#sometimes to write is to suffer

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Right, stumbling out of my too busy coma to talk more about pulling your punches with writing. I've tried to describe this several times with other writers, and get a lot of blank looks because my definition of words is hodge-podge of also vaguely wrong definitions.

What I mean by "pulling your punches" is holding back and avoiding the hard choices. This is both in terms of character and plot. As much as we joke about torturing our characters, sometimes it is hard to make them go through the most difficult thing because we like our characters, and we want the readers to like them too.

In contrast, it's much easier to make those choices in fanfiction, because they're not really "our" characters. We don't bear the responsibility of what happens to them in original narrative. (Yes, I realize I am talking about totally made-up, not real people. Bear with me.)

The tricky thing is determining when you are holding back. Often this takes the advice of a beta reader, but sometimes they can't always help, because only you know what you're holding back on, and half the time you're not aware of doing it. Hard!

When you're editing your scenes or going over your outline, take the time to consider the worst-case scenario in each one and the following consequences. You're not going to always go with the most extreme option, but laying it out can help you see if your current scene feels to weak.

Another thing to remember is that this often comes up because your characters wouldn't want to experience that. When you're trying to write them as true to their character, you can also unconsciously shield them from choices, consequences, and realizations they need to face. If it feels like your character isn't progressing (or a beta reader points that out), going back and yanking away what's shielding them.

You're only going to be able to determine this on your own story, but let me give you an example of mine. A critical part of my plot is my main character realizing her father is a bad person and she can't live with him anymore.

This sounds easy to do, but I have a lot of sympathy for both characters. The MC's father is facing terrible decisions and acting in the belief that he's protecting his daughter. The MC has spent her whole life with only her dad to rely on, and life without him seems far more frightening.

This took years to untangle. I spent too many drafts where the MC would not fully confront her father about his failings, because I never had her admit them in the story. I had to put the book away and write two other ones before I could look at it again and realize the obvious: the MC had to directly confront her father and fully commit to leaving him. Every other issue with the book fell in line once I figured that out.

If you're stuck on this and spinning your wheels like me, getting feedback on your story is the most helpful way to see the flaws in it. If you're not able to get that feedback, going through and asking yourself "How do I make this situation worse?" for both the plot and the character can help you pinpoint those missing steps.

[inkskinned]

i wrote an interactive poem for my girlfriend in 3 parts. she said you need to read it.

go here: take only the final quiz or take all 3. i don't mind. it's sad, though. this is a poem about choice. about fate and mental illness and how love fits inside of all of it. this is a poem about a long dark hallway. mostly this is a poem about mango sushi rolls.

good luck. i love you. despite it all, i'm hopeful.

[acid-ixx]

mild spoilers for chapter six for my series again &. again, but i really feel the need to ramble about this, and i'd love to hear anybody's opinion on this hehe.

as i write outline chapter six (and write for chapter five), i'd like to say i couldn't wait to write the reader's face reveal in bruce's perspective. and it's not just angst, for me, this plays a very pivotal turn for the series— because bruce will spiral to insanity.

to never once see a single portrait of your second youngest child, whose presence has long been erased from the manor, not a single image, nor trace of you is sickening to the heart, even if he scours through the internet day and night for a single memoir of you, nothing— but to find your portrait in alfred's living quarters and seeing you for the first time in forever? graduating a milestone no less?

god, he's in for a ride just analyzing every aspect of your physical appearance.

the color of your eyes, the shape of your nose, the quip of your mouth, the fat in your cheeks; even the length of your lashes! god, does he brand it into the deepest parts of his mind to never forget you anymore. his pearl, his treasure.

the longer he stares, the more he notices and gazes even more, obsessive as he stands lonesome in the room with every bone in his body locking up, his eyes unable to look away from the portrait that showcases his baby child.

and there, there it is that he concludes a detail so small it's unrecognizable for someone who's seen it for his entire life; yet it's all the same triggered deranged emotions deep within him.

— you don't just share him and your mother's traits, no, your smile is also reminiscent of his mother's.

martha wayne, who'd died in his arms, laying in a pool of her blood with a bullet grazed deep inside her body. his loving mother, who caressed his face whenever he'd cry from his nightmares, who'd shown him motherly love that until now he still craves.

she died with her pearl necklace that once decorated her porcelain neck spilling to the ground and stained with crimson.

you wore pearl earrings on your graduation.

the thought alone is enough for him to just snap.

this? this is the child that he's been neglecting far too long? who shares the same, loving expression of his mother's? his child? not even a single memory could be conjured with you but fantasies now do. if your happiest moments were within the picture frame that he holds with shivering fingers at present; could your smile be any wider if you'd be with him?

how come he never once noticed? why is bruce always destined to fail left and right? why, just why is he brimming with jealousy for all the people who must've seen your smile before him, and contempt for himself that he was never there to pick you up from the police station beforehand?

bruce isn't a heckler for favoritism, but a darker part of him is motivated to take you away from wherever you are, and to never let anybody else witness his beautiful, little treasure.

he's gotham's knight, first and foremost. but he's a father, too, with goals to protect his children just like a father should.

and the things he'd do for you, his child, now? anything.

if it means he has to see that smile, then he'll turn the world upside-down.

he has to protect your smile.

[uhhlifeig]

Funeral - May 6 - word count: 297 - @wolfstarmicrofic - CW: hallucinations

“Moony, how does this suit look?” Sirius asked, doing a little twirl.

“It looks great on you, Pads,” Remus said, smiling softly.

“Thanks, Moonpie,” Sirius grinned, facing the mirror to tie his tie. “You look good too.”

“You’re so sweet, seren. Thank you.”

A beat of silence.

“Moony, are you… alright? You’re a lot less energetic than I expected, especially for a day like this.”

“Oh, I’m… fine, I suppose,” Remus said, waving his concerns off. “I won’t get worse, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Alright,” Sirius huffed, buttoning his blazer. “I’m still asking you later.”

“Fine with me,” Remus shrugged, stepping behind Sirius and wrapping his arms around his waist.

“Oi, Pads?” James’s voice called from outside the room. “Who’re you talking to?”

Sirius furrowed his brows. “It’s Remus, James. Can you not hear him?”

His next words punched Sirius in the stomach. “Pads, Remus… he’s dead, remember? Today’s his funeral.”

Sirius fell to his knees like a marionette with its strings cut, staring up at the ceiling. “Stop,” he muttered, hoping James would tell him that no, Remus was still alive, and this was all a big prank. “No, that’s not right. He wouldn’t-”

“I’m sorry, Sirius. It was the moon, remember?”

“No,” Sirius said, louder this time- more frantic, too. “It’s not real, James. Tell me it’s not real.”

“I’m so sorry, but he’s gone- but I get it, Pads. I’m here for you. He was one of my best friends, too.”

Sirius looked up at the figure that appeared to be Remus- down to the freckles splattering his nose and the amber flecks in his eyes.

Fake-Remus smiled sadly at him, vanishing in front of his eyes.

He stared numbly at the engagement ring on his finger.

They would’ve gotten married next month.

[truuskn]

Spotlight: Jazz is peak Prowl being able to comfort Jazz even though Jazz doesn't want to open up about how he's feeling and Prowl completely respects that

i love their dynamic so much here and in "all hail megatron", it's such a shame that their connection ended up being completely forgotten in the rest of idw series... reading "optimus prime" and coming across that one frame, observing what we have had and lost because the authors couldn't keep in mind how and who they were writing... it actually hurts

you guys. you guys! why are you doing this to us. why is it so hard for you to keep track on your story!! why do we have to see their relationship... fall apart?? without a decent look at it?? somewhere out there, in the background?? we're just left with the fact that they are over or maybe never even were there in the first place

prowl and jazz had so much potential at some point of idw history. the way how well they worked together despite all the difficulties, how sincerely prowl supported jazz even though he remained very closed off and aloof the whole time, how he really tried to be a good loyal friend, respected jazz's personal boundaries, didn't push, didn't go too far with his concern, didn't except anything in return and was just there to help... a rare bright moment for this version of my poor boy :'D

there were so many opportunities to develop this further, to show how they could exist in the new cybertronian future for which they had gone through so much hardship, how could they fight all the problems that were coming down on them, together, exactly as it was on earth. but, alas, we have to accept that they were quickly brushed aside and forgotten. a little time passes and they become strangers. forever. their entire bond is just erased. because that's how idw works with their characters...

[doomedclockworkdotmp3]

heeyyy gaaanggg

the pose and the background of the album version (left) are based on oingo boingos only a lad album art. not cause i think he has anything to do with it but just cause ive been wantin to draw that pose for like. weeks and i didnt know who to put there. so why not my latest bug man.

[therandomartmaker]

DPxDC, of dead hearts and brothers.

danny is damian’s older brother au; reincarnation type. danyal is the soft-hearted but still exemplary heir, but convinces ra’s that it is better to have him be the right-hand to damian, losing his heirship. ra’s, having danny as his favourite (cough danny and his inability to not be involved with old creeps lmao) allows him this; thinking that it’d allow danyal to be protected and also give him another option for youth (taking over damian’s body, afo-shigaraki style /hj)

this is all fine and dandy until ra’s decides damian has reached an equal skill to danyal’s stagnant training, and sets up a fight to the death. the lazarus pits are always there for the al ghul family, after all. he expects danyal to win. he expects damian to learn that all of his children are disposable. precious, but tools for ra’s’ use (all except precious danyal, the heart that kept giving).

danyal dies, damian’s sword stabbed into his heart, his last advice to “drive it in harder.” and his last words, “congratulations, brother.”

they bring him to lazarus pit, but it takes him. he sinks into the pool of acrid green and they wait; hours. a day. a week. he doesn’t resurface. they continue waiting because what else are they to do? they are al ghuls, not danal. not precious danyal who could mourn.

this proceeds, a sigil at the pit’s edge once a month, waiting for the lost son to return; but eventually damian is brought before the bat (far less dramatic, ra’s was tired of damian’s growing frustration without danyal to soothe him but no assassin’s had the same emotional state as danyal to provide a pseudo-sibling to play the same role; thus the bats’ family was the next option)

the bats only find out abt danyal when damian sets up for a day of fasting, facing the direction of the pit.

it’s dick who asks why he is fasting, and damian explains calmly. They learn of the boy who knew kindness, of the al ghul’s heart, of the prodigal heir turned advisor to damian. they learn of damian’s brother. when they find out why he’s dead, horror drips down their spines, at damian being forced to kill someone who’d only done good for him.

damian has one thing to say; “Danyal’s advice was not ‘how to kill’. i killed far better than he, after all. i was efficient, but danyal worked cleaner. Danyal’s advice… was ‘to kill your heart.’”

time moves on; damian is adjusted to ‘outside life’ far easier, danyal taught him how to interact with others and understand that words are rarely literal. the lazarus pits are quiet, madness unlikely in those brought from it, and jason affected far less in the long term. until one day there is a knock at the manor door.

alfred opens it, to see a dark haired young adult, assassins’ garb, injured. he does not seem conscious. alfred brings him in; calling the rest to reach a decision on how to treat him, and what his intentions are.

Damian wakes up to the sight of his brother in the moment that damian killed him.

[eaterofdust]

Toothless: comparison and art study

There is something to be said for the Toothless's of the non-book HTTYD with each being different from each other. The Animated Toothless is iconic in it's design, a cat-like predator which takes only one look for the viewer to know that he is fast. The Live Action Toothless is still cat-like, and yet... too human-ish, like the eyes of HTTYD2 Hookfang. It is the unholy offspring of HTTYD3 Toothless and baby Godzilla. The Live Arena is spikier and bulkier, with a more reptilian and classical dragon appearance and yet is recognisable all the same.

Action Toothless is most bland in colours, with an incredibly unrealistic nearly pure black hue and lack of patterns. The Animated version fares better, with a faint blue hue (which is lacking in these images but real all the same) and patterns across his back and wings. Finally, the Arena Toothless. He has pink around his maw and toes, and though lacking in patterns continues the blue hue.

Interestingly, both Arena and Action Toothless lack the exaggerated scales on their ear plates, instead having a more striped texture like a horn of some sort.

Neck wise, Action Toothless is the outlier, an 'S' curve to it whereas the other two- while still having a mammalian posture- are far more reptilian in their slant. For all three, they have exaggerated scales around the spines that begin only around the shoulder area.

For faces, Animated Toothless is certainly the most complex, a flat shape that slips into a slope at the bridge of the nose and a (mind you, flexible) beak shape at the end of the nostril. His spines begin at the "front" of his eye corners and ends at the end of them (please note the third eyebrow is also error, to which I apologize greatly). Arena Toothless has a rounded flat shape, bulging out at the bridge of the nose, and having a far more exaggerated shape and yet removing the beak element to it. He has the primary row of head spikes, starting from the start of the bridge of his nose and ending at his ear-plates. His secondary row of spines, hardest to see, starts at the front of his eyes and ends at the end of his slight head indent. The third row of spines start at the beginning slant of his brows and ends at his primary ear-plates. Action Toothless also loses the slight beak, instead having the shape but with lips. He has the least flat head and the most visible brows. His spikes begin between his eyes and ends at his first ear-plates. Action Toothless is the only of the free to have more than 4 protrusions to each side of his head.

There is little to be said on head shape: Animated is somewhere between a U and a V depending on expression, vaguely snake-like; Action is a lot blunter and thicker, with more defined cheekbones and having a narrower top. The Arena is merely speculative, but likely is a oval of some kind with the same general shape.

It's fairly obvious that Action Toothless is attempting to appear less dangerous and much cuter. Such a head shape is poor for his aerodynamics, as his original head shape gave him the arrow/jet-like physics, but this lesser head shape will result only in creating more drag for the dragon who's main (if only) hunting tactic is to dive at speeds to break the sound barrier.

Posture has previously been discussed for necks, but in terms of body shape they all follow the trend of a larger chest and thinner lower body (Do not ask what happened to Animated's tail. Please.) Arena has the thickest and shortest tail, held in a dinosaur position. His wings are small, curved with fin-like secondary wings. Action Toothless has a more sloped back, and a tail consistently held low to the ground. His wings are smallest, secondary wings mimicking that of the third movie with how they are nearly folded. Animated Toothless (only from the first movie as GOTNF does use a separate model) has the longest, thinnest tail that is usually either in contact from the ground or held up. His wings and secondary wings overlap each other slightly, with the thickest connecting skin to the body.

Looking closer at the wings of the Toothlessi, it's perhaps equally surprising as not that the Animated's are the most realistic*. All the wings have connecting tissue between wing arms, creating a near flat point until fingers begin to diverge. Arena Toothless has a bulky shoulder joint, and two claws that disrupt the general shape. He has 4 wing fingers, at least 2 of which seems to be fairly straight, and a wavy texture to his webbing. Action Toothless has an oddly thin forearm, 5 wing fingers (which is most realistic as they are fingers- something that Hookfang's design tried to mimic but failed) with the primary being far, far shorter than the secondary, making his wings also appear significantly smaller than they truly are. Said wing fingers are also thick, though not pictured here. The Animated Toothless has 6 fingers, the primary being longest and surprisingly thick arms!

*Fun Fact: The Live Arena Plush has his wings and is actually capable of gliding! It is quite enjoyable.

All Toothless designs contain heavy scale coverage of both front and back legs, and spikes to the front. Interestingly, the Animated Toothless is the only one to be plantigrade rather than digitigrade, as well as appearing to have a slight webbing to his joint though this is equally as likely to be a meshing error. Both Action and Arena go for sharp claws atop paws rather than the flexible and dulled claw of the animated toothless, and thick plating to his rear legs. Both Arena and Animated appear to be stockier than the Live Action, which has lankier, thinner legs.

There is little else to be said between designs. For Hookfang, I brought my own most pressing issue, but Toothless? There is nothing to be said for his head has already been examined.

The only real difference between Animated and Arena Hiccup is their shirt, otherwise a ditto. Action Hiccup differs in that he wears two shirts (see multiple sleeves), lacks a boob window and has a hood. Oh wait, no, the fur of his boots is also a different colour. With such a variation to the designs, it would simply take too long to compare everything and so I shall end on this:

Arena Toothless leans into being a powerful dragon, Animated Toothless leans into being elegant and the Action Toothless was bred into domestication over the time of Vikings to now.

There is such a lack of difference between the Hiccups there is nothing to be said- which seemingly most of the other teens do not follow in.

[mitsundere]

gepard letting his partner wear his coat because they're cold but then it backfires on him because he can't think about anything else other than them wearing it

[maudlin-scribbler]

last complaint of the day but it's obvious that house md suffers from stuff almost never being planned out in advance

[myluros]

this is about this Idea™

it seems my sanity has long abandoned me so...

here is one small sneak peek, because I lost any semblance of self control. 

---

Celine had grown ever more bothered by the fact Mi-yeong hadn't told her who Rumi's father was. Their once strong friendship had been rocky since they had to take leave from the stage due to Mi-yeong’s pregnancy. But Celine had loved Rumi from the moment she had been born. So did Soo-jin. Their eyes had shined as they saw her for the first time. That little bald and wrinkled bundle of joy. Her cries were like a song. Melodic. Magical. 

The three of them sung together their welcome to the world for Rumi. Mi-yeong swears the Honmoon had almost turned gold that night. Even with their only audience being such a small being.

---

if everything goes with the plan (somehow i doubt it, but its known to happen once in a while), this will probably be 5~6 chapters long. Now in relation to chapter length I just came to accept I have no control over it. Especially when it comes to fics like this one that are crawling their way out even as I try to focus on works I had already begun (as proof I have a fic where the first chapter is 9k words while the second or the third was something a little closer to 30k. Nothing can convince me that the writing of that fic wasn't a fever dream).

if things keep going at the pace they're going... you know what? i'm not gonna jinx myself. here is to hoping.

[baeshijima]

lord pls dont make me turn this vampire hunter!varka x vampire!reader 2 paragraph idea into a fic. why is there dialogue. why are there descriptions. why am i now adding lore. why.

[madbard]

So I just realized that in “We’ll Be Fine,” Telemachus has found a true friend and ally in Athena - maybe his first. After a life of loneliness and fear, he finally finds someone who defends him, someone he can talk to. This was the best day of his life, because he met her. And they talk. And when Athena tells him how guilty she feels for abandoning her friend, he encourages her go help him - if not for her friend’s sake, then for his. And she does…

So if Athena never comes back after the events of “God Games,” won’t Telemachus blame himself?

[savemeafruitjuice]

Wanted to make a Captain Underpants fic... Super self-indulgent but this idea was a daydream of mine a couple months ago and I think it's cute. This is set pre-season 2 finale, hope you enjoy! 😁👍

Also if someone is apart of the cu fandom and wants me to tag them when I make tickle content like this, just tell me! (Also I would love to interact in general, as long as you're sfw and not a creep ofc)

Speaking of which, tags for moots!: @sunsetsandsunshine (especially you 🥰🥰), @hypermoonlover, @rice-cake-teen10

Lee: Melvin

Ler: Melvinborg

TW!: Light angst!

Word count: 2,143 (literally my longest fic yet omg?!?!)

THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR THE END OF SEASON 1, AND LITERALLY ALL OF SEASON 2 BTW!!

BY THE WAY- THIS IS NOT A SHIP, OR IN ANY WAY ANYTHING LESS THAN PLATONIC!!

-----

"No, no. I've already tried submitting that."

Melvinborg sighed, tossing his blueprint to the side for the umpteenth time. He continued racking his brain for some of his more impressive inventions. "What about the Pump-it-Upinator...?"

You see, for the past hour, Melvin and his future self had been discussing possible ways to help the former get accepted into his dream school.

Despite the obvious intellectual qualifications the ginger-haired boy had, Eliteanati Academy just didn't seem to grasp his true potential as a student.

At least, that's the only thing he could think of that was keeping him from his dream.

One of the ways they decided would help boost his reputation with the school was to present some of the inventions he had made in order to impress the staff. Although Melvin had already tried using the majority of his creations when applying, the two were beginning to get desperate. Plus, there were bound to be a couple that he had overlooked, right?

The pre-teen shook his head. "It was destroyed, remember? And even if I were to rebuild it, I'm not so sure that I want to risk another.. Flabulous incident."

Melvinborg bit back a chuckle. In retrospect, that entire situation had been pretty funny. For a machine with such potential, the disaster could have gone a lot worse than a teacher getting a huge butt.

"Oh, I bet the Time Toad 2000 would get me enrolled in an instant!" The boy rummaged through the stack of papers on the desk before finding one with a detailed drawing of the design, along with notes about how the time-travelling invention worked.

As soon as the stationary found its way into the younger's hand, it was promptly snatched up from the elder. "Nope, terrible idea."

"lt could totally work!" Melvin rolled his eyes, attempting to reach for his paper.

"Wouldn't."

"Uhm, would!"

The cyborg scooted back in his chair, forcing his younger self to lean awkwardly from his spot on the office desk to grasp at the blueprint. Beyond annoyed, he swatted at Melvin's hands as they got just a little too close to their desired prize. "I'm from the future, you unlit candle. And that means-

The older man scoffed as he was swatted right back. In a moment of petty ignorance, he scooted his chair back abruptly, fighting off the child who was now clumsily toppling into his lap.

"I know better than you do."

"That's a terrible explanation. Why don't you at least try and think of a good reason as to why I'm wrong?"

"I don't need one. It's obvious that using the Time Toad is a bad idea!"

Their swatting turned to pushing, and Melvinborg grunted as an arm was pressed into his face. Melvin was attempting to climb over him now, showing absolutely no remorse as he smushed his palm into the taller's face.

"Teaming up with you in the first place was a bad idea! You just want to do things your own waaHAHAY!-"

"..."

The both of them froze. Melvin's eyes shot down to the hand that had grasped at his side, then back to the surprised face of his future self.

You could practically see the gears turning in the cyborg's head, as he finally realized why the uncanny noise had left the other's mouth. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Melvin quickly snatched his paper back, jumped from the chair, and made a break for the door.

Melvinborg looked stunned for a brief moment, before getting to his feet and following suit.

"Get over here!"

"Never!"

The shorter grabbed for the door handle, squeaking as arms wrapped around his torso at the same moment that he made contact. He thrashed, desperately holding onto the door with all his might, but it did little to prevent the stronger man from yanking him up into the air.

"Let me go!" Melvin squirmed desperately in his grip, clutching the paper in his hand tightly, and held it as far from himself as possible. There was no way that his future self would be jeopardizing his future because of this dumb argument.

Melvinborg just rolled his eyes. "Then you give me the paper." His fingers dug slightly into his side, a smug grin growing on his face as his younger self yelped, clearly fighting back a smile.

"There's.. Thehere's no reason toho! Ahack- stop ihihit!" He squeaked as his sides were suddenly pinched, strained giggles forcing their way past his defenses.

The young scientist kicked, trying in vain to free himself from his future-self's arms, but it was hopeless. He shoved frantically at the cyborg, but his jelly-like limbs only succeeded in flailing tactlessly about.

"There's no reason to?" Melvinborg asked with feign interest, readjusting his hold on the child so that he could support his weight with one arm, the other reaching around the squirming mess to poke under his arm. "You wouldn't say this is reason enough to give me what you stole?"

A squeaky shriek pierced the office as Melvin's squirming increased ten-fold. He desperately fended off the digits that were attacking his armpit, simultaneously fighting the urge to clamp his arm down. Bringing the blueprint any closer to his body would result in it being snatched away, and every stubborn bone in his body was screaming at him to just hold. onto. that. paper.

After a few more pokes, Melvinborg understood that he needed to up his game. He huffed, digging into the younger's armpit with intent this time, completely set on getting the ginger to yield.

"StahAHAP! Stop ihit, I SWEHEHEAR! SNRK-"

In spite of the infuriatingly ticklish sensations shooting through his torso, Melvin kept his arm up. He threw his legs around once more, successfully landing a few smacks to the monster that had him in its clutches.

"You know what I want!" the robot snapped, "But since you're so insistent on making this difficult.."

Melvin squeaked as he was suddenly lowered to the ground, wrestling with the hands that were once again attempting to reach for him. He however quickly deciding on just hugging the sheet to himself in an attempt to keep it out of the other's possession. It may have been a less than ideal position to put himself into- but at that point Melvin figured that anything was better than throwing in the towel now.

"Ugh, just let go already!"

"Ihi- I refuse! It's my creation!"

As was expected, Borg tried to pry the boy's arms away, only succeeding in getting a couple frantic kicks to his arms in the process.

"Your logic doesn't make any sense! It's my invention too, you misaligned tire."

He shot a glare at his past-self when a particularly hard kick forced him to pull away. The preteen only gave him an indignant "humph" in response, forcing his tickle-induced smile away to really sell his attitude.

The elder rolled his eyes, sitting back on his legs. His patience was wearing thin, and he wondered internally if he'd always been as stubborn as this.

Who was he kidding.. if anything, he's even moreso now.

His eyes drifted to the legs that had gone back to kicking at him. They were admittedly weak blows for someone of his age, but persistent ones nonetheless.

"That is it. I didn't want to have to do this," Melvinborg caught one of the limbs right before it collided with his arm. "But I think it will help in convincing your underdeveloped mind to see this my way."

"WAIT! Noho, no! Don't you even dare!" Melvin positively shrieked, because he knew what was coming next.

As of late, the student had discovered- via two unbearably annoying friends (cough George and Harold cough cough..)- that his entire lower half was very ticklish. Espeeecially his knees.

How would the two know this, you may ask?

Well, it turns out that refusing to help one of the simple-twins with.. an admittedly tough math problem in their homework is not the way to inspire self-sufficiency in their minds. What it did inspire, however, was a certain child with a t-shirt and a bad haircut to try and get his attention again by spreading his fingers over one of his knees.

When that earned a jolt that shook his entire desk from Melvin, he and George decided to repeat the motion over and over and over again until he finally agreed to help them. By the end of it, the bespectacled preteen had lost the energy to fight, slumped out of his chair and out of breath.

Which is exactly why he's so anxious now. Borg was most certainly aware of this weakness- probably moreso than he was if he was being realistic; and very likely was planning on leveraging himself on that to get Melvin to give in.

What he was most worried about was that he knew it would work. And his future self knew he knew.

In short- he was screwed.

"Normally, I wouldn't. But as of now you're risking a time paradox that I don't have the exuberance for, the body for, nor the time for.." Melvinborg's free hand came up, and the younger tugged desperately at his entrapped limb. "So I'm willing to do what it takes to prevent that from happening."

Down on the floor, Melvin took to slapping profusely at his attacker's hands, eyes scrunched with giddy panic at the threat of being tickled again.

"Plehease! Juhust let me up!"

The half-robot held his hand out to give Melvin one last chance at escape. "Are you gonna give it to me?"

There was a hesitation, then paper was clutched tighter to the boy's chest; and so, Borg's hand returned to its place at his knee and squeezed.

"AH! Haah- SNRK! NOHOHO!" he screamed, head thrown back in hysterics. "IHI NEEHEHED- SNRK! IHIHIHIT!"

"No, you really don't."

Melvin's laughter jumped in pitch as a little more pressure was added to the tickling, surrendering internally as he tossed an arm over his eyes. Unable to withstand any more torment, he blindly chucked the accursed map towards the cyborg, ripping his limb out of the robotic grasp as soon as the grip was lessened.

The boy sucked in a huge breath, feet scrambling to scoot him further away as his other arm came up to shield his eyes.

After a few moments had passed; and Melvinborg still hadn't said anything, Melvin peeked through his arms, only to burst into giggles all over again at the incredulous look he was being given.

The man crossed his arms slowly, eyes wide as he collected himself enough to speak.

"..Why on Earth would you choose to throw it at me?"

Melvin brought his arms back down, propping himself into a sitting position with a smile. "Duhunno." he shrugged, watching as the other grabbed the blueprint from the floor and reached to set it back in its rightful spot on the desk.

"Hey," Melvin looked up to meet the eyes of the other. "I'm still going to get you into Eliteanati. You're aware of that, right?"

The younger's eyes shot down, residual smile fading away as he remembered what they were arguing about in the first place. "..I know you're trying."

The cyborg's face fell a little. "No- No, not just trying. You're going to get into that school, and you won't waste your years struggling for something that you just are not going to reach." He sat back down across from his younger self, speaking deliberately, as if he could force his words into fruition if he just.. tried hard enough. "I don't want to watch you end up like me."

For once, Melvin felt like he couldn't formulate the right words. The real weight of what he was saying sunk in. He conceived the fact that this version of himself had just.. given up on whatever timeline he had existed in, just to give his nine-year old self an opportunity to do what he couldn't.

"Uhm.." he started, fixing his glasses before starting to fiddle with the hem of his shirt. "For the record, I don't think you turned out to be the worst person in the world. You're working really hard to help me, and- I don't know.. it's just a pretty cool thing to do. I mean, you became the principal of the school in barely a week's time."

Borg laughed quietly. "Yeah, but that wasn't very difficult- Krupp is an idiot."

Melvin shook his head with a smile. "I guess. But still, I mean it about what you've done for me. I think there are worse fates for my life than getting rejected again."

The young ginger caught a shift in the other's gaze, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone; replaced with a look of newfound determination.

"..Don't worry. I'll get you into that school."

----

[waspgrave]

Love how anytime you ask someone who is nostalgic about dao’s ‘dark fantasy’ just what made it gritty/dark for them and why they like it so much, and their answer is always like, ‘men suffer battles while women get assaulted by darkspawn and made into broodmothers’. Like they can’t actually name anything beyond that and parts of the Blight. But they never delve too far into what made the Blight horrible beyond….you guessed it…broodmother lore. Odd

[dysphoresque]

— East of Eden, John Steinbeck