#i'm using this as motivation to get off my butt and write more for this AU it really is one of my faves

[x-i-l-verify]

An art commission from the very lovely and talented @pppuri illustrating two of the main characters from my Dream SMP vampire AU, which features copious amounts of worldbuilding, found family feels, slavery, hurt/comfort, dark SBI, and BBH Dormouse and Dream the Emerald being the most dynamic of unlikely duos.

[whore-ibly-hot]

'Photo Shoot'

Yan!Photography Student x GN!reader x Yan!Art instructor (Joseph and Mr. Burton)

18+ Minors DNI

Warnings: All characters are legal age, multiple yanderes, dub-con touching, perverted thoughts, voyeurism, student/teacher dynamics, nude photography, no real mention of specific genitals

AN: I'm so eepy right now... Also, if you like this fic, use the tags on my masterlist to find all the other Yan!Boarding School writings.

The smoke coming from the corner of the room ceases when Mr. Burton snuffs a cigarette butt out on an... ashtray? From where you're sat, you can see him putting it out on what looks more like a student pottery bowl. That strikes you as odd, but he can be very critical of others art so you can't be suprised. Cracking his knuckles and leaning back a little, he turns to you and the extremely quiet classmate beside you, Joseph.

"Alright, lets get this show on the road, yeah? Joseph, you're our camera man, I'll have you leading this thing, running the camera's and I'll give some creative direction. Student and the master, I can finally teach some actual fucking art." Mr. Burton mumbles, as Joseph quickly begins setting up the camera on a tri-pod. You feel odd about him to say the least, despite you being the 'muse', as Mr. Burrton calls you, Joseph's barely made eye contact with you. You agreed right off the bat when Mr. Burton asked you to help one of his favorite students with some anatomy shoots, you like Mr. Burton, he's funny, honest, and that's refreshing, given you worry some people at this academy have ulterior motives. Still, you had some concerns as you fiddle with the thin top you wore at Mr. Burton's request. "Mr. Burton?" you ask, and he looks up from where he's mumbling about something with Joseph. He motions for the young man to keep working as he strolls over.

"I'm nervous." You admit, hand rubbing at your elbow as an attempt to self-soothe. "I don't usually get, nude, on camera, and i-it's not that I don't trust you, sir, but-" He puts his hand up to cut you off, gently rubbing your shoulder. "Woah, woah. I get it, I get it." He assures you, tone comforting. "You're my student, and you've got great, great potential. I've been on the art scene, kid, I see the burnout path some people go down, I see the ways people exploit and get exploited. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. If you get uncomfortable, I'll pull you out. And trust me, being in the nude for art starts to feel perfectly normal after a while, okay?" He pauses, then sighs. "Okay, it's comfortable except for being cold as hell." He laughs.

You chuckle in return, but there's still a bit of worry. He can tell, and leans in. "What is it that worries you, exactly? If it's insecurity, trust me, the real artists are those marketing execs who can photoshop a skinny model and make change up the whole idea of beau-"

"It's not that sir, I promise. I'm just worried about other people seeing, you know? I'm worried about it getting spread around, or people getting bad ideas about me." You admit, face a little pale. Mr. Burton's brows furrow, and he slaps his hand down on his jeans. "Joseph, come here!" He yells.

Joseph jumps, hands shaking as he almost knocks over his tripod. "But- uh, the cameras-" He squeaks out, and Mr. Burton shakes his head. "You're one of the best photographers I've ever met, Joseph, I know damn well that cameras been set up for well over ten minutes already. Come here, don't be shy, don't be weird. You're freaking out the subject." At the idea him staying away is freaking you out just as much as him coming up to you, Joseph walks over. "H-hi." he greets, holding out his hand. You shake it, and it is particularly sweaty.

"Joseph is a great photographer, my best student and possibly one of the best I've ever seen. I assure you, he's a good kid. He's dedicated to his craft, this isn't a complex scheme for him to fence some nudes of you to the highest bidder." The young man's eyes widen exponentially as Mr. Burton makes his assertion, and instinctually puts his hands up in surrender. "No, no! I would never, ever. Do I- do I come off as that kind of creep, if I do I'm sorry."

"No, it's not that at all, I just struggle with, well, some issues like that." Joseph visibly frowns, and Mr. Burtons hand tenses from it's spot on the table.

"You are pretty creepy, Joseph." Mr. Burton admits, making the boy flush as the teacher playfully pushes his head. "This'll be good, good art pushes outside of comfort zones, yeah? Let's get all set up." He claps his hands together as he goes to stand behinf the camera with Joseph. You strip, and sit awkwardly before the camera in front of a messy brick wall with various stains and prints on it from Mr. Burton's studio. Mr. Burtons licks his lips subconsciously as he looks over your meek form, the clears his throat. "Okay, first position, mermaid pose. Lets get those legs to the side."

The shoot continues on for a while, until Mr. Burton suggests a more 'raw' shoot. That's how you find yourself posing, hands over your chest area and thighs ever so slightly parted while Mr. Burton sits behind you, also nude. You worried about it being inappropriate, mostly for his sake. "Couldn't this... I mean, I'm willing to do it if you think it'll be good art, but won't you get in trouble if people find out?" You ask, turning over your shoulder a bit. He scoffs again, and shakes his head. "No self-respecting person with credentials like mine would teach these silver spoon brats art, I'm all they've got." He assures you, going to move an arm around your waist from behind.

"What composition do you want, sir?" Joseph asks, face red as he uses every ounce of will-power to try and suppress an erection at the sight of you and the older man. He'll worry about the new and conflicting feelings later. He's got enough photos to die happy, but the fact you seem so willing fills him with a delusional sense of your interest in him.

"It's your shoot, Joseph. Take over directing." Mr. Burton calls back, and Joseph doesn't seem sure. "I don't know, sir, you have more of a vision than me, and-" Mr. Burton groans, rolling his head back like a kid throwing a tantrum. "Jesus christ, kid. How many times do I have to hammer in that you're a good artist? You can direct your own shoots-" He notices the violently red flush of Josephs cheeks, and chuckles. "Or is this more an issue of being to embarrassed, because I told you-" He waves his free arm around. "We are pushing the envelope, making something raw, pushing ourselves out of comfort zones. To be a great artist, you have to not be afraid to tell your NUDE SUBJECT, to spread their legs and bare it all." Joseph is completely silent, stun-locked by his gruff teachers comments. He begins examining the shot in the view-finder after taking a few shaky breathes.

"Alright, Sir... of course." He swallows, and his shaky hands adjust the lens. "I want to-to try and delineate from what other people think nude shoots are, away from like... porn and stuff. Raw, but intimate, I think." Mr. Burton nods for him to continue, and seeing the interest in your eyes at his creative direction, Joseph gets a little more confident. "If you're okay with it-" He addresses you now. "I'd like Mr. Burton to be able to touch you, nothing too invasive, just a kiss on the neck or the shoulder, maybe letting him hold your thigh?" Joseph keeps his tone soft and asking, sure to imply you can say no.

"That's alright, I trust him." You mumble, looking at the gruff art instructor and seeing to your surprise a soft look on his face. "I'm honored, little muse." He teases, and the nickname makes you flush. "Oh, and you too, Joseph, we've not talked much, um, but you seem really dedicated, I'm sure I'm in good hands."

Shit. Well, so much for keeping his dick down, but at least he doesn't think you can see from the way the lighting is set up. He nods, and you shiver, feeling a cold pair of lips and a thin stubble scratch at the surface of your shoulder. "Are they cold?" Mr. Burton chuckles, placing a few more small kisses as you hear the camera shutter snap. "I'm sorry, I can't control the thermostat in here, all this money and they can't afford to make sure I don't freeze my dick off doing my job." He's always so grumpy, even when he's trying to be sweet. You close your eyes and try to relax into the feeling. It escalates occasionally, hands on your thighs as he kneads gently at your flesh, occasionally making a complaint about something or picking at Joseph, who keeps making an odd series of grunts, but you assume he's just breathing heavy from being so focused.

It culminates in you being positioned over him, as if playing the playful or dominate role in some sort of erotic moment. Mr. Burtons hands rest on your ass, his firm yet not fully erect cock a little too close to your hole. You're chest to chest with him, and while he's relishing in the feeling, Joseph makes a hand motion, and he knows its time to pull away, at least for this ession. He's smart, knows not to rush it, and he knows this is more than enough material for the vouyeristic camerman.

"I think we got some good shots, i-it's getting late. I'll go grab something from the vending machine while you too warm up." Joseph scarmbles away, camera bag held oddly across his crotch area. Mr. Burton smiles as you slide off from him, flushed as the weight of your previous position hits you. "You were great, a real professional." He urges, scooting forward to sit beside you.

"Thank you, sir. I was trying not to get too flushed or anything, I hope I didn't sweat too much." You admit, and he shakes his head to assure you. "Nah, you did fine, but if I could make a suggestion?" You look up. "No real intimate scene like that doesn't have a couple kissing. On your neck and shoulders was fine, but lets face it, people do more than neck each other when they're getting it on like that." He glances at the door, making sure Joseph is still doing whatever it is he's doing out there. He didn't discuss this part with the young artist, but let's face it, learning to be one step ahead, to protect your work and your muse, is something he's gonna have to learn anyways. "Will you let me show you?" he asks, voice low as he leans closer to your face.

You glance at the camera. "It's not running, though shouldn't we wait for joseph to take the photo?" You ask, a little more unsure about the artistic integrity of the action. He shakes his head as he lets his stubble scratch your cheek. "This'll be practice, yeah? For next time..."

"Next time?"

"Next time." He mumbles, lips feverishly sealing against your as he hunces over your form, cold bodies pressing together and leaving goosebumps which trail down your form as the session closes out.

[frozenmoonshine]

How TR boys show affection/love?

Long time no write, but my hyperfixation is very alive and kicking, as always! And since the weather is getting chillier as we're approaching the full blown autumn, it's the perfect time for some cozy, fluffy thoughts! 🍂🍁☕️🧦

TW: none, just some slight exaggeration for comedic purposes; Reader's gender is not specified

MIKEY - bites.

You can't convince me this adorable, emo menace to society isn't a total menace in every other aspect as well! He likes you means he wants you. He also wants dorayaki because he likes it. Dorayaki is something he chews on. ........... You can see what I'm getting at. He'll just randomly start munching on any bit of your skin he can get access to. And if he gets carried away, he can bite for real! It's just Mikey logic, don't question it, there's no use. But, fair be fair, he also protecc!

DRAKEN - acts of service.

He's the type to reflexively take off his jacket and cover you when you're cold, or go get you a bottle of water when you're out in the hot weather and he noticed you struggling with the heat. He'll always carry your bags and stuff, and doesn't allow you to refuse. You need an errand done - he's already on it. And the best part is that he never thinks twice about doing any of that, it's simply his second nature.

BAJI - surprisingly... also acts of service.

CLUMSY acts of service, but acts of service nonetheless! He'll cook for you (as in, more than just instant yakisoba - an actual meal). He'll bring you a cat when you're feeling down to cheer you up. He'll teach you to fight if you need to blow some steam off. (And he'll happily spar with you, but beware - he has ulterior motives in that sparring session, iykwim 😏) Still, the biggest sign of his affection is if he lets you touch his hair!

MITSUYA - support.

I was tempted to say 'words of affirmation', but on the second thought, just support in every shape and form that you might need. He's your shoulder to cry on when you need to, someone who believes in you when you doubt yourself, and someone you can always rely on no matter if you're going through a petty drama or your world actually just fell apart. He's always there by your side, through thick and thin!

KAZUTORA - trust.

They say that jealousy is the sign of love, but it's the exact opposite in Kazu's case! If you really mean something to him, he won't experience the least bit of jealousy, even if he saw you sitting butt-naked in another man's lap! He'll also be fully comfortable being himself around you, and feel safe to share his past, traumas, mistakes, and his healing journey, without fear of being judged or abandoned. He will just know in his heart that you are his person no matter what!

KOKO - self-sacrifice & physical touch.

I think this is pretty much canon, but allow me to elaborate nonetheless.

Hajime is passionate. When he falls in love, he falls head over heels and worships the ground his s/o walks on! His devotion can sometimes border on obsession, and there is nothing he wouldn't be willing to do for his love! And I mean - nothing - literally no limits! He'd kill or die in a heartbeat for the one he loves, no questions asked! And, since he burns so fervently in love, he cannot help the urge to constantly shower the object of his affection in kisses, to hold them tight and just feel their skin, warmth, scent... Sidenote: he doesn't hug, he embraces!

[creaman]

—BECAUSE KUNG FU PANDA 4 KILLED MY GRANDMA, OKAY?

To preface, I watched this movie and I'm genuinely tweaking right now so I had to write down a very brief (lie) criticism on this film — which you should boycott, by the way.

Starting with the things I liked, before briefing my primary points of criticism:

Po's Character Regression

Po and Zhen's Dynamic

The Chameleon

I'd also yap about Lord Shen and the death of the art style and the entire narrative and pacing and use of the staff of wisdom but my therapist says being such a hater is 'unhealthy' or something. My heart is full of hatred.

SPOILERS for the entirety KFP4 for the 2 people who care.

KFP4 undermines and ignores the previous three movies — Unwriting character developments, outright removing the Furious Five, straying from the character design philosophies and is completely inconsistent with the established lore.

Things I Liked About Kung Fu Panda 4

The Chameleon's character design

Visual gag in the Tavern where Po uses a recently thrown axe as a hat rack (made me laugh)

When Mr. Ping did this:

so cute! the little heart!

Po — Character Writing

Po, as established in the previous movies, is confident in his abilities and identity — he’s learnt inner peace, he’s matured as a character. However, in KFP4, his character has completely regressed. He’s immature again (such as KFP1, possibly worse) and says verbatim, “only knows kicking butt and taking names” — UNLEARNING inner peace and insisting that “…being the Dragon Warrior is all I know.”

It’s childish, and sort of Hotel Transylvania-esque.

Which isn’t helped by the comedy, the dialogue — a large chunk of which are jokes in the style of:

Master Shifu says something philosophical

Po quips off of it / doesn’t get it (i.e. Whoa!! beat I don’t know what that means.)

Oh, it’s great, yeah, very tolerable. Po’s shenanigans are normally reeled in by the presence of the Furious Five who are generally more serious in nature, creating a much needed balance in the dynamic — So without them, it’s just Po becoming increasingly obnoxious and insufferable with every consecutive quip throughout the screenplay.

Po and Zhen — Character Dynamics

[No more graphics sorry I'm too angry]

As if it wasn’t obvious that Zhen was going to be the next Dragon Warrior the second she was introduced.

Zhen, as a character, has no depth besides being a quippy thief. She quips, she steals. This character has no motives — it can be assumed that the writers intended on a ‘change of heart’ thing, but she isn’t established as evil, her working for the Chameleon is written as a (albeit poor) twist reveal.

By which point, her taking either side wouldn’t make sense, given that she has shown no loyalty or attachment to either Po nor the Chameleon.

The movie artificially strengthens their bond by having Zhen start opening up about her backstory out of nowhere for no reason but they have done nothing to grow closer to each other.

Small tangent, her backstory is exactly what you’d expect it to be with no subversions or even emotional weight. Woe is me I was so small and hungry I had to steal to survive. Glossed over in about a minute.

The majority of the dialogue between Zhen and Po is spoken exposition — explaining how powerful and badass the Chameleon is, explaining how ‘we have to go here to do that’ and ‘this place was cool until the Chameleon did such and such’, and the rest of their time together is spent engaging in filler chase sequences and fight scenes.

The Chameleon

Where do I even start…

This is where it becomes apparent that the movie relies heavily on telling rather than showing —

She is the weakest villain by far, not only in universe but as a written character; which is particularly disheartening because I genuinely adore her character design and feel as though a shapeshifting character has great potential.

The movie artificially inflates her power by insisting through exposition that this is the most capable antagonist thus far (lie).

The audience is TOLD by Zhen and various restaurant patrons that the Chameleon is a powerful shapeshifting sorceress and that she 'dominates the city' whilst the film does nothing to showcase this.

'Dominating the city' meaning letting her henchpeople run amock and bully the civilians just like Lord Shen's wolves in KFP2... uninspired.

I just realised they didn't even give her a NAME what the FUCK is going on

She describes HERSELF as ruthless, clever and unsentimental when comparing Zhen to herself.

She says HERSELF that she’s “Stronger than every opponent you’ve ever faced.”

Let’s see what vile reprehensible things she’s done, shall we?

Gently push someone down some stairs

Her first appearance is through Zhen’s exposition, as opposed to the dramatic and memorable entrances of the previous villains. Her motives or character aren’t established until the final third of the film. She doesn’t even FIGHT anybody until the final third of the film; and even then, her fight sequences are uninspired and she never really poses a real threat. (She goes down in two hits.)

That being said, WE CAN STILL SAVE HER GUYS WE CAN STILL GET HER OUTTA THERE I'M COMING FOR YOU CHAMELEON I'M GONNA DRAFT YOU A PROPER BACKSTORY AND MOTIVE AND YOU'RE GONNA BE THE MOST THREATENING VILLAIN THUS FAR

There's a scene after the climax of the film where all the kung fu masters and previous villains from the spirit realm bow to Po. I'm not going to provide my thoughts on this because I fear I may burst a blood vessel. Good day!

Closing Statements

To put it simply, Kung Fu Panda 4 was my Megamind 2.

The film rejects its predecessors in every way. It really feels as though they brought in somebody with no prior knowledge of the franchise to direct the movie.

It's a film that relies heavily on telling rather than showing — banking on the previous three movies to carry it through the box office.

It's just really disheartening to see studio execs turn one of the best franchises into a safe sequel cash grab and regress every character's development.

Nevertheless. I do adore the chameleon's character design so I might do my own take on her character.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no fairy godmother, there is no tooth fairy, and there is no kung fu panda 4.

[ghostytoad]

hey!! if you’re taking requests, i’d like to request the rottmnt boys falling for a fem! reader who’s basically like your stereotypical raph. she loves fighting, loves working out, loud asf, short-tempered, blunt, sarcastic, cursed with resting bitch face, all that jazz. but, once you get to know her, she’s actually really funny and sweet. NEVER afraid to speak her mind, so she may come across as rude or sassy at times, but she never really means to be. DEFINITELY has mild adhd and is on the autism spectrum. 🫶

Hfhdks yippe, my v first request!! tbh the boys can use a little extra chaos in their life so this was really fun to write abt. hopefully it's decent, i'm still v new to writing this kinda stuff!!

* Kiss with a Fist *

ROTTMNT Boys x Fem! Raph-esque reader who is secretly a sweet softie

Summary: The Hamato brothers unexpectedly fall for an intimidating, snappy, but secretly sincere human.

Headcanons for: Raph, Donnie, Leo, & Mikey

Fem! Reader; Romantic; Fluff; Mild violence || Words: 4k

Feel free to send in more requests and prompts!!

Raph:

to be honest, raph was initially intimidated and wary of y/n when they first met

like sure, he's used to his brothers being a bit too curt and impulsive and april can come off as sassy and overbearing but none of that compares to the levels y/n is on

something about how forward she can be really puts the poor turtle on edge

until he starts getting to know her a little better, finding out more about her hobbies and all

after a period of initial surprise, he starts getting used to y/n's presence in the lair

she fits in almost naturally in their family dynamic; she's basically one of them now and he loves having someone around who shares his interests

plus he could always use a workout buddy; not that his brothers aren't good spotters but he could always use a break from their antics

will take y/n to every wrestling event & spend the entire time gushing about his newest wrestling idol and when they're not out and about beating up bad guys or playing video games, he will allow y/n to sit in and spot him while he powers through his rigorous workouts

he enjoys being able to swap workout tips and tricks with y/n; treats every little bit of advice she gives as divine wisdom & he will take it all to heart

he likes to brag to his brothers about how strong y/n is, especially considering that she can keep up with his mutant abilities; everything she does impresses him to no end

opened a jar of pickles without help? amazing

landed on her feet after a pretty high tumbling jump? absolutely incredible

being able to handle his occasional hugs? literally the best thing in the world to him

having y/n around motivates raph to train harder and push himself past his limits

unfortunately, this has led to a few injuries-

"uh oh. y/n ain't gonna be happy to hear about this..."

cue the scolding, the lectures, and the bedrest. y/n's orders. but raph secretly enjoys being doted on by y/n so he won't say no

it didn't take raph too long to realize his feelings for y/n

he'd been picking up on little hints here and there, but he'd talk himself out of that silly train of thought every single time

like when he'd catch her watching him train and could feel that rush of heat burn at his cheeks

'i've just been training too hard and it's way too hot in here'

and when he couldn't get y/n off his mind when she wasn't around?

'i'm just worried about her is all. who knows what kinda trouble her loud mouth might get her in-'

but it was when y/n was comforting raph after a bust mission one particular night that really did him in and confirmed his feelings

It's bad enough when the brothers fail in their latest mission, but to get their butts handed to them by Hypno of all villains? Eesh, talk about major humiliation stink. The loss had them all silently slinking back into their lair, hoping to sleep off the defeat at the hands of their unimpressive foe. Raph was just about to make his way into his room to mop when he spotted Y/N waiting up for them in the lair's living room. It was upon seeing her sitting there with an unreadable, stern expression that a realization hit him. They had plans later.

"Hey, sorry, YN. No Brunch 'n Punch tonight. Raph's a lil' tired..." his low and gruff voice did little to hide the timid air in his tone. "I-I'll make it up to ya though! Promise!"

Despite his stuttered attempt to console Y/N and her anticipated disappointment, his tired expression and wilted posture gave away just how exhausted and downtrodden the towering mutant was. It was more than enough to tell Y/N a few things:

Raph had another rough day.

Raph once again pushed himself and got hurt.

And Raph needed someone to help carry that weight.

Before he could continue his defeated shuffle past Y/N, he felt a sudden tug on the lip of his rugged shell. Not even a second after, he felt his torso being enveloped by the subtle warmth of what could only be a person. Was Y/N hugging him...? Looking down from his stunned silence, he found Y/N with her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, face hidden by the jutting ridges of his plastron. Unable to find the words to break the tense silence surrounding them, Raph simply lets out a low chuckle as his hand gently caresses the back of Y/N's head.

"If this is about me bailing on our plans, Raph gets it. You probably hate m-"

"What am I gonna do with you, Raph...? What am I going to do if you won't take care of yourself..." Y/N's voice was unusually small.

"Say what?" The mutant didn't know what to make of the wavering tone in Y/N's voice. Was she mad? Was she worried? It was unlike Y/N to be this... vulnerable.

After a few more moments of silence, Raphael broke out of his confusion with a realization. Y/N was still holding him. The exhaustion and shame began lifting its shrouding curse off of him as his body eased into the comforting embrace. So warm. So gentle. So caring. Everything about Y/N was perfect, even the parts of her personality that she chose to share only with him. It was then that another, more pressing realization came to his mind.

Damn, does this boy got it bad. He's in love.

Donnie

he's entirely put off by y/n's whole demeanor and keeps his distance at first; like raph on his own can be a headache to deal with, but now there's two of them??

he won't outright avoid her, he just prefers quieter company

he can't exactly say they share many similar interests, but y/n's newfound spot as a member of his little family gives him incentive to at least try finding some common ground to bond over

so when it comes to the more physical and brawn-heavy aspect of his work, he can truly appreciate y/n's constant presence

god knows he can't trust his brothers to be careful or attentive enough to help him in the lab and april isn't always around to enthusiastically offer her assisstance when needed... but y/n just happens to be the perfect solution to his otherwise frustrating problem

dare he say it: "she's reliable and more importantly always happy to lend a hand"

and donnie really values the way y/n is willing to listen to him drone on about his latest projects and mapping out his complex thought process; all with very little complaint (a huge plus for him!)

in fact, she even seems eager to learn and is quick to pick up on the nuances of his work. he can also understand/empathize with y/n's misunderstood demeanor when it comes to her stone faced expression ('or resting bitch face, as she so eloquently put it')

donnie's never been good at expressing himself; he knows how vexing it can be when everyone seems intent on misreading one's emotions based on something as fickle as facial expression

and the more time donnie spends with y/n, the more he's able to observe her and her subtle mannerisms

it's gotten to the point where he can pick up on her subtle cues and accurately read her mood better than anyone else. to his brothers, it's as if y/n and donnie share a telepathic connection with how easily they can communicate with a simple glance

it doesn't take long for him to get used to y/n's more rambunctious and wild behaviors; when he's not busy working, he will sometimes invite her on their less eventful missions and adventures

he won't say it out loud, but he's really come to respect y/n's combat prowess and her ability to hold her own

admires it even... one might even say he lov-

'nope. no. nein. not the l-word...'

donnie's always quick to catch himself before he can finish off that thought but he can't help himself; cute and mean are just his type after all

whether or not he chooses to pursue those feelings though....

well, let's just say y/n really didn't leave him a choice after she practically saved his life during one fairly unexpected encounter

It hadn't been a hard mission. The Hamato brothers had successfully thwarted another run-of-the-mill robbery at the appropriately named Run of the Mill Pizzeria. Relishing in their triumph, the four turtles, joined by their newest companion Y/N, decided to make a night of it and order a few celebratory 'zzas. It was as Donnie was making his way to the booth that he was halted by the stumbling grip of an iebriated yokai yanking him back by his shoulder. The patron's swaying form crumpled forward as they tried supporting their full weight on the hand that was still firmly locked on Donnie's shoulder.

"'Ey you.... I know you..." the strong stench of alcohol burned at the turtle's nostrils as he furrowed his brow in confusion, "Yer the guy from that brawl last night. Ya dropped my drink!"

Ah. Mistaken identity. Before Donnie could correct them, the yokai straightened in a menacing stance, lifting their hand's grip from him and balling into a fist.

"You... YOU! You owe me a new drink AND a new shirt! Ya ruined MY GOOD SHIRT!"

Ever the smug one, Donnie simply shook his head and with condescension dripped from his lazy grin.

"Perhaps laying off on the booze might help to improve your memory. You're clearly looking for a fight and I'm not one to hold back in battle." With a wave of his hand, he feigned a dramatic sigh, "But I'd reconsider what would be one too many bar fights. I mean, you've obviously done your brain enough damage."

What followed was the unmistakable and resounding thud of a body hitting the restaurant walls. The remaining brothers watched amusedly from their booth as the purple-coded brother peeled from the newly dented wall and collapsed onto the floor, dumbfounded and only mildly in pain.

"He'll be fine~" Leo mused as he caught sight of Y/N's horrified expression.

"He was kinda askin' for it..." Raph shrugged, unwilling to stop Y/N who was now stomping a warpath from the booth to the drunken offender.

"HEY, ASSHOLE!" were the only words uttered before Y/N's flurry of furious punches unleashed themselves onto the yokai's face. Donnie watched fondly as Y/N's strike after strike seemed to reduce the belligerent patron to a pathetic and unintelligable mess on the floor.

Something about her pose, the way her bruised fists were held up in triumphant victory as she loomed over the monster's unconscious form, seemed to pull at the deepest, darkest parts of the turtle's heart. Was she always this badass and cool? Was it the lighting? Was it the concussion setting in? Has she always looked this cute?

"Wow... You're incredible....." Donnie muttered under his breath with awe.

So much for science being his only love.

Leo:

honestly? the more chaos, the better

raph is great and all, but he always had the annoying tendency to boss everyone around, and his ever-growing worry chasm was really starting to irk leo

so it's great to have someone around that isn't always on his case about his stunts or lecture him on dull things like responsibility and duty and all

while he does take into account the fact that Y/N is a human, she's a special human with special priviliges in his mind; meaning open invites to every mission (no matter how dangerous) and her own front row seat to every single convoluted plan leo's made

he's always there to actively enable her loud habits, he just lives for the banter and drama; he calls it his very own telenovela

obviously he'd never let her get too far into it and when things start getting a little too real, he will try getting y/n to tone down the snark and deescalate the situation

can't have his new bestie getting herself into trouble after all! and he'd never hear the end of it from his brothers if she ever got hurt bc of his encouragement

as boring as he finds training to be, having y/n around really helps to spice things up. he's always calling dibs on having her for sparring partner duties and won't hold back much

on the rare occasion that he's not getting into trouble and causing mischief with y/n, he'll show her around all the best stargazing spots new york has to offer (via portal ofc)

no reason in particular, it's just nice getting to see the stars past the haze of the city's light pollution and it seems like something friends do

'it's totally normal for friends to stargaze alone together, right?'

yeah, no he's sure of it. he just really happens to enjoy y/n's company without the constant interruption of his brothers' teasing

it's not like he's asked her to go with him on a magic carpet ride or anything

oh wait...

right, there was that one time when they decided to stop by the mystic city antiques shop and try out the dubiously named "magic carpet" the shop was selling. how was he supposed to know it was a flying magic carpet?? magic could literally mean anything!

he didn't complain when y/n would hold onto him as they weaved through the skies of the hidden city. and it was cute watching her face scrunch up with laughter every time he made a joke

but that's just friends being friends, right??

'this better not be what being wrong feels like because it's not a great feeling at all'

"Alright, Leo. This'd better be good for you to be calling me up at 3 in the morning." April's voice hissed through the call, still rough with sleep and irritation as Leo had called her up on a school night of all times.

Leo gripped tightly at the phone as if it were his only line of defense from the terrible, terrible ordeal he was about to confide. "Apes, you gotta help me! I think I might be losing my edge or something."

"Your... what?"

"My edge!" Leo reiterated, panic set in his tone, "My mojo! The Leo-factor! I think I might be losing it and I don't know how to get it back!"

A few moments of soft shuffling sounding from the phone's receiver met Leo's frantic explanation. April must've been slowly forcing herself to sit up from where she'd been sleeping peacefully only minutes ago.

"... don't 've time for this..." was all that could be deciphered between shuffles.

The disgruntled girl could only sigh, "Okay. Leo. What makes you think you've 'lost your mojo'?"

Leo paused in thought, humming low as he tried to recall his recent mojo-related blunders.

"Okay, okay, so! You know how Y/N's been hanging around the lair a lot more lately? It's like every time she's there, I get thrown off my game. And I mean, I really get thrown off! With everything!"

"Mhm?" April deadpanned.

"None of my one-liners seem to land with her and it's because I keep forgetting how to talk mid-sentence! So I end up sounding like some stuttering moron! And I keep running into things and tripping over my own feet when I see her like I'm the clumsiest chump alive. And just the other night I was out testing the sickest tricks on Mikey's new board- don't let him know that by the way- when she shows up outta nowhere with her smug little smile and throws me off my moves! I mean, all I see is her eyes on me and the next thing I know, I've got a mouthful of gravel and concrete. It's like she's sapping all the cool out of me and I need it to stop like yesterday!" Leo had to take a moment to catch his breath as he explained his troubling situation, clearly unaware of just how clueless he was. April could only wait silently for the information to sink in, a sleepy scowl painted on her face. God, she could just strangle the boy if he were here.

"So you're telling me that you called me up in the middle of the night to tell me that you have a crush?" she hissed once again, the gritting of her teeth audible.

"A what? Crush? Oho, no no no no." the mutant scoffed in disbelief, "I'm telling you that Y/N could be a witch or some kind of energy vampire or something and we-"

"Leo, let me ask you something. What's more likely: The fact that Y/N is a mojo-sucking vampire witch or the fact that you may have some feelings for her?"

The thought hadn't really occured to him before. Could it really be something as simple as a crush that's doing him in? He had been feeling a little different as of late... But he just assumed it was all from the mutant witch powers Y/N might've been using on him. He took a few moments to contemplate, a dark blush gradually forming across his face the more he thought of Y/N.

Well, what's not to like about her? She's a certified badass, she's cool, she's never afraid to give it to ya straight. And underneath that tough exterior was an equally cool but much softer version that balanced out Leo's more impulsive and emotional side. Could it really be that Leo had feelings for Y/N?

".... Do you think Donnie can run a few tests to find out what kind of witch she is?"

"I'm hanging up now, Leo."

"NO, WAIT, I-" Dial tone.

Crush it is then. Man, did he hate being wrong.

Mikey:

ever the eternal optimist, mikey is never one to judge people and gives them every benefit of the doubt until he's forced to believe otherwise

so when he first meets y/n, he takes to her standoffish nature like bees on honey

instant besties right off the bat, even if they have their differences

he's quick to introduce y/n to everything mutant turtle life has to offer, whether it be inviting her over for a few rides on the half-pipe or introducing her to the cinematic magic that is jupiter jim and its many sequels

no matter what they do, he's always there to make sure she's having fun

mikey picks up on y/n's kinder side pretty quickly too

being emotionally intuitive and a self-proclaimed therapist, he is able to see through y/n's more abrasive personality and finds her gentler side to be just as exciting and fun, if not incredibly endearing

he'll even encourage her to be more open with that part of herself by insisting she join him in his little Dr. Feelings sessions he regularly holds for his brothers (totally not against their will)

during the whole session, he'll check in on y/n and ask if she has any thoughts on the matter

"what about you, y/n? you've been around us long enough to get a say. am i right or am i totally right?"

he knows he can trust her more blunt and forward nature to lay it down as it is

but he can also trust that she won't say anything to hurt them just for the sake of it

so she's a perfect fit for the role of Nurse Candid/Assisstant Tough Love

funny thing is, Dr. Feelings can't really talk mikey out of making a fool of himself in front of y/n

he tries not to be too clingy or push too many boundaries, but how can he resist?

she's like the highlight of his little adventures and he genuinely enjoys having her around all the time that he just *needs* to understand every part of what makes y/n her

together, they'd make the ultimate power couple!

er... power couple business-wise

purely professional in this unofficial practice

'unless.....'

time for the Love Doctor to pay mikey a little visit

"Candles? Check. Fancy silverware? Check. A deliciously decadent three course meal prepared by your truly? Check." Mikey took a moment to look over his fine work as he finished setting up a "platonic-but-can-be-romantic" dinner for Y/N. He'd been hard at work all week trying to come up with the perfect excuse to invite Y/N to the lair alone. It wasn't a date or anything! Well really, that was the trouble with this whole thing. It had to strike the right balance of friendly and intimate. With a hint of romance drizzled in. And a sprinkle of platonic fun. Gah, what a confusing mix.

Sighing thoughtfully, the young turtle set down the two artistically prepared culinary plates on the now satin-draped dining table that sat in the center of the projection room. Sure, it might've been a bit cliche but the quiet ambiance of the room was the best choice for a romantic candlelit dinner. Plus if the whole romance angle didn't pan out the way Mikey had hoped, a movie marathon would surely break the tension and shift gears into friendly hangout mode. Everything about this night had been planned to a T, down to the fact that his brothers were busy on another patrol that was sure to take all night.

The orange-clad mutant gave the setup another quick once over and, satisfied with his creation, glanced up at the clock that sat above the projector screen.

"7:18 and I still got a few precious moments to spare!"

"Spare for what?" a muffled voice asked from the door.

Oh no. What were they doing here?!

"Hey hey, little brother~ Nice setup you got goin' here. Very élégante~" Leo teased with his mouth full of pizza.

"L-LEO?! I THOUGHT YOU GUYS SAID YOU WERE GONNA BE OUT UNTIL MORNING!"

"Uh, yeah? The patrol was supposed to keep us 'til morning." Leo shrugged nonchalantly as he licked pizza sauce from his fingers,"But as it turns out, Donnie isn't the math wizard he seems to think he is."

"SCOFF! My mathematical genius is not to be held accountable for YOUR poor planning!" From behind Leo, Donnie stormed in with an incredulous look as pizza sauce drenched his face and upper body.

"Look, if anything, MY PLAN did not call for explosives. That was all you, buddy!" The twin retorted, poking at Donnie's sauce-covered chest with his trusty odachi. Mikey could feel his right eye twitching as he watched the two bicker and consequently ruin his plans.

He seethed through gritted teeth, "You guys were supposed to be gone..."

The strained response brought the two brothers' attention back to their youngest sibling, both raising a brow in question.

"Oh yeah, what IS with this setup?" Leo's cocky smirk did little to hide the teasing behind his question. Did he know?

"Oi, guys! We still gotta clea-" Raph stumbled in, wiping his body down with a red soaked towel as he was presumably the most sauced up of the three. "Woah. Whatcha got going on in here, Mikey?"

Great. Just what he needed. As he did his best to keep his composure, all Michael could do was groan and slump down to his knees, withering with embarrassment before his brothers. "If you guys MUST KNOW, I had a very special night planned for me! I was gonna have a nice dinner with Y/N before you came back and messed with m-"

"Woah woah woah, are you telling me that my baby hermano has a date tonight?"

The heat suddenly rushed to Mikey's cheeks, taunting him and exposing his true motives to his brothers of all people. Raph and Leo compounded that humiliation with their slew of 'aww's and coos. Donnie simply gave his little brother an approving nod and thumbs up as the duo's teasing continued.

"I-It's not what it looks like, I swear!"

Oh, it absolutely was.

"It's not that I like her, I just-"

Want her to be mine.

"I just needed to figure out how I feel!"

But he already knew. He was hopelessly in love.

[yxstxrdrxxm-a]

Hello, everyone! Navina (or Black Swan) here. I'd like to make a personal announcement:

My commissions are open!

I've been thinking of opening a Ko-Fi account for a while, and after a lot of time debating on the matter, it is finally done. You can view the page right here!

I only take commissions as I have no idea how running a shop works (lol), but I'll probably get to it one day. As for why I opened my Ko-Fi page, I simply wanted to branch out what this blog has and its potential.

Again, if you would like to commission me, feel free to check what I have. It's barren right now but I assure you that I'll open more of my services when I got the time.

(also to my mutuals/dreamjolt hostelry members you guys get a discount from my shop, 70% off of everything on stock because ily all too much haha)

In a serious note, I'd like to formally apologize for the lack of activity. I've been going through a lot of things and I had to take a step back in writing, especially when it got really, really personal/difficult to run this blog. I do plan on getting back to posting, but I cannot guarantee this blog to be back on its usual momentum like it used to.

(I will be explaining some serious stuff utc so if you dont want to read it, no worries, you're free to stop here. Thanks for reading though!)

As many of you noticed, I've been posting less because of the motivation dropping since Flawed. I've been cooking up some posts in the past, but with how complicated things are, it's been extremely difficult to push myself to write.

I am also going through a lot of personal issues, some that leave me financially strained (as a college student), hence why I opened commissions. Its not required for you to commission me if you can't, but it is why I made the page.

As a heads up: I plan on opening up editing commissions for my rentry/editing blog (@/dxxth-gxd), but that is still a huge ???. Do not get your hopes up in case it does not go through.

And finally, I plan on returning to writing very soon. I have a long and very big fic working and it may serve as my comeback to this blog (with new banners too!) but I ask that you remain patient. I'm (truthfully) not in the best state of mind, but I'm working my butt off to bring the best quality of my work for all of you who are still around.

Once again, thank you for the support, and I apologize for my absence. If you'd like to support me monetarily, you may drop a tip or a commission to my page. Every dollar counts, no matter how small. If you can't, just you supporting me by reading, rbing, and even sharing to others is more than I can ask for.

I will most likely be chilling and writing in the dark in the meantime, so thanks for sticking around. <3 I'll make you all proud. I promise.

[fanfictiongirlie]

Marvel: Honey, Superheroes Don't Exist Where I Come From - Chapter One

Parings: Unsure x First Person Reader

Description: Y/N wakes up, and Bruce Banner is standing there, but wait, he is from a movie.. She falls into the universe of Marvel, and needs to work out how to get home.. but does she wanna go home?

Rating: Unrated for the moment.

Warnings: Swearing, Alternate Universes - Everyone lives, Maybe eventual smut?

Words: Currently 2,248

Okay, so this is a fic I started writing in 2020. And I wrote three chapters for it, and that's it, I lost interest, but I don't wanna lost interest in things I write. So I thought I'd post it, see what people think, and maybe get some motivation to continue writing it. It's a weird idea, and I'm not sure if I want my main character to end with Loki or Bucky. (Maybe I could do a poll) Also, maybe I could challenge myself and write for a different character. Like Thor or something. I just don't know. I think this is such a cool idea for a fic, and I'm just stumped xD

Darkness. 

That's all I could see, nothing but black nothingness. It felt like hours, days maybe. But I could only see the darkness, but with each passing moment, I heard voices, they became clearer each time I heard them. 

I couldn't open my eyes, it was too hard, something was stopping me.

"When will she wake up?" I suddenly heard, I felt my heart stop, where was I? I couldn't remember the last thing that happened to me, I could be anywhere...

I thought I recognised the voices, maybe, I wasn't sure. 

"I think I've got it!" I heard a man yell excitedly. 

I felt something flutter inside of me, and it was almost like the strength flowed through my veins. 

Slowly I opened my eyes, only to be met with fluorescent lights, I swiftly closed my eyes again. 

"Sorry, I've turned the lights down, please open your eyes again" I heard a voice. 

I tried opening my eyes again, the lights had been shut off, the room was lit by a lamp next to the bed I was on. 

I slowly sat up, flinching when I felt a hand on my back helping me up. I looked around the room, still allowing my eyes to adjust. The room looked like a mix of a hospital and a laboratory. 

I felt so confused, I turned to look at the person who had I helped me up. 

"What the fuck?" I muttered, it couldn't be.. I obviously died right? Or I was still asleep. 

"Hello, I'm Dr Banner" He smiled at me. 

"What the hell is happening here?" I ask in a panic, trying to raise my voice, but it came out more like a raspy squeak. 

"We were hoping you could tell us that" Another voice spoke, I looked round to see Tony Stark. 

"I'm still dreaming, aren't I?" I muttered, Of course I was, how else could I explain this? 

"Can you remember your name?" Dr Banner asked. 

"Y/N" 

"Okay y/n, I know this must be confusing, but a month ago, something happened" Dr Banner explained slowly to me "To put it bluntly and in non scientific terms, you fell out of the sky, you fell from nothingness" 

I listened to him, carefully, I couldn't remember this happening, it sounded impossible, but then again, I was sitting in front of the Hulk and Iron Man... 

"Luckily, I caught you" Tony piped in "You've been under our care since"

"This can't be happening" I mutter, I started to feel more panic bubbling inside of me, the machine next to my bed, started to beep faster and louder. 

"Try to calm down Y/N" Dr Banner said with a soft smile. 

"You aren't real" I suddenly yell. 

They both looked as confused as I felt now. 

"Obviously we are real, I can't find anything on you, it's like you don't exist" Tony explained. 

"I don't exist here" I said taking a deep breath "I live in a world, where you are both from comics and movies" I felt stupid saying it. 

They turned to one another, and started to talk in science terms I didn't understand.. 

"Strange said it was possible, other realities" Dr Banner explained. 

"Doctor Strange?" I butt it, they nodded and looked more confused. 

"How did you know that?" Tony asked. 

"The same way I know you're Iron Man, the same way I know you turn into a big green thing when you're angry, except you're always angry because that's what you told Captain America aka, Steve in the first Avengers Movie!" I ramble in a panic, this couldn't be happening. 

"Can someone please explain what's happening please?" I ask, feeling my eyes to start water.. 

"We think you came from a different reality, we'll have to do more research, but it seems the most likely" Dr Banner explained. 

"How do I get home?" I asked, I tried to remember home, but everything was fuzzy. 

"I will get started on that, I'll have contact Dr Strange" Dr Banner spoke so quickly, and then he rushed off frantically. 

"What am I going to do?" I whisper, looking at Tony, the tears were flowing down my cheeks now. 

"Well you can stay here, you can wander the facilities, and I'll even set you up with a temporary room until we can send you home" Tony explained. 

"Where is here exactly?" I asked. 

"The Avengers Compound, stay here, I'll send Nat in with some clothes, can't have you wandering in just a hospital gown" He smiled, and left the room.

Leaving me to my thoughts, this couldn't be possible. 

Magic, superheroes, villains, they just don't exist.. 

[inkspottie]

i saw dnd and now i'm back again, this time to say that when i can find any kind of motivation, i intend on writing the gang in a dnd adventure... (also yes, tieflings. gotta love 'em) (on a side note i'm in a server and i've been waiting so darn long for the dm to get off their butt and start the campaign. like i'm gonna make 6 more fully fleshed out chars before they start it lmao. Also, i know the dm really well so i know a lot of whats gonna happen, and im sat here internally screaming, i wanna use my gay feather bard skrunkly xDD) Have a good one!!

Haha I felt that so much. My group is going to do Curse of Strahd but we are waiting for an opening for everyone to have a day to do it. Sucks to be adults with jobs. Can’t ever find time to play.

But good luck friend, hopefully you get to your campaign soon xD

[gemmahale]

Hii Gemma!

I consider righteous fury to be the mother of all fix-its but my question is actually more about the.... Scope of what's been posted so far, if that makes sense. Obviously you'd have to write The Scene, but did you know going in you'd cover it so thoroughly? You're phenomenal at writing action so I guess I'm wondering how excited you were to delve into the meat of it or if it was something you were kinda nervous to tackle?

-gouge 💛

@pricegouge, I love that you asked this question. 😀 (Also massively flattered on your consideration for it as such a high place of honor.)

I had to sit on this question overnight to gather my thoughts. I have a lot of them. 💚 This has suddenly become my baby of all babies.

Righteous Fury was never meant to be more than an explanation for something John/Soap does in Museum Muse. I never meant it to turn into the behemoth it is now.

I was nervous to tackle the scene - because I had decided that the best way to fix it was to just rewrite what existed. It took me three tries to get Soap's voice right and beyond just reciting what happened in the script/playthrough. Spoiler: video gameplay does not translate well to the written word, so there was a lot of adding and re-watching and fudging that had to happen.

I was exceptionally afraid of being called a cheat - because none of the dialogue up until "the incident" is mine. (That might be wrong - I think I tucked in a few lines or changed the speaker.) None of the action is mine. But all of the emotion, John's backstory, his motives, are mine.

It was an interesting challenge to work with a framework of existing media and expand upon it. Would I do it again? Maybe, if there was another scene so poorly developed and written.

Spoilers for my version below the cut. I pontificate on some specifics and how I made some artistic choices. 💚

It was also hard to choose where to start - do I start when Price is down and Makarov is standing over him? No, I need more lead up. Do I back up to when Soap and Gaz are feigning disinterest in the hacker? No, that's too far back.

Thankfully, the mission brief provided a perfect point - it established John's hatred and resentment for Makarov, and allowed me to ramp up to the point everyone was dreading.

Now, when it comes to making the choice as to how things go down? I'd seen a post about how it could have gone (can't find the reference, if I do, I'll update this). So I started there.

But really, when you live with someone with similar training, you might as well ask them. 😅 Enter: Kallen.

Hoo boy showing him a playthrough of the mission was a choice. (See #Kallen Kvetches for similar commentary, including the time I showed him Triple Frontier. Man had OPINIONS. Half of them on butts and pecs. 😉) But it also spurred on a conversation of what could happen post-Makarov.

We walked through (we're about the same height, like John and Makarov) the shots. Where the script failed and how - John would have had a knife on him. He would have been better trained to respond. Makarov shouldn't have - well, that's not relevant. Sorry. Basically it boiled down to: John's training would have taken over and he would have acted somewhat closely to what I wrote.

I could have written him getting out unscathed. Genuinely nothing more than a few scratches. Kallen thinks that could have been the more likely outcome as we wrote the scene, had Makarov's finger not tightened around the trigger of his firearm as he fell.

But again, I needed a reason for John to be on modified desk duty for Museum Muse. So...uh...sorry bud. 😅 Might as well use my resources for everything, including surgery. (Yes, Kallen went through a similar surgery in his time in. Yeesh.)

Sorry, I think I got way off tangent. I have a detailed outline of what happens as a result of the first two chapters of Righteous Fury, and a rough idea of how things play out in Museum Muse. It's really going to be interesting seeing the same events from two vastly different POV's. (That can also hopefully stand individually.)

But again, this all started out as a way to justify Soap being on bedrest/desk duty and bored out of his mind, messaging a stranger on a message board. 🤷‍♀️ Oops, instead I retconned, world-built and got feelings everywhere. My bad. (I'm not sorry.)

Me, creating this universe:

Also - I haven't said this out loud yet, just implied it. (But if you've gotten this far in my ramblings, you deserve to know it.)

This is also a memorial fic in a way. A lot of inspiration and information comes from Kallen and his experiences in country (obviously, changed locations and names and such). There's a whole swath of people I never got to meet that were family to him, and he's given me permission to include them. 💔

You might have noticed an Officer Hale in Ch 2. Yeah, that one was a blatant insertion of Kallen. I promise the rest probably won't be as heavy handed and obvious to you - it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up!

[elialys]

Channeling positive energy for 2024

I have been very listless for at least the last couple of years (if not since 2020 and the whole pandemic mess), resulting in a pretty rough depressive episode that peaked this last November. It's hard to feel motivated to do anything concrete to improve your own life when everything around you is just...bleak. And this world does suck so much, so often, in so many ways.

But then I remember how I innately believe that most people are good, and that I am good, too, and that the one thing that always makes me feel better when I'm low is to do something helpful for someone, or to just be kind if I don't have the spoons for more.

(Putting this big ramble under read more)

I think I've mentioned it here before but I've made the decision to try and get into a new field of work, which involves at least two if not three years of studying. Let me tell you, I'm about to turn 36 in a couple of weeks. It's scary as fuck to do something like this. But this job, if I get into the school I need to get into, will be perfect for me. I'll be helping people who need guidance and compassion basically every day.

The bond I got to build with my students was my absolutely favorite part of teaching, but I got overwhelmed by everything else. I burned myself out in less than four years because I became a workaholic who worked 70 hours a week, never took a breath, tried tried tried, yet never felt like I was doing enough. The pressure was incredible, the 'I have to be around hundreds of people every single day', performing in front of entire classrooms full of kids 6h a day'...it just wore me down. Loved my kiddos to death, loved my science team so much, but then the pandemic hit and I lost a few family members within a few months, and I realized it was time for me to go home after 12 years abroad.

The meanest part of my brain likes to tell me I've spent the last four years being basically a useless human blob, but realistically, I know I wasn't. I had been working my ass off since 2011, when I was in America nannying two young kids all day long then going to school full time at night/weekends, before being hired as a teacher in England for 4 years.

I needed the break, I needed time with my loved ones. I needed to help grieving family members, especially my little sister with ASD, who had to learn to navigate life without her mom, who also developed epilepsy on top of everything else while our father pretended nothing was happening. I needed to spend time with my grandmother, who did so much for me when I was young and who's all alone, now. I'll even go as far as saying I've been working on fixing things with my mother this past year living with her, which was not an easy thing. Still isn't, but it's so much better than it used to be, and she's trying, too.

But I'm ready to get my life "back on track", or at least, to get busier , more proactive, more helpful to others who aren't in my inner circle, because I know that's what I'm good at, and why I'm here.

So, yeah, channeling positive thoughts for 2024. I'm not only going to work on getting into that school in the next few weeks, I also just received an email a couple days ago from an editor I used to work with. She's a writing director somewhere else now, and they need writers for a new webcomic project; she told me she immediately thought of me because they'd always been happy with my work, so I'm going to test for that, too, because why the hell not. Actually getting paid for the stuff I was writing a couple of years ago was the most surreal, rewarding experience of my writer life, and I wouldn't mind that happening again.

I want to give the biggest shoutout to my best friend & other butt cheek, @melusine0811, for helping me navigate those last four years, for always believing in me, and for being so fucking courageous when life is just so damn hard. Lauren, you're the bravest person I know, and forever my Donna Noble.

And because I'm sappy this weekend, awards and all, I'm also sending my thanks to my Australian unicorn, just for existing somewhere out there, for being a role model to me from afar these last thirteen years, for being another perfect example of people persevering no matter what, doing the things they love, while always trying to be kind to others in the process. I don't believe in much, but I believe in karma. You do good deeds, good things will happen to you.

Be kind to each other, my lovelies. Always be kind.

[cosybunny]

Hello there :DD!! I finally finished rereading your fanfic "Act 1: Seashell Town" and only just noticed the tumblr account you mentioned in the notes :33!! I really enjoyed reading Seashell town, it was incredibly well written and you got Sonic and Shadows personalities down to a T, I loved the way everyone interacted and even though I didn't trust Quinn in the first place (Very well done on that btw, it was such subtle foreshadowing and if I wasn't so used to picking up on that stuff I really wouldn't have <3) it was still a shock just to see how MUCH he was a bad person!! Im incredibly excited to read Act 2, and was curious of weather or not there would be any updates on when that may be inproduction/released!! I loveeed the first one and I cant wait to see what comes from the second one! :3

This lovely ask made my whole day, oh my goodness! I'm putting it on the prized shelf with all the wonderful stuff that gives me the warm 'n fuzzies. Thank you so much for taking the time to write in. I'm glad you found my blog! I'm even gladder you enjoyed the story.

I wanted to give the vibe that something wasn't quite right with Quinn right off the bat. I'm happy to hear the foreshadowing hit right! The town itself had just enough cracks to let him go unchecked. Crafting his character and biting into his motivations was incredibly fun. After all, he doesn't see himself as a bad guy, so he doesn't act like it (until he absolutely does). My favourite sinister bit is how he immediately asks where Shadow went when he meets up with Sonic again... Makes ya wonder if Sonic might've had an unfortunate fall off the wharf if he'd gone there without his scary guard dog privileges. Plus, I really love implying how protective and close Shadow's been throughout the story (who can blame him? sonic gets into trouble as soon as you take your eyes off him). Double whammy! 💖💖💖

I have a habit of becoming obsessed over one story at a time, but I always end up improving my skill a bit by the end of it. I'm planning to finish up my current obsession (a MHA fic called More Human Than Human) and then write Act 2 with my sharpened skills. Don't worry! It's gonna happen! I'm still obsessed. Spooky season is the best season for haunted hijinks, so I wish I could've gotten it released in October. Unfortunately insomnia and life's been kicking my butt these last few months! Meanies. Smh. Where's a Sonic to spindash through the horrors when I need one? /silly

Thank you again for writing to me! I hope the second act will be just as enjoyable to read as the first when it comes out. I appreciate the heck outta this ask. ✨💖

[fonulyn]

what sort if things do you want to talk abt with people/what would make you feel better?

I mean, in an actual utopia? :'D I'd love it if people were excited for what I'm working on. if they'd ask about the fics in progress, kick my butt when I can't get shit done, and push me into doing more. maybe even give feedback already during the process! i know it's too much to ask for, especially when so rarely even finished fics get excitement or feedback, but it's what a Dream World would look like lol.

ideally I'd love it if I had some friends who I could actually brainstorm with and talk about the stuff I'm stuck on or trying to otherwise flesh out. my dog does listen but rarely has any suggestions I can take :'D I know I got spoiled because earlier (like …two years ago lol) I had someone who was always excited to talk about the ideas and brainstorm with me, and who kicked my ass into gear if I was dragging my feet, and I got used to it and now that i'm supposed to just figure everything out alone I have zero motivation to actually do it. the kind of instant feedback I got then was the best motivator ever. now? eh.

and I'd love it if my feeble attempts at trying to talk about wips wasn't just brushed off. if i post on tumblr about something it's most of the time ignored. i've tried to talk to multiple people, and in return i get either the "you'll figure it out eventually" or a complete topic change immediately. no follow-up questions, no excitement, no nothing.

and I'd love it if people didn't go "oh I can help brainstorm that!" and then not even bother to read it. go "I'm gonna comment on that soon!" and never do it. empty promises do nothing but get hopes up and end up in crushing disappointment.

I know people are busy, people have their lives and shit happens but like. it's easy to not make promises you can't (or have no intention to) keep, imo.

and idk in the Olden Days I had multiple people to chat general fandom with, and it in turn sparked fic ideas, and excitement, but now that doesn't really exist either.

just to be clear I'm not expecting anyone to be at my beck and call 24/7 all the time :'D god no :'D but it's so friggin' disheartening when I get a new idea, am all excited about it, and then deflate when I know I don't really have anyone to hype me up about it. so then i won't do it. or then i write like two sentences a day maximum and never get shit done. and every damn day i'm getting closer to just quitting for good. i really really don't wanna abandon my to-write-list and leave shit unfinished but it's starting to look like the only viable option left.

idek. I'm tired. i know it's just a pipe dream and i'll just keep struggling until i fade away from fandom and no one notices lol but yeah.

(it is really nice to just chat about anything with people too, tho, so a shoutout to those who did reach out and who i've been occasionally chatting with :3 it is appreciated!)

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Hello! I just found your blog and I'm already kind of impressed and obsessed!

Can I request an Obey me, Attack on Titans, and Demon Slayer and if you have the motivation Spy x Family matchup!

Name: I've been going by Cael and Lemon!

My Pronouns are she/her, but it really doesn't matter that much to me.

I'm a sex indifferent (leaning repulsed) asexual and a romantic favorable aromantic with really no gender preference.

My MBTI type is INFP-T and I think I'm a Virgo rising.

Appearance: I'm around 166 cm and I have ivory skin and greyish blue eyes. I have a lot of scars on my arms from animals and some from accidents as a child and One scar on my upper lip from a bouncy house incident when I was 10-11. I have medium curly, short hair that is almost always kept in a ponytail and I have curly fringe bangs. I have an hourglass figure, but relatively small chest and butt. I also have a condition where there are small red bumps on my upper arms and lower legs that I've had since I was like 5 and I'm really insecure about it. I also where glasses because my eyes suck. I'm kind of skinny, but have some muscle mass and I'm working on getting more.

Personality: I'm kind of a people pleasure and I can't stand to hear people fighting as I associate yelling with physical harm and I get really quite and I try to make myself smaller when I'm being yelled at or around people yelling. I usually have a hard time focusing when people talk to me and I show a lot of signs of adhd. I don't usually talk a lot, unless I'm around someone I trust and I have horrible anxiety when talking to new people. I do really like spending time with people though and I have a soft spot for protective and soft people, but at the same time I really like dominate people. I love laughing and usually surround myself by humorous people. I crave physical contact, but I'm very hesitant to actually touch anyone and I get really twitchy when someone stands next to me. I have an anxiety tick where my shoulders will jolt forward if someone I don't know or trust is standing near me. I'm also very attentive and if someone asks for my help I will be by there side as fast as I can. It takes a lot to get me to talk, unless you trigger one of my interests in which case it seems like I won't shut up. I'm a bit of a workaholic as in if I don't have anything to do I will kind of just rearrange my house so I have something to do. I love exploring and mysteries as well! I also have a tendency to cry when I'm angry, but I rarely cry when I'm actually sad.

Likes and Dislikes: I love reading, cooking, writing, video games, anime, languages, other counties cultures, cats, birds, snakes, and moths. I also tend to get in and out of toxicology and botany.

I really don't like yelling or loud noises, unless its music, and bright lights tend to freak me out too, as well as to much physical sensations. Curtain sounds such as towels and paper make me freak out too. I also hate mushy textures and foods like yogurt or applesauce. Self depricting jokes also set me off.

Hobbies: Reading, Writing, volleyball, weight lifting, and music.

Any extra information: I don't have a very good relationship with my family and I crave positive attention and compliments. I just really want someone to tell me that I'm enough. I also really love when people lightly trace over my skin, though usually I only let my bestfriend do it.

don't forget to drink water

~💞🍋

Hi Lemon! Aah, thank you! You're the first person to has said they're obsessed with my blog! I hope you like your matchup!

In Obey Me, I match you with...

A quietly supportive partner. He won't praise you excessively, but when he does, you know he really means it.

Enjoys spending rare moments where he's not busy reading with you on the couch. He'll be reading over your shoulder and softly running his fingers over your arms. He doesn't even realise he's doing it.

Doesn't raise his voice around you. He's used to yelling at his brothers but he'll tr his best to make sure he doesn't yell at them when you're around.

He never wants you to feel uncomfortable. As soon he notices your anxiety tick, he's scanning his surroundings to see who's standing too close to you and he's moving either the demon or you.

Enjoys listening to you talk about your interests. He can't promise he has much time but if you want to talk about your latest interest, he'll set aside some time for you.

Lucifer loves your cooking. He may tweak the chores slightly so you do more cooking (but only if that's okay with you).

In Attack on Titan, I match you with...

Mikasa is very good at making you feel cared about without being over the top about it.

She cares deeply about those she lets in and if that includes you, she wants to make sure you know that.

Mikasa's very quiet so you won't have to worry about loud noises from her. If someone else (Jean and Eren) start being too loud, she'll deal with it quickly and effectively.

Enjoys cooking with you. She needs some peace in her life and she finds spending time with you relaxing, especially if you're both working on something together. Cooking provides the perfect solution to that (even if she has to fend Sasha off with a spatula).

Very attentive of her surroundings. If someone looks like them might be getting too close to you, she's moving to stand between you and them.

No one's making her partner uncomfortable on her watch.

In Demon Slayer, I match you with...

Another quiet one. No loud noises are coming from this guy.

He also doesn't like loud noises so if things are getting too loud, he's grabbing your hand and leading you somewhere quieter.

He's not great at praising people but he'll try to complement you as frequently as he can. Whether it's a complement on your outfit, how you handled a situation, or your cooking, he'll give you little complements when he remembers to.

Speaking of cook, Giyu doesn't cook a whole lot but enjoys your cooking. If you'd like him to join you, he's more than happy to help.

Enjoys spending time relaxing with you, reading and listening to music. Giyu would love it if you would read out loud to him.

Just be prepared for him to fall asleep. He's overworked and your voice is very relaxing to him.

If he notices your anxiety twitch, he's going to lean in closer and ask if there's anything he can do to help. If he can help, he'll do whatever he can to help you feel more comfortable.

He'd be grateful if you could do the same for him. He's not great at asking for help but even just having someone consider him means a lot.

In Spy x Family, I match you with...

Yor is the perfect person to give you positive attention and compliments!

She's a great support person and she'll remember the smallest details about you just to she can see you smile when she presents you with a book you've been meaning to get for a while.

Please teach her how to cook. She's more than willing to learn and she'd love to be able to cook something for you one day that actually looks (and tastes) good.

Despite her assassin skills, she's not great at noticing when people are getting too close. They don't register as a threat to her.

But as soon as she sees your anxiety tick, she's politely asking the person to move. If they're being obnoxious, she's resorting to violence while apologizing profusely.

Not a super loud person (unless she's drunk) and she's very aware of noises so if something sounds like it's getting too loud, she'll try to take care of it before it becomes a problem.

[princessfayebug]

Aww hi there!~ Can I request some platonic ROTTMNT headcanons with a sibling reader, but instead of them being a turtle, they're a fat-tailed gecko! (have you seen them? they're so cuteeee) 〜⁠(⁠꒪⁠꒳⁠꒪⁠)⁠〜

they're around the same age as Mikey — the older siblings have their work cut out for them; if Leo and Donnie are the disaster twins, then Mikey and Reader are the Sun and Moon twins :')

Mikey's the Sun: bright, loving, bubbly, encompassing warmth and lively whereas Reader is the Moon: calm, soft-spoken, beautiful, serene.

as "twins" , they share a love + affinity for the arts, being comforting presences in their own way, and are both equally as terrifying/able when they're triggered w/ a healthy dose of homicidal tendencies XD /lh

I just need some sibling fluff (⁠◡⁠ ⁠ω⁠ ⁠◡⁠) & your writing + formatting is so cute!! can't wait to see if & whatcha come up with!!<33

stay hydrated. that is a loving~ threat. cheers! 💫

A/n:Hi there anon!! I'm so so sorry I'm just now getting to your request trust me I wanted to but I just don't have motivation to do stuff sometimes. But I decided to finally get off my butt and write because you've been waiting the longest! Hope you enjoy and again so sorry for the long wait! Also yes fat tailed geckos are adorable!! And tyy<33

Platonic Rottmnt Mikeyx Reader Headcanons(Request)

Secanrio:

Reader is a fat-tailed gecko mutant with a sibling dynamic with the turtles!

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

•So everyone knows y/n and Mikey are a force to be reckoned with

•Dr.Delicate Touch AND y/n together?? Yeah you're dying tonight bud

•Y/n is usually pretty chill and calm and Mikey is always sweet and optimistic but the minute you hurt someone they love, take away something they, or just ruin something they care about they're out for blood

•Long story short y/n and Mikey are a chaotic duo

•Y/n and Mikey both loooooove art so they're always working on projects together

•April:Uhh Mikey what are you doing? And where's Y/n?

•Mikey:We're painting the lair to make it look nicer! Y/n should be back in a minute they're out getting more paint and supplies

•I feel like Mikey and Y/n would be like the "matchmakers" of the family and would just constantly try to set their older siblings up with their crush or something

•I also feel like Y/n and Mikey are both good listeners and good at helping people sort through their feelings but in different ways

•Mikey would have you talk things out

•And y/n would have you do some kind of breathing exercises and calming activities to ease your mind

•Separately these methods are just ok but together they can really help resolve arguments and misunderstandings. Not always but it helps alot

•And for that reason they've been dubbed the "therapy twins"

•They're always using the "but we're the youngest" card to get out of trouble when Splinter gets upset

•When Draxum got on their side y/n took a little longer to get on board with it than Mikey did but eventually came around and helped back Mikey up when he defended Draxum

•Mikey's the "follow your dreams! Do what your heart tells you!" twin and Y/n is the "Lets be realistic, is this really practical?" twin

•Dont get me wrong y/n is all for following you dreams but ya gotta be rational and realistic about it

•Y/n and Mikey made cute little charm bracelets for everyone including their favorite colors, something they like, and something unique to each sibling

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Hope you enjoyed, I tried my best! Also sorry if there are any typos I proof read it twice but sometimes I miss stuff until after posting it

[wooahaes]

I'm really glad you're doing well. I think motivation can be something that's really hard to get back, but I don't think trying to force yourself helps either. I'm glad you've found a way of writing without as much pressure! What are you using for your digital paintings? Tablet/iPad/other? What apps do you use? How do you get them to look so realistic?! I'm currently trying to improve my drawings skills haha. Please take care of yourself too! I genuinely love talking to you!! 🍧

motivations def hard to get back and i think sometimes i Do have to force myself to sit down and write Something (my writing prof in college called it "butt in chair hours" bc it helps build a habit of sitting down and writing), but i know if its not coming then i need to lay off and not force myself too hard.

digital paintings are an iPad (idk the model or anything, i can check and get back) + an apple pen! its technically my mothers but i'll borrow it sometimes.

admittedly i need to go back onto my posts and edit them with a link to pictures because technically i'm not really an artist as much as i'm someone who's learning (but im not getting any reblogs for my silly drawings and i don't really tag them). i grew up drawing stuff based off of certain anime styles, and ive kinda moved toward realism more in recent years as a way of practicing anatomy better. when i work on an ipad, i end up tracing pictures because i'm usually doing it for practice on shading n whatnot. like this was traced from a pic of baeseung with a puppy (i'd have to see if i can find it online--he posted it to weverse and i usually save his cute face), this was pulled from a pic of chris where i wanted to do some practice on painting vaguely, but my traditional stuff like this cheollie and this hao were referenced (the hao one doesn't have a ref pic w it since i was working off a screenshot of a gif--i'd have to find the gose episode and get the screenshot myself).

i dont rly view myself as an artist tbh as much as i'm just someone who enjoys drawing and is trying to learn more. all i can rly offer is just what other ppl have said in the vein of "practice practice practice"

[pipermca]

Writing Year in Review - 2022

On the one hand, I really like doing "year in review" posts and musings. It gives you a chance to look back on what you've accomplished, and lets you prepare yourself for what you want to do in the year head. On the other hand, if your accomplishments didn't measure up to whatever yardstick you're using, it can be a disappointing and demoralizing experience.

This year was, in my opinion, a rather lackluster year for writing for me. It's definitely not for a lack of ideas or interest – if anything, my WIP folder and ideas list are filled with all sorts of stories that I really want to finish. What has been lacking is the time, energy and motivation to apply butt to seat and get some writing done.

That's not the only thing I "failed" at – I came nowhere near my reading goal of 24 books. But there was a book I finished in the summer that had bogged me down for years and I was determined to finish it, which I did! And I'm working my way through The Expanse series by checking the books out of the library. (I'm about 75% done with the series!) I think I'll be scaling my reading goal back to 12 books again this year, so that I can feel pleased when I blow past it. 😅

However, I am trying to be kind to myself, as there were a lot of competing priorities and distractions. I struggled with anxiety of a whole variety of things. I buried myself in video games (specifically grabbing some titles recommended by others), and the new WoW expansion came out in November which has sucked up a lot of my time in December. And since the pandemic is over now (huge, massive /sarcasm tag on that) we spent time travelling: first heading west to see Spouse's family, and then driving east to visit my family.

This summer I got to hug my parents for the first time in three years.

Anyway, with all that happening, I am happy with what I did get done. December was a complete bust (see previous bit about WoW: Dragonflight coming out) in that I only wrote 735 words, but I also worked on the photocomic I posted in December.

In 2022 I posted 10 works to AO3, for a total of 47,609 words. A lot of that was either zine pieces that I could finally publish, or comic scripts. I also wrote 84,544 words. A chunk of that was for the IDW2 worldbuilding reviews (which I really have to get back to), and for a WIP that I haven't started posting yet.

Most months I didn't hit that 10,000 word threshold I have for myself, but that's ok. For the most part I was still writing consistently, even if the output wasn't quite as high as I would have liked. Looking at my writing tracker, you can also see the slow trend downwards in word count per week... Not great, but understandable.

 When I did get some writing done, my words per hour were still rather consistent. Last year I averaged 500-600wph, while this year it's more like 600-800wph. Not bad! I just need to carve out more time to do that writing in my day. 💗

And speaking of making time to write, here's another graph where you can see the slow erosion of the time I spent writing. There was a big burst in September (as I think that's when my muse really wanted to work on that smutty story with Prowl) but otherwise I've been spending less and less time writing as the year went on.

As for the concrete goals I set for myself in 2022, I didn't do terribly. I originally posted these in order of priority.

Finish Must Like Cats Yes! Done!

Finish Sun and Moon (working title) Haha no, but still working on it

Apply for two zines (if something catches my eye) Mmm, I applied for one*. So, 50%.

Write two comic scripts for practice I wrote one, so again, 50%.

Finish The King and the Bounty Hunter Nope.

Start By Fire and Flame (working title) Hahhaa no.

*No word on if this zine is getting off the ground, and I'm not holding my breath at this point.

In coming up with priorities for this year, I want to make sure they're obtainable, and focused on getting stuff done. (sigh) So here's this year's list:

Finish Sun and Moon (working title)

Finish one Sparkr story (any of my bunnies or WIPs!)

Write two comic scripts for practice

Make more progress in IDW2 reviews

Finish The King and the Bounty Hunter

Also, one of my "maintenance" goals is to repost the stories I pulled down. I have a couple of story compilations, and the fact that they're in compilations have caused me some issues (for example, it's difficult to link to a specific chapter in some cases, and I can't include a single chapter in a series.) So I'm going to be revising and reposting those stories in 2023.

Behind the cut is the first sentence of each of the stories I posted, and the month it was posted in. I hope everyone has a lovely 2023.

January. Armed. We're in a medical bay. (This is a comic script; you can view the comic here.)

March. Must Like Cats. Sideswipe woke slowly, rising out of recharge one system at a time.

April. Private Parts. A heavy arm fell across Blast Off's shoulders.

May. An Interview with the Award-Winning Engraving Artist Sunstreaker of Kaon. At first glance, the studio looks empty, almost abandoned.

June. The Wild Hunt. Hot Rod couldn't remember when he'd first heard about the Wild Hunt.

July. Time Together. Emperor Starscream watched as Skywarp bounced on the tips of his pedes, his wings flicking with every bounce.

August. Quiet Now. Hound felt like the unluckiest bot in the galaxy.

October. How the Praxians Lost Their Wings. "Kup, tell Dinobots a story."

November. VIP. "In conclusion, this operation should result in an estimated 63% reduction in the Decepticons' offensive ability, and provide us with an additional two months in which we can work with our human allies to fortify our defenses."

December. Mission Creep. Jazz is driving in alt mode. (Another comic script; you can view the comic here.