#seeing your posts on my dash is always a delight

[alintheshitposter]

3, 17, 27 🥺👉👈

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Puh, da ist es mega schwer, sich auf eins festzulegen, weil ich auf keins ganz besonders und doch irgendwie auf alle generell stolz bin. Ich bin stolz, dass ich so viel geschrieben und veröffentlicht habe, ich bin stolz, dass ich Ende September/Oktober fast einen ganzen Monat lang jeden Tag ein Drabble geschrieben und gepostet habe, ich bin stolz, dass ich so viele verschiedene Pairings und Charaktere geschrieben habe, ich bin stolz, dass ich das erste mal sowas wie Smut geschrieben habe und ich bin stolz, dass ich Teil dieser tollen Community sein darf, in der so viele Leute die Geschichten lesen, mir nette Kommentare schreiben und sogar Fanart zeichnen. Das alles ist einfach das größte Geschenk und macht mich sehr sehr glücklich :)

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

Definitiv Justus! Auf ihn kann ich so schön all meine eigenen Issues projecten🥴 Außerdem verdient er mehr Liebe und die will ich ihm geben <3 Honorable mentions: Skinny und Hugenay. Skinny, weil er so komplett anders ist als alle anderen. Und Victor, weil er Franzose ist und ich es sehr mag, ihn französisch sprechen zu lassen😌

27. What do you listen to while writing?

Entweder gar nichts oder irgendwas, was zur Stimmung passt. Am besten nicht mit zu viel Text oder so, dass man den gut ausblenden und sich auf die Musik konzentrieren kann. Bzw eben nicht drauf konzentrieren kann und die einfach im Hintergrund so mitdudelt. Viele Songs haben es nur in meine Top Spotify Songs geschafft, weil ich sie für das Schreiben einer Geschichte immer wieder auf Dauerschleife gehört habe. Ganz besonders in Erinnerung geblieben sind mir Till I See You Again von UNSECRET für On brûlera (Cotta/Hugenay) und Horizons Into Battlegrounds von Woodkid für Wasserdampfwolken (Justus/Bob).

[gimmick-blog-bracket]

Now for the final round!

@hellsitegenetics

I love them

I didn't know I needed to know that the weed-smoking girlfriends post was genetically a wolf, but I did, and I do. Also puts great stuff on my dash.

it’s so fun to be scrolling unhinged posts and then boom. an organism!

so many moths‼ also, unexpected comedy with some of the matches

perfect blend of silly and informative, and makes for an excellent punchline at the end of a long post. puts creatures on my dash. literally what more could you ask for

It's a really unique blog concept and a lot of times the results are pretty funny. It's great when the sequence matches the post content too!

Creatures 👍

Finds beautiful creatures out of the mess of the hellsite

Offers finality AND gives us a creechur.

I love them. English speakers talk like moths

If this blog wins, they could run the text of the winning announcement, and determine the post's genus and species!

They're also very good about tagging the type of creature depicted in the results, so as long as you mute tags of creatures you don't want to see, it's a very fun time seeing iconic legacy posts (and new submissions) being reduced down to a string of letters and assigned a random species of fish or moth or something!

uhh it’s cool

BLAST

There are so many weird bugs in the world

Yippee!!

If, as Haldane said, God has an inordinate fondness for beetles, then surely this blog proves that Tumblr has an inordinate fondness for moths.

Top tier blog as a geneticist, I love seeing obscure organisms and MOTH

Admin got rate limited after trying to blast the bee movie

the knowledge of biology to pull this off (i have taken one biology class in my life) and also the work to find all the strings honestly deserves quite a bit of praise

This gimmick blog has it all: science, pictures of animals, interaction with the text of other peoples' posts, interesting information, and a unique and fun premise. As a biologist, I'm rooting for hellsitegenetics to reach the end and take the tournament, because it is truly a standout among gimmick blogs.

If they win, perhaps this blog too shall become a cool organism :3

@hasgavlebockenburneddownyet

What's more happy holiday cheer than cheering on the destruction of a giant straw goat?

The birds may have won 2023, but I believe in humanity's capability for arson for 2024 <3

a vote for me is a vote for arson! This message was approved by hasgavlebockenburneddownyet

gavle is SUCH a public service and holiday feature

what's more tumblr than comical destruction and holidays?

sometimes you just gotta vote with your matchsticks

Bringing a cultural staple to tumblr since 2021

Arson is so much more fun

It would be really funny and ironic if it survives the tournament

you have no idea how much joy watching the chronicling of the gavlebocken brings me every year

hasgavlebockenburneddownyet provides an essential public service

always love seeing a bit of Swedish history on my dash 'Swedish bamboo season'

the goat account is peak gimmick blog

If I don't get to beat the goat then nobody does. -pointless-achievements

Never ask Tumblr to choose between lies and arson! The winner threatens by nature to rip apart the very fabric of our DNA!

goat statues made out of straw are exciting and interesting

I wanna see things burn

the goat is an essential part of tumblr culture and the goat blog is a sacred keeper of the tumblr high holidays

watching to see if the big straw goat has burned down each year is a true delight, something I never knew existed until tumblr and the blog dedicated to it

the incredibly focused nature of @/hasgavlebockenburneddownyet is what makes their gimmick superior.

Please guys bite gavlebocken

Look, I'm Danish. I was put on this earth to annoy the Swedes and vice versa, but even I voted for @/hasgavlebockenburneddownyet

gavlebocken is also such a fun name and this blog informed be about its existence, so for that I am grateful

hasgavlebockenburneddownyet is providing a vital service! Every year, people rely on their updates regarding the fate of our most beloved Yule Goat! How could they NOT deserve the win!?

sacred anti-corporate arson

a vote for gävlebocken is a vote for anarchy!

pls vote for them they're the funniest gimmick keeping track on the funniest phenomena in recent human history, like when i look at their acc i think to myself this is what tumblr was created for

the goat is the GOAT

HASGAVLEBOCKENBURNEDDOWNYET DESERVES TO WIN, I have them on post alert for a REASON

the holiday season wouldn't be the same without them

they do important reporting. Do you look at the news and be like 'the reporters aren't doing work they're just telling you whats happening.' Have some respect for the goat news

let the weird burnt sacrificial ritual of it all appeal to you

nothing makes my December more interesting, arson should win

doesn't barge in on other peoples posts which is always a good thing in my books. not a fan when obnoxious gimmick blogs turn a decent post into a garbled mess

[the-modern-typewriter]

Not an ask, I just wanted to tell you I love, love, LOVE your snippets. It always makes me happy to see a new post by you on my dash, then I know I'm in for a treat. I especially love your villains, they're so much more than just "the bad guy". I always find myself wanting to know more about them, even though they send a chill down my spine and I know I'd be terrified to run into them in a dark alley at night. Thank you for sharing your genius!

"Has anyone ever told you that it's a dangerous idea to walk down dark alleyways alone at night?"

The villain was well-concealed in the crisp evening, leaned slim as a shadow against the wall.

The air stank of a mixture of oncoming snow and the garbage bags piled up and threatening to spill. It wasn't, the hero thought, the sort of place that really suited the villain. They seemed the type best made for pristine conference rooms and expensive penthouse lairs. Spacious. Glittering. Cold, corporate monstrosity.

"Yes," the hero said. "But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of running into you, would I?"

"Is that what this is?"

"You don't think so?"

"I'm always a delight, but few fully recognise that facet of my personality. Most instead, should they choose to see me in a dark alleyway, walk swiftly in the opposite direction."

"Mm." The hero shook their head. "I admit, your general habit of instilling terror in everyone can sometimes overpower other impressions."

"But not with you."

"Oh, I'm crapping myself. Speaking of. If I aim my phone at you so I can see you properly are you going to hiss at me like a feral cat, eyes glinting, and scurry away? Or am I just going to spontaneously combust for daring to look at you? The rumours vary."

"No one would ever dare call me a feral cat, dear."

"Not in as many words. But you are sort of lurking in the shadows and stalking me, so I think its apt."

The villain snapped their fingers. A ball of light appeared shining at the tips, illuminating the few metres between them. None of the usual rats or cockroaches went skittering away from the villain's immaculate shoes, everything was eerily still, so the hero figured they (like most creatures) were smart enough to keep their distance. Vanish somewhere else, if they could. Hold their breath. Hide.

The hero eyed them and resisted the urge to move closer.

The villain offered a soft, mocking, snake-like hiss.

"You wanted to see me," the hero said instead. "At least, I assume that's why you're lurking outside of my workplace and doing the aforementioned stalking routine. You could come inside, you know. I don't bite."

"I do."

"You're not beating the feral cat allegations."

"If I came inside, your colleagues would pass out or start screaming. It would be a whole thing and I'm not working right now."

"Well-" The hero had no good answer to that. 'It would make my shift go faster' was not a good answer. "Anyway. My break is only ten minutes. What do you want?"

"To see you," the villain said. "Talking with you is a debatable experience."

"Wow, rude."

"You followed me out here. I was happy looking."

"Well, I wasn't just going to leave you to it!"

"Most people wouldn't notice."

"Good for most people," the hero huffed. "Do you want an autograph and a picture so you could take it away and maybe the photo would last longer than looking at me?"

"Yes, if you're offering."

The hero stared at them. The villain stared back.

"...I'm not offering," the hero said, after a beat. "God knows what you'd do with my signature."

The villain snorted. Their head tilted as they studied the hero, twirling their fingers idly, making the light shift and cast the world in strange uneasy fragments.

"Come to dinner with me," the villain said, after a long moment. "After your shift."

"I thought talking with me was a debatable experience."

"Yes. And I'm debating."

"Does inviting people to dinner normally work for you after you insult them?"

"Yes."

"Because most people are afraid to say no."

"Yes."

"No."

The villain smiled. At least, in the light, it looked suspiciously like a smile. There and gone in an instant. The hero couldn't tell if it reached the villain's eyes, cast in the alleyway gloom as they still were. It shouldn't have made a thrill run down the hero's spine, but it did.

"Another night," the hero said. "Maybe. When I'm not working."

"You're always working, be it here or in your adorable crime-stopping ways."

"Adorable doesn't win you any points either."

"I'm not trying to win points with you."

"But you're trying to take me to dinner. Why?"

"Novelty. I make a point to invest heavily in my own amusement."

"And I'm amusing you."

"You're...intriguing me. Whether you say yes or no," the villain said. "So entirely up to you if you want the free dinner or not."

"I can afford my own dinner."

"Is that why you're so skinny?"

"Again," the hero said, because the only other option was to be rendered speechless at the villain's audacity. "Rude."

"Politeness is for people too weak to say and do what they like. Dinner on Wednesday then?"

"They say you're horrifying. No one told me you were also insufferable."

"Well, most people are attached to keeping their tongues, so that's not really surprising." The villain continued, waving a dismissive hand, before the hero could possibly respond to that nightmarish gem of a comment. "They say you're generally brave and lovely, but five minutes alone with you already makes it clear that there's something desperately wrong with you or you would never have followed me here."

The hero spluttered.

"Death wish?" The villain asked curiously. "Adrenaline junkie? I didn't think you were especially stupid, but it's hard to tell watching you from the other side of the street."

"You really are something, huh."

The villain flicked the light off their fingers in the hero's direction in response. When the light reached them it didn't hurt, only popped like a bubble against their nose. They were plunged into darkness.

When the hero raised their phone, the villain was off the wall and right there in front of them.

The hero sucked a sharp breath, eyes going wide.

"As are you," the villain said. "Most people would have flinched."

The hero swallowed.

They felt suddenly infinitely aware that the silent darkness was also beneath the villain's power, as much as the light was, swallowing up every inch of space around the two of them one way or another. Who knew what was the villain's and what was just there.

Dangerous to walk down a dark alley indeed, as if it was the dark or the alley that was the real problem.

The hero had never felt so damningly alive.

"Wednesday," the hero said. "Tell me where to meet you."

"It's a date."

The rest of their shift passed in a blur.

[catgirl-kaiju]

i have a transmasc friend who has been feeling really bummed recently that he hasn't seen much in the way of transmasc positivity on his dash, and i see how much it impacts his mood and self esteem. i care about him a lot, so i want to do a little something to maybe help raise his spirits a little bit:

share some memories of trans masc folks you know or have known, who left a positive impact on your life!

i'll start:

here's to a boyfriend i had years back! he was a very autistic demiboy with a reptile special interest and a love for aquariums! we'd go visit a small local herpatarium together, and he'd tell me all about the animals there. his excitement was contagious! he even had a pet snake who was so cute. we both loved Pink Floyd, and i really treasure the time we spent sharing music with eachother!

here's to a friend i had back in Texas! he was a really warm and chill dude, always so kind and patient. he loved his community and organized a local trans social group so that we could have something more laid back than a support group. he was a scholar in queer and jewish history, as well as jewish theology, and i learned so much from him.

i have a friend now who is a very kind and sweet guy. he's been there for me in some of my darkest moments and is a delight to be around! he is a very skilled cook and baker who helps make incredible food for our household. he has a passion for hair and has helped everyone in the house with cutting and styling our hair. he loves musicals, and i've learned so much about musicals from listening to him and watching movie musicals with him. i could say more, but i know this post is going to be long enough as is lol

[thecouncilacesideblog]

A little doodle, fan art for @wolfertinger666

Thank you for making so many beautiful queer critters. Thank you for helping to normalize accepting your body and gender presentation.

Thank you for being open with your struggles and joys.

Thank you for inspiring me to work on my own drawing/art.

It's always a delight to see your posts on our dash; we wish you nothing but the best.

With love,

A queer, disabled, plural amateur artist who is grateful to have come across your account

[causeimanartist]

(ssssshhhhhh dont tell anyone ...... but ur my absolute favorite batman artist ever <3 i think its bc u love him. its delightful

glad to see u posting more art!! ur bats makes me so happy haha :D no pressure to keep posting bc i want u to be able to make ur best art possible but ur art is bringing joy and delight and i always love to see it on my dash)

Your secret is safe with me

[hotwaterandmilk]

2024 English language manga releases I'm enjoying

Here are a couple of titles I've picked up in English so far this year that I've enjoyed. Most of these I read digitally in Japanese for one or two volumes a couple of years back, but opted to wait and purchase the English print versions for my collection.

I feel like all of these books are worth the purchase price, but don't have the energy to do individual posts for each of them. So here's a very smooshed together post covering a few 2024 reads.

GOGOGOGO-GO-GHOST! from Yen Press

Akechi Ushiro is a heavily flawed, hard-working woman whose disregard for her own wellbeing results in her coming face-to-face with her equally flawed guardian spirit, Masako. The pair decide to combine their forces and begin tackling the obstacles in Ushiro's life using curses.

Hiruzuka Miyako's darkly funny tale of a woman taking control of her life alongside her queer sister spirit is such a delight . Featuring a rough-and-ready art style that helps underscore the macabre elements at play, the entire first volume is scathing in its humour and unashamed in its portrayal of Ushiro's flaws. I was surprised when this one got picked up by Yen Press a while back, but so happy to see it enjoying a stateside release. If you're after something that doesn't always play nice, GOGOGOGO-GO-GHOST! might well be for you.

Edit: If you haven't read it before, this Japanese interview with Hiruzuka is worth reading for a bit more on her background and the creation of the series.

Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! (Akujiki Reijou to Kyouketsu Koushaku) from Kodansha USA

A sweet little fantasy romance between two individuals who find solace in one another despite being reviled by the general public for their interest in monsters. One loves defeating monsters in battle while the other loves cooking them!

Melphiera is a smart, capable heroine while Aristide Rogier du Galbraith is a dashing and supportive hero. The manga art is a bit low in detail, but the characters and story are absolutely worth your time. I'd love to see the LNs that the manga adapts in English someday too. I mentioned in tags before this whole series gives me the types of vibes I enjoy in historical fantasy romance novels, so if you like that kind of content this might be a good title to check out (or recommend to friends who appreciate romantasy but haven't tried manga before).

In The Name of The Mermaid Princess (Mio no Na no Moto ni) from VIZ Media

In a country where being "unhuman" or in some way supernaturally inclined is seen as a curse rather than a blessing, Princess Mio takes medications to suppress her mermaid-esque traits and please her father. Her perspective changes when Yuri, a tutor from her fiance's home kingdom, encourages her to be herself and embrace the things that make her different.

I've seen people say this is a bit too obvious in its parallels between fantasy oppression and IRL issues, but this is a Ribon manga for young girls so yeah it's on the nose but I think it works for the audience it has in mind. Tashiro Miya's artwork here is gorgeous and both leads are quite endearing (Mio is SO freakin adorable I can'ttttt). Overall a solid little series with nicely packaged volumes for those after something for a younger audience.

The Moon on a Rainy Night (Amayo no Tsuki) from Kodansha USA

A romantic slice-of-life tale featuring two high school girls, one of whom is a budding pianist (Saki) and the other a loner who is hard of hearing (Kanon).

I don't normally go much on high school romance but the way this series blends classic GL melodrama tropes with genuine issues in an earnest manner works for me. While we see things more from Saki's viewpoint as she eagerly tries to learn more about Kanon and tries to figure out her own sexuality, we do also come to understand Kanon's thwarted ambitions and the difficulties she has with letting people in.

Kuzushiro's art is quite whispy and cute, with all the characters tending to look quite well-realised on the page. While I prefer romances that feature a character with disability to centre their perspective, I do feel this does a decent job of portraying both girls as they try to navigate their deepening relationship. YMMV on this though, particularly if you are d/Deaf or hard of hearing.

Sketchy from Kodansha USA

Ako is living an unfulfilling life with a dull job and even duller boyfriend, but she suddenly finds herself thrust into a whole new world upon encountering a mysterious young skateboarder.

Sketchy, while ostensibly about women taking up skateboarding is more a snapshot of their individual lives and the role having a hobby plays once you're no longer a child. Ako's story particularly resonates with me (I literally worked her job at a similar age) but all the characters prove interesting in their own way.

Makihirochi's art is a bit more experimental than others on this list and may not be to everyone's taste, but I do think Sketchy is still worth checking out even if you're not entirely sold on the art (which I think has improved since I first became familiar with her work through Itsuka Tiffany de Choushoku o in Comic Bunch). Titles like this, which, let's face it, have low levels of mainstream appeal, don't often get English language releases so I highly recommend supporting this one if you have the opportunity to do so.

[antimatterz]

reverberating ruin

blade, seele, jing yuan, yanqing, dan heng (normal and imbibitor lunae separately), kafka x gn!reader

summary: how they react when you praise them after hitting high numbers of damage.

cw: self-aware au, just a short headcanon post

enyo's note: featuring my previous or current favorite dps characters. title is the achievement unlocked when you hit 300k damage. my dan heng favorism might show in this? tagging @hiraethsdesires <3

content under the cut | masterlist

blade

it was in a boss battle that blade suddenly struck the highest number you'd ever seen from him. as you yelped in surprise, he just looked at you weirdly, as if to ask, what's the matter?

you point at the screen, which adds to his confusion only more. did he do something wrong? he couldn't imagine; he served you as he was supposed to do as your main dps.

"bladie!" you exclaimed. "you– that was insane!"

insane? what was insane?

you gushed, "i thought this damage only existed in streamers' videos. you're the best!"

he would never admit it, but his immortal heart fluttered a little when your words of praise landed upon his ears.

"i just did what i'm supposed to do," blade huffed as he folded his arms and averted his gaze away from the screen.

he tried so hard to act unaffected but your words do something to him. his mindset is void of any positivity, so the feeling is quite foreign to blade. it had been ages since he last experienced something like that.

please praise this man more often!

seele

it was just a normal battle in the overworld. nothing special, no special buffs or whatsoever. as your opponents gathered afore you on the screen. seele pariently awaited her turn before she dashed off with her insanely fast attacks.

merely a single strike, but a huge number flew across the screen. your jaw dropped and you squeaked her name in delight. seele shot you a sideways glance but continued battle, and only when every foe is down, she asked you about it.

"you did a massive amount of damage!" you gleefully told her. "i'm so proud of you, seele!"

her purple gaze widened upon your words, and she opened her mouth to say something but words didn't come out; you severely caught her off-guard with your praise.

"it's nothing," she sputtered. "it's just my duty."

she actually got shy, not something that occured a lot.

acted indifferent but was quite happy with your praise.

jing yuan

in a boss battle, he was playfully showing off without making it known to you – but yes, occasionally he liked to show off just for you because he enjoyed the way you gushed over him.

accompanied by the lightning lord, he caused a huge number to fly across the screen, making you gasp in awe.

"aeons, jing yuan," you said. "you're so strong."

he put up a humble act, hiding his smile because he knew he was strong. regardless, he loved being told so by you, which is why he tried a little harder sometimes.

"only for you," he shot you a playful wink.

continued battle even more fiercely, and while he was fully aware of the high numbers he hit, he loved to hear you praise him for it.

it was kind of like a game to him.

getting praise as he effortlessly hit numbers with more digits than you were used to. what more could he wish for? notice the satisfied smile the sleepy general wore as he fought your battles.

yanqing

the boy always tried so hard for you, never satisfied with his peformance. always eager for battle, only to be disappointed with himself when he deemed his damage unworthy.

so when you suddenly let out a squeal after he one-shot an opponent he haltsled his movements mid-battle. he gazed at you through the screen curiously.

"what?" he asked.

"yanqing!" you giggled. "did you see that?"

"see what?" he inquired, not quite getting it.

"that was a bizarre hit! you literally one-shot that dude," you chimed. "thank you, you're amazing!"

"i–" the boy began, cheeks flushing red. "it's uh, it's nothing. i'm just fulfilling my duty."

"that doesn't make it any less cool," you countered. "i'm proud of you, yanqingie. you did well."

aeons, he was so happy, but tried to play it off coolly. but after your words of praise, he tried even harder and harder, now with newfound motivation.

please praise him more often, so that he could finally feel proud of himself as well!

dan heng

honestly, you weren't sure what to expect from a free character. that couldn't be too good, right?

but dan heng proved the opposite multiple times already with numbers that reached higher and higher.

until he suddenly hit a number so high that it had you yelp in surprise upon seeing it fly across your screen; was dan heng really capable of hitting such numbers? well, apparently he was, and you were delighted.

"dan heng!" you exclaimed. "did you see that?"

"i did," he calmly replied. "what's the matter?"

"that was an insane number!" you explained. "aeons, you're amazing."

at this point dan heng's cheeks flushed a little bit, but he tried to hide it. "it's simply because you gave me a good build."

you tried to praise him, but he turned it right back towards you. that wasn't part of the plan? you got a little flustered as well.

"i just got lucky while farming for relics," you shrugged it off. secretly you just put in a lot of extra effort because you liked him, but that was your little secret.

dan heng (imbibitor lunae)

you had been pre-farming for him for quite a while, mainly to have good relics ready for him. you managed to create a build you were quite proud of and as soon as he came home, you equipped them.

beforehand you had heard great things about imbibitor lunae, and you were eager to see him in action now that he was built and leveled.

well, he instantly hit amazing numbers right off the bat and it left you speechless. you simply squealed in pure glee because ??? you just got him and he already outdid all your previous dps characters in terms of damage.

"oh my god, you're awesome," you impulsively chimed with a little too much enthusiasm. you clasped your hands over your mouth but dan heng offered you a faint smile, amused by your happiness.

"i merely do what you expect me to do," he explained. "i don't deserve your words of praise, but i am grateful regardless."

"as long as you know that i'm super happy with you," you told him with a smile. "you're a gamechanger."

you already loved dan heng in his normal form, but in his vidhadyara form he was even more amazing – you instantly had a new favorite dps, and you would make sure that he knew how happy you were with him.

kafka

when you pulled for her, you never expected her to take on the role of a dps. but from the start she hit quite some large numbers, while you thought of her as only a debuffer.

well, jokes on you, this lady is strong.

equipped with both a gun and a sword, she took down opponents with ease, and you can't help but gush over every defeat. and she knew how you reacted, shooting you a coy grin often.

you didn't even have to voice your praise; it was all over your face, your entire demeanor. and it spurred her on to do even more damage.

"you're so–" you began, but she cut you off with a smile.

"i know, darling," she said coyly. "you simply make me want to my best. you're adorable, after all."

you tried to praise her, but she threw it right back at you and you ended up being quite flustered. but secretly she loved it when you spoke so highly of her.

it went so effortlessly. and aeons, did she look good while fighting. numbers flew across the screen, leaving you stunned. well, that's kafka for you.

[surely-sims]

SMALL SIMBLR SATURDAY SHOUTOUTS !!

AKA an excuse for me to yell about how much I love these incredible free CC creators and throw flowers at them.

@lumenniveus - LxN CC 🌹

LxN makes some of the most interesting, whimsical, and creative CC that i think the community at large is so lacking. Every time I load up his CC In my game I find myself smiling and laughing at all the love and little jokes he includes. Please Please Check out his stuff if you haven't already. I think he might be the most tragically slept on BB creators.

▶ Check out LxN Here!

@hamsterbellbelle 🌸

HamsterBelle is one of the most brilliant creators I've come across in this community. Not only is she crazy smart and makes some of the coolest cyberpunk CC I've ever seen, she is also a mind blowing builder and takes the time to write out some incredibly helpful tutorials. I've learned so much from her whether she knows or not haha. 🐹💖

▶ Check out HamsterBellBelle here!

@nolan-sims 🌼

Not only is Nolan a goddamn pillar of this community for many years but she's also an incredible, sweet, and wonderfully talented creator and friend. Her CC is always so well thought through, completely original, and lovingly detailed. We definitely don't deserve her. 😭💗

▶ Check out Nolan here!

BONUS ROUND: 💐

All these creators are amazing and I would carve their names into the stars but ya'll would shoot me if this post kept going and going down your dash that long.

⭐ @gilded-ghosts Amazing amazing vintage CC, thoughtful, beautiful original meshes and textures. ( X ) ⭐ @myshunosun Myshuno deserves all the hype and praise her CC gets. She's an absolutely lovely human and has saved my ass once or twice too. ( X ) ⭐ @dallasgirl79 DallasGirl makes the best heels your sims will ever wear. Hard stop. I will not be taking questions at this time. ( X ) ⭐ @doctorsimcraft A dear friend, an amazing writer, builder and maker of delightful vintage Build/Buy CC too. ( X ) ⭐ @vyxated HOLY FUCK. Vxyated is crazy intelligent. Their work with CAS rooms and now the new Rig Plus Helper is mind blowing. ( X ) ⭐ @adjusted-karma ( X ), @simmireen ( X ), @herecirm-warcry ( X ), @rebouks ( X ), @madebycoffee ( X ) Beautiful people, beautiful poses. Also Ireen runs @ts4-poses which is a goddamn godsend to this community. ⭐ @twentiethcenturysims ( X ), @chere-indolente ( X ) Fantastic Historical CC from two very good eggs. ⭐ @jellymoo ( X ), @laeska ( X ), @xldkx-cc ( X ) Three lovely and fantastically talented CAS creators that put a ton of thought and effort in going the extra mile with their CC and it absolutely shows. ⭐ @awingedllama Anna is smart, skilled, and deserves all the flowers she's gotten this year. We really do love to see it. ( X ) ⭐ @kamiiri Some of the best hairs that have ever graced my game. I am actually obsessed. ( X )

If I missed anyone I apologize, but please know every single free CC creator makes my heart grow a little bigger every day. 💖 And to my fellow Creators, Storytellers, Simmers - Go make weird shit, make something that makes you laugh, make something that brings you joy. Cause y'know what? That joy bleeds into your work and we can all see it and feel it. That joy is infectious and special and THAT is what makes this community worth being a part of.

xo, Anne 🦐

[angelicaether]

Redacted Appreciation

I’ve seen a few posts like this going around but it’s always in the context of “popularity” which just feels like a way to divide the community instead of uplifting each other. So instead of sharing who I think is “popular” in the community I figured I’d share some people who inspire me to create ^^

These are in no particular order and if you want a more comprehensive list of fic authors/artists to check out I recommend looking at @autisticempathydaemon 's recommendation lists.

@litlkim - One of my favorite Redacted people, a dear friend, and one of the OG lore keepers!

@ryoko-san - Eve is one of the first RA artists I ever came across and getting to see their OC development and AUs is so fun!

@zozo-01 - A wonderful fic author and all around lovely person, highly recommend

@spookybeandoodle - She has one of my favorite Alexis designs and is a joy to work with for comms!

@pinksparkl - Genuinely one of the nicest people I've ever met with some of the best fics to boot.

@deviarisa - Super sweet and super creative! Always love hearing her ideas!

@lovelylonerliterature - One of my favorite fic writers in the community, and always a pleasure to talk to!

@androgynouspenguinexpert - My dear beloved friend and a wonderful artist! I love seeing traditional work with her designs!

@gingerbreadmonsters - Another wonderful author, super unique ideas, always beautifully executed!

@frenchiefitzhere - Ms. Marie herself, one of the sweetest people I think I've ever met in my life! Her songs are always a delight!

@thefablefoxart - Another wonderful artist! Fable's David was the first design of him that I ever really latched onto!

@ejunkiet - A great fic writer, her Imperium fics are so so good!

@teafairywithabook - Another wonderful author, super creative, and a great person to talk with!

@mars-mell - Mars' Goobers live rent free in my brain all the time, I love seeing these little guys on my dash.

@belovedbow - Bow's style is so romantic and I love their work so so much. It's lovely!

@stardreamers25 - Super cute art! They have this adorable Sam/Darlin' piece that lives rent free in my mind!

@sylentnights - Another great artist, I adore their Ash design its so friggin cute!

@agentplutonium - If you want a good Milo fic, Pluto is your go to and it's tasty every time

@sainthowlzon - A wonderful artist, their listener icons are so fun and their scribble dolls are so cute!

@nortyourself - My dearest friend, a wonderful artist who's drawn such a fun array of characters, but their Hush design is top tier for me!

@replaycamera2 - The other OG lore keeper! Chloe is truly a foundational member of the community and she helps keep us canon compliant whenever we need help

@dominimoonbeam - One of my favorite fic authors, I adore their fics and I'm excited to dive in to their original works soon!

@mr-laveau - Super talented artist! Their stylized work is so fun and recognizable and I love their designs!

@penncilkid - Another dear friend, their rarepairs are so good and always have so much thought behind them + they're always ready to encourage other people's creativity!

@autisticempathydaemon - Lexi Sun is so creative, her match ups and busybee pairings are so fun and she's put together great rec lists for the community, also a delight to talk to!

@cashandprizes - Lexi Moon is one of the nicest, most creative people I've ever spoken to and she is so ready to help unleash my nonsense at any time

@your-local-mom-whore - She's about to make her fic debut and y'all don't want to miss it! Lucy is one of my most beloved friends and mutuals and always encourages me creatively!

@sincerelywhistler - Another super recognizable artist, Whistler's art is so fun and unique and they have a ton of really cool OCs!

@pycth - And last but not least, the illustrious Pycth who I have convinced to draw David more times than they would care to admit but it's so fun every time! Plus they jumped on my silly AU nonsense so fast and I love it.

This is by no means an entirely comprehensive list but these are the people that I've had the pleasure of talking to or interacting with and they're so lovely, I really recommend taking a look at their work! Like I said, most of the posts I've seen along these lines have been about popularity and I just don't think that's a great mindset to have. Instead we should be uplifting each other and sharing each other's work! Fandom isn't about popularity, it's about community!

[ladykailitha]

Sweet Surrender Part 3

Hello and welcome to third chapter in this delightful sequel. Which the second part got a little overshadowed by my bouncer!Eddie and Drunk!Steve post so if you missed part two you should go back and read that.

Steve and Wayne have the chat, Eddie's friends realize they're assholes and Eddie learns some valuable info.

Part 1 Part 2

****

Waking up next to Eddie was like slowly coming out of a dream and finding it to be true. He kissed his boyfriend’s temple and pulled on his jeans from last night. Not even bothering to try and find his underwear. He just needed to pee.

He dashed to the bathroom and relieved himself, his bladder nearly to bursting. He relaxed as his need emptied out.

He zipped up his pants and washed his hands. Smiling at how much Eddie’s presence was marked clearly here as well.

Not like his house. He barely looked like he lived in his bedroom, never mind the bathroom. The only indication it was used was if you actually opened the medicine cabinet or any of the drawers. His shampoo and other hair care products were kept out of sight. No point handing strangers ammunition, his mother always said. If they knew which toothpaste you used, then you know they’ve snooped.

Steve dried his hands and walked out of the bathroom to find Wayne leaning up against the counter with a mug of coffee in his hands and bacon frying on the stove behind him.

“I can’t say I’m surprised to see you this morning,” Wayne huffed when Steve froze at the sight of him. “I am surprised that you managed to escape his grasp, though. That boy can be tighter than vice when he decides to make you his teddy bear.”

“He starfished.” Steve smiled shyly.

Wayne barked out a laugh. “That must mean he really trust you to spread out like that.”

Blush darkened Steve’s cheeks. “I haven’t slept that well in years. If I hadn’t drank so much hot cocoa, I probably would be still in there with him.”

Wayne hummed thoughtfully. He turned around and flipped over the bacon. Steve looked back at Eddie’s room and then back at Wayne.

“Um...” he muttered, pointing down the hall. “I should get back there so he doesn’t think I tried to sneak off.”

Wayne glanced over his shoulder with a smile. “So you are serious about my boy.”

Steve ducked his head. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” he said firmly. “If you boys aren’t up in a bit, I’ll put breakfast in the fridge for ya.”

Steve nodded and walked back to the bedroom. He shucked off his jeans and climbed back into bed with Eddie.

Immediately, Eddie reached out and drew him in close. “Where you go?”

Steve kissed him fiercely. “I didn’t mean to wake you, baby. I just needed to pee. I wasn’t expecting your uncle to be awake yet.”

Eddie hummed into the nape of his neck. “It was the voices.”

Steve frowned in confusion. “Oh! When Wayne and I were talking? I’m sorry we woke you.”

“Is okay,” he said nuzzling Steve’s collar bone. “It was a sure sign you were still here.”

Steve kissed him fiercely. “That’s what I was trying to avoid. You thinking that I had snuck out while you were sleeping. But I really, really need to pee.”

Eddie chuckled. Steve ran his fingers through Eddie’s hair and kissed the top of his head.

“You’re car being here would have been a pretty good indication you were still here, Stevie,” Eddie murmured.

“Oh!”

Eddie lifted his head and looked up at him, bleary-eyed. “Huh?”

“I should have realized Kas was you sooner,” Steve said, snapping his fingers. “Only you call me Stevie.”

Eddie smiled and then kissed him deeply. “You got there in the end, though and that’s the important part.”

Steve’s lips twisted into a grimace and he scoffed. “Please tell that to Dustin and his friends please. They seem to think that just because I’m older I have to get everything immediately.”

“Will do, sweetheart,” Eddie said and then kissed him deeply.

Steve looked up at him in opened mouth amazement. “Wait, really?”

“Yup!”

He flopped on top of Steve and folded his arms on his chest, putting his chin on his wrists. “I have small confession to make.”

Steve craned his neck to look down into Eddie’s eyes. “Yeah, what’s that?”

“Me and my friends made up the bulk of pink hearts,” Eddie muttered, his cheeks flushing with shame. “We were trying to get the bullying to stop without placing a target on your back by throwing your lot in with ours. And it worked. So, yeah. I wanted you to know that.”

Steve cupped his cheeks and whispered, “I’ll let you in on a secret of my own. I knew that, too. When Dustin was helping me with the name references, we figured out the pattern pretty quickly. Though we did applaud you guys for changing up your handwriting.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Steve kissed his forehead, the one place he could reach and said firmly, “Because while you guys started as the bulk of the pink hearts, by the beginning of the second week, they weren’t.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide. “No shit?” Steve nodded. “So our plan worked?”

“Yup.”

Eddie surged forward to kiss Steve hard on the mouth. Steve wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him up to gentle the kiss.

“But you said that you didn’t think people were ‘stuffing the ballot box’,” Eddie said worrying his lip between his teeth.

Steve shook his head. “I didn’t think that then, but after I went over to Dustin’s on Saturday, that’s when we figured it out. And then by Valentine’s Day, it didn’t matter because other hearts far outweighed the ones your friends made.”

“Please say ours weren’t the super awkward ones,” Eddie whined into Steve’s neck.

“You weren’t,” Steve said. “Even Dustin thought the groups of four had the best compliments. The others were bad. One of the anonymous ones waxed on about my dick, so...”

Eddie burst out laughing. “Oh god! I bet it was Tommy.”

Steve joined in with the laughing.

Once they had settled back down Eddie asked, “You want to get up and have breakfast or do want to cuddle some more?”

Steve hugged Eddie tighter and settled further into the blankets and pillows. Eddie chuckled.

“I like the way you think, baby.”

“Good.”

****

“Senior Ball?” Jeff asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste. “Like the only one of us who is a senior is you and you’re technically a super senior. So, like why would you want to go?”

The Corroded Coffin boys were at band practice when Eddie brought up the topic.

“He wants his rich, fancy boyfriend to take him,” Gareth said, clutching he hands together and batting his eyelashes.

Eddie shoved him off the couch. “Fuck that, I don’t want to get hate-crimed, thanks.”

Brian tilted his head to the side in confusion as Gareth and Jeff shared a glance.

“Then why do you want to go,” Gareth asked, “if you can’t go with Steve?”

Eddie buried his head in his hands and sighed. “Because Steve has to go. He’s been nominated as prom king, but he doesn’t want to led a girl on. So his options are third wheel his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, go by himself, or go with a group of guys without dates as to not look awkward as fuck.”

“I’m guessing A and B are out?” Brian huffed.

Eddie just gave a half shrug.

“It’s just that we’re two juniors and a sophomore,” Jeff reminded him. “Don’t you think it’ll be weird for us to go?”

“You’re right,” he huffed. “It was a stupid idea.” He grabbed his guitar. “Let’s get practicing then.”

This time Brian and Jeff shared a glance.

No one said anything and just began band practice. But the rest of the band could tell Eddie’s heart wasn’t in it.

He was hitting all the right chords at the right times, but it had none of his usual flare.

Jeff and Brian watched Eddie bundled up his guitar without a word, as Gareth spun his drumstick over and over.

“I’ll catch you guys later.” Eddie didn’t even look them in the eyes as he got into the van and drove off.

The garage was silent for a while before Jeff spoke up.

“Ah shit,” he muttered, glaring at the floor. “I think he wants to be able to treat Steve like Steve treated him on Valentine’s day.”

Gareth snorted and began tapping a steady beat on the snare. He paused. “There is no way he can afford it.”

Brian’s head snapped up. “The basketball game.”

Gareth and Jeff turned to each other in confusion. But Gareth just shrugged.

“What about it?” Gareth asked.

“The players buy before the game,” Brian explained, “and then throw a huge party afterwards. Eddie makes bank around those games. I think he really hopes to get enough to really pamper Steve. Because how much do you want to bet that Steve has never been taken out on a date before.”

Gareth snorted. “He’s been on dates before. What the hell are you talking about?”

“No, no,” Jeff said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I think I get it, too. Everyone knows that Steve will go all out for his dates. After Eddie told us that Steve loved to plan things like stargazing and hiking up to Skull Rock, I thought I’d ask around.”

Gareth frowned and began tapping again. He stopped after a moment.

“Anyway,” Jeff continued. “I found out that he doesn’t like to do expensive gifts. Like if the thing you wanted wasn’t cheap, he wouldn’t bat an eyelash to get it for you. But he preferred giving shit like favorite flowers, milkshake dates, small well-thought out gifts.”

Gareth tapped against the bass drum with his foot pedal. “So what you’re saying is that Steve tends to do all the work in the relationship and Eddie wants to change that.”

“Yeah.”

Brian scratched his chin. “So it’s decided, we’re going to fucking prom so that Eddie can treat his boyfriend?”

Jeff and Gareth nodded.

****

Wayne knew something was wrong with his boy the second Eddie slunk through the door. Eddie was a lot of things, but quiet wasn’t one of them. So when he came in with his shoulders rounded and his head held down, that cinched it for him.

“Didn’t practice go okay?” Wayne asked gently.

Eddie just shrugged. He continued his slinking down the length of the trailer to his room, where he put away his guitar.

Wayne waited to see if he would come out again. And when he didn’t, he got up and walked the path his boy had taken.

When he peeked through the open door, he saw Eddie sitting on his bed with his lunch box out and opened on his lap. His expression was hard to read with his hair hanging over his face, but the tightness of his jaw and rounded shoulders screamed to Wayne that his boy was hurting something fierce.

He folded his arms and leaned against the door frame.

“Wha’cha got there?” he asked, jutting his chin toward the lunch box on Eddie’s lap.

Eddie sighed. “I know we can’t go as a couple to prom because they wouldn’t let us in, but I thought that just maybe the guys would go to and we just have a big friend group. Then I’d sneak Steve off to the drama room where he could still hear the music and we’d slow dance to a cliché pop love song.”

He ran his fingers through his hair and began picking through the box. “I’ve got about $70 and after tomorrow’s game with the amount of product I’ve got, I should have another $200 easy. I was going to show Steve that I knew how to romance a boy just as easy as he could. But now...”

“Your friends don’t want to go?”

Eddie shook his head. “They think it’s weird that they aren’t seniors or whatever.”

Wayne snorted and then coughed into his hand to hide his smirk. He looked up and licked his lips as he fought down a laugh. “I’m tryin’ not to laugh at your situation because it’s pretty shitty, but please tell me your friends aren’t that stupid.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked, tilting his head to the side.

“It’s not called Senior Ball, because it’s just for seniors, anymore that Junior Prom is just for juniors. It’s run by seniors for seniors. Seniors chose the theme, raise money, decorate, and vote for prom king and queen. Everyone is invited to come.”

Eddie looked up at his uncle, blinking in his confusion. “Wait, what?”

He scrambled to his feet and hugged his uncle tightly. He gave him a quick, wet kiss on the cheek and ran for the kitchen.

Wayne turned slowly in the doorway, clucking his tongue and shaking his head fondly. “The things they aren’t teaching kids these days.”

“Jeff!” Eddie cried gleefully into the phone receiver. “You’re never gonna believe what I just learned.”

And just like that the sullen creature that had slunk through his door mere minutes ago was gone, replaced by his very happy boy. He watched as Eddie talked animatedly to his friend using large arm gestures and crowing excitedly.

He got off the phone with Jeff and looked at Wayne with the biggest smile on his face.

“Apparently they talked about it after I left,” he said all dimple cheeked and sparkling eyes, “and they had already decided that they were going to anyway. They wanted to give me a chance to woo my Stevie.”

Wayne’s own answering grin took over his face. “Sounds like you’ve got a good group of friends there, Ed.”

Eddie bounced up and down on the pads of his feet excitedly. “Then I told him what you told me and that made their decision easier. We’re going to go thrift shopping this weekend for suits to wear!”

Wayne laughed as Eddie spun him around their small trailer. “I think you’re forgetting one small detail there, Ed.”

Eddie stopped spinning and tilted his head to the side.

“Don’t you have to ask Steve to the dance first?” he replied.

Eddie’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit! Yeah, I should get right on that, shouldn’t I?” He put his hands over his mouth to stop the nervous giggle from bubbling out of his lips. “What if he says no?”

Wayne took him by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. “He’s not going to say no. That boy thinks you’ve hung the moon and all the stars. He would love to go with you to Senior Ball. Now, take a deep breath and go call your boy.”

Eddie pursed his lips and then nodded.

“Yeah, okay.”

****

Part 4

Tag List: ONE SLOT REMAINING CHECK COMMENTS AND TAGS TO MAKES SURE NO ONE HAS SNAPPED IT UP BEFORE REQUESTING!!! THANK YOU!

1- @mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @spectrum-spectre

2- @slv-333 @zerokrox-blog @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson

3- @messrs-weasley @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv

4- @wonderland-girl143-blog @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @dam28lh

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @fullpoetrybread

7- @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @moonshadows-13

8- @skyewaytohell @swimmingbirdrunningrock @croatoan-like-its-hot @lolawonsstuff @lololol-1234

9- @dotdot-wierdlife @ravenfrog @dauntlessdiva @thelittleclare @steddieyourself

10- @w1ll0wtr33 @kultiras @sadisticaltarts @micheledawn1975

[smallraindrops-blog]

Sacred Ingredients

Zagreus/Male!reader 

Fandom: Hades (2019 game)

Word count: 3.3k

Summary: There was a new cook in the house

warnings: Implied reader death, no beta.

Notes:

The fic that is the reason yall have been seeing so many food posts lately.

This is the first response for the wholesome Zagreus x male reader request. I took my time with this since I wasn’t sure if I was following the prompt.

To the anon, thanks for the wait. If this isn’t what you wanted, please lmk and I will be happy to redo it. I do hope you enjoy this one.

Important: often people would use other names for the gods to avoid bringing unnecessary attention to themselves. Our reader is one of those people.

Enjoy!

~

One of your first memories was of your Mom holding a small bit of cake between her fingers. 

It was made of thin layers of dough, heavy with sheep cheese, crushed nuts and honey, so heavy with it that the dipping honey caught the sunlight just before you bit in.

Sweet. Creamy. Nutty. All combining together in your mouth as you chew.

You groaned in pure delight as she laughed, getting you a plate with a much bigger piece. See? I told you that you would like it. Mama is never wrong. Not with food.

Just like that, food had became your life. To you, there was no better way to say ‘I love you’ than by cooking someone a good meal.

You learned how to perfectly roast fishes, how to stuffed chicken, the right moment to add herbs or how to use olive oils or butter to add rich flavors to the dish. You learned how to knead the bread, how to time the rise just right and the best spots in the stone ovens to place the loaf. 

Food was everything. It was the bittersweet memory of your mama’s hand on your cheek after a sickness took her far too soon, it was a way to feed your family while working hard as a fisherman, it was a way to earn your place among warriors and kings. 

You loved all of it, even as the other men had scoffed at you for enjoying women’ work. However they never turned away a meal you cooked, at home or in the war tents.

The very last thing you cooked, a recipe your mama taught you, was a simple bread, meant for dipping in wine. 

Barley flour. Dry yeast from the grapes. Then you added the simple spice mix you came up with and always added in. The one that had people waiting outside for your bakery before the markets opened.

Parsley. Rosemary. Oregano. Garlic cloves smashed up and added into the bread, and just a little dash of salt.

You had set one aside for yourself for later.

You never got to eat it. 

~

When the news came that the terrifying god of the underworld was looking for a new cook, you didn’t hesitate.

To get a spot in the house of the gods was prime time. It meant respect, a place to live and most importantly it meant regular income. That was money you can send to your mama and sisters so they can get into a better area of Asphodel.

You had spent hours over the cake. 

You made sure that each layer of the dough was perfect, thin and flakey with a satisfying bite, that the cheese was the perfect amount of tangy creaminess, that nuts were crushed to the right size, that the honey was placed in the perfect spot to complement the cheese and nuts.

This had to work because your family worked hard to get the coin to order such things from the expensive shop of the boatman.

Even the neighbors had pitched in, with the promise that you will pay them back.

You took a nervous breath as you shifted on your feet, winced as the terrifying King of Below tossed aside the meal someone brought him, promptly dismissing them. 

“And another one bites the dust.” The sleep god muttered as he crossed something off a list.

He looked up, blinking heavy downturned eyes at them. You and the other commoners were careful to keep their gazes low, not willing to show any disrespect to any of the gods.

The gentle one huffed and gestured for the one before you to go ahead. You were up after this, assuming that the person before you didn’t have something amazing. 

The underworld King made a loud gagging sound and wordlessly dismissed the shade. Gentle one only clicked his tongue as he crossed out another line and shook his head, white curls flopping around. 

“Good luck, buddy.” He told you with a cheerful grin, using his quill to point to the desk.

Did the gods normally call people buddy?

With a deep breath, you went to the looming desk, feeling like you were meeting the fates themselves. 

“And what is this?” The King of those below growled, his haunting eyes locked onto you like a predatory bird. His hellhound shifted next to him, their three noses twitching at the food.

“This is a plakous, my lord.” You said, proud that your voice was stronger than you expected. “Made with wheat dough, rich honey-“

The King held up a large hand and you stopped speaking, fearing you had already lost your chance. A shade took the plate from you and brought it to their master. 

You held your breath as he took the first bite, your heart no longer beat but you swore you felt it in that moment, slamming against your chest. He chewed slowly and his bloody red eyes slowly went wide.

A hush fell over the grand hall.

Then the King did something he didn’t do with any other meal, he went back for a second bite.

After that bite, he peered down at you for a long, long time.

“Is this all you can cook?” His voice broke over you like thunder. You shook your head, your hands curled up nervously 

“No, my lord. I have created meals for kings and I can cook many things. Meat of all kinds. And bread, vegetables and so on.” You wished you were a more eloquent man, but that had never been needed before.

Not to mention such an education was beyond your reach.

And your food alway did the talking for you. 

The king took a third bite then tossed the rest to the hellhound, the animal eating in a single swipe of its tongue. The tail wagged once, thumping on the floor. 

The Wealthy One nodded slowly.  “You may start today.”

~

The kitchen size alone would have made your mama weep with joy. The amount of fresh produce, herbs and clean grains along with plenty of meat made your jaw drop. 

You clapped your hand together in thought then…You hit the ground running. 

There was an endless list of tasks to be done before the kitchen would be ready to open and you went through all the tasks with horse blinders on, determination fueling you.

The first meal you officially served Master was a few of salted and peppered trout with a garlic lemon sauce with butter and herbs along with a hearty lentils soup, warm sourdough bread for the soup and sauce.

You added a fresh cucumber salad along with a large plate filled with cheeses and fruits that would compliment the fish.

When the plates came back, clean of even a drop of sauce, you felt something loosen in your chest. 

~

Eventually you began to learn the house's routine and the many shades. You learned to always have some type of bread readied with olive oil. 

You learned what went fast and what you had to jazz up to get rid of. 

The most important lesson you had learned in life and one that remained unchanged even now was that most souls just wanted something that tasted like home. 

It was toward the end of the kitchen hours when you heard someone take a seat.

Even at this late hour and working alone, you weren’t one to turn away a hungry soul so after wiping your hands on your apron, you turned with a smile.

“Welcome! What can I…” your words trailed off, your eyes going wide as you realized who was sitting in one of the barstools.

The Prince of the underworld gave you an exhausted, crooked grin. There was a curious gleam in those mismatched eyes, the strong lines of his cheeks softened by the dim lights of the lounge.

He was inhumanly beautiful in the ways all divine beings were.

But there was something different to his handsomeness.

Unlike the soft loveliness of Sleep, the sleek grace of the Fury or the dark shocking beauty of Night herself, this god before looked almost moral like. It was his eyes that revealed his godhood. It was the power in his broad shoulders.

You were surprised by how much you liked it.

“So you are the new cook everyone is raving about.” The Prince said, leaning on his forearms to peer at you. You saw the strength in his arms, his quick grace as he moved. Strong and muscular with thick tendons upward from the knuckles. 

It was clear this god was a warrior of a sort.

Your eyes flickered down in embarrassment when you realized you were being disrespectful in your staring. 

“I believe so, your highness.” You said, bowing your head in a show of respect for his position. “How may I serve you?” 

“Honestly?” The Prince leaned, scanning the area behind you. “Whatever you have will work. The last cook we had working here would just give us sliced onions if we came in this late. Once he gave Hypnos a single apple peel for daring to ask for something else.”

He sounded amused, chuckling to himself at the memory. It was a nice laugh, deep and rich.

You couldn’t imagine being so rude to the gods. Your mom was a pious woman and even a quiet sigh during prayers would get you a disapproving look.

With a nod, you went to get the Prince his meal and drink.

Thankfully you had a leftover trout and tossed one onto the grill to cook as you prepared a bowl of cabbage for him, added in spices along with honey vinegar and silphium.

You had some bread and garlic cheese so you plated those as well with olives and grapes.

You decided to give him a rich red that most enjoyed, filling it up to the brim.

“Oh wow.” The prince muttered as you set everything in front of him and with a bow, you rushed back to the fish, flipping it over. Once it was ready with some garlic butter sauce, you brought it to him. 

“Please let me know if you would like for me to serve you more or cook something else for you.” You told him and the prince blinked at you, his mouth filled with bread and cheese. 

The prince waved a hand before you left him for his meal. He drank the wine deeply before placing it back down. You immediately refilled it. “This is plenty, my good shade. Thank you.”

With a respectful nod, you resumed cleaning up the kitchen. Counters got wiped down, supplies restocked but it wasn’t the usual relaxing routine it normally was.

You felt the weight of those divine eyes on you. The Prince was quiet as he ate but you caught quick glimpses of his curious gaze on the shine of the plates, or reflection in your knives.

It was only when the Prince left that you let yourself breathe.

~

Master liked large meals but only if they could be eaten quickly. The only thing you had been warned never to add was pomegranates. No one would tell you why.

The Gorgon, the creature was surprisingly sweet for all the horrible tales you heard of her kind, ate in a rush as well.

If you were smarter, maybe you could have made a clever joke about how the lowest server and the King of the Underworld ate the same way.

But one look into her smiling face held your tongue. She was always kind so you would be so in return.

The Fury was a regular companion of hers, requesting simple meals of fish and some types of roasted vegetables. Mostly she would drink deeply, often you would have a pitcher of wine put aside for her. 

Sometimes Dreaded Death would join her, unwelcoming to all and cool. He rarely ordered any food, his fingers drumming on the table sounded like funeral marches to your ears. 

His twin was the complete opposite, Gentle Sleep had a sweet tooth unlike anything else you have seen. Often he would ignore the dinner option altogether and eat slices of cake, candied figs or honeycombs. 

If you weren’t careful around the god, plates of cookies that were meant for the whole house would go missing around him. 

You still haven’t found the last two plates he stole from you.

And...

There was The Prince himself. 

He was a regular now, always sitting close to wherever your work station was that day. He also was the only one who ate anything you put on a plate for him, and would shove the meal into his mouth like a starving creature. You always made sure to give him larger servings.

“Tell me your name.”  He ordered you one day. His tone was deep, firm. Making it clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer.  “You keep feeding me delicious food, no matter the hour. And I don't know what to call you.”

Then he added with raised eyebrows, sounding more like a playful suitor than a Chthonic god. “Please?”

You considered it, your hands still on the bowl of the hardy stew just placed before the god. You stared at the stew for a moment, then at him.

Or just past him, not willing to meet the god’s eyes, life and death danced in those unusual eyes of his.

You were a moral, a simple one at that. 

You never picked up a sword, never learned all the fancy learnings that a prince might, never learned much beyond what you needed to but you knew names had powers, could decide whole destinies before a babe even wailed out their first cry. 

Names could summon the gods themselves.

Quietly, you told him.

The prince grinned at you, his smile fierce and beautiful like a victorious lion. Your breath hitched, forgetting that one was to never look the gods in the eye.

Then the next words he spoke early jumped started your heart into beating once more. 

“It suits you, my good cook. Call me Zagreus.” 

~

Later, alone in the kitchen, recipes laid in front of you, you tried to will yourself to focus.

Schooling was too costly for your family especially after your Mother’s death. Your reading went far as basic words and numbers, just enough to get by in the markets.

You never needed much. 

Right now, however, the recipes might as well be another language. 

You were too lost in thought, several times you had already caught yourself even daring to think The Prince’s name in your mind.

What would happen if you dare to…

Zagreus.

A soft noise came behind you and You whirled around, glancing everywhere as if expecting him to appear right behind you. 

He didn’t. 

You realized you heard the sounds of the Wretched Broker restocking his shelves. Thankfully, he was too busy to realize that the House’s cook had gone mad simply by learning a God’s name. 

Maybe you should start wearing a pot on your head.

“Zagreus.” You whispered, fingernails digging your palm nervously. “Zagreus.”

When the god didn’t appear, you didn’t know if you were disappointed or relieved.

~

Slowly, you learned more. 

There were the loud fights between Father and Son that would cause the house to rattle. Many shades would escape into the lounge, hands over their ears.

”Tell me, do you get along with your father?” Zagreus grumbled, his plate cleared of any crumbs. His legs were bouncing, filled with an endless energy you knew you would never be able to match. 

“No.” You said, not wanting to think of that man. You knew he was somewhere in the underworld but the less you knew, the better. “I suspect few do.”

Once, over a glass of white wine and a simple meal of sourdough bread and warm vegetable soup, He told you was looking for his mother.  

“You will find her. I know you will.” You told him quietly, holding his stare. “Have faith, Zagreus.”

Another time, over a cake from a new recipe you came up with, Zagreus asked about you. Maybe it was the exhaustion after a successful dinner rush but you told him everything. 

His smile was warm, his eyes watchful of your every move as you told him of your family and their new place you brought for them. 

Your cheeks flushed when you realized he was staring at you.

“I will have to stop by then.” He teased, his hand almost brushing against yours. 

“Yes.” You agreed in a whisper, your mouth suddenly dry.

~

“Cook me your favorite meal.” Zagreus ordered one day, not even bothering to sit down. You lifted a cool eyebrow, well used to his impulsiveness by now.  

“Hello, Zagreus.” You greeted dryly, wiping your hands on your apron, not actually that upset.

Not too long ago, you would have wilted from the thought of being so playful with a divine creature but things changed.

Zagreus brought it out of you somehow simply by being himself. 

“I am doing well, thank you.” You continued to teased despite his oddly serious expression.

Zagreus blinked, then chuckled with a bright grin. “I am a horrible influence on you, I fear.”

You laughed, cheeks flushing at his smile. “I am afraid so, your Highness. Now what is this about a favorite meal?”

“Yours. I want to know what your favorite food is.” 

“Oh.” You grabbed an apple, rolling it in your hands for something to do. Butterflies dancing in your stomach as Zagreus leaned in, his hands on the counter. This close, you caught the scent of copper.

unwillingly, your gaze tangled with his, caught like a fly in a complex web. A stray thought reached you, could a mere fly understand the geometric structure, beauty of such things?

You swallowed nervously. “It’s nothing special, Zagreus. Just something my mom cooked up for me.”

Zagreus narrowed his eyes, his jaw firm in his resolve. “Excellent, then. I trust you have all the ingredients you need?”

You nodded but opened your mouth to dissuade the prince from his idea, however he was already walking away, “I expect a meal to be waiting for me when I get back!”

~

One day, staring at a wooden spoon in your hand, cake batter dipping from the tip, you realized that Zagreus had became someone very, very dear to you. 

Morals and gods didn't mix together well. At least, not for the morals. Cracked eggs and spilled milk and all left would be a big mess with no one to clean it. 

What did it mean when a shade, a mere ghost of who you were, was in love with a god that shone like the sun, whose very presence made you felt like you were alive once more?

~

When Zagreus returned, his hair was still damp from the Styx river and you had to look away from his beauty.

Quietly, you put the final touches on your favorite meal. You swallowed nervously as you picked up the plate and went over to him. 

Thin layers of dough. Creamy cheese. Crushed nuts. Honey.

A long ago memory of your mom's smiling face as she watched you take a bite. Sunlight made her golden and immortal in that singular moment in your very heart.

You offered it up like the cake was a sacrifice, like you were offering yourself up to the god to make the final decision of the worth of your mortal soul.

“This is the first thing I can remember my mom making for me.” You whispered, your work rough fingers curled nervously against the counter. “This meal is what got me a job here. I got to know you because of this cake.”

Zagreus took a small bite, then closed his eyes in bliss. He said your name with a weight that you never heard before. 

When he looked at you, his expression gentle and hopelessly fond, there was no need for more words. 

~

When he kissed you for the first time, he tasted like home. 

[smallestapplin]

aaaaaa i just saw that you take stardew reqs!! i've been following for a bit but i NEVER get your posts on my dash i stg,,,

may i request some cuddles and reassurances for shane? i can't fix him but i want to just hold him and pretend I can,, can be platonic or romantic, up to you!

I love Shane, cause I'm depressed and self destructive too mf now get over here so I can hug you-

Romance is hinted and it's mutual but neither have confessed.

TW : just Shane having some self deprecating thoughts but nothing serious.

-

-

-

Shane has been doing much better in the months following when you found him drunk by the cliff side, you two have grown closer allowing you to watch how therapy continues to improve him.

Some days are better than others, but you're so proud of the improvements he's been making. But even then he still has some bad days, and those are the days he doesn't want you to see.

He feels so tired, so worthless, so useless, all he can do is lay in bed and rot.

He's watched his clock tick from 8am to 12pm to 5pm and so on, he just doesn't have the energy to get up, the fight he had been carrying just feels like a burden now.

He had been doing so good to, he's sure you'd be disappointed in him for slipping into a depressive state like this. Shane is so lost in his head he doesn't hear his bedroom door open or close, but he dos feel his bed side dip at the newly added weight.

But he doesn't bother looking up, afraid he may start crying, which is all the more likely when you so tenderly brush his hair from his face.

"Rough day today?" You ask, though you know the answer.

You smile at him, even as he finally looks at you with tear filled green eyes. Even now, you still look at him with such care and warmth, what did he ever do to deserve you?

You kick your boots off and lay down behind him, curling up against him with your face buried into the back of his neck and your arms around his waist. You know he will tell you when he is ready, but for right now you just want to distract him from his pain.

"You know my chickens missed you today, Jopeep was not happy when I was the one trying to give her pets, made this clucking sound that i swear sounded like she was sassing me."

You chuckle, your smile growing when Shane gives a small snort.

"And then Eggatha, bless her, hopped on my shoulder like she usually does, but kept looking around like a bird on a mission."

He can almost imagine your day with your flock, your chickens have always had such personalities it was a delight.

"I misssed you too, I was worried when you didn't stop by or answered my text, I figured you were sleeping. But I did bring over some stuffed peppers for you."

You sound so happy, like you don't mind being here with him while he's like this.

"You don't have to do all this." His voice is rough and gravely from not being used all day today, but it sounds so weak.

"I know, you make it sound like I do all this out of some obligation. You do know I do all this because I want to, right? You deserve some peace and joy, you've been through enough."

You're doing all this because you want to.

You help him practice the coping skills and thought processes his therapist has given him, because you want to.

You cook his favorite dishes because you want to.

There is no needing to.

There is no feeling pity and doing these things.

You want to.

"I like having you around, it's fun having you over at the farm and I get to see how many starws of hay I can put in your hood before you notice, I like our inside jokes, I like our time together, I like you and your company, even if you can't see it, it's there."

His body trembles, leaving him shaking like a leaf as he tries to hold back the tears that are already falling down his cheeks.

"But why, I'm not..." he trails off, letting out a choked sob, but that doesn't stop you.

"Healing takes time, it's a slow process and there will be days or times you slip back, to take a few steps back, but you're still working on it, you are still trying to change for the better. And i don't know if you have noticed, but even in two months of therpay you have changed, you seem happier, you seem livelier. You will always have rough days or even rough weeks, but that doesn't mean you're a failure."

Shane can't stop the sobs that leave him, he finds himself flipping around to hug you, buring his face into your shoulder to let it all out. You hold him tightly, gently shushing him and reminding him to breathe.

"I will be here no matter what."

You know your love won't fix his pain, but you know your support can help him feel more confident about going about it.

You want to tell him you love him, that you adore him and his dry sense of humor, that his gentleness with the chickens and Jas make your heart swell.

But maybe you will wait a few more months and see how he is feeling.

You know he means the world to you, even as he cries himself to sleep in your arms after muttering 'thank you's over and over again.

He deserves a safe place to feel happy.

And you want to be that for him.

[lady-phasma]

Hello!

I've been a follower for a while, love your HotD stuff, but just wanted to say I am DELIGHTED that you're starting to write for IWtV! There is a devastating shortage of lestat x reader imo lol, I'm buzzing to read the one you posted a snippet of! We all need some Lestat-flavoured hedonism in our lives. I love thinking how he'd be with an equally hedonistic partner who encourages him and delights in it as much as he does. All that to say, welcome welcome welcome we are so blessed to have you writing for this fandom!!❤️❤️❤️ your work is always wonderful and I'm always glad to see you on my dash!

-floof x

Oh wow! Thank you so much! 💕 Seriously, that is so incredibly kind of you to say. I'm thrilled that I could come into this fandom after my Tumblr hiatus. The timing was great.

Interview was my first fandom and my first fanfiction. Around 1994/95 (before I saw the film) I read as many of the books as I could get my hands on and then my pre-teen mind overheated with the possibilities. Not smut then, obviously, but pages and pages of notebook paper filled with romance and drama between Louis and Lestat then Lestat and Armand. Lestat has been and always will be my first love. Armand became my second in 1998 when his book came out.

There is a devastating shortage of lestat x reader imo lol, I'm buzzing to read the one you posted a snippet of! We all need some Lestat-flavoured hedonism in our lives. I love thinking how he'd be with an equally hedonistic partner who encourages him and delights in it as much as he does.

You are so sweet! Thank you again. But also, I agree 1000% with you about the hedonism! Here's what's in my head at the moment: the snippet (I can't find the post to link it here for other people because Tumblr search sucks) is from a Dom!Lestat x fem!reader that might be along the lines of what you're talking about with that lovely brand of hedonism, we'll see. I was also inspired to write a Lestat x fem!reader after the finale. I'm going to go with whichever has momentum. I also really really want to write a gn!reader for him as well at some point.

Alas, I can't write full time, so I'll do what I can. I try to honor these characters as much as possible and treat them with the utmost respect to how they are in the series (and books) because they are all very dear to my heart. I am so glad I could come back to this fandom as an adult and actually be part of a fandom. I didn't even have the internet when I start writing for them all those years ago!!

(Also, those who might be interested I have two Armand x gn!reader fics on my masterlist.)

[lazykatie]

What could’ve happened at Castlecoming Week (Part 3)

Pairing: Young Captain James Hook x Princess Bridget of Wonderland

You can find part 1 or part 2 here.

You can find the Aftermath of the Castlecoming Ball here (part 1, part 2, Part 3).

A/N: Credits to the person who posted this dress! I found it on pinterest :>

The night of the Castlecoming buzzed with excitement and anticipation. The grand hall is adorned in shimmering lights and lavish decorations, while the air was filled with laughter and music. The students, dressed in luxurious gowns and tuxedos, mingled together, but one figure stood out above the rest.

Bridget entered the hall in her deep crimson gown, contrasting beautifully with her pink bunned hair. Each step she took hinted at a subtle shimmer, the gown catching the light and sparkling as if sprinkled with stardust. Everyone couldn’t take their eyes off of her. Bridget, who always wore pink dresses with hearts embedded on them, now displayed a cascade of deep crimson silk adorned with intricate floral embroidery. Patterns of roses and delicate vines seemed to bloom from the fabric itself.

Despite her grand entrance, Bridget still found herself standing alone in the corner of the grand hall. She had already placed the treats that she brought on the snacks table and there’s still no sign of Ella. She quietly paced back and forth at the corner, starting to worry for her friend. “Ella’s never late,” she thought, “unless her stepmother and stepsisters have something to do with it.” 

Scanning the room, she spotted her curly blue-haired friend and called out, “Ella! Over here!” waving her arm enthusiastically.

“Bridget!” Ella said as she approached her. “You look great! I can’t believe you chose a red dress.”

Bridget smiled, a touch of playfulness in her voice. “Well, it’s a nice change, don’t you think?” She then complimented Ella, “You look gorgeous too. But, I thought you were going to wear your mom’s pink dress?”

Ella glanced around nervously before replying, “I ran into some problems, but someone helped me.” She looked out into the crowd, silently thanking Fay.

Their conversation was cut short after Ella spotted one of her stepsisters, “Bridget, just stay right here. I can’t let my stepsister see me here. I’ll be back later, alright?” 

Bridget nodded as Ella rushed to hide. Well, that was a bummer. She only got to spend a few minutes with her friend but that’s alright. “At least she still showed up,” she thought hugging herself. With the absence of her friend, it feels much colder. She felt the chill of the autumn air creeping in, replacing the warmth of summer.

Leaning against the wall, Bridget watched the crowd. She still couldn’t believe that she hasn’t made a single friend, other than Ella, during her one year of staying at Merlin’s Academy. She thought about Hook, wondering if their brief chats over the past two days made them friends. He liked her sweets but did he like her? The other students loved her sweets but not her. Just like in Wonderland, the people love their princess, but not Bridget. She couldn’t help but think that maybe Hook was right. She quickly discarded that thought and approached the table where her sweets were located. 

Just as she was about to grab a snack, a voice beside her spoke, "Enjoying yourself, Pinkie?" Hook's voice was smooth, with a hint of teasing.

Bridget turned, her eyes lighting up with surprise and delight. "Hook! I didn't expect to see you here," she replied, her smile warm and welcoming.

Hook advanced towards her, sporting an amused face. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” His eyes flicked to her dress. "Red suits you. Looks like you took my advice."

Blushing slightly, Bridget laughed softly. "I did. Thank you. You look dashing as well."

An awkward silence settled between them, broken by the music shifting to a slow, melodic waltz. Couples began to pair off, filling the dance floor.

Feeling a rare impulse, Hook extended his hand towards Bridget. "Care to dance, Princess?"

Bridget felt a surge of happiness as she accepted his hand. They moved to the edge of the dance floor, joining the swirling pairs. As they danced, Hook found himself strangely at ease. Bridget’s presence was soothing, her genuine warmth contrasting sharply with his cold exterior. But, he can’t let his guard down. He needs to complete the task Uliana had given. He needs to prove his loyalty to their crew, his friends. 

As the dance ended, the sea of students parted to reveal Uliana and her crew approaching.

“Hook, I didn’t know that Bridget is your date.” Uliana said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Bridget shook her head no, covering the slight blush on her cheek. “I’m with Ella. He just asked me for a dance.”

“And where is she exactly,” Uliana asked as she circled around Bridget like a predator.

“Well-” Bridget started, but Uliana interrupted after assessing her. 

“I almost forgot.” Uliana snapped her fingers. “Morgie, honey, the thing,” she ordered as Morgie handed her the cupcake in one of her tentacles.

“I’ve made you this cupcake. You know, to signify a treaty.” Her smirk never wavered.

“Ah! I made you some treats as well. Wait here.” Bridget said, rushing towards the snack table. She searched for the plate of treats, only to find it empty. Disappointed, she returned to Uliana and her crew, her head hanging low. 

“I’m sorry, Uli,” she murmured. “I thought I brought enough. But, I’ll make you some—��

Uliana cut her off, “That’s not necessary. All you need to do is accept my offering.” She extended her tentacle, urging Bridget to pick it up.

“Thanks. This means a lot to me.” Bridget took a bite, noting a funny flavor that she couldn’t put her finger on.

“It’s good, Uli. I didn’t know you baked.” 

Morgie chimed in, “Oh, you haven’t eaten the best part yet.”

Bridget took another bite, as anticipation built within the VKs. But nothing happened. Confusion spread among them—was Bridget immune to magic? Why isn’t it working?

Suddenly, Bridget dropped the cupcake, her eyes wide in panic. “What’s happening to me?” she shrieked. She clutched her throat, feeling something stuck. Her nose began to stretch, her back hunched, and her skin green. Her arms became all bones and hands stiffened as it became crooked. What happened to her?

She looked around in horror as Uliana and her crew cackled. Hook, standing nearby, laughed awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable.

Soon the other students noticed and joined the laughter. Their laughs, cackles, howls, she can hear them all. Bridget felt tears well up in her eyes as the crowd's laughter echoed around her. Their voices ringing through her head as she felt her world spin. 

Desperately, she searched for Ella, her friend, her solace. But, what she saw broke her even more. Ella didn’t notice, didn’t bother to look for her. It’s like she was bewitched by Charming, who was now dragging her out. Oblivious to Bridget’s suffering, HER suffering.

She doesn’t know what to do anymore. It’s like everything fell on her like a ton of bricks. She couldn’t handle it anymore. All she wants now is to be invisible. But that’s not possible, so she did the next thing possible… run. Run as far away as possible. She ran, pushing through the crowd, heading for the courtyard.

She felt a hand grab her boney arms. “Pinkie.” Hook called out softly.

“What do you want from me?” she snapped, her voice breaking

“I can help—” 

“Is this another trick? Did Uliana put you up to it?” 

“No. No, I—”

“You WHAT? Huh?”

“You approached me for the past two days to ensure Uliana’s revenge. Are you happy now?”

Hook hesitated, then replied, “Not as much as I thought I would be.”

Bridget shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I thought you were different. You told me things as they are. No sugarcoating. But just as I was starting to believe you, you stabbed me in the back.”

“Princess—”

“Don’t Princess me! I can’t handle it anymore! I, at least, thought that the past two days were the start of something new. But, you were just like everybody else—”

“Shut up for a minute.” Hook said, grabbing her face and leaning closer.

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Bridget slowly transformed back to her normal self. She looked up at Hook, confusion and gratitude in her eyes.

“You can go now.” Hook said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Why did you do that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“I don’t know either, alright? I just can’t stand seeing you look like a deflated balloon.”

Bridget’s heart softened, her tears slowing. “Thank you.”

“I’ll get going. The crew’s probably looking for me now. You should go too”

Bridget nodded, turning to leave. As she walked away, Hook called out, “Bridget, remember what I said before. But if you can’t do it, I’ll do it for you. Even if it’s against Uliana.”

Bridget paused, looking back with a determined expression. “Don’t worry, James. I’ll handle it,” she said, her eyes gleaming with newfound resolve, bloodlust.

~~~

A/N: How did I do? |･ω･｀)

This was longer than I had expected and I struggled to write it too T^T. Like, I didn’t even know how to end it. But, you know, I have to give it to you guys even just a little smooch without breaking Hook’s personality (But I already broke it didn’t I? T^T). Anyways, sorry for the rant. Have a happy reading! Really hope you liked it. This is the last part of Hook x Bridget. I’ll post a poll later on what to write next but it’s still about Castlecoming.

Edit: Sorry for adding this here but I hope you can make time to see this post. Someone is in need of our help. Click here to see.

[hellenhighwater]

This may be a mildly weird question, and I apologize if it is, but do you have any advice for how to figure out if a person (specifically oneself) would be a good cat owner? I love cats, and a lot of my future dreams involve owning one (or several). However, I often worry that I wouldn't be a good cat owner. When I was a kid, I was often nervous/skittish around animals because I couldn't predict them and was afraid of getting scratched or bitten. I'm a lot better now than I used to be (will actively seek to interact with my friends' pets, have been trusted to look after peoples' dogs for short periods of time), a lot of my instinctive reactions to being startled by animals are still . . . not entirely helpful. (Not directly harmful! I would never! But stuff like freezing up or pulling away in such a way that it can give the wrong signal to animals.) Plus, I'm not always great at picking up cues/body language from people, and based on what I've read, that's about 75% of how animals communicate, so even during good interactions, I'm always a little worried that I'm doing something wrong because I'm missing some cue.

Again, I love cats and would very much like to have one or more someday. But I only want to do that if I can be sure that I'm going to be able to give any cats of mine a good life, and I don't want to get a cat only to have to rehome it a few months later. Any tips on how to handle all this?

Thanks so much for your time and, more generally, for the delight of seeing Malice and Vice (and the kittens!) periodically on my dash. Your posts about them always brighten my day. <3

It sounds like you'd be a good owner to the right cat, and that you may want to find someone who can help you pick that cat out when you're in a position to adopt one. If you're lucky, a local shelter or rescue may be able to help you with this. If you can, call ahead and explain that you're looking for your first cat, and would like some help finding that one; ask if there's a good time to come meet some cats where someone who knows the current cats well could maybe point you to one that might be right. Also, if a personality profile for a cat includes "good with kids," that probably means they're going to be tolerant of any mistakes you might make re: body language.

You should definitely look for an adult, at least six years old, maybe even a cat in the senior category (which, depending on how a shelter or rescue categorizes cats, can be any cat over the age of 10. Cats can live a long time, so 10 is really not that old.) Try to not get attached to specific looks and just go by personality.

Cats have a lot of personality variety, and there's tons of cats out there that are truly very friendly and cuddly, and really just need someone to meet their basic needs and shower them in affection. An adult cat that has lived with people before, or who was just a friendly stray is probably going to take it fine if you freeze up or pull back suddenly, and if they're old enough to have become chill, will just walk away if you're bugging them. Crucially, you do not want to try to take a difficult or traumatized cat as your very first one. Those cats need help, true, but you need to learn first.

You can learn a lot about body language for cats online, but mostly you learn it by exposure. Plus, cat body language can be very individual-specific, so it's fine to just learn over time what your cat is saying.

There's tons of cats that are just sweet-natured. A'Tuin, my momma foster, would make a great first cat for someone! She's not shy about coming up and asking for attention, and will even use her paws to pull my hand to her face for ear scratches. She's good with not using her claws, has never tried to nip or bite, and mostly just wants to be looked after and cuddled. And there's tons of cats like her out there.