#some people here and on instagram have said it shorter

[caitified]

OMG YAY ! i don’t see much content for azzi here it’s kind of sad💔 it’s my first time requesting but maybe azzi and reader used to date but broke up because reader went abroad for some time. so azzi starts dating paige after a while but reader comes back and azzi gets confused/conflicted🙏🙏

confused

azzi fudd x reader

warnings:none, but i didn’t read abroad when i first saw your request so sorry about that!

the last night of high school had a bittersweet magic, like the twilight of a long, perfect day. azzi leaned against your car, her eyes a warm blend of laughter and anticipation as she looked at you under the stars.

“we did it,” she said softly, her hand reaching for yours. “after all these years, we’re finally here.”

you squeezed her hand, the familiar warmth of her skin sending a rush through you. azzi had been your everything since middle school, the kind of love people wrote about. and even though she was going to uconn and you’d soon be on the other side of the country at stanford, there was something fierce and hopeful in both of you. you’d make this work—long distance, time zones, anything. you both promised.

but in the weeks that followed, distance crept in slowly, like shadows at dusk. phone calls turned shorter, text messages went unanswered longer, and instagram kept you updated more on her life than she did herself. it was paige who started appearing in those updates the most. paige, laughing with her. paige, meeting her after practices. paige, cheering her on from the stands. paige, who understood her world of basketball in a way you couldn’t.

months passed. your heart grew accustomed to the ache, hoping it would be worth it. until, finally, you’d had enough.

it was a late saturday night when you texted azzi, a small hope sparking that she’d call back. an hour went by. then two. you waited until her online status disappeared into nothing. the silence pressed against you, suffocating.

the breakup was long overdue, yet when it happened, it still felt sudden. you sent a simple message: i think we both deserve better than this. i love you, azzi, but i can’t keep pretending that i’m okay. maybe it’s time we let go.

she responded with a long, agonizing pause. and then, one final text: i understand. i’m so sorry.

for a long time after, it felt like your world had shrunk. but you focused on school, throwing yourself into new friendships and routines. azzi stayed in the background of your life, just out of sight. you saw the news when she and paige became official, saw their faces together across sports feeds, but by then, you were already halfway to moving on.

three years later, standing in the crowded arena in san francisco, you didn’t expect to see her. the golden state valkyries had just announced azzi’s draft, and the crowd buzzed with excitement as she jogged out, looking as stunning and determined as ever. seeing her was like a shot of adrenaline straight to your heart.

as she moved through the crowd after the event, signing autographs and hugging teammates, your eyes met hers. time seemed to freeze. she looked at you as though she was seeing a ghost, her face a mix of shock, wonder, and something else.

“hey,” you managed, stepping forward. “congratulations, azzi. you… you made it.”

azzi blinked, regaining her composure. “hey yourself,” she said, her voice soft. “i didn’t think i’d see you here.”

“i live here now,” you replied, forcing a casual tone. “life happened.”

a soft chuckle escaped her lips. “yeah, i guess it does.” she glanced over her shoulder, where the crowd still buzzed, and then back at you. “do you have time to catch up? maybe coffee?”

a moment’s hesitation flickered within you. but then you nodded. “sure. coffee sounds good.”

the cafe was quiet, a small place nestled into the heart of the city, far enough from the hustle of the arena that it almost felt hidden. azzi had chosen a table in the corner, a place where the dim lighting and soft music blurred the line between memory and reality.

you sat across from her, stirring your coffee absentmindedly, catching glimpses of her across the table. time had changed her. she was leaner, sharper somehow, the softness of high school replaced by something refined. but there were hints of the girl you once knew—the curve of her smile, the way she fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. little things that made your heart clench.

“so… stanford, huh?” she broke the silence, her voice careful, like she was stepping over broken glass.

“yeah. decided to go all in with the academics,” you replied, trying to keep things light. “and you… uconn and now golden state? i knew you’d make it big.”

she laughed, the sound warm and familiar. “it’s been a wild ride. sometimes i still don’t believe it.”

a silence settled between you two, one that felt almost comfortable. it was strange, sitting there with someone who once knew you better than anyone else, and yet now felt like a stranger.

“i saw you with paige,” you said, finally breaking the silence. you kept your tone steady, not accusing, just… curious.

she looked down, her hands wrapped around her cup. “yeah. we… got together after you and i broke up. she was there for me when i was struggling, you know? uconn was intense, and i didn’t know anyone. she made it feel like home.”

there was no bitterness in her voice, just honesty, and somehow that made it hurt less. you had seen it coming; even back in high school, there was something between azzi and paige that was easy and natural, something that used to make you feel like you were on the outside.

“i’m glad,” you said quietly. and you meant it, even if part of you wondered what might have happened if things had been different.

you talked about everything that night—your time at stanford, her life at uconn, the struggles, the triumphs. it was as if the years between you faded with each word, each laugh. and as the hours stretched on, that familiar warmth started creeping back in, like a flame rekindling.

when it was finally time to go, azzi walked you to your car. there was a soft breeze, and the night felt impossibly still.

“it was really good seeing you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. there was something in her eyes, something that made your heart race, but you pushed it down, reminding yourself that she had someone waiting for her.

“you too,” you replied, giving her a small smile. “congrats again, azzi. you’re really… amazing.”

she looked like she wanted to say something more, but she just nodded, stepping back as you got into your car. you watched her in the rearview mirror as you pulled away, her figure growing smaller until she disappeared from sight.

days turned into weeks, and despite your best efforts, azzi slipped back into your life. she’d text you every now and then, little messages that felt casual on the surface but carried weight in every word. saw something that reminded me of you, she’d write, or remember that time we got caught in the rain? each message was like a breadcrumb, pulling you back toward her.

one evening, you got a text from her. hey, got an extra ticket to the game tonight. want to come?

you hesitated, knowing it could open old wounds, but in the end, curiosity won. you arrived at the arena, slipping into your seat as the lights dimmed. the game was intense, and azzi was incredible—fast, focused, completely in her element. watching her, you felt that old pride swell up, a pride that only grew when she scored the game-winning shot.

afterward, she found you outside, her face still flushed from the game. “thanks for coming,” she said, her smile shy, almost like she was back in high school again.

“i wouldn’t have missed it,” you replied, feeling your heart race as she held your gaze a little too long.

that night, she drove you home. you could feel the tension in the car, thick and electric, the air filled with words unspoken. as she parked outside your place, you hesitated, hand on the door, before you turned back to her.

“this… this feels like old times, doesn’t it?” you asked softly.

she looked down, fingers drumming against the steering wheel. “yeah,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “i didn’t realize how much i missed it. missed… you.”

your heart hammered in your chest, but you knew there was someone else, someone who had been there for her when you hadn’t. “azzi… what about paige?”

she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “i know. it’s just… i don’t know what to do. paige has been amazing. she’s my best friend, and she’s… she’s everything i thought i wanted. but being around you… it’s different. it’s like i’m back where i belong.”

you reached out, gently taking her hand. “i don’t want to be the reason you hurt someone. but… i also can’t pretend that i don’t feel the same way.”

for a long time, she didn’t respond, her hand warm in yours, her gaze fixed on the street outside. when she finally looked at you, there was a hint of tears in her eyes. “i just need time,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“okay,” you replied softly. “take all the time you need.”

the weeks that followed were torturous. azzi would text, call, ask to meet up, and each time felt like a step closer and a step further away all at once. you knew she was struggling, caught between two lives, two loves, each one pulling her in a different direction. and as much as you wanted her, you didn’t want her to feel forced, didn’t want her to carry the guilt of hurting someone she cared about.

one evening, she showed up at your door unannounced, her face pale, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion. without a word, you stepped aside, letting her in.

“i ended things with paige,” she said, her voice hollow. “i told her the truth. that my heart wasn’t all hers. that part of me… was still with you.”

the words hung in the air, heavy and fragile. you took a step closer, reaching for her hand. “are you okay?” you asked, even though you knew the answer.

she shook her head, her shoulders trembling. “no. but i know this is right. i can’t keep pretending. you… you’re my past, but you’re also my future. and i need to be honest with myself.”

you pulled her into your arms, holding her as she clung to you, her body shaking with the weight of her decision. you knew she would need time to heal, that her heart would need to piece itself back together. but for now, you were here, together, ready to face whatever came next.

[valeskalikespickles]

OUT OF MY LEAGUE

Request by Anonymous

EVAN BUCKLEY X READER

Word count: 1.7k

Summary: Reader likes Buck and isn't too confident about it. She tends to get jealous. Buck and reader get into an argument.. then booyah idk they want each other. I kind of just wrote out of my ass. But thank you so much for requesting!!

Gender: Female

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having feelings for my best friend probably wasn’t my smartest idea.. Especially because he is literally the furthest anyone could be out of my league. But I like to torture myself so.. Here we are! I mean I know I’m not ugly per say, but I’m definitely not pretty enough for Buck. 

I was standing with Bobby and Hen when Buck walked over holding his bag over one of his broad shoulders and his phone in the other hand. “Another DXA scan and guess who dropped another half percent?” Buck had a goofy smile on his face and I rolled my eyes. “What?” Hen looked confused but I had been hearing about his stupid obsession over his body fat even though he was literally already perfect. 

“A DXA scan, it measures your body fat.. You can see your percentage in every part of your body.” He said proudly, showing her the screen. “Oh yeah? To measure the fat in your head?” Chimney walked over with a goofy, proud smile on his face. “See that would be funny but right now we’re about a week away from submissions being due for the hot day smoldering nights men of the LAFD wall calendar and I’m already at my goal weight so it seems my head is clearly.. Working perfectly.” I laughed lightly, Hen spoke up.. Rambling about how sexist this whole thing was. 

I zoned out on my phone, another perfect girl showing up on my Instagram feed. God really chooses favorites doesn’t he? Chimney broke me out of my trance, “Okay, that is a beautiful man.” I looked up from my phone to see a newbie, a bit shorter than Buck, brunette, brown eyed, hispanic, the complete opposite of Buck. Alright, why am I comparing them? Buck doesn’t like me like that. “Where’s the lie? And I like girls.” Hen laughed and I snickered as well. “Who the hell is that?” Buck looked almost offended. 

“Buck, you're not getting replaced.. Calm down.” I placed a hand on his arm with a laugh and he rolled his eyes and shrugged my hand off. “That’s Eddie Diaz, new recruit. He graduated top of his class just this week. ” Bobby spoke, hands on his hips as usual like a disappointed mom. “The guys over at station six were dying to have him but I convinced him to join us.” 

“What do we need him for?” Buck almost snapped, gosh this new guy thing was definitely getting to him. I walked away from the conversation with a small laugh. I went over to the kitchen and grabbed some water. Buck showed up soon after, “This guys trying to steal my spot. I can feel it.” 

“No he isn’t Buck.” I ran a hand through my hair, “Give the guy a chance?”

“Aw you too?” He groaned, spinning in one of the chairs. “He’s already brainwashing you guys!” I let out a laugh, “How’s Abby?” I hated bringing her up but I unfortunately needed to know for my own gain. Not like I’d ever make a move but if he’s single there’s a sliver of hope right? “Haven’t really talked to her in awhile, but there was this girl at the bar. She gave me her number but uh.. We went back to her place.” He sighed. I know he hates how hypersexual he is. “I was doing so well. I Haven't slept with anyone in almost a month.” He admitted.   

“Buck it’s alright to sleep with people sometimes.” I couldn’t ignore the pang in my chest when I thought of him sleeping with anybody else. Just thinking about him with anyone else was enough to drive me insane. “I do it every now and then,” That was a whole ass lie, but he’s my best friend and I needed to make him feel better. “You do?” He laughed, looking up from his hands. “No no I don't. I just wanted you to feel better.” I snickered. I sat down next to him at the bar of the kitchen. “You're a good guy, you just pick shitty women.” 

And with that the alarm went off.

—----------------------------------------------------

I got home, setting my bag on the counter and pulling my coat off. I hung my keys up on the ring and almost immediately took my belt off. That thing was suffocating 24/7. I looked down and saw 4 missed messages from Buck. I groaned and opened them. 

Evan:“Can I come over? A pipe burst in Abby's apartment and it flooded.”

Evan:“Viennnaaaa.” 

Evan:“Viiiii”

Evan:“I’m about to just show up if you don’t respond.” 

Vienna: “Why would I care? Yeah you can always come over but I swear if I hear anything else about this stupid calendar I'll lose it.” 

Evan<3 liked a message

I shouldn’t be excited for him to come over.. Well he’s my best friend so I should be but also what if I say something stupid? I’m already exhausted enough. About 15 minutes later Buck walked through the door, I was in my pjs and was holding my cat Prince. “Oh hey.” I sat the cat down and greeted him with a hug. “All your stuff okay?” I tilted my head slightly and he nodded. “All of my stuff yeah.. But Abbys not so much.” He laughed. 

“Why are you still living there?” I blurted, not really regretting it. He shrugged, “where else would I stay?”

“Your apartment?”

He shook his head, “I sold it.” He gave me a look that said ‘please don’t be mad at me’ I gave him almost a mom look. “Evan.” His lips immediately turned into a thin line. “I wasn’t thinking!” He protested and I shook my head. “Just stay here. It’s not healthy for you to stay there anymore.. She’s not coming back and you know that.”

“You don’t know that.” He sighed and let out almost an amused laugh. “You still think she’ll come back for you?” That sounded harsh but it was true. He furrowed a brow in confusion, “Why are you acting like this?” He scoffed and I rolled my eyes. “You're just making yourself miserable! Staying at your ex-girlfriend's house isn’t healthy.”

“Oh and you know so much about a healthy relationship hm?” He said, clenching his jaw. 

“Buck.” I warned.

“No no, please enlighten me. What do you know about a healthy relationship? The last guy you were with cheated on you twice and you stayed.” He scoffed once more and almost immediately looked like he regretted it. “This isn’t the same situation.” I shook my head. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He sighed. 

“Then how did you mean it because it for sure sounded like you meant I’m a dumb ass for staying with him even though- You know what? No, I'm not doing this right now.” I threw my hands up in frustration and turned to walk to my room. “Guest beds made for you.” I said as I slammed my door.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I heard a knock on my door and sighed, getting up and letting Buck in. “I’m sorry for being a dick.” He flopped onto my bed and turned to lean on his hand, propped up on his elbow. 

“Me too.” I sat down with my legs crossed in front of him. “You really are welcome to stay here. Unless you’d rather be at Abby’s?” 

He shook his head and placed a hand on my knee, I could’ve sworn I let out a quiet yelp. “No no, I’d rather be here.” I smiled at him, “Finally decided to believe your best friend.” 

He sat up and faced me, “Have you ever thought about.. You know us bein-” There was a knock at the door that I got up to go get and saw my neighbor standing there. “Oh hey Jamie, what's up?” She handed me a white envelope and smiled back. “Mail got mixed up again.”

I took the envelope with a grin, “Oh thank you! Have a nice evening.” She waved goodbye and I closed the door behind myself. “What were you saying?” I looked up at Buck and grabbed my letter opener. He shook his head. “Nevermind.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few weeks later Buck was still living with me and it was starting to feel like he was staying for this long on purpose. That’s silly though right?

I was making dinner when he got home, a 24 hour shift that I could already tell knocked the life out of him. He walked over and took a piece of bacon from the plate. Breakfast for dinner. (Like the only thing I can cook) 

“Can I talk to you?” He spoke softly, I nodded. “What happened to Hello, how are you?” I laughed, he rolled his eyes and continued. “I’ve been thinking and.. What if we went out sometime?”

I nodded, “Like where? Bowling again?”

He laughed, “No no.. like on a date, Vi.” I looked at him like he was some alien, what in the world was he even talking about right now? “What? Did the station get dosed again?”

He looked down at me with those pretty pretty eyes I could never resist no matter how hard I tried. “Vi.. I’m being serious.”

“You really are desperate aren’t you?” I rolled my eyes, he just wanted sex so bad. He shook his head and rested a hand on my cheek. “We don’t even have to do anything...” He leaned down into my ear, speaking barely above a whisper. “I like you, Vienna.” I pulled back to look up at him. “Is this a joke? I understand I’m not the prettiest but no need to mock me, Evan..” 

He looked confused, “I’m not mocking you? You're literally stunning.”

If he was fucking around I was gonna kill him. I looked up at him, looking for any sign of insincerity.. Nothing. All I could do was nod, him leaning down to kiss me. It wasn’t like how Liam(my ex) used to kiss me, it meant something. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck before remembering the eggs. “Shit.” I turned to the stove and quickly took them off the burner. “So.. that's a yes?” He smiled, I nodded with a laugh. “It’s a yes, Buck.”   

[flightfoot]

ML Fanfic Recs for Completed Fics Under 4000 Words

Hope everyone likes my selection here! I've got 21 fics for your perusal, mostly either humor or angst fics. When it comes to shorter wordcounts, those are the two genres that tend to make the greatest impact for me. Humor especially seems to thrive in short-form fics, I rarely see it in longer ones - if it appears in longer fics, it's usually in rom-com form.

I've tagged every author that I knew the tumblr username of. Feel free to tag the author if I didn't manage to get them!

All of these fics will be in my Keyseeker's Choices For Best Completed Miraculous Fics Of 2024 Collection, and if you like that, please consider checking out my other collections, Keyseeker's Choices For Best Completed Miraculous Fics Of 2023, Keyseeker's Choices For Best Completed Miraculous Fics Of 2022, and Keyseeker's Choices For Best Completed Miraculous Fics - Misc. Years.

---

The Challenges of Changing Your Life by Shortdreamer

In the days following their return to their own universe Marinette was faced with several new challenges. But the most intimidating challenge that Marinette faced was getting to know her “new” partner.

Great ML Paris Special fic here! I love Marinette changing how she interacts with the people in her life in order to try to forge relationships, and hopefully, maybe even gain some semblance of the life her counterpart has.

---

The Magical Rainbow Flying Caticorn by CrochetJellybean

Kagami is just trying to have a fun day with Marinette when Felix keeps messaging her. Apparently Adrien stole the peacock miraculous and won't give it back.

So this is a fun little fic. Felix is very annoyed at having lost his Miraculous, but hey, at least the kwamis are amused with the situation! There might as well be some sort of upside to being a Senti XD.

---

The Self I Should Be (The Self I Could Be) by @pisoprano

Adrien realizes he has some feelings for Loveybug. Loveybug realizes that Adrien still misses Ladybug.

I love how this fic explores "private selves" and "public selves" for both Adrien and Marinette, lets them both relax a bit and decide what kind of dynamic they want to have. It's excellent!

---

never been in love by @bittersweetresilience

Félix wonders if he has a heart. If he does, it doesn't beat like that.

I love this look at aromantic!Felix, him wrestling with his feelings (or lack of them) as he struggles to come to terms with them, especially since part of his father's abuse involved Colt telling him he could never love.

---

Always Trending! by @candlemouse

Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube argue over the Parisian superheroes’ relationship and identities. Things heat up even more when interviews from the Ladyblogger, Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste, and Ladybug release!

This is a fun little glimpse into social media within Miraculous's world, especially with the speculation over secret identities. People keep on putting forward Adrien Agreste as possibly being Ladybug or Chat Noir, even though he's too busy to possibly be a superhero XD

---

Paper Masks by @jheqiawrites

“How do you feel about causing a little mischief?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I beg your pardon?” Loveybug swatted him playfully on the shoulder. “You know, trouble, pranks, clownery, buffoonery, silliness, a lark, a jest, sheer jiggery-pokery!” “That depends on what kind of shenanigans you had in mind.” She giggled, eyes wide and bright with appreciation. “ Ooh, that’s a good one! I should write that down sometime. But, as for your question…” She pulled her yoyo out and flicked it open, spilling white light over their feet. “It wasn’t so much a question as a statement of concern,” Catwalker said, but forgot immediately what else he had been going to say when he saw Loveybug pull roll after roll of toilet paper out of the white field. All he could do was stare as she continued to pull out rolls until she had made a small pyramid on the floor next to them. “Excuse me if I sound rude, but what on earth are you going to do with those?” The smile she gave him was pure puckishness. She waved at the bright figure of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. “My lord, have you ever TPied a national monument?”

Loveybug AU fic here! (obviously). I loved the absurdity of these two trying to TP... well, I won't spoil where they eventually decide deserves the treatment XD. Mostly, though, I love both Loveybug and Cat Walker (but mostly Loveybug) breaking down, breaking out of their new personas, and really getting to talk with each other.

---

you could win a rabbit by @purplecatghostposts

Félix raises an eyebrow but obliges. He should probably get on with it before Adrien second guesses himself too hard and tries to take it back. Félix pulls the tissue paper out and squints at what’s inside. It’s— a plushie? He takes it out of the bag to get a better look at it. All of the air is stolen from his lungs the second he does. A rabbit plushie. A white rabbit plushie. (Or for Félix’s next birthday, Adrien teams up with Marinette to make Félix a rabbit plushie, much like the one he had as a kid. Old feelings Félix thought he buried return in full force.)

I loved seeing a potential backstory to the torn stuffed bunny we saw in the play in Representation, and Felix's reaction to getting another rabbit plush was heart-wrenching!

---

A Domestic Cold War by @unecoccinellenoire

Félix lives with a murderer. It’s not the first time. Unfortunately his cousin would never ever forgive him if Félix was to take Nathalie Sancoeur off the board.

I like the conversation Nathalie and Felix have here. They don't like each other (or well, Felix doesn't like Nathalie, Nathalie is just ambivalent about him), but they come to an understanding. It's interesting to see Nathalie's viewpoint on life and killing, and hear allusions to the things she was up to before she became Gabriel's secretary.

---

the eyes that follow me; the ghost of my errors by NeonLite

There was something wrong with Duusu. More than Felix thinks should be. He didn’t have a frame of reference for Duusu’s behaviours. He doesn’t know what’s normal for the Kwami or how Kwami were supposed to act at all. The information he gathered from the tablet wasn’t much, he learned even less about the Kwamis but… Felix didn’t have a frame of reference for Duusu’s behaviour. But he didn’t think the Kwami of Emotion should look so empty.

I love how this fic acknowledges how Felix doomed the rest of the kwamis to staying with Gabriel, and how unhappy Duusu would be about that. Which Felix understands, but he was also desperate, and right now he can't stay transformed for long or keep any sentis he makes alive, which just... you can feel his desperation and bottled-up guilt. He knows what he did was wrong, but he'd still do it again, in order to feel safe for once in his life.

---

see a world so beautiful and strange (spinning off somewhere) by @that-was-anticlimactic

“Why? Why are you suppressing?” “Because I can't tic,” Alya whispered, fingernails digging into the skin on her arm. “I know Tourette’s isn’t exactly uncommon, but it’s part of my identity as Alya Césaire. It can’t be a part of Rena Rouge, too. Someone could figure out who I am and then…” And then she’d have to give up the coolest thing that’s ever happened to her, give up living her dreams. [or, alya suppresses as rena rogue in order to protect her identity, but neither ladybug nor trixx will let her hurt herself like that]

I love how this fic goes into some of Alya's thoughts and insecurities about having Tourette's, how the general public doesn't understand, and then lets her receive comfort and validation afterwards. It's just... really nice.

---

i'm worried 'bout the future by @purplecatghostposts

He edges closer to Adrien, lowering his voice to barely a whisper. “If it comes down to it, I’ll distract him while you run and hide the first second you get.” “What?” Adrien blurts, louder than Félix would like. His eyes dart to Argos but thankfully, he doesn’t turn around. Félix shoots Adrien a look to lower his voice and thankfully, his cousin listens. “You think we can’t trust him?” “He has the Peacock Miraculous.” Félix points out. “He’s from the future.” Adrien counters. “And Future Chat Noir trusts him so… Maybe we can trust him too?” (Or Chat Noir and a Peacock Hero from a decade in the future end up in the past and save their past selves. Félix is wary of whoever this ‘Argos’ is.)

I love time travel fics. Felix being really wary of the Peacock hero's deliciously ironic, something that Argos realizes and he doesn't. While Adrien's just happy to see his future self and completely trusts what Chat tells him. I loved how Argos was put out when he realized why his past self is afraid of him and trying to reassure him as best he can without giving away spoilers.

---

The Black Cat of the Family by Anonymous

To Felix, Chat Noir is freedom. Pure freedom, unhindered by anything (well, except perhaps a little too much dedication to Ladybug). He goes where he pleases when he pleases. He acts so ridiculous, like no one was ever watching, even when everyone was watching. He chafes at orders and authority, even when the orders are coming from Ladybug herself. He's free to be whoever he wants, in a way Felix only wishes he could be. So of course he starts flirting with the catboy. It also doesn't hurt that the superhero is easy on the eyes. Chat Noir, meanwhile, is simply trying to figure out how to reject his cousin without revealing his own secret identity. But when has anything in his love life ever worked out for him? Or, in other words: Somehow the Fathom-Graham de Vanily-Agreste family becomes even more dysfunctional in brand new ways.

This was fun, I liked the natural way Chat caught Felix's attention with his kindness, wit, and hidden depths. It makes sense why Felix would slowly develop a crush on him, while Chat just thinks that he's having fun with his cousin.

Also Chat's reaction when he realizes that Felix is, in fact, confessing his crush on him, is just priceless XD.

---

Handle With Care by @dragonchris

AU where soulmates can feel each other's emotions. But having a soulmate isn't always beautiful and romantic. Sometimes it's messy. Sometimes it hurts. Marc and Nath have to learn what that means for them.

This was cute, I loved seeing how Nathaniel and Marc both thought about their soulmate, and how they cope with the aftermath of Reverser in this AU. Helps that Alix is a platonic soulmate of Nathaniel's here (Nathaniel has two soulmates).

---

Draining the Tank by @trinketsinthesun

After a hard day of being Paris's most famous fashion designer and supervillain, Gabriel Agreste wants nothing more than a hot bath. But with the hot water tank always empty, he starts to wonder - why is Adrien taking such long showers?

So this fic is rated M, and it's rated that high because Gabriel comes to suspect that Adrien's long showers are due to him masturbating while he's taking them (no masturbation actually takes place in the fic). Then he notices that Adrien's long showers happen to occur most frequently during akuma attacks and draws his own hilariously wrong conclusions XD.

---

Marinette's Temporal Daycare by Choppa01

What do you do if your child is in danger and you have access to time travel? If you're Marinette (A.K.A Ladybug) you send them back in time to your younger self. Bunnix goes back in time to do the drop-off, expecting to surprise a younger Marinette. Instead she is the one who ends up being surprised.

I love the "Adrien and Marinette babysit for their future selves" trope, so this fic was a delight to read! It's ramping the trope up to 11, with multiple different Bunnixes dropping off kids from across timelines, and Marinette having long-since figured out a system to make this work for everyone.

---

I Want to Remember by @kiraheartilly36

Adrien wants to remember all the times Gabriel tried to be a good dad.

This fic is less than 200 words, you could fit the entire thing in an AO3 summary if you wanted to, but I found it both sad and hilarious. Some dark humor here.

---

The Wifi Trap by @jessecosay

Written for the Miraculous Fanworks Anniversary Prompts 2024 for Teleocrater. Alternative universe. Alya is trapped as Lady WiFi, even after being freed by Ladybug. But, at least she has Marinette on her side.

I love fics where people are trapped as their akumatized selves, so this one was right up my alley from the beginning! I love Alya trying to cope with the prejudice people are displaying towards her for being akumatized, and Marinette helping to defend her. Thankfully, while its unfortunate that she's trapped in Lady Wifi's form, she DOES also have access to her akumatized self's powers, which comes in handy...

---

Overload by Verse

The power of creation is not by any mean gentle.

This is a Miraculous side effects fic. Marinette's body will create and create and create, overproducing and causing harm to her unless she finds a way to purge the excess. She got lucky that the particular way her body overproduces is relatively simple to handle and can be harnessed for good purposes. Other Ladybug wielders were not so lucky.

---

Not the Ghost by Yellow_Soul

She… wasn't alone. Not anymore. Even when they parted ways, she would still have someone to come back to. A person that would look forward to seeing her.

I loved this fic's take on why Reverse!Marinette and Reverse!Sabine apparently have a bad relationship. It makes sense that if Tom died, Sabine may be unable to cope with it and begin lashing out or distancing herself out of stress and grief. Love the idea of Adrien and Marinette commiserating over their similar circumstances as well.

---

LOCAL SUPERVILLAIN IS A PEDO?!? by AlexJX

Gabriel stares at the morning news headlines… And walks straight out of the room. “...Father?”

People start noticing that Hawkmoth keeps akumatizing children and reach certain conclusions. It doesn't help that demanding some kids' "Miraculous" or "magic jewels" could be seen as a euphemism.

Ladybug and Chat Noir do nothing to help the situation.

---

Fall From Grace by PlasmusDogmatic

fall from grace verb 1. lose favor or a position of power or honor.

So this story explores a scenario where the Miracuteam is gradually put through darker and more brutal scenarios, becoming darker and more brutal to match, until Parisians are about as afraid of them as the actual villains - and also know that it's partially their own fault, since part of the reason the Miracuteam is more hostile and brutal is because Paris started being harsher and more critical towards them as they struggled more. I found this exploration of their descent really interesting, as the team doesn't turn "evil" at any point, per se, they just get placed in worse and worse circumstances and adapt in some damaging ways.

[fictionstudent]

How to read like a writer

If you’ve ever followed any Writergram accounts on Instagram or Twitter, I guess you’d have heard this advice—read like a writer.

People can’t stop glazing about how it’s one of the best pieces of advice any beginning writer could get, how it’s one of the most important skills to study prose and create your own, and all that. But, as you could’ve guessed, there’s a lot of unpacking to be done here.

What does it even mean to read like a writer? How’s it different from reading like a reader, or just for fun? And, how the frick do you even read like a writer?

I had to rant about something, and that’s the topic I’ve chosen today. So, here’s my two-cents on it.

***

#01 - The Basics

So, what does it mean to read like a writer?

I believe that reading like a writer is a form of reading prose where you’re conscious of the artistic decisions the author makes throughout the piece. For example, if there’s a high-stakes action scene, probably a fight scene or something, and you notice that the average length of sentences has suddenly become shorter and punchier.

Firstly, you need to understand that there’s a lot of such artistic decisions that writers take while writing a piece. And, every writer does that. These decisions are primarily related to writing-style, but are also focused on the story-structure, character-development, themes, and more.

For clarity, let’s divide them into two types of decisions—micro-level decisions and macro-level decisions. Micro-level decisions would include the writing-style, scene-descriptions, and all that stuff. Primarily, stuff that you can notice on the very page itself. It’d relate to the sentences instead of the plot. Refer to the example above again—that’s a form of micro-level decision.

Macro-level decision would be an artistic decision where you need to complete the whole, or a big chunk, of the piece to point them out. Such macro-level decisions would relate to the plot instead of individual sentences. For example, the decisions they’ve made regarding the plot, characters, and the underlying themes of the prose.

I tried my best to make the distinction as clear as possible. I hope you guys understand them clearly.

Anyway, each type of artistic decision would need to be checked in a different manner, y’know. To analyze macro-level artistic decisions, you’d need to probably finish the whole novel and do some research and brainstorming related to the themes of the story and the way the author discussed those said themes in their work.

It takes some time to get into the head-space to analyze the story and its themes. And, you might need to recap the story in some form or the other, y’know. At least, I need a little recap. Because generally, it takes me months to complete a novel or TV series. Or manga series. Or anime. Or anything else I need to analyze.

… And that’s because I start a lot of stuff before I finish the previous ones. Not gonna lie, I’m reading around four-five novels at the moment, a couple of which are web-novels on RR, along with three manga series. Please don't ask me why I do that, I hate it myself.

Anyway, now onto the second type: the micro-level artistic decisions. This is where you need to be really conscious while reading the work. In fact, I believe that these forms of decisions are what people generally mean when they talk about reading like a writer.

Micro-level artistic decisions, like I said earlier, include sentence-structures and writing-style of the author. And yeah, it’s really easy to slip out.

I’d like to refer to my favorite lit-fic The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, as an example. Reading the work, you’d see that the style feels… barren. The scene-descriptions are a pain to read; the vocabulary is just too hard. But, vocabulary becomes a lot easier during dialogues. That’s because the scenes are a pain to see, while the characters are losing their power to communicate effectively. I talk about it in detail in a previous blog:

But, man, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be. Maybe that’s why McCarthy wrote the descriptions in this way—to symbolize the mental stress that the characters go through as they experience this world, this form of reality that they were not meant to be in.

And maybe the novel is so lacking in narrations because the characters’ minds have gone numb. They’re forgetting language. With almost zero human interaction most of the time, they are forgetting how to think and interact in words. You lose the skills you don’t really use anymore, y’know. And these guys are so obviously depressed, so they don’t think about the world. They are used to the sad reality they live in. No point in complaining how bad the food is if that’s all you’re gonna eat all your life.

So, a scarcity of narrations tell you a lot about the story and its characters. It reflects something, it symbolizes something.

Also, if you read about Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, you’d observe how the author’s writing-style is often bland and indifferent. That says something about the characters and the plot too—it keeps the readers detached from the story, forcing them to adopt a third-person POV where they can constantly judge the plot and the characters.

Understanding the micro-level artistic decisions also include understanding the different nuances in different authors’ style. For example, sometimes you’d see that authors write scene-transitions like this,

We talked it through, and decided that it’d be the best to continue the conversation once we’re in the safe vicinity of this house. School was dangerous for such serious conversations—what if somebody hears us out and report us to the police?

So, we shut up as we boarded the bus, and twenty minutes later, we were pulling through his house’s driveway. We both stepped outside and…

Personally, I’m not a big fan of such transitions. I’d rather use three asterisks instead, like I do with my blogs here.

***

When to read like a writer and when not?

Yeah, that can be a mess. You don't need to have the writer's eye open every single time you’re reading something.

Personally, I use a trick. I only read like a writer when I feel that the piece is really different from the type of prose I generally consume, y’know. For example, I’m reading Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. The blurb says that the novel is narrated by Death, which is something quite interesting. Apparently, Death appears in the story as a character, acting as a third-person narrator.

However, the story is not third-person omniscient POV. Quite the opposite, actually, for we see the narration alternating between the thoughts of the protagonist and the all-knowing omniscient narrator Death, which makes the writing-style of the novel quite interesting.

So I read the book as a writer—all the way, I’m figuring out how the author masterfully blended both third-person limited and third-person omniscient narrative styles and used the best of both worlds to fully utilize both of them and paint such an amazing writing-style. I don't think I could ever pull that off, to be brutally honest. It’s just awesome what Zusak has pulled off in the prose.

Anyway, I derailed too much. The main point I was tryna make is that The Book Thief is different from what I usually consume—third-person limited POV web-novels. So, I do have to read like a writer. I probably won’t be reading like a writer if I was reading yet another RR web-novel or fantasy light-novel, y’know.

Another factor you might want to consider is if you like the prose or not. If you believe that you really love the novel and want to write something like it, you better study it a little. After all, you’d be writing what’s interesting to you.

A third factor: classics. If the prose is a classic, you might learn something from it. I mean, there must be some reason it’s stood the test of time, y’know, and people are still reading it. Yeah, sometimes, the style just seems outdated, and you likely won't be adapting it. But there are some gems in it too. The Great Gatsby is a really good novel to learn first-person POV.

… And that reminds me, I still haven’t finished The Great Gatsby either. Even though I’ve been reading it for more than a year.

***

#03 - Conclusion

All of this might feel a little overwhelming for you guys. I can understand that.

I mean, that’s just too much information to think about, y’know. And you might not be able to catch up on most of them. Heck, you might not be able to understand any nuances between different authors’ styles at all!

But, just don't give up, pal. It’s kinda tough out here, yeah, but that’s alright. Keep reading, keep practicing it out. You’d get there.

Keep reading and keep writing. That’s all it takes to become a great writer. But, doing both your reading and writing mindfully is what matters the most.

Subscribe to the FictionStudent newsletter to get latest blogs like this straight into your inbox. Also check out the website, as well as my Instagram and Twitter—where I might start posting soon. To be honest, I still don't know how to use social media as a writer, but I’d be trying.

Meet you in the next blog. Till then, bye-byeee!

[rvzcvx]

hello!! how are you? i hope it won't be difficult for you to write what i ask, but if it's problematic, just ignore it!

let it be a smut with dom Bill and sub reader, where they are each other's best Internet friends, because Bill is always on trains to concerts. when Bill and the reader arrange for the reader to come to his concert, when Tokio Hotel finally turns up in the city where the reader lives, after the concert, Bill and the reader must meet for the first time, since they had not seen each other live before. when the concert ends and they finally meet, Bill takes the reader to his dressing room, from where all the other band members have already left, and Bill has to wash off his makeup, which he asks the reader to help with, sitting her on his lap, which is why she is so embarrassed, but helps Bill. while taking off his makeup, Bill stares at her lips, and when the makeup is done, he kisses her, and it all turns into a smut.

i hope it doesn't look so bad and is feasible. good luck with that, even if you don't write what i asked for, but something else! have a nice day ;)

i believe in you! <3

ONLINE FRIENDS

pairing: bill x female reader

warnings: smut, dom!bill, sub!reader, kissing, head (fem!receiving), p in v

a/n: i love your request!! i hope youre gonna have a good day too!! i really enjoyed writing this!! you guys can send more requests, i will write them as fast as i can!!

For some time now, I have been texting online with a boy named Bill. He told me a lot about himself and his band, but we never met because he rarely visited the city where i lived.

Currently, I was sitting on my bed and scrolling through Instagram when someone started calling me. When I noticed it was Bill, I answered immediately.

"Hey Bill, what's up?" I asked. “Hey y/n, I wanted to tell you that my band will be having a concert in your city soon!” Bill said. You could hear in his voice that he was smiling.

"Oh my god, really?!" I screamed with excitement and almost started jumping around the room with happiness. "Really! I got you tickets, you'll be in the front row!" Bill said. "Thank you Bill, you are the best! I can't wait to see you!" I said with a big smile on my face.

"I can't wait to see you too!" Bill added. We talked for another half hour until Bill had to end because he had band rehearsals.

Time skip to the day of the concert.

Today is the day I will see the Tokio hotel in real life! I put on a black top, a short denim skirt, white heels and took a silver bag in which I put all the most important things.

I texted Bill that I couldn't wait to see him and left the house and got into a taxi. I gave the driver the address and after 20 minutes I arrived at my destination.

Since I had early access to the entrance, I could skip the entire queue and enter as one of the first to occupy the first row.

After half an hour, there was a crowd here. The concert hall accommodated as many as 50,000 people. As I looked around this huge venue, I didn't notice that the band had finally taken the stage.

Together with other fans, I started screaming and waving at the boys. I made eye contact with Bill and we smiled at each other, and in a moment the first song, durch den monsun, could be heard.

Time skip after the concert.

The concert was wonderful, I sang all the songs and I was very excited to see my online friend.

Finally, when the band left the stage, everyone started to get ready to leave, including me. As I reached the exit, a security guard approached me. "Bill Kaulitz asked you to go backstage, please follow me" The man said and started leading me somewhere where fans wouldn't have access.

We walked through long corridors until we finally stopped in front of a room where another security guard stood and let me in. Bill was sitting on the couch in the room.

When I saw him, I immediately approached him. "God Bill, you're even taller in real life than in the photos" I said and looked up at him, hugging him. "And you're even shorter." He laughed and patted me on the back.

"I have to take off my makeup and then we can go to the hotel. The boys have already gone anyway" He announced and sat down at the table with a mirror. "I can help you if you want" I said and smiled, standing behind him.

"Of course. It will be faster if you help me" Bill replied and smiled too, patting his knee, which probably meant that I should sit on it.

I blushed, but I didn't refuse and I sat on his knee, taking a cotton pad in my hand and starting to remove his makeup. I felt his eyes on my lips the whole time, but I didn't say anything.

When I finished, I smiled. "And it's done" I said, but I felt Bill's hand on my waist as he pulled me closer and kissed me.

At first, I was surprised and didn't know what to do, but after a while I kissed him back and placed my hands on his shoulders.

Bill placed his hands on my buttocks and lifted me up from the chair and placed my back against the table behind us as he continued to kiss me.

He started kissing me lower until he crouched down in front of me. "May I?" He asked, pointing to my skirt. I nodded yes and soon I heard the sound of my skirt falling down.

Bill pulled aside my already wet pink panties and buried his head in my folds. "Ahhh, Bill!" I screamed, grabbing his hair and pinning my legs on either side of his head.

"Fuck, you're so wet for me" He said, plunging his tongue into me. When I felt his cold piercing, I moaned loudly. "Bill, I can't, oh" I gasped, grabbing his hair in pleasure.

Bill continued, holding my thigh with one hand and rubbing circles on my clit with the other. Finally I felt a knot forming in my stomach and I cummed on his tongue. "Ahh, I'm cumming!" I moaned.

Bill just smiled and stood up, kissing me again. I felt his tongue, which still had some of my juices on it, and smiled into his lips.

"It's not over yet" He said and started to unbuckle his belt. I smiled and helped him take off his pants, steadying myself on the table with one hand.

He pulled down his pants along with his boxers and that's when I saw how big he was. My eyes widened and I swallowed. Bill pulled a small bottle of lube from his bag and spread it over his length.

After a while I felt him at my entrance. Bill grabbed my hips and kissed me. "Are you ready?" He asked. "Yes please" I said and grabbed his back, impaling myself on his cock.

We both moaned at the same time and Bill started moving. "You're so tight, god" He said. "Don't stop!" I said, feeling tears come to my eyes.

He quickened his pace, gripping my hips tightly and placing soft kisses on my neck. "Fuck Bill!" I screamed, digging my nails into his back and clenching my pussy around his cock.

"I'm about to cum" Bill panted, lowering his head to my shoulder. "Me too, oh my god" I moaned and felt that knot forming in my stomach again.

Bill pushed a few more times and finally he came inside me, and a moment later I came, with a loud moan. My tears fell onto his shirt and my nails dug into his back, leaving red marks on it.

We both put our clothes back on and then cleaned up the mess we had left. "We can go back to the hotel now" Bill said and kissed me.

[strniohoeee]

Dolor Pt. 2

Pairing: Chris Sturniolo X Female Reader

Synopsis: Y/N hasn’t seen Chris in a year and a half, but with the help of her friend she’s surprised by them🤭 Will those feelings still be there for one another?

Warnings⚠️: None, I’m not too sure how I feel about this one, but I had no other idea on how to write it so I hope y’all enjoy 🙃

Song for the imagine: ANGEL- Brent Faiyaz

Read part 1 here🫶🏽

Don’t ever leave my side, baby I’ll die

But from what I know, you’re always here to stay

You’re an angel in disguise

It has been a solid year and half since Chris and I broke up, a solid year and half of never seeing him or his brothers. It was very hard, but it also flew by. I wasn’t sure where a year and half went. It was honestly scary.

We both told each other we’d love to cross paths, and reconnect in a few months to be friends, but life got in the way, and that never happened. I’m honestly glad it didn’t, we were both so busy I believe it helped us move on from one another faster.

We all stood mutuals with each other on instagram and TikTok, but we just didn’t interact with each other. I watched them grow in all aspects, and it was amazing. I thought I’d be there to witness it first hand, but instead I was watching from the sidelines….it hurt me, but it had to be done.

My TikTok was flooded with videos of them from their tour they were just on, and it’s honestly crazy how much people can change in a year and a half. That didn’t even look like Chris. He was much more mature looking, sculpted cheekbones, shorter hair, stubble on his face…..Chris was looking good.

I shook that feeling off because I could not allow myself to fall back in love with Chris. It took me a long time to move on from him. I will always love the kid, but to fall out of love was hard. I hadn’t seen or talked to any other guys since splitting with Chris, and I wasn’t too sure if that was the same with him. Deep down I hoped it was.

I was scrolling on TikTok one day when I saw a clip of the triplets from their recent podcast video, they were doing a Q and A video, and somehow Chris pulled out a question asking about me. I decided to watch the video

“Okay so this person says how’s Y/N, and how have you been since the breakup. I’m currently going through my own break up right now, and I just need some advice” Chris read out

“So uh this is a good question. It’s been a year and a half since I’ve last seen Y/N, and it’s crazy to say it’s been that long, but it has. With the relationship we had and how special it was it took me a full year to finally be able to feel okay, and understand why we split up. It hurt and some part of me still hurts, but we told each other the night we broke up that we both will be okay because we’re strong, and that’s something I’ve been holding on to. I presume that she’s okay, I’ve seen her instagram posts and her TikTok’s, and she looks amazing. I actually really miss the girl. So I hope she’s doing great, and for you going through your break up just know everything happens for a reason and you’ll be okay take your time and work on yourself” he said

Oh god this was making it so hard for me not to call Chris and ask to see him….I missed him so badly

I scrolled some more and another clip popped up

“This person wants to know do you still love Y/N” Nick asked Chris

“Oh 100% that woman is my everything. Like we’ve said in the past we hope to cross paths again” Chris said nodding his head

This has to be a sign? Like this has to be a sign that I have to see him, that Chris and I are meant for each other right? Or am I being delusional……

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to call him, text him or just ignore all this and keep it pushing in life. I felt torn between my decisions

Today I was getting ready to film with Larray and Arrington. I had gotten so close to them within the last year, and we always filmed together. Larray was my biggest supporter in all this, and he was also friends with the triplets which kind of made it hard, but he never got in between anything. Although he hoped and prayed that we’d get back together one day I always told him time will tell.

He had an idea where we all stay in his car for 24 hours with special guests. I wasn’t sure who these guests were, and I wasn’t sure why he wanted us to stay in a car for 24 hours, but I agreed I knew it would be fun.

I had driven over to Larrays house, and let myself in

“YOOOOO” I yelled from the door

“Were in hereeee” Arrington yelled back

Oh god I was the last one here….I hated this, but anyways I walked to Larrays room, and when I walked in my heart sank

“Oh” was all I said as I walked in

“Hiiiii baby” Larray said, causing everybody to turn around with him the triplets face dropping

“What’s? Uh….whats going on” I said looking at Larray

“We’re filming a video, and I brought my friends” he said back

“It’s been so long” Chris said looking at me saddened

“It ummm it has” I said smiling at him

“We have missed you so fucking much….holy shit” Nick said running over and hugging me

“Uhh it’s been so fucking long I missed yall too” I said hugging him

“Matt you look so different now” I said jaw dropping and giving him a hug

“Good different I hope” he said hugging me

“Of course good different” I said laughing at him

I moved to Chris

“You look so different too” I said pulling him in for a hug

“I’ve missed you” he said hugging me tighter

“Missed you too” I said pulling away

After chatting for a bit Larray decided to film his introduction for his channel

“Alright bitches we are filming a 24 hour car video today, and of course I had to bring in my ride or dies Arrington and Y/N” he said and both Arrington and I made an entrance

“And then you know Larray had to stir the pot, so he brought the triplets” Arrington said to the camera causing us to laugh

“As uhhh most of you know there’s uh an elephant in this room between uh two people, but ummm we won’t talk about it” Larray said

And we just laughed at him

“You are so messy” I said to him rolling my eyes playfully

“Alright let’s get to the car bitches” he said and we ran out

I sat in the passenger seat, Chris and Arrington in the back, and then Nick and Matt in the third row

“Alright so right now we’re driving to Target which is 45 minutes away because Larray decided to do this video during rush hour” I said to the camera

“Uh- is that a drag?” He asked me

“It sure is” I said to him

“So Y/N….you said Matt looks different….you already had Chris so will you try another brother” Arrington asked me

I looked back at him jaw on the floor, as Chris and his brothers were laughing

“You weirdo Arrington, I will not fucking get with Matt” I said shaking my head

“Could you believe this kid” I said looking at the camera

“Ouuuu the fans want to know how many boyfriends since Chris” Larray asked me

“Boyfriends plural? Do they think I’m a slut….its only been a year and a half guys, and there’s been zero guys since Chris” I said shrugging my shoulders

“OHHHHHH CHRISSSS” Larray and Arrington yelled at him hyping him up

“She loves me too much to do that” Chris said to the camera

“Uh-“ I said turning around to look at him

“I’m just kidding” he said and touched my face playfully

“SAW THAT” Nick and Matt yelled from the back

We had finally gotten to Target, and Chris and I were paired up to go on the hunt for some things, and we had to vlog it together

“Alright guys I’m here with uh….my ex” I said to the camera

“What a great reunion” he said looking at the camera

“Who would’ve thought a year and a half later we’d be in Target shopping for a video together” I said looking at him

“I honestly thought it would’ve happened sooner, but I mean hey” he said shrugging his shoulders

“Oh whatever” I said rolling my eyes at him

Him and I were doing some shopping and grabbing some stuff, and we had found ourselves in the coloring book aisle

“Look the Disney coloring book, your favorite” he said leaning down to grab it

“You remembered?” I asked him

“Of course I did, and you only get specific coloring pencils cause you’re weird” he said laughing

“Hey don’t be mean” I said laughing at him

“It’s cute” he said smiling at me

“Do you ever think about us?” I asked him

“Pretty often actually” he said looking at me

“Do you think you see a future with me” I asked him

“I’ve thought about this a lot, and every time I picture my future you’re a main character in it” he said looking into my eyes

“This year and a half has been rough, and I so badly wanted nothing more than to cave and call you over, and just hold you tight” I said looking down

“I sat in my room for so many nights wondering if the decision I made was right, and after a while I just became numb to the feeling, but I want this again….I want us” he said

“I think we should start slow first. I want us to truly work out this time no break ups no nothing” I said to him

“I think so too, you should come film with us again we miss you so much, and the fans miss you too” he said

“I’ve seen…all over my tik tok” I said smiling at him

“Yeah they love you and I love you too so much” he said pulling me in for a hug

We finished vlogging some, and headed back to the car with everybody getting back in our original seats

“Okay everybody we are back, we’re going to go eat something and then we’ll be back in the car for the next 24 hours” Larray said

After we ate we went back into Larrays car trying to stick out this challenge and just chatting with each other asking each other questions

“How many girlfriends since Y/N?” Larray asked Chris

“None. I told yall she’s the love of my life” he said looking at the camera

“Awww Chris” I said looking at him

“HEY CITY GIRLS UP. Do not fall for this” Arrington said

“Shut the fuck up” I said laughing at him

“What’s one regret you have” Nick asked us

“I think my biggest regret was completely dropping you guys out of my life. Like no interactions no nothing that hurt the most” I said to them

“We appreciate that” Matt said

“How do you guys feel after seeing each other” Matt asked Chris and I

“Is this a hot seat? What are we doing” Chris said

“Shut the fuck up and answer” Nick said

“I feel at peace, like seeing him was the last piece to my puzzle. I still love Chris of course, and we’re hoping to take things slow, and eventually get together again” I said to them

“Yeah. I love her so much, and seeing her today brought back all those memories. Memories that made my heart flutter, and I knew I couldn’t let her go again” he said looking at me

“Yall cute as shit this has got to stop” Larray said

“So yall heard it here first they are back together” Arrington said to the camera

“WOAH WOAH NO” we both said putting our hands out

“We are taking it slow…we are not dating yet, and trust me you guys will know when we’re back together. It’s a maybe for right now” I said to the camera

“But she will be in our videos again” Chris said

“SHE WILL?” Nick and Matt said

“Yes she will!” He said to them

“FUCK YES FINALLY” Nick said getting excited

We had chatted for a good thirty more minutes before we decided this challenge was not going to happen

“Alright guys we did not make it, but we love you and we’re heading inside now” Larray said

“BYEEEEEE” we all yelled to the camera, Chris pulling me in and kissing my forehead

“Are you guys going to soft launch your comeback before I post this?” Larray asked us

“You know that’s not a bad idea actually” I said looking at Chris

“We could do that. I’d love to do that” he said pulling me in and kissing my cheek

“Yall soft launching but he smoochin on you” Matt said looking at us

“Uhhhh mind your business” Chris said sticking his tongue out at him

“OMG to keep it like private you guys could do like a couples shadow picture” Nick said

“Waittttt I love that let’s do it” I said to Chris

We had snapped the picture, and Chris posted it collabing with me once again so I can post and share it. Nick and Matt also shared it to their story saying the gangs back together and they can’t wait to film with me again. Immediately the love we got was INSANE

❤️nicolassturniolo,matthew.sturniolo,larray, and 450,000 others

christophersturniolo: I told you guys we’d always always find a way back to one another. Although we aren’t dating again we will be thinking about it for our future. I love this girl with my whole fucking heart, and I’m so glad we’re in each others lives again. She was my right person at the wrong time.My number one girl💍. Were back BITCHESSSSS🥳

Sturnioloteam: STFU THEYRE BACK

arringtonallen: mhmmm I was here for this picture so back off everyone

nicolassturniolo: mama and papa🫡

matthew.sturniolo: yall cute or whatever…..

larray: yall can thank me for this reunion MHMM💅🏽

Y/Nusername: my number one guy…love this kid so much💋

sturnioloooooo: I knew mom and dad would find each other again

The immense love we received was insane. Had you told me a year and a half ago today that all that pain would be gone, and we would find each other again I would laugh in your face. I guess I am making it to the end of his story….🥀

The End

I hope you guys liked this one I feel ehhh about it, but I had to have a happy ending🥹 but anywho let me get to writing some more 🖤

-J💅🏽

[aruanimess]

Mikahisu + lifting the shorter one up so they can be seen in photos

Quiet acts of love prompts

Hello, Al!!! Thanks for the prompt 🥰

~~~

When Mikasa first heard of a carnival being thrown in town, two things came to mind: tacky tents and screaming children.

The others didn't agree with her estimate, though, and lo and behold here she was, a couple days later, surrounded by a rainbow of colors and gaggles upon gaggles of kids. Thankfully, they weren't screaming as much as she'd expected. The decor wasn't as obnoxious either, but had a fetching, old-timey charm that captured the eye. The music helped complete the mood, too.

Armin and Annie had abandoned them the minute they set foot on the grounds. They wanted to visit the Haunted House for some cheap thrills and no one else was inclined to join them. Reiner and Jean were having a shooting contest in one of the stalls, competing over who would win a toy for the other first. While Sasha, Nicolo and Connie never even made it in. They got stuck at the food trucks lining the perimeter.

And then, there was Historia.

In her frilly, floral top and her baby-pink overalls, she blended in among the crowd of festive carnival-goers. She was fleeting from stall to stall, playing each game and trying each ride whose line she deemed short enough. A huge grin was plastered on her face the entire time and childlike wonder was shining in her eyes.

"Carnivals never stopped by where I grew up," she had explained in the beginning.

It made sense. Historia was raised in the countryside, much like Mikasa. Not in a village or a small town, but in a ranch in the middle of nowhere. Again, like Mikasa.

Where their stories differed, however, was that Historia had no close friends in the city to stay over at summertime, and never really got to attend fairs, concerts or theater productions.

She was also homeschooled. So it was really no wonder that her first time experiencing a funfair was during her college years.

Mikasa shuffled awkwardly along wherever Historia dragged her to. Her only contribution to the evening being the two cones of cotton candy she insisted on buying them. And she was right to insist, she thought as she watched Historia picking tufts of spun sugar from the lavender cloud, almost bigger than her head, and placing them delicately on her tongue.

"They asked me to volunteer for this," said Historia as they passed the dunk tank. She gazed at the girl in the already dripping tank top manning the booth. "But I refused."

Mikasa bit off a bundle of floss from her cotton candy and nodded. "Me too."

Historia lowered her eyes, almost in shame. "I feel guilty. It's for a good cause."

The dunk tank profits were supposed to go to a charity. Their uni would manage the earnings. Something about funds for a children's hospital.

"It is," said Mikasa and left it at that. No matter the cause, she wasn't interested in having thousands of people ogling at her tits, and she had no delusions about the purpose of the tank. Unless there was a professor perched up there, waiting to be sunk, there was only one motive: wet, semi-dressed women.

Historia continued without prompting: "I just didn't feel comfortable, sitting there like a prize to mark someone's victory. Not to mention the outfit..." she trailed off, picking at her cotton floss miserably.

Mikasa squeezed her arm. "You shouldn't endure something that distresses you for any reason. No matter how noble."

She smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Mikasa." She glanced at the girl at the tank. Her top was plastered to her torso, revealing a bright red bra underneath, and she was shivering, but the grin on her lips seemed genuine enough. Historia wrinkled her nose. "And it's kinda sexist, isn't it?"

"It is," confirmed Mikasa. "But she doesn't seem to mind."

Historia broke out in a fit of giggles. Then she stopped abruptly as her eyes widened. "I know what we should do!" she said. "We should share a story on Instagram telling people to come over and try their luck. This way we help raise funds without actively participating!"

She looked so excited, how could Mikasa say no?

"Hey, ladies!" called a voice. They turned to see Jean approaching with Reiner in tow. Reiner was holding an obnoxiously large dinosaur plushie.

It was Jean that had spoken. "Guess who won?" He preened.

"Was it Reiner?" Mikasa decided to play along.

Jean gasped in betrayal and Reiner sniggered.

Historia stepped in, bouncing on her feet giddily. "Oh, it doesn't matter! Jean, Reiner, will you make a story with us? We'll encourage people to come try the dunking booth!"

Reiner scratched his stubble. "Sure. It's for the oncology wing in St. Jude's, right?"

"That's right!"

Jean shrugged. "Okay then. If it's for a good cause." He winked at Reiner. "Plus, I'll get to show off my skills as a provider, too."

"I'm not getting caught with this on video," said Reiner, lifting the plushie. Jean pouted.

"Oh, come on, Reiner. It's gonna be cute!" Historia insisted.

Mikasa was only too happy to let this unfold without her input, but Historia wanted the plushie in the story, and what Historia says, goes. She fixed him with a look. "Reiner."

He rolled his eyes in response. "Fine. Whatever. What do we say in this story of yours?"

Jean and Historia lapsed into an animated debate over what their message would be. This time Mikasa stayed in her lane and didn't chip in. Once they figured it out, though, another issue emerged.

When Historia was holding the phone, the frame wasn't wide enough to catch Reiner and Jean's faces. When Jean held the phone instead and angled it way above their heads, Historia looked like a dwarf and Mikasa's cleavage was visible down to her belly-button.

"We want it to attract people, but not like that," remarked Jean, frowning at the screen.

Mikasa couldn't agree more. Then, it hit her.

"Reiner," she said. "Hold Historia's cotton candy."

"Can't Jean do it? I'm already holding the dino."

"Jean will take the picture. You get the candy."

"And what will you hold?"

It was as good an opening as any. Mikasa marched to Historia and squatted in front of her, urging her to climb on her back.

Historia blushed brilliantly. "Um," she bit her lip, "Mikasa... Are you sure?"

Mikasa glanced at her over her shoulder and smiled with an encouraging nod. Historia didn't need another nudge. She scaled up her back and looped her arms around her neck. She let out an adorable squeak when Mikasa hoisted her up in a confident piggy back ride.

Jean angled the phone properly and started recording. They all recited the little zinger Jean and Historia had composed with huge smiles straining their cheeks.

Mikasa paid it no mind, repeating the lines on autopilot. Her eyes were glued to Historia's mirror image on the screen above her own shoulder. Flushed to her neck, eyes shy, her glossy lip caught between her teeth, Historia was gazing at her side profile with a smitten look on her face.

Heat rushed to her own face and her stomach fluttered with unexpressed emotions. Maybe carnivals weren't so bad after all.

[cherryxcadbury]

Hey i hope you doing well? <3 i would like to request something with Jude where the reader go on the pitch after a game and celebrate his goal with the team (Dortmund)

The whistle blew and you and your friends let out a sigh of relief. Dortmund was still in the title race after this 2-1 win, with Jude scoring the winning goal.

“That man could bring me to this knees with just that arm band, dunno how you’re still functioning Y/N.” Heidi, your best friend, whispered.

You laughed at Heidi’s antics with Lexi, Gio Reyna’s girlfriend.

“You’ll have to tell him that yourself Heidi.” You responded.

“Oh trust me I will.” She winked at you, making you squirm at her unapologetic-ness.

Sometimes, you aspired to be like her.

A man from the Dortmund staff came up to the three of yous then spoke in German, to which you and Lexi blushed in embarrassment, not knowing the language.

“He said we can go down onto the field. Come on!” Heidi led the way, flashing a smile at the staff you all passed on the field.

The three of you walked through the extremely large pitch, dodging ongoing interviews and moping Frankfurt players. The immediate sight of the yellow wall from the pitch made you smile. BVB fans were truly the greatest.

“Y/N! They’re talking about you!” Lexi whispered to you and Heidi.

You immediately whipped your head around and turned to see fans in the row closest to the pitch waving to you.

“Why are they waving?” You asked.

“Just listen.” Heidi smirked.

“Look it’s Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend!” They squealed.

“Y/N! May I have a picture!!”

“Y/N i follow you on Instagram!!”

They shouted and shrieked hoping they’d get your attention. You were awestruck, they were like fans. You, Heidi, and Lexi just laughed, smiled, and waved.

“This is gonna be my be real!” Lexi squealed, jogging over to the fans.

Heidi turned to say something to you before a thick German accent interrupted you.

It was some guy on Frankfurt’s staff based on his outfit, he held an easy smirk. He looked way too old for yours and Heidi’s teenage selves. He was probably 35 at youngest.

“Ladies. Hallo.” He smiled at the two of you.

Heidi smiled, responding in German while you just gave him a tight nod.

He chatted up Heidi, you watching in amusement, and Heidi as well keeping the conversation with a glint of amusement in her eyes. You’d been friends with Heidi for long enough to know what Heidi always knew peoples true intentions. And the raise of her eyebrows at you meant that she was telling you the man was interested in you.

So you were not surprised at all when the man, with an even wider smirk, turned to you and held his hand out as an introduction. With everyone watching you opted to be polite and went into shake his hand.

However, he instead took it and brought it up to his lips, still smirking. You quickly pulled your hand away and shot him an annoyed look.

“Listen. My name’s Christian, I work for Frankfurt. Wanted to know if you were interested in grabbing a coffee then heading back to my place.” He gave you a sickening smile.

This man was forward.

“Are you blind Christian! One, she’s too young for you. Two, look at the fucking Bellingham kit. She’s taken.” Heidi came to your defense.

“Listen. I don’t see Bellingham here! He doesn’t have to know.” Christian smiled.

“Get the hell away from us.” You glared at Christian, already looking around from security.

Christian’s eyes darkened.

“I have a much higher status here than both of you. So listen you who—” Christian started before being cut off.

“I’d best not finish that sentence if I were you mate.” A voice spoke from behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder.

Jude.

Christian was several inches shorter and scrawnier than Jude.

“Uh Mr. Bellingham I wasn’t aware that she was actually your girlfri—”

“Just scram.” Heidi glared.

And with that, Christian was gone.

You let out a sigh of relief while Heidi went after him with Karim Adeyemi to go and terrorize Christian.

“You alright love.” Jude asked pressing a kiss to your shoulder.

You nodded, twisting your head to make eye contact with him.

“I could’ve dealt with him Judekins. Or at least Heidi could have.” You gave him a teasing smile.

“Yeah but where’s the fun in that? I like being able to show people that you’re mine.” Jude winked at you.

You were about to kiss him when you were interrupted by huffing and puffing. You and Jude looked forward to see Karim panting and Heidi smirking.

“How. Do you run so fast?” Karin barely managed to get out.

“Karim mean freund, it’s a talent.” Heidi winked, scanning her nails.

“Heidi beat you in a foot race.” You stated knowingly.

Karim’s breathing had steadied by now.

“Yeah we were chasing after that Frankfurt guy. How the fuck is she so fast.” Karim groaned.

“So you guys caught up to him?” Jude asked.

“Oh yeah. Managed to threaten him and everything.” Heidi over annunciated.

“Anyways we’ll leave you two now. And remember Jude, Y/N loves men in arm bands. Especially when they’re captains.” Heidi winked before scurrying away.

“I’ll have to keep that in mind then.” Jude smirked down at you, a blush coating your cheeks.

“That was a nice goal you had Bellingham.” You teased him.

“It was dedicated to my biggest fan.” He smiled.

“Your mum’s not here today though.” You smiled innocently.

“I hate you.” He grumbled, burrowing his face into your shoulder.

“You have some eager fans waiting there.” You pointed out.

“They can wait.” He mumbled.

“Jude….” You stressed his name in the way his mum did when she was upset.

“Oh fine. But you’re coming with me.” He tugged you along.

“I’m so proud of you.” You held eye contact before going over to the fans.

“My girl. I love you Y/N.”

[no-ditches-no-bitches]

((since I’m bored and don’t have a life- lemme js..drop some Headcanons down here rq-))

— gay littler twink BOY (probably bisexual Idfk)

— dog person.

— would probably hate flying ngl..

— shows affection by tackle hugging them or something- maybe. Idk.

— either maybe grey eyes or pale yellow ones-?

— loves unicorns (as we know..ha.)

— this guy definitely can’t handle spice. Like- at all.

— Fidgets with his bandages until they unravel of come off completely (force of habit)

— if I recall Zeddzyi said somewhere on her instagram(?) he’s 5’4 or shorter but personally I think he’d be 5’3 maybe-

— bad at taking care of himself and others (not ready to commit to an actual relationship)

— definitely does not know how to talk to kids. Like- at all.

— terrible at reaching out. But just like- appears. Every once in while.

— smuggest little bitch you’ll ever meet.

— cowardly, but hides it quite well.

— finds it difficult to be genuine to people

— his parents low-key probably just left him on the streets ngl

— doesn’t remember anything about his past, including his name so he probably named himself. He definitely thought the name “ditch” was cool )it isn’t.)

— smokes.

— his type of guy is probably em awkward ones. It makes it easy to flirt with em. And he finds it funny that they act so weird after

— hates em twins. You know the ones.

— lacks proper Education due to the lack of absent parents, and thinks it’s too late for him because of it (he’s a lost cause gang)

— probably gets nervous/uncomfortable with excessive flirting. But lowkey probably enjoys it bc he’s a freak.

— craves attention. Both good and bad.

((yeah that’s all I got gang 😞💔))

[davidmariottecomics]

Goodbye IDW! Hello Something New!

Hi there! 

After seven years and some change, today, 12/22/2023, is my last day at IDW Publishing. It's for good reasons. Things just timed out that my last day could be the last work day of the year for IDW and in the new year, I'll be starting a new job elsewhere. I'll still be in comics and once I can talk about the new gig, I'm really stoked to be letting you all know. So, today, I want to say my goodbye to IDW. 

But first, before I get to that, I did have something else notable happen this week. I sent my last tweet!  I'm officially shutting down my Twitter at the end of the year and if you see a Twitter account claiming to be me after January 1st, it's an imposter. If you'd like to keep up with me, however, I've got good news! There are lots of other ways to find me still. Here are a few! 

Check out and bookmark my website! Get access to my blog, plus lots of behind the scenes stuff and new projects at my Patreon!  Subscribe to a newsletter version of my blog for free at Buttondown!  Follow my blog on Tumblr!  Keep up with my main socials: Bluesky and Instagram (I'm @davidmariotte at both)! 

Okay, with that out of the way, let's talk about it. This is not my first time saying goodbye. In fact, almost exactly a year ago, I said my farewells to Transformers, one of the hallmarks of my IDW run. I don't want to revisit that too much, so if you want to read about my early days at IDW or that part of my career or a big list of thank yous to my collaborators, you can! And while I've had significant runs with other books, most notably Sonic the Hedgehog which with January's Sonic: Fang the Hunter #1 will mark 100 issues of Sonic at IDW under my editorial eye, or my personally exciting, if shorter runs on stuff like Godzilla, Samurai Jack, the Hasbro Action books, Canto, Scarenthood, The Kill Lock, The October Faction, Wynonna Earp, Brynmore, Atomic Robo, or literally so many other books, I don't want this to just be a retrospective on the work. In fact, I'm largely not interested in talking about the past when I say goodbye this time. 

IDW has afforded me a lot. They've helped me find my place in the industry. They let me do some writing. They let me do a lot of editing. I learned various other skills both through directly on the course of the job and through my own interest because of what I was doing and seeing there. I have made true lifelong friendships. And I have made comics. So leaving feels weird. I'm very bummed to be leaving a place that really has been my home (and for the past couple of years, has quite literally been mostly at my home) for so long. But I am even more excited about what's to come. On my side, I can't announce it just yet, but watch this space for some big news soon (after a couple weeks of much needed vacation). 

Talking about the future I actually can say a little more about, I wanna tell you how excited I am for IDW. Yes, I'm leaving, but IDW remains home to so many people--both at the company and our freelance creators--and so many projects that are close to my heart. Next year is their 25th anniversary. That is an impressive feat in not just the world of comics, but any industry. For the milestone, they've got a lot of cool stuff planned. 

I'm not going to blow up IDW's spot and say anything about what's coming up too early. Just to talk about the things that are already public knowledge, you've got things like the new TMNT: The Last Ronin sequel! The TMNT ongoing on it's road to issue #150! There are cool new originals like Golgotha Motor Mountain! There's the launch of the aforementioned Fang the Hunter which is IDW's first Classic Sonic mini-series and sees 100 unique issues of Sonic at IDW and is just laugh-out-loud funny and full of such good action! And I'll tease this, when the Sonic ongoing is back with issue #69 in May, you'll be in for an absolute treat as that series runs up to #75! 

I know some readers of this blog don't read a ton of American direct market comics. You aren't "Wednesday Warriors" who go to the comic shop every week. You like the comics you like and I've been graced to be a person working on those comics. If you aren't as familiar with how these comics work, let me assure you of a couple things. The books I was editing and many unannounced projects that I set up will still be happening. Because of the timelines of comic production, you'll still see my name in IDW books for a few more months and, at the same time, you'll see new credits creeping in. And if we've done everything right, that'll be about the only thing you'll notice is different, at least at first. As the editors really take the reins and take over, we'll both be in for the treat of the unknown! I'll be reading them with a good sense of professional jealousy. 

Now, there's one other book that has been announced for next year and I wanted to do a special call out for. Godzilla: Valentine's Day Special went to press this week. It's the last IDW book I saw all the way from inception to completion. And, in many ways, it's kind of a really good analogy of a comics editorial career. I think, genuinely, this may be the book that went from conception to reality the fastest in my career. I think it took... less than a week from a half-joking suggestion of doing a Godzilla Valentine's Day book to getting Zoe Tunnell's pitch in and approved by Toho and getting it on the publishing schedule. Usually these things take a bit--people are working on other projects, licensors need time to review things, whatever other bumps happen along the way--but this was like lightning. Everyone just got it instantly. And then Zoe turned in the script and it was great! Things continued, as they do, and then... we got a curveball or two. I won't go into too much detail, but major thanks to Sebastian Piriz and Rebecca Nalty for getting it done and having a book that we were all so proud of that I could send to press this week. And it struck me on that final press day that despite the curveballs we had been thrown, when it came to actually getting it approved, everything was so easy, straightforward, and smooth. When you read it in February, if I've done my job right, maybe you'll remember seeing somewhere that there were some curveballs. But mostly, you'll just have a really good book in your hands. (BTW, you did JUST MISS the final order cutoff on that, so do check in with your shop about still trying to get you a copy!) 

Most of the time, after a book like that goes to press, an editor gets ready to do it again--maybe in a few minutes or days or the next week. For the first time in a long time, I won't be getting ready to do it again at IDW. That's a complicated feeling, but I'm so excited for the future. 

The best metaphor I've been able to come up with for what is happening is it's like I've been working in a one room office constantly for the past seven years. It's got that dull office lighting, you know the kind. Each day, projects come and go across my desk, and as they otherwise disappear into the world, I put up one of those glow-in-the-dark stars as a memory of it. And each day, I work with so many people--my coworkers at IDW who've helped foster my growth, my collaborators as both a writer and editor who have made so many stories with me, all the folks where things never quite lined up but we kept trying, and the readers who are an inherent part of the ecosystem, the reason we make what we do. And so, for each of those people, I put up a little glow in the dark toy. 

Now, for the first time, I'm going to get up and leave the office. As I flick the switch behind me, everything in there that has been soaking up light for years now glows. Some of the glows are slight. Some are so fantastically bright, it feels like they're drawing attention through the walls of the room. Together, they make the room brighter than it was when I left. Now, sometimes, I might sneak in to borrow a toy--make a copy of it for the new office I'm doing the same thing in. Other people will certainly do the same and make they've got their Evan Stanley figure on their shelf. If I ever return for a longer time, I'll be so glad to flick the light back on and let them all absorb even more light to glow an even longer time. If I don't, I rest happy that the glow goes on and forever people will be able to come back and discover some part of it. And I'll start working on a new office soon. 

If I keep going,  I'm a little afraid that I won't be able to stop. So, for now, I'll just say again, thank you. The future is about to be very exciting. Next year is for the creators you love or don't know you love yet, the books that are going to light you up that you've come to expect and the ones that will catch you by total surprise. While there are a lot of things I'm going to miss deeply and books that I'm going to wish I had gotten to do more on, I also have the really exciting experience of getting to see this stuff as a fan of IDW, just like you. And, hey, I hope you'll be a fan of the stuff I do next too! 

As for next steps, like I've said, I'm not going far. I'll still be in comics. I'll share the news when I can.

Before that, I'm getting a little break. Not too long, just a few weeks, and obviously the holidays are part of those, but in my time between my jobs, I'm going to be working on some personal projects. I put together a little tracking list recently and I have something like 40 projects in various stages of gestation right now. Obviously, I'm not going to be working on all of those at once, and chances are, some of them will never see the light of day, but I'm going to be working on trying to bring a couple of them to you in the new year (and beyond). If you're an artist that I've had the pleasure of working with in the past and you think you might be interested in peeping the list and seeing what we could do together, let me know. You can reach me on my website contact page, through my email, or through Discord (feel free to ask if you don't have it!). 

And if you read this blog, you'll see me hyping my last IDW projects up until we run out of what I left behind. Simultaneously, once I've got stuff to start hyping up for my personal projects and for the new gig, you'll see those start to pop up here too! I'll also keep talking about making comics and my thoughts on the state of the world and whatever else it is I blog about here on a regular basis! 

Thanks for reading. Bye-DW! Next week, I'll be doing a little Best of 2023. But for now, onto our regular features. 

What I enjoyed this week: Dungeons & Daddies (Podcast), Reverse 1999 (Video Game), Nancy (Comic), Lego Masters (TV show), Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror (Short story collection), Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links (Video Game), Cunk on Earth (TV show), I'm a Virgo (TV show), The Boy and the Heron (Movie), an easy last week at IDW, all the well-wishes that've already poured in, leaving today to celebrate Christmas with my family and then have some downtime to work on my stuff, signing the paperwork for the new job, not being on Twitter anymore, getting all of our mail out in a timely fashion for the holidays, Chainsaw Man (Manga), I picked up Superman and Hawkgirl, so excited to get caught up on those, and knowing that in leaving this job, there are certain folks I just get to deepen my relationships with as friends, instead of co-workers. 

New Releases this week (12/20/2023): Godzilla: The War for Humanity #3 (Editor) Godzilla Rivals: Jet Jaguar vs. Megalon (Editor)

Announcements: The Cartoonist Cooperative is still doing E-Sim cards for Gaza. You can donate a digital sim card so that residents can get access to the internet and have more functional phones and, in exchange, get some comics or a drawing or whatever else is available from the many participating artists. Additionally, the CC is hosting their mini-comic awards! It's a cool way to maybe get your mini-comic recognized and make some scratch!

You can also give more directly. If you don't have money, and I get it, you can call or fax or email or show up at the offices��of your representatives. Keep your eyes open for actions too, whether they're another general strike or demonstrations and marches in your area. Given the nature of the things, they often come together fairly quickly, so do exercise your due diligence. Also, of course, being informed and just giving your time to Palestinian journalists and writers is incredibly valuable. 

While Becca has got some things brewing for next year (and now on a schedule), you should reach out if you'd like to work on comics with them! You can find their gallery on their website and also, y'know, maybe pick up a few things for belated gifts while you're there!

Finally, I called out my Patreon earlier. You can support me (and boy, that would be cool during the time between paychecks because vacation is nice, but living is still expensive) and get not just this blog, but a lot of cool special features like extra posts, comics, infographics, and more! At the $10+ levels, you can also access stuff like a holiday gift guide I made, a podcast pilot for a spicy show with Becca, and a ton more! 

Pic of the Week: Happy holidays from Becca and me! If you wanna full card in your inbox, lemme know! 

[drawcupidsbow]

Hi i made a post on instagram about the top five games i played for the first time this year and thought id share it here! none of these are in any particular order. except the last one. my favorit....

first up is oneshot! it took me wayyyy too long to play this game. oneshot feels kinda like one of the staple rpg maker games, yet i went into it pretty much completely blind, "finished it" in one sitting, found out there was over half the game left, played the rest, and cried real hard. such a good game that breaks the fourth wall in really interesting ways. and also it has niko who doesnt love little fella niko

♡

second is halope! this is a game i had never heard of before my friend ángel (@raccoonlover333) told me to play it and i feel like i still dont really see people talk about it? it has a very unique style i think and each of the areas have their own atmosphere and feel to them (aside from the fact that all of them have distinct color palettes lol). very lovely game i enjoyed it a lot. also one of the first times i played a game with multiple endings and felt satisfied not going out of my way getting any i missed ? i enjoyed what it had to offer and didnt feel the need to pry for more (good thing)

♡

hard shift from story based rpgmaker games but next is webfishing. webfishing is good. its so good youve probably heard a lot of people say this by now but its just so fun and calming to sit around with friends and fish for hours. theres something special about the kinds of online games where theres a physical space you share with people, especially those you havent met in person. makes you feel like youre there with them. and also you can get a man i love fishing shirt whats not to love

♡

o yea baby farming sim. this game is so charming and has a lot of quality of life features that i feel are missed in other farming sims. it is still in early access so i cant be too harsh on it, but i will admit that the characters feel a bit too flat currently. a lot of nothing burger dialogue which isnt always a bad thing but when 20 characters tell you Hey this weather huh? must be good for farming! its hard to differentiate their personalities in your mind lol. im sure thatll be added to in the future though like i said its still ea and only has enough content to last you about a year in game. what it does have is very fun though and i would recommend it

♡

You knew it was coming be honest. where do i even start. technically i Did play isat for the first time last year, however, it was for like one hour and then i didnt pick it up again for half a year. so it counts to me. and also i take any excuse i can to talk about this game

in stars and time is a game that portrays characters and relationships in such a realistic light to a degree ive never seen in any other game. it makes it so easy to immediately become attached to this group of friends despite knowing them for less than ten minutes. its a very emotion heavy game. and who can forget the time loop Ohhh yes the time loop. siffrins slow decent into hopelessness and anguish after failing to escape time and time again is something rarely shown in time loop media i feel. at least to this degree. madoka magica comes pretty damn close though lol. also looping in time and zoning out through dialogue (and doing so having consequences) is such a cool game mechanic

while im talking about isat im slipping its prequel game in too, start again start again start again a prologue (or just start again). this one, though much shorter and more of a proof of concept, feels much more harrowing in the ways it pulls it off, especially without a certain characters presence. but i wont say more than that as to not spoil it teehee

this game changed my life for the better. and has been causing me psychic damage every day for 8 months. heart ♡

♡

and thats some of my favorite games i played this year! there were more but not enough for it to be 10 and 5 was a nicer number than like 7 lol. happy new year! i hope this year treats you all well and i cant wait to draw one million fanarts as i have been doing for the past 5 years. Yayyy

[cheesysoup-arlo]

(not yet) Naked (but) in Manhattan (pt. 1)

Janis x reader

A/N: some of the words in here are exactly what it says in the song so full credit to that I did not come up with those parts

Turning your phone off of airplane mode and you had a few notification, one stood out to you at the bottom, a voicemail?

*voicemail from “Art cutie🎨”*

You decide to pop in your headphones to give it a listen

“Hey it’s Janis I know you just landed and I know you’re probably busy but I would love to see you so call me when you can”

Janis…your mind drifts back to your first time meeting her, exactly two months ago at the art exhibition back in California, it was a college student art exhibition for a few chosen students from different states to display their art. Getting the email that you were chosen and getting a free trip to California was awesome. You met so many amazing artists and you met this one person, Janis ‘Imi’ike. The prettiest person you’ve ever met, she was nice and helped you set up your display. After the event you to exchanged contact information to stay in contact given the fact you lived in different states from each other. Over the two months you two had gotten close, it felt different than any other friendship or even relationship you’d ever been in. She sends you good morning texts and good night texts which makes you have this warm fuzzy feeling that’s totally not a crush. You had a trip to New York planned for about 5 months now, when you made the plans you only knew one person living there, Damian Hubbar, you met him when you were working on set design on your last trip out here which was a work trip, he told you about his friend and shockingly you ended up meeting her without Damian, you’re snapped out of your trip down memory lane when you bump into someone “oh my gosh I’m so sorry” you say picking up your phone from the ground and you look up to see “Damian! What are you doing here man” you say a little surprise to find him at the airport “girl I’m here to pick you up, did you not get my text?” Damian said a little confused “oh shoot yeah sorry I saw it” you say remembering that Damian had sent to a few text “well let’s go bitch, we’re gonna head to my place to drop off your stuff and I was thinking we could maybe surprise Janis at her new studio, you know with the opening being today” Damian says grabbing one of your bags “oh yes absolutely” You said as you both continued to walk to the exit of the airport.

You guys made a quick stop at Damian’s apartment it was really nice, you dropped off your bags and Damian’s boyfriend decided to join you guys to go see Janis.

The drive was pretty short. The studio was absolutely beautiful, there was a mural at the entrance that you assumed Janis made. “All right we are about 5 minutes early so we can get out and hang out at the front before more people come” Damian said parking the car. There are a few people already there, “Damian omg what took you so long” the shorter of the three girls asks “I’m sorry Gretch I had to pick this one up from the airport” Damian says referring to you, you had seen these girls before but only in Instagram posts and stories “oh is this the famous y/n Janis won’t shut up about?” the tall blonde asks “um uh yeah? It’s nice to meet you guys” you say a little awkward “I’m Regina, this is Karen and-“ “I’m Gretchen” Gretchen says when Regina points at her to introduce herself “Regina, Karen, Gretchen, got it” you say giving them a thumbs up. The doors open to reveal a mildly stressed Janis “psst D, I need your help” Janis whisper yells causing Damian to rush over to her “I can’t reach the pamphlets” she says frustrated “it’s ok tiny gay I’ll save the day” he jokes, Janis rolls her eyes as he hands her the box “thank you, now you have to help pass them out” she says sticking her tongue out at him, you let out a small laugh observing their interaction. “Hey everybody welcome to the official opening of my art studio, thank you all for coming we have a lovely array of art and drinks” winking with the last word “please grab a pamphlet on your way in, they have descriptions of each art piece that I have currently up, when my next few art related events are, and my contact info for commission and other things” Janis says with a smile on her face followed by applause from the people attending. You go in and mingle for a while grabbing a drink and enjoying how amazing the art is, you’re especially drawn to her mix media pieces.

“Y/n? You-you made it? You actually came” Janis says as tears start to well up in her eyes “surprise? I told you I’d be in Manhattan, why wouldn’t I come to your opening?” You say pulling her in for a hug “I don’t know I thought maybe you’d be too tired to come you know jet lag” she says a little embarrassed “you’re right the jet lag is crazy but I wouldn’t want to miss something so important to you, you know I even moved to an early flight for you” you say with a small slightly embarrassed smirk “what! really?” Janis says genuinely surprised “yeah” you say with a nod. You and Janis mingle around and meet some new people until around 6:30pm. “Y’all wanna get tacos and then head to the nice gay bar” Regina suggests “oooo fuck yeah it’s the one by the theater right?” Janis asks “yeah and the really good taco place across the street” Regina says with a nod. You guys head to the taco shop, order and sit down together, you become the topic of conversation “Soooo how’s life, do you have a boyfriend or…girlfriend?” Gretchen asks “Boys suck and girls…I’ve never tried…” you say a little embarrassed about the last part “ooo ok but girls interest you?” Gretchen asks just out of curiosity “Yeah I guess you could say that” if you wanted to be completely honest you would say there’s one girl that interests you and she just so happened to be sitting right texting to you while your lovely new friend probes you with questions “Gretchen?” Regina says “I think you’re scaring her just a little” Regina says in the nicest way she can with a bitchy under tone “oh sorry, I just get excited” Gretchen says “it’s ok” you say forcing a small smile then picking at you chipped nail polish

You guys eat then head to the gay bar. “It smells like glitter and-“ you say “vodka?” Janis interrupts “yeah” you say with a laugh and smile “wanna go dance?” Janis suggests seeing Karen and Gretchen over there already “drinks first then absolutely” you say walking over to the bar you tell him your order and he hands it to you as your about to pay Janis slips him her card and says “put it on my tab” winking at you then ordering a drink herself “you know you didn’t have to do that right” you say “yeah but I wanted to” Janis say looking into your eyes with a kind smile, your face feels a little warm maybe it’s just your drink maybe it’s Janis (it’s definitely Janis) god why did this girl have such an effect on you. You decided to give yourself the limit of one drink, it was a new space with people you didn’t know well yet. Regina pulled you on to the dance floor, “heyyy” Regina said “hi” you said with a small laugh noticing her semi drunk state. You two were dancing close, your back pressed up against your front dancing to the music. Janis watches from the bar, her eyes trace your body from your face all the way down, biting her lip, she looks up at your face again to see that you’ve been watching her too, slightly embarrassed she blushes and looks away. “You know you two would be really cute together” Regina whispers right into your ear, her warm breath startling you slightly “what” you say quickly looking away from Janis “I said you two would be cute together, she talks about you a lot and I’ve never seen her look at someone like that so you’re definitely special” Regina says turning you around to look at her “how long are you here for” Regina ask “well um honestly I don’t have a return date and long as I go back eventually…for like my stuff” you say looking down at your hands, you’ve officially finished college and you honestly aren’t sure what you’re doing next “you really like her don’t ya” Regina says with a giggle “yeah, I do I really do fuck but I’ve never done anything with a girl before like not even kissed” you say embarrassed and realizing this is the first time you’ve admitted your crush on Janis “Y/n you’ll be fine, just be honest with her she love communication” Regina says putting her hand on your shoulder then turning you in the direction of Janis with a small push. “Hey y/n do you um wanna get out of here?” Janis asks “yeah um that would be nice” you say with a small smile “yo D, we’re gonna head out I got us an Uber” Janis says giving Damian a hug “byee see y’all tomorrow” Damian says followed by the rest of the group exchanging farewells. Janis grabs your hand and pulls you outside “we’re heading to my place, do you need anything?” Janis asks “no I’m good” you say fidgeting with your rings, she slides her arm around your waist looking at you to make sure you’re ok, you smile and blush creeps up on to your cheeks “it’s really nice to see you again” she says leaning her head on your shoulder, your breathe becomes a little unsteady, she had such an effect on you and she was barely doing anything. You two got into the Uber and headed to her house the ride was quiet and her hand rested gently on your thigh the whole time, you two would make eye contact often but not say anything.

Finally arriving at her apartment “welcome to my slightly messy home, make yourself comfortable sit literally anywhere” she says as she picks a few things up off the floor, you admire all the art around her house, the finished and unfinished projects “thirsty?, I’ve got water and iced tea” she says opening the fridge “water please” you say, she grabs two bottles of box water (I feel like she’s a box water drinker) “thank you” you say looking up at her from where you’re sitting on the floor (floor is the best place to sit not up for debate) she plops down next to you “how are you?” She asks “I’m really good…I’ve missed you a lot if I’m being honest” you say fidgeting with the cap of your bottle “I’ve missed you too, even with the calling and texting, I really like being around you” she says looking at you with her hand gently resting on your thigh, your skin feels like it’s on fire but in a good way, a light pink dusts your cheeks. You two just look into each other’s eyes for a moment, “um do you wanna stay over?, you can borrow some of my clothes and I have an extra toothbrush” Janis offers “yeah that’s sounds fun, finally hanging out after two months, just the two of us” that last part you say a little more quietly “wanna play a game?” Janis suggests “um sure what do you have in mind” you say a little hesitant “uh I got a couple Nintendo games or I got Jenga and Uno” Janis says “ooo do you have mariokart?” You ask “um yeah of course I have Mariokart” Janis says with a small laugh getting up to turn on the TV and grab the controllers “thank you” you say as she hands you a controller, she sets up the game, you pick your character and car (I’m personally a yoshi person most of the time) and she picks hers. You guys play a few rounds you won twice and Janis has too so now you’re doing a tie breaker “oh I’m totally gonna beat you” Janis says biting her bottom lip to focus, you let out a scoff “you said that last round and lost” your tongue peeking out the side of your lips as you focused on trying to beat her. You win “HA I BEAT YOU” you say standing up and getting close to her, Janis is sitting on the couch, she pulls you close by your belt loops, you get flustered and lose your balance falling on top of her causing her to lay down with you on top of her “woah” you say blushing at how close your face is to her’s “hey cutie” Janis says with a wink

A/N: pt. 2 coming soon (it’s smut lol) also let me know if you want to be added to the tag list <3

Tag list:

@ashecampos

[thebibutterflyao3]

Day Twenty-Three - Prompt: Cropped @rosekiller-microfic

March Daily Series - 972 words

<<<Previous Part OR Start Here

Barty allowed himself a full thirty-six hours of recovery before returning to The Ink Spot. He was sore, but mobile. That was enough.

When he stepped in the door, Emmeline loudly snorted and promptly covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. She knew what he was doing, as did anyone else that cared to pay attention. Every time someone else worked on him, Evan became a little more unhinged. He was possessive as fuck over his clients and Barty was counting on that playing in his favour.

“What now?” Evan grumbled. His stall was the first one past the waiting room, so he had a front row seat to Barty’s nonsense.

“Morning, Em,” Barty said cheerfully. He flashed a bright smile at her and she winked conspiratorially. It was unlikely that she knew the details of any of this, she simply enjoyed the game at Evan’s expense. “Anyone available?”

“Fuck.”

Emmeline hummed an amused little tune as she scanned her list. “If you’re willing to wait about an hour? I can squeeze you in.”

“For fuck’s sake, Emmeline. Just tell him ‘no’ for once,” Evan hissed.

She ignored him and gestured at the chairs. “Settle in.”

Barty moved carefully through the maze of outstretched legs and eased into a chair near the front window. He would be on his best behaviour today. That was sure to drive Evan mad. If he couldn’t hear him, he’d be more likely to check on him, which meant that he would spend the entire hour thinking about him. It was a sound plan.

Unless he decides to strangle me. Very possible alternative.

This would probably have been counterproductive with anyone else, but with Evan, stubborn determination tended to pay off. Not always, but often enough.

He focused on the second half of his plan. This part required more finesse, which was not his forte. Barty typed his message, deleted the first half, typed it again, then deleted it entirely. He leaned forward and rubbed his forehead.

How can I make things right with Pandora without addressing Regulus first? And how do I do that?

This was the part of his plan that he was least confident in. Evan probably wouldn’t really take him back unless he made amends, but Barty had burned those bridges with a fucking flamethrower.

There has to be a way. I have to find a way before Evan moves on.

Barty wracked his brain for ideas. Nothing seemed to go far enough to make up for cheating on Reg. At least not when he was trying to avoid the appearance of pursuing him. That would be a dangerous proposition. He wasn’t a moron. Evan would murder him if Pandora and Dorcas didn’t get the job done first.

While scrolling Instagram for inspiration, he landed on Sirius’s profile. Among the lot of them, Sirius was the only one who hadn’t blocked him yet. Although, that was likely because he’d never interacted with Sirius online before. If he tried it, chances were good he’d be blocked by him too.

Idly, he flipped through Sirius’s photos. There were several of a tall bloke, a redhead, and a brawny man with glasses, but few of the people Barty recognised. Pandora was in one and Regulus was in two. Then, he landed on one with the brawny man and Regulus together.

Hold on, I know him. He’s friends with Peter.

Barty searched Sirius’s profile for the short, heavyset bloke with close-cropped hair that he’d run into at the club in Scotland. He hadn’t connected Peter to Sirius at the time, but it couldn’t be a coincidence that this Latino fellow was friends with both and for one not to know the other. Peter was friendly enough and asked if he had any weed to sell, so he’d sold it to him. The shorter bloke had chattered like a magpie the entire time, but the brawny man just loomed behind him like a security guard.

“There you are,” he muttered to himself. “Peter. Peter, hmm. How are you connected, mate?”

After a few minutes of deliberation, Barty opened Peter’s profile. He was some sort of business lackey. No wonder he needed the weed. His profile wasn’t extensive, but his DMs were open. Barty decided to give it a go. The worst that could happen is that Peter told him to piss off.

Met you at the club in Edinburgh a few weeks back and realised we know the same people. I fucked things up with a friend or two and want to apologise. Mind offering some advice? I’d make it worth your while.

-Barty (grass distributor extraordinaire)

Within minutes, he had a response:

Vaguely remember you, but your weed was top quality. Who are we talking about?

Barty hurriedly responded:

Regulus and Pandora. We used to be close, but I fucked it up and I’m trying to make amends.

There was a longer pause this time, but eventually Peter replied:

Are you the one who showed up in Wales?

Fuck. If Peter knew about his dust-up with Pandora in Wales, it was unlikely that he’d help now. Barty considered lying, but figured the truth was easier to defend.

Yeah, I was off it. Part of what I want to apologise for, actually.

Peter responded with a curt dismissal that Barty absolutely deserved:

Sounds like a you problem.

Well, fuck.”

Barty knew it was a long shot, but he had to try. The reality was harder to swallow, but easier to accept. He’d promised not to approach Pandora or Regulus directly, and he didn’t even know how to contact Dorcas, so that left Evan. Somehow, he had to win Evan back without fixing things. That should blow up in his face in approximately three days.

Next Part>>>

[twptwp]

I was discussing it on my Instagram lastnight and I continue to think about it so I ramble here:

Peepers is not a birthname

It is such a vastly different name from what seems normal to watchdogs, you have Andy, Ted, Westley, Tim, Barry, so on. No watchdog parent would name their kid Peepers. On Instagram I went into depth and discussed his detachment to the watchdogs and how it was hinted he knows his family and in season 3 it would be a problem. Unfortunately I saw that a long time ago and cannot prove the quote but I am pretty sure a creator said it. However even if no quote, considering he has ran off and become the commander of a huge evil army and never once discussed his family, safe to assume he wants nothing to do with them and they're some form of issue. That makes sense.

I think it can be rather nice to see it in a trans light, however I too changed my name before being aware of my gender due to wanting to detach from family. Whatever is going on, I find a lot of comfort in it and see myself a little too. I wanted all detachment from those people, and it seems so does Peepers. It makes me so happy to see a character change their name for these reasons, I understand it. I so often see name changing being linked to trans people and trans people only, despite being trans myself sometimes I feel a little left out because my name change is not linked to gender. Peepers changing his name to spite his family and run off and be independent from them.. That's what I want to do. I don't quite want to run away become evil commander, but I do want to be me

Delving on the trans light a little though, it really excites me how much reason for it! To name a few, things like shorter than the other watchdogs, his higher voice, his chest, you understand the idea. It's good! Makes sense!

Post was not originally about trans headcannon but I don't mind, it can be both topics, all come back to his name not being birthname

[chocolateteapotsvis]

Can I ask for Bachelorette and Crane husband?

So Bachelorette is basically doing as season of the Bachelor TV show, except as an alternate universe version of the Justice League getting together.  For anyone lucky enough to be unfamiliar with the show, it’s a reality dating show where 30ish contestants arrive to date and marry the lead, the titular Bachelor/Bachelorette.  Theoretically.  These days it’s known more for scandals, cringe, and former contestants going on to sell diet tea on Instagram.

Anyway, the story:  After the last disastrous season of the Bachelor which ended with several contestants, including the lead, going missing, Lex Luthor is trying to shake up the Bachelorette formula by bringing in Diana Prince, the franchise's first openly bisexual lead.  Are the contestants here to find love, fame, or, the ultimate right reason, saving the world?

The idea was for it to be a mix of character POVs going through the challenges, discovering the superpowers people are hiding, and falling in love, and not necessarily with the Diana.  I absolutely bit off more than I could chew with this, since when I started it I had written exactly nothing else with multiple POVs and this one had 4+, with at least two major ships and a bunch of side ships.

I also wanted to mix what was actually happening with some of the more reality TV things, like the confession cam segments where they sit in an empty room talking to the producers.  This scene is a couple weeks into the show, when Hal and Barry have really connected on a personal level, but before anyone’s really figured out any of the superhero stuff.

Hal: Barry?  Yeah, he’s my best friend in the house.  He’s one of those people you don’t think exist outside of, like, fairy tales and shit.  Like, real people don’t care that much, especially not about people like—  Don’t tell him this, because I’ll deny saying any of it, but he makes me believe in all that stuff, and it makes me feel better about myself knowing he calls me a friend too.

Barry: Hal’s someone I never would have met in real life, and I’m grateful for the show for that.  And yes, in this process, spending twenty four hours a day in a house full of strangers in this strange bubble, and the heightened emotionality of everything here… I guess what I’m saying is that you connect with people more quickly, go through months of relationship development in a much shorter amount of time.  I’m sorry, I’m not used to talking about this sort of thing.  *laughs*  You’d think I would be after doing so many of these interviews. He’s so many of the things I wish I could be.  Does he rub some people the wrong way?  Of course.  Do I personally agree with everything he’s said or done here?  No.  But he’s unabashedly who he is, and that’s something to admire.  … I do hope we can stay friends after the show, yes.  I hope my life isn’t too boring for him after the glitz and glamour of being on The Bachelorette has worn off.  *laughs*  But for now, I’m privileged to be his friend, and I’m going to try to focus on that. Producer: That’s great.  Now could you do that again except use the word “journey” instead of “process”?

You can find the inspiration for Crane Husband here, and another snippet here!  The basic premise is that Barry helps Hal, magical crane person, getting to know each other, and helping each other through misguided attempts to pay back past kindnesses.

Barry’s latching the final storm shutter when something white tumble out of the sky. He secures the warm glow inside the how behind the shutters, then turns, and dashes after it. The winds whips around him, stinging at his eyes and tugging at his coat to pull him off his feet.  He stumbles against the already soft ground, his hands doubly chilled. The world darkens again, late evening imposed by the clouds.  Barry can just make out the dark shapes of the trees ahead; his cabin is, thankfully, more visible, the dark splotch distinguished by the line of light sneaking through the shutters.   It can’t be much farther.  I can make it. The rain starts as he enters the tree line, a few fat drops soaking straight through his coat before he reaches the relative protection of the trees.  It’s even darker here, but then lightning flashes and he sees the patch of white. He’s shrugging out of his coat before the thunder hits, approaching as cautiously as he can while half running, half stumbling towards the poor creature. It’s so small, white feathers dull and muddy, and wing bent at a sickening angle.  It doesn’t move when Barry holds out a tentative hand, not quite touching it.  It’s still warm.  He carefully gathers it up in his coat, clutching the light bundle as securely but gently as he can. As he rushes into the downpour, huddled over his charge to protect it as best he could, he realizes why the crane struck him as so vulnerable.  He’s never seen one alone before.

Thanks for the ask!

WIP Ask Game

[naomicindy]

 ‘Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikToks and Instagram?’

By: naomicindy

Blogging used to be the thing back in the day. Remember those early 2000s vibes? A person with a quirky blog could be the coolest internet celeb. But now, with TikTok and Instagram dominating our screens, you might wonder—does blogging even matter anymore? Or is it just this outdated, long-winded thing nobody has time for? Honestly, it’s not as simple as “blogging is dead.” The truth is, blogging has evolved—and it’s still holding its ground in ways that TikTok and Instagram can’t always match.

Okay, sure, TikTok and Instagram are unbeatable when it comes to grabbing attention fast. I mean, who isn’t glued to their screen scrolling through Reels or laughing at some random TikTok trend? They’re quick, colorful, and honestly kind of addictive. But here’s the thing—when you need actual depth, like more than 15 seconds of dancing or a cute outfit inspo clip, you’re not going to find that on TikTok or Instagram. Blogs, though? They give you space to dig deeper, tell real stories, and share insights without a time crunch (Clover, 2024). They’re like the cozy library of the internet—always there when you need them.

Take fashion, for example. Fashion blogging was huge before influencers started popping off on Instagram. It wasn’t just about posting cute outfits—it was a whole vibe of storytelling, trend predictions, and personal branding (Suwaidi, 2016). And instead of disappearing, blogging evolved into something more business-y, with bloggers turning their sites into full-blown careers. I read about this study by Pedroni (2023) that said fashion blogging adapted to the rise of Instagram and TikTok, proving it’s not stuck in the past but rolling with the times.

What’s cool about blogs is how flexible they are. They can be your go-to for in-depth guides, tutorials, or opinion pieces. Like, think about it—have you ever seen a 15-second TikTok really explain how to build something or go into the details of why a trend works? TikToks and Reels might give you a quick “wow” moment, but if you’re genuinely interested, you’ll probably end up Googling for more info—and guess where you’ll land? A blog. Blogs and short-form content can totally complement each other this way. Imagine watching a TikTok on how to upcycle old clothes and then clicking a link to read the full DIY steps on a blog. Perfect match.

Also, blogs offer something social media can’t always guarantee: control. On TikTok or Instagram, you’re at the mercy of algorithms. One day your content is popping, and the next, it’s ghosted—like, what happened, girl? Blogs don’t have that problem. They’re your space to shine, with no algorithm randomly deciding if your post deserves to be seen. Plus, owning your blog feels like building your personal empire—it’s yours. It’s not just some rented corner on social media.

That said, I get why some people think blogs aren’t “cool” anymore. Like, who has time to sit and read long posts when you can get bite-sized entertainment in seconds? Attention spans are getting shorter, and younger audiences are all about that quick, fun content. But here’s the twist: blogs are adapting too. They’re not just walls of text anymore. Think embedded videos, clickable infographics, photo galleries, and even interactive polls. It’s not about competing with TikTok—it’s about finding ways to work alongside it.

This is where hybrid content strategies come in. Let’s say you’re a creator with a blog. You could use TikTok to post snappy, catchy videos to grab people’s attention and then guide them to your blog for the full story. It’s like giving your audience the best of both worlds. Studies like one by Haenlein et al. (2020) show that cross-platform strategies are actually super effective for keeping your content relevant across different types of audiences.

And let’s not forget how blogs build credibility. Anyone can pop off with a viral TikTok, but blogs let you prove you know your stuff. Want to be taken seriously in your niche? A blog is like your personal portfolio. It shows you’re dedicated enough to create something lasting, not just chasing the next trend. I’ve seen creators use blogs to land brand partnerships and build legit careers, which feels a lot more stable than relying solely on social media hype (Nguyen, 2023).

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Blogging isn’t easy, and it’s definitely not as fast-paced as TikTok or Instagram. It takes time to write posts, make them visually appealing, and keep your readers interested. And let’s be real—getting people to read blogs can feel like an uphill battle when everyone’s distracted by shorter content. But the key is knowing how to balance both. It’s not about “blogging vs. TikTok.” It’s about using each platform for what it’s best at and letting them support each other.

So yeah, TikTok and Instagram might be the stars of the moment, but blogging isn’t going anywhere. It’s still a unique, valuable tool for creators who want to go deeper, share their expertise, or simply have a digital space they truly own. And when blogs and social media team up? That’s when the magic happens. Blogging isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, just in a way that makes sense for today’s digital world.

Bleier, A., Fossen, B. L., & Shapira, M. (2024, September). On the role of social media platforms in the creator economy. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 41(3), 411-426. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167811624000545

Clover, P. (2024, September 24). Do people still read blogs? what you must know in 2024. Polly Clover Writes. https://www.pollycloverwrites.com/blog/do-people-still-read-blogs 

Haenlein, M., Anadol, E., Farnsworth, T., Hugo, H., Hunichen, J., & Welte, D. (2020, November). Navigating the new era of influencer marketing: How to be successful on Instagram, TikTok, & Co. California management review, 63(1), 5-25. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346208319_Navigating_the_New_Era_of_Influencer_Marketing_How_to_be_Successful_on_Instagram_TikTok_Co

Nguyen, E. (2023, October 19). Are influencer partnerships the inevitable future of business?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231013-are-influencer-partnerships-the-inevitable-future-of-business 

Pedroni, M. (2022, January). Two decades of fashion blogging and influencing: A critical overview. Fashion Theory, 27(2), 237-268. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357622594_Two_Decades_of_Fashion_Blogging_and_Influencing_A_Critical_Overview

Suwaidi, R. A. (2016, April 26). Sail Magazine. Sail Magazine - Community, Culture, Creativity. https://sailemagazine.com/2016/04/growth-and-ascent-of-fashion-bloggers/