#don't worry I'm still doing the mc art challenge!

[keri-mcberry]

Spring Break 🌸✨

We're meeting Lyla's parents!! 😍

It's Sebastian's turn to meet the family. Hopefully it'll go better than Feldcroft 😅

PART 2 >>

[ladylamrian]

Female Main Character: Alex (F!MC)

Pairing: F!MC×NikRyder

Summary: Nik prepared a surprise for Alex.

Word Count: 3.3K words

Rating: General (Fluff, Romance)

Warnings: none

Author's note: Inspired by this F!MC×Nik art commissioned by the sweet @stars-are-within-me and made by @artbyalz

-> My complete Nightbound Masterlist <-

Taglist: @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @peonierose ; @secretaryunpaid ; @jdstar88 ; @blackcatkita ; @lilyoffandoms ; @liviusofpella ; @mxdanni ; @mariemarieohcontrary ; @tessa-liam ; @choicesficwriterscreations ; @hopelessromantic1352 ; @rosepetals1 ; @dutifullynuttywitch ; @choicesficwriterscreations ; @choicesmonthlychallenge (March Challenge Prompts: Wildflowers, Nature) & @choicesaprilchallenge24 [April Prompts: Wildflowers, Nature, "You know, I may be a terrible dancer, but I've got great moves in bed." ; "You must be tired because you've been running through my mind all day." & "I'm not great at math, but we're a perfect match." ]

Comments via Reblog wholeheartedly welcome

"Nik, I'm back home!!!", Alex, his girlfriend announced in the evening as she entered the apartment which she was sharing with her boyfriend, Nik Ryder. Nik was delighted to see her.

He moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her to greet her.

"I hope you had a good day, rook. I've been thinking of you all day."

"Really? I'm just tired."

"No wonder you must be tired, you've been running through my mind all day. Do you want to lie down and relax? Or would you like me to make you some tea?", he chuckled.

"No, I'm fine.", she whispered without meeting his eyes.

"Everything all right? Did something happen?"

"No, nothing."

"Come on now, don't lie to me, rook. I know when something's not right. Tell me.", he requested while trying to make eye contact with her.

"Nik, we don't spend much time together anymore which is sad."

"I know, baby, but you've got to understand that both of us have big responsibilities at work. While I protect the city at night, you're handling Lamrian at day. But don't you worry, that's gonna change someday and we'll have all the time we want again like before.", he wasn't sure but still tried to assure his girlfriend.

"Thanks, I hope so too."

Nik kissed her again, more passionately, and caressed her cheek before answering.

"I love you, Alex.", he whispered. While holding her by the hand, he walked inside the living room with his girl, hugging her from time to time.

"Hey rook, are you hungry? I made pasta for dinner."

"Yummy, pasta!!!"

He smiled widely at her cute reaction.

"I know you love pasta. Wait here, let me go prepare everything."

After some time preparing dinner and setting the table, both were seated at the table. Nik served her some pasta, then he served himself. Both silently ate until she spoke.

"You know what day tomorrow will be?", she asked.

"Tomorrow's Friday. Why are you asking?"

"I know it's Friday, but it's a special day."

"What day are you referring to, baby?", he asked her while looking a little puzzleed.

"Think!!"

After a moment of silence, he realized what she was referring to and he smiled gently.

"Of course, tomorrow is your birthday!! You're turning 26. I can't believe it's already been one whole year, rook."

"You remembered my birthday!!"

"Of course, I remembered!! But thanks for reminding me again, I was thinking about it this morning and the past few days. Can't believe it just slipped so easily out of my mind. So yeah, I haven't forgotten your birthday, babe. I love you and it is a special day for you!! I have something prepared for tomorrow, just wait and see, Alex."

"But you still forgot something. Nik, tomorrow isn't only my birthday, but also our very first anniversary. I met you one year ago for the very first time. We may not have been dating at that time then, but don't you think we should celebrate that too?"

"Damn, I forgot about that?! Now, I feel terrible for forgetting the date of our celebration. Sorry, forgive me. I'll make it up to you, I swear. Tomorrow there will be two parties in one!!", he laughed a little, but still felt terrible about forgetting their very first and special day.

Alex was now silent and continued finishing her pasta. But there was something about her silence that bothered him. The past few days were rough for him and decided to confess something.

"Rook, I'm really happy with you and I feel really lucky. I'm not great at math, but we're a perfect match. You're my soulmate. But we haven't been spending so much time together anymore and it's starting to worry me too. I hope you didn't think that I wouldn't notice, but you always looked so busy and tired and there are times when, to be honest, it feels like... like... I'm a bother. Am I imagining this, or do you...?", Nik looked very upset while confessing.

"Oh Nik, you're never a bother. I love you. You're my heart, my soul, my everything."

"Are you serious, rook?"

"Yes, baby."

He sighed in relief before answering back.

"Damn, I was starting to overthink things. It's just that when I see you tired and overworked... I just wanted to make sure you didn't feel pressured by me. Because if that was the case, my love, it would break my heart."

"Oh, I'm so sorry you thought like this. It's not because of you. I'm soooo sorry to make you feel that way. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive, my love. You mean a lot to me and I'm sorry if I've been annoying to you. You know that you're important to me, I just wanted to clarify that with you. But now everything's fine, you don't have to worry anymore. Now let's just focus on having a great anniversary tomorrow... Okay?", he gently whispered in her ear while caressing her cheek.

"You're not annoying, Nik."

"Thank you, babe. I love you, Alex.", he confessed then planted a quick but gentle kiss on her cheek.

"So, are we good now?"

"Of course, we're good now, my love. There's nothing more in the world I want than to see you smile."

"Thanks, Nik. You're the best."

He smiled, took her hand and pulled her gently to his chest.

"No, you're the best, my dear. You're beautiful inside and out. I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I love you so much."

"Love you too!"

He pulled her even closer to his chest and kissed her hair.

"I'll make sure you have the best day tomorrow."

I feel so lucky with you, Nik.", she confessed which made him smile even more while he caressed her cheek.

"I can say the same for you, Alex, but it's not a thing of luck, it's meant to be. As I said, you are my soulmate, my dream woman, my partner and the love of my life. You're the reason why I get up every day with so much motivation to face the world. Don't ever forget how much you mean to me, okay?", he pulled her to him again and kissed the top of her head, very lovingly. Then he spoke again.

"It's getting late, tomorrow we have a big day, and we need to get some rest. What do you say?"

"I agree! I can't wait for tomorrow."

He let her go and both headed toward their bedroom to sleep. Nik was very excited, he had prepared a surprise party for her. Will he be able to sleep tonight at all with his excitement? Both were looking forward happily for the next day.

Nik just put the final touches on everything. His planned surprise for his girlfriend must go perfectly. He requested her to come earlier today from Lamrian so they could celebrate together. A knock on the door made his heart beat faster. He ran to the door and opened it, revealing the love of her life who looked more beautiful than ever. A big smile appeared on her face. He was stunned by her beauty. Speechless he couldn't take his eyes off her. Both stepped closer to each other with a tender look in their eyes. While Nik Ryder was wearing a suit, Alex wore an elegant dress with matching high heels.

"Nik...", she suddenly stumbled as she entered, but Nik quickly grabbed her to prevent her from falling.

"Are you all right, darling?", he anxiously asked.

"Yes. Hello, Nik!!", she smiled.

"You look amazing, I like that outfit on you. I can't believe you decided to wear the maroon-colored dress with the golden body chain that I once bought for you. My Maroon Majesty."

"Of course. Thanks!! Nik, you have great taste and I love this dress. By the way, you look very handsome, Nik.", she sweetly giggled.

"Ah thanks, I know I am. But I'm a bit nervous, I want to make this day perfect for you. The truth is that I was dying to see you. Hope you like what I've planned, my rook."

Then Nik leaned forward and kissed her. He caressed her cheeks and pulled her even closer to him. His eyes met hers while whispering in a low tone in the ear.

"I've been waiting all day for this moment. You must be tired because you've been running through my mind all day.", he chuckled then.

"I'm glad to hear it, that makes me happy.", she giggled then too.

Like a true gentleman, the boyfriend helped his girlfriend take off her coat and took her hand to go sit down.

"Please, come on, let's have a wonderful dinner."

Taking her hand in his, they walked to the dining table. Nik seated her by pulling her chair, then he sat down on another chair in front of her. The candles illuminated him and made him look even more handsome. There was a romantic atmosphere and as the two of them gazed at each other, he squeezed her hand tenderly.

The young man hesitated before he continued.

"I know we've been dating for a year now and we've been doing great but... I wanted to tell you something that's been in my head for quite a while and I can't keep it secret..."

"What? What it is?", she suddenly became surprised about the sudden turn. She worried, held her breath and waited for him to continue. He looked very serious at her.

"The truth is that I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want to know what you think about the idea... I want to know what you think, do you think you'd ever want to marry me?"

"What??!!! But you never wanted to marry, Nik."

"Look dear, I know I told you from the beginning that I wasn't interested in marriage. It's true, but with time some things have changed. I'm surprised by myself too, but... When you find the right person, you change, and in my case... I've found you.", he confessed, gently took her hand and kissed it sweetly which made Alex's heart almost melt.

"Oh, Nik... Am I dreaming or are you saying this?"

"Well, you pushed the wall with the bricks I've built. You just couldn't stay on your goddamn side cuz you're are too stubborn, dear. So I want to marry you someday. Not now, but someday. I want you to be mine and only mine. I get jealous when other people try to flirt or even try to impress you. I want you to be mine only and I only your's. I want you to be my wife one day. But... Not now."

"And what about children?", she teased.

"Uhhh, well. I... Alex, I... I thought..."

"Nik, don't worry. I was just teasing. You've made me already so happy with the marriage confession, dear. Thanks for making this day even more special than before. That's great news and I will patiently wait for the day or night when you will finally propose to me because now I have hope."

"Unless I change my mind."

"No!!! Don't you dare, future husband!!", she warned him which made him laugh.

But let's go ahead and eat.", he suggested, serving her meal first, then himself. Both started eating, looking at you with a satisfied smile and with eyes full of love.

After dinner, it was time for a sweet dessert.

Nik took her hand and led her to a big table decorated with a romantic cake, candles and flowers surrounding it. He gently cut a piece and fed her.

"Mmmhhh, yummy. I feel like I'm in heaven. So creamy.

"Glad you like it."

"Nik, sid Cal help you with the cake?", she raised her eyebrow while staring at him.

"How... How did you know? I mean, I... Yes... Yes, you caught me, rook. Wolf guy helped me with the cake, but I swear I did the rest all by myself.", he panicked which made her just giggle.

"Well, Cal gave a lot of treats so my pretty brain immediately sensed that it was one of his excellent creations. Mmmmh, the buttercream.", she swooned a little.

"Yeah, Cal is great at baking and all. I get it, I get it. Now let's just focus on both of us, okay.", he rolled his eyes. He just wanted to turn their day into something special and only about them.  But Nik was still thankful for Cal's help. He definitely wouldn't have arranged a cake on such short notice since he was already busy with other preparations. Maybe next time he'll order earlier, directly from a cake shop.

After each ate a piece of cake, it was time for the next surprise.

Nik led Alex into their bedroom which was beautifully decorated. She was stunned by the view. It's a room with their bed covered by a romantic canopy and many candles around it. The ceiling had red heart-shaped balloons attached to it and there were red roses spread everywhere. He pulled her into his arms and watched her with tenderness.

"Just for you dear, I have prepared everything.", he whispered and planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Nik, this is so romantic. Roses are my favorite flowers. And rose petals on the bed? Wow, so gorgeous!!! Thank you, my sweetheart!!!!"

"Now, shall we spend a little time here alone, my love? After dessert, we could burn some calories together on bed.", he winked.

"I love your playful side, my love."

He took her by the hand and led her towards their double bed. Gently pushing her playfully back, he let her sit on the bed.

"Oh, before I forget... I bought a gift for you."

He opened a gift box for her, revealing a beautifully, bejeweled necklace.

"This is for you, honey. I hope you like it."

"Eeeek, this is so pretty!!! So sparkly!! Thanks, but it looks too expensive."

"Expensive? For the future Duchess of Lamrian?? Hey, you have to accept. I bought it for you only. Don't look at the price but at my love."

"But Nik, I..."

"Rook, please."

"Nik..."

"Look, the price was nothing for me. Remember the six figures I got from protecting you? The million dollars? It was only because of you, that's why I decided to spend them all on you and your happiness. They're yours. It's our money, baby. You're worth it."

"I see, but still."

"Seriously? You know, you're the most stubborn person I have ever met.", he was about to lose his patience.

"Okay, okay, I accept. Sorry, I was just... It's so pretty. So sweet of you, Nik. I suggest that we should invest or save the money for our future. But for now, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Nik. Thanks, but I sadly have no gift for you right now."

Nik shook his head as he caressed her neck and pulled her close.

"You don't need to give me a gift, because seeing you happy and beeimg with me is my best gift. But just so you know, I'm not done yet with the surprises. You know, I may be a terrible dancer, but I've got great moves in bed.", he winked.

"Oh..."

Later, after a passionate moment in their bedroom, it was time for the last surprise. He lead her outside. Tonight was a beautiful night, the moonlight created the perfect atmosphere for some romance.

He looked her straight in the eyes, holding her hand.

"We're going to a special place, so you gotta close your eyes for a sec?"

Nik waited for her reaction with anticipation, hoping she would trust him and agree to close her eyes. He couldn't contain his happiness and satisfaction by getting her to agree to close the eyes. With closed eyes, she waited for the next step.

"Okay, great! Now hold my hand and just keep walking, keep your eyes closed but don't open them at all until I tell you okay? And most importantly since I know you very well... Don't even peak!!"

"Okay, fine. I won't open my eyes till you allow me, I promise."

He led her a little further and she could feel a gentle breeze on her face. After a few minutes, he suddenly stopped. The sound of birds and a stream of water running were to hear. Alex waited a few seconds, Nik caressed her cheek a little and after a while, he finally told her to open her eyes. A romantic and very beautiful spot in the middle of the forest. A quiet place, with a waterfall running over the stones and making a sound that gave an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. The moonlight illuminated the water and reflected its light. Colorful wildflowers everywhere. The entire place was filled with flowers. The aroma in the air was divine. A very romantic atmosphere perfect for two loving people. On the fresh grass, Alex discovered a blanket.

"We're in the bayou, Nik. Your favorite place on this planet and where we shared our first kiss.", she recognized.

He leaned forward, kissed her softly on the lips, and then whispered.

"That's right, rook. Where we both kissed for the first time. Happy Birthday to you and a very Happy Anniversary to us."

Later, Alex decided to give her boyfriend a gift too since he worked so hard to make her happy and their day memorable. A little gift for her beloved Nik. Sadly she hadn't bought anything for him and shops were already closed, so she decided to quickly slip into their bedroom and then return to him. Nik was patiently waiting for her in the bayou, not aware of her plan. She finally returned to him with her loyal violin in her hand.

"Should I play for you?"

It caught him by surprise at how unexpected it was. Then he glanced at her face, a look that let her understand how much he liked the idea.

"Yeah, I would love to hear you play."

Nik sat Alex on a large rock near the small river and leaned on the rock himself next to her, with curiosity and expectation in his eyes. He watched her with tender affection, waiting.

The way Alex played her instrument touched a deep cord in him as if he seemed to be transported in his world by the melody. Even though she played a romantic song, she noticed that the rhythm was more slow and melancholy now. He looked at her with adoration and admiration, enjoying her music fully. Until finally, he whispered.

"You're the most beautiful woman on earth and I love you."

[memes-in-a-half-shell]

Profile Me Up! (short fic)

I couldn't stop laughing while writing this fsdjnfsjdfdj It's short and sweet, but only because I didn't want to overdo it 😂

Written for the February "All 4-1 Challenge"!! Tagging @turtle-babe83 and @thelaundrybitch for visibility :) Splinter asks Mikey to help him set up a dating profile, just for the shits and giggles. But they also need Donnie for technical help....

"Oh you've got to be kidding me...."

Donnie said those words while turning around in his chair, now facing his younger brother, Mikey, and their father, master Splinter. The bespectacled terrapin's traits were ones of concern, slightly frowning, while the two others were dead serious.

"What?! Come on, it'll be fun!" replied the orange clad one. "We need your help setting up the profile."

"Dad, please, tell me Mikey didn't force you to this idea," discarded Donatello, his gaze focused on the rat.

The rodent's ears perked up a bit, his expression soft as he simply answered:

"Oh no, it is my idea in fact."

Donnie's expression fell into a deadpan look, a long exhale leaving his nostrils as he slowly swiveled back towards his computer's screens.

"Aight, just tell me which website to go to. jesus fucking christ."

Michelangelo was already rushing to his brother's chair, gripping the back of it and shaking it in slight excitement.

"Tinder!"

"Fuck no!"

"Language," warned Splinter.

Donnie tsked, expertly and quickly slapping one of Mikey's hands away from his chair without giving the action a look. Now how the heck could he find the perfect... dating site for his father?

"You do realize that you won't be able to put an actual photo of yourself, right?" he asked, still typing, while giving a quick glance at his father standing nearby.

"I do have an idea in mind, don't worry."

Oh now Donnie was starting to feel suspicious. After some quick searches (and questionable suggestions from Mikey), the trio did find a somewhat okay website that was targeted to a reasonably normal audience. The purple banded mutant clicked the "Sign Up" option with a sigh, then vaguely gesturing his screen.

"The floor is yours, MC Mikey," he said in a neutral tone.

The younger one was now slapping his brother's shoulder, urging him to give away his seat so he could sit down and get to work. As Donnie moved, Mikey asked him to get a stool for Splinter to sit on next to him. The tall terrapin could only comply, next standing close and watching this weird life event occur...

"Name?" asked Mikey.

The rat shrugged: "Splinter?"

"Short and straight to the point. Love it," added the orange one, typing. "What about your hobbies?" he continued.

"Meditating. Attending to my bonsais. Reading."

"This is getting nowhere," mumbled Donnie, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses.

Mikey seemed to be typing more than what he was told, always humming in approval to his father's words.

"Occupation?" ask the younger terrapin.

Splinter's features seemed to light up as he smiled: "A martial arts teacher!"

"Damn, you're the perfect man," commented Mikey, amused. "A dreamboat!"

"I am quite the catch indeed," added the rat in a similar tone.

Donnie was trying not to laugh.

"What do you look for in a partner?"

Oh now the tall mutant was apprehending that answer...

"... To be patient, kind, and with a good sense of humor," started the rat after some quick thinking. "Oh and bonus point if they smell like cheese," he added playfully.

That made Mikey laugh as he typed, soon joined by Donnie's muffled chortle.

"Anything special to add?" asked the young terrapin, still smiling.

The rodent did ponder for a moment, his ears shifting slightly with his thoughts.

"If they don't mind hair, being a bit adventurous in their travels, and are more of a night person, then they can - as you youngsters say - hit me up."

Oh this time Donnie let out a loud snort.

"A true modern man," commented Mikey. "Gettin' hip with the crowd and using the right lingo. I'm so fuckin' proud."

"Language," repeated Splinter.

"My b, my b," quickly apologized the young one.

And now came the question of what to use as a profile picture. Without hesitation, Splinter asked for Donatello's phone (which immediately confused the terrapin). Requesting a web browser to be opened, the rat then snatched the device and started to type into a search bar, patiently scrolling until finding the right choice.

"Let's use this," he said, now showing the phone's screen to his sons, revealing this picture:

Both turtles lost it, the rodent smiling at the reaction.

"Please, tell me all of this is a joke," asked Donnie, trying to calm his laughter.

"Oh, absolutely," answered Splinter. "But I'm still curious to see if anyone would answer to this profile!"

"Fuck, you're the best," giggled Mikey.

"Language. And don't make me say it another time or it's straight to the hashi. Both of you."

"I'd still take the hashi over any spicy responses you may ever receive on this," commented the purple clad mutant with a chuckle.

"Let's get wild on this ride!" said the young one, uploading the picture and finalizing the account's creation.

The clock was now ticking.

[jadeee]

Hi honey for the writer Ask if its still on 😅🎢✨⛔🙋🍆❌🎯🎨🤗💞🧠(Howie)🤩😬📚🤯💔🤭 please? -sarah

i love that you put practically every emoji, hahaha! tysm for spamming me with these asks

😅 what's a story or scene you've created that you're a smidge embarrassed exists?

the first thing that comes to mind would be "hot & bothered". the teasing scene at the table during the meeting is very bold. i can see teasing between nicky and mc but in front of others who don't know them all that well is questionable. close 2nd would prob be the find the cannoli scene in vendetta but i'm not even embarrassed. it just makes me laugh or smile every time.

🎢which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

it should be "vendetta" bc there's drama, violence, action, and romance but i automatically thought of "let's get out of here". i wrote that before "vendetta" and it was challenging bc i had to make sure the movements were described accurately since it was in a moving car.

✨give you and your writing a compliment. go on now. you know you deserve it. 😉

aww! well, when i reread my work i love the emotion it evokes. i feel tied to the characters and like i'm watching it unfold before my eyes.

⛔do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

yeahhhh ... so a few months ago i had an idea for a nanami story {lemme just say that i truly was done writing fanfiction except for "vendetta" which was, and is, still unfinished as a series. i wanted to focus on ocs and original plots but i got swept away by nanami kento and just had to write smthn about him. i had severe brain rot}

i was inspired by this post i saw of men on their knees in front of women/their lovers and thought of nanami on his knees for his s/o, wtv the reason may be. the premise was that he was late for a special dinner at a fancy restaurant that they made reservations for months ago. he got held up at work and was going to meet mc there, but then told them to go on without him anyway. so he ends up meeting mc at their shared home and they're livid, just ready to lay it on him. they don't get the chance to bc as soon as he sees them sitting in the loveseat in their living room he's apologizing like crazy. mc doesn't have the heart to go off so they just do some light teasing instead. i imagine it would've went smthn like

"i don't believe you."

"how can i prove it to you?"

"you can beg."

he took a deep breath and walked toward you. he placed his hands over yours which were on the armrest then sank down to his knees. then he rested his face in your lap and brought your hands to his cheeks, "is this better?"

🙋‍♀️ do any irl people know you write fanfic?

yes. i've told a handful of ppl and surprisingly it's become smthn a few of my coworkers and i bond over.

🍆do you write the spicy stuffs? if so, what's your most popular nsfw fic?

i do, or at least i have. my most popular is a hc about nicky treating mc, if y'know what i mean {i know the policy changed with mature content on here so i'm treading very carefully lol}.

❌what's a trope you will never write?

i can't really think of one atm. the ones that i know of are --- OH WAIT i have one, so anything to do with age gaps and minors getting involved with older characters, like lolita-type stuff 🙅🏾‍♀️🙅🏾‍♀️🙅🏾‍♀️ idk if it's a trope but it won't be happening here.

🎯have any of your readers accurately guessed major plot points? care to share which?

i'm not sure i've ever had anyone guess what will happen in a story or chapter {i'm referring to "vendetta" here}.

🎨how do you feel about fan art of your stories?

oh i love it! i remember a couple people made something based off of vendetta and it really took me by surprise. i couldn't believe they were influenced to the point of creating smthn.

🤗 what advice would you give to new fanfic writers that are just getting started?

do it for yourself and not for others. don't worry about who will and won't see it. just write, don't think too much about how or when bc it'll come together in the end, and enjoy it.

💞 who's your comfort character?

i don't have one rn but since this is focused on fanfiction, i would say nicky and nanami. nicky just feels so familiar at this point and with nanami, he's so relatable. from my pov, he wants a simple life. he doesn't wanna work at an office and he doesn't really wanna work as a sorcerer. if anything, cooking at home and going to get bread from the bakery is all he wants to do most days {and travel from time to time} and that's very relatable.

🧠pick a character (howie) and i'll tell you my favorite headcanon for them.

my favorite hc about howie is prob the boyfriend hc bc it's so wholesome. he'd really be the sweet and thoughtful boyfriend. the thought of mc being swallowed whole by his shirts and him wearing their shirt which is a smidge too tight 🥹

🤩who is your favorite character to write?

nicky! his personality really allows for this nice mix of playfulness and seriousness/melancholy. i admire his charm and wit as well. i loved writing the more hidden sides of his character too, like in "midnight" or "what are you hiding?" overall, he has this nice balance that gives me a lot of room to play with as a writer.

😬which of your fics would you be most horrified for friends, family, or coworkers to stumble upon?

definitely any of my nsfw works bc i'm reserved for the most part at work. it takes a while for me to open up completely so i think ppl would be like 'idk she was into that' or the complete opposite 'it makes since bc she's so quiet'. my friends wouldn't really care tbh, they'd prob make jokes or gimme ideas. my family?! 💀 i'd prob be doused in holy oil.

📚would you ever want to turn writing into a career?

yes! when i was younger i often thought it was a bad idea to pursue your passion as a career or major in college bc then you'd have deadlines and guidelines; and i saw that as a sorta crutch on my creative freedom as an artist but now i believe the complete opposite.

🤯what's a genre you struggle with as a writer (ex. romance, action, etc.)?

i would say fantasy. in terms of fanfiction, i've mainly written romance with a bit of drama and some action. i've tried writing fantasy before and it requires a bit more artistry - there's world building, figuring out the land, if there are animals, what kinda powers characters have, how magic works, and sm more.

💔is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

if mc died before their wedding night. there's smthn about seeing a good-hearted person get what they deserve only to lose it in the end. i don't take joy in it, there's just some sort of unspeakable pain there where you can't look away.

🤭do you have a favorite tag to use when posting your works?

#madebyjade bc it's like my signature in a way and it's smthn i made and stuffed bits and pieces of myself inside.

[missameliep]

What an absolutely amazing chapter!

Florence's considerations about parenting in general and parenting in such an adverse world are always fascinating, but the particular questions she deliberates about in the chapter were so thought-provoking. Parenting being a constant lesson and every child being different on their own and demanding a different kind of attention from their parents was something Florence learned from her mother and definitely experienced before the outbreak, but she's also learning now how it proven to be even more challenging when the world ends and she is facing the task of raising teenagers.

I guess everyone who's a parent thought at some point they were at lost or doing a bad job maybe, but most of the time, in our world, you can find advice and people going through the same things and if you seek for help, you don't have to rely only on your own knowledge and experience to make decisions... But in theirs? Where to find that kind of support? 🥺

Florence and Jim only have each other, their instincts and the love they've received to pass on - which is somehow tragic but also powerful, because it echoes this experience in a way that is still so relatable. When she misses her mother and wants her there not because she'd give her answers but to have her to talk to hints to the kind of love and understanding relationship they had and how she wants the same for her kids, and it's beautiful. ❤️

It's impossible to pick only one favorite passage. I loved every entry of the journal. Each one was amazing. But this part just made me take a moment...

Some consider art useless when a crisis comes, and kindness is often regarded as weakness... So I'm just here thinking about an adolescent feeling inadequate there and how different from our regular experiences... It's not about getting fewer likes on social media, failing a class or not getting a higher paying job when you graduate... Failing is a matter of life or death; even if it's clear to the reader that even if David were superb in everything he did, an outstanding shooter and such, it is never a guarantee that world wouldn't sneak up on him. We saw what happened to Eli and MCs sister.

As flawed and unjust we know our societies are, in some ways it allows us to just be, gives us limited options but there are choices, and we can hope for a better future, while they basically don't have choices or are so few that barely constitute choices at all (it's most of the time carry on or give up, or you do it or you don't and you'll die).

And to consider that the isolation the family experience is even worse in some aspects than whatever people would be going through in the colonies, because they are on their own and Florence knows the need for human connection is always there, even if they fill their days with tasks and rules. Jim might miss this point and focus on the need for survival or consider it's a minor problem because there's one girl for Eli, who's older, and maybe the world will heal before they have to worry about David....

The scene of the zombie attack was so good. How many details and subjects are addressed in that moment: Eli making a decision moved by his feelings and not reason (wow! that was brilliant! because it just adds to the narrative of his character being different from what Zoe meets him), Florence proving to be the badass we know she is ("not on my watch" is such a powerful line in this context ❤️) and then when she cried and Eli realizes his parents are humans and not superheroes 🥺

Instead, they were people, scared and frightened people who did the impossible

Beautiful 😭😭😭

And what to even say about their conversation about relationships and romantic love. Eli thinks he should love Nessa this way because they get along and there's nobody else. He feels he should love her and then his mother saying there's no should in the matters of the heart is the kind of important lesson a mother must teach a child, but in that world, Eli saying it's unlikely he'll meet anyone else is heartbreaking and if only he could take a look at what would happen and the woman that eventually would conquer his heart 🥺

Congrats on another beautifully written chapter, and in a way Florence is writing a book on parenting in that crazy world and at least Eli and Zoe will read it and learn from her experience if they ever decide to have children.

A Mother's Journal - Part 3

Book:                   Wake the Dead (pre-series)

Characters:        Eli Sipes, F!OC (Florence Sipes)

Rating:                 Mature

Warnings: Violence, cursing, mentions of death

Series:                 A Mother’s Journal

Category:            Series - Angst with some fluff

Summary:           Florence is learning how to mother two young men in a world she still doesn't understand. It ends with one afternoon she and Eli share together, one where they encounter danger but also a deeper understanding.

Words:                 1593 (plus journal entries)

A/N:        Hey there. I wanted to take this through the time Eli was twenty, but it would have been entirely too long. This series is meant to give a mother's perspective but also to give the reader a glimpse of Eli's life before Wake the Dead began. To explore the later more thoroughly, the next part of this series will be a fic, with maybe just one or two journal entries. I hope to have it out soon. Thank you to all who are reading! :)

Series Masterlist WTD Masterlist Full Masterlist

Spring 2031

Florence took a deep breath. Spring. Rebirth. Renewal. For a moment, she allowed herself to recall springs of years long gone. The feeling was only secondary to falling in love, she once believed. And in some small ways, it still was: warmer weather, longer days, and watching the flowers bloom was magical. But today, spring also meant drones returning in droves. They could go an entire month without a sighting in the winter, but once spring arrived, that luxury ended.

She caught a glimpse of Eli relaxing on the porch as she began to prepare dinner. Seeing her eldest at peace was so lovely, so she put dinner aside and decided to join him.

“Whatcha doing there?” she asked with a bright smile as she stepped outside.

“Just whittling,” he shrugged. 

But peace never lasted long in this world, not even on a perfect spring day, and today was no exception. A hideous snarling sound seemed to surround them. Florence grabbed her pistol; but couldn’t determine where it was coming from. The stench of decaying flesh became more pronounced, so she knew it was near. She gasped in horror when she turned to find the creature’s oozing, mangled arm wrapped around her son’s torso. Eli was a soldier in this world, and it was rare to hear fear in his voice. But his whittling knife wasn’t doing a thing to stop the assault, and when he felt thick ichor dripping down his neck, he knew this could be his end.  

“MA!” His voice was a primal scream, one he instantly regretted it. Loud noise could attract more drones, leaving his mother alone to defend herself, and he wouldn’t forgive himself for that. He furiously struggled to break free when there was an explosion in his ear. Just before the monster sunk its dripping fangs into her son’s shoulder, Florence put a bullet through its head.

“Not on my fucking watch!” she spat, pulling Eli up front the ground. “Do you hear me! Not on my watch!”

She wanted to drop everything and hold her “baby” close, but Eli grabbed his bow, and the two sprung to action. Survival first, emotions later, and they had a perimeter to check to ensure this one didn’t bring any buddies along.

Once confident the area was secured, they retreated to the cabin, where Florence took a shuddering breath. But she had one more task to complete before she could even think of settling her tattered nerves.   

“Eli,” she started.

“I know. You have to check me.”

Her blood went cold at his words, making reality hit. This had been her greatest fear, finding a bite or a scratch on one of her boys.  The dreaded ���rule number three.”  She doubted she’d be able to do it, and as she faced the real possibility for the first time, her heart felt like it could explode, which would be preferred over finding so much as a scratch on her son. But luckily, he had none.

Pulling him close and breaking into tears, Eli felt his body stiffen at first.  He had never seen his mother break down like this.  He had seen her sad, angry, and afraid, but this was different.  At that moment, a right of passage occurred. He realized his parents weren’t superheroes who handled all the madness with aplomb.  Instead, they were people, scared and frightened people who did the impossible.  And though he never thought it possible, he now loved them even more.  Enveloping her in his arms, they both fell to the floor, shaken. 

“Eli, that’s the closest one’s ever been to you…” she sobbed, “if I hadn’t come out to see you….”

“But you did, Mom,” he said, staring intently into her eyes. “I’m here.  I’m fine.”

Florence looked Eli over once more and smiled… they were safe.  At least at this moment, they were safe.   

“Go,” she pat his cheek gently. “Go wash all that gross crap off of you. I’ll keep watch until Dad and David are back home.”

“You sure?”

“Unless you want to sit around in zombie guts….”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “I think I’ll shower.”

“Good choice,” she grinned, leaning over to pick his blood-stained clothes off the floor; they had to be put outside until they could be washed. Three small wooden stars fell out of his pocket as she picked up his pants. She took them in her hand and eyed them, vividly recalling them on the outside table just before the attack. They must have been important, she thought, if that’s the first thing he grabbed.  

Shortly after, Eli entered the kitchen, drying his hair with a large cloth. Florence placed a steaming bowl before him as he plopped into a chair.   

“I made your stew.”

Eli grinned brightly, and her seventeen-year-old son looked just like her little boy again. “You’re such a mom,” he teased.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If we’re celebrating? You make me food. If I’m sad? You make me food. Survive a zombie attack….”  

“When in doubt, you go with what you know.”

Eli hummed with delight as he put a spoonful in his mouth, and Florence noticed his eyes lingering on the wooden stars lying on the kitchen table.

“They fell out of your pocket. I knew they must be important to you if you grabbed them, even before you grabbed your weapon.”

“Yeah,” he snorted. “I won’t make that mistake again.”   

She wanted to ask more, but she knew her son, and pushing was the one way she could ensure he’d never open up.

“They’re for Nessa,” he volunteered after a few moments of silence. “Her birthday is coming, and you know how she loves stars. So I thought I’d make her a bunch. This way, she can have them, even during the day, or there aren’t any in the sky.”  

“That is so sweet, Eli. I’m sure she’ll love that.”

Once again, silence filled the air, and once again, she didn’t dare to ask more. Then, she heard a clang as Eli’s spoon dropped into his bowl.

“Mom… can I ask you something?” he asked with urgency.

“Of course, anything.”

“How did you know? With you and Dad… how did you know… it was him?”

“Well,” she sighed. “It didn’t happen all at once, but in a way, it did. It was his first day at school after his family moved to town, and I wanted him to feel welcomed.  But when we started talking, we just hit it off. Within no time, we were best friends, inseparable.”

“So, you knew that quickly?”

“Oh, no. We were very young and… well… we were just friends at first.  But we started getting older, and….”

“Ma, please, no details,” he cringed.

“Relax,” she laughed, giving his shoulder a shrug. “I’m not going to tell you about the make-out sessions your dad and I used to have.”

She laughed more heartily when he threw his head into his hands with a groan.

“OK, I’ll stop,” she assured.

“But… you knew… right? You knew you wanted to be with him… as more than friends.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I did.”

Eli’s face twisted as he swallowed, speaking again with an almost pained voice.

“How do you know if it happens?”

“Oh, Eli,” she sympathized, touching his hand. “It’s unmistakable when it happens.  You’d know it.”

He lowered his head, gently retrieving his hand.

“Should I feel that way about Nessa?” he whispered.

“There is no should when it comes to these things, you will either feel it or you won’t, son.”

“But it’s not likely that I will meet anyone else.”

“No. It’s not impossible, but you’re right, it's improbable that you will. Does… she feel that way about you.”

Eli shrugged and looked out the window; the sky was beginning to turn to dusk. 

“I don’t know. She feels like I do, I think.”

“And how is that?”

“She’s my best friend, and I love her… but I don’t love her, and I feel like I should.”

“Oh, honey,” she sighed. “If the world was the way it should be, you and Nessa would have so many people to choose from. But here….”

“It’s probably inevitable,” he said. “And it could be worse. At least we’re best friends; we care about each other….”

“There are worse ways to start,” Florence replied wistfully. 

“But when we kissed,” he blurted before his eyes went wide with horror when he realized what he had just said. Embarrassed, he jumped up from the table, but his mother took his arm.

“Eli, I’m not going to press you on that, and you don’t have to be embarrassed. Not with me. We don’t have to talk about it anymore, but I'm here if you ever want to.”

“Thanks, ma,” he sighed. 

“And don’t be so hard on yourself. You don’t have to figure this out tonight, tomorrow, or even this year. Just… just keep loving each other as friends. That’s the most important thing. If more is meant to happen, it will.”

They turned toward the window when they heard footsteps approaching. Both reached for their weapons, then Florence breathed a sigh of relief when they saw David and Jim returning.

“Oh, thank God,” she sighed. 

Eli jumped up from the table to greet them, eager to end the conversation.

“Thanks, Mom,” he half smiled before walking away. But after a few steps, he stopped in his tracks and turned around. “And Mom?”

“Yeah?”

“You were badass today.”

“Thank you,” she chuckled.  “You’re pretty badass, too.”

A/N 2: Thanks for reading. The next part will explore Eli and Nessa's relationship, and we'll also learn more about his brother David and Nessa's brother, Brady. Again, thanks for reading!

Perma: @a-crepusculo @animesuck3r @annoyingmillenialnewbie @crazy-loca-blog @differenttyphoonwerewolf @doriopenheart @fayeswiftie @genevievemd @gryffindordaughterofathena @inlocusmads @jamespotterthefirst @jennieausten @kingliam2019 @liaromancewriter @lucy-268 @onikalover @openheartforeverinmyheart @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @rookiemartin @secretaryunpaid @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction @jerzwriter-reblogs-asks @choicesficwriterscreations

WTD Only: @kyra75 @cariantha @lilyoffandoms @missameliep

@choicesficwriterscreations Day 4 Self-Reflection

[midnightsunnyday]

When With His Father, Diavolo Is A Lot More Stern, The Demon King, On The Other Hand...Part Four (Updated)

Author's Note: thank you all for your patience and continued interest in this series. Maybe slightly NSFW due to cursing and some suggestive dialogue. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Five Part Six Part Seven

-----------------

12:25 PM, at the Demon Lord’s Castle

The Demon King: no, not that one. It clashes horribly with his skin tone.

Barbatos: *holds up a black studded collar*

The Demon King: too brutish. It does little to accentuate the delicate curve of his cheek.

Barbatos: *holds up a pink collar with a bow and bell in the center*

The Demon King: ah, it's perfect! And it even matches with their undertone!

Solomon, holding his forehead: 72 pacts and several centuries of learning the arcane arts only to end up as a pet in a frilly collar.

Diavolo: I appreciate you putting up with this Solomon or is it "Lomo" now?

Solomon: *sighs* it seems your father has a talent for choosing outrageously embarrassing pet names.

Diavolo: that he does.

Solomon: however, just to reiterate, this means that you technically owe me a favor.

Diavolo: hopefully one within reason.

Solomon: don't worry. My requests are always within means.

Diavolo: saying that does little to ease my anxiety.

The Demon King: Lomo, come put on your collar so we can prepare for the party.

Diavolo, smirking: yes Lomo, be a good boy and let "Unky Barb" put on your collar.

Solomon: *gets up and reluctantly allows Barbatos to put on their collar*

Barbatos: he looks quite fetching, your Majesty.

The Demon King: that he does. It almost makes up for his unnerving appearance.

__________

2:50 PM

Diavolo: Barbatos I am begging you. Please consider it.

Barbatos: while it pains me to see you so distraught Young Master, I'm not sure whether going back in time to attach a deadbolt that is "blessed by 777 saints" to the basement door is a proper use of my powers, nor would it keep your father from escaping.

Diavolo: please tell me Lucifer at least had the decency to hide the Demonus.

Barbatos: on the contrary, he informed me over text, and I quote, "Tell Didi not to worry about this evening's gathering. I won't allow the Demon King to touch a single bottle of Demonus."

Diavolo, sighing: thank goodness.

Barbatos: "which is why I'm going out to buy several bottles of Demonus. That way he can touch as many as he likes. Anyway, see you all at the party."

*silence*

Diavolo: ...Barb.

Barbatos: yes Young Master?

Diavolo: is there a foreseeable future in which Lucifer falls down a flight of stairs?

Barbatos: one moment *eyes glow briefly* none that I can discern.

Diavolo: Barb.

Barbatos: yes Young Master?

Diavolo: remind me to trip Lucifer down a flight of stairs.

Barbatos: I'll make sure to write it within your upcoming schedule. Oh dear, it seems said action conflicts with "Teatime with Lucifer." Would you like me to set it an hour before?

Diavolo: eh. After is fine.

__________

3:15 PM, at the House of Lamentation

Leviathan, setting the table: can someone explain to me why we're doing this again?

Satan, sweeping: because Lucifer is petty?

Leviathan: obviously, but did everyone forget what happened the last time we threw the Demon King a party?

Mammon, blowing balloons: how could I? If I was human I'd be dead ten times over from the alcohol poisoning alone.

Satan: that's because you challenged him to a drinking contest, which I still can't believe you won.

Mammon: Goldie and me were finally able to take that vacation we always wanted *sighs* Good times.

Leviathan: idiot.

Asmodeus, dusting: well I for one had a wonderful time. Ooh, remember how we had to use several bottles of lotion to get--

Mammon: --oi, don't you dare repeat that story!

Asmodeus: wow, so assertive. Kind of like your--

Mammon: --can it!

__________

3:30 PM

*knock knock knock*

MC: I'm coming...eh? What are you two doing here? The party doesn't start until 6:00.

Simeon: we wanted to be punctual. Also, we brought cupcakes.

Beelzebub: *swoops from the shadows*

Luke: well, we HAD cupcakes.

__________

3:38 PM

Belphegor: great, another party with the Demon King. Why is it when Lucifer's happy, everyone else has to suffer?

Beelzebub, munching on the cupcakes he swiped: he did seem pretty upset at Lord Diavolo yesterday.

Belphegor: so he's actually putting him in his place for once? And here I thought I lost all respect.

Beelzebub: Lord Diavolo didn't seem very happy with his father, either.

Belphegor: of course not. The Demon King is a notorious pain in the ass *scoffs* Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in that department.

Beelzebub: at least Lucifer seems happier today. I accidentally ate all the confetti for the party and he didn't even yell at me.

Belphegor: Beel, how many times do we need to go over this? Just because it looks like food, doesn't mean it's edible.

Beelzebub, frowning: they were so colorful. I thought it might taste like sprinkles.

__________

4:48 PM

Asmodeus: this party is going to be an absolute disaster! Especially if I can't decide on what color romper to wear. I mean, should I go with tickled pink or blushing pink?

Leviathan: there's a difference?

Asmodeus: MC, tell this fashion disaster what I mean.

MC: the tickled pink brings out his eyes, but the blushing pink accentuates the delicate curve of his cheek.

Asmodeus: I know right? *sighs* Sometimes it's so hard being me.

Leviathan: speaking of "fashion," what's with the collar?

MC: Lucifer is making me wear it.

Asmodeus: oooh ~ I never knew you two were so open about your kinks.

Leviathan: wha-wha-what? Is that what this is? Some kind of pet play?

MC: the Demon King tried to abduct me yesterday, so Lucifer is making me pretend to be his pet to keep him away. Though I think he's getting a bit too into it.

Leviathan: do I dare ask?

MC: well...

*a few hours earlier*

MC: no way. Absolutely not!

Lucifer: it's only for tonight. I promise you can remove it once this is over.

MC: I am not wearing that thing around my neck!

Lucifer: I went shopping specifically so that you and...Lomo could match.

MC: wait...Lomo? Oh no, poor Solomon.

Lucifer: indeed. Now then, let's put on your collar.

MC: *reluctantly walks over to Lucifer*

Lucifer: there we go. Oh my.

MC: what? What's wrong?

Lucifer: you do look rather...adorable. I can see why the Demon King is so keen on this human-pet thing.

MC: something tells me his intentions are purer than yours *sighs* The sooner this night ends the quicker I can take this stupid thing off.

Lucifer: indeed. Also, you'll need to practice calling me master. Just for tonight, of course.

MC: ...you can't be serious?

Lucifer: of course. Have I ever been anything less than serious?

MC: Lord forbid.

Lucifer: pardon?

MC: nothing...*rolls eyes* master.

Lucifer: *clutches his chest* oh...oh my. I think I might get used to this. Do you also mind meowing--

MC: --that's it. I'm out.

Lucifer: just once...MC? Don't you walk away from me.

*back to the present*

MC: needless to say, I'm starting to reconsider my options.

Asmodeus: poor thing. I don't know which is hotter: being Lucifer's pet or the Demon King.

Leviathan: don't you mean sadder?

Asmodeus: I know what I said.

[venteamocha]

Hello! Sometimes I see you post stuff from IF blogs and I've recently started playing some IF games, which I've enjoyed so far. Do you have any IF stories you'd recommend in particular? I'm not attached to any particular genre and I don't need romance or a self-insert main character, (though I'm not opposed to either). Though, it's a definite plus if it's LGBTQ+ inclusive! I'm not really sure what the "cornerstones" are of IF so I'll take any and all recommendations haha

Oh god, I play so many IFs. So many. And it’s not even close to all of them, but I’m trying!!

Tbh IFs without romance seems to be very rare, I think because when I think IF I think Choice of Games, and those pretty much always have romance in them. At least, the most well known ones do. But a well done one without romance would be nice too!

Okay, this is a list of my favourites! They’re all LGBT+ inclusive, and most have gender selectable love interests, or at least ones that change gender depending on the gender and sexuality combination you pick. In no particular order, of course.  Behind a cut because I’m gonna give them each a mini review. Because I haven’t done that yet.

(There are so many.)

Mind Blind: I absolutely love our big brother Nick, I love how witty and sharp so much of the dialogue is, I love how the MC clearly has a rather large handicap, but is still such an important person to so many people and not looked down on in the slightest. And when they are, we all know it’s because that person is a jerk! They’re not defined by what they aren’t, but what they are, and that’s a great message.

Shepherds of Haven: Part of why I love this one so much is I just love fantasy settings and this one just pulls it off so well. The cast is full of amazing characters, and I gotta say I die inside pretty regularly for not being able to afford the patreon content, lol. The author puts so much amazing stuff on there, and gives us so much great content in the game and through answers on tumblr, and you can tell this whole thing is just the best thing ever to them, and that makes it the best ever for us readers too!

The Wayhaven Chronicles: I’d be shot if I didn’t mention this one, the series that literally killed dashingdon when the book 3 demo dropped!! Again, another author that cares a lot and does their best to do right by their fans. We’ve been given drip after drip of these amazing characters backstories, and I just cannot wait for more! It’s definitely very romance centered, but the overall plotlines are also very good, and I have to say that no matter who I romance, I just feel like the group as a whole is a family. And that’s wonderful.

Speaker: I really like the lore. I really like the lore. I can’t wait until we get more of the overall plotline. Mostly I want my Speaker to get in deep trouble so Seb, Li and Seer (best sister ever) go off and beat the shit out of whatever is causing it. This probably says something about me, but what can I say, I thrive on angst and inflicting near death injuries on my OCs. Sometimes I even kill them, although all of this is offtopic. Or is it? I guess we’ll find out, although I doubt we’ll actually be able to kill off Speaker. And yes, I am definitely playing the Seb & Li poly route. I love them both so much. 

Wilhelmina: I love vampires, ok? Ok? And this one is based off Dracula!! The OG!! And you can choose Drac’s gender!! Shit, sign me up forever!! Yeah, she might be literally killing my bff, torturing my fiancé and low key fucking with my mind, but vampires are hot!! Let me live! Or not. But yeah, this is a really well done retelling of the Dracula novel and I like how well it works as an IF. Did I mention I like vampires?? Especially when they get all monstery?? (This one has an MC with a set gender, as it’s based on an already existing literary figure. Mina can have a same sex relationship with dracula, if you make drac a female, or with Lucy, a female love interest.)

More Things in Heaven and Earth: Hi Nell!! First off, I gotta uncover a deep shame of mine. My family literally has a Shakespeare heirloom collection. As in, my greatgrandfather passed down through the family a collection of Shakespeare that was published in 1911. In ye olde englishe. I tried to read it when I was like 10 and was like what language is this?? What the fuck? What the fuck??? And ended up reading As You Like It, a bit of Romeo and Juliet, and a little of Hamlet. Didn’t touch the rest of it. I only got into the other stories through trashy ya reimaginings. That said, this retelling of Hamlet inspired me to go read the whole of the original and now I have a lot of fears for these characters that I’m so much more attached to, oh god I hope my Ophelia has a happy ending. I hope Hamlet himself has a happy ending. The dialogue is so well done, everyone is engaging, and yeah it made me finish an old af book when nothing else did. (This one also has an MC with a set gender, female, for the same reason. However, there are two gender variable love interests, so you can very much play a bi or gay Ophelia if you so choose.)

Guenevere: I love King Arthur. All the myths. I have so many books based on the King Arthur mythos, oh dear god. I love pretty much every version of it. All the movie and tv shows too! I just can’t get enough of those knights. I could go on for paragraphs about how courtly love worked and how all the different social castes were, but I’ll try not to. This series lets you customize Guen as a character to an amazing degree, considering that she’s also based on an actual literary figure like the other two I mentioned above. It really feels like she becomes your own character, and yet she still exists within this world very very well. I worry quite a bit that the author might have bit off more than they can chew with the current book they’re working on, what I’ve seen of it looks absolutely massive in scale. What is out so far is a wonderful read though, full of drama and laughter and lots of chances to make the story your own.

Bastard of Camelot: Yep! Another King Arthur series! Sue me! This one lets you set Mordred’s gender though, so it’s more inclusive in that way. It is very interesting to play as one of the “bad guys” of the King Arthur mythos. You can play them as straight up evil, as good, or you know, a bit of column a and a bit of column b. Or they can just be a rude little shit. It’s got dragons too! You get a dragon pet! Dragons are cool. It can be a bit tough to play sometimes, since a lot of people dislike Mordred quite a lot because of prejudices. Hopefully this will change a bit later in the series if you’ve been a fairly good person up to that point. Gotta say though, as a warning, that Mordred is a product of incest. It’s not glossed over, and it does cause a lot of problems for them in the story.

God of the Red Mountain: I just love that this inspired me to read more chinese mythology tbh. There is just so much here! And it’s just such a good read. I wish I was better at describing things. The MC being a spirit that you can define, the whole setting, most of the love interests also being spirits, the massive amount of history and culture and lore, how it all fits together. It is such a well done story. I really wish it got more attention than it does. I still miss Big Sister. I still can’t wait to find out more about the foxes, and how we can heal our MC.

The Nameless: Another one that lets you play as something otherworldly. I love the lore behind this one, and I love all of the cast I’ve met. I kind of like that our MC isn’t loved right off the bat, that we’ll have to win over all of our love interests and even the other npcs. I’m up for the challenge! Everything I’ve read on the tumblr for these characters just makes me love them all more tbh. I love how much they’ve written for all of them! Most of all though, I love Oisein. All the art of them is just *chef kiss* and their personality is magical.

A Mage Reborn: This is a really recent one but!! Wow, it’s really well done! That cliffhanger!! Oof!! Not many books literally start with killing your MC off! That takes guts! I told the author this already, but I love the way they formatted this, the way it starts with the end, so to speak, and then fills it all out. It just made everything feel so poignant, how MC is literally looking back at all these moments in time in the last minutes they have before they die. Shit. That’s powerful. And there’s gonna be more??? Can’t wait for that angst. Give me that drama. Of course I picked the one who had me killed, that’s just how I am!

These are all just the COG type games, there are a few twine games with graphics I’d throw on here, but the list is long enough as it is and they feel like they’re in a different category to me. Maybe it’s just me?