#my normal writing speed is like 1k/day on a good day so you can see how this is problematic

[the-apocrypha]

Who's ready for more absolutely bonkers Dreamling fic?

Have exactly three days before I leave the country and I am writing like the wind to get this done before I go PRAY FOR ME

[giggly-squiggily]

i have a question

how long does it take you to write 1 fic (like roughly) cuz i dont want u to overwork urself

idk im just curious rhehheheheh

Hey friend! Thank you for asking!

So it really depends on the day, my writer mojo, the planets and if they align, what phase the moon is in, did Kokushibou see his shadow, etc. kljakjrajejare

On a really good day: Around 2-3 hours. If I have the ability to just sit and write and the inspiration/motivation; I can easily get a 1k fic done in that time. (Depending on how long the fic it the hours might expand but we're going with average word counts) Usually I write on the weekend cause I've got time, and I like to start multiple WIPs at once so when I do have time on the weekend, I can knock them all out and get them queued! :D

On an average/normal day: About half a day to a full day. This is usually when I have the idea in mind/motivation but not so much the time. I like to write on the Google Docs app on my phone if I'm out and about and have time between errands/work/class; then edit the format when I can get to my laptop. If I'm really lucky I can get in a good chunk of the fic before I'm whisked away doing stuff once more :)

On a bad day: 2-3 days to sometimes weeks. This is- like recently- when things get stupid busy and writer's block decides to knock on my door ala Taylor Swift's Anti Hero. "It's me! Hi! I'm the problem, it's me! :D" Normally when this happens I do Sentence starters/Headcanons to dabbles to help fight off the block, but I'm still fairly burnt out after the Candy Hearts (which was so freaking fun, so I can't say it wasn't worth it) so that probably won't happen anytime soon. If I can shake it (which is happening recently now that class is almost over) then I can speed up some, but it really just comes down to my mood and when I have time.

Thanks for asking!

[spideyspeaches]

Inconveniences ↬ p.p

AN: This is a reupload from my old account!

An entry for @geminiparkers’s 1k writing challenge!

Pairing- College!Peter Parker x Stark!Reader

Warnings: mentions of sex :)

Wc: 1.7k

Masterlist || Taglist

1.

You didn’t understand what people saw in the Avengers. They were annoying and had no concept of personal space.

Or maybe those were just your thoughts. You’ve been living with them ever since quarantine started, finally able to convince your parents that you were capable of living alone, you were an avenger, after all. Well you weren’t really living alone, as the people in question along with your boyfriend, Spider-Man lived with you.

Never were you ever glad that May Parker, the angel, had allowed you two to stay together (without much embarrassment).

Back to the point where you got no privacy. For example:

“Peterrrr” you whined, elongating his name to get his attention. You had been horny all day long, craving some semblance of touch from your extremely sweet, hot, amazing, beautiful boyfriend.

He hummed, not even looking up from the laptop he was typing on. He was laying on his side, so you tried to shimmy yourself between the little space on the couch and him, only to grunt when he wouldn’t move.

So you tried something else, because fuck the Avengers you wanted a dick now.

“Petey petey pie,” you whispered, tracing his abs from under his t-shirt. You knew your trick would work, because you could feel them clench.

“Y/N, not here sweetheart.” He muttered, holding your hand while he continued to ignore you.

Pouting, you huffed and flopped back as much as you could.

“You promised you would be free tonight! Gah you’re such a nerd!” You whined, rolling your eyes when you saw Nat entered the living room.

At first she ignored you both, sipping at her milkshake and walking towards the kitchen.

“You chose me and not Harry remember? Thought you were into nerds not gonna lie.” He smirked, his voice low, the kind that had you clenching without a thought.

“And? Are you questioning my choices? Come on Petey you can do your homework later.” You said.

You climbed on top of him, your foot purposefully catching his dick. By now you were practically on his chest , tracing circles around his nipples.

Smirking, you continued to pepper his exposed neck with featherlight kisses, making sure to moan every now and then.

“Y/N, what are you doing?” He clenched his jaw, huffing to show that your kisses were not affecting him.

“Well you’re being a party pooper, so I’m having mine.” You muttered, voice muffled as you slid your hands inside his t-shirt, scratching your fingers against his chest.

Grunting, he gently pushed you off, sitting up with his laptop on his legs, “Y/N this is important."

Mouth open now, you puffed your cheeks, folding your hands on your chest.

"Can you believe this dude?!” You shouted, looking at Nat while pointing at your smirking boyfriend, “he chooses homework over sex!”

***

2.

Sipping at your drink, you smiled at the scene in front of you. It was almost half a year under quarantine, and Tony had finally agreed to host a party, albeit an internal one with only the Avengers, and May, now that she was out of duty from the hospital.

“How’re you feeling babe?” Peter appeared, wrapping his hands around your stomach, resting his nose on the crook of your neck.

Sighing, you leaned onto his head, enjoying the way he kissed your neck, caressing your waist with his thumbs.

“I’m good, things are getting normal again, if only the president caught the virus, this country would be a much better place.” You snorted, feeling your back vibrate as he laughed.

“You hate him so much don’t you?” He said.

“He’s hate worthy.” You shrugged, turning around to wrap your hands around his neck, playing with the baby hair on the nape.

Leaning forward, you hummed against his lips, crading your hands through his hair as he pushed you into his chest, fingers playing with the hem of your pants.

“Someone’s gonna walk in on us.” You mutter against his mouth, moaning as his tongue attacks your lips, parting them hungrily.

Swaying with the loud music, you whimpered when he touched your waist, his fingers hot and leaving shocks, your pussy throbbing and gut coiling with anticipation.

Panting desperately, you pulled at his shirt, fingers scrunching in the material as he lifted you up, planting on the counter top as you wrapped your legs around his waist, effectively straddling him. Feeling his muscles rippling under the shirt, gave a throaty moan, huffing due to the lack of oxygen.

Sweat was already coating your foreheads, creating highlights on his cheekbones and reflecting off the lens of his glasses-

“Peter did you see my- Oh! Oh am I disturbing you? Why don’t you use the bedroom though, I don’t think Tony would like if you do it in the kitchen-"

"May! Oh my god-"

”-It’s okay honey, you’re not a teenager anymore-“

Falling off the counter top, you bit your lip, playing with the hem of your shirt, not meeting May’s eyes. You look at your blushing boyfriend, embarrassed at being caught making out in between a party.

"May, just go, please-”

“Um, sorry I was just leaving anyway, you know, I got work to do. Yeah. You both continue.” She smirked, nodding at you and sending a sly wink at you.

Shaking your head, you looked at Peter, twiddling your hands together.

“Sooo, wanna make out?” You ask.

“Yeah. Sure"

***

3.

The dishes clinked together, the noise echoing in the empty kitchen. Peter moved with agility, hands cleaning the dishes as he passed it to you who were putting them on the rack.

You saw him take a deep breath, biting your lips and gulping. You knew what was coming next.

Peter had always been protective of you, as a friend or as a girlfriend. He protected everyone who he loved.

"I’m sorry-"

"Save it. Take your meds and go to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.” He grunted, nearly smashing the plates as you raised your eyebrows.

“Well be careful of the plates, they’re fragile.” You joked, heart beating fast as you contemplate his reaction.

“How are you so chill about all this?! You know you were reckless, and yet you do decide to not acknowledge the fact that you almost died!” He slammed his fist, nearly breaking the plate with his hand, a small piece did break, piercing his skin.

You jumped at his sudden aggression, your own anger building.

“I’m a big girl now Peter, I can take care of myself, I don’t need you to look out for me everytime I go out!” You snarled, curling your fist, “and you’re one to talk you hypocrite! You’re always so reckless during patrols, how is me getting blasted by a bomb in a fireproof suit, reckless when you get hit by bullets on a daily basis?"

"I stopped listening after you said you got blasted by a bomb, you’re not enhanced Y/N, how am I supposed to-”, he said voice cracking, “I love you okay? I can’t - I can’t lose you okay?"

Your chest ached at his hurt voice. Peter had lost a lot in his short life, his parents, his uncle, almost lost Tony. And now you felt bad about making him feel that way.

"I’m sorry Petey.” You said, taking his cheek in one hand, holding his suds filled hand in another, “You’re hurt."

He chuckled, looking at his hand where the broken plate had pierced it. Tony wouldn’t mind one broken plate, he was a billionaire after all.

"Yeah.” He said, sniffing and putting it under the faucet to get off any remaining blood. You watched in fascination as the wound closed up, not even leaving a scar behind as if you were watching a time lapse.

Rolling your eyes, you grinned mischievously, poking his chest with you fingers and snorting as he giggled, pulling you closer-

“Bucky! Give me back my cookie now or I swear to god-"

"Ughhh you guys do this purposely don’t you?” You groaned, glaring at Bucky and Sam as they stop in their tracks, looking at each other and smirking.

“We neither confirm nor deny your accusations.” Bucky said, plopping the cookie in his mouth and walking out of the kitchen as you bang your forehead against the table.

Why can’t people just let you be intimate with your boyfriend for one second?

***

+1

“Are you sure no one’s gonna walk in, Spider-Man?” You hummed against his lips, moving in slow motions as he caresses your bum.

“If they do, I’ll take care of it.” He rasps, squeezing your bottom and fingering the hem of your shirt shorts.

You were sitting in Peter’s bedroom after a full day of teasing him, because you were horny and desperate. Softly kneading your fingers through his hair, you whined at the feel of his bulge against your crotch, a wet feeling already seeping through those shorts.

Rubbing your hips faster against his, you huff, tracing his biceps and squeezing them occasionally as he moved down with his lips, slipping off your tank top.

“Thought you had super speed.” You grunted, urging him to go faster as he unclasped your bra before looking at you with a smirk, his eyes shining with mirth and lust.

“You were a bad girl today, teasing me every opportunity you got, it’s only fair if I get to do the same.” He said before squeezing your one boob and sucking on the other, a wet pop noise leaving his mouth every time he sucked on it.

Spreading your legs further, you shimmy out of your shorts, lifting Peter’s shirt up to get him out of it before he stopped you.

“Oh no, you’re not-” he started before the door opened with a bang.

“Did you guys-” before Tony could see anything, Peter produced his web-shooters and shot at the door, locking it for at least another two hours.

A muffled, “at least use protection!” Was heard from outside the door. Your face was burning with embarrassment, looking at Peter with an innocently terrified look on your face. He could hear your heart racing, and it was making him like, really hard.

“Now, where to begin.” He whispered, chills shooting up your spine, goosebumps appearing on your skin and the wet feeling intensifying between your thighs.

“Let me at least undress you.” You plead, lifting his t-shirt and unbuttoning his jeans simultaneously.

“No, you were a brat today, and brats don’t get a taste without punishment.” He smirked, flipping you so you hit the backrest, holding your arms up and…webbing You up against the headboard, “today I’m doing all the work."

And you didn’t mind it really. Like, at all.

[amythedvdhoarder]

Scheduling Errors

Pairing: Bucky x reader

For the Flex Your Muscles Writing Challenge set up by @captain-rogers-beard​

14th of June prompt: Hectic

Word count: 1K

Summary: You and Bucky are struggling to find time for each other

Warnings: Swearing, little bit of implied smut and lots of fluff

Authors notes: GIF not mine. Ahhhhh the fluffiness continues.  I am so grateful to everyone reading these entries, please comment, message etc and let me know what you think x

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

The alarm blared out and you reached across slamming your hand down in an effort to stop the obnoxious sound filling the room. You groaned and tried to untangle yourself from the strong arm wrapped around your waist. As you tried to move away, the grip around you tightened and pulled you back. “10 more minutes Y/N” Bucky murmured against your shoulder, placing a delicate kiss on the exposed skin there. Letting out a sigh, you admitted defeat and pressed yourself back against the solid warmth of his chest.

30 minutes later you dragged yourself away from your boyfriend. You were going to be late if you didn’t hurry up. You showered in record speed and were pulling on your dress when you spotted Bucky watching you with dark eyes from the bed. His hands held behind his head and a smile plastered to his face as he watched the show. Bucky wasn’t a morning person, normally preferring to stay wrapped up in bed for as long as possible. But this was too good to miss, he loved seeing you flustered. Ignoring him, not wanting to be drawn into something you couldn’t finish, you glanced at the clock. “Shit” you groaned, you were definitely going to be late.

“What’s the point in being the head of your department if you can’t be a little late once in a while?” You shot him a dirty look. “Bucky, you know damn well why. I have a presentation today.” He shrugged casually, not a trace of guilt. You rolled your eyes and walked over to him, leaned over and kissed him. Without breaking the kiss, Bucky dragged you onto his lap. You let out a shriek against his mouth and hit him on his flesh arm in protest. He laughed at your feeble attempt to escape his grasp. “Bucky let me go, you’re going to get my dress all creased” you growled at him. Finally, you wriggled free, grabbed your laptop bag and headed for the door. “Love you Y/N.” You turned on your heels, shot him a sarcastic grin and flipped him off before slamming the door behind you.

The day past in a flurry of presentations and meetings. You were the head of the technology department at SHEILD and worked with Tony in developing new tech that can be used by the team and the agency. Today you had been presenting a new wearable camera with AI technology that could call for assistance etc without the wearer having to speak potentially revealing themselves to potential targets. When you glanced at your phone as you were leaving work you saw a text from Bucky.

Emergency mission with Steve. Back in a couple of days. Love you. B xxx

You quickly replied and headed back your empty shared room. Today had been exhausting, so much so, that as soon as you kicked off your shoes, you collapsed on the bed and fell fast asleep. The next couple of days went past in the same vain. Bucky sent you a couple of text updates and told you that he was going to be back late tonight. You tried to stay awake for his return, but work had been so full on you just couldn’t keep your eyes open. When Bucky returned, he stripped off out of his suit, had a quick shower and silently clambered into bed next to you. You didn’t even stir as he wrapped his arms around your body and pulled you against him.

The next couple of days were hectic to say the least. Every morning when you woke, Bucky was asleep. He looked so peaceful that you didn’t want to wake him. Your schedules were so full that you hadn’t actually been awake in each other’s company in nearly a week.  Sure, you would wake up entangled in each other’s arms but it was no substitute for proper conversation or physical contact. Sunday arrived and you found yourself working overtime on modifications Fury had requested on the camera design. It was just you and Tony working, all the other staff had been allowed their weekend. You longed to see Bucky awake for once but Tony had other ideas. Bucky too had been constantly on call with missions and training new recruits. Your phone beeped and you drew it out of your pocket.

Afternoon session called off. I’m in our room. Pull a sickie PLEASE!!!! I miss you. B xxx

Excitement bubbled in your stomach. “Tony, I can feel a migraine coming. I will come in early tomorrow and finish up.” Tony glanced at you concerned. “Sure, no problem, feel better Y/N.” It was too easy. You had to physically resist the urge to sprint out the room and along the corridor back to your room, back to Bucky. As you opened the door you were immediately swept up in a pair of strong arms. Your legs wrapped automatically around Bucky’s hips as you both attacked each other lips. Mouths rediscovering each other after what felt like a lifetime. After minutes you pulled away from him gasping for breath, if Bucky wasn’t still taking your weight, your knees would have given out. Bucky peppered kisses along your jaw and neck, sucking a mark onto the sensitive spot just above your collar bone. “I missed you” you hummed into his ear. “Missed you more” he murmured against your neck.

He carried you over to the coach and sat down. You rearranged yourselves so that you were laying between his legs with your back to his chest. Your fingers traced over his arms he had wrapped around you. He placed a kiss to your head. “If this carries on we are going to have to schedule sex.” You joked tilting your head up to look at Bucky. His eyes had darkened slightly and he licked his lips. “Well my schedule is free for the rest of the afternoon” he winked at you. You turned in his arms, your chest was now pressed against his, your fingers knotting into his hair as you pulled his mouth towards yours. “Not any more it isn’t.”

Taglist is open so let me know if you want in

Taglist: @stargazingfangirl18​, @buckys-plums3​

[gukyi]

prince-napped | ksj

summary: life is simple for a wanted pirate like yourself: leave nothing behind, and don’t stay for anything. but when you suddenly become entangled with a runaway prince who clearly has never left his palace before today, you suddenly realize that life is much, much more complicated than you thought it was.

{pirate!au, begrudging allies to lovers!au, prince!au}

pairing: kim seokjin x female reader genre: fluff word count: 1k warnings: gun mention a/n: a huge thank you to @youwannabelostandnotbefound​ for commissioning this piece and for donating to the #blacklivesmatter movement!!! this is from my fic titles game, and is also something that i wish i could fully write if i had the time.

You have two policies when it comes to town-hopping: leave nothing behind, and don’t stay for anything. 

Well, at least you’re still following one of those rules. 

The bag that you had forgotten at the tavern has probably long been stolen, along with your only gun and money that was meant to feed you for a few days—or at least keep you off some local ‘WANTED’ lists—but you’ll survive. You always do, even with setbacks. So long as there was nothing that could identify you within its contents. Wait, was the picture of your parents in that bag?

Shit. 

Too late for that now. You can’t risk going back and getting caught by local authorities. Nobody in this town can see your face more than once. You keep your head down and move quickly, with purpose. People don’t question folks who look like they know what they’re doing and where they’re going. 

And even if you are winging this whole pirate thing, at least you have your destination in mind. 

The pier is a good couple of miles away from the town square, a bustling center lined with shops and houses, chimneys always smoking as everybody shouts at each other. Townsfolk are always the same, no matter where you go, no matter what port you dock your little dingy at. They say the best way to be invisible is to hide in plain sight. And no one ever notices a sad, insignificant boat on a dock the size of two town hall buildings.

Something cracks behind you. You whip your head around to look for the culprit, but nothing sticks out. No officers rushing to arrest you nor citizens pointing and whispering. Still, you pick up the pace, ignoring the way your feet are aching and the relentless beating of your heart. To be a lone pirate is dangerous, but to come with a crew brings too many liabilities. You work alone. 

When you reach the docks, you take a sharp left turn and shift from your speed-walking to more of a relaxed jog, making it look like you’re just casually headed towards something as opposed to looking like you’re on a mission. Your dingy is tied to the pier two boats from the very end of it, inconspicuous so as not to draw attention.

But as you turn the final corner, you spot something exceedingly out of place. 

It’s an extremely attractive man, well-groomed and properly-dressed, pleading with one of the sailors for supplies. He looks rather desperate for someone so rich, like he has somehow managed to lose all of his wealth in the last hour and now has nothing. He also is almost certainly not from this area, if the sailors are anything to go by. 

You stop for a moment to inspect the situation. If the sailor and the man spot you, you could potentially be dragged into the conflict, which is not ideal. But you seriously doubt you’ll be able to slide by the both of them, judging by how distressed the man looks. You watch suspiciously, waiting for a sign that will let you move past them without incident, when you see the sailor brandish a gun from out of near-nowhere. 

“You want to beg for a boat some more?” The sailor spits, looking menacing. “You got anything else to say, huh?”

“Whoa, it’s alright, seriously, I can pay you, I swear!” The man sputters, hands up in surrender. “I’m wealthy.”

“You don’t look it,” the sailor sneers. “Hopefully no one will miss you when you’re gone.” He cocks the gun and aims it straight at the man’s heart. Oh, shit. 

You can’t believe you’re doing this, but you rush in, putting on the most desperate expression you can manage, grabbing onto the man’s arm. 

“Oh my god, what on earth are you thinking, James?” You shout at the man, who clearly has no idea what you’re talking about. You press on. “You know better than to speak to strangers.”

“Who are you?” The gruff sailor asks. He’s lowering his gun, which is a good sign. 

“I’m his sister,” you explain, hoping that the man will catch on. “Normally I try not to leave him alone but I went shopping for some food for our trip and he wandered off.” You try to sound as helpless as possible. Maybe he won’t kill you both if he thinks you have some sort of empathy. 

“Wha—”

You elbow the man in the stomach, effectively shutting him up. 

“I’m terribly sorry for anything he may have asked you for. He thinks that we don’t have enough as is, ungrateful brat,” you say, already trying to usher yourselves away from the sailor. 

“Better keep a damn close eye on him,” the sailor eyes carefully. “I won’t ask questions next time.”

“Of course, sir,” you say with a dutiful nod, pulling yourselves away until you reach your dingy. When you’re out of earshot of the sailor, you round on the man. “Tell me, just what do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you think you’re doing?” He counters. 

“Saving your goddamn life,” you spit. “Do you have no social skills? No awareness? You think you can just ask for things and get them?”

“Yes…?”

You heave out a sigh. Who does this man think he is?

“My name is Seokjin, by the way,” he says snootily, crossing his arms as he turns away from you. 

“Whatever, Seokjin. Get in the boat.”

“What? I’m not getting in there with you, I don’t even know who you are!” Seokjin shouts, incredulous. 

“I’m Y/N, and if you don’t, then you’ll probably be dead in the next twenty-four hours,” you say. Why is he disagreeing with you? Didn’t he just get a gun pointed at his face? Does he really think he’d make it? “Get in or don’t. I’m not gonna offer again.”

Seokjin contemplates his options for a few seconds, but you’re almost certain that if Seokjin doesn’t come with you, he’s done for. And yeah, you don’t really want the extra baggage, especially one that’s so goddamn naive, but letting him die on your non-action seems like bad karma. At least he’s something of a looker. 

“Fine,” the man mutters, stepping awkwardly into the dingy. There goes your second rule. He shrieks when the boat rocks on the water, like he was expecting it to stay still or something, reaching out to clutch onto your hand. 

You roll your eyes, getting in after Seokjin has settled from his fear of being in a boat. Quickly, you detach yourselves from the pier and begin to row away as rapidly as you can. Sticking one hand down at the bottom of the boat, you pull up another oar. “Here, row.”

“What? Me?” Seokjin asks. 

“No, the mosquitos flying around you,” you say sarcastically. “Yes, you. Chop, chop.”

You almost explode when you see Seokjin holding the oar upside down, sticking the wooden pole end in and out of the water like someone dipping sweets into chocolate. He’s hopeless. Eventually, you snatch the oar from his hands and just row yourself, making your way to your ship, hidden amongst the outskirts of the island, in a bushel of overgrown trees. 

“Where you from, anyway?” You ask, trying to make conversation with him. He’s not from anywhere you’ve been too. Too nicely dressed. 

“Oh, uh, Lumor,” he says, scratching the nape of his neck. You recognize that town name—it’s a big more inland than the one you’re at now. You suppose he hasn’t gotten far, then.

“What do you do to afford silken shirts, Seokjin?” You ask him. Obviously something lucrative. Maybe he’s just a really bad hitman. 

Seokjin grins awkwardly, looking nervous. “I’m, uh, I’m actually the prince.”

What.

↳ links are broken, but don’t forget i’m still taking commissions!

[soybeantree]

pairing: adachi yuto (pentagon) x reader genre/warning: angst! trigger - mentions of suicide word count: 1k description: “i’m sorry. it’s late at night. i came because there were some things i couldn’t say. i’m not bare-minded, my memories are faint. why does my heart keep hesitating?”

Yuto scrolls through the suggested articles on his feed. Each title more salacious than the last and all designed to hook the reader. - "Homosexuality Rampant at the Vatican", "CEO Leading a Double Life: His Secret Family Revealed" - None of them pique his interest, but he continues to scroll, giving his hands something to do while a storm rages in his mind.

He searches through the past weeks and months for the threat which will lead him to today. You had stopped texting him "Good Morning". When did that stop? Why had he let it pass without comment? 

You had stopped meeting him for dinner, saying you were busy. A night or two a week in the beginning. Now, he had to stretch his memory to find the last meal you had shared with him.

Other outings had received the same treatment. When was the last time you had spent more than five minutes with him? Why did he only realize this now?

He had been busy too, but the excuse leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. No matter his schedule, he should have sensed something. Maybe he had. Maybe he had ignored it, hoping your relationship would wander back to normal.

He pauses his scrolling. His thumb hovering over an article. - "What She Really Means When She Says 'No'" - Foolish. He had been foolish, and he might pay the ultimate price for it.

In your apartment, you pack up the last box and write “CHARITY” across it in big black letters. It goes in the corner with the rest of your boxes. Looking around your apartment, you sigh, and the knot in your chest eases. Almost finished.

A knock on your door startles you. You wait, hoping, but the knock comes, softer this time like the patter of rain on a window pane. 

“I know it’s late.” Yuto’s rasping voice filters through the door. It tugs at your heart, but the stone refuses to soften. Your decision is final.

“Go home, Yuto.” His name, once a bubble of happiness on your tongue, thuds out.

“I came because there was something I couldn’t say before.” 

“I don’t need to hear it.” You need him to forget about you, move on, find someone else, and be happy. But, how can he unless you sever all ties? Moving to stand before the closed door, you add, “Say what you need to say and go.”

“I’m sorry.” His voice hitches, the rasp choking into silence. You lock your emotions in your stone heart. “I know I was never bare-minded with you. You shared your heart with me, opened yourself up, but I never did. My heart kept hesitating. It’s not hesitating anymore. I love you, and I promise you things will change.”

Things will change. Things have already changed. You have started down a path, and this time you will follow it to the end. No matter how loud Yuto screams for you to turn around.

With a hand pressed to the door and the stone in your chest throbbing, you filter through your responses. The truth presses against your temple, and you close your eyes as you bury it deep. The truth will only hurt him more. You need to sever the ties.

“I’m leaving, Yuto.” Your voice is a winter breeze, cold and cutting. You breathe, grateful. “And I’m not coming back. There’s nothing for me here. Not anymore.”

His fist pounds against the door, and you jump back and clutch your chest. A dry sob fills the silence, and the stone cracks. The lock on your emotions breaks. They flood through you, filling your throat and spilling from your eyes.

You failed. Your carefully crafted plan failed. As you pulled away little by little, the ties between you should have frayed. You should be no more than strangers with faint memories. Why is he holding so tight to the tattered ends?

Swallowing your tears, you breath in and out and force your emotions back into their cage. They have no right to wreak havoc on you. They have been nothing but a burden your whole life. When you are certain your voice will prove faithful, you tell him, “Go home, Yuto. Don’t come back. I won’t be here.”

You were true to your word. When he came back, your apartment was empty. The landlady had no forwarding address. He asked your friends. They all had the same story to tell. It had been months since they talked to you. Few even knew you had left. Your boss mentioned another job but had no details about what or where it was. You had become a ghost. He asked them to let him know if they heard from you. They agreed with pity in their eyes.

His memories became sharper as time passed. Your smile shone brightly. Your laugh became louder. The smell of your shampoo followed him around. He could feel your hands running through his hair after a long day and hear you ask after his day. At night, he would lie awake with the memory of your conversations which had lasted until dawn. Your face would glow as words spilled from your lips, their speed quickening until you paused breathless. He missed you and wondered if you did too.

When he received the call from your friend asking to meet, he had tripped over his feet in his haste to agree. She had news about you. They agreed on a local café.

He arrives early. His nerves send twitches through his arms and legs as he sits at the table, so he takes out his phone and starts scrolling. The suggested articles on his feed are still outrageous attention grabs. – “Man Left for Dad Takes Revenge against his Family”, “Female Dredged from River: Suicide Suspected” – But his attention glazes over them and flicks to the door every time the bell above it jingles.

This time it is your friend. He raises his hand in greeting. Her hand rises slower, and the smile on his face dims the closer she is. He can see her eyes, the droop of her shoulder, the way she bites her lip. A weight settles on his chest as he waits for the coming news. 

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #245

“i fell asleep at the wheel again, crashed my car just to feel again.”

What is your favorite condiment to go with french fries? Ketchup. What do you have a habit of doing when engaging in a conversation with someone? Obsess over the appropriate amount of eye contact I make. What color is your mp3? Hot pink. Have you ever laid in a hammock? Yeup. Is there a song or lyrics currently super-glued in your head? "Popular Monster" by Falling In Reverse FUCK What can you go a day without doing? Uhhh a lot? I dunno... oh, drink water because I suck at that gah. I've gotten a lot better than I used to be tho. What can’t you go a day without doing? Touching some form of technology. Who do you spend most of your time with? Myself. Do you have a favorite classical composer? No. What type of quality is a must-have in a friend? Treat others with kindness. Are you any good at reading someone's body language? I definitely think so. What type of art would you hang up in your room? Lol I have some of my own... but let's say it was a clean slate again. I'd put some macabre/gothic art of some sort up, probably. Of COURSE with meerkats making an appearance. What fruit is too sweet to you? Hm, I'm blanking. What was the last contest you have ever won: Uhhhh... I think the giveaway of two Silent Hill: Revelation things? That was forever ago. What was the worst hair cut you have ever had in your entire life: Looking back, the haircut I had before this one (short on the left, faded into still rather long on the right) I don't really like anymore. Looks fine in some pictures, but not most. What was the worst thing you have ever worn in your life: Oh I don't know. Probably some dance costume. Do you like any sort of animes: Yeah, a handful. I'd honestly like to watch more. Have you ever used someone for your own benefits: I don't think so. What is the worst cartoon you have ever seen: Oh boy, idk. There's some dumb ones, a lot that I've only seen peeks of. Do you like to type or write more: TYPE. Writing physically can easily make my carpal tunnel act up. I hated having to hand-write a few essays last semester... I had to stop frequently to roll my wrists and cringe and stuff. What color would you have your skin if you could change it: I'd like pale skin like I have, but I wish it was more flawless/porcelain-ish. SOOOOOO pretty ahahhhhhhhhahhhhhh Do you usually cook your own meals, or does someone cook for you: I usually have to throw something together in the microwave because Mom's barely home, but when she is home, she cooks. If someone cooks for you, do you always thank them for it: YES. YES. NOT SAYING ANYTHING IS SO FUCKING DISRESPECTFUL. What do you do during the day: Almost without question, SOMEthing on technology/usually computer. As for what I do on technology, boy, a lot a lot. I don't even feel like listing it all. When you are online what do you normally find yourself doing: ... Oh, lmao. Uhhh binging YouTube, writing on or just checking up on KM, dA browsing/cleaning my drowning inbox, Facebook, "working" at the SH and SotC wikis, playing games, roaming Tumblr, check my emails, uhhhhhhh,,,, What is the most hated item you own: I wouldn't... keep it if I hated it? Uhhhh yeah, I honestly don't know. What is your favorite item you own out of all the items you have: My iPod, really. I have over 1k songs on this old-ass nano that I've had since middle school. I guess my laptop is kinda tied, but idk. Like, I don't love this laptop itself, just that it allows me to go online at a decent speed lmao. I guess they're my favorites in different ways. So, do you think that you will get where you want in life currently: Not stopping pushing for it 'til I get it. Why is that so. May I ask: I'm "too" determined. It's been a struggle getting to even where I am, but FUCK, I'm getting there. Do you like Halloween: I can't fwu if you don't. Has a teacher ever flirted with you? Not to my recollection. Is it okay for friends to kiss each other, as friends? Personally, I think a simple peck is fine IF that's your thing and it's mutually understood that it's platonic. Ex., I know greeting kisses are normal in some cultures, and I see no reason to shame it so long you're not like making out. Is it okay for girls to hit boys? Fuck no. Unless you're like fighting off an assailant/defending yourself, NO gender hits ANYONE. Do you know a lot of attractive boys personally? I've never thought about it? I'm not gonna dig through all the people I know rn... What happens if you realized you had a crush on somebody? More than anything, I'd be scared of being hurt again, particularly if it's a guy. So I definitely wouldn't make the first move. Do you think you are attractive? No. Which two of your friends would have the cutest baby together? I don't know. How do you feel about your naked body? DON'T COME AT ME WITH THIS QUESTION GO AWAY Have you ever been called obnoxious? No. At least, not to my memory. Do you wish you had a bigger family? No, but a more close-knit one. Which friend would you kiss full on the mouth, no questions asked? Sara. If somebody smacks your butt, you automatically say: I wouldn't say shit, I'd turn around and smack them across the face. How often does your family life conflict with your social life? Pretty much never. Have you ever been emotionally abused? No, thankfully. Do small children like you? They seem to, I guess. If karma is really true, should you be worried? Not very. What makeup do you wear on a daily basis? None. Do you have anything hidden in your room? Yeah, some saved money. What do you wish you were doing right now instead of this? It'd be great to talk to Sara. If you had a baby, would you want to have it at home or in a hospital? Oh I'm going to the fucking hospital for that epidural fren. If I even wanted kids. What was the last thing you ordered online? Uhhh good question. Have you ever had a bad experience with anti-depressants? If so, what? Well, actually the entire time I was ON anti-depressants. Because I'm bipolar, anti-depressants actually ramp up the aggression of bipolarity symptoms. How, I don't recall the science of, but I trust every word that comes out of my psychiatrist's mouth for many reasons. That definitely happened. One also made me gain weight, and the worst instance was in middle school when I was briefly on one that made me SO fucking hyper and happy in the morning but I crashed into an absolute bitchy monster by mid-afternoon. Now a combination of mood stabilizers helps both my bipolarity and depression immensely and are the main reason I'm alive. Are you allergic to any plants? I mean, I'm allergic to pollen. Are you an outdoors person? If the weather is cool, I love it. Does your past bother you? Some parts of it. Do you take risks or play it safe? I tend to play it safe. What forms of art do you like the best? This is an absolutely impossible question. "Art" has such an incredible range of forms, and I enjoy like... all. I guess the one thing I don't particularly care for is abstract art. What forms of art do you want to try? HYPERREALISM IN DRAWING. I REALLY wanna be able to draw/paint/whatever and make it look so true to life, BUT I'd like to add fantasy aspects to what I'm making (for example, my characters). I'd love to do portraits, too. This isn't really a "type" of art, but one thing I desperately want in art is to actually develop my own recognizable style that isn't just a wobbly attempt at realism with shitty proportions. What’s your favorite planet? Saturn's dope. Has a medication ever made you itch? No. What’s your favorite rainy day activity? Cuddle with snacks and like binge a good TV show/YT videos, etc. BUT considering I'm single I'ma just take a nap if I'm actually tired and you can hear the rain on the window. Do you put creamer in your tea? I wonder how many times I'll tell surveys I hate tea lmao by the end of my life lmao. What do you think are some good names for twins? I don't care enough to think about this. What are three things that fascinate you? Animal behavior (particularly social), the paranormal, and genetics. Would you say you live more in the past, present, or future? Present, I think. Have you ever been a victim of a crime? Not me personally, no, but my family. We had our basketball hoop stolen from our front yard and I was mega tilted yo. Does injustice make you angry? More like it infuriates me. Do you have the bad habit of procrastinating? Very badly. Are you afraid of running into a certain person in public? I both am and am not afraid of running into Jason. I have a very strong feeling I'd start having a PTSD episode (by that I mean hyperventilating, crying a bit, and shaking at the very least), but simultaneously I just want him to know I'm sorry. Do you have anyone you avoid? No. Do you have the same dreams now that you did as a kid? No. Who’s your crush? I don't really know if I have one right now. My old friend Ian and I started talking, and he's a fucking hilarious dude with similar ethics to mine with great compassion, but I still don't know him well enough to say I like-like him. I'm honestly just happy to have an irl friend again that actually talks to me regularly. Do you trust the government? I believe in WAY too many conspiracy theories to even try to convince anyone I trust the government lmao. Who do you want to meet in Heaven? I don't know exactly what sort of afterlife I believe in (it's not the traditional Heaven though), but I do believe that souls can reunite. The first thing I want to see again is Teddy. Does your school take sports too seriously? Considering we're well-respected in the sports field to the degree we draw in a huge number of foreign athletes, guess you could say yes lmao. Most of the people I even slightly know here came for sports. If there are bruises on your body, how did you get them? There aren’t. Would you ever go back in time to do something over again, but differently? Yes. Where did you kiss the last person you kissed? The airport. Have you thought about your wedding in detail? Not great detail, no. Do you think you could ever really kill someone? In self-defense, I know I could. Do you like Papa John’s pizza? I couldn't even guess the last time I had it. I don't remember. Do you attend school? Yeah. Do you call it a crush, or do you just say you like someone? The latter. Where were you when the ball dropped? In my bed asleep lmao. Where are your siblings? Probably all at work. Waffles, pancakes, or french toast? French toast. Do you ever judge people based on if they believe in God or not? Not really, but I WILL wonder to myself if you believe in some of the bullshit just about every religion has somewhere. Are you sometimes scared to express your opinions in fear of what others might think? YUP YUP YUP! Mainly irl tho. Have you ever painted your nails on only one hand, forgetting about the other one or getting side-tracked? No. Have you ever gone to one of those parties where everyone is falling around drunk everywhere? No. Been to one where everyone was high, though. Are you “the good guy”, or “the bad guy”, or somewhere in between? I'd hope the good guy. Do you ever erase the numbers off of surveys just because they annoy you? Ha ha yeah. Do you think you will have the same best friend a year from now? Yes. Do you have siblings over the age of twenty-one? Yes, all but one. What do you hear right now? "Another Life" by Motionless In White. Proud as fuck because this song was a MASSIVE PTSD trigger at first and even made me cry, but despite it still making me kinda uncomfortable, I can listen to and enjoy it now. If an ex said they hated you, what would you say? The only three people whose opinions would matter there would be Sara, Girt, and Jason. Sara and Jason would fucking break me, while I think Girt would of course make me cry, but I just. Wouldn't be surprised to lose another irl friend. I'd be so fucking hurt by any. OH YEAH, what would I say? I think Sara would have me speechless. I'd probably just choke out, "I don't blame you," to Jason. Girt, my first instinct pondering this was "are you serious?" because he's such a joker while my stomach dropped. What would you do if you found out your most recent ex was in a relationship? I'd be happy for her, but still feel kinda sad that it wasn't me. What do you think when someone kisses you on your forehead? If I like the person, I feel very comforted. It like... makes me feel small, safe, and permitted to just let my emotions loose, ex. be "allowed" to cry. What do you usually do right when you wake up? Check my phone to see the time. Truthfully, is there someone you used to date that you miss? I don't want to answer this. Do the math. Have you ever gotten burnt by a cigarette? No. Do you brush your teeth right away when you wake up? No. Have you ever made someone laugh when they were crying? Yeah. Would you date someone three years older than you? Yeah. Do you prefer to shower at night or in the morning? Actually as of recently, the morning. It's a nice way to start the day clean and energized. Could you handle living with the last person you texted? I'd love to live with her. Was the last book you read for fun, or was it for some type of assignment? It was assigned, but I loved it. Have you accomplished any goals you set for yourself this year so far? Not really? Well no, I think I'm being a less procrastinating student and also not fleeing so quickly from situations that invoke my anxiety. Are there still movie rental stores where you live or have they all gone out of business? SOBS Blockbuster come BACK we NEED u. What was the last thing to annoy you or make you upset? Eh, it was stupid and something that realistically isn't worth being annoyed by. I was SUPER bored and tired yesterday waiting for Mom to finish her field work while I waited in the library after classes, and I was so ready to go home, but she stayed longer than she thought she would. Do you think you would be a good match for your celebrity crush/es assuming you have one? Why? If you don’t have one, who was the last person you saw that you found attractive? Actually, not really. He's way too motivated and drawn to people who push forward and get shit done, and just in general at least from how I "know" him as a fan I could only realistically see us as friends. But a fangirl can dream ok just let me dream. When looking for something to watch on TV do you tend to pick shows you know you like, or try new shows that look interesting even though you’ve never heard of them before? I'll answer hypothetically if I watched TV: probably something I know I like. Might get adventurous every now and again and try something new, though, especially if it's on a channel I like. How old were you when you had your wisdom teeth removed? I haven't had to. I juuuuust slightly have enough room where I DID have them grow in. Where was the last job application you filled out sent to? Uhhh probably the deli, which I got and lasted for two hours my first work day lmao. Have you ever been fired from a job? No. What do people tell you your voice sounds like? I dunno, kinda deep for a girl and lacking an accent most of the time. What financial class are you? Lower. What poster is hanging closest to you? A huge Nightmare Before Christmas one. Are you more comfortable with men or women? Women. Would you go on a date with someone right now if they asked? Maybe if Ian did? Idk. It'd be a nice way to get to know more about each other, but I'd only agree to it after we talked a bit longer. Does your family keep tons of leftovers in the fridge? Not "a ton." Things we'll eat again though, yes. Favorite FRIENDS character? That is, if you like it. I haven't watched it. Are you thinking of getting another piercing? Where? Hell yes. Pretty sure next is collarbones if I could just lose a little bit more weight so they're more visible. Do you love when people remember little things about you? YES OMG!!!!!!!!!! Do you ‘bless’ strangers when they sneeze? Yes, I just think it's common good manner. Even though the reasoning behind it is whatever, it's a societal thing that I just go along with. How many phones have you gone through? Idk, not too many. Have you always lived in the house you currently reside in? No.

[momentofmemory]

it’s almost the end of october, which means one of the greatest, most terrifying exploits known to writers is upon us: NaNoWriMo.

there are plenty of super good survival posts out there, but as this’ll be my seventh time participating (six wins, hoping for a seventh), i thought i’d drop my own set of tips into the mix. i’m going to focus mostly on the practical details of how to write; if you want tips on the writing itself either search the writing/reference tags or pester me to do another one later :P with that said, ~on with the post~

Step One: Figure Out Your Goal

i know, i know, obviously it’s to write 50k, but what does that mean to you? are you expecting

polished prose, ready to send off to a publisher?

being able to write every day? 

just throwing up a bunch of ideas?

a mix of everything?

all of these are valid, but they’re going to require different approaches. if you want jaw-dropping writing, you’re going to need in the ballpark of five or more hours each day, if not more. if you want consistency, you’ll want to look at your normal schedule and set up a couple times you know you can write at. if just you want words, pretty much all you need to make sure is that you squeeze writing time in whenever.

your goal will probably change as the month progresses, and that’s totally fine. just check in every so often to remember a)what you’re working for and b)if it’s actually plausible. speaking of...

Step Two: Realize Your Limitations

1. Typing.

imma get super practical here: your typing speed dictates how fast you can get done. if you write 40wpm (the average), you cannot write the full 1667 in a half hour any more than you can run a mile in under three minutes. it’s honestly not a bad idea to check out your own speed, if only to help you understand yourself better. in my experience, actual writing then works like this (using my max speed, 89, as an example):

Absolute Max: 89 wpm (baseline)

Warring: 70 (75% of baseline)

In the zone: 45 (50% of baseline)

Taking my time, concentrated: 22 (25% of baseline)

anything lower than your max/4 probably means you’re spending a lot of time either researching or staring at the page, so just be aware of that.

2. Time & Focus

this kinda goes without saying, but best case scenario this is at least 1-2 hours of your life a day, or dedicating full Saturday/Sundays if you’re a weekend warrior kind of person. it’s so, so worth it if you can make time for it, but also don’t feel bad if you can’t! doing a half nano (25k) or whatever you want is also a fully acceptable plan.

that said, if you do have time, figure out your focus too. if you’ve never been the kind of person that can type for six hours straight, you will probably not magically become this person when it hits Nov. 1 (though with practice, you might be by Nov. 30). i like trying to write at least 300 before work and another 300 during lunch. that way there’s only 1k left for the evening, and having words on the page just makes me feel better. experiment with different ways of blocking out your time in the first few days and see what works best for you.

3. Don’t Forget You Live in a Body

writing is hard work, you will need to eat brain food! hunching over wrecks your back, stand up and stretch every so often! you will hate existing if you forgo sleep for days! and for the love of charles dickens, patron saint of getting paid by the word, take care of your mother-effing wrists!!

seriously on that last one. i’ve ignored it in the past and thoroughly screwed up my wrists one year; don’t be me. keep in them in a neutral position, do regular stretches, and if you need to, get wrist wraps (i recommend these).

Step Three: Actually Doing the Thing

the previous steps have had pretty broad advice, but now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. these are mostly things i know work for me, and therefore may not for you—adjust to your own needs!

1. Write for 15 Minutes Every Day, Non-Negotiable.

i don’t even mean this is a “write 15 min and then your brain will be tricked into writing more” kinda way, but like, literally. you’re probably not going to be able to do 1667 every day—sometimes you’ll be tired and just won’t have the time. you’re very likely, however, to have 15 minutes, and you’ll want to use them. Doesn’t matter if you write 50 words or 500 in that time, at least you’ll have done something, and that’s usually enough to keep you from feeling like just giving up the next day.

2. You Might Need Physical Spaces

i’m a pretty sensory person when it comes to writing, and having a dedicated writing space is so helpful for me. going back to the idea of being an embodied person, it’s a lot easier to get your brain into a writing mode if your body’s already there. some good options include:

coffee shops (cozy! food!)

a specific room in your home (easily accessed! do what you want!)

libraries (free! quiet!)

a friend’s house (writing buddy! easy access to sounding board!)

all of these places usually have access to wifi, which is a positive.

3. You Definitely Need Digital Spaces

i pretty much always write in the same processor, once again because it helps set the mood. the main options include:

google drive (solid choice, cloud backup, mobile accessible)

dabble writer (cloud backup, links to nano, dark mode, chapter options)

write or die (only for actual writing—a scary but effective motivator; save elsewhere)

word/pages/etc. (ready to go on your computer, formatting options)

scrivener (great plotting tools, detailed interface)

i use dabble writer myself (they’re a nano sponsor, so you can get it free for this month, and as a double bonus you get it half off for the rest of the year if you win). and no, i’m not getting paid to wax poetic about them, but honestly i’ve used it to win the past two years and i adore it. 

anyway my biggest tip here is that i SUPER SUPER DON’T RECOMMEND NON-CLOUD OPTIONS. it’s very risky, but if you must, do a proper back up at least once a week. that shiz is not worth it.

4. The Timer is Your New Best Friend

because i’ve heard this argument before: no, it’s not a crutch, and no, it’s not cheating. it’s literally best practices. i’m personally a big fan of this online timer, and i let it run for 15 min every time i write. after each session i check how many words i wrote, then after maybe a quick 1-2 min break, start over.

you can totally set the timer for longer or shorter periods, depending on what works for you. i’m a fan of the 15 min sessions bc it’s just long enough to get a bit of flow going, and just short enough that i can convince my spacy brain that we can get through it without wandering. it’s also a fantastic length for warring, if you’re down for that.

5. Write That Idea Down for Lewis’s Sake

the original idea for the chronicles of narnia came to c.s. lewis when he was at a restaurant, and thank the lord, he wrote it down on a napkin. he wouldn’t write it until some time later, but if he hadn’t written it down, he might’ve forgotten it. why is this important, you ask?

BC YOU WILL FORGET THINGS.

if you have an idea, write it down in your phone or your notebook or the waterproof paper in your shower, because i don’t care how sure you are that you’ll remember it, you super won’t. i’ve forgotten many solutions to plot holes in my time and i still hold vigils over their graves. don’t be me. write it down.

Step Four: Managing that Inner Critic of Yours

all right, pay attention. i’m not going to tell you not to edit, because i would be a massive hypocrite if i did. i totally edit during nano. the important part is letting your editor help you win, not hurt you. and that means gaming your critic’s system.

1. Have a Dedicated Deletion Section

many people hear “don’t delete anything” and baulk, because for some of us it’s distracting and we want to rewrite that section until it matches our vision. so, i’m here to tell you: delete it!! rewrite entire chapters!! just save the original content as part of your word count. this is another reason i love dabble, bc at the start of nano i just make a separate part of the book, label it “delete”, and any time i’m writing and dislike a sentence/paragraph i just dump it into that folder and move on. this way you still get to keep the numbers (and why shouldn’t you? you wrote them!) while also writing words you actually like. plus, sometimes that line you deleted in ch. 1 winds up being supremely pertinent in ch.15, and now you can just copy/paste it instead of having to try to remember what exactly you’d said.

2. Acknowledge Ranting as a Time Honoured Tradition

think there’s no precedent for that 2K diatribe you wrote on the london underground? well fear not, because you can’t possibly do worse than hugo’s entire chapters worth of content on the french sewer system! or melville’s frankly terrifying obsession with the finer features of whale biology!

like, yeah, maybe you’ll decide later you don’t need it, but for now, embrace that soap box. dead white guys have been doing it for centuries and still get places in college syllabi. the least you can do is give it a place in your word count.

Step Five: Have Fun!

i know, i know, it’s cliche, but seriously. if this isn’t fun, or at least rewarding, why are you doing it anyway? so enjoy it! send passages you’re proud of to your friends! daydream about it in the car on the way to work/school! cry over a notebook about the twist you just came up with! nano’s a time of fun and exploration, and you shouldn’t miss out on it because you’re thinking too much.

also, this might be counter productive to put at the end of an essay on nano, but don’t obsess over reading essays on nano :P there comes a time when one must simply do, and nano is pretty much the definition of that.

[phandomficfests]

Writer’s Corner: phloridas

Introductions 

First things first, tell us a little about yourself. Hi, I’m Claire! I’m 22 years old, from Illinois, and like most 20-somethings, have no idea what I’m doing with my life. Things have been been pretty turbulent these last few years, as I started college studying Elementary Education but transferred schools a couple years ago to study Creative Writing. I had recently fallen in love with writing all over again and wanted to improve my craft/possibly work with books as a career. That school, however, wasn’t a great fit for me and after months of struggling, I dropped out last October and have been slowly putting myself back together since. I’m now hoping to transfer again to a school closer to home to finish my Elementary Ed degree, as I really do have a passion for teaching and children and thoroughly enjoyed those classes when I was taking them. So fingers crossed things can work out there! :)

How long have you been writing for?  I wrote and posted my first phanfiction in October 2016 but if you’re talking fanfiction in general, my first ever fic was a terrible Glee one that I scribbled in my 9th grade biology notebook in the spring of 2012 and thankfully never posted anywhere. I’ve also been writing original stories and keeping journals on and off since I was 6--which is a really long time, now that I’m thinking about it!

Tell us about your current project. Ok! I’m currently working on a few things: first is my PRB, second is a fic I was commissioned to write for the Phandom Gives charity drive and the third is a much longer thing I’ve been working on for about a year now, where Dan and Phil are telling the story of their lives and releasing it as a book for their 10th anniversary, and dealing with all the emotions that arise from all that—so basically my fever dream for 2019, which feels more possible than ever now in this post-coming out universe.0 unread message

What is your current word count?  245,379 or 259,014 counting my wips! (Damn, I wish I had that much in dollars lmao)

Questions on Writing

Do you try to write daily? Do you have a word count or other goals you try to hit for each writing session? As long as my mental health is decent and I’m not sick or anything, I try to write every day! I haven’t had a word count goal for a while but recently, I’ve started using a word count tracker and it’s been amazing to see my progress through that! My base goal is normally 500 words but if I’m not working that day, I try to go for 1k or to the end of whatever scene I’m working on.

How do you feel about the arguments against real person fic? I totally understand why some people may be uncomfortable reading it--I personally hate talking about it, even with my closest irl friends--but I don’t think anyone should tell someone what they can and can’t write. Does it sometimes feel weird, especially after seeing them at TATINOF and II and meeting them at II? Sure, but it helps that dnp themselves are cool about it. For me, writing is all about getting these stories out of my head, and it just so happens that all my stories feature Dan and Phil. So yeah, I’m gonna write and post them no matter what anyone else says.

What challenges you most in your writing? Myself. Much like Dan, my perfectionism makes me my own harshest critic and so many times, has completely destroyed my productivity. I also have a really bad habit of comparing myself to others, which only got worse after I started taking writing classes and saw just how talented some of my peers were. However, after speed writing most of my last fic in the two weeks before its posting date and seeing the amazing response that’s gotten, I’ve gained a lot more confidence in my writing abilities and don’t overthink as much, which has been really nice!

What's your favorite piece of feedback you've ever gotten? All the comments on my most recent fic, an act of infinite optimism, have been incredible and I’m SO happy it got such a good response! I was a bit hesitant about it, as it’s from Dan’s mum’s point of view and seeing as I’m not a mother myself (and currently have no interest in becoming one), I wasn’t sure how well it would resonate. But I think reading Michelle Obama’s memoir helped a lot, since her story helped me see exactly what being a working mom is like, which gave me so much more empathy for moms everywhere. And people have said this fic resonates well with them, whether or not they’re a mom themselves, which is so amazing to hear!

What do you think makes a good story? I’m quite easy to please so honestly, if the author has put lots of love and hard work into a story, I’m so here for it! But some of my favorite stories are the ones that focus most on character development and that follow the characters through an emotional journey. Basically, if your premise is Dan and Phil talking about their feelings and learning more about themselves in the process, it’s an automatic yes from me. Like I said, I’m not picky :)

How do you balance writing for yourself vs. writing what people want to read? Honestly, it’s not something I think about all that much? If I have an idea I really like, there’s a 95% chance I’ll write it just so I can get it out of my head. And normally what people want to read is the kind of thing I want to write (like my take on the 2017 Lester family Christmas, which was super well received), so it works out quite well! 

What inspired whatever you’re currently working on? For my current wip (the one I’ve been working on since August), I actually was inspired by Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl and its use of excerpts from Cath’s fics or the Simon Snow books before each chapter. As a dnp tell all book is something I’ve dreamed of for years, it occured to me that I could write that book, or little bits of it anyway, and the story of how that book gets created! And maybe confronting their past selves will allow dnp to move on with the rest of their lives, finally settling down and living their domestic dreams! So beyond the initial idea, the rest is pretty much all the hopes and dreams I had for 2019 before the reality of this year came crashing down on us all :D

What is your ideal writing environment? Literally, in my bed, snuggled under the covers. I don’t have a desk in my room and don’t feel comfortable writing anywhere else so 99% of my it happens here, on my semi-functional laptop. Or hastily typed out on my phone whilst hiding behind a large clothing display at work, but idk if I would call that ideal lmao

Don’t forget that you can check out Claire on tumblr at @phloridas or on AO3 here. If you’d like to be on the list for a Writer’s Corner feature, sign up here!

[buckyhoneyno]

A Dumbasses Guide To Saving The World (Chapter 6)

Just two girls with stupid dumb luck

Read along as two girls are thrown into the supernatural world when they are mistaken for hunters and decided that they fake it till they make it.

Updating every Saturday because Saturdays are for the boys

Updating early because I just got to 1K followers and I love you all!!

Sam x reader

Dean x reader

masterlist

Chapter 6 \\ You’ve Got Mail \\

Finally, after a week of checking their PO box every afternoon, a beat-up box wrapped messily wrapped in duct tape arrived. Maddie grabbed it excitedly and speed home to show Charlotte once she got off work. Normally the girls had their boss keep them on identical schedules but every once and while they got put on different shifts. Today being one of those days where Maddie had the morning shift and Charlotte with the afternoon. There wasn’t much need for a bartender at 8 in the morning.

Maddie didn’t spare a glance over her shoulder when walking to their apartment, her excitement to read the journals distracted her. If she had she would have noticed the man walking towards her.

“I love seeing you smile like that,” The girl to her credit didn’t jump when she heard the voice. Turning slowly, she saw Daren walking towards her. His hands were in his pockets as he tried to seem innocent. The smile that was on her face before melted off into a glare. Her arm still had a hand shaped bruise on it from their encounter last week, though it was now a faded yellow.

“Awe don’t tell me your still mad about what happened at Smokey’s,” He said with what she was sure he thought was a cute smile. “I apologized for that, even said sorry to Charlotte for calling her a bitch.” The way he said the last part made it seem like he definitely still thought Charlotte was a bitch. 

“Surprisingly enough yes, I’m still mad,” She stated coldly before turning away, thoroughly done with talking to the man. She had never given him an inkling of hope that she wanted to even be friends with the man, she was only nice in the beginning because they were neighbors but apparently her kindness was coming back to bite her in the ass.

“Hey, come on,” Daren leaned forward as if he was going to reach a hand towards her. Snapping around her steely gaze stopped him.

“Don’t touch me.” She practically hissed out. “What do you not get about no meaning no,” with that out she stomped away quickly and walked into the apartment. Twisting the lock quickly she leaned against the door.

“fuckin creep,” she mumbled to herself before remembering what she had in her large bag.

Walking to the kitchen she took out the package and debated whether to wait for Charlotte to get home or open it now. Her impulse won out though as she ripped into the cardboard. Flipping open the sides she reached in and pulled out 3 worn journals and a piece of paper that had messy scrawl on it. Putting the journals down she picked up the paper, squinting at the messy writing.

Girls,

These three journals are everything you need to know about the basics. Read them, memorize them and live by them. You got my number if you come across something that’s not in the books. Don’t die out there.

-      Bobby

P.S.

Id suggest investing in a couple of guns before your next big hunt maybe a bag of salt too.

If she thought about it long enough she might say that Bobby actually liked the girls.

Putting down the letter she walked to her room to take out her contacts, she had an easier time reading with her glasses. Grabbing her laptop and blanket on her way out and snagging one of the journals on the way to the couch, she settled in for a long night of reading. 

It was closer to 6 when Charlotte pulled in hours later. She was tired and covered in beer after teaching one of the new girls to tap a keg. She didn’t take directions well and ended up soaking them both before Charlotte could stop the beer from spewing out. Walking inside she threw her keys in the bowl by the door, heading straight for her room without giving the other girl in the living room much attention. She had a one-track mind at the moment and was intent on showering before she had to talk to another human being. 

Maddie barely glanced up when the other girl came in, after seeing her stormy expression she chose to wait till she resurfaced from her room to tell her the good news. The sound of the shower meets her ears as she went back to reading. Her laptop was in her lap while the book sat open next to her. She made detailed notes on her computer so that if Bobby ever asked for the journals back they wouldn’t have to worry.

Another hour passed before Charlotte came into the living room. Her eyes zeroed in on the box on the table. Stopping in her tracks she turned back to Maddie who was sitting on the couch, her glasses sat perched on her nose as she stared at a book closely.

“Are those what I think they are,” She questioned excitedly.

“Yep,” Maddie said with a large smile. “And they’re awesome,”

Charlotte let out a little squeal as she grabbed one off the table. Opening it she flipped through the pages for a moment excitedly.

“How much have you read so far?” She asked after a few more pages were turned.

“So far I’ve gotten half way through the first one. I would be done by now but I’m taking notes on them so that if Bobby ever asks for them back we can have backups,” Maddie said proud of her self.

“Nice,” Charlotte said impressed. Turning to the coffee machine she started a pot, knowing she would not be going to bed early like she had planned on her drive home.   

The next few hours were spent reading and randomly getting the others attention when they read something interesting which happened to be every five minutes for them. Finally, around 1 in the morning the girls called it quits when Charlotte happened to fall asleep on her laptop almost deleting all her work.

The next two days followed the same routine till they had each read all three books cover to cover. Day three the girls finally decided it was time to get kitted out with gear. So that next time they decided to be hunters they wouldn’t be so low on resources.

Coming back from the shopping they now had an outrageously large bag of salt, a slightly less outrageous bag of rock salt, a two pack of machetes that were on sale at home depot and a set of pretty silver throwing knives that Charlotte had decided to splurge on even though she knew it was an unnecessary purchase. If they needed more stuff then they would buy it along the way. They didn’t have to worry about extra lighters or candles being that they had a surplus of both already. Hopefully they could survive with their basic kit.

There last stop had been at a gun shop where they filed paper work to have a concealed hand gun license. They weren’t sure if Hunters followed the law but they sure as hell wouldn’t be caught with out them. It was worryingly easy to get though and they were able to purchase the guns and ammo on the spot.

Maddie’s gun had a sleek black barrel with a dark wooden handle to give it a nice accent. It looked like old and new styles were melded together to make it.

Charlottes was a bit more out there though. It was a silver with gold accents. The handle was shelled by mother of pearl styles designs that swirled prettily. It was classy while still not being to in your face. 

“I can’t say I ever thought I would be a gun owner,” Charlotte stated as she placed it in her purse with the safety on. “Oh, if my mother could see me now,” she joked with a grin. Her family were as liberal as they came. Her mother who lived back home with the rest of her family was always adamant on the need for stricter gun control. The mind set was practically drilled into the blonde her whole life. 

“Your mom, ha. My dad would probably throw a party,” On the other end of the spectrum was Maddie’s family who enjoyed their hunting and right to bear arms. Though that little fact never stopped the two family’s from getting along. It was just something they didn’t completely agree on.

“I still don’t think I will use this though,” She said with a shrug before excitedly unrolling the soft material that held her knives. “Now these I can get down with,” her smile was creepily large as Maddie gave her a look.

“Careful Char, your crazies showing,”

“Oh, fuck off,” her words held no heat as she flipped the knives around in each hand.

“One day you’ll cut your finger off with one of those,” her reply was a middle finger in the air before she turned back to her new toys.

“I think we should go to the shooting range soon, get some practice in. Maybe get you to actually learn how to take care of a gun,”

“Ill go to the range with you if you come to a boxing lesson with me,” the blond bargained with a raised brow. They stared each other down before Maddie sighed.

“Deal,”

“Ooh we also need to make a first aid kit to put in the car, you know in case we get hurt,” Charlotte said as she started putting her knives away.

“Already a step ahead of you there,” Maddie said while going to retrieve the box she had been working on. Placing it on the table in front of the other girl with a proud look on her face.

Charlotte gave it a once over and nodded. “I like that you added pretty band aids and not those generic tan ones,”

“I think I’ll just leave it in my car, since I drive us everywhere anyways,” She stated earning her a thumbs up before Charlotte grabbed Jackie’s leash off the counter.

“I’m going to take Jax’s for a walk,”

“Have fun,” Maddie called as she settled into the couch to watch some TV, content to spend the rest of their day off vegging out on the couch. She didn’t realize then but this was one of the last days she would have for a while where she didn’t have anything to worry about.

Down the street Charlotte smiled at a passing couple, for once not checking over her shoulder every 5 feet. A luxury she would soon miss after the coming weeks.

Two wanna be hunters were about to be put to the test as something evil creeped into town, right under their noses.

to be continued

Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!

taglist

@deanismygodwiththatwhistle @real-demon-huntress @beckywiththatgooddean @periodottea91 @this-glitter-pussay @takenbymyfandoms @oneshoeshort @supernatural-teamfreewillpage @getnaildbyme @fourtyninekirbygamzeegirl @musiclovinchic93 @lolabean1998 @kramabitchy @myinconnelly1 @bunnybaby121115 @of-sebstan-and-chrisevans @dammitsammy @wingedcatninja @darkswanordie @ellen-reincarnated1967 @salt-n-burn-em-all @supernxturxl @drkeyed-dreamer @were-not-the-losechesters @ashrey95 @alwaysthefangirl @arbitranox @shotgunshutstheircakehole1967 @fellowmaya @jmb959 @capsiclesbeard @hoesforshows @healojane @lolimeverywherebitch @cross-roads-blues @yllwtaxi @happy-sunny-flowers @gabriels-trix @hennessy0274-blog @supernotmyproblem

[golfclashmobiler]

We take a look at the best golf simulators on the market in 2019, and show you how to build a full home setup for under $1K.

Fed up waking up pumped for your round, only to find out the course is flooded? Can’t be bothered heading to the driving range? Then you need a home golf simulator. We’ve picked out the 2 best golf simulators in 2020, with one setup that can be built for under $1K, and a high end simulator for those with bigger budgets.

Summary: 2020’s Best Golf Simulators

We’ll dig into the ‘why’ in a moment with full reviews, but in summary there’s really no contest. If you’re looking for an affordable setup, which you can put together for under $1,000 including net, mat etc (separate purchases) then go for the OptiShot2. If you have a bigger budget, and are looking for a simulator that will give you more feedback on your swing and accurate ball flight and launch conditions, then you need a SkyTrak system.

Best Affordable Golf Simulator In 2020

Think you’re going to have to outlay thousands of bucks for a home golf simulator?

Think again.

The OptiShot 2 is the world’s best selling golf simulator, and the good news is you’ll be able to pick it up for well under $500. In fact, at the time of writing it’s actually under $300.

Let’s see what you get.

OptiShot 2 Golf Simulator Review

First, let me clarify that what you are buying here is the ‘brains’ of the golf simulator (which includes tracking mat and sensor).

Do you need anything else?

Well, no, and yes…

If you buy the OptiShot 2 and nothing else (assuming you already have golf clubs), you can set it up, plug it into your laptop or PC, and swing away anywhere that you have room for a full golf swing.

You don’t even need to hit a golf ball, as the OptiShot will track the shot as if you had.

You’ll get to see the results of your shot on your computer screen straight away.

But with that being said, if you have the budget, a few extra bits and bobs (and a bit of DIY) will add to your home golf simulator experience. We’ll get to that shortly, but for now let’s carry on with the review.

The OptiShot 2: What You Get

Here’s what you’ll get in the box when you buy the OpiShot2:

Infrared Optical Swing Pad

OptiShot Golf 3D Software

USB Cable (10ft)

Foam Balls (x2)

Adjustable Rubber Tees

Some packages also include extra swing pad replacement turf and a longer USB cable (15 ft). The longer USB cable is certainly useful, but if you buy without it no biggy as you can pick up an extra long USB cable pretty cheap.

How Does The OptiShot 2 Work?

The OptiShot’s swing pad contains 16 infrared optical sensors, which track your club through the hitting area. These 48MHz sensors emit thousands of pulses per second.

Why did I bold your club?

Because the OptiShot is not a launch monitor. It doesn’t track the flight of your ball, it tracks your club head.

So what does this mean for stats?

What Stats Does The OptiShot 2 Track?

For each swing you’ll be able to see:

Distance

Clubhead Speed

Face Angle

Path

Tempo

When I compared the distances reported by the OptiShot 2, to actual yardages measured on the course with my Garmin golf GPS, they were pretty close.

The system will record the stats so you can review averages for each club.

As the OptiShot does not track ball flight, you won’t get stats for launch angle or angle of attack.

But you will get to see an approximation of your ball flight on screen. And obviously if you’re hitting balls (be they real or foam) you’ll know how well you hit it.

Now let’s look at the software, and what you’ll see on screen.

What’s The OptiShot2’s Game Play Like?

I’m going to call this game play, because (aside from getting some useful feedback on your swing stats) really that’s what it is.

And yes, you can actually play a round of golf.

In fact, you can play (at least virtually) on some of the world’s best golf courses, including:

The Golf Club Scottsdale

Long Island Black

Torrey White

Torrey Black

Palm Desert Mountains

Palm Desert Canyons

Barsebäck Golf Club

Black Mountain

The Canadian Club

Österåkers Golf Club

West Maui Plantation

Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club

Fylde Links

Cogs Corner

Twisted Twig

You can even play peer-to-peer against other golfers online.

Or you can just sharpen up your swing on the driving range:

Cool huh?

As I mentioned at the start of this review, all you need to do is hook your OptiShot2 Swing Pad up to your laptop or PC, and you’ll see your shot on screen instantly.

It’s an impressive piece of kit for a great price.

OptiShot2: Our Verdict

The OptiShot2 is without doubt the best affordable golf simulator available in 2020. For most golfers the available stats will be more than sufficient to tweak their swing, and the game play (and of course the simulation) is excellent.

Pros

Easy to setup (just plug it in and play)

Affordable

Swing stats including distance, speed, path, clubface angle

Play 15 real courses, or practice on the driving range

Play online against other golfers

Can be used with or without golf balls

Cons

Doesn’t track actual ball flight, so you’ll be missing angle of attack and launch angle

Not the most accurate golf simulator on the market

The Best Golf Simulator In 2020

Got a bigger budget to play with?

Need more stats and feedback on your swing?

Well now let’s look at the very best home golf simulator available this year: the SkyTrak Launch Monitor.

Note: We are assuming you don’t have a spare $50K lying around for Trackman. If you do, then technically that’s the absolute best. But this one is less than 1/20th of the price.

SkyTrak Launch Monitor Review

Let me start by saying this isn’t cheap. You won’t normally get much change out of $2,000.

But what it is, is awesome.

Unlike the OptiShot2, the SkyTrak is a launch monitor. It uses high speed cameras to capture images of the golf ball immediately after impact, so it can accurately project ball flight.

Which means you’ll get stats on ball speed, spin rates, launch angle and more.

SkyTrak Launch Monitor: What You Get

Here’s what’s in the box:

SkyTrak Launch Monitor

Protective Metal Case

And that’s all you need.

Wait… no wires?

Nope, the SkyTrak will connect wirelessly to your PC or tablet. It doesn’t even require Wi-Fi as it contains a built in Wi-Fi hotspot. Which means you can literally take it anywhere.

So while we’re focusing on home use here, you could (if you wanted) take the SkyTrak with you to the range and get stats on all your shots.

How Does The SkyTrak Launch Monitor Work?

SkyTrak is a photometric launch monitor.

That means that instead of using a radar to track ball flight (as some other high end launch monitors do), SkyTrak actually captures images of your ball in flight for the first few feet post impact.

From these images the system is able to accurately project the rest of the shot, both in terms of distance and direction.

What Stats Does The SkyTrak Launch Monitor Track?

As well as being able to see an accurate represenation of your ball flight on screen, SkyTrak provides a ton of useful stats, including:

Total distance

Carry distance

Club speed

Ball speed

Launch angle

Side spin

Back spin

Spin axis

Side angle

What’s The SkyTrak’s Simulator Like?

If you watched the video above, you’ll already have seen just how impressive SkyTrak’s simulator looks.

You’ll get an extremely accurate playback of your shot on screen, and when part of a full setup, it really is just like being at the driving range.

SkyTrak Launch Monitor: Our Verdict

With the excellent stats, easy setup, fantastic simulator, and relatively affordable price compared to some other leading launch monitors, the Skytrak gets our vote for the best golf simulator of 2020.

Pros

Easy to setup

Wireless connection to laptop, PC, or tablet

Advanced stats including launch angle, ball speed, and spin rates

Superb simulator with accurate representation of ball flight

Can be used anywhere

Cons

SkyTrak unit has to be at same level as ball, which can be a pain if you playing off a mat with the tee close to the edge

We’re not the only ones that picked the SkyTrak. GolfDigest chose it as the best value golf simulator this year.

How To Build A Full Home Golf Simulator Setup For Under $1,000

Want to take your home golf simulator experience to the next level?

Here’s everything you need to setup a home driving range.

And best of all, the whole kit and kaboodle will cost you under $1,000

OptiShot2 System

You’ll need a simulator (the brains of your setup), and as we’ve already covered above, the OptiShot2 is the best affordable golf simulator on the market in 2020.

Projector

For the best playing experience, you’ll want to use the simulator with a projector (and screen).

There are a ton of cheap projectors around, but we would recommend investing $300 or so on a good quality unit.

At the end of the day, you’re doing this to see your golf shots (it’s a simulator), so you don’t want to be looking at a dim, faded image on screen.

We recommend the Epson VS250, which has a colour brightness of 3,200 lumens. That should be enough to get a clear image on your projector in most light conditions.

Projector Screen

A projector screen shouldn’t cost too much and you should be able to pick one up for under $50.

We like this one from Excelvan, which can be used both indoors and outdoors.

It has a viewing area of 104” x 58”, and a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Golf Mat

The OptiShot2 has its own Swing Pad. But it’s slightly raised, so we would recommend purchasing a golf mat so you are standing at the same level (and on astroturf).

This mat from Orlimar is supplied with an inset for the OptiShot pre cut into the turf.

Driving Net

You don’t want to be smashing golf balls into your projector screen.

It won’t last long.

So, you’ll need to purchase a driving net to place in front of it.

There are a ton of affordable driving nets available.

This 10x7ft net from Rukket will do the trick and it’s normally available for under $150.

If you have a bigger budget to play with, go for the Net Return Pro, which will automatically return your balls to you.

You should be able to pick up all of the above for under $1,000.

How To Setup Your Home Simulator

On the most basic level, all you need to do is put your projector screen on a wall and set up the net in front of it to catch golf balls.

Then setup your simulator, project from your PC or laptop to the projector screen, place your mat in front of the net and hit away.

It’s probably best to have a defined space for this (with nothing too breakable). A spare room or garage will suffice.

But if you want to try something a little more sophisticated (or are a DIY nut), then you could try and build your own wooden enclosure for your simulator.

Something like this…

Which is definitely the coolest thing we’ve seen today.

So let’s recap:

Home Golf Simulator: What You'll Need

Simulators:

Best Affordable Golf Simulator: OptiShot2

Best Overall Golf Simulator: SkyTrak Launch Monitor

Also required for a full home golf simulator setup:

Projector: Epson VS250

Projector Screen: from Excelvan

Golf Mat: from Orlimar

Driving Net: Rukket or Net Return Pro

If you have a bit more budget, our friends at Golficity have a nice guide on putting together a home setup for under $2k.

[fabjohn]

hi there, im a lonely little fanfic writer uwu how would you go about executing an "enemies to friends to lovers" dynamic between paul and stu in a fic around 15-20 chapters? i always wanted write something like that, but i have trouble deciding how long it would actually take for a relationship like that to form realistically, and what elements/events could change the speed at which it happens and stuff like that so////. please let me know if you have any ideas/tips for me o;

well i mean, this is a difficult thing to answer because there are SO many ways you could go about this. it’s your story--you tell me how it’s going to happen! i can try to offer some advice though. (and forgive me if i come across as condescending; i’m answering this as if you’re a beginner, but you may not be! take from this what you will) 

first of all, i would scrap the 15-20 chapters criteria. just completely forget it, toss it out the window, it never happened. in my experience, one of the worst things you can do is try to take a simple idea and drag it out for the sake of writing a 200k behemoth. the reverse can be just damaging; if your idea is so big and complicated that you need 200k to make it happen, yet you try to condense it down into 5k, you’ll never be satisfied with the end result. plus chapter lengths are completely arbitrary. some people write 1k chapters, i usually end up writing about 15-20k per chapter, and some even do more. really it’s just personal preference, though you should be mindful of your story’s flow. i end up trying to have some kind of theme to each chapter; i start in one place and try to bring it full circle, where the characters have reached some kind of new understanding at the end. some people divide chapters every time they introduce a new story element. for example, chapter one introduces paul, a wannabe rocker but his dad wants him to get a real job. chapter two brings john into the picture, maybe he visits paul’s house, and the readers get to see their relationship. chapter three then starts the real meat of the story, where they try to defy jim’s wishes so paul can be in the band. this is something that can realistically be done in 1k or less, and while it’s a little choppy for my taste, is a really easy format to tackle for beginners imo. with fanfiction there’s really no right or wrong way, so just find something you’re comfortable with. what might be 15-20 chapters for you might be just one chapter for someone else. 

as for your actual question lol, this dynamic is a tricky one imo. to make things easier on yourself while you plot this out, i would put the thought of them becoming lovers on the back burner for now. i say this because it’s so easy to skip over the “friends” part of this dynamic and hop straight over into lovers, so just take it one step at a time. how would they go from enemies to friends? there are a million ways to answer this and none of them are wrong. so this is where your personal experience can be such an asset in your writing. how would you become friends with someone you hated? make it personal for you, think about what your actions would be, what the other person would have to do to earn your respect, and that will make your story feel true. your readers will believe it and get invested and feel it, because you’ve made it real. it’s easy to say that one day, completely out of the blue, stu just approaches paul like “listen, i’m tired of fighting and you’re really not that bad. let’s be friends.” and depending on the level of hatred between them, this can come across as just unrealistic and lazy (in any case, it’s just uninteresting). your readers know you’re not being truthful. they know you’re rushing through the hard part just so they can kiss sooner. don’t do that. the great thing about this dynamic is that it’s a perfect slow burn, so milk that shit for all it’s worth. make your readers crave that eventual softness between them, build it so much that by the time paul and stu so much as brush hands, your audience is weeping and rejoicing. 

but anyway, if the personal experience approach doesn’t work for you, here’s a potential jumping off point: they’re part of the same band, so while they may not like each other, they’re still a team at the end of the day. so if someone in the audience is heckling stu during a show, for example, saying they know he can’t play bass and he’s just a waste of space, paul might jump to his defense. he wouldn’t go too far (ie “fuck you!! he’s the best bass player in the whole world and we’re so lucky to have him!!”) but he might very well tell them to fuck off, stu’s doing a better job than they ever could. keep in mind though, depending on the dynamic you set up for them (and the amount of drama you want to add into this), stu might not be entirely grateful for the intervention. he might get pissed off and tell paul he can fend for himself, thank you very much. so getting over that enemies to friends obstacle can be a little difficult, because if they’re too willing to become friends, it will be unrealistic and boring, but if they hate each other so much that neither of them are willing to give, then it’s going to be very, very hard on you to find a realistic solution. you need the perfect combination of circumstance and mood; some sort of catalyst for the beginning of their friendship that happens at a time when they’re open to it. and that’s not something i can just give you, it’s something that needs to spring up naturally within the context of your story. 

i imagine this will probably be the longest part of your fic, since imo the transition from enemies to friends is never really a quick thing. you’re not going to fight someone one day, yell at them and tell them you hate them, only to change your mind the next day and invite them to the movies and tell them your deepest darkest secrets. the change should be gradual (it always depends on the circumstances though; a life or death situation could speed things up, but in general i would say it’s a slow process), so i would break it up into phases. first they’re just enemies, then they develop a grudging respect for each other, followed by finding common ground (maybe they aren’t so different after all), being casual buddies (they can have fun together but it’s not that deep), until they’re finally actual friends. 

so here’s a (VERY VERY BAD DO NOT DO THIS) example of how things could unfold: stu is antagonized during a show, paul defends him, stu tells him he doesn’t need his help, but surprise! the asshole from the audience meets them outside afterward and he’s pissed off and aggressive. paul fights him off with his sweet karate moves, and stu finally has to offer paul his thanks. on the way home, stu is like “i didn’t know you did karate” and paul is like “yeah i’ve been taking lessons since i was five” and stu is like “haha i did too, maybe i shouldn’t have quit.” they let it drop for now and go back to normal, maybe they might catch each other’s eye and smile during shows, but nothing more. except hamburg is rough, they run into drunken sailors and rough crowds all the time, and one day stu shows up with a black eye and while paul isn’t deeply concerned, he’s still a nice guy and can’t sit by while one of his band mates is struggling. so he’s like “you need to learn some self defense tbh” and now he’s giving stu private lessons and they bond. 

i need to get up early tomorrow and it’s late, so i’m going to leave it here for now. writing friends to lovers tends to be easier, since that’s the basis for like 90% of the fics out there, so you should be good to go once you firmly establish their friendship. definitely keep an eye on where you want them to end up so your story doesn’t go off the rails, but one of my biggest pet peeves in enemies-friends-lovers fics is when they’re still enemies and one of them thinks “he has such pretty lips though... wait did i really just think that!? fuck that guy he’s gross!!” so that’s something to be cautious of, and why i suggest putting the lovers idea aside during the beginning stages so little moments like that don’t slip through the cracks. (though it can be interesting if you disguise little thoughts like that, for example, stu thinking “paul and his stupid girly eyebrows god i want to rip them out so i don’t have to look at them anymore,” only for them to be something he really loves about paul later. remember: love and hate stimulate the same parts of the brain, so you can really have some fun with this duality.) 

anyway! i hope this helps. i’m always open to asks like this, so let me know if you need anything else. but always keep in mind that there’s no right or wrong way to go about this. you can totally disregard everything i’ve said and still write an awesome fic. just focus on the unique story you want to tell, and the rest will come naturally. 

[notsofastmaximoff-blog]

Time in a Bottle [Peter Maximoff Fluff]

Request:  “ Imagine request: your new to the xmen team. Your powers would help so much that professor x wanted you. Over the course of practicing you meet Peter aka quicksilver. You become friends and really bonded. And start to catch feelings for each other. One day you and him have a one on one practice session. Having a fun time just fooling around and pretending to fight each other as if you were villains. And you fall on top of him and your faces are close and slowly go in for a kiss. You both laugh:) ” anonymous

Trigger warnings: none 

Characters: Peter Maximoff xReader (gender non specified)

Word Count: 1.4k

A/N: I changed it a little tiny bit. I hope its alright with you. Again, I cant physically write anything under 1k words bc im trash and always get carried away so here is this mess. Jk, I quite like this one. Sorry for the delay and thank you SO MUCH for being so specific I love when you guys give me an actual plot to wrok with so if you have any ideas just hmu.

When you first came to study at the Xavier’s Institute for Gifted Youngsters you were a frightened teenager that was too scared to use your powers. But that was a month ago and now you were a reckless teenager that had no problems using your powers for the most selfish reasons and well you had only one person to blame.

It all started when your powers first manifested. You were going about minding your own businesses when suddenly the whole park you were in stopped. No, it wasn’t just the people who stopped what they were doing, time itself stopped, or as you learned later it slowed down to almost stop. Kids frozen in place in the middle of a race, a dog frozen midair as he jumped up to catch a Frisbee, a couple about to kiss. You thought you were going crazy, the whole world were filled with nothing but silence, no one seemed to be able to see you, no one to reach for help, you were scared and alone and you didn’t know what was happened. That’s when you learned you were a mutant. After a few hours of desperation you managed to calm yourself down and breathe and reverse what you did, the surprise on everyone’s face when they noticed it had went dark way quicker than the expected would’ve made you laugh if you weren’t so nervous. After that people came after you, a man called Charles Xavier showed up at your house the next day saying you were a mutant and for what he had seen a very powerful one. That’s how you ended up 2 weeks later sitting down on the lawn outside of the professor’s mansion training your power with professor McCoy.

“Now, as I told you, your mutation consists on slowing down time around you. You obviously can expand the area your power reaches as far as a mile or so but I want you to control it to small area can you do it?” Mr. McCoy would tell you.  It seemed like a simple task, do what you did the first time but way smaller. It should be easy. Except it wasn’t. You tried doing what he told you just to watch him and everyone else around you stops moving. The leaves that fell from the trees above you stopped midair and you sighed. You looked around and everyone else was barely moving except the silver haired guy… Wait, the silver haired guy is moving, running even.

That’s when you saw him for the first time. While everyone else was frozen in place in the frame of a second this guy was running around. It was the strangest moment of your life when he stopped in place and looked at your direction. Neither of you knowing what was going on really and then you lost hold of your power and time got back in track again and he was gone.

You almost thought he was a ghost until you saw him again 2 days later, talking to another student. When he saw you that day he reacted almost the same way as you. In the blink of an eye he appeared in front of you blowing your hair away from your face.

“You’re real. I didn’t make you up did I? This is real right, you were the one that I saw, the one that didn’t freeze.”

“You were the one that didn’t freeze.” You said.

“You’re a speedster too!”

“What? A speedster? No. I’m quite slow actually.” You laughed. That’s when you found out what his power was. It was nothing alike yours, much on the contrary he didn’t do anything slow. Peter Maximoff, as you came to learn his name that day, was a speedster. He could move faster than any other man on earth and the only reason why you could see him moving in normal speed is that your powers sort of canceled themselves. He could move just as fast as you could slow him down. When the professor learned about it he decided that you and Peter should train together. “You are a good match for each other, a challenge.” He said.

And then it started. You would still have classes with professor McCoy to try and improve your control over your mutation and then you would have training sessions with Peter. He was smart, funny and witty and an incredibly nice guy. It was no surprise you both got along so well. You would both hang out after your training and on your free time. You would go to his room to listen to his records and you would show him your favorite artists. You would have movie nights and he would take you to his favorite places. You couldn’t deny that you had a crush on the silver haired boy. He had the most endearing personality and you couldn’t stop yourself from thinking about him all the time.

And that’s exactly what you were doing, thinking about how cute you were, when you felt him stumble on you. You were in the middle of training in the Danger room, doing a move you’ve practiced a thousand times before. You expanded a small area of your power slowing the time to the maximum you could and peter had to run past it to get to you as fast as he could and you had to run from him. Except, you didn’t. You were distracted by how cute his hair looked when he ran, how toned his legs were, how his silver eyebrows made him look concentrated… and when you noticed you were booth rolling on the floor as he stumbled on you, mid run, making you lose control of your mutation launching both of you rolling across the floor until you stopped. Peter with his arms wrapped around your waist in a protective manner, your hands gripping his shoulders and you on top of him. Your hair flopped onto his forehead and you pushed it back just to see it fall back again.

“Hey.” He said with a smile. His eyes wrinkling under his goggles.

“Hey…” You said in a faint voice. Few times were those you have been able to look at this guy from such a small distance. You could see his silver eyelashes and faint freckles around his nose. It made you feel breathless.

���I guess that didn’t work out, did it?” He said laughing.

You couldn’t be paying less attention. You looked at his lips moving so close to yours, his breath reaching your cheeks as he spoke, his voice was soft and pleasing to your ears but your brain couldn’t assimilate a single word. All you were thinking about was how much you wanted to kiss him and in a moment of madness…. You did.

Without thinking you leaned in and let all your thoughts and common sense go flying through the window and when your lips met his, for the first time, you knew how it felt to be affected by your own mutation. There you were, feeling like the world around you had stopped, like each second lasted a million ears, your lips moved against his with no rush at all, taking all the time in the world to feel him, feel his hands traveling up your back, the softness of his lips caressing yours, the stiffness of his body and each of his muscles contracting and relaxing under you. It felt like heaven. Like eternal bliss and yet it lasted too little. You could narrate every second of that kiss like it had lasted days but the truth was that just as quickly as it started it was over and you could only feel like it wasn’t enough. Peter pulled away and before you were able to open your eyes and function like a normal human being, you heard his laugh again. Loud, clear and joyful.

“Well, I guess it may have worked out a little bit.” He said in a low tone.

You opened your eyes to meet his. Soft brown orbs staring back at you with something you weren’t sure how to identify. Love? Admiration? Happiness? You didn’t know but it made your heart feel warm and the tenderness of his touch on your back made you feel so safe and so happy that you couldn’t help and just smile back at him and hide your face in his chest.

Request

My last work: Jinxed [Peter Maximoff Fluff] 

Masterlist: Marvel / X-men

Tags: @alienpeep @kara-zcrel @huntiingseason @natalia-maximoff @forevergoldstein @babiijayla @phoenixejean

[williamedwardscoder]

Compressing MySQL databases

TL;DR: use TokuDB.  Always.  It massively reduces storage requirements and is massively faster than InnoDB, even on low end hardware.  My tables were compressed to just 12% original size and that’s fairly typical.

A very simple structure:

CREATE TABLE test (      date DATE NOT NULL,      site VARCHAR(8) NOT NULL,      order_id VARCHAR(64) NOT NULL,      time TIME NOT NULL,      kind ENUM(...) NOT NULL,      account INTEGER,      user INTEGER,      client_price BIGINT,      supplier_id INTEGER,      supplier_cost BIGINT,      client_ref VARCHAR(32),      data JSON,      PRIMARY KEY (date, site, order_id),      INDEX (account, user, client_ref) ) DEFAULT CHARSET utf8 PARTITION BY RANGE (TO_DAYS(date)) ( ...

This system is using the RDBMS as a document store; the order items are being flattened into a document store (the ‘data’ field).

The ETL is upserting order events as they are processed, using multi-row INSERT INTO ... ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE ...

And I’ve been running performance tests with some real data.  27M rows of real data, all on the same day (so all in the same partition).  37M upsert statements inserting or updating those 27M rows, issued in batches of 1K-2K per multi-row statement.  This is enough rows to be able to get a grasp of upsert performance and extrapolate storage requirements.

The test box is an AWS t2.medium instance.  This is a very weak VM with 2 (virtual) CPUs and 4GB RAM.  Not normal DB fare, so performance beware.

The 27M rows take 10.48GB uncompressed.  It takes InnoDB 10 hours to load all the data.

In the old days, MySQL InnoDB offered ‘row_compression’.  This compresses individual rows.  This reduces disk requirements to 5.73GB (45% space saved).  So it halves the disk space!  Sadly, the test now took 15 hours instead of 10 hours.

More recently, MySQL introduced ‘table compression’.  (MariaDB also added it, calling it ‘page compression’; the CREATE TABLE syntax is infuriatingly slightly different).

Underneath, InnoDB is organized as ‘pages’.  This table compression intercepts these page reads and writes and, as pages are written to disk, they are individually compressed and written as a ‘sparse’ file.

As these InnoDB pages are larger than the file system pages, there is the opportunity for a ‘hole’ to be ‘punched’ in each InnoDB page.  Imagine an InnoDB page is 12KB, and the file system page size is 4KB.  The page may compress down to 1KB, meaning it only needs the first file system page (4KB),  and 8KB would be saved.  This example illustrates how wasteful this approach can be; there can still be a lot of slack in each page.  The total file-size as reported by ls is unchanged, but the actual used disk space (as shown by e.g. ls -s) is reduced.  Page compression compresses this table to 4.07GB (61% savings).  The bad news is that performance sinks awfully!  I aborted the run after 32 hours, as upsert speed had dropped to under 100 orders/sec.  I’ve seen this on MariaDB RDS and on my little t2.medium.  Its atrocious!

TokuDB is an alternative storage engine to InnoDB.  It is nicely packaged by Percona so its very straightforward to install.

TokuDB compresses databases with zlib by default.  It compresses pages, but doesn’t store them as sparse files; instead, the total file size you see on disk is the total file size.

TokuDB with zlib compresses to 1.45GB (86% savings)!  This is the same compression algorithm as InnoDB page compression and operating at much the same logical page level, but conferring much bigger savings because each ‘page’ is not rounded up to a multiple of the file system page size.

Because InnoDB puts the whole table (or, as in this case, partition) into a single file you cannot see how much of the storage is for the primary rows and how much is for secondary indexes.  TokuDB, however, has separate files for each index.  So in this case there are two files for the partition, and I can see that the 27M rows takes 1.02GB and the by-client index takes 0.44GB.

TokuDB allows you to specify other compression algorithms.  The weakest (thus fastest) is ‘snappy’, which is an LZ77 compressor without entropy coding.  It compresses to 2.31GB (78% savings; same ratio rows to index).

There is also QuickLZ (between snappy and zlib in CPU requirements; 1.95GB; 81% savings) and LZMA (stronger than zlib; 1.23GB; 88% savings!).

LZMA is a clear winner here.  What’s fascinating about the TokuDB though is not just its space-saving but also its performance: it takes just 2 hours to run my ETL and choice of compression algorithm has no noticeable effect on that!

Now the dire uncompressed InnoDB performance is perhaps the classic “InnoDB is not good with databases that don’t fit into RAM”.  I was using Percona packages so the defaults were not as mad as they used to be out-of-the-box with other linux sources, but I did up it to 2GB and a big log.  Configuring InnoDB optimally is like reading tea leaves and no amount of doing it makes me confident I’ve hit the sweat spot for any particular workload.  This upsert workload seems to be particularly stressful.  The t2.medium has two (virtual) CPUs, and as upsert performance dropped I saw ‘top’ reporting load average over 2.0 even though ETL was waiting on the DB.  Not good.

However the dire compressed InnoDB performance I saw repeated on a MariaDB RDS m4.2xlarge with the same data-set.  There’s something wrong with either InnoDB page compression, or with EBS spare file performance!

On the other hand, TokuDB shows how to do things properly!  The out-of-the-box defaults are very sane (it doesn’t use O_DIRECT; instead, it takes 50% to store uncompressed pages, and lets the OS cache the compressed pages in the normal file buffer cache.  Inspired!).  And the performance is just so stable!  On the t2.medium, which is a piddling little box, I saw 5000 orders/sec sustained throughout the entire run.

I think I’ve heard that TokuDB is marginally slower than (uncompressed) InnoDB on small tables.  And perhaps most users have small tables.  I don’t think there’s actually that measurable a gap when everything is tiny.  But the moment you go over a million rows or contemplate partitioning then I think TokuDB is the obvious choice.  In fact it would make a very good default.

Oh, and for kicks, try a COUNT(*) on a big InnoDB table.  And then go make a coffee!  TokuDB ... snap!  Not based on meta-data like MyIASM did neither; just so much faster.

TokuDB redefines what a ‘small’ database is.  It moves the goalposts.  It means I can build bigger systems without scaling sideways.  I don’t get why everyone still uses InnoDB ;)