear that I couldn’t keep providing quality customer support on my own.

I tried setting up quick replies. I tried staying up late, waking up early. But the more I tried to manage it all manually, the more I fell behind. Customers grew impatient. Some even gave up on their orders simply because they couldn’t get answers fast enough.

That hurt.

I wasn’t just losing sales — I was losing trust.

That’s when I knew it was time to automate my customer support. Not with some cold, robotic system, but something smart, responsive and aligned with my brand’s voice.

Discovering the Power of Botbuz

I started researching chatbot solutions specifically for Instagram. After testing a few platforms, I stumbled upon Botbuz Instagram Chatbot — and it immediately caught my attention.

Why? Because it wasn’t just another chatbot tool. It was built with Instagram in mind. That meant it could interact directly with followers in the DMs, respond to comments, and even help manage leads coming from Instagram Stories and ads.

The best part? It didn’t require a single line of code.

I signed up, followed the setup guide, and within an hour, my first chatbot was live. It felt like I had just hired a superstar support agent — who worked 24/7, never got tired and never missed a message.

My First Week with Botbuz Instagram Chatbot

Let me tell you — the results were immediate.

Customers who used to wait hours (or sometimes days) for a reply were now getting instant answers. The chatbot handled 70% of queries right out of the gate. Whether it was about product details, shipping timelines, or return policies, the bot had it covered.

I was especially impressed by the ability to set up conversation flows. For example, when someone asked about a product, the bot didn’t just respond with a text — it sent a carousel of related items, complete with images and direct links to buy.

That’s not just support. That’s selling while serving.

Turning Conversations into Conversions

One unexpected benefit of using Botbuz Instagram Chatbot was how it started turning casual chats into real conversions.

Here’s an example :

A customer messaged us saying, “Do you have this in red?” The chatbot instantly replied, “Yes! Here's our red collection” and included product images, prices and a direct ‘Buy Now’ link.

That customer purchased within five minutes.

This kind of seamless experience was exactly what I had dreamed of delivering. And now, it was happening automatically.

Personalization That Feels Human

One thing I was worried about when introducing a chatbot was losing the personal touch. But the Botbuz chatbot was built differently. It allowed me to personalize messages using a customer’s first name, track their past interactions, and even respond differently based on whether they were a new or returning customer.

It didn't feel like a robot. It felt like a friendly assistant — which is exactly what my customers wanted.

Handling FAQs Like a Pro

Before Botbuz, I had to manually answer questions like :

“How can I track my order?”

“Do you ship internationally?”

“Is there a size guide?”

Now? The chatbot answers those instantly — and beautifully.

It even includes images, links and buttons that make it super easy for customers to find what they’re looking for. And if someone still needs human help, the chatbot smoothly transfers the conversation to me or my support team without missing a beat.

Story Replies and Comment Automation

Instagram Stories are a big part of my marketing. I often run polls, share new product drops, or ask followers to reply for discounts.

Before Botbuz, managing those replies was a mess.

But now, when someone replies to a Story, Botbuz Instagram Chatbot immediately jumps in :

“Hey! Thanks for replying. Here’s your 10% discount code!”

“Want more info on this product? Just tap below 👇”

Same with comments. If someone comments “price?” or “available in M?”, the chatbot automatically responds in the DMs.

It’s smart. It’s subtle. And it saves so much time.

Instagram Ads + Chatbot = Magic

I started pairing my Instagram ads with chatbot automation. When someone clicked the “Send Message” CTA on an ad, the chatbot would greet them, offer product suggestions and guide them through the buying process — all without me lifting a finger.

The result? More qualified leads Higher conversion rates A smoother customer journey

And guess what — I didn’t need to pay for extra software or hire a team. I just used Botbuz Instagram Chatbot.

Data and Insights That Matter

Botbuz doesn’t just automate — it also tracks.

Within days, I had access to detailed insights:

How many people interacted with the chatbot

What kind of questions they asked

Which messages converted best

These analytics helped me fine-tune my messaging and improve my product offerings based on what customers were really asking.

What My Customers Say

The real proof? My customers love the experience.

They’ve told me:

“I didn’t expect such a quick reply — this is amazing!”

“The assistant helped me find the perfect size in minutes.”

“Shopping on your page is so easy now!”

In a world where people expect instant service, having a responsive chatbot on Instagram is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.

The Best Decision for My Business

Looking back, adding Botbuz Instagram Chatbot to my business was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

It didn’t just improve customer support — it revolutionized it.

It gave me back my time, improved my brand image, increased my conversion rates and helped me build stronger relationships with my followers.

So if you’re a business owner, social seller, or even a personal brand trying to handle Instagram DMs and comments — don’t wait. Let Botbuz handle the conversations so you can focus on growth.