#please provide Thoughts and Opinions and Feedback

[jeyne-stark]

omegaverse thoughts

so for my theynsa omegaverse au that frankly needs a better name, here is my noodling about how designations shake out for people.

Sansa is an alpha, obviously, and Theon and Jeyne are her omegas, this is the premise

Edmure is an alpha, Roslin is an omega—I think it would be fun to flip those, but that would need a different fic more focused on those two to explore that

Lysa is an omega who really would like to not be an omega. She's not well-suited to being an alpha either, and doesn't particularly want that, she just really resents the heats and bonding and suchlike that come with being an omega. if I bothered with betas she'd want to be a beta.

Cat was an alpha, Ned was an omega, Robb was an alpha, Jeyne Westerling is an omega, Margaery is an omega, Asha is an alpha.

Brienne is an omega. this I think might be unpopular, but hear me out: she wants to be an omega, soft and submissive and taken care of, but due to being big and tall and strong, she was rejected and now she presents herself more like an alpha. as I am a sucker for courtly love, backstory Brienne/Cat happened. possibly including fucking. possibly including baby. we'll see.

Cersei is an alpha and Jaime is an omega, mostly because I think about Cersei's comments that she should have the sword and Jaime wear the skirts roughly hourly. Robert was also an alpha; I figure A/A matches are rare and generally considered unstable long-term. it's Tywin's misogyny at work that he thought this was a good idea. in his mind, Cersei may be an alpha woman but she's still a woman, and so she gets married off to the most politically-expedient man available.

Arya is probably an alpha, but I think it would be fun for her to be an omega. again, that would need a different fic just to explore that, though. Jon could go either way, I think I'm going to have him as an alpha who Doesn't Care. basically reverse-Lysa; if I bothered with betas he'd want to be one. the younger Starklings are probably too young for this to be a thing (frankly Arya's designation is probably never going to come up) but I figure omega Bran and alpha Rickon, just to round them all out.

[jenosbliss]

Hello!! May I request Mark 1,5,14,7 fluff & smut?

pairing. afab!reader x husband!mark | genre. smut , fluff | wc. 2.6k | mdni!

warnings. fingering, penetrative sex, unprotected sex (wrap it up guys), nipple play, kind of body worship, loads of kissing and mark is just a sweetie :’) let me know if i missed something

summary. this marriage was a business deal for you, no one asked your opinion and forced you into this. but mark felt differently and tonight he needed to show you just how much he wanted and loved you.

a/n. this is my first smut ever ㅜ_ㅜ and idk if it’s like smutty? enough so please leave feedback’s! and hope you like it anon

Mark felt his shoulders relax as the warm droplets ran down his body, with a heavy sigh he leaned against the tiled wall, running a hand through his wet hair. He let his exhausted body relax against the warmth of the water, the official dinner tonight left him worn-out.

Forcing laughters and putting on that fake smile, every time he met a business partner or a colleague wasn’t easy. He loathed official dinners like these, more so because it was all a masquerade for the business world to prove how successful his marriage is, yes it was a dinner to celebrate his wedding.

His parents had arranged his marriage with you as a way to strengthen the merger of the two companies. Everyone knew this marriage was nothing but a business deal, an assurance that this merger will last forever, and benefit both the companies. “That’s how marriages work in families like ours” your elder sister, who suffered the same fate, had tried to provide some comfort to you when you were informed about your marriage.

Mark saw how friendly and happy you seemed today interacting with others at the dinner, knowing you were faking everything too like him but still he couldn’t help and feel his heart swell with affection for you whenever he saw you smile. He loved you, he was sure of it, the moment he saw you walk down the aisle he fell headfast in love with you, and everyday was like fighting a battle to not confess his feelings for you cause he knew you didn’t feel the same.

As the warm water cascaded down his skin, he felt himself release another deep sigh. Yes, you had asked him to wait, to give you sometime but seeing you in that midnight blue dress tonight, the way it perfectly highlighted your curves, the colour complementing your skin tone, the light makeup and your hair falling on your shoulders. He couldn’t help but feel himself drawn to you in ways he has never felt before, his desires getting the best of him, he knew he couldn’t wait any longer.

Turning off the shower Mark walked out, “Get a hold of yourself.” looking at his reflection in the mirror he tried to get his desires in control, to respect your boundaries, to give you the space you asked for. Wrapping a towel around his waist he finally walked out of the bathroom, only to find you standing in the middle of the bedroom struggling with your dress.

He carefully reached you from behind “You need help?” he asked hesitantly, placing his hand on your bare shoulder. His touch sent jolts to run down your spine as you turned around. You didn’t expected to see him half naked in front of you, just a towel hanging below his waist leaving almost nothing to your poor imagination. It was your first time seeing him like this in all the 2 months of your marriage, you knew he was muscular but the way his chiselled abs glistened under the drops of water or the way it made you feel hot in places you won’t like to admit, had you doubting all the things you knew about your husband.

Mark noticed the way your cheeks burnt red and how you gulped looking at him, a smirk curving his lips upwards as he teased “Like what you see?” Snapping out of your thoughts you turned back around “Uh” you cleared your throat “Can you help me with the zipper, I guess it's stuck somewhere” He let out a small chuckle at your flustered state, moving closer as he let one of his hand to gently push your hair aside, fingers grazing the back of your neck, leaving goosebumps to rise in their wake.

He slowly pulled the zipper down, exposing your back to him. He gulped as he let his eyes trail down to your waist, he just couldn’t believe how your beauty defied every standard he knew. Unable to stop himself, his fingers gently drew patterns on your back making you shudder under his touch.

“Mark, what are you doing?” You asked breath hitching when you felt his lips on your shoulder. “Y/N, you’re beautiful.” He kissed the back of your neck, his lips trailing towards your ear as his hands tranced patterns on your neck.

“Mark… we shouldn’t-” you gasped when he pulled you flush against his bare chest, “Y/N” he kissed you below your ear before whispering “I’m sorry, but I’m done waiting.” With this being said he left a trail of wet kisses along your neck and shoulders.

He felt your body tense under his touches and he slowly pulled back, turning you around by shoulders “Do you really not want this?” His eyes searched yours as he continued slowly pulling back himself from your proximity “Do you really not want me?”

With widened eyes you reached out and held his arm “No, no… I want you” you hesitated looking for words that won’t make you look like you hated him “It’s just, I’m confused… scared.” Mark smiled, moving close to you and gently caressing your cheeks “Do you trust me?” He asked, unable to form a sentence, you replied with a nod.

“Then trust me y/n I’m never going to do anything to hurt you.”

Without wasting a second he leaned in and kissed you, his lips moving against yours slowly at first as his hand rested on your waist. He tried to convey all the love he had for you through the kiss and soon it turned passionate, he held you close to him as he continued kissing you with desire.

“Can we take it further?” He asked breathlessly, resting his forehead on yours as his hands slowly rubbed against your sides.

All it took him was a nod and a feeble ‘yes’ from you to gently remove the dress from your shoulders as he let it slip all the way to your hips, his eyes taking in the sight of your bare chest in front of him… he couldn’t help but stare.

Feeling embarrassed under his gaze you moved your arms to cover your breast but he was quick to grab them before they could cover you. “Does it make you nervous when I stare?” He asked in a teasing tone. Blush crept up your cheeks as you admitted “It’s embarrassing”

Mark let out a light chuckle “Don’t hide away from me baby, you’re so beautiful I just can't get enough of the sight.” He whispered right above your ear before leaving a trail of wet kisses along your jaw as his hand carefully touched your breasts softly kneading the skin there when you let out a satisfied moan.

“You like it when I touch you here?” He lightly pinched your left nipple, pulling out a louder moan out of your lips, a satisfied smile curving his lips as he gently nibbled on your neck, sucking harshly and then licking it as if to soothe the pain.

“Mark” your fingers laced in his hair as you tugged them while moaning “don- don’t stop”

“I have no plans of stopping baby” he smirked against your neck. “But let’s make it more comfortable.”

Pulling down your dress as it fell around your ankles he helped you out of it, carrying you in his arms to the bed, carefully putting you down on the mattress, lips never leaving yours while he did all the work. He moved on top of you and trailed his lips down to your chest leaving marks all over.

“Let’s see what happens when I do this…” he licked over your nipple and then on the underside of your breast before taking it all in his mouth. His teeth gently grazed the soft skin there while he sucked on them harshly all the while pinching and kneading the skin of your other breast.

“Mark- ah- too good” you moaned again, arching your back a bit as you grabbed his shoulders, closing your eyes. “Making you feel too good?” He mumbled against your chest while moving his mouth to the other one as he continued his ministrations there.

He finally let go of your mounds with a pop, and came back up to claim your lips once again. This time he kissed with more urgency and hunger… as if he craved it, his hands cupping your breast then moving along your sides before finally moving where you needed them the most.

Tugging on the waistband of your underwear he pulled back from the kiss, his breath hot on your cheeks as you saw his hair sticking on his forehead due to the sweat. “You’re ready for it?” He asked, wiping the sweat from your face with his free hand.

“Yes” you smiled a little before moving your hands around his back as you pulled him close for a kiss. Mark felt himself melt in the kiss, his lips moved against your slowly and gently as if you were made of glass.

“I love you.” He said after pulling out from the kiss as he pushed your underwear down, his eyes meeting the glistening and swollen folds. He couldn’t help but lick his lips at the sight while gently parting the folds with his fingers and he slid a finger between them.

This mere action made you arch your back as you threw your head back, moaning his name. “Fuck you’re so wet already.” He cursed as he collected your arousal in between his fingers and held it in front of him.

You opened your eyes a bit only to see him take his fingers in his mouth, a low moan leaving his mouth. “You taste so fucking delicious.”

“Mark… I need you.” You barely whispered, “Need me where?” He smirked knowing exactly what you meant. “Please Mark” you whined and took his hand to place it over your folds “here…”

He let out a low chuckle at your neediness but complied. Sliding two of his fingers in you as he began moving them in and out all the while rubbing your clit with his thumb. He watched the way you arched your back, the way you bit your lip, the way you threw your head back, the way your hands pinched your nipples and the way you moaned his name, squirming under his touch.

He replaced his hand on your breast and leaned down to suck on the other while increasing the pace of his fingers on your clit and folds. All this making you feel euphoric, pleasure clouding your mind as you feel your orgasm building, the knot in your stomach growing tighter.

“Mark -ah fuck fuck-“ you moaned when he entered a third finger pulling you even closer to your climax “I’m close” you managed to say as he continued fingering you.

Hearing your words he removed his fingers as he sat up on his knees, making you whine at the loss of contact. “Fuck I can’t have you cum on my fingers the first time I fuck you” he groaned as he removed the towel from his hips.

“Baby… goddamn you’re so beautiful” he gently caressed your cheek while looking you under him, the ruined mascara stains on your cheeks due to crying out of pleasure, smudged lipstick around your slightly swollen lips, dark red marks starting to appear all around your chest, your perfect hair now a mess.

He loved how you looked right now, he loved it more because he was the reason for your pleasure, it was like a work of art for him as he glided his hands up and down your sides before gently placing them around your hips as he leaned down and whispered “I’m going to make you mine.”

He stroked himself a few times before entering your folds and in you, letting out a low groan as he felt your warm walls around him, so tight yet so welcoming.

You cried at the feeling of him inside you, his thick and long length hurting a bit as you grabbed his bicep, digging your nails in his skin. “Tell me when you’re comfortable.” He leaned down and kissed the tears away all the while interlacing his fingers with yours.

“Move” you muttered against his lips, after finally adjusting to his size. He nodded and moved in slowly before pulling out a bit and moving in again. He repeated these actions slowly while placing soft kisses all over your face and neck.

After a few thrusts he increased his pace, holding your hips tightly to prevent you from moving as he gradually kept on increasing his pace, a string of moans falling out of your mouth as you threw your head back, relishing in this pleasure, holding his arms to give yourself stability.

A loud moan slipped past his lips when he felt you clench around him, his mind going feral as he nibbled and sucked around your neck and chest muttering “Mine. All mine. My wife.”

You pulled him closer, lacing your fingers in his hair at the words of possessiveness. “Fuck me harder.”

His eyes darkened at your words as he kissed you hungrily, biting and pulling down on your bottom lip, while he moved his hands to rub your clit once again and completely pulling out, just the tip in you before he bottomed out, his dick hitting that spot which made your eyes roll back to your head as you screamed loudly.

“Fuck I love you so much.” “My gorgeous wife.” “Taking me so well.” “Mine.” He mumbled in your ear all the while hitting that one spot repeatedly.

He knew you were close with the way you kept on mumbling incoherent words and clenching around him uncontrollably, he also knew he was close, so Mark again moved one of his hands to your hip, holding you still as he delivered this last sharp and intense thrust, making you slid up a bit as you let out a loud scream of his name and coming undone.

He saw the way orgasm washed over you and something in him snapped as he didn’t give you time to recover and kept on moving, chasing his own high. You cried due to over sensitivity and tried to push him away but to no avail.

He held down your squirming body with his hands and soon his thrusts became sloppier. He threw his head groaning loudly when you clenched around him.

“Shit baby, you’re so fucking good at it.” He moaned before coming undone. You felt him cum inside you, a moan slipping past your lips. He looked down to where your bodies met and how his cum got mixed with yours. “You’re so messy.” He looked up at you once again admiring your messy and worn out state “But I love seeing you a mess like this.” He pecked your lips “My mess.”

Gently pulling out he rushed to the bathroom to grab a wet towel and cleaned you before wiping your face with wet tissues, tossing them in the dustbin as he finally laid down next to you, pulling you close against his chest.

“When I said I love you… I meant it. I know this marriage wasn’t the ideal one but that doesn’t mean we can’t try and make the best out of it.” He placed a lasting kiss on your forehead “You are my wife. And I won’t hesitate a bit to say that you actually mean the world to me now.”

“I love you.”

You looked up at him to meet his eyes as you placed a hand on his cheek, rubbing your thumb slowly over his cheekbone before kissing him softly.

“I love you too.”

a/n. this fic is not related to the poll i posted earlier, that’s for a different one ;)

masterlist. nct dream | nct 127 | wayv

100 follower event 🌷

[uniquexusposts]

Her || Charles

Main characters: Charles Leclerc x OC Genre: fanfiction, fluff  Story type: novel  Part: 16/? Word count: 3815 Co writer: @mistrose23

Story summary: Matilde Jørgensen, the new Scuderia Ferrari team principal, faced the nerve-wracking challenge of reviving the team's fortunes and aiming for a championship. Leading a historic team as a 'newbie' and separating her work and personal opinions posed a significant challenge. The big question: is she capable to do so?

Previous chapter

Chapter 14. To Lead A Team

"Ugh," Matilde groaned when she got the sentence incorrect. Her eyes shot to the hearts in the top right corner of her phone; one heart left for six more exercises. She had days when the Duolingo lessons would go great, but there were more days when she was really struggling to pass one lesson. Italian was tough for her. She wanted to master it since she was one of the few people in the team who couldn't speak the language. Especially since she was the team principal. Plus, the main language to communicate in the team was Italian, so she really wanted to understand the language.

She sat in a meeting room, waiting for the team to arrive. They had a meeting about the upcoming race in Austria. If she was honest with herself, she didn't know what she could expect.

The ambience in the team had changed, once again. After Monaco, there was tension; team Charles and basically team Matilde for once. A few people agreed with Fernando Alonso during the post-race interview:

"But if your driver says that he is coming in, even when you tell him no, you still send the crew out just in case," Fernando said, defending Charles.

But most of the team, agreed with Max during the interview:

Max looked at him. "Yes, but if your team principal, not even your race engineer, but team principal, says not to pit and stay out multiple times, you stay out," he replied, defending Matilde. "If you still go in after being told no, what do you expect?"

It didn't help that Charles remained frustrated. The media picked it up during the following Grand Prix in Barcelona. Even though Matilde moved on and focussed on the next race, Charles kept showing that he felt hurt by the action. And not because it was a consequence of his own action, no, he still blamed Matilde for it. Charles showed it, and he sometimes even dared to spill a thought to the media and dodged and ignored questions about his team principal.

During the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari showed an almost perfect pace once again. Friday was a less perfect day, but it was the day to provide feedback and make the right adjustments. On Saturday, both the Ferrari drivers made it to Q3 during qualifying; Charles qualified as third and Carlos as second. Yet again, Max got pole.

On Sunday, during the race, Carlos had a perfect start and almost passed Max in turn one. Carlos gained time and kept following Max for a while before he passed Max and became the race leader. In the end, he won his home Grand Prix. Charles was pleased with Carlos' result, but he couldn't hide his jealousy. Charles finished third, which is a decent result, and he couldn't do more to get a better result. Despite the positive weekend, Charles threw a questioning quote in the media about Matilde and her leadership:

"Look," Charles said in the post-race interview, his frustration clear in his voice. "We had a clear opportunity to win in Monaco, and it was thrown away. I could get more out of this race, but I wasn't allowed to. I can't help but think that sometimes decisions from the top don't align with what's best for the team on the track."

Matilde had an interview herself after the race, praising the work of Carlos and of Charles; they both did everything they could do during the race and she was proud of them. She saw the fragment of Charles when she was back at the hotel and she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had supported Charles throughout the ups and downs, and now he was publicly questioning her leadership. It stung, especially since she knew her decision in Monaco had been the correct one, and she knew the team couldn't do more for Charles during the race in Barcelona.

Back at the office, a few days after the race, the team began with fresh motivation, working on the set-up for the next Grand Prix: Canada. Everything went smoothly, the Grand Prix went well for Ferrari; P2 for Charles and P3 for Carlos. Everyone did their tasks during the weekend, but certainly not more.

It made Matilde think. Was she good enough to be a team principal? She had a driver who openly spoke about how he thinks about her, a part of the team was picking the drivers side and the board kept complaining about the way Matilde approaches things. Matilde took a deep breath, closed her Duolingo app, and prepared for the meeting that lay ahead.

The invited people of the meeting entered the room. The drivers, with their race engineers, entered the meeting as the last ones. Laurent Mekies, the race director, opened the meeting with a presentation about the team's progress, accomplishments and long-term goals. He discussed the data from their drivers' sim sessions and compared it with the data from other teams. Austria was coming up, an important race since it was a strong track for both Ferrari and Red Bull. During that Grand Prix, either could win.

Someone asked a question about the team's budget allocation, a critical issue that could determine the extent of their success. Mekies looked at Matilde, passing the question to her. She explained the rationale behind the budget distribution, the sources and expenses.

But Charles seized the opportunity to launch his attack. "With all due respect, Jørgensen," he began, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've been wondering about this budget distribution. It seems to me that you're playing it safe, just like on the track. We need to take risks to win, not settle for mediocrity."

Matilde felt her heart skip a beat, she didn't expect this attack. And the way he called her out by her last name... Her lips parted and her eyebrows slightly raised, she was lost for words. "Charles, I appreciate your input, but we have a well thought-out strategy. It's based on careful analysis and ensures the team's long-term stability." She showed a smile. "I can send you the files, if you prefer to read it on paper."

He chuckled. "Stability? We don't need stability, we need victories. We need to be aggressive, go for it. We can't wait. If we wait, the opportunity has passed us."

"I agree, however, we cannot just go for it when the time isn't right," she shot back with fire. "Once again, I respect your passion for winning, but the decisions we made are not based on impulsiveness, they're grounded in data and experience. I trust the expertise of the team."

"Well," he said, leaning forward against the table as if he were about to deliver a killer blow. "It seems you're more of a manager than a leader. A real leader would listen to the voice of the driver who put his life on the line every race."

The room fell silent. The team exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how she would respond to Charles' provocation.

Finally, she spoke, her voice tinged with steel. "A real leader knows when to trust the experts and when to rely on data, not just emotions. Our decisions are calculated for the team's success, which you are also part of, and not to satisfy one individual's ego."

"Why are you taking everything personally?"

"I would like further elaboration," Matilde replied, folding her hands together, straightening her back.

Charles raised his eyebrows and looked at Carlos, blinked and looked back at Matilde. He noticed how involved Carlos' family was during the Spanish Grand Prix and how Matilde reacted to it. As a result: she got invited to a dinner with the Sainz'. Charles saw the Instagram post, apparently it was a home cooked dinner - Charles knew if Carlos invited you over for a home cooked dinner, something was going on.

"Are you referring to the dinner I attended with the Sainz family? It was in recognition of the work during the Spanish Grand Prix and as a gesture of their appreciation due to their courteous nature," Matilde replied to his facial expression and collected some files that were laying in front of her, she liked to sort them and put them neatly back on a stack.

For once, Charles seemed caught off guard. People in the room shared glances; from satisfied to impressed. Charles' expression shifted from arrogance to frustration.

"If someone has to say anything, please do. I rather want to hear it now and prevent rumours, than afterwards when I can't change a thing. I value open communication within our team, but it must be done internally and constructively. We are in this together, not alone, and it is our goal to win together." Matilde shared a look with Charles, who leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his eyes locked on her as if she were a target. Matilde didn't react to his look, but internally, she was tearing apart.

As the meeting continued, Matilde was focussed on her colleagues. She kept her cool, focussing on the facts and logic that underpinned her decisions. She also wrote some notes down for her therapist she was seeing after the meeting. She knew that being the leader of a F1 team came with immense pressure, and she had her ways of coping with it. One of those ways was speaking to a therapist to manage the stress and maintain her focus.

After the meeting came to an end, Matilde stayed in the meeting room. She booked it for some privacy, sitting in her fishbowl office was too confronting for herself and for others to see her talk to her therapist. The session was online, since her therapist lives in Denmark. She preferred to have a Danish therapist, it is easier than having a therapist in a country she didn't even speak the language of - and even though she was almost fluently in English, she still preferred to talk about herself in her mother language.

Matilde glanced at her watch, she still had ten minutes left. She decided to go to the cafeteria to grab some fruits and a snack. While she was at the cafeteria, she thought about the moment she knew she needed to see a therapist.

It actually started after Miami, after the incident, when she sat on the plane to Copenhagen with Kevin. After their conversation, Kevin messaged Lars, saying he was worried about Matilde's well-being, but that it was not up to him to say something about it. He thought it was more comfortable for Matilde to hear it from her brother than a fellow Dane who she knew, but who also happened to be friends with her brother. So when Matilde arrived at her mother's house to celebrate her mother's birthday, Lars took Matilde outside for a talk, since he also was concerned about her well-being.

"Mati, are you seeing a therapist?" Lars carefully mentioned.

They sat down on a bench next to the pond in the backyard of their mother's house.

"Why?" Matilde frowned.

He shrugged. "I think it would do you well to talk to someone," he said and looked at his younger sister; she was looking in front of her, clenching her jaw. "I have seen the tweets about the restaurant. And I know you well enough to know that you would have spent the evening with your team instead of Red Bull if there was nothing going on."

Tears filled her eyes and she sniffed. "I know," she whispered and she told him about what happened. "I'm on the waiting list, I'm working on it, but I can't make the procedure go any faster," she finished her story.

"Ferrari has therapists, right? Why are you on a waiting list at Ferrari? You are basically the most important person at Ferrari."

"I'm sure there are therapists at Ferrari, but I don't want a therapist at Ferrari, not within the team or someone who has connections to the team - even if it is externally. I called at the beginning of this season, Christian recommended it. I'm still not through it, as you see," she shrugged and dried her eyes.

Lars nodded and he hugged her. "Fair. But who did you call to still be on the waiting list after three months?"

"Alma."

"Alma? Alma, who helped us through the divorce of mum and dad?"

Matilde nodded into his chest. "I thought it would be familiar to call her. She helped us through the divorce, even though I am still convinced that the divorce did not have that much effect on us. Anyway, I want to talk about my troubles in Danish, not English or cracky Italian."

Lars nodded. "Understandable. And you know, the divorce had an effect on us, but we haven't noticed it. Alma helped us through it. Those people can see what it does to someone, and even when it does nothing." He grabbed his phone. "Is it for work or personal?"

"Work," she mumbled. "What are you doing?"

Her brother raised his phone to his ear and ignored the question. A polite smile came on his face. "Hello, this is Galileo, Matilde Jørgensen's assistant. Yes, hello."

Matilde straightened her face and she slapped him on his arm.

He pushed her away and raised his finger to silence her. "I'm calling to ask for an update on the waiting list." He listened. "Yes, I am fully aware that this is confidential, but it is urgent." He nodded. "I know, but we have to plan the sessions. Do you know who she is? She is the team principal of Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1. I don't know if you know Ferrari, but it is a circus and she desperately needs someone to talk to because it's causing mental health problems." He was silent again. "Matilde instructed for work only, but it will be a better plan to do work and personal. Yes. I will give you to her. Thank you. Yes. Have a nice day." Lars gave his phone to his sister. "Make your appointments ASAP," he said.

And since Miami, she didn't see just one therapist, but two therapists; one for work and one for her personal state. Every three weeks she would see Alma to talk about her personal life, and every week she would see Otto to talk about her work. And she had to admit, she was glad her brother pushed through. She couldn't imagine how it would be if still didn't have someone to talk to. It was a sense of relief and she had the feeling she could continue her adventure more easily, the balance came back in her life.

Today she had to see Alma, and it was the perfect timing, almost like it was planned this way. After a visit at the cafeteria, Matilde came back with hot tea, an orange and a nut bar. She took a deep breath and entered the scheduled Teams call.

When Alma popped up on her screen, she felt a sense of comfort over her.

"God eftermiddag, Matilde," Alma greeted Matilde with a kind smile.

A smile came on Matilde's face. "Hej."

"Hvordan har du det?" Alma asked, curious to know how her client was doing.

Matilde leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her tea. "I'm fine," she replied and nodded. "It's been a busy week, a busy couple of weeks, actually."

"How do you feel about having a second session? What were your thoughts after the first session?"

"It's much needed," Matilde replied. "I feel like it helped, even though it was just the first time."

"Can you describe your feelings about it?"

Matilde looked away, she looked at the wall next to her. "A sense of relief, I think. Uhm..." She looked back at the laptop screen. "I'm aware of the job I have, but it also requires a lot of effort and energy, and it feels good to talk about it, to find ways to manage everything. Uhm... Also to explore my personal challenges, I guess."

The therapist wrote something down and nodded once again. "That is good to hear. From what I can remember from when you were younger, a young girl, you also had a sense of realism and soberness. I can hear it in your way of thinking now as well," she warmly smiled. "But how have you been feeling lately?"

They talked about Matilde's personal life, discussing her family, friends, other relationships, her emotions in work and the different emotions that had surfaced in the past three weeks. Alma listened and provided guidance and support, helping Matilde navigate her feelings and come to a deepening understanding of herself.

"I know you talk with Otto about your work," Alma began. "But what are your feelings towards your position now? Last time you mentioned you were still figuring out what your thoughts are on your position. What are your thoughts today?"

Matilde played with the red wristband and twirled it around her wrist. "There are days where I feel like I am on the top of my game," she mentioned, her voice wavering slightly as she struggled to find the right words. "But sometimes I'm thinking about quitting."

"Why?"

Tears welled up in Matilde's eyes, and she blinked them back, her emotions getting the better of her. Alma was a safe space, but Matilde was still at the office. She was afraid someone would walk in and see her cry, a sign of weakness. But in this moment of vulnerability, she felt a flood of pent-up emotions rushing to the surface. "I want to be the best team principal I can be to the team," she continued, her voice quivering with emotion.

"You say 'the' team, why not 'my' team?" Alma observed.

"It isn't my team, it doesn't feel like my team," Matilde whispered and looked away from the laptop. She sniffed. "I joined an existing team, I became part of the team, but it doesn't feel like my team." It was silent, Alma gave Matilde time to think. "I sometimes just wonder if I'm cut out for this role."

Alma nodded, her warm and understanding presence a source of comfort. "It's completely natural to have doubts and moments of vulnerability, Matilde. Your role is incredibly demanding, and it's okay to acknowledge the pressure you're under."

Matilde wiped away a tear that had escaped, her emotions now more visible than ever. "I just don't want to let anyone down," she confessed. "I don't know if I can do it. I feel like I am flogging a dead horse." She looked at Alma again. "Quite literally and figurally." Matilde dried her eyes. "I have to lead a team who didn't welcome me at first, I have people who work against me and I feel like they would rather have me fired yesterday than today. But I have a deal, it's also my contract, but I have a deal with myself: if it doesn't work by the end of the season, I will quit and just... I don't know, go away from F1."

Alma nodded once again. "Why do you want to do this? Why don't quit today?" she scanned Matilde's face. "I don't want you to quit, but what if you have the option to quit today without any problem. Why don't you quit?"

"Because I want to win."

"You can also win at your previous job you loved. Or you can win life by doing something you love to do. So why Ferrari?"

"I want to make them win, because I thought I could take the challenge. I've seen three people fail, if I can call it like that, and I was convinced I could do it," Matilde said. She snorted and shook her head. "I am such a clown for even trying to think about it."

"Let's start on the clown part, Matilde. You are not a clown for trying; you're courageous for pursuing your passion to a further level. But there is a part of you that wants it and knows that you can do it. Why do you think that? Why do you want to do this?"

Matilde took a deep, shuddering breath, her emotions still raw and exposed. The tears in her eyes kept flowing over her cheeks, she couldn't help it. "To show everyone that I can do it."

"Do what?"

Matilde looked down and the tears rolled over her cheeks. "This." She paused, her voice trembling with the weight of those expectations. "Leading a team, make it a winning team."

"Why?"

"Because I was told I wouldn't make it in life when I was younger." She blinked, making her vision clear.

"Like?"

"I wasn't smart, but I also wasn't dumb," she mumbled. "I didn't fit anywhere. And when I found something I liked, teacher's advised me to not even start with it." She wiped away the tears from her cheeks. "And when I finally did something I liked, something I found my passion in, I was told that I could not find or get a job in motorsport. And when I got a job in motorsport, I was told that I wouldn't succeed and that I wouldn't last longer than a year. And when I got this job, I was told that I would fail. A woman wasn't supposed to lead a Formula 1 team, especially a top team like Ferrari. I want to show everyone that I can lead Ferrari to a victory, to winning a world championship, that I can succeed in a world that has been dominated by men for so long. I believe in this team, I believe in Charles and Carlos-"

The door of the meeting room flew open. Charles stepped into the room, not expecting anyone. A light shock went through his body when he noticed someone sitting at the head of the table; his team principal was still sitting at the same spot as an hour ago. His face fell when he saw Matilde crying, quickly wiping away the tears and clearing her throat. "Oh, eh, sorry," he mumbled. His eyes scanned the table, where he found his pass. "I didn't know you were here. I forgot my pass," he said and pointed at his pass.

"You can grab it," Matilde neutrally said.

Charles hesitated momentarily, seemingly unsure whether he should get it or leave and pick it up later, since she was upset and he interrupted her. The atmosphere in the room felt tense and awkward. After a brief internal struggle, he decided to get his pass. He heard Matilde say something in an unfamiliar language to her laptop, Charles didn't recognise the language, but it had to be Danish. Someone talked back to her, she was in an online meeting or something. "Thanks," he mumbled, grabbing the pass from the table and making a swift exit from the room. The door closed behind him, and he walked back to the engineer's area.

"Found it?" Xavi asked, grabbing his stuff.

Charles nodded and showed his pass. "Ready to go."

Next chapter

Taglist: @itsjustkhaos @crashingwavesofeuphoria @maryvibess @chocolatefartstrawberry @snzleclerc

[aintgonnatakethis]

Writing Share Tag!

Thank you for the tags! I remember when I had enough free time to answer each tag game separately. Working life is not for me. 😔 As you can see though, I do keep them all and I appreciate being included in the writeblr community! ❤️️ I'm also reading all of them of course, but recently my spoon situation has been disastrous. I want to pick up providing feedback again; maybe this will hold me accountable!

@aziz-reads (x) (x) @gioiaalbanoart (x) (x) @frostedlemonwriter (x)

@willtheweaver (x) (x) @wyked-ao3 (x) @lychhiker-writes (x) @fortunatetragedy (x)

This snippet is from Flu O'Clock, a story in the on your hands and your knees, do you feel in charge? series. Classic sick!fic with my end goal being platonic OT3. Want to see how that's going?

Telford could appreciate the directness, and he wasn't about to do harm to himself just because he didn't like the taste of something. That was more Rush's speed, though he wisely didn't verbalise that thought, accepting the canteen and knocking back the stuff as quickly as he could without risking hurling it up again. "Good boy," Rush said, still in an aggressively casual tone of voice. Everett coughed. Rush did that thing where outwardly he completely ignored the sound, but Telford could see that all of the man's senses were trained with extreme interest on Everett, keenly awaiting any trace of pull on the line. Of course he got exactly what he wanted, because Everett just wasn't able to help himself, in far too many areas of his life. "You said you had work to do?" he asked Rush, proving the one thing he didn't possess was any degree of subtlety. "I think I'll work in here today," Rush said, the way he'd stated it as a fact without even an attempt at the faux politeness of asking if that would be alright designed to press Everett's buttons, specifically his agreeable-unless-you-don't-acknowledge-my-authority one. "Do you really think that's necessary?" Everett responded, overly mild. "He needs his rest." Rush placed the back of his hand on Telford's forehead. Telford heard Everett stand up. That's right, he thought with no small amount of amusement, fight like dogs over me. He relaxed beneath Rush's cool skin, allowing his eyes to drift closed. "I won't be a bother," Rush offered, in a tone far too soft to be used in company, in Telford's opinion. "I just think--" Everett started, only to be immediately interrupted. "I don't care what you think." "Rush." "What?" "You're going to calm down," Everett ordered, doing a terrible job of remaining calm himself. "I'm not the one yelling," Rush retorted, blunt but with a level enough voice that Telford knew Everett would find infuriating. "Maybe you'd like to practice using your inside voice." "Listen!" Everett hissed, clearly restraining himself from moving any closer. "You can't--" "I can do whatever I damn well please." The bed shifted as Rush stood. "You're not going to fucking touch me." Invoking Telford's unspoken protection was an odd play, but one of the best things about Rush was that he never did what was expected of him, always keeping those around him on their toes. Everett let out a warning rumble and Telford cracked his eyes open to see the two men standing nose to nose, staring each other down with no attempt from either party to conceal their aggression. "You know," Telford remarked pointedly. "If you two want to fuck you can have the bed." The twin scandalised expressions he received in response were well worth the headache the argument had set raging inside his skull, a bull deciding his brain would make a nice china shop to run riot in.

Tagging: @moltenwrites @the-golden-comet @finickyfelix @lancedoncrimsonwings @bagheerita + OPEN

[azrielgreen]

Hi, I hope you don't mind my asking you this but why don't you like people reviewing your work on Goodreads? a lot of other authors are proud to have their work reviewed there and it makes fics more accessible so I don't really know why you'd ask people not to? Please don't think this is a criticism at all. I'm genuinely curious and absolutely love all your work!!!

Hi, that's absolutely fine. I'm always happy to talk about it and I know it can be a little divisive because people like to bookmark/review what they're reading and that mostly does come from a place of good intentions.

Firstly, I would never want my fics to be accessible or mainstream. It was always surprising to me that YD was read by so many. I write for myself for fun, and the only people I want to read it are the people who actually want to read it, who went looking for it using tags or read the blurb and thought, 'yes, definitely for me!' - usually a small audience, which makes me very happy!

It's no secret that I absolute despise rating systems for fanfiction and what that leads to - the mainstreaming of fanfiction in general. Fanfiction is written by people who just want to share their work, not to compete with others and get on the NY Times Bestseller list.

There is NO NEED WHATSOEVER in my opinion to rate fanfiction based on personal preference/enjoyment/critique. Goodreads is first and foremost a rating system for reviewing books. I actually disagree with rating art in any way whatsoever, including published works, movies, music etc... I believe that a rating system should, at best, be used to provide feedback about the functionality of a service/object. Art is subjective, it's there to elicit emotions and feelings and IMO should not be rated in such a way. One person's 1/5 review is useless to someone else because everyone is different and exploration is discouraged when the rating is low, but I'm getting wildly off track here.

Fanfiction is not intended, IMO, for wide mainstream consumption. The casual normalisation of rating fanfics on GR & TikTok has become a plague of misery for many writers and a lazy haven for mean-spirited book critic wannabes. To be very clear, I'm talking about RATING them. Giving them a score out of 10 or 5. Picking them apart in a negative & critical way, often on the immediate basis of them not being "canon compliant". Only today, I saw a TikTok of someone slamming a fic for being "different than the book".

To me, fanfiction is so special and beautiful and rare. I'd be lost without it and I read it daily. There are stories that have legitimately saved me. Fanfiction can be anything, written by anyone at any level. No one is obligated to read it, therefore any criticism, you keep to yourself. Rating it on Goodreads alongside published works is, in my humble opinion, fucking gross unless the author has specifically added it themselves.

This includes rating the fic in bookmarks, which is rampant. High rating or not, it's not a nice feeling and a little fandom etiquette goes a long way.

💜💜💜

[ibm7094lover]

Is Sarek abusive?

After a lengthy argument/discussion with my mother (og Trekkie, strangely unfamiliar with K/S culture), I seem to be at a stalemate. It's fascinating because there's a lot of points on both sides. I'll provide my own argument and my mother's argument under read more.

Mine:

-Sarek's behavior (and by proxy, many Vulcans) towards Spock's mixed genetics is a direct contradiction to IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) as Spock represents a small portion of that ideal: Mixed race, arguably queer, and neurodivergent.

-In the Star Trek 2009 deleted scene, Sarek calls him "so human," and from some theories it's believed Spock was surgically altered to appear more Vulcan

-Arguably, you could say this was so other Vulcans wouldn't bully him for looking so human, but we already know how that went.

-Amanda is passive in her parenting, and does little to engage Spock in human traditions along with Vulcan. She goes along with Sarek's beliefs, even if it hurts him.

-Sybok was exiled(?) for embracing emotion and encouraging others to do the same. Michael ran away and is a complete emotional mess (but probably the best out of the three). Spock has identity issues. See a pattern?

-Tuvok is seen to embody a healthier ideal of Vulcan: Permitting himself positive emotions, because it is illogical to deny himself of that. You could imply Sarek's family is just very dysfunctional.

-You can only go so far when excusing behavior with culture, but if someone is being hurt or caused harm, however indirect, it must be addressed by the society or a third perspective in order to improve.

Mom:

-everyone is abusive by modern standards / by human standards, everyone's abusive

-Sarek is an extreme outlier for marrying a human

-Most surgical procedures for Spock make sense, because they'd have to fix some conflicting issues (iron-blood/copper-blood, organ arrangement, etc.) but it is sad Sarek thought to change Spock's appearance when it didn't hinder him in any way.

-By Vulcan standards, Sarek isn't abusive because if anything he's less strict than other Vulcan parents.

-Sarek wasn't considered abusive when the show aired, and he isn't considered abusive now.

-You can't judge another culture by your own standards. (Side note: also believes you can't judge the cult in MidSommar for drugging someone, along with other things they did because it's "their culture.")

With all this in mind, I'm curious to know the general consensus around this topic. I'll leave some extra context below:

My mother comes from an extremely abusive family. Jack Stauber's Opal-level abusive. (I showed her the film and she cried with me) As such, it's understandable that we might have different definitions of abuse, given the generational difference (she's an older mom) and cultural difference (she's Mexican).

Because of this, I'm a pretty sheltered kid, but that also means I don't have a lot of exposure to difficult situations or significant abuse. I can acknowledge that I still have a lot to learn, and I'm trying to peel off my black-and-white mentality as well. I'd appreciate any feedback relating to this and the poll above so I can revise my perspective if I'm wrong!

[giriduck]

Been processing the recent Nintendo Dream Web article some more. Hot takes under the cut.

Of course Ganondorf would be sexy—just about everyone on BotW and TotK is conventionally attractive. The stated sexiness goal for Ganondorf feels really bad though—not only only because he’s the villain / antagonist of the game who also an in-universe POC, which opens a whole can of worms around fetishization, racism etc. (that many others have written about far far better than I ever could)—but it’s also jarring to hear about a design goal of maximizing sexiness in a LoZ game at all. They literally said the quiet part out loud—and that feels so weird and gross.

Thought experiment: take the excerpt below, but imagine this was about BotW Zelda.

Doesn’t that feel odd framed in that way? An interpretation would be along the lines of, “As a real departure from prior titles, we gave Princess Zelda pants in this game! The pants of a person who really takes care with their appearance: tight-fitting, to show off her curves and figure, like a real princess, whom men and women could fall in love with!” Although they never said that, it has a ring of truth to it, given this new context.

Only Zelda in BotW got to be a character with enough screen time to have real depth, because it was a story that used her as a lens to understand both her life and the world, whereas Ganondorf in TotK was (once again) treated as a disappointingly generic villain. Ganondorf’s lack of narrative development was not only a miss with regard to him as a character, but as an opportunity for some interesting, central-to-the-story / universe, world building. Given this, the interview only makes it extra disappointing that a goal was to also make him appear heroic in his art design, but the final game (as far as I’ve played, anyway) never expanded on that very interesting concept beyond a quick line mentioned in passing.

Evil for the sake of evil and/or sexy for the sake of sexy ends up being disappointingly shallow and reductive. Add in the complexities of real-world racial inequality and trauma, and this can quickly become disrespectful to players. At the very least, if the game creators were inspired by or going to potentially code characters in a way that is evocative of cultures outside of Japan, please bring in a diverse focus group to look at the content and provide feedback. As a large and influential content creator, please do the work to catch (either conscious or unconscious) harmful and frustrating stereotypes before you commit them into your final product.

I actively avoided Breath of the Wild for five years because I was so irritated by the newer Gerudo character designs—specifically the nonsensical lack of clothes and the desert high heels. I was immediately put off by what felt like a fetishy objectification of “exotic” women.

So it is extremely irritating to realize that they consciously did the same thing with Ganondorf.

Personally, Ganondorf’s character design in all his appearances throughout the franchise has been interesting to me—particularly his clothing, jewelry, and everything mentioned in the interview that he presumably would choose to wear—because it’s precious little for us to work with with regard to building our versions of this character in our minds. Accessories and clothing are a window into a character’s preferences. But in my opinion, his art design is also the least of what makes him interesting as a character. Sure, we got glimpses of his pecs and biceps in TotK, but what about his motivation? Canonical insight for why he does the things he does? His perspective on the political / power dynamics of the ancient era? Unlike Zelda in BotW, we never “rode with Ganon” to understand this essential character to the game and franchise at all.

The biggest takeaway I am feeling from the interview is that I really wish that they had spent as much care giving him depth as they had done on his character design.

[chaosresturantjandn4eva]

I’ve been quiet for a few days. I took some time away from my blog, from tumblr & blogs I follow, from TikTok, Instagram, X, & Facebook.. I just felt a bit.. I don’t know.. overwhelmed by the chaos that is this fandom currently.

Life hasn’t been great lately. My husband’s injury really set us back.. and right now.. American families are already struggling..so any sort of set back or crisis can be quite devastating. I just needed some room to breathe.. less drama to read.. and some time to quiet my mind. Did it help? Nope. Life is still HARD, the fandom is still chaos, and I still feel like I’m suffocating.

However, I’m thankful to have a shared space to express how I’m feeling & have such positive feedback from everyone here.. in such a negative world it’s really nice to have a place where you can share your thoughts & not be judged or turned away. I’m sure we all come from different walks in life, have different thoughts and opinions, different morals & ideas.. but yet we’ve come together & formed this little community & I feel like you all are my friends in a way. It’s just really nice to have that.

Anyway, I say all this to say thank you for providing such a welcoming space for those of us who are facing struggles in life. It’s appreciated more than you know! ❤️

#MentalHealthMonday

I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through a tough time. I completely understand how even a small financial strain family injury or a crisis of any kind can be overwhelming and impact every part of our lives. Life can be really challenging right now, but please remember, you’re not alone in this.

I truly feel honored to have created a space where you and so many others (including myself) can simply breathe and express yourselves. This little corner of the internet is here for you to vent, seek advice, or just share a good laugh.

Even if we’re miles apart, we’re all part of a strong community, ready to support each other. Our virtual arms are always open for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need to talk. We’re in this together! 💖

[pillowfort-social]

Community Survey - How are we doing?

Hi Pillowfolks! We would love to hear your thoughts on how we are doing. This is the perfect opportunity to provide any feedback you would like us to know! We care about your opinions and will be using your feedback to guide our development decisions. Now is your chance to tell us what you want us to add or change.

If you have a moment, please consider filling out this survey. The survey will remain open until 11:59pm CDT on April 28, 2023. [ Pillowfort Community Survey April 2023 ]

[dxstopiaa]

Celestial Blessing..

Request: How would the liyue characters react to their s/o receiving a vision! Vision type and why.. very plot heavy.

This is quite a long fic, hence why it took me long to write it! Please i would love feedback if you want to give some, re-blogs appreciated!

Characters: Zhongli, Xiao, Beidou ( I will release another part with Yelan and Ningguang within!)

Warnings: Injuries, may be a little graphic. Mentions of forced marriage and parental issues (Beidou’s). This is from my interpretation of how visions are received and may not be canon, will vary on the vision!

Terms you may not of heard of… Kwoon- A training hall for chinese martial arts, liyue is quite obviously inspired by china!

Zhongli

Geo- Immovable will and determination, hardworking and fixated.

•Being a lead martial artist and founder of your rather large kwoon meant that you required not only strength but incredible knowledge of the arts and weaponry. Which you thought you fulfilled, if your lover’s opinion did not seem convincing enough. You continued with your family’s legacy and you wore your last name with utmost pride.

•Zhongli and yourself have been a couple for just nearly two years. The opening of your training hall was a joint effort between the both of you, zhongli often printing and scripting the agreement and safety contracts, terms and conditions along with all other formalities whilst you planned the architecture of your kwoon, along with the uniform you required your students to wear, ensuring their comfort was your utmost priority. About a month before the event, Zhongli suggested the idea of opening your training hall on your anniversary.

•‘My love, how do you like the idea of celebrating two ceremonies at once?’ Of course, his cryptic wording left you confused, however the more he explained his point, the more you liked it, clasping your arms around his waist and cherishing his warm loving embrace as he hugged you back, caressing your hair and peppering gentle kisses upon your forehead and cheeks.

•When the day arrived, you found yourself in a rather restless state of perfectionism, darting from place to place at the location and ensuring everything was errorless. Speech stand? Zhongli’s handling it. Refreshments? Upon the banquet table to the right. Decorations and banners? Prepared previously, am i forgetting something?

• The only person who could inflict serenity upon you was your husband himself, lightheartedly reprimanding you to remain tranquil and to take better care of yourself whilst fondling your temporarily calloused hands, guiding you to the stage provided by Yun-Han Opera Troupe.

• Delivering your speech was far from difficult with the support Zhongli gave you, constant reassurance allowed you to deliver it to a flawless standard. Many from the crowd cheered and encouraged you on, strings of melodic praises derived from their kind admiration-driven hearts. Your dearest’s sincere wistful smile accompanied by your gleaming irises was a sight to behold.

• Zhongli may be perceived as forgetful, yet he would never omit to anything related to you, his primary priority. Lightly latching onto your wrist, he whisked you away into a nearby stairwell, to which he deemed would provide all the privacy he wanted. You stared up at him in mild mystification, about to part your lips to question his bizzare actions yet you were stopped with one of his fingers gently upon your mouth, gesturing you to wait.

• From behind his lean form, he presented to you an intricate puzzle, a catalyst of sorts, complex rings of jade orbiting the main section of it, while it rotated and spun slowly in the breeze. Saying you were awestruck was a severe understatement, your eyes sparkled with infatuation at both the weapon and the handsome expression on your husband’s face.

• ‘My dearest, put your palms out before me.’ He requested. You obeyed his instructions, gradually opening your hands from the tight clasp they were in formerly. Zhongli placed the treasure in your hands, and watched how it’s spinning motion significantly increased until it was a blur, glowing in its glory just as cor lapis would do in the moonlight. ‘I knew you were the one the moment i laid my eyes on you, love.’ A burning sensation coursed through your palms, a surreal type of feeling you could not explain in words. There before you, was a golden vision.

• A geo vision. Shining and enlightening the dim alleyway, exactly matching the resplendent hue of Rex Lapis’ pupils, which now was reflected in you. The puzzle levitating to your side, metaphorically representing a promise of protection from the Lord of Geo himself, a faithful weapon. The largest of smirks plastered on your darling’s face, which you couldn’t help but cry delighted sobs into the nape of his neck.

Xiao

Pyro- A burning, scalding passion, a fierce debate between the arts and fitting within society.

• Xiao first met you a year ago, battling and training against two ruin guards and a ruin hunter, casting an abundance of seals and spells at your disposal, trapping the entities and healing the damaged ley line attracting all of them. For a mortal, he was incredibly impressed, who gave you these adepti spells and casts? Xiao questioned himself, continuing to watch you, who was occupied with aiming arrows at numerous weak points, from a distance.

• He instantaneously materialised infront of the adeptus’ abode, unequipping his luminescent polearm before approaching the edge of the cliff, glancing around for a specific white crane, whom he found in the distance and began to approach.

•’General Alatus, is there something you may need? Why am i graced with your presence?’ Cloud retainer spoke, her formal, transcendent voice awaiting for an answer, azure sky-like wings glowing and rustling against her pure bodice of feathers. ‘Not particularly important, but i’ve noticed a young mortal utilising the arts of the adepti.’

•Cloud retainer followed his query with curt nod, elaborating on how you were her newest follower, a protector of the history of liyue and needed means to protect yourself with such valuable knowledge. Xiao’s misjudgement of you lead to him believing you were a human, when in fact, you were the preserver of Juyeun Karst. Blood of the Adepti coursed through your veins, a valuable life form not to be undervalued.

•From then on, you began to notice a omnipresent individual beside your master, who was willing to aid you with combat training when not protecting Liyue and continuing the legacy of the yakshas. You valued his help, expressing how you felt honoured and how this would boost your progress. What you may not have took note of was the short-lived smile which was present upon his lips, heart warming at the sincere praise.

• As your andragogy continued, so did your contact with your now lover. His unexpected gentleness and calmness brought you both closer and let him alleviate the state painstaking loneliness. He assisted you with combat while you educated him on humane emotions and social ques, which compelled him to focus on his own, the one fluttering in his heart.

•Months later, with your established relationship still flourishing, you found your skills with the bow has dramatically increased, utilising other weapons was a suggestion of Xiao’s, one which you felt uncomfortable to at first, yet decided it would be preferable to increase mastery. According to cloud retainer, you have reached peak performance, the ability to destroy large mechanical anomalies in less than minutes, and to seal ancient threats found spiralling in instability underground.

• The time for your final test has arrived. Careful planning and consideration lead you outside the once sealed domain of Morax’s Creation, Azhdaha. A fierce dragon with ruby bloodlusted vision, a entity with such a reputation that the most seasoned fighters shivered at the mere mention of. Why put you up against such an opponent, surely it would be dangerous? Well, risk is the only lead to development.

•Xiao’s calamitous aura was sensed by the reptilian creature from the moment he entered. The adeptus with such a disastrous, protective nature followed by a determined and ambitious one, gently grasping onto your wrist as if he was afraid regarding your safety, to which he was.

•’Such a powerful, dreading emanation, who dares enters my domain?’ Azhdaha thundered, remaining in his spot, demanding an immediate answer. Xiao knew already that this was one of the leviathan’s tactics, the use of threats to force one’s opponent into submission, even before the duel commenced.

•‘Your intimidation will not work on me, i have already previously discussed the conditions of this spar. If any terms shall be broken, you would wish a fate decided by Morax, rather than with me.’ Alatus retaliated, before turning to you and placing his hand onto your shoulder and the other below your chin, caressing your skin and though he did not speak, his message was clear. ‘If anything goes wrong, do not restrain from calling for me.’

• ‘Begin.’ He declared, and with that, Azhdaha spent no time at all breaking his temporary seals, and emitting a outcry of war and destruction. You swiftly reached for your bow, analysing the dragon’s every move, determining when to use which seals and where.

•A thunderous wave of energy oscillated across the ground, followed by a large leap into the air from you, aiming precisely for the geo insignia upon its chest. The arrows fired at incredible speed, piercing through the tough flesh of the creature, forcing a strained howl of anger from Azhdaha. It seemed it’s fury was released in outbursts of explosive icicles derived from its cryo infusion, targeted directly at you. Whilst you managed to avoid the first wave, the second batch took you by surprise.

•The biting, glacial blades stunned your movement, sending you plummeting into the soil beneath yourself, a cry of affliction pulled from your throat, leaving you immobile and wounded momentarily as the dragon approached you. Your admirer clenched so tightly onto his jaded spear that it was struggling to remain intact in one piece, you had previously assured him that if you really required his assistance, you would ask, which compelled him to stay put.

• Strings of vulgar curses left your mouth, summoning a catalyst to speed up your recovery before the entity reached you, prompting you to mount yourself upright. Once again, unsheathing your weapon. From what you could tell, Azhdaha seemed too consumed with his foul move and revenge that he ignored his unprotected limbs, revealing a chance almost too well timed to be real.

•Fuelled by the years of practice and sparring, you chanted a incantation before charging towards him at full agility. Behind your form was a grand seal, expeditiously approaching Azhdaha. A final gesture of your hand set the domain up into chaos.

• A monumental vermillion fulmination descended to the ground and emitted a force so great you lost your footing, stabbing an arrow to the ground to prevent being blown away. A harsh blood-curdling roar sounded, signifying the downfall of your opponent.

•Fog occupied the atmosphere, a maze of unpredictability and mystery. A minuscule faint glow guided you to the centre like a lighthouse to a boat lost at sea. The closer you got, the more luminous the crimson glow became. Kneeling down, You clutched the embellishment tightly within your hands. A blessing from the gods, an achievement so noticeable, your heart swelling with pride.

•A radiating pyro vision was cradled in your arms. Your form now could be seen by Xiao, who rapidly crouched beside you, he held your jaw, ensuring you looked up at him. Your lover had the warmest grin you had ever seen grace his face, to which you immediately hugged him. A soft gasp was heard from him, yet no complaints..

Beidou

Anemo- The loss of those dearest to you for personal freedom and progression, individuality.

• Many who walked this land of liyue gazed at you, hearts dropping in sheer jealously. A rich socialite was what you were to these people, nothing else. A heartless mortal with a mind set on business and riches. In fact, you were quite the opposite, but why does it matter? Everything happens behind closed shutters and shadowy doors.

•Authoritative and superior were your parents, admired by all, associates with each end of Liyue’s exquisite corporations, right and left. Unbeknownst to citizenry, cynical and inconsiderate were their true faces. Many would consider you privileged, you’d call yourself unfaithful and hopeless, projections of your parent’s language inculcated into your brain.

• ‘We will not stand for such behaviour, do not dare tarnish our reputation with such problematic requests.’ They scolded, persuading you to do what they asked of you. Hopping from ‘buisness meetings’ when infact, they were arranged proposals.

•It just so happened that today was one of those events. Donning exquisite attire and elegance, much to your disliking. Gracefully seated within the outside quarter of Xinyue Kiosk, timorously searching the pedestrians below you for your 3rd proposal.

•An older man appeared, a crooked grin plastered on his faintly wrinkled profile, eyebrows furrowed in interest before situating right next to you. The sudden approach and confidence of this man made your ailing stomach churn even more, a nauseous feeling emerging from your throat. ‘So, I assume your parents have already introduced me as your..suitor?’ There was that feeling again, utter disgust, your windpipe seemed as if a pair of hands constricted your breathing, scrambling for an answer.

•Choking out a meek ‘excuse me, sir’ was enough of an excuse to hurry down the steps and through the back alley, avoiding the gaze of citizens from possibly questioning you. Gaining momentum, you sped down the harbour behind stalls as cautiously as one could in such regal clothing.

•One occurrence you initially thought was a mistake turned out to be your saviour. You collided straight into another person, gasping as you hit their perceived chest, spewing apologies profusely. Just as you were to begin escaping into the opposite direction, a hand grasped onto your wrist, pulling you back towards whoever gently yet firmly. You focused onto her appearance.

• ‘Hey! Where are you going? I haven’t…’ Her deep voice and rich accent trailing off. A brunette woman with concerned, fuchsia eyes, the other covered with a scarlet eyepatch. Her eyebrow raised with realisation, gazing down at you closely, watching the way your own pupils dilated in horror, frantically scattering and searching the surroundings but why? Oh…

•Her expression immediately softened, mouth slightly ajar, attempting to recollect her thoughts. Weren’t you the reputable, prestigious child of Liyue’s most affluent buisness partners? What were you doing in a place like this, even more so with such a petrified expression?

•’Calm down sweetheart, come with me for a bit..You seem too uneasy.’ Her soft, amiable tone soothing your racing heart, a gradual calming effect induced onto you. She surveyed the harbour, deciding where you take you as she held your quivering hand and drew circles onto them, her long nails pleasantly tracing patterns which pacified you.

•She sheltered and handled you as if you were a treasure to a pirate, precious and careful. Ultimately choosing to take you aboard the Crux, which was currently empty due to her crew being occupied with business affairs. Every small considerate smile she gave you made your heart flutter, faint shades of blush dusting your complexion.

•Removing you from publicity, she guided you to her deck and to her cabin. Within it laid a medium sized bed, adorned with soft bedsheets and pillows, a desk with an abundance of organised stamped papers in stacks, with a few clothing racks and luscious carpet. She gestured you to rest upon the bed, putting a pillow under your head, as you laid down, ignoring your polite protests. She momentarily left the room.

•What was this feeling? Such warmth and peace, contrasted with the flittering of your pulse. A quiet squeak of the door and sound of rushed heels against the wooden deck alerted you and pulled you from your thoughts. You knew her as Captain Beidou, partly from associations she had with your parents and others from her appearance, fitting the strong figure of a mighty woman with a carefree benevolent heart.

•’ Believe it or not, dear, i do know who you may be and i have deduced what kind of situation you are caught up in.. yeah, not a pleasant one yet i still hope you can open up to me? Please?’ Beidou comforted, placing her palm on your forehead, sweeping the strands of stray hair to the side. You emitted a small sigh, gradually giving such details, you could trust her. Who wouldn’t?

•’I do not want to cause additional issues, plus your parents know me quite well, why don’t i drop you off to your estate, hmm?’ The captain suggested, awaiting a response. Regardless of how you arrived, you would be in dire trouble. You uttered a small agreement, lifting yourself from the bed. ‘I’ll deal with him, don’t worry.’

•A arm latched onto your own, encasing you in a protective stance, she walked you back, stopping occasionally to check up on you. You may not of known so, but your exhaustion worried her deeply. Once you reached your estate, the guards situated outside, looking rather exhausted and latching onto their polearms for support, swiftly corrected their posture and bombarded you with questions. Beidou intercepted their questions with a answer of her own. ‘She was not feeling well, I am here to bring her back to her parents.’ She resonated, rubbing her index finger along your cheek affectionately, a curt nod to the guards before spinning on her heel and retreating back to the harbour.

•Days of lying in complete rest at home told you that Beidou’s lie deceived your parents perfectly, for once they treated you with adequate care as a person, not a utility. You missed her dearly, yearning for her comfort the longer you stayed at home.

•You were interrupted one morning by a guard briskly walking into your room to leave a letter in your hands. ‘I’m doing you a huge favour, please don’t mess this opportunity up.’ was all he said, shutting the door behind him. Sliding your fingers underneath the envelope to reveal the letter. The handwriting was gorgeous, professionally cursive and legible.

•’ The Crux will depart at midnight, i hope to see you aboard it, with me. This situation you are in clearly is not what you desire, i can help you build a new life elsewhere.’ Stunned was what you felt now. A new life? This could solve all your issues, you could be away from your parents, away from your troubles and finally be free.

• Dusk had fallen upon Liyue, luminescent lanterns and burning stars lit up the night, guiding and coaxing those to admire its beauty. You wore your combat uniform, the golden trimmed sleeves that flared matched the torso and bottom half. You sneaked out of the room, heading directly to the unarmed museum of your estate. Inching the door open and peering in, the coast was empty of guards, you slipped in through the doors and glanced around.

•Assortments of family heirlooms, categorised in a organised order. You knew exactly where to go, straight towards the weapons, which you took your time admiring, elegant catalysts, worn yet precious swords and the sharpest polearms. Weapons were essential, especially these, they could have multiple uses, if you were short on mora you could even sell them. You latched your fingers around the smooth lapis polearm, tracing the intricate patterns around it, lifting it from the wooden stand and ultimately deciding this would be what you took. Lightweight yet deadly, a perfect combination.

•You swiftly escaped through the window to your right, dropping down onto the street, bolting towards the docks with the night concealing any traces you left. You reached the familiar ship, using the ladder to hoist yourself up into it, catching your breath and looking around for Beidou. A few calls of her name and she noticed your presence, quickly pacing towards you, swinging her arm around your neck.

• A glad smirk occupying her features, grasping your hand and bringing you up onto the higher level of the deck. She gestured you to sit on the floor with her under the makeshift canopy, brushing your hair with her fingers and fluttering a gentle kiss on your nose.

•The grand cruise abruptly lifted its anchors, leaving the docks and sailing further away. You turned back to her, eyes tearful and wrapping your arms around her neck. You allowed your tears to flow, cascading your face and when you left Beidou’s hold, onto your hands as you bowed your head with a solemn smile.

• Your final tear dropped into the palm of your hands, followed by an intense gust of wind, glancing up you saw a firefly, it’s verdant trail descending to engulf it’s surroundings with blinding light. It circled your hands and eventually took its own concluding flicker, a blazing teal luminosity burning up, inducing a shock of ignition through your nerves, eyes glowing a deep turquoise. When you gained your sight back, you turned to your lap.

•There was a Vision, placed into your hands by the God of Freedom, in all its glory. Caressing the smooth glass-like orb, bringing it up to your ear, rushing gales heard within the distance, laughs of your lover and quiet sobs belonging to you. A pair of hands encased your face, drying away the remnants of teardrops.

[deepwaterwritingprompts]

BORDERLINE - Beta Reader Applications Open

Good morning noon and night everyone! If you’ve been following me for any amount of time at all, you’ll know I’ve got a manuscript I’ll be looking to traditionally publish within the year. Applications to become a beta reader for this manuscript - BORDERLINE - are now open. Please read the following post carefully before submitting an application.

Borderline is a Young Adult manuscript of ~99,000 words. It is a story told from four perspectives, following a group of teenagers living in a strange town called Florida as they attempt to rescue a long lost friend from beyond the veil between worlds. The back page and other introductory tidbits can be found at the bottom of this post, under the cut.

Borderline is a manuscript with themes including cosmic/eldritch horror, mystery, and adventure. There are elements of romance, but this is not a main focus/theme of the book.

Content warnings include: body horror/descriptions of injuries, unreality, hallucinations, insects/bugs, brief mention of sex, brief mentions of religion, brief mentions of underage drinking, brief mentions of firearms. *descriptions of body horror all fall in some way under the category of unreality.

Borderline features multiple mixed POC/Queer characters.

Applications will close at the end of this week (Friday the 24th), and successful applicants will be sent a link to begin the novel on the following Monday. As stated, the manuscript is almost 100,000 words long. The beta period will be eight weeks long, with comments on the final chapter due by Monday April 24. If you have doubts about your ability to finish a manuscript of this length in this amount of time, please do not apply.

I am not looking for line by line grammar edits. I am looking for general thoughts chapter by chapter, if you enjoyed the book overall, and if there were any instances where things were unclear or confusing. 

Below, you will find the link to submit an application. The application is eight questions long. Not all of the questions are required, but answering all of them will help your application. Please note that there is NO answer which will exclude you from being considered. As with my previous manuscript, I am looking for a range of experiences and backgrounds, so please answer honestly. I will be taking between three and five beta readers, depending on interest and variety of applications.

Please also note that if you are uncomfortable providing an email address, this does NOT need to be your personal email. The portal through which I host my manuscripts for beta (beta books) requires an email for access and providing feedback. This can be a temporary account created by you in order to participate.

Finally, if you do end up helping with beta, please remember that you're under no obligation to like the book. I like the book. If you hate it, that's your opinion, and I don't mind at all. But please give me honest beta. 

If you have any questions about the manuscript, or the beta process, please feel free to message me here!

Here is the link to apply

Please fill out the form by the end of this coming Friday, February 24th. I will post a reminder before applications close. See below the cut for back page and other tidbits previously posted to this blog.

BACKPAGE:

FLORIDA, Florida is a strange place. Tucked away into a corner of the state’s forgotten coast, all the locals know it stands on a borderline, where the veil is thin and mysterious forces wander alongside the human population. 

LIN O’LEARY, 17, is a high school dropout now working at the world’s weirdest convenience store. Six years after the disappearance of her best friend and childhood crush, Lin tries not to think about Momo Kasahara, keeps her head down, and regularly ignores the seven foot entity desperately seeking instant oatmeal. 

BO KASAHARA is the remaining twin, a high school junior balancing nihilism with varsity sports and mandatory pancake breakfasts. If he could only stop waking up on the beach without any idea how he got there, he might actually make it to graduation, and a university far away from the hometown that ate his sister. 

JULIEN TRUE is ambition on legs, lugging a bag full of spirit tracking equipment down Florida’s quiet streets. Determined to shoot his first miniseries before college starts, he’s fine with the creepy motel and unhelpful locals, as long as he learns something, anything about the Kasahara girl. 

When a grown up Momo appears like a ghost in Lin’s convenience store, the three of them are united in the search for answers about the borderline that might help them rescue her. Because Momo Kasahara is not a ghost at all.

MOMOKO KASAHARA is impossible to find, and pissed about it. Stuck somewhere outside of reality, she’ll try anything and everything to pass the endless hours, survive another day. The forest is hiding something from her, the sky is always gray, and her neighbors don’t have faces. It’s save herself, or become something that can never go home.

SELECTED CHAPTER TITLES

100% humidity feels like breathing underwater.

Cloudy with a chance of hotdogs (haunted).

The girl in the grocery store is usually me.

Did you or did you not bring my seven dollars and eighty five cents.

So drink good health, you sailors!

I’m going to waterboard you with tartar sauce.

Ittekimasu.

Power ten in ten!

Rorschach drew his own inkblots.

I’d like to solve the puzzle.

I live in this bathroom now, actually.

No crying over what now?

Hi nauseous, I’m dad.

Three blind mice.

Lin O’Leary has left the building.

Ouroboros.

CHARACTER PLAYLIST

[spaghettificationandpretzels]

About me and my blog

Hello all,

I hope you find the below information helpful (thank you to @thegayhimbo for providing a template on how to do this)

Below you will mostly find information on my writing but I want you to know who you're following so I'll let you know a little about me too.

All about me

I'm a twenty-four-year-old woman living in wonderful Australia (AEST). I have had this blog for a very long time but only became active over the last three years and only started writing early last year. I'm also busy studying to get a bachelor's in a helping profession. I have a dog and a cat and I love them more than anything.

My blog

First and foremost, please don't follow me if you're under the age of 18. I don't want you here, especially considering the content of what I post. I do not make exceptions even if you coming to talk to me about something that is safe for work.

I am passionate about many social issues and will share posts about them from time to time. I have been told from knee-high that I'm opinionated and I'm very happy to share said opinions. Bigots of any shape will be blocked.

I love talking to people about their passion, ideas and thoughts so if you're having to urge to info dump about anything, please say hello.

My writing

Main Masterlist

I write for lots of fandoms for both men and women. I do both reader and OC although I'm moving towards OC more and more. I only do requests very rarely, mostly for milestones. I prefer to use canon as a starting point and most of my work deviates very heavily.

What I write:

One shots Series Fluff Smut Angst

I write for:

Sons of Anarchy

Jax Teller Lyla Winston

Mayans M.C.

Guero Manny Angel Reyes EZ Reyes

Law & Order: SVU

Terry Bruno Joe Velasco Mike Duarte

The Punisher

Karen Page Billy Russo Frank Castle

Call of Duty (Video Games)

Simon 'Ghost' Riley Valeria Garza Phillip Graves Kate Laswell

The Gentleman

Raymond Smith

Peaky Blinders

Alfie Solomons John Shelby

Gangs of London

Sean Wallace

Many of my fics have very dark themes, and I fully believe that fiction should be used to explore the worst parts of humanity. However, it needs to be done well.

I will not write:

Any form of violence against women for the sole purpose of furthering a man's story. Violence against animals or children. Sexual assault smut. All my smut heavily features enthusiastic and mutual consent

General things for readers

I am more than happy to talk about my work, I will give spoilers and talk about my process if you want. Just ask!!!

I have a tag list and I'm happy to add you but if you are inactive for five posts, I will remove you.

You are under no obligation to read my work so please do not struggle through anything.

This is a hobby and I do this for free, I do this for myself so I'm happy to receive feedback but please don't complain.

Comments and reblogs are loved and cherished.

Thank you for reading this far, I wish you fun on your journey through my blog.

[wetcatspellcaster]

I read the latest chapter of Honest Lie: it was devastating. I was smashed to the floor, it was incredible.

I loved the support group feedback.

Something I’m looking forward to is seeing how Rosalie deals with allowing Astarion to ascend. Rosalie’s straightforward ways of dealing with good things and bad things are something that I find difficult to comprehend - I think I personally am much more willing to compromise on good and evil for a person I love and a person I hate. I wonder if the party’s adoration for Rose is partially because she provides that strong moral compass that they all so desperately are looking for being

Good —————————- Power? Power!

(See companions vacillating between both spectrums, with Karlach being the exception, in my opinion)

And I do love Astarion’s cautiously made point, which (maybe? I feel?) that Rosalie hasn’t quite yet seemed to express fully in my reading - that people should be allowed to choose. There’s this line from a book that often resonates with me (I’ve put it below!! Please excuse my quoting another author at you, you being my respected and much loved author!) which states basically that choice is the most important thing to preserve, because it lets us choose to be whoever we want to be, which!! I love that BG3 seems to show us, that we persuade the companion but the companion makes the actual final choices!!

I’m super looking forward to the next installments!!! I enjoy reading so much your good and amazing works! Wishing you a great month ahead :)

“It was the right thing to do because it gave us choices. Having a choice is the most important thing.”

I’d heard that before. It’s a bullet-point line in the graduation handbook: As a general rule, regardless of the specific situation in which you find yourself, at every step you must take care to preserve or widen the number of your options. It hadn’t quite sunk in properly, but now it did. Having a choice meant being able to choose something that worked for you and whatever you were carrying and whatever you’d prepared. Having a choice meant you got to choose getting out.”

The Last Graduate, Naomi Novik

hey lovely, thank you for the message and feedback on the chapter, I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

I just want to give a quick reminder that Astarion doesn't Ascend in An Honest Lie! That is not my canon playthrough narrative and Pieces has the tagline 'Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence' for this reason. I only bring it up to put the lingering fears of any readers to bed, but also because it informs my response to your message!

Because, um, we've already *seen* the timeline where Rosalie gives Astarion full and free reign of choice... and that is, in fact, Pieces Still Stuck In Your Teeth :'))))

I totally get where you're coming from. I love that BG3 post that goes around occasionally being like 'I believe in supporting my friends' choices and BG3 really tests that by making my friends want to commit mass murder, become a God, kill a defenceless woman...' bc it sums up my feelings pretty succinctly. While in theory, I'd love a world where Astarion is given space to fix himself and then makes the choice a good Tav wants him to make, the fact of the matter is that if you do not make the (admittedly low DC) persuasion check, if left to his own devices Astarion will always choose to Ascend.

I've thought about that choice by Larian a lot. It's part of what made Pieces so compelling to me as a worst timeline, because that crucial moment seemed to become a perfect storm of 1. Rosalie doubting herself and her own values, choosing to put love first but in a way that is essentially, more self-sacrifice and self-effacement and self-doubt, and 2. Astarion losing a key source of support at the scariest moment in his life and suddenly feeling lost and alone. Rose doesn't speak to him once, past the flashback, in that timeline - she lets him take the lead.

So in response to your question, I operate on the belief, however subjective, that Rosalie's refusal to give in actually is what opens up more choice for Astarion, not the other way around. Because (as plenty of other meta posts that come before me have said much better than I could) he thinks the world works a certain way, and all his decisions are made within that matrix and the assumption that this is the only way the world works. Rose is offering a new model of behaviour - I'm not saying it's flawless, or even correct (it's mostly just autistic). It's just an alternative perspective that I believe (inevitably, as its author) is needed.

A secondary example of that, is him mechanising love in the Chapter 11 argument to try and get his way - he knows he can get people to do what he wants through sex, surely love is just a more powerful version of that? This is the way the world works. But Rosalie refusing to back down despite being in love with him, or love manifesting in a way that isn't immediate acquiescence, also challenges that perspective. It shows that sometimes love or sex or attraction isn't the automatic tool to a person's complacency, and that in fact sometimes love is actively working to better yourself, if you care about a person enough. Sometimes love/attraction isn't making the other person do something for you, but doing something for them instead.

I agree people should be allowed to choose... but sometimes people need support and also, to be quite honest, coaching to get through the most difficult times in their lives without turning into the worst version of themselves. That's not a failing of the person, it's just proof that things are easier when you have a support network. Astarion wants independence as freedom but I don't think independence as loneliness serves him, as it reinforces his worldview, of choices as survival and nothing else.

[swamp-chicken]

I try to stay out of fandom meta so I'll just say this: small fandoms are extremely fragile and they need to be nurtured. 1. blanket statements that criticize the entire fandom, when there are only several creators working within that fandom, can feel like personal attacks. 2. these creators are already working within an unpopular fandom and getting less positive feedback than those in more popular fandoms. for those reasons, a negative blanket statement about a smaller fandom (even though not directed to a creator personally) can have an outsized effect. creators reading this stuff have to fight not to take it to heart, and it can lead to them feeling discouraged. they may even stop creating within the fandom entirely.

I think people should be allowed to be honest about their opinions. I think people should be able to criticize fandom tropes and patterns. but when you are addressing a small fandom, please please please be aware that it can have a chilling effect on the fandom as a whole. if your goal is for there to be more fandom content to your liking, you will not achieve it. what will happen instead is that you will discourage the creators you do like.

if you want smaller fandoms to grow, if you want creators to do more interesting, more creative stuff-- encourage them! compliment their stuff! provide thoughtful feedback! give them fun ideas! if you have a critique of how someone's written, or how someone's portrayed-- make that critique, but make it clear that that criticism isn't indicative of the fandom as a whole. fandom can be such a fun, participatory space. why not participate?

[behindthewox]

Behind the WoX - introduction 📌

The purpose of this blog is to provide a platform to discuss WoX sites and raise awareness of issues that exist but seem to be ignored or mismanaged by those in charge of solving them. By making issues public we can add pressure on the leadership to listen to us, as users and community members, and make the changes we feel are needed in order to make WoX the best it can be.

If you have concerns or criticism regarding a WoX site it's always best to take it to a site leader and/or mugwump first. There is no need to point out their oversights or mistakes in public without first giving them a chance to fix it. As leaders they can, and should, expect to be questioned and criticised for their actions at times, but they still deserve a fair chance to learn about the issue and adress it before being publicly attacked for what could be a simple mistake. I will assume that attempts have been made before resorting to this blog.

If the issue remains after you've raised it with the people in charge and nothing seems to happen, that is when you can submit your concerns to the blog. (If it's an issue that is clearly not a mistake but something done on purpose and it should be obvious that it will have negative consequences, I'd say it's fair game to criticise though...)

_ _ _

KEEP IN MIND

§ This blog is a place for thoughts, opinions and feelings. Opinions, thoughts and feelings are subjective and aren't necessarily correct, factual or representative of the bigger picture. A person might be incorrect or misleading in what they express but that doesn't mean their opinions/thoughts/feelings are wrong or invalid. § One person's experience or interpretation of something can differ from another person's. Again: it might not be entirely accurate and correct, but that doesn't mean it's wrong or invalid. § Being offended or upset by something doesn't necessarily mean it was done in ill intent or aimed to insult or offend you personally. Objective, fair and constructive criticism is not an insult or offense.

(click "keep reading" for instructions, rules and information about submissions)

Submissions

On this blog there is a button which says "Say something!" where anyone can submit their own posts, either linked to a tumblr account or anonymously. The feature is technically for asking questions but on this blog we accept pretty much anything you want to say or share so don't feel restricted by Tumblr's wording.

SUBMISSION RULES

Submissions that don't follow the rules may be published with edits, or not published at all. If you don't want your submission to be posted publicly on the blog, please make a clear note of it! Start the post with "DO NOT POST THIS" in all caps so I won't miss it by accident. I may decide NOT to post your submission, or save it and post at a later point. This is mainly to keep a steady and cohesive flow of content.

You are responsible for what you write. I may be the one posting your words (I take responsibility for that part of the process) and your words may not be traced back to you, but you are still responsible for the consequences they may have.

Unless you specifically request that your submission is not to be posted, remember that your submission may be posted and made public for a wide audience. If published, anyone can see what you've written. Consider the potential risks and consequences of this before you post anything.

Try not to be rude. We all have feelings and sometimes it makes sense to express them freely, but sometimes it doesn't. I try to avoid insults, and so should you.

For negative feedback and/or sensitive topics, please avoid using names and use positions instead (e.g. "teacher"). If necessary, I will edit out names and any specifics that could make the person identifiable, but I appreciate if you do it for me.

If applicable, try to back up your statements with sources and/or arguments.

English, please. I'm not gonna share submissions that I don't understand myself.

Wanna submit anonymously but still separate yourself from all the other anons? Sign off with an animal of your choice (example: Best fishes! / Anonymous Fish)

_ _ _

EDITS

Sometimes I post submissions in edited form. I try to keep my edits minimal and do my best to make sure the submissions retains its' original message. Edits are entirely due to practical reasons: protecting anonymity and integrity, avoiding unnecessary drama and insults, and in some cases simply to shorten down submissions to make them more manageable.

[text] = replacing (or rephrasing) original text [-] = one or more words have been redacted [/] = one or more sentences (in some cases paragraphs) have been redacted

On occasion I might use quotes from submissions, in which case I'll use quotation marks and sign it off with your name (if provided) or simply "anon".

I save all the original submissions, as well as submissions that I don't post, in case I need to go back to it later on. If you wish to retract a submission, feel free to make contact with me and request a removal. As long as the request isn't impossible or extremely unreasonable I will respect your wishes and integrity to the best of my ability.

_ _ _

I, Fish, am an amateur: I don't have any training or instruction manual to follow, I'm learning as I go along and I like to try different approaches to see what works and what doesn't. I've messed up a few times and there are things I regret with this blog, but that is part of the process.

I do my best, and but I acknowledge that sometimes that's not good enough. I can't change that, all I can do is learn and try to do better. By all means, judge me by my mistakes, but please try to see the difference between mistakes and intent.

[fereldanwench]

So I've been kind of wondering for the past couple of months if doing a revamp of my posing/photomode guide for AMM would still be a worthwhile endeavor.

One of the main reasons I made it was because back in the day, posing NPCs (especially any that didn't have the generic male locomotion) was not the most straightforward thing to do, to say the least. But when AMM got the major update that had poses built into the menu, I wasn't sure if it would really be needed in the same way, which put it pretty low on my list of priorities.*

*That guide was also very time-consuming to put together, and while I was happy to do it because I like sharing and organizing information, the main reason I was able to dedicate so much time to it was because I was unemployed. Which, both thankfully and regrettably (lmao), I haven't been for a year.

There are still some quirks with how poses work in AMM (like the way the poses reset if you unfreeze or move a character), but my guess is that it's probably a lot more accessible and a lot less confusing now than a year ago.

I think the support and development for PMU have also done a lot to make posing/expressions (especially for V) way easier than it was in the past.

But it's possible that all of this just seems so much easier to me because I've also been at it for a while now. I don't really feel like I have as much of a beat on where folks, especially newcomers, are with this stuff anymore--Maybe it still feels really overwhelming and incomprehensible.

So, to get to my point: would folks find an update/revamp of that guide beneficial?

I think if I did do one, I would probably streamline it a lot--It would probably just be a refreshed version of the little practice scene to use some spawned NPCs, lights, and maybe a decor item; I think that was what most people used in the current guide anyway. I wouldn't go through explaining how to install AMM, each menu tab in detail, locomotion stuff, etc.

I've also kind of gone back and forth on doing a couple of video tutorials. They'd be a lot easier and quicker for me than writing out step-by-step instructions. But, I know for me personally when I'm learning new processes and software and whatnot, I prefer text over video--Not sure if I'm the minority here.

Poll here for quick feedback, but if anyone wants to share any specific thoughts, questions, struggles, etc., feel free to reblog/comment to do so. (I might not respond to everyone, but I'll definitely read any feedback.)