#my one free pass for attention seeking behavior lol

[nyxronomicon]

it's my birthday tomorrow which means it's a great time for you to comment on your favorite fics or send me an ask about something I've written 🖤🖤

[m00nlitknight]

Hello. I really like your previous works. Can I make request, please? Reader's been in relationship with whole gang for a couple of months. Everything was ok but Henry got jealous and started to ruin her relationship with rest of the gang distancing her from them.

ofc!! ✨  i don’t know if im really happy where i left off with this, so if you’re interested i could potentially make a part two?  i’m pretty happy with some parts of it ngl, but that might be my 4am brain talking lol;;

warnings:  usages of slurs / degrading terms ( light, but still present ).  mentions of frick fracking.  possessive behavior.  none else to really talk about. pairing:  poly!bowers gang x reader / henry bowers x reader extra ( edit ):  feel free to look through my masterlist for other bower’s gang/reader works, and have a fantastic day!

vindictive.

The relationship with the infamous Bowers’ Gang began in what you could only describe as a fictional scenario.  You’d always been known as one of the kindest individuals in your classes, a large soul and absolutely heart-warming and dazzling smile.  The reputation, though humbling on the darkest of evenings, felt strenuous to keep up.  It was suffocating, sometimes, when you wanted nothing more than to fade in the scenery, or to say no to a request from someone.  Being the school doormat gave you an easy pass to adoration, but a hard road to doing whatever anyone wanted.

That’s what confused you about the sudden interest of the gang.  Sure, you had been paired up once or twice with them for class projects, shouldered the entirety of the workload; but everytime they hardly batted an eye your way.  Except for Vic, but he always seemed to be a bit more socially adept then the other three.  So it was only fitting that the initial interest came from him, one day after your shared class he approached you, and asked if you’d ever want to hang out.

Obviously, you said yes, and reaped the immediate consequences.  Practically the next day after his query, people began to look at and treat you differently.  No longer was there an affectionate warmth in their gaze, reserved exclusively for you, instead replaced with a brief flash of fear before morphing into a bout of confusion for how to tread the situation.  You didn’t mind it, or at least on the surface you didn’t.  The validation found in your peers suddenly being ripped from your grasp was a bit whiplash inducing, not that you could really do anything about it.

The initial hangout, which you look back at fondly as your first actual date, was a casually dressed affair.  He took you to get milkshakes, which you indulged in the city’s center and poked fun at the Paul Bunyan statue, then took you to go thrift shopping.  It was that day you’d found your new favorite sweater, called ‘hideous’ on many occasions by the likes of your mother and peers, and a cute denim skirt.

It didn’t take long for Henry himself to nearly shoehorn himself into your relationship with Vic, apparently prompting Belch to ambush the two of you on your second date.  The Trans-Am’s engine was unbearably loud, coming up behind the two of you holding hands as Henry hollered something you couldn’t quite make out.

Five months down the line, and half-way through Junior year, a heartfelt outpour from the entire gang; and suddenly you’d become the apple of all of their eyes, so to speak.  Most of the time, your interactions were soft with all the boys, cuddled up with them all -- your personal favorite being Belch, he knew just the position for you to be putty in your hands; Patrick on the other hand did everything in his power to make you squirm while in his grasp.  He’d simply cackle at your protests of his wandering hands, then proceed to mock the tone of your voice.

Though, from the sidelines, you were mostly able to ignore the fiery glares thrown by Henry.  No matter how much attention you gave him, how many times you’d let him leave unsolicited hickies on your neck in plain sight to be hidden from your mother, or held him after a rough night.

He’d never said thank you or praised you for anything, which left you devoid of where you stood with him.  If he hated you, would you even be around the other three?  Wouldn’t he have been completely blunt and outright with it?  The creeping worry manifesting itself in your gut grew with time, and with time you began to give him more of your attention to try and sedate it.

Inside the labyrinth of his mind, Henry’s opinion of you began as negative -- the ambushing of your and Vic’s date was a stunt to try and drive you away from the gang in entirety.  But you just came the fuck back.  Loyalty was written all over your features, as was inexperience.  With time, the faint flame of interest that licked the recesses of his mind fanned themselves into a stronger blaze, and suddenly the shared attention you had been giving the gang was like gasoline.

He played himself off as distant, instead replying to the work you put in with brief hand holds or an arm thrown around your shoulders to show possessiveness around school.  Being calculating obviously wasn’t his thing, nor was being patient.

He took your first kiss, and one of his first, one night while alone with you, the second month into the relationship.  Pussyfooting around the more carnal aspects of a relationship wasn’t something he typically found himself doing, but he knew that Vic or Belch would have his head if he rushed things too fast.  In the end, though, it drove him to wanting more.

Physical affection was kept behind closed doors, and he couldn’t be sure that your intimacy was only reserved for him, considering you never sported any other markings or called out the name of any of the other members while you were with him.  It inflated his ego to astronomical levels, and it killed him that he couldn’t flaunt it in his friend’s faces.

Regardless, he wanted you to himself and himself alone.

-----------

“Good morning!” your voice cut through the mid-morning drowsiness of the boys sitting in the parked Trans-Am on the curb in front of your home with steely sharpness, but a welcome smile finds its way onto Belch’s face.

“Morning, gorgeous,” he says from the driver’s seat.  “Hop in.”

“Can do!”  your morning pep leads to a foot on the tire and hauling yourself into the car by means of the roof, and plopping directly in Patrick’s lap - eliciting a hearty grunt and smirk from the boy.

“You’re awfully full of life this morning, feels shameful to waste this energy on something so innocent as breakfast,” he all but purrs as he tugs you further into his grasp while the car lurches forward and en route to the typical Saturday-morning hangout spot.

“Ew, Pat,” Vic cringes over to his friend and you, true malicious intent absent.  “It’s fucking brunch time, let ‘em wake up first, will you?”

His question is answered by a cheeky nip to your neck, causing you to squeal.

In the front seat, Henry broods silently.  On the radio plays one of Belch’s cassettes which goes unlistened, and a favorite of his; ...And Justice for All by Metallica.  The playful tone of your voice and Patrick’s advancements manage to leave a sour taste in his mouth, even though he made the extra effort to brush his teeth this morning.

The meal goes relatively uneventful, though your wandering eyes, half-lidded and vixen-esque, irritate him further.  Vic has an arm around your waist, and Belch holding an unoccupied hand under the table.  If he’d thought any better, Patrick was all but devouring you from across the table.  It was an affection-filled scene, which made the poor diner waitress visibly uncomfortable.

After breakfast, Belch drops both you and Henry off at your home, currently unoccupied by your mother who has work.  “Bye, we’ll be seeing you guys later!”

“Henry, be nice to ‘em, will ya?”  Belch booms from the window, around Patrick climbing into the front seat like an animal.

His request is met with a smirk from Henry, who pulls you into a passionate but short kiss in front of the trio.  “As nice as I can be.”

It leaves you immediately flustered and giggling as you’re pulled into your own home and leaving the other three in a vague state of confusion.  The engine faded away in the distance as you moved toward your house, a mess of giggles, flushed cheeks, and a downcasted gaze.  Henry’s smirk is short-lived as his expression shifts back to neutrality.  He watches you walk through the door and shift to the side to take off your shoes, opting to keep his own on.  The brief and blissful silence is broken by his voice, laced with the undeniable edge of his ire.  “Who’s your favorite?”

The question hangs in the air, souring the atmosphere directly as it leaves his mouth.  You freeze at the words, mid finangling your shoe off as you turn to look at him with a confused, and slightly hurt, expression.  “Huh?”

“Don’t play fuckin’ stupid.  Who’s your favorite?”  He takes a step towards you, which you subconsciously shrink back from.

“I-I don’t have one?”

“God, maybe y’are fuckin’ stupid.  There’s four of us and y’mean t’tell me not ‘a one of us sticks out more than the others?”

A blush spreads across your features, an involuntary testament to your unease and outright lie.  Your eyes dart to look anywhere but him as your body betrays you, petrified in intimidation.  “You,” murmur with a gentle voice and laced with a lack of thinking.

He leans down to your mouth, quickly overtaking your personal space and invading your nostrils with his scent -- cheap body spray and masculinity.  It’s nearly intoxicating.  “What was that?”

“You,” an utterance with little more force, the action of taking a lungful of air simply too strenuous.

“Mind tellin’ me why I feel the least love then?”

You almost want to deflate at it, even if the hands wrapping around your shoulder feel like nothing short of a tender moment.  All the time you’d spent with him, all that you’d given to him, and he still felt overshadowed?

“I…”

“Or, is it jus’ that you’re an attention-seeking slut?”  The words cut deeper then he’s capable of understanding, and the sick smile curling onto his lips and the whispered tone feel vastly different then what he’s actually saying.

You’re rendered speechless as he takes you closer to the couch, dragging you into a straddling position on him.  “Show me what I was missin’ at brunchfast then, huh?”

Wide-eyed and bashful you stare.  What are you even supposed to do?  He leans into you, peppering your throat with kisses while his hands wander up and down your sides.  Instinctively, your hands move to run through his hair and he nearly purrs at the contact and looks up at you with an intense, baby-blue gaze.

“Who’s your favorite?”

“You,” sighed out as he starts sucking on your neck and rubbing at your hips.

“Say it,”  a rough voice reverbs through him from his chest, and he relishes in the affection of your gentle hands.  You’re his.  His.

“You’re my favorite, Henry,” your voice tightens when he starts to suck on your collarbone.

---------

He’d managed to cut your afterglow short in the early evening, badgering you to call Belch and tell him not to drive you to school for the next week.  You did it, albeit with a bit of confusion, and feeling vague sadness when Belch’s tone took a nose-dive into disappointment when the subject of the call was revealed. For the next week, you couldn’t look any of the gang in the eye, instead taking to marinate in your own shame and blatantly avoid them.

[wickednerdery]

Title: Out of Time: High Time Author: @wickednerdery Fandom: Marvel Pairing/character: Loki x Stark!OC Rating: Mature Summary: “I intend to enjoy this realm to its fullest.” Notes: Continuing my strange little foray into cyberpunk with Loki on a futuristic Earth (after his escapes with the Tesseract in Endgame?). Bits of drug use, mainly, in this one!

Masterlist - Previously

While the brothers are eager to leave, Loki lingers, strolling along The Power Strip with great interest. It was chaotic, more so than the black market even, but thrillingly so. Music and sweet smelling smoke pours from various open doors, beings mingle and crush and drink together with a rowdiness that makes the god smile.

“We should lay low for awhile,” Cyro instructs, then continues. “I’ll go ahead, make sure it’s clear, then send the intel.”

“Nonsense, what in the nine realms for?” Loki dismisses, picking a club at random to enter.

Cyno gives a nod of acknowledgement to his brother, then follows the other. “Because we just jacked what, I’m guessing, are mutant ballerina’s from a major corp. You think they won’t come after them, after us, with everything they’ve got then you’re insane.”

“Possibly.” Loki chuckles, ordering a drink before leaving Cyno to cover it when his mind trick doesn’t work. He slips easily to a recently vacated table and shifts into a form more suited to the crowd of patrons. “But no matter. Now that I’m clear of your petty debt, I intend to enjoy this realm to its fullest.”

"By clubbing?”

“No,” Loki laughs him off. “No, I’m going to finish my drink and then seek out Ms. Stark.”

“She could still be in on this thing, you know?”

“I doubt that.” Anything is possible, of course, but Loki will happily play the odds on this one. “And, either way, now I’ve something for her. Something of interest.”

“Blackmail.”

“Information.”

The man sighs, rather giving up on his anarchist employer. “You keep causing static, they’re gonna pull your plug.”

“I welcome the attempt.” Because ‘they’, whoever they are, would lose. “Now have a drink and relax, for Norns’ sake.”

“No thanks.” Cyno wants out. Out of Loki’s presence, out of the bar, out of The Power Strip...He wants out of it all and into safety, if he can find it.

A dark laugh of amusement escapes the god’s lips as he drinks, eyes following his (former?) employee’s exit. He stays, watching those around him, before two Midgardian beings enter. While his interest starts as merely passing when he catches bits of conversation, and realizes it’s about Ms Stark, he keys in.

The walls pulsate, the floor rolls, as Hak helps Ana out into open air. She takes a deep breath, but only inhales lingering tainted smoke. There’s a rush, her stomach turns and knees give way before the officer catches her under the arms.

Hak digs into pocket, pulls out a spare mask. “Cover your face, I’ll give you a clarifying tab in the car.” It’ll clear her mind enough to function until the drugs leave her fully and she crashes out.

She slips the fabric over her nose and mouth, blocking enough smoke not to be re-upped. As they approach the unmarked car Ana sees someone in the crowd that both surprises and confuses her.

“Ana!” Orson calls out, his tone more amused than cross. “I’ve been looking all over for you, where have you been?”

“Where you found me,” Ana slurs her counter. “...Whoever you are...Not Orson.”

“Yes, well...” Orson’s chuckle is close-lipped before he carries on. “I think it’s time we get you back home.”

“I was just taking her,” Hak offers.

Orson’s eyes flick to the other without recognition, then back to Ana. “I can take her, you should return to your...usual tasks.”

Something about Ana’s Head of Security’s behavior is off, but Hak can’t pinpoint what, exactly, it is. “Okay...” He looks to Ana. “Let me know when you’re home.”

There’s a hum of a reply when she wavers from one into the other’s arms. She instantly realizes something is wrong; this is not Orson. “I...I’m gonna be sick!” She stumbles away, retches and vomits up red from Lace. She digs into pockets, finds her own clarifying tab, and sets it against her wrist to be absorbed. It’s for emergencies, overdoses, but she needs to be clearheaded enough to self-protect. At least until she’s sure this person isn’t an outright threat. Ana returns steadier, but the supposed Orson takes her arm nevertheless. “I’m fine.”

“Nonsense, Stark.” His grip tightens as she tries to pull away, he stares directly into her eyes. “Just let me help.”

Now she knows who it is, but says nothing except to concede, say goodbye to Hak. By the time they are exiting The Strip she’s reactivated her ID coding and discreetly begun charging her shock bracelet. “Where are we going, Loki?”

The facade of Orson fades with a laugh; Loki grins. “Your home, of course.”

“I’m not bringing you to my home.”

“Oh, but you should.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I’ve important information for you, and I imagine yours is the safest place to share it.”

Ana looks the god over carefully, wary. “What kind of information?”

“The important kind,” he smirks back, unwilling to budge.

“Tony, get a secure car. return the bike”

Ana is passable as sober by the time they arrive, which makes the news all the more enraging. “Are you sure?” Osborn was a weaselly, money-grubbing, power-hungry, asshole not to be trusted...but this went beyond that. 

“What purpose do I have to lie?”

“You’re the god of lies.” And that was just the most obvious one. “Where are the girls now?”

“With their brother.”

“The Yak samurai?”

“Apparently.”

She nods, thinking, which is proving difficult in her comedown. “Do you...have any proof?”

“Besides the girls?”

“You don’t have the girls.”

“I could get them back.”

Her eyes lose focus a moment, she waivers, but when Loki moves towards her she puts up hand to stop him. “It’s fine, thank you.” She takes a deep breath, straightens. “You said you had help, from someone inside, what about him?”

“Cyro, I don’t know his last name, and his brother, Cyno, yes. I might be able to get Cyno, but I imagine the one you want will be less inclined to speak.”

“NDA?”

“What?”

“He signed an NDA, a Non-Disclosure Agreement?”

“Oh, I’ve no idea,” Loki dismisses. “But he’s not very fond of me.”

"Can’t imagine why after you blew up his cushy job for a major corporation.”

“Corrupt major corporation and I merely aided him in doing the right thing.”

“Right...” Ana smirks. “Well, thank you for the information. I’ll have my people look into it.”

“You don’t believe me.” He can sense it. 

“If I took you at face value, I’d be an idiot.”

“Fair enough.” He smirks, steps closer. 

“And I’m not sure why you’re even coming to me in the first place.”

“The goodness of my own heart?”

Ana snorts. “Don’t insult my intelligence.” He wants something, she’s just not sure what.

“Perhaps, if I can get the brothers to speak to you, that would be helpful?” Loki switches topics rather than risk being pressed for an answer.

“It would.” She’ll still have them and everything Loki’s claimed thus far vetted, but it will help to hear their version of the story. “Now, if you’ll excuse me -”

“Oh, but I would like to speak with you more.” He’s no intention of leaving now that he’s gotten in.

“I...” Dizziness and nausea takes hold in a final wave, then leaves her with the deep exhaustion of a crash. “...Just...” She lowers herself onto the couch. “Need to rest.” Her yawn is long, wide, and body slumps forward to rest her head on a throw pillow. “...Hold on...”

Loki watches with a mix of confusion and amusement as the woman falls fast asleep before him. “Well, that was rude.” He heads over, examines her slumbering form. “...But interesting...” The god crouches to meet her eye line, then reaches out to tuck a bit of blond hair behind her ear. “What an odd creature you are, Ms Stark.” 

Because it’s been so long...Hak is Hak Barton, descendant of Clint “Hawkeye” Barton - he’s police and human - “Tony” is her AI (like JARVIS and FRIDAY with the OG Tony Stark), and Orson is (when not actually Loki like in this piece) is Ana’s mutant head of security. All else you’ll just have to go back to prior pieces to figure it all out, lol! But, haha, yeah, Loki decided this was the best way to get closer to Ana...I honestly don’t think he felt he had anything else that might hold her attention long enough. So now the fox might be in the henhouse, as it were, given Ana just passed out with him still there, LOL!

Gifs made off ones I found on Google, then combined myself.

Still/Always playing with this one, feel free to share ideas/thoughts/suggestions/headcanons!! 😉

Tagging: @lady-crowned-with-stars​​​, @beccaliciooouuusss​​​​, @fuckthatfeeling​​​​, @v-2bucky​​​​, @ultrarebelheart​​​​, @tarithenurse​​​​ @latent-thoughts​​​​ @chibiyanai​​​​ @lukeevansandjdmobession​​​​ @sweetfictionalworld​​​​ @ladyfluff​​​​ @theangelsfightwithdevils​​​​ @holykryptonitekitten​​​​ @kpopgirlbtssvt​​​​ @michellearel1​​​​ @mousee555​​​​ @dangertoozmanykids101​​​ @toozmanykids​​​ @iwasbusybeingdead​​​ …If you wanna be added, just lemme know!!

[negativechicken]

September 27, 2021. 1303.

It was at this moment, while washing dishes while my mind was miles away, that I have fucked up the relationship, the only good thing happening for me in my entire life. He doesn't freely share what's on his mind anymore, it is all basic replies and filtered words. He doesn't get jealous at all or if he does, he hides it. At the end of fights or arguments, he used to make jokes to make me laugh because that's when my anger subsides and depression kicks in, and he tries to fight it. But now, he doesn't. He's just tired of it all.

I am a greedy and an attention seeking whore. I've been doing my best to stifle it, because my last two relationships failed due to me being clingy and annoying. (We only project what we want in return; we love the way we want to be loved.) I've been conditioned through my experiences that men hate this behavior, because they associate it with losing their freedom or being controlled. But I'm not asking for that, I just want my other half's time and attention. I know it's hard, because he is busy most of the time and when he is free, he of course wants to wind down and relax. And chatting with me is not relaxing at all, so I've learned.

It just hurts, because I miss him so much. When I find out he's doing something we can do together like playing a game but he does it without me, I get frustrated because I'm really trying to do as much things together as we can. It's not his fault at all, I play without him a lot too because I literally have no life. I'm just constantly waiting for when he's free to have a chance at his attention, and most of the time it's somewhere else, or he's not in the mood to let me have it. And I don't blame him at all. This stupid distance is eating away at me and I'm at my breaking point, being incredibly irrational and emotionally driven, which in turn makes me say and do stupid things that would only serve to push him away even more. He says otherwise, but I feel like he loves me less and less each passing day, especially when I'm being unreasonable. I mean, of course, he can only take so much of me being a shit show.

I am absolutely terrified of him deciding that I'm not worth it anymore, that he has had enough and wants to break up. I wouldn't be surprised, honestly, but it would be the end of me. Because I know it was all my fault for being so fucking annoying. I'm trying so hard to fucking rip away the stupid clingyness because he deserves better. He needs to have his attention on far more important things in order to be the best version of himself and to be happy in life. And despite all my greedy self, I just want him to actually be happy. At the end, if I'm actually the one keeping him from that, then I should get rid of myself from his presence. He really deserves far better than my shitty self, lol.

At this point....sigh, I don't know anymore. All I know is that my emotions are stupid, and that all they do is cause problems. I just need to suck it up and stifle the shit out of them. They aren't important, and they aren't worth having a fight about. If the way I love is stupid and irrational and naive, then I just need to change it. Because it is not worth losing you over some stupid feelings.

[lexiemoso]

For APPRENTICE APRIL these are my answers 😄😄

The Basics. What is your character’s name? How old are they? How tall are they? Skin color? Eye color? Hair color? Gender identification?

My MC’s name is Morrigan. It makes allusion to a warrior queen.

She is 23 years old, and they’re are 5,5”

She has a fair skin tone , not very pale . She has a lot of blue tattoo-like marks all over her body in spiral forms,she has them since birth just like her mother did. The marks reach up to her face only on the right side.

She has some deep green eyes.

She is a red head , yet her hair is darker than Portia’s and julian’s, almost a wine color.

She is a female .

Extra: She has a very strong Nordic accent due to her Natal tribe.


2. Love Interest. Who does your character love? What attracted them to that particular LI?

My character love’s Muriel. Since the moment she saw him she felt some type of way , and she simply stayed by his side form then on. She was attracted by Muriel’s green eyes and sweet soul. They are total opposites though, but they don’t really argue. She is a very intense woman who takes manners on her own hands, specially if someone messes with her dear Muriel, yet he always knows how to cool her down.


3. Familiar. Does your character have a familiar? How did they meet? Her familiar is a raccoon called Igor . They met when Igor was a baby, and she was fairly young as well. She was wondering around the woods when a small fur ball fall on her head . She picked him up and the rest is history.


4. Hobbies. What kinds of things does your character like to do for fun? She likes sewing tapestries in her free time , as well as reading any kind of books. She often hangs out with Julien to learn a bit about medicine since she find it very interesting.


5. Hidden talents. Is there something neat that your character can do? Tie a cherry stem into a knot with their tongue? Say any word backwards perfectly?

She is a very good singer , the people of her tribe are known for possessing beautiful almost ethereal voices, and she is not the exception. Muro calls her “Little hummingbird “ every now and then since she is usually humming or singing in a low tone while making any type of activity. She’d often sing ancient lullabies to help Muriel sleep when he has nightmares.


6. Magical talents. Is there a specific type of magic that your character excels at? Any magic they aren’t so great at? Or do they actually shy away from magic altogether?

She knows a bit of elemental magic , yet her stronger ability is the capacity of using the magic to enhance her battleground abilities (kind of creating a berserker effect) , she might be better in magic altogether if she practiced more often , but for now it just focuses on predicting and arcana reading .


7. Interaction. How does your character typically interact with people? Despite of her background as a fierce warrior, she’s actually a very sweet person. She can be very sarcastic , yes, but in general she is very open and kind and she is always chatting with the people that surrounds her. She never misses the chance to gossip with the market merchants.

She is always willing to help and support anyone.


8. Romance. What is something that your character and their LI love to do together? How do they show affection?Morrigan and Muri enjoy nature very much, they love to spend time in the woods, or simply exploring new places and enjoying the view. As you may know ,Muriel is a very shy person , total opposite of Morrigan. Yet that makes the perfect match since she often knows what does Muriel needs with just a gaze. They can spend hours and hours just conversating about any topic , Muriel may often make fun of Morrington . Indoors they are two lovebirds. Morrigan is very affectionate and is in constant seek for attention, Muriel doesn’t really mind . She is very adventurous and he is very protective, so they often take care of each other.


9. Travel. Does your character like to travel outside of Vesuvia? How often? For how long? What kinds of things do they do away from home?

Morrington absolutely loves to travel. She travels every time she has the chance and as long as she needs to learn from the place she is visiting , yet she usually is back by a month or so. When she is away she just learns from everyone and everything, always bringing back presents for their friends, and lots of stories about the people of the place she is visiting.


10. WTF. Has anything just…weird ever happened to your character? Something that made them stop and go “What just happened?!”

There are three WTF moments that come to mind.

The first one is the first time she was able to summon magic. She had no idea she could do that since she grew away from her tribe so she never really had the notion of magic in her blood. She was very pissed at a bunch of kids that were messing with two other kids , and out of nowhere a loud THUD was heard , the floor cracking underneath her feet towards they children. They ran away . When she realized what happened she threw up.

The second time was when she encountered her familiar, cause like , a raccoon simply falling onto her head ? Really?

The third one was her first interaction with Muriel, the way her world shook in the moment she saw him (not really trying to be romantic here , she seriously felt like something was very wrong inside her , it was terrifying) it messed up quite hard with her mind for a few days, she even started to avoid him but it didn’t last long, he is a sweetheart and she gave in pretty soon.


11. Crime. Has your character ever been arrested? If so, what did they do? Have they ever helped stop a crime?

She has been arrested a couple times for bad behavior , specially after a few drinks . But it’s always a night in the dungeons and that’s mostly it since Nadia always comes to the rescue.

She has helped stop a crime before , yes. She hates watching people taking advantage of others. She had stopped some thief’s that tried to mug her or someone when she was around. There was a time in her teenage years she would actually get paid for handing in wanted minor criminals. She quit after a year or two .


12. Secrets. What is a secret that your character has? Are they in line for the throne in a far off land? Was there this one time at band camp…? Are they secretly involved in an assassin’s guild?

She is actually filled with secrets involving her past and her roots , only Muriel knows them since she can spend hours and hours talking about her tribe (or at least what she knows about it). She also worked as a mercenary for a while when she was young , but after a fatidic night she quit.


13. Overcompensation. Is there something that your character just HAS to do better than anyone else? Or are they just that dang good without trying? If they see someone else showing off, what is their kneejerk reaction?

She has to be the best in everything she can. She is always pushing herself to the limit and further, it’s in her nature. She is simply to stubborn to conform. Yet she loves to support others when they show off in something they are very good at.


14. Fight Club. Is your character a good fighter? What kind of skills do they have?

She is a good fighter , it was very obvious since she was a kid. When she was about 6 (she is “orphan “ since she was taken away form her tribe when she was very young and spent around two years in a kind of “kid-market” dungeon. She was not an agressive kid, yet she always stood up for herself and for other kids when someone tried to take advantage of them. That didn’t pass unnoticed . On a winter night when she was 6, a man came and after paying a few gold coins , she took her away . This man trained her very well and she grew up to be a very good warrior. This man wasn’t exactly a good man, yet after a few years he showed her his blue marks , similar to hers, and then she understood why he always gave her a special care. Everything she knows about her tribe is thanks to that man.

She is very fast and agile. She may not be the strongest warrior of all yet she compensates it with technique and strategy. Plus , using her magic in battle is a great plus since it puts her in a kind of hipnotized state that helps her fight hours in end . She ends up pretty drained though, so she usually sleeps for days after a battle.


15. The Arts. Is your character a creative type? What kinds of things can they create? Can they act? Street perform?

She is kind of creative , she creates tapestries of anything her eyes can see or her mind can imagine. Other than that she’s not a very good dancer , nor a good actor either unless she uses it for her “job”.


16. Goofy. Is your character a clown? Do they like to make people laugh?

She is a total clown. She is very hyper and very goofy in her daily basis. She is often making faces or voices just to make people laugh. Muriel looses it over her Julian impression. She really likes to make people laugh, and she is always laughing at something.


17. Language. Is your character multilingual? How many languages do they speak? Do they have an accent? Is it sexy? Is it silly? Do they have a multilingual lisp?

She is. She knows how to speak in Nordic and she speaks Vesuvia’s lenguage. She has a very heavy accent actually. I think it is more on the silly side due to the things she is often saying. She doesn’t have a lisp.

(I picture it something like this mixed with the “potbelly” Chic from pulpfiction lol)


18. Embarrassment. What is something really embarrassing that your character has done/said?

She’s not easily embarrassed honestly. She usually thinks everything before saying it out loud. Which makes you wonder why she says so much dumb stuff.

She gets embarrassed when she is proven wrong though.


19. Memory. Has your character gotten any of their memory back? If so, what? Did it change them? She has gotten back just small bits of her memory, but it’s okay since she is very good at letting go.


20. Family. Talk about your character’s family. Who were they?

She was born in a Nordic tribe of good warriors , but their existence didn’t revolve around “fighting” like lucio’s. They were very nature centered people, everything they did was from and for their connection with the energy of the elements .

(The picture isn’t mine but I’m using it as a reference)

[dorishull]

How I Respond to Inappropriate and Spammy LinkedIn Messages

Coffee, dinner, unwelcome advances and working for free…

No, this isn’t a story about Tinder. It’s just some of the suggestive LinkedIn messages I’ve received recently.

As someone who has built her business through LinkedIn and teaches others how to do the same, I get a lot of LinkedIn connection requests – thousands a year, in fact.

The sad truth is the majority are either bland and boring, or completely inappropriate.

And while I can laugh at them, it also makes my blood boil a little. Because if you can’t start a conversation professionally, how will you grow your network and build your business?

In general terms, yes, LinkedIn is social media, but it’s much more than that.

It’s where CEOs and decision-makers connect, seek information and news, and get deals done.

It’s NOT where you look for your next date…

I get it – spam is a problem on LinkedIn, and it’s rising.

Not a day goes by that I don’t get approached by an off-shore SEO, lead generation agency, or someone trying to get me to trust them with my money and “get in” on the ground floor of their latest cryptocurrency before it “blows up.”

Sigh…

Do you know why there’s so much spam on LinkedIn?

Because wherever there is real, legitimate, ethical money to be made, there will always be the sharks and hustlers.

So the following is a cautionary tale – and a tribute – to the sharks, hustlers, desperate and dateless, who spam us, legitimate business people, with their awful messaging.

How Not to Send LinkedIn Messages

MESSAGE 1:

How I responded: I didn’t. This guy came across way too sleazy and stalker-y for me to even dignify his message with a response. He started well enough and kept it work related, but then he devolved to pick-up lines, and my defences went up. You could get reported for such behavior.

Another thing: never, ever ask someone out for dinner on LinkedIn if you don’t know them. The same goes for coffee most of the time. I get that it’s an ice-breaker, but if you’d like to suggest coffee, wait until you’ve at least had a conversation with the person. Otherwise, it’s too much too soon.

What I wanted to say: It’s a big, fat NO from me, buddy. I reserve dinners for my friends and family. The only business we should be talking about is which one of my programs is the best fit for you to learn how to message people on LinkedIn.

The lesson: Keep it courteous, and keep it strictly above the belt. Be professional at all times. LinkedIn is an extension of your workplace.

MESSAGE 2:

How I responded: Hi, I’m glad you enjoyed my book. The answers to all your questions are in my course, Cracking the LinkedIn Code 4.0. You can join at the link below. I hope to see you on the inside!

What I wanted to say: So glad you enjoyed my book! Not so glad you expect me to give you all my knowledge and tested, proven methods for free. I can see you work in SEO. Well, I need some help in that department, and the last quote I got was $5k/month, but I’m sure you’ll do it for me free, right? As you’ve read my book, I’m sure you understand the principle of being paid for your services. As such, you can join my course, Cracking the LinkedIn Code 4.0, for $997, or you can look at my done-for-you LinkedIn Domination service, which is $3,750. You get A TON of value from either one, and I get paid for doing my job. Everybody wins!

The lesson: Never ask anyone to work for free. It’s not fair or considerate. You wouldn’t do it, so why should they?

MESSAGE 3:

How I responded: Thanks for reaching out, but your product isn’t the right fit for me. Have a great day!

What I wanted to say: “Am I interested in learning more?” Umm, no! I absolutely do not train on psychological safety. In fact, I train organizations on social selling. What I’d like to know is why you don’t make sure you target the right people before spamming them with your impersonal sales pitch. And how effective has this method been for you? I’m tipping zero.

The lesson: Aside from targeting the right people, use messaging to start a dialogue and build relationships. Never jump into the sales pitch. You wouldn’t do that in real life, so why would you do it on LinkedIn? It’s a little like going straight in for the kiss two minutes into the first date. You just wouldn’t do that, would you? Get to know your prospect, build a rapport and save the sales discussion for further down the track.

MESSAGE 4:

How I responded: Thanks for getting in touch, but I’m just not interested. I have a pretty good track record with LinkedIn lead generation as it is. In fact, I even wrote a couple of #1 bestselling books on the topic.

What I wanted to say: I don’t mean to be rude, but you REALLY need to take a look at whom you’re trying to speak with before you hit the “send” button. As a two-time #1 international best-selling author of books about how to win clients on LinkedIn, an in-demand public speaker, and sought-after social selling trainer who teaches individuals and companies how to grow their businesses through LinkedIn, I don’t think paying “$500 to inbox 5,000+ new highly targeted prospects on LinkedIn” is an offer I’ll be interested in. Also, if you give 5,000 people a hard sales pitch at the first point of contact, you will likely burn every single person on the list for good.

The lesson: Personalize every message. Research your prospect, and cool your jets when it comes to the sale. Nothing turns a prospect off more than hard, desperate sales pitch in the first message (or any message really).

MESSAGE 5:

What I said: Hi there, I’m more than comfortable with my sales and CX strategy, but I wish you all the best.

What I wanted to say: Hey! I have a lot of questions about you because you haven’t really told me ANYTHING about you, and it feels like you’ve only asked questions about me – *eye roll*.

One piece of advice for you when you approach people: “interested is interesting.” If you really wanted to get my attention and connect, you would not have sent me your mini bio in the connection request, making it all about you.

The lesson: Writing about me, me, me is a no, no, no! If you want to build rapport with people, show an interest in them, making it about them. Let’s face it, a complete stranger doesn’t care about you or your track record.

MESSAGE 6:

What I said: Thanks for reaching out. I don’t think our business interests align, but one tip I will pass on is to focus on the quality of your network, not the quantity. Have a great day!

What I wanted to say: So you want to use me to look “cool”? That in itself is so NOT COOL! At least don’t tell me that, lol. Oh, and by the way, maybe you should look for a new mentor.

The lesson: Some things are better left unsaid. Asking for favors from strangers makes you look desperate and spammy.

There you have it … my LinkedIn messaging hall of shame.

Some of the errors of judgment I’ve covered here are pretty obvious; others – not so much.

But if you take away one thing to keep in mind when messaging people, let it be this…

Messaging is a key part of using LinkedIn for business, and if lead generation is a priority for you, a hard sell is not the way to do it.

Sales is about building relationships. You do that through starting conversations and showing interest in the other person.

Be engaged and knowledgeable about your prospects (but not in a creepy stalker way), and message them the way you would speak to them if they were standing in front of you. Basically, don’t send spammy LinkedIn messages and #BeGoodToPeople.

When you do that, building a relationship and taking it offline for a “warm” conversation becomes almost inevitable and effortless.

There is a way to generate leads on LinkedIn while never coming across as inappropriate or spammy. Check out my free LinkedIn Leads video series here.

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