#i think someone with better editing skills should make something better

[adhd-merlin]

Tell me you wouldn't do the same for the woman you love. (x)

[spider-stark]

SWORN RIVALS

Benjicot Blackwood x Bracken!Reader

Summary - Taking up sparring with your sworn rival is likely never a good idea.

Warnings - barely edited, blood, implied fighting, suggestive language but no real smut, likely ooc given that the episode hasn't even aired yet lmao

Word Count - 1.1k

!MINORS DNI!

// masterlist // send me your thoughts // comments & reblogs appreciated! //

Pain splinters throughout your hand as your knuckles collide with his jaw. He stumbles backwards—just barely managing to keep himself from falling right onto his ass. 

“You fight like a girl,” you jeer, purposefully antagonizing him. “Though I suppose that’s to be expected of a Blackwood.” 

A raspy laugh rumbles through Benjicot Blackwood’s chest—a bitter, deep sound that sets your toes curling. 

“You’ve got quite a mouth on you.” Forcing his chin high, he flashes his crimson-stained teeth in a wry grin, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. He muses, “But perhaps we should put it to better use, don’t you think?” 

You cut your eyes at the bawdy implication. “You’re disgusting, Ben.” 

Another chuckle as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, inadvertently smearing blood along his bottom lip. The sight is entrancing—in a morbid sort of way. It glistens like pomegranate juice and, for a mere breath, you wonder if it would taste half as sweet. 

“C’mon!” Ben’s teasing tone slices through your thoughts, forcing some sense back into you. “Don’t act like you’ve never thought of it before,” he says, waving a hand between you both, “the two of us–” 

You don’t let him finish his sentence, cutting him off with a sharp glare. “I haven’t,” you practically snarl, taking a half-step towards him. “And you shouldn’t either,” you add, “I’d much prefer to be left out of your…" you blow out an exasperated breath, "depraved fantasies!” 

“Oh, but you are my depraved fantasies, sweetheart.” Ben’s grin widens as you groan, shaking your head at him. “You're also a liar, Bracken,” he adds, “and a shitty one, at that!” 

“You can believe whatever you want, Blackwood—but that won't make it true.” 

“Just admit it,” he continues. Swinging one foot forward, he takes a lazy step towards you—then another. “That’s why you train with me, isn’t it? ‘Cause you’re so desperate for someone to put you in your place—and none of those pansies along the Red Fork are fit for the task, are they?” 

You grit your teeth, knowing that his words aren’t entirely false. 

Training with Ben hadn’t necessarily been a purposeful decision. It was something that just sort of happened. Yet, in spite of the rivalry between your families, you’re willing to admit that you do prefer training with him over the Tully or Roote boys. 

He fought you like a true opponent—unlike the others, who felt the need to pull their punches or slow their own strikes, forever treating you like a helpless maiden rather than an equal. 

In many ways, you found Ben to be more tolerable than any other boy in the Riverlands, anyway. He was fierce and tough and undeniably skilled with both blade and fists, making him your ideal sparring partner. 

You still despise him, though—if only because that is what’s expected of you by your father, the Head of House Bracken. 

“Big talk from the boy who hasn’t gotten a single hit in today,” you smugly remind him. “Perhaps if you spent as much time training as you do thinking with your cock, you might actually stand a chance at victory, Benji.” 

Less than a foot-or-so of space separates the two of you when he finally stops, his grin souring like rotted fruit. 

“Don’t call me that,” he chides, his bottom lip jutting slightly. Your brow furrows, trying to discern if he’s pouting or if it’s simply swelling from when you hit him. “Besides,” Ben continues, “have you ever considered that maybe I’m just going easy on you?” 

You don’t buy his weak attempt at goading you—though you do entertain it, asking, “And why would you do that?” 

His shoulder lifts into a languid shrug. “Maybe I like it when you push me around,” he drawls, teasing. 

Another step and he’s towering over you, his chest mere inches from yours. His scent—a blend of leather and rich sandalwood—floods your nostrils, stirring your senses and leaving you dizzy. 

“Although,” Ben’s smirk returns, laden with his usual mischief, “I think I’d like you even more if you were on your knees-” 

A scoff rips from your throat, cutting him off with a rough swat to his chest. “Oh, go fuck yourself, Blackwood!” 

“Only if you’ll watch, Bracken,” he croons, mocking you. 

Every inch of your body is suddenly humming to life, an unrelenting blaze of rage—or was it desire?—setting your nerves alight. Before you can muster a response, a comeback, his fingers have closed around one of your wrists. 

“Go on,” Ben murmurs, his voice tantalizingly low. Your breath hitches as he presses your hand to his chest, feeling his pulse beat beneath your palm. “Hit me,” he dares, louder now. “Push me.” 

You don’t speak—don’t move, as those storm-cloud eyes dip once again. “Fucking do it—” 

You cut him off, fingers curling around the scarlet fabric of his tunic—you should kill him for being so crude, for acting so utterly lascivious! 

And yet, despite all logic and reason, you tug him closer. Pulling him down to your level in one swift motion, crashing your lips together in a kiss that is anything but soft. 

On instinct, your other hand slips to the back of his neck, tangling your fingers in soft, brown hair. You feel his heartbeat stutter beneath your fist, still gripping his tunic. For no more than a breath, you worry you’ve fucked this whole thing up. 

This is wrong! You scream at yourself. Wrong wrong wrong! 

But then he moves—hooking an arm around your waist, his nails sinking into your hip in an effort to bring you closer—and you loathe just how right this feels. 

Your legs tremble as his tongue slides along your lower lip, a soft moan spilling into his mouth. You feel him grin against you—can taste the blood on his lips, the bitter sweetness dancing on your tongue as he utters, “Eager, are we?” 

Tightening your grip on his hair, he hiss slips from his teeth. “Shut up.” 

He obliges—his mouth drifting from your lips to your jaw, leaving a bloody trail of kisses in his wake. You try not to think as he finally reaches your neck, earning a soft whine as he nips at your flesh. You try to forget who he is—that you’re supposed to hate him—as he shoves his leg between yours, offering you the very friction you so desperately desired. 

“This changes nothing, Benji,” you pant. 

He bristles at the nickname, letting his teeth sink deeper into your flesh, a deep bruise already blooming along your neck. “Sure." His own breathing is frantic and uneven as he rasps, “Whatever you say..” 

Your hand falls from his chest to his breeches, fingers already fumbling with the laces when you choke out, “I still think you’re disgusting, Blackwood.”

His own touch disappears beneath your tunic, fingertips trailing along every inch of your skin until his palms finally skim along your bare breasts. He gives one a rough squeeze before flashing that stupid, bloody grin of his. 

“And you’re still a liar, Bracken.”

a/n - writing fan fic for a character that hasn't even appeared on screen yet is wild. (hbo, this better be bloody ben or else I'll riot because this is perfect casting). anyway, I don't wanna be held accountable for how terrible, short, and rushed this is (I was bored and didn't feel like putting more effort into this than necessary rn) OR how wildly ooc this will likely prove to be come Sunday.

also---turns out that writing without actually knowing the character is hard! who'd have thunk, am I right?

[soaplickerrr]

Accidentally Coincidental

CHAPTER 6 (click pictures for better quality)

| ⇠ Previous | Next ⇢|

a/n: updates will be slow, i'm working on a pretty long fic on my side blog.

pairing: Idol!Kim Seungmin x Fem!CollegeStudent!Reader

genre: contemporary romance

SMAU

synopsis: Y/N, a regular college student accidentally texts Seungmin, a star in the K-pop group Stray Kids while trying to text her Ex, Soonyoung to come pick up his things, leading to an unexpected connection that blossoms into a heartfelt romance.

ignore time stamps, dates ( other than tge ones mentioned during texting) and typos

THERES A WRITTEN PART SO DONT JUST SCROLL THROUGH THE PICTURES🙏🙏

The meeting room at JYP Entertainment was filled with a palpable tension as the key players gathered around the large, polished table. The CEO sat at the head, flanked by the editing team manager and Bang Chan's own manager. The atmosphere was serious, almost formal, as everyone waited for Bang Chan to speak.

Chan cleared his throat, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by a more focused, determined air. He knew this wasn’t just any conversation—this was about convincing the higher-ups to take a chance on someone they’d never even met.

“Thank you all for taking the time to meet today,” Chan began, his voice steady and professional. “I want to talk about an opportunity that could benefit both our company and someone outside of it. I’ve recently heard about someone who has a passion for editing, specifically in the realm of music videos. Given that we’re currently short-staffed in the editing department, I think we should seriously consider giving this person a chance.”

The CEO raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical but willing to listen. “And who exactly is this person? Do they have experience in the industry?”

Chan nodded. “She’s not a seasoned professional, but she has talent and a genuine love for the craft. What I’m proposing isn’t an immediate hire. Instead, I suggest we put her through a rigorous test—a project that would allow us to gauge her skills. If she passes, we hire her. If she doesn’t, we look elsewhere. It’s a win-win situation. We get to explore potential new talent without committing prematurely.”

The editing team manager leaned forward, interested but cautious. “What kind of test are you thinking? We can’t afford to waste time on someone who might not be up to par.”

“That’s exactly why I’m proposing a test,” Chan explained. “We can assign her a project—something that’s demanding but realistic. She can work on a segment of an upcoming music video or even a practice reel. We give her a deadline, clear guidelines, and see how she performs under pressure. It’s a controlled environment where we get to see what she’s really capable of.”

The CEO interjected, his tone still carrying a hint of doubt. “And what makes you so confident in this person? We’ve had people with potential come through before, only to realize they weren’t cut out for the pace and demands of this industry.”

Chan met the CEO’s gaze steadily. “I’m confident because I’ve seen her work. More than that, I’ve seen her passion. This isn’t just about filling a role—it’s about bringing in someone who genuinely cares about what they do. Someone who sees the art in editing, who understands the nuances of our music and visuals. I believe she has what it takes, but I’m not asking you to take my word for it. That’s why I’m proposing the test. Let her work speak for itself.”

There was a moment of silence as the CEO considered Chan’s words. The room was thick with anticipation, everyone waiting to see which way the decision would go.

The CEO finally nodded, a small but decisive gesture. “Alright, Chan. You’ve made a compelling case. We’ll arrange the test. If she meets our standards, we’ll consider bringing her on board. But I want to be clear—this is a one-shot deal. If she doesn’t impress, we move on.”

Chan smiled, relieved but still composed. “Understood. I’ll work with the editing team to get everything set up.”

The meeting wrapped up soon after, with everyone agreeing on the next steps. As the others filed out of the room, Chan stayed behind for a moment, letting the success of the conversation sink in. He had done it—he had convinced them to give her a chance. Now, it was up to her to prove herself.

Once he was alone, Chan couldn’t contain his excitement any longer. He quickly pulled out his phone and sent Seungmin a message, his fingers moving swiftly across the screen.

Seungmin’s POV

Seungmin stared at his phone in disbelief, a grin slowly spreading across his face as he realized what this meant. He quickly composed a message to Y/N, his heart racing with excitement.

Your POV

Seungmin put his phone down, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He couldn’t wait to see how this would all unfold. For now, he just hoped that Y/N was ready for what was coming her way.

———

Seungmin’s POV:

BONUS:

I dont like this chapter and college sucks.

😃👍

TAGLIST - CLOSED - if your name is in pink, I couldn’t tag you

@disasterousdangerousbi @akitfffr @alexateurmom @jeonginplsholdmyhand @sunarins-whore @feelikecinderella @minniesuperversee @istglevi-gotmesimping @dreamerwasfound @whiteghostt @your-favorite-pirate @pnutbutter-n-j-elyy @chuuyaobsessed @ihrtlix @onlyhyunjin @jisuperboard @dazzlingjade @sellomaybe @lixiesbrownies333 @kkamismom12 @iatemycatfreckles @puppyminnnie @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @ayyonoona @missvanjii @jc003 @dontwannaexsist @everglowdaisies

[randy-inks-writing-blog]

Lonely (Lucifer x Hellborn! GN Reader)

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Just some fluff with sad boi Lucifer for fun. Tell me what you think and what I can improve on!

Edit: You can read the fanfic on Ao3

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Succubuses and incubuses are known for their sexual activities. You, however, choose a distinct career path. Instead, you use your skills to comfort people. Give them a little massage, or a talk too. Many people are surprised to find lots of sinners have parent issues. On rare occasions, customers just want to pretend that their partner is still with them. Your coworker walked up to you with a smug smile. She stops at your desk and says “Guess who just asked for your services, (y/n)” you till your head, surely must be someone important if she’s bothering you. “Who?” you ask softly. The coworker smiles wide and answers; “the king of hell, himself!” Shocked at what your coworker says, you stood up and said “Lucifer Morningstar? Do you know what he wants? Oh, dear Satan, I gotta look good for him!” Your coworker grabs your shoulders and holds you still. “(y/n) chill, he just wants someone to talk to. Just wear something comfy, your appointment is at 3 tomorrow, ok?” You nod your head. That’s enough time to calm your nerves, hopefully.

You walk up to the doors of Lucifer’s manor, quietly you knock on the door. A small old imp opens the door for you. He bows his head and tells you to follow him to Lucifer’s room. As the two of you walked, you looked at all the portraits of Lucifer’s family. Most of them were of the missing queen and their daughter, Charlie Morningstar. The butler stops right in front of Lucifer’s room. You stop right next to the imp as he knocks on Lucifer’s door. “Sire, your guest is here.” You heard a response but could barely make any words out. The butler opens the door for you, and you slowly walked in. The room is positively a mess, rubber ducks everywhere as far as you can see. You walked over to the king’s bed and gave a small bow to him. Looking at the fallen angel’s face, he like his room looks like a mess. Small tears fall down the king’s face, looks like he’s been crying for days. You sat next to the king, being mindful of your wings and tail. Lightly, you place a hand on the king’s check and softly rub it. With caution, you spoke to the king; “Your highness, is there anything specific you need?” the crying angel answers back “call me Lucifer please. And no, I just- I just need someone to hold me like Lilith once did.”

Well, that’s a bit awkward. How long has the queen been gone for again? Seven years, who knew the king of all of hell was just a lonely guy? Hey, you’re not going to judge you’re the one who took this job. You laid down next to the king and pulled him closer to you. Lucifer’s head laid right on your chest as you wrap your wings around the king. The king cried into your chest. Good thing this is a gender non-specific fanfic. “I miss my wife; I miss her a lot. Why? Why did she have to leave me? Was I not good enough?” he sobs, making the situation more awkward for you. You ran a hand through his blonde hair with a smile before you whispered. “I think you’re good enough, Lucifer. Maybe you should stop thinking about the past and think about your future.” Lucifer looks up at you with hopeful eyes quietly he ask, “Like my daughter?” You nod your head yes, but Lucifer just looks away from you. “If only it was that easy. All I can think about is the past. I’m the one of the doom of all of humanity. I’m the one who convinces Eve to eat that fruit.” You cup Lucifer’s face and make him look at you again. “While that is true, you also help make hell, and without hell there wouldn’t be imps, hellhounds, succubuses and incubuses. And those loan sharks that have those weird Italian accents yet don’t know a single word from that language.” Lucifer listens to your talk, feeling a little better. The king nuzzles into your chest once again, finding your body heat comforting. You snuggle closer to the king; this is something you’re going to brag about to your coworker. “I guess you’re right, in a way. Thank you for doing this for me. I’ll double your tip when this is over.” Lucifer softy spoke, now feeling a little sleepy. You nod your head and lightly pet Lucifer’s hair.

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[rowanwritestoomuch]

A Lesson on ConCrit -- how to give & recieve

Criticism is often something we all abhor, but in our artwork of writing, we need to understand how to recieve information about editting and how to give it, because we will not succeed without it.

There is no world in which writing is not a collaborative effort-- unless you never share it, in which case, this post is not for you. Keep on doing what you're doing you funky fresh individual. But for the rest of us with a praise kink, this is an ineffeible truth.

So how do we give *constructive* criticism in writing?

We remain focused on improvement.

Never give criticism to harm, never with malicious intent, never to degrade or belittle. Never. Do. This. If you did not like a work but it has skillful merit, it uses grammar properly, it has structure and themeology, it is OKAY to simply accept 'I did not like this' and move on. But if you have something useful to say, something productive for the writer, something genuinely meant in kindness and to improve, it is important to always keep in mind the 'when this, then that' method.

For example; "When [X character] confessed to his lover, it was the cutest thing I've ever seen, but then [Y character] had very little reaction, and it took me out of the scenes where their greater romance was developed. I would suggest when [Y character] is confronted with this information, perhaps we should include some more emotional beats and actions, like describing their expressions or what they think, to make sure the reader stays engaged. Thank you for posting this, I'm enjoying it!" In this bit of criticism, we have kept a constructive approach in mind. We have addressed that 'when this' happened, it made us feel good, but when we found something we thought needed improvement, 'then that' was discussed. We engaged with the artist in a way that did not degrade them but also did not demand that they take our advice, by framing our suggestions in a way that remembers inherent storytelling aspects, like emotions and actions, and we gave positive but not specific suggestions on how to improve those actions, without injecting our own bias into the artist's work.

This is the meat of constructive criticism. We do not want to put each other down. We do not want to taint another's art with our own voice. We want to focus on improvement and respect someone's vulnerability in sharing their work.

Another example; "I noticed that in this scene, I got really lost when [X & Y] were talking because you used a lot of pronouns and not very many proper nouns. In Chapter 3, you had a scene with [X, Y, Z & Q] and it was really engaging for me, I didn't mind the use of proper nouns because I was able to easily keep track of who was talking when. I think it would help both of us follow along better when the characters' names are used more. Really great work, I'm loving the banter between the two." In this example, we point out an error in the execution of the work, a literary thing such as forgotten proper nouns that pull the reader from the scene. In order to encourage the writer, we made sure to include an example of when they did well to remind them how they did well and encouraged them to improve this scene in the same manner as the previously well executed one. We remembered to let them know that we did enjoy the scene, we just got a little lost, and we collaborated with them on how it would help us, the reader, and them, the writer, follow along better. This same kind of concrit can be used for any literary skill mistake, or instead you could simply say "Would you like some help editting your work?" and collaborate with the artist even further. Grammar errors, spelling mistakes, structure issues, use of words and nouns, you can help with those things without placing any blame or anxiety on the writer, and many would love to have several hands edit their work before they do their final drafting. It is important to remember always that our engagement with an artist is a sensitive subject, and we will not gain more art from this person (content, if you will) if we continuosly demand, degrade, disgrace and disregard the feelings of the creators. Respect has to be given and recieved like a gift, and the gift in our metaphor is writing.

Things that you should not comment on; characters you just didn't like--- you can just not like something, the artist doesn't have to change it for you to enjoy, move on. Plot directions or twists that just weren't your flavor--- not every piece has to fit into your ideal of a trope. Only speak on these things when the plot is completely contrived or needs re-structuring to really hit the point it's trying to make. If you just didn't like where the story went, well, it's not for you. It doesn't mean its bad. Understand how to have a discerning eye for the difference between execution and expression. Stylistic choices that just don't hit with you, like purposefully lowercased words, the changing or reformatting of words into new ones, different dialogue types and tags--- these are things the author did on purpose. You do not tell a painter you did not like the use of orange in their sunflower painting, you just move on. That was a choice, not a mistake or a lesson that needs to be learned, and not everyone has to use words the way you do. Focus on being helpful, not being biased. Art is subjective and exists both in the eyes of the artist and the viewer, it is not supposed to be monotypical. To give criticism, one must also be able to recieve it.

It can be hard for someone to comment on our work with something that suggests we made a mis-step. We must always consider what it is that we have to glean from this new information when it strikes us anxious, instead of becoming mired in our own ego. If a reader has something to say about the improvement of your work, it is not a law, they will not abandon you if you do not heed them, and if they do, another one will most likely enjoy the place you decided to remain. Criticism is a very 'take it or leave it or do something with it'. You can hear the reader out when they say that the interactions between characters fell flat for them, but if it was your intention to display the character as apathetic, uninterested, uninvested, distracted or depressed, maybe then the reader just did not pick up what you were putting down. You could change your work because of this, or you could leave it the same and the next reader, or the many silent readers aside, will most likely feel differently. When someone has a suggestion on the changing of grammar, consider--- is it hard to read? I should probably change this, I'm *glad* they pointed it out. We sometimes write with blinders on, it is not an insult for someone to turn our head and make us look in another direction. It is not an insult for someone to suggest we need improvement, especially when they give examples as to how to help. It is not an insult to share our work and accept that not everyone will like it, and that we can take their advice both with grace and with self-respect. Listen to your readers, listen to your heart, and collaborate with the two.

And always, always remember, write because it hurts if you don't.

[skelecentral]

Day 14 of Bad Sansuary (hosted by @owl-bones!): Tears

WC: 1230

(A/N: I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to draw for today’s prompt, so I wrote something instead! It was a lot of fun :) That being said, please keep in mind I haven’t tried to write a fanfic since I was 15 (I really enjoy writing in general, but I tend to err on the side of nonfiction) and I didn’t have a whole lot of time to edit. Disclaimer aside, please enjoy!)

~~~~~*~*~*~~~~~

Dust hadn’t intended to overhear you. By all accounts, he shouldn’t have. He rarely walked by your room, having no reason to tread down a hall so distant from his own quarters — aside from heading to the kitchen and dining hall, where you always arrived before him, talking to Axe and eagerly waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive so you could dig into your serving. He couldn’t blame you, of course; Axe’s cooking was delectable. He’d worked hard to fix his relationship with food since being taken in by Nightmare, and his culinary skills had flourished, the result of his efforts brimming with flavor and healing intent. Though, he felt the dishes were always best when you helped to make them.

He was headed to dinner then, scrolling on his phone and letting out a lighthearted huff of air at the boundless fruits of the internet, when he first heard you. He caught a muffled group of sniffles and barely audible cries originating from beyond your door, and instinctively paused five paces away, listening further and holding his breath so he wouldn’t alert you to his presence. In his stillness, your quiet sobs became clearer and remained undeterred.

He didn’t know what to do then, frozen in his place and stuck listening. He was never any good at handling emotional situations, especially like this one, where he knew his job was to approach and soothe. The other residents of the castle were far better suited for work like this; even Killer, who was more than a bit selfish, seemed to be able to consistently cheer a downtrodden friend. Half of the times he recalled trying to comfort someone, the person ended up more distressed than when he first arrived. Perhaps it was for this reason, among a bounty of others, he avoided the role of counselor.

He quietly started back forward.

He’d never heard you cry before, and something about the sound made him ache. He wanted to fix it. You weren’t as close to him as you were to the others, though, he reasoned, so it made more sense to call upon one of them to help you. He continued to listen to your sniffling as he made it past your door. You might be embarrassed to know he heard you, after all — he should leave you be. The door now four paces behind him, he could still just hear your deadened weeping. He wondered what you were crying about.

Groaning at his stubborn soul and lack of conviction, he doubled back and gave a courtesy knock at your door. Your crying didn’t stop.

“it’s dust. i’m coming in.” He shortcutted just beyond the entryway to your space, prepared to ignore a protest, a welcome, or any words from you that never came.

The lights were off and the lone window by the head of your bed had curtains drawn over it, enveloping the room in a thick cocoon of darkness. Your bed was a mess, sheets barely hanging onto the mattress and mostly crumpled, depressed, on the floor. The dirty laundry and other clothes strewn about the carpet was accompanied by a large amount of trash — mostly empty food wrappers — and foul-smelling air. Subconsciously, his nose scrunched. By the standards of his own room the mess wouldn’t have been bad, lacking a trash tornado and all, but he was pretty sure your floor was usually more visible than it was.

He noticed you curled into a small ball in the far left corner of the chamber, face in knees and arms wrapped tightly around legs in a poor parody of a hug. You hadn’t even bothered to look up when he came in, or to stop quietly crying — you just closed into yourself more tightly. After some hesitance, he said your name. Yet again, there was no indication you’d even heard him.

He sighed. Awkwardly avoiding trash and clothes, he crossed the room to your darkened crevice, and slumped quietly against the wall to your right. Another short bout of teary silence ensued.

“...so…” he rubbed the back of his cervical vertebrae. “your room doesn’t look too good.” Your eyes didn’t come to meet his with a watery glare like he’d hoped. Instead, you remained still, almost statuesque if it weren’t for your bouncing shoulders.

Fuck. He held back another sigh and stared down at his slippers, playing with his gloved phalanges. He could never think of the right thing to say, and you’d never know how bad he felt if he were to make your situation worse. Frustrated with his own ineptness and the tension in the air, he wracked his brain for another set of words to spew — a collection that might actually help.

In the end, he decided to take a gamble. Grunting quietly, he mustered his nerve.

“...what's wrong?” Cringing internally at the fear he’d taken a poor risk, he focused his sights back on you. He wrung his hands as he stared. There was silence for what felt like several minutes, long enough he was tempted to physically smack himself for prying and begin wracking his brain for something else to say.

“I-” your voice cracked as you tried to answer him, your vocal chords swollen from your weeping. He snapped to attention, thoughts quieting as something finally changed. “I — just —” your upset turned from hoarse whispers to broken words as you unwrapped your arms from your knees and encircled them forcefully around his middle. He was stilled at the embrace as you squeezed his ribs and cried into his jacket, still trying to babble out an answer to his stupid question. Slowly, uncertainly, he wrapped his own arms around your midsection, firmly holding you to his chest.

“it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.” Your failed words warped into loud sobs as you stopped trying to vocalize what had happened. It was all too much — too painful — that he understood. He rubbed your back slowly, gently, softly saying your name. “it’s okay,” he whispered, “everything’s gonna be okay. i’m right here.” He regurgitated the sentiments he’d heard the others use when comforting children and victims as you let it out, pawing circles on your back, though he wished he had something of his own to offer. He was sure he’d come up with the perfect words later in bed that night when it was far too late, but that was neither here nor there — whatever you needed, he would give, even if it wasn’t his.

His soft words persisted with a soothing rumble in his chest until, slowly, your downpour turned back to a drizzle and then to less than a drop, your exhausted form slumping against him as your fists stopped clinging to his jacket quite so tightly. He didn’t know for how long you’d been crying before he’d arrived, but seeing your fatigued state made him think it was quite a while.

Gradually, a small time after you’d gone quiet, you tilted your head up to his, gaze still downwards and refusing to make eye contact. Your eyes were gleaming and puffy, your face wet, and your cheeks and ears warm — even like this, he thought, you were striking.

“...Thank you,” you whispered. Dust brought his hand up to the top of your head and trailed it lightly down to the shell of your ear.

“...anytime.”

[blueskittlesart]

hi, correct me if i'm wrong but i seem to remember you saying that you're majoring in illustration! i'm currently in the process of applying to colleges and i plan on majoring in illustration as well, so i was wondering if you had any advice for portfolios. I could really use some tips on the presentation aspect specifically, bc I'm a little lost when it comes to stuff like the arrangement/organization of pieces, how I should crop my pictures, etc. any advice you can give me is greatly appreciated!!

hi yes i can totally help you out with this! i like to think my college portfolio was pretty good bc i got accepted to every school i sent it to lol :) the main pieces of advice that i was given when building it were this:

studies and pieces that show off your technical skill are great, but limit them to around a third of your portfolio at most. art schools DO want to see that you're technically skilled and can like, draw a charcoal still life or a self-portrait, because those ARE important skills to have, but ESPECIALLY if you're applying to a school that's more known for contemporary fields like animation or illustration, it's much more likely that they want to see your creative mind at work. the single best thing you can put in your portfolio is a BODY OF WORK, and specifically a body of work that shows off your own ideas and your own take on whatever you're producing. this means 3+ pieces that are interconnected or related to the same central theme. my portfoilo, for example, consisted of 2 or 3ish traditional, technical pieces which showed that I had a certain level of technical skill, and the ENTIRE rest of it was devoted to a series of original interconnected narrative comics I'd written and drawn. Every reviewer I met with told me that this was what made my portfolio stand out to them--it showed that I was not only technically skilled, but that i had something i wanted to DO with that skill, that I had direction and drive with my art and was able to produce work that reflected that. If you're maybe (definitely) not quite as ambitious as me, something like a series of 3-5 interconnected illustrations or a short comic if you're into that might do the same thing.

as a side note, if you DO have a body of work as the central focus of your portfolio, a lot of colleges will be interested in your process as well! for example with my comic portfolio, i used one slot to demonstrate my process, because I penciled every page traditionally before digitalizing it and i had extensive character and worldbuilding sketches. I wouldn't devote more than one slot to it, but if you have a body of work where the process is important to you it could be worth throwing in!

arrangement is tricky, but the advice I generally heard was "put your best stuff first." whatever you're most excited about, whatever is going to grab someone's attention the fastest, that's what you want to have in your first slot. (I actually don't think I followed this advice on my applications LOL but it's what i was TOLD to do and i think it's solid advice.)

in terms of editing, assuming we're talking about traditional pieces being photographed, you want to make sure your pieces are 1. well-lit, (DO NOT TAKE YOUR PHOTOS WITH OVERHEAD LIGHTING. wait for an overcast day and take them outside trust me) 2. legible, (no weird shadows obscuring parts of the piece, high-quality enough that no details are lost due to digital pixelation, etc) and 3. as color-accurate to real life as you can make them. most of this is just about getting a decent-quality camera (a newer iphone should be fine) and a good location. (outside and overcast, as previously mentioned) you may want to throw your pics into photoshop and play with the balance slightly, but I wouldn't do anything too drastic, try to get the most accurate photo possible without any editing. (if your pieces are small and flat, scanning them in may work better. most public and school libraries have scanners you can use for free.)

finally, cropping. the general rule that I was taught is to crop the piece, not the photograph. if you've got a piece on paper and you're not sure you like how the actual drawing is oriented on the paper, crop the PAPER down to size, and THEN photograph it. your photos should aim to show the ENTIRE piece from edge to edge (unless it's a detail shot obv) and I even like to include a little bit of extra "breathing room" around the piece so that it's clear exactly where the dimensions of it end. here's a piece I used for my college portfolios for reference:

i lowkey do not like this piece now but that's not the point. this is what i mean by breathing room--a few extra inches of space around the actual canvas so it's clear that this isn't a closeup and you can see where the canvas actually ends. the same is true for digital pieces. if it's a full bleed illustration (something with full color all the way to the edges of the canvas) just make sure you like the composition cropped the way it is and submit the full piece as-is. if it's a floating spot or something similar without hard edges, leave a bit of white or transparent breathing room around the edge of your image.

hope this helps! if you have any more specific questions lmk :)

[itsabouttimex2]

Platonic Noodlefam Headcanons

(Pigsy is best dad, I’ll be the first to say)

Growing up with these three is wildly chaotic. MK’s boundless energy, Tang’s noodle shenanigans and Pigsy’s hair-trigger temper has definitely left an impact on you.

Probably, you’re some kid that Tang finds god knows where, and he thinks: “If Pigsy can raise a kid, I can too.”

And he’s not entirely wrong, because you do find yourself slowly assimilating into this strange little family. To even out this wacky high-energy trio, you quickly mature and become somewhat stoic, providing a steady rock for the others.

However, if you’re younger than MK, you’ll definitely provide him with another insecurity to overcome. Having someone who is younger than him be more mature and sometimes far more helpful can be incredibly demoralizing. Still, he’s a protective presence in your life, always stepping up to shield you from danger. Anyone who dares to lay a hand on you will; in short order, find themselves face down in the dirt.

If you’re older, he instead looks up to you as a stable and competent source of support. He cares for Pigsy and Tang, really, he does. But Tang can be petty and is somewhat dramatic, and Pigsy, though reliable, can be grumpy and blunt. You provide a constant in MK’s life, someone he can turn to and ask for advice without too much judgment.

Either way, expect to cover more than a few shifts while he’s out saving the city/world.

For Tang, you’re a motivator to be better, because he can’t let a child take his place as “the smart one”, though he eventually realizes that being mature doesn’t mean that you’re as well-learned as he is. In fact, forcing yourself to be mature and reliable all the time without any breaks is clearly grinding you away bit by bit. On your particularly rough days, he’ll take you aside and have you sit down with him for a while. He’ll read you some of the lighter stories from Journey to the West, giving you a much-needed moment to recharge.

For Pigsy, you’re another troublesome child. Refusing to take breaks or reject requests for help, you run yourself dry to lend a hand to others. I personally think a lot of people overlook just how genuinely capable and successful Pigsy is in canon. Raised a kid by himself while running a popular noodle shop, also by himself. He’s clearly very skilled and dedicated.

And experienced, too. You think he doesn’t know that you’re worn out, kid? That you haven’t slept in four days? Nice try. He’ll put a hand on your back and guide you to your room, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed until you finally lay down and pass out.

Spending time with Tang and MK together almost always results in you and your brother sitting side by side as Tang recites tales of the Monkey King’s journeys. MK usually has his head on your lap or shoulder, but he never falls asleep. He just sits there, fervently taking in each and every word. Also, expect to try lots of new food with them. Pigsy puts something new on the menu? You all are trying it together. A new food stall opens? The three of you are first in line. A limited edition drink comes out? Your little triad will be testing it day one.

MK and Pigsy are pretty much opposites, one grounded and down-to-earth, the other energetic and reckless. However, they clearly care for each other greatly, and make for a good team whenever they join forces. Probably you work at the noodle shop with the two of them, giving them plenty of opportunity to look out for you. MK will physically push himself between you and any unruly customers, ready to square off, but Pigsy is quick to grab said customers and throw them outside.

Pigsy and Tang obviously serve as the parental figures in this little quartet, but one is a lot better at it than the other. Tang will probably feel more like a cool uncle that comes to visit on holidays, but you’ve accidentally called Pigsy “dad” more than a few times. You should expect for any potential suitors to be warded away without hesitation. Tang will cry out about his ‘weak ankles’ and then “accidentally” trip and spill his noodles on whoever is bothering you. Pigsy will straight up launch a wooden spoon directly into the face of anyone who dares to hit on you while you’re working.

Altogether, you’re a surprisingly functional family unit that’s far from nuclear, but your differences only serve to bring you closer together.

Essentially:

[iloveyou-writers]

Milestone Celebration: Top 10

Top 10 Messages Writers Need to Hear More Often

It's okay to write terribly - you don't have to be perfect from the very first word that you write down

The "sucking" phase is actually a crucial one to becoming a great writer and if you don't allow yourself to go through it, you'll never become great because you won't get the practice in to become great

You need breaks - it's unrealistic to force yourself to write all of the time. Even professional writers need to have breaks sometimes, just like other professions get time off

You are being way too hard on yourself. These things that you think make your writing awful? Others either won't notice or will find endearing. Sure, there'll be the occasional person that'll notice and care, but if it really bothers you, you can always adjust the writing. You don't have to scrap the whole thing over a simple mistake

It's okay to quit. Don't quit just because you're getting frustrated but if you truly don't want to write anymore, go ahead and quit. There's no shame in it. Just keep your writing. You'll regret it later down the road if you delete everything on a whim.

It's okay to scrap your writing without feeling guilt. You're ultimately writing for yourself, and if you're not into a piece of writing, it's okay to scrap it or change it into something you do want to write.

Your writing should ultimately please you, so if you see tips or advice or have someone tell you a certain change will make it better, consider if the change will keep your story the way you want it. If it will, feel free to change/edit it. If not, then don't. Take all advice with a grain of salt.

This kind of goes with #7 but not all advice will work for you. Hell, my advice can be all over the place because I recognize there is no one size fits all advice for writing. The way a story should be told depends on the story itself and so therefore, take the advice you feel will enhance your story and ignore all others. It's not selfish, it's not self-involved. It's healthy.

It doesn't matter what your writing process is, if it works for you, it's valid and should be continued. If it doesn't, try something new until you figure out what does.

All writing is valid. Fanfiction, original, long, short, fictional, nonfiction, all writing matters. Don't sell yourself short just because your writing isn't like someone else's.

Bonus message:

Stop comparing your writing to others' and using it as a way to invalidate yours. Your writing has its own beauty that the other's doesn't and I guarantee there are people comparing to yours, feeling how you do about theirs, so just feel pride in your own writing and don't let seeing the beauty in others' writing discourage you. Instead, be proud of them and just work on honing your own skills. All writers have skills and setbacks. Work with your own skills and hone the ones you wish to sharpen.

<3 Thank you for 2k follows. I hope you're all doing amazing.

[bonefall]

Do you have any plans for Moth Flight in your au? I always felt like she had a lot of potential, but her super edition…. Oh it’s bad. God forbid a disabled, young, single mom try to raise children and have a job at the same time. Too bad there was no one to help her when things got stressful, like you know, her clanmates… No women should have a job and children at the same time ever again.

If it wasn’t obvious that was sarcasm, Moth Flight’s story has awful implications. But! In BB Clerics Not being allowed to have kits wasn’t a law until the Ripple Era, it used to just be a personal vow and was a bit taboo. So I’m interested in of Moth Flight still had something to do with the creation of the vow itself? And just in general if you have any plans to fix her story or if you’re just throwing the whole thing out. (Which would be completely understandable.) I just think there IS potential there in her story, especially in BB where the Clerics Vow is actually ACKNOWLEDGED to not make sense and be bad. It could be interesting for the idea to rise from such a hyper specific, awful situation. The Clans having altered her story so much over the years that it went from the truth, “the first Cleric was a young, single mother of four, trying to raise her children while morning her husband and convincing the other Clans that they needed Clerics. The odds were against her.” To the perfect, Cleric’s Vow supporting lie, “the first Cleric had kits. She was unable to balance raising them and caring for her Clanmates. She taught the Clans a valuable lesson, a Clerics first and only duty should be healing and worshiping StarClan. Kits only get in the way of that duty.”

Idk, I just feel like there’s still an interesting story to tell somewhere through all of Moth Flight’s super edition’s bs. In the hands of a better writer who doesn’t ACTUALLY believe that Moth Flight’s genuinely tragic life means that all women who have jobs can never have children or get married again.

There's HUUGE overhauls here. I spoke about it eons ago during the last wave where I was discussing my changes to BB!DOTC, but let me give you the fragments thus far.

It's VERY different. Get ready for Moth Flight to be a completely different character.

MOTH FLIGHT'S VOW

She is no longer the child of Wind Runner. In fact...

She's the daughter of Wind Runner's shitty ex, Branch

Moth's other dad is Cloud Flight (prev. Cloud Spots). Since the Great Battle, Cloud has been wandering between the 5 groups as a sort of traveling doctor. It's a lot of work, there's only him and Dapple and an overwhelming amount of cats who need his skilled paws

So Moth Flight has always been a bit detached from people. I want her to actually have ADHD this time around, instead of it vanishing when it isn't convenient.

She kind of has Military Base Kid energy, hopping place to place with unresolved mental health issues. She probably bites ppl because I love weird girls

"papas can i bring my leeches" "honey no"

Cloud really wanted to train her to be a Medic the way he is, but... she has to learn how to do it her own way.

Branch doesn't help he's a goof and mostly interested in playing games with his baby.

I want to portray Branch as someone who's flighty, not another example of "before the Tribe cats came we were uncivilized heathens without society"

I also don't like his original narrative purpose to give Wind Runner trust issues that don't matter. If she had trust issues, what exactly was all that "please let me join ur group" about??

BB!Wind Runner is a breakaway from the River Kingdom, and the leader of the loosely united Moor cats. She created the Wind Coalition and is its intense, notoriously ruthless leader

So something eventually calls Cloud to do his work for the Wind Coalition

Branch: *SWEATS*

Cloud Flight: "..............branch. what did you Do"

Branch: "youre not allowed to be mad at me"

Cloud Flight: "tell me what you did and then we'll see if im mad at you"

The take might be controversial, but I do like the way that Windstar has problems with Moth Flight for no reason. I wanted to preserve it while removing it being yet another case of motherly child neglect, and more of a case of Wind Runner holding unfair grudges. I think it's good drama

Moth Flight's love of nature, herbs, and the natural world eventually prompts her to follow a Hairstreak Butterfly to the Moonstone. It leads her through the winding tunnels, a path that only Clerics will know how to navigate in the future, to the shimmering chamber in the middle.

Through her special connection to StarClan, drawing off the early cultural view of their ancestors as nature spirits (the fact that they are star spirits is a Park Cat contribution and all 5 leaders have their lives by this point), Moth Flight is able to come into her own as a holy speaker and healer. She begins to blur the line between holiness and healing, marked by how Clanmew has only one word for both concepts.

Hairstreak Butterflies also become known as a "herald" type of butterfly. I could get into the linguistics of this, but the old Tribemew word for moth/butterfly becomes the Clanmew word for sacred butterflies.

Micah is not supremely important anymore, but he's there. He doesn't become a healer in MFV, he's just Moth's mate.

But things begin to go wrong when her kittens are born.

All four children are born with a high connection to StarClan, just like their mother.

She takes it on herself to train them, as Cloud Flight had done with her, wiser from understanding that they would learn in their own ways.

Dapple and Cloud Flight never have this connection to star spirits, and they're growing old. Cloud is ready to retire, Dapple dies in some way before she's able to train a replacement

It begins to cause panic in the groups. It was bad with only two healers, but now everything is stretched even thinner.

SkyClan, notoriously violent, is the first to make the move. Skystar was not above the practice of Kit Stealing, taking Misty's kittens and giving them to Petal Claw for her loyalty ages ago.

Kit Stealing wouldn't become common until the creation of the Law of Loyalty, which is only a few years away, but it did exist before then.

They want a Mothkin kitten.

The Wind Coalition, of course, moves to fight and protect them. They call on ThunderClan, who can usually be relied upon

ThunderClan's request... they also want a Mothkin kitten. They need doctors too.

The River Kingdom and ShadowClan are also moving to take a kitten

EVERYONE needs a doctor, and they will fight and kill to get one. They all begin to realize... if they don't separate, there will be blood. People they love will die, and they'll be ripped apart anyway

Moth Flight, seeing this, BURNING with sorrow and fury at the violence of the Clans but knowing there is no other option, tells her children to make her a promise.

"That there will be no Mothkin after you. That you will never take a mate, or give your kidnappers more children. That you will remember that they were willing to kill their own families to steal you, and that you will be loyal the pursuit of life, virtue, and your sacred ability to heal above the cruel commands of the treacherous Clans."

Having accepted this, the family calls for an end to the fighting. Each child chooses a Clan to go to, and has their name changed.

ThunderClan: Spider Flight -> Spider Flight (no change)

SkyClan: Honey Flight -> Honey Pelt

RiverClan: Bubble Flight -> Bubbling Stream

ShadowClan: Blue Flight -> Blue Whisker

They're being shuffled based on which Clan they go to because it always bothered me that their names don't match their Clans, and also Spider Paw going to RiverClan when he has a phobia of water is insulting and I said no

So, TL;DR, this is a completely different story because DOTC is the one arc that I don't value "fixing." It needs a complete overhaul, imo.

This one would take place after Thunderstar's Justice, which immediately follows the First Battle. In terms of timeline, first is Hollyleaf's Century, 30 years later BB!DOTC begins and lasts several years, a few months after the First Battle begins Thunderstar's Justice, and then Moth Flight's Vow follows a year later.

[the-punforgiven]

Y'know, I do deeply love the standard Fighter Mage Rogue Healer style of fantasy party configuration, I do truly feel like more adventurers in fantasy should be like, some sort of hybrid caster tbh

Like, magic is all well and good, but sometimes you just don't have the time to perform some incantation or ritual to cast a spell in the heat of battle, and if you're on the other end of that, some times you just straight-up don't have the time to close distance before someone nails you with a magic missile or something

Plus, with things like Mage Armor, (provided your fantasy story doesn't have some sort of rule against pairing it with regular armor, and having it work like some sort of magical overshield or something) I feel like it could also partially justify some styles with weapons that'd be too big/heavy/impractical to use irl, letting the spell soak up hits that a big heavy weapon that forces you to overswing would give your opponent access to. Better yet, you could make use of some sort of retaliatory spell as well, anticipating someone to try and take advantage of your Big Fucking Sword's recovery and punishing it, while also giving you the raw destructive power of a crazy fuckhuge sword to boot

Also like, I know I touched on it earlier, but I CANNOT understate the importance of Small Magic Projectile That Buys You Time To Close Distance, if you're like me and was The One Who Was Stuck With The Sword during your friend group's nerf wars, you probably know already the advantages of something small you can just whip at people whole you close distance

Or like, if you play Elden Ring while and happen to enjoy using Magic Glintblade the fun way

Edit: ALTERNATIVELY YOU COULD ALSO JUST TELEPORT, I GENUINELY DID NOT THINK OF THAT WHEN I WAS MAKING THIS POST THE FIRST TIME

But even then, it doesn't even have to be a particularly strong of even 'good' spell, doesn't even have to actually deal damage, just has to be enough to buy you a couple steps worth of time, and that's all you need sometimes

Plus, having magic gives you a vast array of elemental tools to work with for any aspiring fighter, so if some lesser miniboss comes in gloating about how he's immune to physical damage you can just like, microwave him

Or, for a wizard fighting someone with magic immunity, bonk him on the noggin

And like, I get that narratively that's what having a full party of protags is for, to showcase each character's unique skills and abilities, but also like, in most fantasy worlds where magic is just like, a field of study, rather than some magic bloodline bullshit or whatever, there's literally nothing stopping any adventurer from doing both magic and melee in tandem

[aroacettorney]

Love(?) languages: Ludgercasey Edition

1. Physical touch threats

(c203) Ludger pushed Casey against the wall. "Tsk!" Ludger's strong right arm grabbed Casey's wrist. A dagger hidden in the palm of his left arm's prosthetic sprung out, aiming at Casey's neck. However, Casey, a veteran mage who had faced many real battles while solving numerous incidents, was not one to be trifled with. From the moment her wand flew away, she summoned water from the underground canal, creating countless spears. The moment Ludger aimed the blade at her neck and the water spears surrounded him happened simultaneously. Their gazes intertwined in the air. Casey smirked, "Impressive man. A mage hiding such skills?" "Stay still. Any nonsense and you'll have a hole in your throat." "Try me. I wonder, will you be faster, or will I be faster at killing you?" "You're just bluffing." Ludger and Casey glared at each other, not averting their gazes. Sharp swords and water spears crackled with murderous intent.

2. Un-quality time

(c257) "Casey Selmore. I recommend that you not pursue me any longer." "Ha. You provoked me and now you want me to stop? Do you think I will?" "Are you bluffing? I admire that spirit." "Let's see if you can remain so condescending when I catch you." "Do you not value your life?" "If I cared about something like that, I wouldn’t have done this job in the first place." "Then try hard to chase after me. This is a game." "What?" "You chase me, I run away from you. Of course, in the meantime, I plan to finish the events that have unfolded beyond this city and throughout the kingdom." "……Do you think I’ll let that happen?" "The beauty of the game is not knowing who will win. But I think I'll have an advantage if it continues like this, so I'll give you a hint." "Who are you to decide that!" "I will move to the next major city, Dartanx. If you want to catch me, come there." "Why should I believe what you say? You could escape to somewhere else for all I know." "If you’re scared, you don’t have to come. Of course, it would be your regret later after someone dies there." "Fine. I'll go. Wash your neck there and wait." "I look forward to it."

3. Receiving gifts Incurring debt

(c490) "I knew it would be like this. Are you sure you did that on purpose?" "But isn’t it fortunate that we now have separate rooms?" "That’s right. That's really fortunate. I could have been completely helpless against a wolf-like man." "That’s not something someone who is more foxy than anyone else in the world would say. And let me tell you, you owe me twice." "Ah. Is that so? I would not have reacted if it weren’t for you? Debt is 1." "But I saved you. Surely you don't underestimate your own value that much? Debt is 2." "It doesn’t matter because I’m the troublemaker that the family is so willing to give away. Debt is 1." "If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been assigned a new room because of this incident. Debt is 2." [...] "Fine. I’ll give in and make it 1.5." "Wait a moment. What even is the concept of 1.5 in debt? Just clear it cleanly.” "Then round it up to 2." "I'll give in and make it 1.5." "Ha. Since I am the one who erased the debt, I guess I can be generous and let it go.” "How annoying." "You’d better pay off your debt to me quickly. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’ll ask for." "Ha! You're bluffing. Do you think I’d be scared of that?" "……" "……You’re bluffing, right?"

4. Acts of service sabotage

(c237) "So, how did you two meet? What's the relationship between you?" Attempting to force a joint gathering, Casey immediately directed her questions at Selina. Selina, initially intending to protest against this intrusion, unexpectedly found herself entangled in a barrage of questions and responded almost involuntarily. "Uh, well, Professor Ludger and I are both teachers at Ceoren." "Oh! Really? Could I ask what major you teach?" "Uh, Spiritology." "Wow! That's impressive! Dealing with spirits is considered challenging unless you have a natural affinity, right?" "I guess?" Normally, Selina should have been furious, but due to her weak demeanour, she was naturally swayed by Casey's words. Ludger looked at Casey's behaviour with disapproval, but Casey ignored his gaze and continued the conversation naturally. "As for that human, I mean, Professor Ludger, how did you end up here together? This is really a date, right?" "Oh, no! A date? No way! It's not like that!" Reacting vehemently as if pricked by a needle, Selina's intense response made Casey catch on. Selina seemed to have a liking for Ludger. Casey felt a twinge of pity. 'How could a girl who is so beautiful and genuine fall for such a bad guy?' If you look at Ludger's behaviour, it was nothing more or less than his attitude towards his co-workers. To think that she would harbour an unrequited love. Moreover, Ludger's true identity was not as innocent as he seemed. 'This won't do. I need to save her from him.' Casey was passionately planning to sabotage Ludger's date(?) as if saving someone's life.

5. Words of affirmation provocation

(c237) At that moment, Selina couldn't resist her curiosity and asked, "Um, how did you two become acquainted? What's the relationship between you?" Selina had a hunch that there was something between Ludger and Casey. Not only did Casey's behaviour of recognizing Ludger and casually engaging in conversation indicate it, but Ludger, who usually kept his emotions hidden, was overtly displaying his displeasure. 'If Ludger reacts like that, it's not an ordinary relationship.' Although Ludger's response seemed just as irritable as usual, Selina felt it resembled the interactions between close friends. 'It must be a misunderstanding. It has to be.' As Selina was praying silently for this to be true, Casey replied, "Ah, this jerk... I mean, this person, right? We just happened to meet. Of course, we're not that close. Well, that much?" "You don't need to bother too much about this useless person who only causes trouble for me," Ludger added. "What? Hold on a second. Aren't your words a bit too much? Calling me useless!" "I simply stated the obvious." "Well, I can relate to that sentiment." Listening quietly, Betty chimed in at Ludger's words. "It's hilarious. When it comes to measuring nuisances, you're worse, you know?" "Hmph. That's just your personal opinion." Seeing the banter between the two, Selina's expression darkened, "Oh, so you two are really close." Selina's gaze shifted towards the fork she held in her hand.

[hamartiologic]

Let's Play Perfect Love: Pandora Edition [#2]

[Part 1 here]

The quest to Pandorafy Perfect Love continues! Please see the first post for more information if you need to see what this is all about.

Then, let's get started!

Eris' perspective:

For a while, it was our favorite thing to do together. We hung out with different people, learning about them, watching how they interact with each other. Enough to build trust, enough to be let inside. And then destroy them under the guise of helping. We pinned people against each other and watched as they ruined themselves. We sewed conflict where there hadn't been any.

The first part is pretty much what Pandora does on a daily basis. However, in Pandora's iteration, it's already been established that he's more of a non-actor when it comes to inciting negativity in people. He only encourages what's already there out of solidarity, but nothing more. As alluded to in Pandora's tendency to repress and drown out negative emotions, he tries to block out all stressors in his life to enjoy himself. He'd try to do the same for others as well. After all, the more people associate you with positive feelings, the more willing they are to help him out down the line, should he feel the need to enlist their help.

12:30 PM - [img attached below] Pandora would fucking freak out if this was actually said about her

If she heard this, she'd be weighed down by guilt and start ruminating over her morality, obviously. What more that she be responsible for ruining Milo's life here. But since her methods aren't as extreme, I'm doubtful that this is a comment Desmond would actually make. I'm wondering if he confronts Milo at all. Possibly just to check on his drastic change, but since Pandora has the tendency to influence people usually for better, Desmond wouldn't worry too much. At least, I think so.

Pandora wouldn't feel that comfortable around Desmond. He already deals with his moral OCD, but to have someone as morally upright as Desmond in close quarters makes him feel restless. Though, Pandora doesn't even do anything too bad thus far, so if anything, Desmond wouldn't judge him as much. Pandora's irrationality is a result of his disorder and guilt complex, lest we forget.

Since this confrontation wouldn't play out like it would for our dear Eris, I don't think Milo would avoid Pandora. She's loved by so many people, always sought out by others! Sure, there are people who fear her, or even hate her, but they are typically the exception. There's no reason to run away from someone who is on everyone's good graces, and whose good graces everyone wants to be on! So I think this part is gonna be out from the Pandora Love timeline altogether.

However, I think Ryan's confrontation with Milo would still happen. Desmond just... wouldn't be there, I think. Ryan being Ryan, he has enough reason to be a dick. But Milo would have to be alone or else Ryan wouldn't approach, so I guess his reason for not being accompanied by Pandora would be that he wanted to see if he could stand on his own with the skills he's honed. Pandora's probably in another booth or something, dunno, but he'd largely be quiet, leading Ryan to think that Milo really was alone. Though Pandora would indeed step in as he did last time and shut down Ryan's accusations.

Here's the part where Ryan talks down to Eris on the basis of their past relationship. Pandora doesn't have anything like that because she rejected Ryan's confession, so lol.

Eris:

People out there may always betray you, but I will always come to save you. And you'll do the same, right?

This part is really interesting. For all Pandora has done so far to help Milo out, he wouldn't think of himself as Milo's savior, or vice versa. Not just yet, anyway. Part of Pandora does want to be saved from some of his more unfortunate circumstances, but he's learned to depend on himself and lean into hyper-independence rather than the codependency that Eris sets up with Milo.

"I can't rely on other people to save me, but I will always have myself," that's the axiom Pandora operates on. Again, if only she had someone to feel like she could be at rest with to snap her out of this mindset... And obviously, Milo being Milo, he wouldn't think similarly. After all, this is a yandere game, soooo... he'd retain that desire of wanting to be relied on. In the same vein, hasn't Pandora already saved Milo a few times at this point? Well, I hope it works out buddy.

Ah, the group project scene. Well, I already drew something pertinent to this:

Pandora takes his grades very seriously. He won't let anyone distract him from his #gains. After all, he's doing this to expand the opportunities he has. He seems convinced that whatever he wants, only he alone can provide that for himself. Again, good luck Milo...

Milo:

I'm tracking him right now, he's not that far.

Pandora:

(He what? I guess this isn't too weird, Valli does similar stuff too...)

What a tough decision to make! I already discussed Pandora's idea of revenge back in the first post: simply Git Gud. Though out of these two options, Pandora would probably end up stalking Ryan just to inspire a sense of unease. A big fuck you for infringing upon Pandora's life and endangering her like that.

I think I actually entertained the idea of Pandora finding out about Milo's wall before:

Especially because... again, Pandora feels like he isn't seen for who he is. If Milo pursues Pandora in all his candidness, I think he would at least acknowledge that earnest nature of Milo's to a degree.

Pandora's reaction to this probably won't be too enthusiastic. Too much responsibility for someone's entire being. Too much control over someone for it to be ethical. At the same time, she does have the desire for control like this. She'd probably need to sit with this for a while.

I don't know if Pandora would partake in the stalking himself. He'd probably want for it to happen, but it's too much time spent on someone who inspires negative emotions in him, so it's not worth it. But man, what Ryan did was fucked up. Pandora's anger would steer him off the path of rationality and make him do it.

Milo, as it seemed, never took his eyes off of you either. It seemed that he would always bump into you at random times and acted as if it were a coincidence. Even when you went to places you would normally never go, he would always find himself there. He always knew where you were, always followed you.

Pandora's not built for this. But if you swear to love her as she is wholly, she'll look the other way. As long as you can promise to provide the opportunities she wants. As long as you don't get in the way. If you don't impede on her life, her freedom... she's okay with being kept watch by someone who knows every facet of her, despite the fact that it might be suffocating for her at first. Eyes for her, the real her, only... that would be nice.

Pandora seems to be spiraling down further and further, wouldn't you say? Finally befitting of the game he was conceptualized for, haha.

Meanwhile, I think Pandora's circumstances worsen. Milo knows about it, but he pretends not to for now. For Pandora's sake, who can't allow herself to drag others into his mess. The one final push choice would go something like this, which I had written back in the middle of June:

I think the way these are worded make both choices equally viable for Pandora, but because I've emphasized his qualities of moving past negativity, I'm going to go with the choice to get rid of them. Though, I will be going back and choosing protect me to talk about it as well.

In concept, Pandora would agree, but it's at odds with her guilt complex, LOL. She would have to be assured that it's okay to go this far. After all, there's nothing wrong with pursuing happiness no matter what.

I'm trying to think of whether or not I want to canonize Pandora having a hand in this incident. It would add to the layers of him being afraid to hurt others, though without it, he still has a strong case for his mindset. In the end, I don't think Pandora would be involved in this, so I have to think around this. Pandora wouldn't go so far as to orchestrate Milo's bullying either. Eris is far more ruthless than Pandora could ever hope to be.

I think the alternative would be to go for a confrontation with someone else in Pandora's life entirely, not Ryan. We'll have to see.

I think Pandora's annoyance at this point would indeed bubble up and emerge in this outburst though. Especially at this point, where she's warped because of Milo's acceptance, so she doesn't particularly care about saving face.

I can't imagine Pandora would be too enthused about being roughed up by Ryan, yeah. Especially given his history of similar treatment.

[end sentence]. Pandora wouldn't be too happy in this ending. "What the hell, Milo, now we look way too suspicious. You better have a plan for transferring my credits and getting me off the hook here." If something like this got in the way of her prospects, she really wouldn't forgive him at all.

Let's go for the protect me ending!

What a mega ego boost for Pandora. Someone as dedicated as Milo would surely be a boon in his future endeavors, beyond just being someone at his side.

Not that that would matter to Pandora, given her hyper-independence. "I should've handled it myself."

Poor Milo. Pandora would forgive you, but even before he gets that reassurance, he runs off.

I think this is an outcome Pandora would be happy with. Milo's devotion to him, Milo's acceptance of who he is entirely assuring Pandora that there will always be someone who sees all of him and stays with him despite, Milo's willingness to do whatever it takes to make Pandora happy and ensure that it stays that way—out of the game's endings, I think this one would be the canon one for Pandora. Of course, that's within the confines of the scenario in Perfect Love.

Pandora, just like Milo, has plenty of possibilities within the proverbial box that he is. Considering Pandora's stark differences with Eris, she might as well steer off into another timeline completely.

That's all for this letsplay! I hope you enjoyed this unconventional look into Pandora's character and found it interesting. Again, I hope it was coherent and cohesive for the characterization I wanted to put out for her!

I might do a violence addition depending on whether or not that's something that people want to read, especially given the special consideration of Thrillseeker!Pandora.

Thank you for reading!

[ayoyoungg]

Because I got sucked into the drama on Twitter, I watched Popstar Academy (would not have otherwise):

First, I hate survival shows. I’m just like keep that stuff within the company and start showing us material once you’ve chosen the people for the group. I know every company goes through that process of selecting people for the debut group but I’m not a fan of seeing it.

Reason I say this is because I understand & get people having star power or certain people always being in the lineup because they fit what the company is looking for. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. In fact I think that’s the industry. But the way this show was formatted and presented to the girls, they went in thinking something else. Which I’m not sure what they were pitched vs if it was naïveté. (Also, it seems like only a small percentage of the girls were actually familiar with or fans of kpop, just an observation).

Having like 8 or so trainees join LATE, and picking trainees that didn’t even have singing or dancing background was certainly a choice. Like the show made the initial training group feel like a pre-training to get the girls where they need to be for the actual training/show. It’s a typical Netflix thing but I feel like some of the later trainees could’ve really benefitted from being there from the start. Especially since the show had some of the girls really starting from ground 1.

It turning into a survival show halfway through was VERY messed up, especially considering how many girls kept asking before they agreed to the program if it would be a survival show. That contract must have either been very vague with the wording or small font or something.

As the program was happening live, I think I only saw the Buttons performance. I wasn’t paying much attention to the program because I wasn’t interested. That said, the survival show didn’t even make sense if it was solely based on the performances & whatever content the girls chose to post on social media. I understand wanting to gauge fan interest in the girls but like idk have test groups? They should know any time there’s fan voting it’s biased as hell. There should always be a percentage taken into account with fan voting vs judge voting. But anyways, what makes this survival show weird is that part of what affects choosing favorites in other survival shows (like p101) is that you get to see the trainees interact with each other. Even though mnet evil edits, you see through the show who has leadership skills, who’s caring, who’s hardworking, who gets along, who’s improved, etc. All of that was missing when the program was live?! (unless I’m wrong) We’re only learning this stuff through the documentary. I’m only using this as an example but the girls were so shocked Manon scored high, but viewers didn’t know about the missed practices & stuff. Had viewers known, would Manon have scored so high? Who knows (she def has it girl + charisma, so very likely, but you see my point)

On Manon, as I alluded to before, I think it def would’ve been better if she were in that starting trainee group. While some things were missed due to covid which is excusable, it seems that other classes/training were missed just because. It has me curious if something serious irl was going on or what the cause was, but I suppose that’s her business. Classes/training are important. Personally, it would affect my choice of a bias if I knew that they skipped a lot and broke rules such as missing curfew a lot. That said, I do appreciate that she does show up & out when the time calls for it. I’m not sure if the girls really did isolate her or if anyone at least made an attempt to check on her. I understand the frustration of someone who consistently breaks the rules not getting penalized in some way. I’m glad Manon held herself accountable and really showed up at the end.

This program being in partnership with Hybe is so…🙃 to me. For example, Bang PD discussing the plateau in trainee growth and urging them to debut faster. Meanwhile Hybe groups are on blast about their short trainee times and the need to develop skills further. We start seeing more & more injuries in the girls and it’s like maybe if they took the time to further their training and learn how to properly do things, the amount of injuries could lessen. And then the emphasis on social media, developing a fandom, and discussing the parasocial relationship — felt very Hybe. Like yes social media skills are needed but the way they discussed creating the fandom was kinda 🙃 to me. Like the fandom is going to form. Those who were less comfortable/confident/familiar with posting on social media were at a disadvantage. And with them suddenly being thrown into a survival show, it’s not like they were prepared to appeal themselves to the public yet. I don’t think it should have been so important for them to necessarily be good at social media yet. That’s something I think could have been saved for the debut group (or maybe if they KNEW from the beginning it’d be a survival show with that type of format, more of the trainees would be those good at social media). But with how this survival show was formatted, social media was the only way to learn anything about their character.

[natequarter]

possibly useless writing advice:

learn to punctuate your damn dialogue. i don't care how much you hate semicolons, i don't care whatever else you do, you are punctuating your fucking dialogue. i will eat you if you don't.

use paragraphs. you don't need to know exactly how to use them, just make sure you haven't got a block of text and you separate your paragraphs (especially dialogue!) roughly by topic. it will make your work so much more readable.

only use a thesaurus if you need to use the same word a bunch of times, at least for the initial stages of writing. outside of that, you will simply look like a ponce. or an idiot. so if you're describing a room where everything is a different shade of blue, use a thesaurus. beyond that, unless you've forgotten a word, it's generally pointless. thesauruses are better for editing. not a hard-and-fast rule, but a good idea.

don't delete stuff. save parts you can't use now in a discard document. make sure you have backups of all your work, even the cringe supernatural fanfiction from 2011 or whatever. even if you never write for it again, you may find memories or phrases of value.

rewrite stuff. whenever. getting stuck? delete a thousand words. worst comes to worst, you bring it back.

don't worry about word counts, don't worry about having a daily quota. just write when you feel like it, and occasionally when you don't. it is a good idea to write every day, but if you can't, then don't. there's nothing wrong with that. it's a habit, just like everything else, and no habit is perfectly consistent.

keep track of your narrator. if only one person is narrating your story, they should not know things only other people know. if your narrator is omniscient or you have multiple narrators? fine! but if john is the narrator, he should not know what jane had for breakfast. especially don't slip into jane narrating briefly before snapping back to john. it's weird.

don't describe things your narrator wouldn't think to pick up on. this isn't a hard-and-fast rule, especially if you're introducing something/someone your narrator already knows of, but do you think about the fact that your mate has red hair when you say hi? probably not. your narrator is unlikely to do so, either. however, if it's your narrator's first time on page, you'll probably want to. be sensible about it.

just say said! use said! i don't care what you were taught, use said! nobody will notice. i promise you they will not give a shit. use said.

adverbs are literally fine. the most important thing is to be judicial in your use of them. is someone shouting? then don't speak of them shouting loudly; that's implicit. but is someone smiling, grief-stricken? then they can smile sadly. it's fine. who give a shit.

have fun and bite your enemies! they will be in awe of your brilliant writing skills.

[the-weirdos-mind]

Cass Oak: lonely lantern Attire Lines

(I couldn’t just do one of my Ramshackle crew so I’m doing them all. Event by @raguiras2. Cass is a producer and stage designer. Though she can sing, she doesn’t as she relives the memory of her great aunt walking in on her as she sang 70 esq music. Her brother doesn’t let her live it down. She spent a lot of time in the woods with her other great aunt’s journal so she’s very familiar with nature elements and designs some decent sets. Thanks to some practice decoding, she can put everything together as a producer. She already has some outfits from her many trips in the woods so she’s prepared.)

When Summoned: I never thought I’d be a producer. Better than being a singer since I don’t wanna relive something embarrassing. What was it? That’s none of your business!

Groovification: There’s no difference between decoding a secret message and putting together a song. What? You thought I would have some trouble?

Set to Home Screen: Okay, just gotta adjust this… and done!

Home Transition 1: While I’m more into mystery solving than music making, it still has it’s wonders. There’s a lot that I didn’t know or even think about with this.

Home Transition 2: It makes sense that Professor Trein is supervises our group. I doubt he could the handle the music in Estella or Romeo’s groups.

Home Transition 3: I love old pop but the indie music is a nice touch to it. I should probably listen to some more indie music. I may like what I find.

Home After Login: Another day, another song. Okay, what’s on the agenda today?

Home Transition (After Groovification): All these props for building a set. I wonder if I can use the scraps to make a trap to catch an illusive creature in the woods. What? I got stuff that needs to be documented.

Tap Home 1: Silver is very patient with everyone in the group, it makes me wonder what his secret to all that patience is. I know I need some of that with my brother sometimes. That boy gives a heart attack every week. Regardless, I still got his back when he needs me.

Tap Home 2: *scream* Oh, that was just Rook in the fake tree. Geez, way to scare someone.

Tap Home 3: Jack looks like he’s at home with the plants. I’m glad that he���s starting to relax a little. I thought he was about to get an ulcer from how stressed he looked.

Tap Home 4: I feared that I didn’t do a good enough job when editing everything, but now that I saw the music video… I feel better about my skills. The video gave me goosebumps.

Tap Home 5: Where I got all the crystals for the music video? No where in particular *nervous chuckle* Just don’t tell the gnomes in the woods okay??

Tap Home Groovication: This experience has shown me a lot about a world I never even thought about. I’m glad that I got to do this.

And yes there will be a Vignette for this too. Wouldn’t be fair if I just did one and not the rest