#if anyone else has tips and tricks they want to add

[dramaticals]

following instructions

pairing: theodore nott x gryffindor reader

summary: enemies with benefits with theo where they're constantly insulting each other but they still can't get enough. smut. au where characters at hogwarts are aged up to be 19+. mdni. / requested by anonymous.

author's note: co-wrote this with lily (@softeliza) <3 we honestly wrote this as a theo x hermione, but swapped hermione for reader

✧ read part two: following instructions (headcanons) ✧

Theo's judging eyes watch as you dice the sopophorous bean before tossing it into your cauldron, your gaze shifting between your opened textbook and your cauldron. A bead of sweat drips from your forehead. You were meticulously following the directions, and yet something still didn't seem right about your potion.

Theo scoffs, shaking his head. What an idiot, he thinks.

"You're supposed to crush it." Theo says, demonstrating pointedly with a silver dagger and popping the squashed bean into his own cauldron. The cauldron bubbles, and the liquid shifts a shade darker.

"You're supposed to follow the instructions, which clearly say to cut it," you say through gritted teeth.

Potions was the one class Theo never followed the directions for, and yet he always seemed to be doing significantly better than you. You hated that.

"You know," you add with a huff, annoyance laced in your words. "Just because you don't respect the rules any other time doesn't mean you shouldn't follow a simple recipe."

There was something about pissing you off that gave Theo the right amount of joy to get him through the day. Hearing you huff at his words was like finding a jelly slug in a mountain of acid pops. It was glorious.

"Do you believe everything you read?" Theo asks mockingly, his eyes unmoving from the cauldron in front of him. He doesn't know why he was helping you—this was meant to be a competition for the coveted felix felicis. Maybe it was because Theo knew you weren't going to listen to him anyway. "Besides, I respect the rules." Theo says, but even he can't keep a straight face at his claim, his lips tugging into a smirk.

"I believe everything I read in a textbook," you say, your eyes narrowing and your mouth falling open in shock. Was he serious? "You know, that book of words that literally outlines how to make the potion? How else would you know how to brew it?" You hope he doesn't notice the genuine curiosity in your question. You actually wanted to know how Theo knew what to do all the time. It was so infuriating.

"Natural intelligence and charm." Theo says coolly.

In actuality, Theo had managed to find a textbook filled with inscriptions, correcting the printed text with tips and tricks on how to brew a potion every time. But he wasn't going to tell you that. Theo would gladly and happily let you believe he was gifted.

Theo peeks at your cauldron and has to hold a snort back. It looked just about ready to implode.

"This is a simple recipe, huh?" Theo muses. "Is that why your potion looks and smells like absolute shit?"

"Maybe I just thought I'd throw you a scrap with this one. I mean, we both know you're in desperate need of some luck, especially on the Quidditch pitch. If anyone needs this win, it's you."

"Oh, so you watch me on the pitch, do you?" Theo says with a smug grin.

You roll your eyes. Curse him.

Theo stirs counterclockwise a few times and then once again clockwise. The potion bubbles again. This time, it shifts into its final colour form. Bingo.

Theo, with an expression beaming with pride, calls over Professor Slughorn to inspect the potion. You zero in on Theo's cauldron and let out a small sigh. You didn't need confirmation from Slughorn to know that Theo did it. That bloody asshole did it.

Slughorn tosses a single leaf into the cauldron. The leaf disintegrates, and Slughorn clasps his hands together and announces, "We have a winner! Class dismissed!"

As Theo receives congratulations from all around, you begin to tidy your workspace, empty your cauldron, and pack your things. Anger boils in your stomach. As much as you tried to avert your gaze from Theo, your eyes are drawn to the tiny vile Slughorn passes to Theo. With a triumphant smirk thrown your way, he tucks the potion into his pocket before cleaning his workspace.

"Try to use it for something other than trying to sleep with girls," you quip, clutching your books to your chest. The confident, holier-than-thou persona slips over you like a glove. It was a default shield whenever you felt threatened, especially academically. And Theo was often on the receiving end of it all. "I mean, I'm sure you could use some luck in that department, but I doubt that's what Zygmunt Budge had in mind."

"I'm doing quite well in that department, actually." Theo says. With looks and an attitude like his, girls were flocking to him like nifflers to gold. "Much like potions, really. They all just come to me."

Theo awaits your signature glare and snarky remark, but he was simply met with a silent shove to his shoulder as you headed to the door. His brows furrow, disappointed in the lack of repartee, before Theo's walking after you. He falls into step with you, following you through the dimly lit corridors of the dungeon.

"What's the rush, little lion? Can't stomach losing?"

"I'm not in a rush; I just don't want to be around you. Don't you have some dingy hole to crawl back into?" You fume, your grip on your textbooks tightens, and your pace quickens.

"You wound me." Theo simpers, clutching his chest in mock-hurt.

Being in Theo's presence was getting you more and more riled up. You felt like you were minutes away from becoming a human version of a Filibuster Firework. Theo loved when you got like this. He can't quite pinpoint the exact moment he realized why he liked seeing you so worked up, but he's quickly reminded by the staggered breathing and the rapid rise and fall of your chest.

Theo continues to stroll alongside you, an air of arrogance in each step he takes. You quickly realize you have no idea where you're headed. The echoing of both your steps, coupled with the hovering nuisance on your side, makes you let out a sharp, frustrated exhale. You turn to Theo, glaring daggers into his stormy eyes.

"Can you just go? You're so—ugh." You growl, unable to find the proper words.

Theo's brows perk upward. There's something familiar about the expression you give him. He'd seen it before. Last time he'd seen it, the two of you ended up christening the boy's change room after a Quidditch match—Slytherin should beat Gryffindor more often.

Before you can articulate your frustrations, Theo grabs you by the wrist and pulls you into a vacant classroom. The feeling of his fingers around your wrist sends a jolt of warmth straight through your body. Theo pins you against the door, your books falling to the floor with a sharp thud. He skillfully locks the door with a slight flick of his wand before muttering the muffliato charm and putting his wand away. Darkened eyes meet your gaze, a mixture of amusement and want in his eyes.

"I'm so what?" Theo demands. His hand caresses your cheek before roughly wrapping around the base of your throat. "Use your words."

Your mind goes hazy, as if you've been confunded, the moment you feel his hand on your throat. You'd never admit how much you loved when Theo did that.

With a shaky breath, you meet his intense gaze to say, "Infuriating."

The way you reacted to Theo's touch was unlike any other girl he had the pleasure of fucking at Hogwarts. You were just so obvious, and Theo had no shame in admitting that he found it all extremely arousing. Of course, your mouth would claim otherwise, but Theo always had a plan to occupy your pretty little mouth.

You bite down on your lip, stifling the whimper begging to escape. Your breathing is in sync with each other, and the sexual tension makes the air around you thick.

"Are you going to fix it? Or are you just going to stand there like an idiot?" You tempt, leaning up slightly, just to see if he'll close the gap between your lips and his.

"I don't know," Theo responds, keeping a fair distance—only enough for your lips to brush lightly against his. To keep you wanting. Theo leans into your neck, ghosting breathy, teasing kisses up until he's milimeters away from your ear. "Are you going to say please?"

"You've got to be kidding," you huff, shooting a glare at Theo as you try to keep your breathing steady.

You weren't exactly experienced, at least not like Theo. You had a few moments with others, but no one had ever gotten you to feel as good as Theo did. It enraged you that Theo knew how good he made you feel, but you also took pleasure in knowing that you must be riling him up just as equally because Theo always seemed to come crawling back.

You bring your free hand up, tangling your fingers in his lush, brown locks, before tugging his head back a bit so he could look at you. He groans at this. It was one of many acts that really got Theo going, and it just so happened to be where your hands gravitated to the most.

"Please," you say, the tiniest of smirks on your lips.

Anticipation runs through your veins. You didn't need to say anything else. By the way he was looking at you, his lustful eyes boring into your gaze, Theo knew you needed him right now.

"Good girl," he muses with a cocky grin.

The first time Theo had praised you like that, while laced with ridicule, it had elicited a whimper that had him reeling. Today was no different.

Theo moves his hand from your throat and down to your waist, expertly pulling you away from the door and onto the desks behind him. Theo wastes no time and captures your lips with his. One hand finds your thigh, teasing up your bare skin and under your skirt. Your hands find and tug at his belt. Theo unbuckles it and tosses it aside.

"Let's see if you can keep it up." Theo says hotly against your lips.

It was in your nature to be good. But with Theo, there was that bubbling voice inside you that beckoned you to misbehave—to get under his skin. To be bad, all so he could teach you a lesson. Which is why, as Theo plants nippy, wet kisses down your neck, you can't help the words that blurt out of your mouth.

"Let's see if you can make me shake, like—what was that bloke's name..." You trail off, pulling him up by the collar of his shirt for another kiss and wrapping your legs around his waist to keep him close.

There was no other guy, of course, but you wanted him to think otherwise. The mischievous glint in your eyes changes to amusement as Theo's eyes darken. His fingers drag possessively across the insides of your thighs. It was hard for Theo to imagine you with someone else. You two weren't exclusive by any means, but the way you'd whimper and dig your nails into his back had him feeling territorial.

"Shake?" Theo asks against your lips. There was a tinge of something in his tone, and, deep down, you wanted it to be jealousy. "I'll fucking make you shake."

Feverish kisses move down your neck, eliciting a whine out of you, his free hands taking residence on the base of your throat. He plants open-mouthed kisses down the sensitive spots along your neck, sucking softly on the skin, surely leaving a mark everyone would be able to see. Theo pulls back to admire his work. He's pleased. You, on the other hand, were equal parts excited and annoyed. Excited because the sensation made the blood rush to your cheeks and to your core, and annoyed because you had to explain the markings to your friends.

"Theo," you hiss. "You know better."

Theo doesn't listen, obviously. Instead, he moves down your body until he's crouched and face-to-cunt. Slender fingers reach under your skirt, hook onto your panties, and slide the garment off. In an instant, Theo's between your legs, lapping his tongue relentlessly over your clit.

"Oh my god," you gasp, one hand grasping onto the edge of the desk, your back arching instinctively to bring yourself closer to his tongue. Your free hand finds his hair again, your hips rolling to meet his movements.

Theo's smirks into your core, a low groan escaping his lips as he feels you roll onto his mouth. Strong hands position themselves on either leg, urging you to spread your legs wider. You try to obey his silent requests, but it's not enough. Impatience hits him hard, and he's repositioning your legs so they're slung over his shoulders, a firm hand pushing your hips down onto the wooden desk. The new position allowed him to be flush against you, his tongue circling your entrance and lapping up any arousal.

"Theo," you moan, louder than normal.

You could tell he was pissed. It'd always been your goal, especially in intimate settings, but Theo had never been like this. He buries his face between your legs, his nose rubbing against your clit as his tongue works on your opening. He dips a finger in and withdraws it out of you slowly, contrasting his unyielding tongue. Your eyes flutter shut with pleasure.

"More," you choke out. "Please, give me more."

Your moans were fueling the already raging fire in him. Fuck, he needed to hear more of that. Theo uses his free hand to hold you steady, his tongue and lips unrelenting. He adds another digit inside of you, curling his fingers against your spot. Theo wanted to make you cum now more than ever. He wanted you to remember that even if you were fucking someone else, he was the only one who could make you unravel like this.

"Sit fucking still then," he growled against your slit, stormy eyes shooting up to look at you.

You fight hard to listen to him, desperately trying not to squirm. Theo was cruel enough to stop and leave you high and dry, so it was in your best interest to do as instructed. You dig your nails into the edge of the desk in an attempt to keep your focus on something other than the pleasure growing inside of you.

"Th-Theo," you gasp. "I—"

You're close, and you know what Theo wants—what he always wants. Theo wanted you to ask for permission, and with the image of someone else messing with you fresh in his mind, Theo needed to know he had that control over you now more than ever. Breathy pants fill the room, and you fear you can't hold it back any longer.

"Fuck, please. Can I please..." You moan, throwing your head back against the desk.

"Please what?" Theo says roughly against you. If Theo's cock wasn't already erect, it would be now. Your moans and gasps of pleasure were truly something that needed to be studied. Who knew these delightfully ragged breaths could come out of someone so irritatingly uptight? "Words, Y/L/N."

The fog of pleasure Theo has you in has made it impossible for you to do the one thing you pride yourself on: following the instructions. Typically, Theo would remove himself and make you beg for contact. Today, though, his actions were ceaseless. Despite your strong will to be good, your body wouldn't cooperate.

"Oh my god," you whimper, your back arching as an intense orgasm washes over you. Your body jerks—no, shakes—and your moans are broken up by desperate gasps as wave after wave hits you.

Theo curses under his breath. As pissed as he was that you didn't ask, Theo graciously allows you to release on his tongue, lapping up your sweet fluids. He'd reprimand you later. As you come down from your high, your body collapses onto the desk. You've never felt anything like that before.

Theo stands and slides his fingers out of you slowly. His darkened, lustful eyes are trained on yours. As much as he enjoyed the view, Theo wasn't happy.

"Don't," you breathe. "I know—I should have... I know."

"So much for following instructions," Theo says, disregarding your words. He licks your arousal off his fingers casually, and the sight makes you shift and clench your thighs together. He was the hottest irritant you've ever seen.

"Fuck off," you say with an exasperated huff. You prop yourself up by your elbows, slowly moving into a sitting position. "You didn't exactly help the situation."

So maybe Theo was being a bit of a prick. Not like he could help it—you squirming and moaning for him like that triggered something primal in him. Theo didn't want to stop; he wanted to make you scream for him. Still, it really shouldn't have been hard to ask.

By the way Theo was looking at you, you could tell it would take more than a crass brush-off to wipe the icy glare and pouted lips from his expression. Delicate fingers grip onto Theo's shirt, tugging him closer to you. You ghost your lips against his, meeting his steely gaze. "Will you let me make it up to you?"

You don't wait for a response. Instead, you nip at his bottom lip before pulling him in for a slow, deep kiss. Despite his annoyance, Theo kisses back, placing a strong hand behind your neck to keep you in place. The kiss is full of passion, anger, and need.

You maneuver yourself off the desk, unbreaking the hot kiss, as you reposition so that Theo's the one against the desk. He acknowledges you taking charge, and he allows it because, quite frankly, whenever you did take charge, Theo found it extremely intoxicating.

Only now do you break the kiss, peering up at Theo as your hands fumble with his pants. He kicks them off just as you remove your own top, making a point of leaving your bra intact. Theo's breath catches. God, he wanted to bury his face between the valley of your breasts.

"So?" You ask again, a devilish smirk on your lips, your fingers making progress on unbuttoning his collared shirt. "Will you?"

"Go on, then." Theo says. It's not lost on him how much leniency he gives you—not just in this moment. Any other girl who disobeyed his instructions would have been tossed aside so he could move on to the next. But with you, as vexing as you were, you also very much intrigued him.

At his permission, you lightly push him back so he's sitting on the desk, giving him a much comfortable position to watch as you slowly unhook your bra, letting the garment fall to the floor. You can sense his probing eyes on you, and you can't help the sly smile that appears as you straddle him, one leg on each side of him.

Theo's hands find your waist immediately, slowly sliding up your sides, to your bare back, and then to your front. He squeezes your breasts, eliciting a breathy moan from you. Your skin was soft under his rough hands.

"And I thought you were going to let that ego of yours make a horrible choice for the both of us." You tease.

Theo's too enamoured with this new position (and view) to respond to your jests. One hand rests firmly on your jaw as he pulls you in for a kiss, his teeth grazing your bottom lip. Meanwhile, your hand moves to stroke his length, feeling Theo grow even harder at your touch.

"Shit," Theo groans.

"Someone's missed me," you whisper against his lips. Your thumb teases the tip of his cock, evoking a slight twitch out of him.

"God, shut up."

Theo wanted nothing more than to wipe—no, fuck—that smug expression on your face. And he's just about ready to take matters into his own hands, but you beat him to it.

Still wet from your previous orgasm, you were beyond ready to have Theo inside you. You lift yourself up slightly, guiding him to your entrance. He bites back a groan, his hands gripping your waist. You lock gazes as you slowly lower yourself onto him, your mouth falling open in a glorious 'o' shape as you take all of him into you.

While this wasn't the first time you had Theodore Nott resting deeply in your cunt, you took a moment to adjust.

"Are you going to move, or what?" Theo growls impatiently, bucking his hips and roughly nipping at the soft skin on your neck.

His impatience makes you smirk.

"Hey," you say, with a wry smile. You snake your fingers up to his hair, tugging his head back slightly to give you room to trail a path of kisses along his neck. You were going to prolong this and make you both ache for more. You didn't want to be the only one who was a moaning mess today. "If I'm making it up to you, then it's my rules."

"You know I don't give a shit about rules."

"Too bad."

This makes Theo's jaw clench. Before he can utter another quip, you're rolling your hips, feeling him embedded inside you. The movement feels good, but you know it's not enough for either of you just yet.

"God, I'm thankful your ego isn't the only thing that's big," you moan against his ear.

This makes Theo's jaw clench. You hear a string of curse words in another language, something you've noticed Theo does in moments where his brain had short-circuited. Enough sense, it seems, is knocked back into him as you can understand the breathless words, "And you take me so fucking well."

Theo's lips find the top of your chest, kissing down feverishly. His tongue flicks expertly against your right nipple as his hand moves to grip your bare ass from under your skirt. You arch into him, letting out a sharp gasp at the dual sensation. Despite his sentiment about rules, Theo lets you control the pace. He holds back the strong desire to thrust upwards into you, to fuck you hard.

"Oh, Theo," you whine as you continue to roll your hips. You wrap your arms around his shoulders and lift yourself up, almost completely off his dick. Ghosting your lips against his, you push yourself back down—hard—feeling him go even deeper. You repeat these movements, your moans growing louder.

Theo can't stop the thoughts of how gorgeous you looked from clouding his mind. You weren't bad to look at normally, but seeing you fuck yourself with his cock had to be one of the wonders of the world. Only if that were a reality, Theo's not sure he could stand anyone else ogling you like this.

"Yes, that... that feels good." Theo groans, his cock throbbing from your movements.

You press your forehead against his, your eyes locking with his as you continue. One of the things Theo liked most about this little arrangement was your unnerving ability to keep eye contact—there was nothing more sexy than seeing the woman you were pleasuring crumble. Eyes can tell you everything.

"I'm trying to—" you breathe, rocking yourself against him. The movement wasn't nearly fast enough, but the way you were moving had him reaching depths you didn't know were attainable. "—to be good."

"Are you?" Theo asks between pants, squeezing your ass roughly. He leans into your lips. "Can you be a good girl for me now?"

You give him a small nod, your eyes fluttering shut for a moment. Your breath is quavering as you try to speak; your eyes re-lock onto his. "Am I not being good for you?"

This makes him chuckle darkly. Theo wasn't an idiot. He knew you practically yearned for his words of praise. The knowledge was something he took advantage of from time to time, withholding and dangling his praise in front of you just to see how far you'd go to make him say it.

To prove to Theo you were being good, you push yourself down onto him roughly, a whimper escaping your lips. You increase your speed, unable to hold out anymore, fucking yourself hard, deep, and fast on his cock.

"Fuck." Theo swears, and he can't help himself now. Hands keep you in place as he fucks up into you, cock hitting your spot repeatedly and mercilessly. He relishes the feeling of your wet core around him. Your clit presses against his pelvis at each thrust.

You took pleasure (literally and figuratively) in Theo's natural ability in knowing. He knew what to say, how to touch you so you were melting, and when to take back control. His hands digging into your hips told you everything you needed to know: Theo was going to fuck you senseless.

"I want to be good," you pant, your nails digging into his back, grasping for a release.

"Then you know what I want to hear."

He holds you flush against him, arms wrapping around you as he continues to thrust. He can feel his own pleasure grow. Your head falls onto his shoulder as you feel it building up in your stomach again. This time, you weren't going to wait until it was too late.

"Theo, please," you practically beg. Theo was the only person who'd ever make you feel like this, and you were past the point of caring whether he knew it too. "Can I cum, please? For you."

"Yes," Theo hisses. He was close too. "Cum for me. Now."

Your orgasm hits you hard and fast, your head falling back as you drag your nails into his skin. Theo continues to thrust up sharply, chasing the high for the both of you. You clench around his length, the sensation mixed with your moans pushing Theo over the edge.

"That's my good girl."

Theo's praise for you was not lost in the chorus of breathy moans and grunts of pleasure. His addition of the word 'my' made you shake even more as another wave of pleasure washes over you.

"Oh, God, yes, Theo."

His hand moves to the back of your neck desperately, guiding you into him for a passionate kiss as he spills into you with a moan.

Ragged breaths fill the room. There was always a moment of limbo after every encounter—a moment where the two of you stayed entangled and nestled with each other, savouring the proximity and stealing last, sweet kisses. You knew the moment you got up, the two of you would go back to despising each other again, until next time.

"So?" Theo asks after a moment, expectant of an answer, as if you could read his mind. "That dumb git you mentioned earlier. Was he better than me?"

His question makes you smirk, and you have to bite it back so as not to show how content you were that he had lingered on that thought.

"You don't want me to answer that," you say, giving him a small pat on the shoulder before getting up. You slip back into your clothes and adjust your hair.

The answer should have been obvious to Theo, but you weren't giving him the satisfaction of admitting it because it did nothing for your reality. This was as far as this would go. Theodore Nott was a pretentious asshole who just so happened to be a good fuck. There was never going to be more than that.

"You definitely exceeded expectations today, Theo," you say, gathering your books from the floor. "But you didn't do anything worth an outstanding."

With a swift flick of your wand, you unlock the door and leave Theo in the vacant classroom, already fantasizing about next time.

[miheartsedthings]

Billy request if you do em :)

52. “Can I kiss you?”

TA-DA! Hope you didn't think I forgot you or anything.

Summary: Post- graduation, Billy's found-family has been teaching him about consent. He hasn't fully grasped it.

"Can I Kiss You?"*

TW: Dubious consent

Billy and his friends approach you at the first party of the semester. Billy’s one of the hottest guys you’ve ever seen in person, overshadowing anyone else you’ve met on campus and easily trumping everyone at the party. You don’t expect to look up from your drink and have his undivided attention. Yet there he is, sauntering over to you in a leather jacket with no shirt underneath. In his eyes is such a steady determination you find yourself unable to look away as he approaches.  

“Ask her first, B.” Steve urges him but Billy's eyes are cloudy with drink and intention. Nancy stands red-faced between him and Robin while Steve is shaking his head at the way Billy is invading your personal space. Whatever group mission they're on has already derailed and you're at the center of it.

“Damn,” he says, his eyes dragging up and down your form “Gorgeous, every time.” His proximity forces you against the wall. 

“Billy boy,” Robin calls with a chuckle, “Ask.”

“Ask–?” you're interrupted as he takes your cheeks into his warm palms.

“Can I?”

Billy pulls you into a kiss, intense and greedy. He knows you want him just as much as he wants you. His mouth is warm, beer sour. His breath brushes your face as he turns that penetrating gaze into your eyes. 

“You liked that. Yeah?”

His words are buried under music for the others, but you hear him loud and clear, nose to nose as you are. You nod. 

“What did you wanna ask?” 

Your tone is distracted, and your brain goes fuzzy when he kisses you again, your back bumps into the wall and you hold his forearms. His friends are snickering behind him. 

“There goes the consent rule” Steve says. 

“Was that ever a stable subject for him?” Nancy adds. 

Billy picks you up and you straddle him, earning moans from the others which both of you ignore. Billy takes you somewhere, a playful grin spreading his lips as he carries you up the steps. He’s drunk, stumbling to the side a little, bumping you into the wall. The two of you laugh. 

“A little sloppy, huh?” You chide. 

He snickers, tossing you up against his chest, his hands gripping up under your skirt, the sudden violation elicits a startled, thrilling sound as you look down at him with renewed excitement. His eyes amused, daring you to doubt his control. 

“Yeah,” he says, “A bit.” 

Upstairs, the music slightly faded, the darkened hallway is sparse of bodies. The occasional mumbled voice from behind a closed door is all. Billy backs you against a wall and now your tongues have met. Your fingers play in his hair and his crotch is pushed against yours, warm and so close. This feeling is painfully good. The power of being that thing he wants to fuck. Radient with some golden honey men can smell. His tongue curls into your mouth to taste it, hands messaging your ass, his fingers rubbing the little strip of cloth covering your pussy. 

He moves to your neck, biting hard enough to startle you and then sucking, intent on leaving a mark as his hips grind into you. The hard curve of his tip bumps your clit and your hand tightens in his hair. He’s warm. His toned body between your legs, pressing you to the wall, his mouth against your neck, drawing moans without hardly trying. The pressure of him between your legs feels so sweet. So perfect. 

He moves his mouth to your cleveage, then pulls down your dress, exposing your tits, and in the moment between seeing your nipples and sucking them, words tumble from his lips which reach your ears at a delay. 

“Can I?” 

Every swirl of his tongue around your nipple sends a little surge right through your clit, a magic trick that makes you press his head in harder, urging his sucking and gently nibbling. 

“Fuck,” you breath, every little swivel of your hips grinds against his shaft, and he moans, switching to your other nipple. Footsteps on the stairs send a flush of raw nerves buzzing through you in a warm rush. “Someone’s coming.” 

Your words hushed against his ear only excite him more. The idea that someone will see the two of you- see you with your legs open for him, as close to fucking as kissing can get. 

“Billy,” you whisper. The people have reached the hall and you know they’ve spotted you, their loud voices drop to hushed tones. A flush of embarrassment makes you squirm against the wall, burying your face into his neck to hide. “Billy, please.” 

Finally, he listens. Abruptly, he takes your weight against him and continues down the hall, bursting into the first room you find unlocked. You find yourself tossed onto your back on a mess of blankets. Billy pulls off your panties, his eyes heavy with lust and focused on your nakedness as he stands back and takes off his jacket. 

“Fuck, baby,” his eyes trail up to your chest, and finally your face. He smirks. “Don’t look so nervous.” 

“I’m not,” you say, though your words are belied by the quiver in your voice. You prop yourself up on your elbows as Billy is crawling onto the bed, his hand falls to your lips, rubbing your wetness over them, staring down at the act like it’s just so beautiful. 

“Billy,” 

“Yeah?” 

He doesn’t look up. Transfixed as he is by the slow swirling. 

“What did you wanna ask me?” 

He pushes his middle finger inside, and as he does, as he’s sinking in past the first knuckle and you’re softening at the feeling- his lips part, a wisp of an exhale. Finally, he looks at you with those drunken, lover-boy eyes and all of you goes warm from the center of your stomach out.

“If I could kiss you,” he says, leaning closer, eyeing your mouth again, his weight sinking the mattress beside your hip. You feel like a small animal about to be eaten. You start to form words, but he’s so close, and just as you try he pushes in another finger. 

“Ask me? You didn’t–”

He’s kissing you, and his fingers are buried inside, curving into your flesh, pulling wetness out of you like fingering fruit. He groans and pulls back to look down. 

“Fuck,” he says, “I knew it. Fuckin knew you were like this.” 

He pulls harder, his fingers pushing hard and slow and every stroke brings more out of you, making you moan, turning your mouth onto his neck, your hands into his hair. You never do manage to answer the question. He never gets around to properly asking.

Hope you loved it ~

[lurking-latinist]

How to Suck Less at Summaries

Probably almost anyone who's ever posted a fic to ao3 or a platform with a similar interface has been hit by that moment of panic, breaking in on the euphoria of having finished and polished a fic--"what do I put for the summary?!"

So much so, that "I suck at summaries" in the summary box has become something of a cliche. It's very understandable! You've already put all that work into writing the fic itself, and now you have to write ANOTHER thing with its own set of conventions and expectations? No way!

And I want to start by saying that that's absolutely fine. Fic writing is your hobby, your creative endeavor; you're not obligated to do anything in it that you don't want to. You can leave the summary box completely blank--ao3 will let you--and there's no reason you shouldn't, if that's what you want to do! If you're happy with your summaries, please don't change them. There's no wrong way to do summaries. This is your invitation to ignore the entire rest of this post!

However. My impression is that an awful lot of people aren't happy with their summaries. They would like to have summaries that catch a reader's attention, that fit common patterns, or that give a good representation of the fic; they're just not sure how to accomplish that, or what readers might be expecting. And the good news is that writing various styles of summaries, like other kinds of writing, is a skill you can improve--and that there are some tips and tricks that can help you write the kinds of summaries you may want to write more quickly.

How do I know? Well, on top of having read I don't know how many fics, I've published 200 of my own, with all different kinds of summaries. (In fact, writing this post is my treat to myself to celebrate publishing 200 fics!) So I have a lot of trial and error experience to draw on. I'll be using my own summaries as examples (plus some hypothetical examples), because I don't want to be nitpicking anyone else's!

I'm going to throw in a cut now because this is gonna get long.

What do you want to accomplish with your summary?

That's the first question you might want to ask yourself. And the answer really is up to you! The name "summary" suggests it's supposed to be a sort of short version of your story. That's one option. But summaries are often used to accomplish various other things, too: some of my favorite summaries don't really tell you anything about the plot of the fic, but instead give you a glimpse of the writer's style or lure you in with a question. It can also fill organizational purposes like commemorating the reason the fic was written (although author notes can also be effective for things like this).

Most fundamentally, I tend to think of the summary box as a place to manage your readers' expectations. I want them to have some sense of what the fic they're about to read might be like, and I want to present that in a way that highlights why it might be appealing to them. Of course, what I write won't be appealing to every reader--and an effective summary, plus accurate tags and ratings of course, allows a reader who won't enjoy what I have to offer to quickly keep scrolling and find something that fits their tastes better. But the way I think of them, summaries are really mainly for readers who will enjoy my fic if they decide to open it. A summary for a fic is like a pretty package for a gift: the gift is great in itself, and the nice gift-wrap makes it more eye-catching and more fun to open!

Sidebar: This "managing expectations" thing is, I think, the reason why authors sometimes add notes in the summary like "I'm sorry if this sucks" or "this is my first fic, it's probably terrible." I completely understand where this comes from--you don't want to make your readers expect some kind of genius literature and then only have something to give them that you yourself are still insecure about! But I really do think they're generally counterproductive. On the one hand, that kind of negative self-talk will tend to undermine your own confidence and make you more insecure about your writing, not less; on the other hand, they can subconsciously prime your readers to notice weaknesses and issues that they might otherwise not even have paid attention to! That doesn't mean you have to pretend you think your writing is perfect; very few of us do think what we post on fic archives is perfect. There's nothing wrong, even, with a note like "this is my first fic" or "this one is a bit experimental, I'm not sure how I feel about it" or "this wasn't written in my first language" or even "this is an old fic and I don't think it represents my best work anymore", although I tend to put that kind of commentary on craft in the author's notes rather than the summary, but that's just me; there's no rule. As an example, when I recently published my first fic in the Hornblower fandom, which has a historical setting I wasn't previously very familiar with, I thanked my beta for helping me avoid "historical howlers" and added "any remaining are my own responsibility." That made me feel better about potential mistakes in research by showing that I was aware I might have made some. I put this in an author's note at the end of the story. But, for the sake of you as a writer as well as me as a reader, I'm asking you--please don't start out our reader/writer relationship by telling me it's terrible! Give yourself a chance to shine. Even if there's a lot you're insecure about in your fic, there's something you love--maybe it's the premise, the ship, even one particular line--that makes you want to share it with the world. Use the summary to highlight that. As your reader, that's what I want to know about!

Anyway, now that you've decided what you want your summary to accomplish, there are a couple of very easy ways to fill the summary box that you might want to consider--if they make sense for your fic.

Just quote the prompt

When I write prompt-fic, often very short, I frequently just quote the prompt itself as the summary. An example would be my 3 Sentence Ficathon fic archived on ao3. Since the challenge in this event is to write a complete fic in only three sentences, a summary wouldn't be much shorter than the fic itself! So I just do summaries like

For reeby10's prompt: "Doctor Who, Clara/Twelve, unforgettable."

(Gaps)

This can work outside of prompt memes, too. If you're doing a monthly challenge, for instance, something like

Flufftember day 21, 'breakfast in bed'

might tell your readers all they need to know to be interested in your story and know what to expect.

Set the context

For some fic, the most important thing you want your readers to know going in is something about the fic's context. For instance, with drabbles I sometimes use the summary as a place to sneak in information about setting/what's supposed to be happening that I didn't have room for in the drabble itself. For Susan's Twist, a 100-word drabble, I set the scene in the summary:

Susan is grooving to the latest chart-topper of 1963. But for some reason, the song makes her grandfather uncomfortable.

which meant I didn't have to use any of my 100 words explaining "Susan was listening to the radio, when..." Since Susan's Twist was inspired by someone else's Tumblr post, I could also just have referenced that post in the summary. But in this case, I chose to phrase the premise in my own words in the summary, and cite the Tumblr post in the author's notes (I also tagged the OP when I shared the fic on Tumblr).

Flower Children is an example of a drabble with a not particularly effective summary where I could have used this strategy quite effectively. The summary is just

Neither of them wants to fight.

which is all right, but which doesn't do much to set up the (admittedly cracky) Eighth Doctor/Dalek Oswin pairing that motivates the fic. But then, I've always felt like I didn't have quite as much of an idea as I'd like about what the context for this fic is supposed to be. Maybe I'll write more about them sometime.

Setting the context can also be useful for summaries of AUs. Very often, what draws people into AUs is the AU concept itself.

For instance, the premise of my story te quaerens, Ariadna is that the events of the audio Zagreus go differently and the Doctor remains possessed by/transformed into Zagreus. So that's what I said in the summary:

The Doctor is still Zagreus, but he and Charley find ways to keep going.

In this case, the summary is accomplishing more than one thing; it explains the concept, but it also indicates a bit of the story's tone--it's fairly optimistic given its premise, and it's more about how their relationship evolves than any particular plotty event.

With setting change AUs--especially in familiar AU settings, like a coffeeshop, high school, or fantasy monarchy--often what readers will most want to know is what roles the characters are filling; in other words, how the translation from canon to AU has been made. For instance, my story Warmth is already tagged as a coffeeshop AU with the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, and Adric, so the summary indicates that it's told from the perspective of Tegan as a new employee:

Unexpectedly stranded in London and looking for work, Tegan finds a place where she just might fit in.

If she had been a longtime employee or a customer, that would have changed the story's dynamics, and I would have wanted the summary to reflect that instead. I could have also added that the Doctor is the shop's manager and Nyssa and Adric are the existing employees, but I decided to let the story itself reveal that in this case.

With someone's planted a bath bomb in the matrix, which is a retail AU inspired by an incorrect quotes tumblr post, I just stuck the whole tumblr post in the summary box:

Romana: When you work at lush and a customer comes in and bites the soap because they think it’s cheese… this happens way more frequently than you think. Leela: If you stopped literally presenting soap as deli food this wouldn't happen. Narvin: Who goes into a bath store and thinks something covered in glitter is cheese? Brax: Who goes to the store and just takes a bite from the cheese? ~incorrectgallifreyquotes.tumblr.com

I might do that a bit differently now--maybe more the way I handled Susan's Twist--maybe something like this in the summary:

An uptight employee and a too-suave customer are making Romana's job managing a bath store way too stressful. Thank goodness--probably--that her best friend works for mall security.

And then I'd have put the tumblr post that inspired it in author's notes.

Thing is, though, that reflects my taste and what I think is effective now, but it doesn't mean I did it wrong the first time. People read and enjoyed the story, and it was fine!

Also I just showed this post to Moki and she said she thinks the first one's more intriguing. So that just goes to show, it's really a matter of taste.

This strategy is also useful for missing scenes and things like that. Something as simple as

While waiting for Z to return from the rendezvous, X and Y have a conversation.

can draw in readers very effectively, especially if X and Y's conversation was kind of obviously a gap in the story that they might already be curious about.

Use a quote

A surprisingly effective and straightforward way to create a summary is just to use a quote from the fic. I've seen tons of great summaries like this that hook me in immediately. I struggle with using it myself, because I want the line I quote to be powerful/impactful/intriguing and give some sense of what the plot is like and make sense out of context, and I don't often seem to be able to find lines like that in my own work. But I did for The Moon by Night:

It could not have been more than a day that we clung to the hull of that station full of troopers.

Since this is a space AU for a historical fiction novel, this line gives some sense of how the events of the story have been translated into space, and also shows the voice I'm writing in (I tried to follow the style of the original, which is first-person, which is unusual for me). If you can find a line like that in your work, it can be a great summary. You can even just put the first couple of lines of the fic, especially if you've already worked to make them an effective hook!

You can also use a quote from another source. Was there a line or moment from canon that inspired the fic? A poem or song that fits its mood? You can use the summary as a sort of epigraph. (I often use author's notes for this as well.) If your readers vibe with the quote that inspired the story, they're likely to vibe with the story as well.

I did something like this with Absent thee from felicity awhile. The title is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet, and all I put in the summary box was another quote from a couple of lines later:

…to tell my story.

This is so short and contextless, though, that I'm not sure how effective it was. It maybe only works if you recognize the specific Hamlet scene that it's taken from and have thought about that scene in the context of a specific episode of Hornblower. (I promise that, if you do, it's heartbreakingly ironic!) This could have been a good opportunity for me to do a double summary (see below), especially since the story is epistolary and I could've established its context. Although I did kind of like revealing who was reading the letter and when slowly over the course of the story.

Okay, but I do want to explain the plot

Right, so we've established that effective summaries don't have to be in that "back of the book blurb" format. But sometimes you want them to be. Sometimes the thing you're most excited about is the story's plot or events, and you want to communicate that to the reader. But you already wrote the story in order to communicate the plot to the reader; how do you condense it into a sentence or two? Here are some tips that may help.

Are you using familiar tropes? If so, just mentioning them will likely tell your reader not only what the plot is, but that (if they like that trope) they're likely to enjoy it. For instance:

A and B are trapped in a snow cave/ice planet/walk-in freezer and must huddle for warmth.

That particular one will also explain a bit about the setting, if you want.

Relationship status/development is also something that many readers want to know, whether it's a romantic or a gen relationship (e.g. characters becoming friends or realizing they see each other as family). For instance, if A and B admit their romantic feelings for the first time in that huddling for warmth story, you might add:

They get a lot closer than either of them expects...

I rather like ellipses at the end of a summary; I think they imply, sort of, "read the fic to find out the rest." I sometimes use them to soften a summary that feels a bit abrupt. I feel like this might be just me, though? So if you don't like ellipses, nothing wrong with ending that same summary with a period.

If you have a fic where the entire content is some emotional development between characters, the entire summary can easily be that too!

I don't really write smut so I don't have good advice for summarizing it, but I get the feeling this might be a relevant strategy for it?

What changes in the story? This could be a change in characters' attitudes towards each other, in the information they have, in their physical situation, or anything else. A story doesn't have to be about one single major change, but there's almost always at least one. (Or a change fails to happen, but in an interesting way: "five times Lois Lane didn't realize Clark was Superman" would be a perfectly intriguing summary!)

What demands are made of the characters? Many stories involve a character overcoming some kind of challenge or meeting some kind of test. A summary can indicate what that challenge is--and you don't have to indicate whether or how the characters meet it! This can contribute to a feeling of suspense, so that the reader feels they need to read the story to find out how the characters react. For instance, I summarized my story Journey as:

The Doctor and Ace need to stop a dimensional leakage to put a life-sucking entity back where it belongs. But to do so, they'll each need to protect the other in their own way.

What are their own ways? Do they succeed? The reader can probably guess that they do--but how? Their attention is caught, and they'll have to read to find out!

Some notes on format and style

Summary style is as personal as the rest of your writing style, so this is only intended as a mention of a couple of trends I've noticed.

Sometimes summaries are 'in-universe'--i.e. they describe the characters and what they do, without reference to the existence of the fic itself as a textual entity--and sometimes, like the "five times" example I gave above, they refer to the fic's format, characteristics, relationship to canon, etc. in direct terms. (For instance, the example I gave for a missing scene was 'in-universe,' but I could just as well have said "While waiting for Z to return during Episode 3..."). Either of these approaches are fine, although I personally tend to incline more towards the in-universe style unless I have a particular reason to use the other, such as in Differences of Opinion, which took a lot of metatextual explaining:

When I read enough easily-crossed-over stories, such as for instance the Age of Sail books that I have been reading lately and also spaceship stories inspired thereby, what inevitably happens is I end up with a nebulous meta crossover setting where they can all hang out outside of their respective canons. Here's one conversation from that setting.

I keep wondering if something more terse might have been more effective, and I could have put all that in the author's notes. But I really think that for anyone who would enjoy this fic, the metatextual complication is a big part of the appeal. So I put it in the summary.

It's pretty standard to write in-universe-style summaries in the present tense, even if the fic is in the past tense. "The characters do this and that," not "the characters did this and that." You don't have to, but it's what your reader is most likely to be expecting.

It seems to be quite common to have a double summary: one that maybe reflects the style and tone of the fic, and another, more matter-of-fact one that explains the plot. They're frequently joined by "or." I don't typically use it--maybe because I rarely have the problem of having too much summary--but if you do, this could be a great solution.

Spellcheck and proofread your summary extra. Whatever strategies you normally use to make sure the words in your story are the words you actually meant to write, it's a good idea to turn those strategies on the summary with special intensity. After all, this is your first impression on your reader, so you probably want to look as polished as possible!

These are just a few things I've noticed that I tend to think about when staring at that blinking cursor in the summary box. I hope they may help you, too, to feel like you have something to say in that moment!

[gothamgothic]

Living near supers/heroes as a meta

(CW: Unreality, In-character RP) I wanted to share some tips and tricks that I have picked up from experience and talking with other metas about moving/relocating from city to city. I hope that this list is helpful for those who are just going out on their own for the first time. Stay safe everyone!

---

For metas, establish yourself a routine. Something that your neighbors grow accustomed to, check your mail the same time every day, go to the bus stop the same time. Stick to the routine to the best of your ability.

Why? Metas are statistically more likely to be targeted by goons, rogues, etc. when out and about. If you go missing, you want people to be able to tell. This is also a fantastic tip for young women living alone.

Try to keep up to date on the local rogues and their hench-people, and keep as far away from them as possible. Even a single meeting may make it look to heroes, to civilians, etc. that you are working for that group.

I have found it far easier to keep a form of ID on you as a meta, even if you do not drive, than to argue with random security guards about the fact that "no, I am not a new rogue, I am here to buy pants." Do not HAND them your ID.

--- Keep in mind where it is you plan to move. What sort of threats are there? Is it a smaller town? What is the local meta population like?

If the city has statistics about their meta population, that either means that they are actively going door-to-door asking for this information, they have some local organization of metas sharing this information, or they are partaking in some less than ideal practices. Being a meta is considered medical information in many places.

I also suggest going to the pages of notable political figures in the area you plan to move, find their stances on metas if you can. The more vocal ones tend to be even MORE vocal on social media.

If your city is large enough, it may have a help hotline for metas, to my knowledge there are only a couple cities that do as of now, but others seem to be following suit.

And finally: If your local heroes make public appearances, and you have the opportunity to, introduce yourself! I know the Flash was DELIGHTED when he met me when I was a kid. I have the photo framed. Letting the local heroes know you exist is an amazing experience for anyone.

If you have anything else you would like to add, I ENCOURAGE it!

EDIT: Added the unreality tag after seeing others tag it and realize that it would be beneficial.

[alxxbee]

Hiii Alex I hope you are having a wonderful day!!😊 I have a question to ask you and you don't need to answer if you don't want to of course!!

I was wondering if you would mind sharing how you became an artist, if that makes sense? Or perhaps how you draw, I think that's more like it! I've been struggling a little bit and since you are extremely talented I thought perhaps you could explain your process when drawing a character (did you learn some anatomy techniques or maybe you learned some tricks and tips from tutorial videos.)?

I guess what I am trying to say is how did you learned to draw characters, if that is a possibility for you to share of course. I don't want to pressure you or seem mean by making you reveal your process when it comes to art.

Thank you very much for reading this ask and I hope that you are doing okay.💗🤗

Thank you!!

I am a self taught artist and i only draw whatever i liked since i was a little kid, so i never really watched any drawing tutorials to “better my art” since i was doing it purely for fun. Whenever i find a cartoon i like i would try to replicate the style of it but also add my own uniqueness to it, how i draw HH characters now was not my art style a year ago! But i only just started replicating styles, I think for the longest time i would draw in a cutesy anime way. I use a bunch of referencing too, that helps a lot! I personally don’t use shapes or bases when i sketch, i kinda just go with the flow if you know what i mean? I make a lot of mistakes sketching so inverting the canvas and using the (liquify) tool to tweak it before i start doing line art helps a lot. (im also just a huge perfectionist 😔)

Of course it takes a while to get the hang of finding your own art style, when things got too hard i would go on pinterest and get inspiration from other artists there! when it comes to posing, rendering..+ I have separate pinterest boards for each thing. aaaand before this gets too long i just wanted to say thank you again! Every artist has their own unique way of their drawing process, my advice is to keep drawing, don’t focus on negatively comparing your work to anyone else’s, that can get really draining very fast. Do whatever helps you the most and one day you’ll look back to your old art and see how far youve come (i just personally think that’s the best part of it all) 💖

[prismaticpichu]

How To Improve Your Sephiroth’s Day

a step by step guide written by Zack Fair

1. Compliment his hair! ~ There are little things in the world that the average Sephiroth cares about more than that flowing silver mane. He tends to spend approximately of 7 - 50 minutes brushing it meticulously every morning, and hearing that dedication pay off is a certified way to get your Seph’s day started on the right foot! Just be sure to not go too overboard with the compliments; Sephiroths naturally attract a lot of fans, thus turning a lot of that praise hollow. Try to tie it naturally into a conversation if you can - just a quick “nice hair today!” will do the trick. Remember, be genuine! Compliment Sephiroth, not the SOLDIER.

2. Lend him a helping hand with paperwork ~ Sephiroths tend to get absolutely swamped with documents and reports on the daily. Take some of that pressure off by chipping in yourself! Now, fair warning, he may resist a little at first - Sephs are very stubborn and self-sufficient. There are three good ways to work around this issue. 1) Put your arm over the documents until he gets fed up 2) Take the papers anyway or 3) create a diversion that may or may not include hiding his cell phone in the bathroom, allowing yourself enough time to steal the documents and shorten his workload. Whatever you do, though, do NOT insist that he needs help. This will cause your Sephiroth to balk and work even harder.

3. Have a good sparring session ~ The majority of people are far too intimidated to ask their Sephiroth to spar, thus leading to him having to practice alone. Suggesting a good match on your accord will brighten his day tenfold! Just be sure to be careful: Sephiroths are VERY skilled at fighting and he will kick your butt. Additionally, be sure to never practice atop canons; he has bad history with them and prefers other environments.

4. Join your Seph for dinner! ~ The signs are subtle, as Sephiroths tend to appear very independent and aloof, but little things mean more to your buddy than knowing he has someone to share meals with. Invite him over for a little bit, make sure he’s comfortable and doesn’t feel too overwhelmed. Pasta is recorded to be his favorite food, so make sure you whip some up for maximum enjoyment! Add some shrimp and fish if available. Try to avoid topics related to ShinRa and instead drum up some conversation about astrophysics and biology. Once engaged, your Sephiroth will do most of the chatting! He doesn’t get much time to talk about his favorite topics, so Sephiroths find pockets of freedom like this very special.

5. Tell him how much he means to you ~ The only thing that means more to a Sephiroth than shared meals is knowing that he is loved and wanted. Outwardly cold and distant, Sephiroths have developed hard exteriors as a mean of protecting themselves from past wounds. Ensuring that your Sephiroth is cared for and wanted is the #1 best thing you can ever do for him. Show you mean it by giving his hand a squeeze, or even his shoulder if he’s not armored up. If you’re really lucky, he may just even let you pull him in for a hug. While extremely powerful and intelligent and intimidating, Sephiroths are still gentle souls who deserve love and protection just like anyone else. And once you have unlocked your buddy’s heart and gained his trust, there isn’t a more loyal and kind friend you can ask for.

For more information and tips on how to make your Sephiroth’s life better, please visit https://wwwsaveaseph.org

Zack Fair

SOLDIER First Class

Professional sleeper, eater, and best friend

[aparticularbandit]

Not A Trick

Summary: Sometimes, when Himiko dreams, she remembers cutting a girl in half. Then that laughing girl pulls her into the biggest, tightest hug and twirls with her, but Himiko only sees the scars she's left behind - uneven on her legs, around her stomach, what must be within her, too, hidden under her skin.

Sometimes, when Himiko dreams, she and that laughing girl are together with others, but no one else sees the scars. They talk about how great Himiko's magic trick was, but Himiko stops them, looks at those scars, and corrects them. It wasn't an act.

It was magic.

Follow-Up to All An Act.

Rating: M for Disturbing Imagery.

AO3

Himiko doesn’t believe in resurrection magic.

It causes so much mana as to be irrelevant; her master told her stories of other mages who attempted it and ended up draining themselves of their mana so completely that they died in the attempt, not even able to bring their loved one back to life.  That doesn’t even get into the many ways the magic could go wrong.  The other person could come back brainless, spineless, alive but unhealed, or – worst of all – not wanting to be alive again in the first place.  There are so many – too many – risks, so what’s the point of even trying?  It’s easier to say that resurrection magic doesn’t exist, because she’ll have no reason to ever try.

Healing magic, on the other hand, is something else entirely.

If applied correctly – if applied quickly – then healing magic can, on occasion, be used instead of…that other stuff.

Technically speaking, the other person might be considered dead, but if they’re never called that, then it isn’t resurrection magic, it’s healing magic – giving them just enough life force to tip them over and then heal from there.  Significantly less mana usage.  Still a lot, which leaves her weak for a long period of time, but in a pinch—

~

Rantaro’s body announcement blared through the entire school building so loud that it had to overwhelm the already overwhelming murder music.  Maybe – maybe – Himiko could have avoided the word dead and gotten to him if she’d been there immediately (calling him a body is fine; everybody has a body – it’s literally in the word everybody! – so calling him a body doesn’t have to mean dead), but by the time she burst into the room, the whispers from the others permeated the library.  There was nothing she could do.  Besides, her mana hadn’t rebuilt after waking nearly depleted at the school.  Like she must have expended it doing something else before she was here, although she couldn’t remember what.

Executions, like Kaede’s and Kirumi’s, are hopeless.  They’re dead and out of reach before Himiko could even try anything.

And again, she simply doesn’t have enough mana for either.  There still hasn’t been enough time for the store she would need for that kind of healing when Kaede is executed, and while she might have been able to try with Kirumi, the countless nicks and cuts and tears add up.  Also, she’d used mana stores during her own performance.  Maybe, if she hadn’t, the multitude of wounds wouldn’t have been so bad, but—

Himiko can’t help it.  She’s bitter.  Kirumi used her performance as a cover for a murder that Himiko couldn’t have fixed even if she’d had the mana.  Ryoma was simply dead for too long by the time they found him, and then he’d been devoured; there’s no coming back from that!

Not that anyone knew she could heal anyone, or anything.

They would expect too much from her.

Nyeh.

Better to keep her mouth shut.

~

Sometimes, when Himiko dreams, she remembers cutting a girl in half.  She remembers intestines spilling from her stomach, remembers bright pink blood splattering the floor, remembers closing everything as best she can and forcing magic into her.  That laughing girl pulls her into the biggest, tightest hug and twirls with her, but Himiko only sees the scars she’s left behind – uneven on her legs, around her stomach, what must be within her, too, hidden under her skin.

Sometimes, when Himiko dreams, she and that laughing girl are together with others, but no one else sees the scars.  They talk about how great Himiko’s magic trick was, but Himiko stops them, looks at those scars, and corrects them.  It wasn’t an act.  It was magic.

Sometimes, when Himiko dreams, that laughing girl lies with teeth like tombstones and assures them she put on the act of a lifetime!  But then she gives Himiko a sideways glance and a subtler sort of grin.

(They never talk about it.  Even forgetting, Himiko carries the weight of it within her chest.)

~

When Angie dies, it is Himiko’s fault.

She should have stayed.  She should have been there.  She should have—

It doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter.

Angie lies dead, corpse cold and spattered in blood, and no healing can save her.

(If she’d been there, she could have—)

~

Tenko doesn’t die.

The body announcement shouts out like a joyous occasion, but Himiko shouts louder, cutting off every attempt of the other three to use the word.

Not.  That.  Word.

They have to investigate, they have to, and all those footsteps coming all at once.  They’ll be in the room soon enough, and once they are, then someone will say it, and she won’t be able to—

(To be fair.  She doesn’t have the mana for this.  Himiko knows that.  But she can try.  She can—)

“Himiko.”  Shuichi kneels down next to her.  “I know what it’s like to—”

Those footsteps, loud, of the others gathering cuts him off, and Himiko can’t stop time – not because she can’t, but because if she’s going to try to heal Tenko ,then she needs as much mana as she has conserved, she can’t waste it on something like that – and she glances up at him, meets his eyes.  “Tenko isn’t dead,” she says.  “Just hurt.  I can fix hurt.”

The edges of Shuichi’s eyes crinkle with confusion.  “Himiko.  You can’t—”

Tsumugi makes it to them first – Himiko hears her behind their discussion, the question of what happened and the barely repressed shriek that she must have made when the announcement happened – and she places a hand on Shuichi’s shoulder.  “Let her try,” she says, not because she has any faith in Himiko’s abilities at all (she knows the tropes, but she doesn’t believe), but because for some reason, Tsumugi is gentle with her.  Not like Kirumi, who was gentle with all of them in a serving manner, not gentle like Angie in an encouraging (yet denying) manner, not gentle like Tenko in a forceful not really all-that-gentle manner, but like…

Like a parent, maybe.  But a distant one.

(Himiko doesn’t remember her parents, but she remembers that laughing girl, and sometimes she thinks that she and Tsumugi are the same, aware of something that no one else can see.)

“We need to investigate—”

“Himiko and I will take care of Tenko’s body, okay?”  Tsumugi offers him a quiet sort of smile.  (It feels patronizing.  It doesn’t look patronizing.)  She leans closer and whispers, as though Himiko won’t hear it, “I’ll make sure she doesn’t destroy any evidence.  That’s what you’re scared of, right?”

“Me, too!”  Kokichi, with his neeheehee and his hands pulled up in front of him and his eyes full of stars (like the laughing girl, but not in the same way as Tsumugi).  “I wanna see what Himiko’s going to do!  And~ Gonta can carry her!”

Himiko doesn’t want this many people.  But she cradles Tenko’s body in her arms, tight against her.  She hasn’t heard the word.  She can do this.  She can—

~

Gonta carries Tenko into the next room and gently sets her in the middle of the floor, just where she’d been in the other room.  “This okay?”

Himiko nods.  She covers Tenko with another tarp Tsumugi took from Angie’s art room; Shuichi hadn’t wanted them to use the one now stained with Tenko’s blood, not wanting them to contaminate the evidence further than it already might be.  Maki gave them a look not of disbelief or disdain but of something nearing pity, something warmer that isn’t quite compassion but was close enough.  “Turn the lights out.”

“Oh~ so you don’t want anyone to see what you’re doing!”  Kokichi grins.  “Just like a real master magician!”

“I’m a mage.”

Tsumugi flips the switch.  “Like this, Himiko?”

Darkness floods the room.

(So much for making sure she doesn’t contaminate evidence, but Himiko and Kokichi both examined Tenko’s body while Tsumugi got the tarp.  Himiko needed to find the offending wound; Kokichi��probably just wanted to collect evidence.  He hadn’t used the word.  He’d made sure Gonta hadn’t used the word.  It was surprisingly nice of him.)

Himiko doesn’t remember much from her dreams, and she can’t be sure that they’re anything more than that – dreams – but she closes her eyes the same way that she did in them and she begins to cast.

(Tenko wouldn’t want her to use all of her mana.)

(Himiko doesn’t care.)

Her eyes are closed, but the room is dark, so she feels the golden glow and it burns the rims of her eyelids.  The others gasp.  Gonta says something about wanting to touch it.  Someone slaps his hand away – Kokichi, maybe.  She can’t focus on that, she has to focus on this, and she feels that more, the ebbs of her mana connecting with Tenko and stitching her head back together and filling her with whatever life Himiko has that she can, in this moment, share.

The glow only disappears when Himiko’s mana runs so low that she can’t keep it up – and the healing should be done, it should be done – and when she collapses, she hears Tenko shuffling the blanket off of her (“Huh?  What’s going on?  Did some degenerate male—”); when she collapses, she falls into Tenko’s arms.

[yellowjacketsfashion]

curious if you have and advice or experience regarding the numbers on the spirit halloween jerseys. the stickers historically have never worked for me. they fall off instantly and they're also just terrible looking and the wrong color yellow. any idea in terms of possibly altering the costume with a permanent number? i've thought of sewing a patch but it would be bulky and not look how it does in the show. for now ive just been wearing it with no number because it looks better without the stickers

While I haven’t personally done any of these to the jersey I have, there’s a couple ways I can think of to alternatively add a number to it.

1. Paint The Number On.

You can create a stencil for the number by printing out your design on cardstock and use an Exacto to cut it out to leave the negative space. You can then use fabric paint to paint the number on to the jersey using the stencil (though you could also probably buy a number stencil as well). This way you’d be able to match the color to the right shade of yellow with your paint and it’s not going to be able to fall off.

The one thing I foresee being a problem is sometimes yellow paint can be somewhat sheer so it might be a good idea to paint the area white first before you paint on the yellow. Also numbers like 6,4, 8,9,0, contain pieces that aren’t connected when you cut out a stencil so that might be difficult to do though there’s also ways around that.

I’ve done this technique before on other projects and it works pretty great. If you want a more in depth tutorial I was planning on posting it in a tutorial for Misty’s Equipment Manager jacket that I’ll hopefully finish before Halloween.

2. Using Heat and Bond with Fabric

If you use a thinner fabric that doesn’t fray (maybe spandex?) for the numbers and use Heat n Bond to iron it on I think it should work (permitting that the jersey is made out of fabric that can be ironed/ ironed carefully). A thin fabric might not be as bulky and since it won’t fray and you wouldn’t have to sew it on or finish the edges. Plus, this would likely be thinner than a traditional patch.

Though since it uses adhesive, if your jersey isn’t allowing things to stick it’s possible it might not work. (I don’t know if this could be it but fabric softener coats clothes in wax which can mess with adhesives so if you’ve washed the costume with it that could be contributing to your struggle).

I’ve done this once before for a patch so I’m not entirely sure if it works in this case but it could be an option.

3. Using vinyl?

If you have access to like a Cricket or some other vinyl cutter you might be able to use that. I think it also uses adhesives though and I couldn’t give you any advice on it because I have no experience with them personally. It might be something to look into though if you have the tools at your disposal.

4. Silk Screening/ Screen Printing

This is a process that can be used to print a number onto the jersey. I don’t have experience with this but it’s something they do on real sports jerseys so it would likely work well. If you already have access to this and know more about it you could try checking it out.

Hopefully some of these ideas help! If anyone else has any tips and tricks feel free to add your suggestions as well!

[skyfallscotland]

Hello Amy! I love your writing and it’s actually inspiring me to start writing as well, I have these ideas floating around in my head but I am also scared to start cuz maybe it will reveal I suck at writing … how did you feel when you first started writing and do you have any advice?

Hi! Thank you so much, I love that for you! 💗 I've been writing stories all my life but I published my first fanfic online in my very early teens. Someone commented that it was quite literally the worst fanfic they'd ever read in their life and you know what, maybe it was.

Here's an excerpt I pulled from something I wrote in 2007, three fics after that (because everything earlier has been scrubbed from existence):

Okay, maybe I should start from the beginning. I'm fifteen years old and have an older brother named Remus, Remus John Lupin. Oh you've heard of him have you? Not surprising, he is a marauder after all. Anyway back to me. I have black hair as I've already said, with layers and purple extensions underneath. I've got pale white skin and my nose and ears pierced. I have green-grey eyes. They're kind of bright, but don't get me wrong, they're 100 percent normal. Nothing special about little ole' me...well besides the fact that I'm a witch that is. But you already knew that didn't you?

Ah, the golden years of emocore, what a time to be alive. Ok, now let's all promptly pretend that never happened. Ok? Cool.

Look, here's the thing, I always thought writing came naturally to me, but upon reflection, I've realised it doesn't. I don't think the process of writing itself comes naturally to anyone, it comes with practice. What is a gift is the imagination—being able to visualise a story, interactions, scenes in your head. If you have ideas floating around in your head you're already halfway there.

I write because the ideas in my head won't leave me alone until they're out there, on the page. I write because no one else has written the exact story I want to read. I write because I like the feeling of community and understanding it brings when you post something and other people say they feel it. My best advice is entirely cliché and that's to write from the heart and write for yourself and not anyone else—everything else will fall into place.

I get this question more than I ever expected to, so I've actually spent some time writing up a masterpost with some helpful tips, tricks & links to add to my FAQ. So hopefully you'll find that useful! I'll link it here: part one—advice and part two—resources.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

tips and tricks on writing fanfic if u have any i beg <3<3

i have wrote so much throughout my life but it never feels like it flows right yk? i just want to write my silly characters being devastating with eachother

and you are infact my fav fic writer ever so pretty please <3

(its fine if not lol just may as well ask)

hihi!! sorry this took me a sec to respond to lol but yes ofc i can do my best to help!! and apologies in advance if any of this isn’t helpful/applicable 😓 i’ll put it all under the cut just because i can sense myself rambling in advance why did it end up being an entire thesis

okayyy so the most important thing for me when writing is having my plot and characters be in constant conversation with one another. typically i will come up with a very vague idea for a plot, which will then tell me exactly what kind of main characters i need to write, and from there, i build my cast!! it’s why i’m always afraid of writing characters ooc — typically i take aspects of the pre-existing character from canon and then expand on them so that they fit the plot i want, and sometimes i get worried that that means i’ve changed them too much LMAO.

once i understand what i want from my characters, i start to write. i usually have to rewrite my first chapter a few times as i get a feel for the characters and their perspectives, especially my pov character (we’ll call them mc for the sake of simplicity moving forward). it’s only after i feel like the mc’s voice and personality have been established that i can continue. i like to understand a character well enough that i can intuitively know how they would respond to any given situation. it makes it much easier in the future!! because once you’ve established a character, you can’t change them. i’ll use glass princess as an example because ik you’ve read it — if i wanted to write a slight different story, i could’ve written the mc to be a ruthless killer who has a short temper and resents her brother. however, i then would’ve had to work within the constraints of that character’s outlook instead of the constraints of current mc’s character!!

that’s why i typically only have loose ideas for plots. after i begin writing, i let my characters tell me what they want to do. they usually know what they want better than i do!! a lot of my “best” scenes have been entirely unplanned and based on me just following the characters’ actions to their natural conclusion. i guess you could say i go into each chapter having an idea of what the “inciting event” for the chapter will be — for example, mc runs to the tea shop the day after meeting the blue spirit, but the results of that inciting event are based more on my knowledge of my characters than any preconceived outlining or plotting. along the same lines, EVERY time i’ve had writer’s block with a fic (that was unrelated to me losing interest in the fandom/character/storyline) it’s been because i’ve forced my characters into a situation that they would not naturally end up in. my best example of this is a story i started writing with a very cold main character; she meets an injured enemy soldier who has lost his memories, and the plot was meant to revolve around her nursing him back to health and falling in love with him. however, given her character and the backstory i knew she had, i genuinely couldn’t come up with a single reason for why she would heal him instead of just killing him or turning him in, so i literally abandoned the story 😭 essentially i would recommend solid understanding of characters over a solid understanding of your plot 100% of the time. imo strong, well-rounded characters can carry even the shittiest of plots, but the opposite is rarely if ever true.

that was a lot of theory stuff!! as for where i get my ideas (not exactly what you asked but tangentially related so i’ll add it in here in case anyone else is reading and wants to know), it depends on the kind of fic i’m writing. my favorite fics are canon-verse, and for those fics i try to look for niches in the source material that aren’t already filled and make a character for it. the best example of this that i can think of off of the bat is two of my aot fics — in one, the mc is a member of the military police and the first interior squad, and in the other, the mc is a warrior candidate during the events of the show. both of these roles aren’t really filled by canon characters, so creating these characters allows me to look at plot events in a new light, which lets me expand the fic into something beyond just a rehashing of canon. in terms of au’s…to be honest listening to music is huge for me!! i’ll scroll through tik tok and hear an audio that inspires me, and once i have a vibe for what i want to write, i’ll search for similar songs that help me picture the general aesthetic of the au. the idea for my one bllk fic peregrine was conceived when i heard a snippet of the song welcome and goodbye by dream, ivory, on tik tok!! overall i don’t really like writing straight au’s that much though. idk why but in my experience every time i’ve tried to write an au fic i’ve gotten bored of it much much quicker than i would’ve with a more canon-based story. that’s just me personally though!!! i do loveeee worldbuilding though HAHA the amount of fantasy worlds i’ve created but never written for is horrific.

when it comes to things like grammar, sentence structure, and word choice, the only two things you can do to improve are reading and writing a LOT. at first, you should read more than you write, and when i say reading, it can be literally anything. find what you do and don’t like from all of the authors you encounter, and try to incorporate the pros into your writings while noticing the cons in your own work. it’s not plagiarism! you won’t be able to copy any author’s style completely, and if you engage in enough kinds of works, you’ll become a blend of so many different styles that it won’t sound copied or anything. then, once you’re comfortable mixing and matching depending on what scene you’re writing (maybe for a serious scene, you take references from a classical novel, whereas for a more lighthearted moment, you look at a social media au to see what kind of jokes might land with a broader audience), you can start to develop your own style!! it’ll come naturally as you go. the more you write, the more you will be certain of yourself and the way YOU would write something. the mixing and matching will smooth into one style that flows more naturally and does what you need, when you need it.

my final advice is that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others!! just because your writing doesn’t sound like your favorite author’s doesn’t mean it’s any worse. i’ve read amazing stories that are nothing like my own — it doesn’t mean that mine are worse than those stories, just different. there is a place in this world for every single story!! and it’s inevitable that you will look back on your old writing and cringe. i do!! i cannot read anything i wrote more than a year ago because i’ve improved so much that the old stuff is embarrassing to me. if you don’t push through the fear of cringe, though, you’ll never get anywhere. i’m not sure if you’re planning on posting anything ever, but i can say with certainty that if you do, there will be someone who reads and loves it. there’s people who still comment on and read and love my stories from 2021 that i absolutely despise now (it’s the only reason they haven’t been deleted yet). oftentimes we are our own worst critics, and also, knowing the plot ahead of time doesn’t help (writing suspenseful scenes is SO HARD when you know what’s coming 😭). your readers will love what you write, probably even more than you do!!

i hope that that was helpful and i’m so sorry for writing a literal essay OMG. like this is such a long post 😓 if you have any questions about what i wrote or about a specific aspect of the fic writing process, then lmk!! i’m always happy to help 🫶🏻

[winwintea]

hi i love ur blog, i just wanna say i love ur smaus too like the characters seem all fleshed out with their own personalities and in comparison to other smaus its a lot easier to differentiate. i was thinking of starting a writing blog so i was just curious as to how you manage to do that? like maybe some tips and tricks you could give?

anyways hope you have a nice day <33

ur literally so sweet omg <33

but sure yes i can give you some tips and pointers if you'd like !!

make like character charts or bullet points down for all the characters.

if you're creative and artistic, draw out like a large ass character relationship chart. i've done one with secure that card and belladonna where i literally just drew arrows to each of the characters plus what the arrows meant.

this is one i made for when i started belladonna! (free from spoilers teehee) but you can see label relationships on it if you want! it makes it more clear, and if you forget a relationship it doesn't seem like ur making something up later in the story.

you can also like just write down bullet points on what you want the characters to be/act like. it's important to write this stuff down otherwise you'll lose it and forget! i won't show u my belladonna one bc it has spoilers on it, but i'll show u a basic one i used for mark lee vs the world. (obviously i conveyed most of these in the profiles but it's still good to update and add onto it when you need to)

2. study mbti or other personality categorizations!

back in 2020 i was SO OBSESSED WITH mbti. it's helped so much with writing and understanding characters on a personal level. whenever i get lost and don't know how to distinguish a personality from another i usally deep dive and watch content or remember what i know about mbti.

now there's obviously the specific 4-letters mbti, the functions mbti, and what the members think their own mbti is. obviously the test itself is dumb, so i don't always listen to what nct thinks their own mbti is or what the internet is. i like to do my own research into the functions and how i perceive the members for help.

this has also helped me a lot because there was for a period of time, where i wasn't sure how to write jeno and some of the members of 127. but studying his mbti really helped me create a personality to him!

here's my dreamie mbti thoughts at the moment if anyone wants them. i can also give my thoughts for any of the others if anyone is interested!

mark: infj. him being extroverted is so forced omg, take one closer look at this man and you can see his more introverted qualities. i'd accept isfj too, but his Ni function IS SOOOO STRONG.

renjun: RENJUN IS SUCH A BIG. "we don't know them personally situation" because i'll literally accept any variation of renjun at all. he knows much more about mbti than anyone else i've seen, especially coupled with the fact that he doesn't want to tell anyone what his mbti is, because he knows how annoying people can get about it. also he precieves himself as an extrovert which is shocking to me, but i feel like in this case i'd just type him as an istj/intp lol.

jeno: istp. i had to turn to pdb for this one lol, which isn't the worst place ever to start, but it also becomes a big ass echo chamber at times. though i relatively agree with istp lmfao.

haechan: enfp/entp. this one is always up in the air, because like jaemin people can't really tell if haechan is an extrovert or introvert. the way i disagree with the entire internet on this one lol. someone tell him to stop taking the fucking test he is definitely not an istp. 💀

jaemin: isfj. his test is pretty accurate i'd say, there's a lot of debate over whether or not jaemin is an extrovert or introvert, but if you actually pay attention to the way he acts when he isn't just around dreamies you can see how his social battery gets used up fairly fairly quickly. (cough cough nct world cought nct world)

chenle: definite entj. as someone who personally is an entj, i see so many entj qualities shine through this man.

jisung: infp. jisung's definitely introverted, but he has so many infp qualities. the patience and attentiveness, his fairness and morality, and deep connection with feelings. SO INFP CODED.

i hate how misinformed the kpop community is about mbti. it makes my blood boil actually. please read into the functions if you have time rather than just taking a test and calling it a day. THANK YOU.

[frostbite-yinny]

alright, finally got off of my shift! thanks for reaching out to me about the pokémon adoption, i’ve had some time to think over what i want.

i think I’m looking for a cute, first-stage ice type pokémon of any gender. preferably a pokémon that’s fairly low maintenance? or at least one that’s not too difficult for a college student to take care of.

- ray @coldstoragekid

Little disclaimer, anyone else is free to adopt these Pokemon mentioned here!

Hello again! Thank you very much for deciding to adopt ^^ So, you are looking for a cute ice type suitable for being a pet, first-stage, and generally more first-time friendly? I picked out three candidates that could suit you! And I will add a few other pokemon and eggs at the end, just in case ^^

Blizzaga the Vanillite: This little boy here used to be a mascot for a family-owned ice cream shop and was abandoned after they went for a brand change and needed to change their mascot as well. We had some problems with him having abandonment issues at the start but he came over them pretty easily! Thanks to his time as a mascot, he spent a good time around children and entertaining people so he is extremely friendly and perfect to be a pet. You can easily get him used to different nicknames too! Thanks to his smaller size, he would be easier for you to bring around.

Snowbean the Snom: She has been abandoned here by a trainer who caught her in the wild, and realized she was... okey there is no kind way to say this; she is very cowardly and on the lazier side. This poor girl doesn't even have one fighter bone in her body BUT she is extremely friendly to humans (emphasis on humans) and loves to be showered with attention! Since she is on the lazier side, she is not very playful and would prefer to nap on your lap for hours rather than chase a ball. Would be a great pet! Just don't get your hopes up on teaching her any tricks.

Nameless Alolan Vulpix: This girl here doesn't have a name as its previous owner never gave her one, so it would be rather easy for you to get her used to a new nickname. She was a marriage anniversary gift from a woman to her wife and was spoiled to the core, sadly, they had to leave her behind after their work demanded them to move to another region unsuitable for the vulpix. Like I said, she is spoiled to the core and definitely needs to be brushed and pampered daily, which can be a challenge for some people. But she is such a sweetheart and is just generally perfect pet material, I'm sure you two can get on great!

Now a few more Pokemon: a snorunt, two frigibax, dancer the smoochum, SLASHER the cubchoo, and Edgy the Sneasel

Lasty, a few eggs: alolan sandshrew egg, 3 swinub eggs, a bergmite egg, 7 fucking snom eggs (yea I hate shiny breeders so much) and one snorunt egg

A little tip as you are adopting an ice type: Buying a mini fridge, making it lay on its side, and letting the Pokemon use it as their bed could really help! And much easier than cranking down the heat to make them comfortable ^^

[simsgrow]

The Ultimate Guide to Sims 4 CC: Tips, Tricks, and Top Picks

Are you looking to take your gameplay to the next level? Well, look no further than Sims 4 CC! Custom Content is a game-changer that allows you to personalise your game and add unique elements that aren't available in the base game. In this Ultimate Guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about using CC, from how to install it to our top picks for CC items. Whether you're a die-hard Sims 4 fan or a newbie, we've got you covered. So, let's get started on this exciting journey and make your Sims 4 gameplay more fun and unique!

What is Sims 4 CC?

Sims 4 CC is like having your own personal designer for your Sims 4 game. It's all about player-created content that can be added to the game, from clothing and hairstyles to furniture and mods that change the gameplay. Think of it as a way to customise your gameplay and make it truly your own. The best part is that anyone can create their own CC, so the options are endless. With Sims 4 CC, you can make your Sims look and feel like no one else's, and that's what makes it so exciting!

How to Install Sims 4 CC

Here's a quick and easy step-by-step guide to installing Sims 4 CC:

Find a reliable CC website: Start by finding a reputable website that offers Sims 4 CC. Not all websites are trustworthy, so make sure to do your research and read reviews before downloading anything.

Download the CC item: Once you've found a reliable website, download the CC item you want to add to your game. The file will usually be in a .zip or .rar format.

Extract the files: To extract the files from the downloaded file, right-click on the file and select "Extract files" or use a program like WinRAR to extract them.

Move the CC files to the Mods folder: Once you've extracted the files, move them to the Mods folder in your Sims 4 game directory. To find the folder, go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods.

Enable CC in the game: Finally, start up the game and go to the Options menu. Select "Other" and then "Enable Custom Content and Mods." Once you've done that, the CC items you've installed should be available in the game.

It's important to note that not all CC items are created equal, and some may cause issues or conflicts with the game. Make sure to only download CC from reliable sources and keep an eye out for any warnings or red flags. With these simple steps, you can easily install Sims 4 CC and start exploring all the amazing customization options out there!

Top Sims 4 CC Picks

Here are our top Sims 4 CC picks broken down into easy-to-read points:

Hair: There's nothing like a good hair CC to really make your Sim stand out. Some of our favorite creators include Anto and Stealthic, who offer a wide variety of styles and colours to choose from.

Clothing: Whether you want your Sims to rock a casual streetwear vibe or dress up in formalwear, clothing CC has got you covered. Some of our favorite creators include Lumy-Sims and Rusty Nail, who offer high-quality clothing options for all occasions.

Furniture: If you're looking to spruce up your Sim's home, furniture CC is a great place to start. Creators like Peacemaker and Leo Sims offer a wide variety of unique pieces that can really make your Sim's space feel like their own.

Mods: Mods are a type of CC that can add a whole new level of gameplay to Sims 4. Some popular mods include MC Command Center, which allows for more control over game mechanics, and the Sims 4 Studio, which lets you create your own CC.

Makeup: Don't forget about makeup CC! Adding some unique eye shadow or lip color can really make your Sim's face pop. Some of our favorite makeup CC creators include Pralinesims and S-Club.

No matter what type of Sims 4 CC you're interested in, there's sure to be a creator out there who offers exactly what you're looking for. With so many talented people in the community, the customization options are truly endless.

Tips and Tricks for Using Sims 4 CC

Using custom content (CC) in Sims Grow can be an amazing way to enhance your gameplay and make your game truly unique. However, we understand that it can be a bit intimidating to use at first. That's why we've put together some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your Sims 4 CC experience.

Keep your CC organized: Trust us, organizing your CC into different folders will save you a ton of time in the long run. By separating your CC into categories like hair, clothing, and furniture, you can easily find what you need when you need it.

Know your computer's limits: If you have a slower computer, be mindful of how much CC you download and use. While it's tempting to download everything under the sun, doing so could slow down your game or even crash it altogether.

Be selective with your CC downloads: Not all CC is created equal. Some creators may not have optimized their CC for gameplay, which could cause issues like broken animations or glitchy objects. Always check the comments and reviews before downloading, and stick to reputable sources.

Use CC to enhance your gameplay: Mods like MC Command Center can add a ton of new features to your game, like changing your Sims' emotions or controlling NPC actions. Downloading new careers and skills can also add more depth to your Sims' lives.

Experiment with different CC: Don't be afraid to try new CC creators and styles. You never know what hidden gems you might find! Plus, experimenting with different CC can help you find your own unique style for your Sims.

We hope these tips and tricks help you get the most out of your Sims 4 CC experience! Have fun customising your Sims' lives.

Conclusion

In summary, Sims 4 CC can be a game-changer when it comes to customizing your Sims' lives. It allows you to personalize everything from their appearance to their hobbies and careers, making for a truly immersive gameplay experience. However, it's important to approach CC with caution, as not all CC is created equal. Keeping your CC organized and being selective with your downloads can help ensure a smooth gameplay experience. By following our tips and tricks, you'll be well on your way to creating a Sims 4 world that's truly your own. So go forth and experiment with different CC, and see what amazing things you can create!

[studtea]

recently, i have been increasingly frustrated at my addiction to my phone. i looked at my screen time and realised that on average, i spend nearly 2 hours a day on my phone. i know that for some, this statistic is even higher.

while some of this is for work or for keeping in touch with friends and family and doing things i enjoy, a lot of it is just me unconsciously scrolling in a self soothing cycle that actually makes me feel really bad and adds up to at least 16% of my year spent on my phone which is horrifying!

i have tried most tricks without success, but recently created a new one that is working quite well for me so i thought i’d outline the steps in case it helped anyone else.

🌿 this is for setting time limits on specific apps:

1. open the “shortcuts” app on your iphone

2. press “automation” (should be the centre button on the bottom task bar)

3. press the plus sign to add a new automation

4. create personal automation

5. select “app” from the list of options

6. choose to open “clock” whenever the app you are trying to decrease your time on is open. you simply need to set a timer for how long you want to spend on that app per day. IMPORTANT! you must select “don’t ask before running” to make sure it runs

now, each time you open that app, a timer will start and go off when your time for that day is done. it won’t lock you out like some other apps so if you need it for work, like i do, you can still access it.

i hope this helps other people! please let me know if anyone has any other tips and good luck detaching from your phone! 🫡

[starseedfxofficial]

Forget the Hype: Historical Volatility and the Real NZD/CHF Story Ever heard the saying, "Volatility is a trader's best friend"? Well, just like a best friend, volatility can be unpredictable, occasionally comforting, and sometimes a little too much to handle. When it comes to historical volatility in the NZD/CHF currency pair, understanding its quirks can make or break your trading strategy. Grab your lucky socks, because today, we’re diving into the depths of volatility metrics, and unlike buying a ridiculous pair of shoes on sale that you’ll never wear, this knowledge will actually fit. What Exactly Is Historical Volatility and Why Should You Care? Historical volatility sounds like one of those terms you'd bring up at a Forex conference to sound impressive—"Yeah, I've been analyzing NZD/CHF historical volatility trends lately..." But don’t let its fancy name scare you off. Historical volatility is simply a measure of how wildly an asset’s price has swung around in the past. Think of it like a seismograph for the market: was it a chill yoga session or an earth-shattering dance party? For NZD/CHF (the New Zealand Dollar to Swiss Franc), historical volatility shows you just how unpredictable (or stable) this pairing has been, giving you valuable insights into potential risk and opportunity. If this is starting to sound a bit like dating—figuring out how reliable someone’s mood swings are—you’re not too far off. The Real Scoop: Why Historical Volatility Matters in Forex Okay, so why exactly should you care about historical volatility, especially with NZD/CHF? Here’s why: - Risk Management Ninja Style: Volatility gives you a risk gauge. NZD/CHF might be as steady as a librarian in a whispering contest one month, but the next month, it’s like a toddler who skipped nap time. Knowing this allows you to set realistic stop-losses and avoid a bad sitcom plot twist (accidentally hitting sell instead of buy, anyone?). - Opportunity Unveiled: When volatility spikes, opportunities knock. High volatility means big price moves, and while that’s risky, it’s also where you make money. The trick is in the timing—think of it like waiting for just the right moment to jump onto a spinning playground roundabout. Deep Dive: Using Historical Volatility to Decode NZD/CHF Movements Here’s where we roll up our sleeves. Let’s say you want to figure out what’s going on with NZD/CHF. You’re not looking for a generic ‘buy low, sell high’ mantra. You want ninja-level insights. Step 1: Calculate the Historical Volatility Grab a standard deviation calculator (yes, we’re getting geeky), or use your trading platform’s built-in tools to see the historical volatility over, say, the last 20 days. If you see a relatively low number, it means the pair has been behaving nicely. But—here’s where most traders miss out—low volatility isn’t always bad. Step 2: The Calm Before the Storm If the volatility has been low, it could mean a breakout is coming. This is the juicy part—a chance to ride the wave before everyone else realizes there’s a tsunami approaching. When the market’s too calm, keep your eyes peeled, because NZD/CHF might soon be swinging for the fences. Step 3: The "Double-Dutch" Entry Strategy Remember jumping into a double-Dutch game as a kid? Timing is everything. With NZD/CHF, look for a period of increased historical volatility after a quiet spell. This pattern often indicates a significant shift. A well-timed entry here means you’re catching the jump rope right as it starts moving again—not too early, not too late. Insider Tips: What the Experts Say According to John Smith, a Forex guru with a penchant for contrarian thinking, "Volatility isn't about avoiding risk; it's about embracing calculated risk." Most traders see high volatility and shy away. But the pros see it as a cue for opportunity. Jane Doe, head analyst at ForexGlobal, adds, "For pairs like NZD/CHF, historical volatility provides a benchmark to forecast central bank interventions. The Swiss National Bank, in particular, has a pattern of stepping in when volatility spikes—a hint most traders completely overlook." So, when you start noticing NZD/CHF dancing a bit erratically, think about the bigger players, too—they could be part of the game. Beyond the Basics: The Unheard-of Volatility Patterns in NZD/CHF NZD/CHF is not your typical pair. It’s a cross between a commodity currency (NZD) and a safe haven (CHF), which means you get this intriguing dynamic of risk-on versus risk-off. Historical volatility here tells you how these two contrasting forces are pulling. When New Zealand’s economic data is good, you’ll see volatility calm down as everyone rushes into NZD. On the other hand, global turmoil pushes traders into the Swiss Franc, spiking volatility. Hidden Opportunities: Turn NZD/CHF Volatility into Your Trading Edge There’s an old joke that goes, "Why did the trader bring an umbrella to the NZD/CHF party? Because he knew it was about to rain pips!" The truth is, understanding historical volatility is like checking the weather forecast. When you understand it, you can either avoid getting soaked or bring a bucket to catch the drops. Here’s a behind-the-scenes playbook: - Stay Informed: Economic indicators matter more for NZD/CHF volatility than for many pairs. Bookmark our latest Forex news page for exclusive updates that will give you an early heads-up. - Track Swiss News: The Swiss National Bank (SNB) doesn’t make its moves lightly. When it does intervene, the effects are huge. If you’re tracking historical volatility and notice a calm period, watch for SNB announcements—these can signal an upcoming storm. - Use the Smart Trading Tool: Timing volatility can be challenging. Our Smart Trading Tool helps you optimize your trades and manage risk effectively during volatile periods. Get Ready to Master NZD/CHF with Humor and Precision Look, trading is already serious enough—no one wants to watch their hard-earned money disappear because they miscalculated a market move. But with historical volatility as your guide, NZD/CHF doesn’t have to be like guessing which direction a toddler will bolt at the grocery store. Instead, think of it as being the seasoned parent who knows the toddler will always go for the candy aisle—you’re already ahead of the game. Use historical volatility to time your trades, embrace risk smartly, and maybe next time you’re at a Forex conference, you can throw around "volatility insights" like a true insider. Remember, your best friend, volatility, is always there to keep you on your toes. Just make sure you’re wearing shoes you actually want to trade in. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated   Read the full article

[thesporkidentity]

been sick all day so we're slipping in day 3 right under the wire lol

Portrait of Fryderyk in Shifting Light

By Richard Siken (1967- ), Published 2015

There is something terribly wrong with his face-- empty, restless, one side older than the other. What is a thing? Sediment. A slow river clogged with silt. I sussed the gesso into foam and white roses, stalling. I troubled the shadow and silvered his edges. What can you know about a person? They shift in the light. You can't light up all sides at once. Add a second light and you get a second darkness, it's only fair. He is looking at the wall and I am looking at his looking. Difficult thing, to be scrutinized so long. I find the parts that overlap with mine and light them up in clays and creams, yellow music singing pink, the flicker of his mouth a purple rust. His face congeals as he settles in. His hair is bronze in here, not gold: walnut, bark, and cinnamon, chipped brick tipped in ink. My shadow falls across his face, blue milk and pistachio, his eyes shine like wedding rings. My shadow falls across him and it doesn't go away. Some hours later the light has shifted, the floorboards creak. You can't paint the inside of anything, so why would you try? Painting the inside of anything is dangerous. I imagined my wrists broken just enough to keep the feeling from crawling up my arm. Dangerous thing: an open arm, an open channel. All these things, rungs of the ladder. Lovers do the looking while the strangers look away. It isn't fair, the depth of my looking, the threat of my looking. It's rude to shake a man visible and claim the results. This side of his face, now this side of his face. His profile up against the tulips. I put down the brush and walked around the room. Even when I look away I am still looking. He is inside his body and I am inside my body and it matters less and less. Shared face, shared looking. A collaboration. He didn't expect to be handed over, to be delivered. To be tricked into his own face. Anyone can paint a mask. It's boring. And everyone secretly wants to collaborate with the enemy, to construct a truer version of the self. How much can you change and get away with it, before you turn into something else, before it's some kind of murder? Difficult to be confronted with the fact of yourself. Opaque in the sense of finally solid, in the sense of see me, not through me. The selves, glaze on glaze, accumulating their moods and minutes. We tremble and I paint the trembling. I enlarged his mouth and everything went blurry, a forgery. It might as well be. And all my fingers turned to twigs. Inside himself he jumped a little. Why build a room you can live in? Why build a shed for your fears? The life of a body is a nightmare. This is my hand over his face, which isn't his face anymore, revising. I made a shape of the shape he made, subtracted what he shared with anyone else. There wasn't much left but it felt like him, wild and scared. It was too much to bear. I put down the brush and looked at my hands. I turned off the headlights of my looking and let the animal get away.