#thanks for the question! I love talking about my shortcuts

[red-taileddolphin]

how the fuck did you type an interrobang on the G post

I’ve got a scant few special characters saved as shortcuts on my phone, but the real answer is you can just copy paste any of them from google. Unicode has some real funky characters that basically every screen can display, and some of them are even famous here in tumblr, like the sinhalese amogus or dick hieroglyphic. Here are some special characters I have shortcutted:

Interrobang ‽: yeah this one’s a good one. my shortcut for this is literally ?! so to get them separate I have to manually tell it not to autocorrect it

Shrug ¯\_(ツ)_/¯: I use shrugg as my shortcut and let me tell you NO emoji can get across this emotion. sometimes you just gotta ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Lenny face ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°): you know it, you love it, my shortcut is degdeg thanks to that one tumblr post where someone used a screenreader on the face

Special comma ‚: okay now we’re getting spicy. so tumblr doesn’t let you put commas in tags, right? it separates the tag when you type on on mobile and on both mobile and desktop all commas you type in the tags disappear. But they only specifically check for The Comma, unicode U+002C. But as mentioned unicode has some specific as hell characters, like the small comma or raised comma. I believe I use the small comma, accessed with my shortcut commma.

Bonus round: boii is a link to my longest yeah boi ever, goodshit is that copypasta with all the emojis, and eyee is for judging people ,’:-|. apparently I also have shwa saved in case I need a ə? alright

[peasofgreeniguess]

Hi, I saw you're request where open and I wanted to throw this in here.

Could I request classic bros, underswap, and underfell with reader who is there best friend and they have the biggest fucking crush on them but won't make a move since reader is with somone, so in this scenario, reader comes home, crying, turns out there now ex-boyfriend just dated them for a dare. Could you make a scenario of that please?

Thank you for reading this! I tried not to go against you're rules and if it did, then please ignore and I'm sorry! Stay safe Irl <3

You did fine! Dw I won’t hunt you down if you made a mistake lol <3 and thank you! You to.

These are LONG- because this was fun lol, so that's why it took so long. (and when i say long i mean LONG)

Classic Sans: sans jolts up from his nap at the sound of the door slamming. He quickly shuffles out of his sheets and out into the hallway, worried that papyrus was in trouble. Only instead of his brother, he sees you, his roommate. Standing in front of the door wet and sobbing, your nice clothes you wore for your date now soaking, dripping onto the carpet. You look up at him with those eyes he's grown to love and his soul breaks for you, holding his hands out as you walk up to him. Sans wraps his arms around you tightly and shortcuts you to your room,letting you go he moves his hands up to your face, gently guiding you to look at him.

"what happened Y/N?" he asks. Tears well up in your eyes and you let out a choked sob. “he he" you stutter "he left me! He said- t-that all i was to him, was a bet! And that I meant nothing to him and he left me! in the rain!!" you cry, tears falling down your face. sans pulls you into a hug again, pushing you head against his ribcage, hiding his face from view. He was livid.

How could anyone be so cruel, especially to you! I mean sure he’s biased. he’s head over heels for you but there’s no question of as to why!! You are so sweet, and pretty, and soft, and so considerate of his brother- you are amazing… but you are still soaking wet… and sobbing into him. Well at least that dick bag is out of the picture, and sans is the one who gets the privilege of taking care of you.

Gently he tells you to take of those clothes, you’ll get a cold, and he goes to grab some fresh clean ones from his room. Handing you one of his oversized shirts to wear. You put it on and sans leads you to bed, he’s about to cover you in blankets and get you some food when you grab him and pull him into bed with you- he overcomes the surprise and submits to you, pulling the blanket over both of you and petting your hair as you curl into him… stars, that jackass doesn’t deserve you, he will show you how a real monster treats their mate.

-----

Undertale Papyrus: papyrus is walking down the sidewalk, happily humming a tune as he carries his bags back home. It’s Saturday! His turn to make dinner for his brother and roommate! Or just his brother today… his roommate was on a date with their boyfriend. Papyrus doesn’t like him that much, he thinks you deserve better, you deserve greatness! Like the great Papyrus!! But alas, you have chosen your mate… but that doesn’t mean he can treat you to his excellent cooking. (One of his many amazing mate skills)

Speaking of his roommate, his phone buzzes in his pocket. He takes it out and looks at the contact, it’s you! Eagerly he answers with a smile, but stops before he says anything… you are crying, why are you crying? You see supposed to be on a date with your mate! Your mate should be drying your tears.

With a sniffle you start to speak, “p-papyrus” you say, your sweet voice filled with sadness- almost breaking his soul in two. “He- he left me!” You cry, sobbing harder over the receiver. “WHAT? WHO LEFT YOU?” Surly you aren’t talking about… “my boyfriend!! He left! He said it was a lie all of it was a lie!” You say, voice cracking on the phone. Papyrus immediately drops his bags on the ground, texting sans where he is so he can pick them up. “WHERE ARE YOU?” Papyrus says sternly, you answer with an address and a papyrus starts sprinting to you.

When he gets there he finds you sitting on the curb, your beautiful outfit you picked out now covered with tear stains and dirt. Papyrus slowly sits down next to you, pulling you into his lap, wrapping his arms around you protectively. He then picks you up causing you to squeak, he apologizes and explains he’s bringing you home. He will make you dinner and drying your tears, he will comfort you. He will be everything that human never could. He will heal your heart and the win it for himself!

-----

Underswap sans: Sans hates your mates guts, he’s an asshole. He treats you like trash, while his sweet little roommate gives everything and more. The first time you introduced your boyfriend to him and his brother, they both knew something was up. So when he found you curled up in his bed crying- he knew who did it. You look up at him from the blankets you wrapped around yourself, sniffling. Sans’ eyes soften as he sets his bag down on the floor, sitting down on the side of the bed. “What Happened?” He asks, you should be on a date right now…

Your eyes fill up with tears once more and you choke out “he left me… he only was with me for a bet…” you say, dropping your face into your hands. Blue coos at you, taking off his gloves and rubs circles on your back. He’s completely calm and empathetic on the outside- on the inside he can feel his magic bubbling with rage. He know that guy was bad news but this was low, his beautiful human all heartbroken…

But they came to him for comfort… they chose him- a he feels a small twinge of guilt at the fact that that makes him so happy. He could treat you millions of times better- he can cook, he can protect you, he’s great with kids! Look how his brother turned out- you deserve someone at magnificent as him, and he will prove that to you. right after he gives you snuggles.

-----

Underswap papyrus: Papyrus is typing away on his computer without a thought in the world, his music on and his inspiration flowing- using it as a distracting from the fact his roommate is on a date with some one who is not him, attempting to curb his envy. After a while he stops, cracking his knuckles and turning his spiny chair away from his desk. Loudly papyrus shrieks, not expecting to see his roommate curled up on his bed with tear streaks on their face- you are supposed to be out! holding a hand to his chest he starts to calm down. "honey- what are you doin here?" he asks, rolling his chair towards the bed. you look up at him and mumble something under your breath. "sorry?" papyrus asks "he broke up with me..." you say louder, pushing your face into the pillows. papyrus pauses- your boyfriend... broke up with YOU! the amazing, beautiful, funny, smart, human in front of him... that guy left YOU???

"w-why?" papyrus says surprised, he truly cannot understand why he would do that. He leans closer to you as you answer, "it was a bet... his friends said if he could... 'tap that' they would get him a ps5" you say, tears falling down your face as you break into sobs. Papyrus's marrow boils, how dare he, and how long have you been in here? Shame and anger crawl up his spine as he thinks of what to do. Part of him wanting to kill that fucking guy and the other desperately wanting to comfort you. but when you lift up your blanket for him to crawl next to you, his choice had been decided for him. "i could really use my cuddle bee" you say, your sweet voice wobbling with every word... how on earth could he say no to that? He crawls into bed with you and holds you close to him, never wanting to let you go... He can go fuck that ex up another day, pulling out his phone he texts his brother to bring up some ice cream and blankets and only a few minutes later you are sitting in his lap, happily watching your favorite movie and sharing a dub of ice cream. ——-

Underfell sans:

Sans has hated your boyfriend guts since the moment you brought him to meet sans and his brother. That ballsack barely got away without half of his face being torn off. You were his mate-roommate… whatever. You are the only person next to papyrus who he’s all soft and mushy around, taking you to movies, buying you stuffed animals, cuddling you… so when he found you crying on the couch he had a idea of who caused it.

“I swear to god- what did he fuckin’ do this time” sans grumbles, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around you. You sniffle, hiding your face from sans’s eyesight. “Doll-“ you interrupt him “I don’t need you- hic- going to jail” you say in between sobs. Sans sighs and sits next to you, pulling you into his lap like you were a small cat. “Dollface- i promise… I ain’t’ goin to do nuthin… just tell me wha’ happened” he coos, nuzzling his nose into your hair.

“He left me… he only dated me for a bet…” sans grips the blanket harder, almost ripping the fabric under his claws as he holds back a deep growl. “That fuckin bastard” he says, holding you closer. “You promised you wouldn’t-“ sans shushes you softly, “i know, I know, I won’t… doll I’m so sorry”

Sans moves his hand to your head, gently using his claws to massage your scalp and guiding you to lean on his chest as he starts purring. He knows you love listening to his purrs, the rhythmic rumble relaxing you. Sans knows it’s working as your crying slows until eventually stopping. He will hold you however long you need him to, after all, it’s not often a monster as tough as him falls for a human like you.

——-

Underfell papyrus:

Papyrus grumbles as he flicks the frying pan in his hand, hot flames of the stovetop and the bustling of the other chefs in the kitchen. The chaotic dance that is cooking, papyrus enjoys his work, it’s his safe space. No brother, no frustratingly cute roommate- just him and the food he cooks. And he’s a damn good cook. That is until his safe space is invaded.

“Chef! We have a quest requesting you!” A human server says, Papyrus looks up with a scowl and walks over, straightening his chefs whites. The server leads him to a table, and to his misfortune sits you. He curls his lip at you harshly, “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” He says. you look up at him with tear stained eyes, why were you crying? Shouldn’t you be with your mate if you are upset? That’s his job. Before he could ask anything you answer his questions.

“He broke up with me” you state, wiping a tear from your face. Papyrus stares at you in shock- why on earth would someone leave you willingly? He would be the last to actually admit it but- he likes you. A lot. You meet all his very high standards so the fact that a puny human would reject you was asinine. “WHY ON EARTH WOULD HE DO THAT?” He asks, pulling out a chair and sitting down, “AND WHY WOULD YOU BITCH TO ME ABOUT IT”

You look down at the table. “I didn’t know who else to talk to…” you take a shaky breath, “and he left me for a bet… the whole thing was because of a bet, he never loved me, he didn’t even like me” papyrus leans back in his chair, folding his arms. “I don’t know why I came here- you don’t like me either” you say, tears welling in your eyes. But as you turn to leave papyrus grabs your arm gently. “HE IS A FOOL”

“What?” You ask, shock clear on your face. “THAT MAN IS A FOOL, YOU ARE A AMAZING MATE. YOU MET ALL MY STANDARDS SO YOU WERE FAR TO GOOD FOR HIM ANYWAYS” he gets up, leading you out of the restaurant “COME, I WILL FIX YOU FOOD AT HOME” he says walking out. He may not be good with words, but papyrus is good with cooking, and besides, everyone knows LOVE is the most important ingredient, and he has a lot of that for you. Even if it takes a while for him to admit it.

[enviedear]

jackie and wilson — billy bonney

⤷ modern!billy au

tw— somehow this is 4.6k words. mentions of food and eating, talk of religion and bible verses, (i'm southern and was forced to go to church every sunday it reflects in the writing) smutty themes so, minors dni, 18+ only, kissing, fondling, skinny dipping, (they're in their undies) so horrifically fluffy

i can already tell this is going to become an ongoing series, so be sure to comment and lmk if you want more. also, this is influenced by my daily mantra

request

the summer heat feels like it's baking you as you traverse through the long grass of your farmland. birds call and screech in the trees lining the woods beside you. if you weren't so scared of walking the shortcut in the woods alone, your risk of sun poisoning may seem less apparent.

you grip the wicker basket in your hands tighter, eyes squinting to look for the lean farmhand-for-hire. in years past, you've been keen to take his place whenever your grandparents needed someone for an oddball job. working long hours with the older couple up until you graduated from the county high school. as the seasons changed, and you got older and busier, so did your grandparents. their work on their farm proved in dire need of help.

a simple fix—you. this summer, free from university and your internship, your parents elected you to spend the free time of your summer working on your loving grandparents' farm.

in the early days of the warm season, you managed pretty well on your own. you tended the vegetables and the fruits, took care of the chickens and sheep, and sowed the large fields with grain until sunset.

everything changed after an unfortunate incident with your grandpa's gargantuan baler. luckily, you were fine, but your pa's expensive baler was wrecked all to hell.

so here you were, now relegated to some pseudo farmer's daughter role, hand-delivering water and a full lunch to none other than billy bonney.

your grandparents say billy's nice enough, mannerly yet hushed. but you know there's more to it. at least if small town gossip is anything to believe, and here, it usually is.

everyone knows the crowd billy runs around with. he's also got a vile gang of friends. angry men with sly smirks who spend most of their free time loitering the town's local bar or gambling away their lives at lawrence murphy's corral. the type of men to carry a weapon at all times without any license, and quick to threaten to shoot with even the most minor infraction.

the knowledge was enough to have you hiding away from him every time your grandparents hired him for a job.

everytime that is, until now.

you knew with the way your pa sternly stared into your eyes that a complaint wouldn't be warranted. as your grandma instructed you to bring the farmhand some, "hearty lunch for his hard work," you came to terms with the fact that you had no right to argue.

not when you owe the old man a baler.

you finally reach the young man, covered in grime and leaning against his parked pickup, out of breath and sweltering. you try not to stare at the baler attached to the tractor, about twenty feet from his parked vehicle, your embarrassment over wrecking the last one still ever present.

his truck has its' doors wide open, blaring music through blown speakers. you try to avoid making direct eye contact with him, voice raised slightly to be heard over the folk song playing, "here. figure you're hungry."

lifting the tea towel from the top of the basket, you set it on his open truck bed. despite not looking up, you can see him hurry to turn his music down before sauntering over to you from the side of your gaze.

"thank you," his voice surprises you. it's gruff but gentle. "you kin to the old couple?"

you're not sure why, but you take offense to his question. sure you've ignored him, but you know that he knows who you are. you meet his stare, your tone dry in response, "i am."

he inclines his head toward the basket, ignoring your reply with a hum, "what'd ya' bring me, hon?"

your eyes roll unabashed at his endearment, "my grandma threw a bit of everything in there. i know there's some jambalaya— the last bit of our mud cake too."

"you're spoiling me, you tell her i said thank you," he pauses, peering down at you, "are you going to be bringin' me my lunch everyday?"

his question is innocuous but something in the way he says it makes your stomach drop. you shrug, "sure, i guess."

"i'd like that." he slips the words out before his hands dive into the basket, fishing out one of the water bottles.

you nod, confused by him, "yeah well, be careful. i guess i'll see you tomorrow."

at that you turn from him, walking your trail again to get back to the house. you fight the urge to look over your shoulder and catch a glimpse of him. some proof he's really there, that the interaction actually happened.

because despite the second-hand opinion you've held on him, billy bonney was unexpected. annoyingly so.

as you finish up your day, you can't help but think about the encounter with the dark-haired farmhand. you've known of him for years, sure, but you never expected much of him.

just another one of jesse evans’ rowdy boys.

shocking, that billy would be so different. or maybe, just better at hiding his depravity. you think back to his voice, rough around the edges, yet littered with tenderness. it’s not until you think back to his gentle smile that you realize, there’s a kindness that exudes from him, and it’s got you hook, line, and sinker.

you wonder if he's always been this way? you like to think he has. even if it is only a platitude for your undeniable crush.

in the following days, you continue to bring the farmhand his lunch, stopping to talk to him longer each noon. he's easy to talk to, apt to ask you about your day, or if you need anything. you can't exactly explain why, but you're drawn to him.

it's extra muggy as you pack up his lunch and make your way to him, breaking from his time on the baler to lay in the bed of his truck.

he doesn't take notice of you until your basket finds home right beside him, blasted speakers blaring yet another folk tune.

"hey there," he greets you with a grin, his white work shirt wrought with soil, the short sleeves haphazardly rolled, "you know i'm starting t'get used to this."

you smile back, feeling a warm sensation spreading through your body, "i'm sure you are."

billy takes a look in the lunch basket, grabbing out some water first to clear the dirt on his hands, "you wanna hang around for a bit?"

you hesitate for a moment, not sure if you should. not only do you have a long list of chores, you also still find a bit of nervousness around the young man.

but billy's been nice enough, and if he's anything like his friends you assume he would have shown it by now, "i guess i have some time."

billy nods, handing you a water and patting the free space beside him. you hop up, close enough that his side brushes yours.

the sensation sends shivers down your spine as you try to focus on conversation, pulling for anything you can say. for a moment, neither of you speaks, the only sound is coming from the music blasting from his speakers. an old rock song today, different. your eyes try to look anywhere but at him, taking in the vast expanse of farmland around you.

"must be nice to have all this land to yourself," billy says, breaking the silence.

you nod, grateful for his compliment, "it is. my grandparents have worked hard to keep it running."

"i can tell," billy says, taking a swig from his water bottle, "they got a good thing goin' here."

you agree, taking a sip from your own bottle. the sun beats down on your skin, making you feel sweaty and sticky. billy, on the other hand, seems used to it. he looks up at the sky, squinting against the sunlight.

"you know, i was thinking," billy says, steady voice breaking the silence again, "what would you say if i took you out sometime?"

your heart skips a beat, your mind going into overdrive. you never expected billy to ask you out, even more so that you’d be so willing to entertain the idea.

you hesitate for a moment before answering, "i don't know. i mean, i barely know you."

this is a half truth, you know him. only this version though, the sweet billy bonney who works on your family farm and takes his lunch breaks with you. you don't have any idea who he is outside of these moments.

at least not first hand. just second hand gossip. you wouldn’t even know which stories are real or fake. you’re not sure if he’s a convincing actor or genuine soul. there are rumors he shot a man back in his hometown. that he launders money with jesse evans’ gang. that he’s a cheat from a rodeo front, taking ignorant peoples’ bet money.

billy hums, breaking your anxious thoughts, "what'd you wanna know, hon? i'm an open book."

you chew on your lip, thinking about it. it could be a smart move, you're curious about him and need to know more. you need to know what about him is fact or fiction. but at the same time, you're afraid of what the truth may be, "i don't know," you say finally. "i mean, work, for example. is this all you do?"

billy cracks a smile, "no, hon’. this s’more of a side job.” he sighs, “i was a pickup for jesse evans' rodeo for a while, but that new fella' that just came to town—mr. tunstill, he's got me a better gig."

you furrow your brows, already on edge by the mention of his previous employer, "and what exactly is that?"

he chuckles a bit, "he's got me as a producer, but i do show on the weekends."

"so what? you're a full-fledged rodeo man? with bulls and all?" you'd always know of jesse's grimy ‘rodeo’, really just used as a gambling den and club, but you're intrigued by the idea of billy actually doing it. especially working with tunstill, a sincerely kind wealthy man from overseas. it must be a stark contrast to jesse’s.

"i guess. it's a good time and you can make honest money dependin' on the event," he pauses, "it's not like jesse's, if that's what you're wondering."

you look away from him, "my pa never let me go. when i turned twenty-one i tried to go with a bunch of my girlfriends. he about had a stroke keeping me out the door."

"he's smart, you shouldn't go. those guys are bad news." he's talking quieter now, less sugary and more solemn.

you fight your previous embarrassment, opting to stare straight into his pale blues, "you hang around those guys."

your sentiment is clear and billy goes hush for a long few seconds before speaking, eyes closed, "do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags."

you know those words, heard primarily while crammed in a pew, "you're a religious man?" you don't mean to, but your question comes out a bit unconvinced.

he opens his eyes back up, a spark of something you can't place within them, "no, not really. jus' something mr. tunstill keeps repeating to me. i didn't really pay it any mind till i met you."

you try to ignore the way his hand inches closer to your own, "why's that?"

"not sure. just seems easier to abide by now. i'd hate to end up like them. i know you don't like 'em." his voice is soft, but the hand that takes hold of yours isn't.

you look down at your feebly interlocked hands, hesitating, and then taking his hand with the same conviction, "no, i don't," a breath, "but i like you."

billy's face lights up at your words, and he leans in closer to you. you can feel his breath on your face, and your heart races with excitement and anticipation. you’ve never felt to entrapped in a man before, so ready to dive in head first.

without thinking, you reach out to touch his sun kissed cheek, and he leans into your hand. your fingers trace a path down his cheek, and then down to his lips. you have an overwhelming urge to kiss him, and you're surprised when he pulls back.

"i'm sorry, i shouldn't have done that." you say, feeling embarrassed.

"no, it's not that. it's just… i want to take you out on a real date. something proper." his cheeks have grown far more pink, only this time it's not the sun's doing.

you consider his words for a moment, before nodding, "that sounds real nice, billy."

he grins, and you feel a flutter in your chest. how he managed to make you feel this way so soon, you're not sure.

"you free this friday?" he asks, amusement in his tone.

you release his hand, grabbing for your phone, "should be, my boss loves me," a stupid joke, but you hand the touchscreen to him, "put your number in, so we can plan a time."

you climb down from the bed of the truck, peering up at the farmhand as he adds his number to your phone. when he's done he hands you back the phone, the sun casting an auburn glow to his hair.

you look up at him, and he smiles down at you, "don't be a stranger." he jokes.

you give him a laugh, "wouldn’t dream of it," you add, "i'll see you friday— i'm going into town with my grandma tomorrow. i'm sure it'll last all day."

billy hums, "till' friday, honey."

you turn and head back to the house, smiling to yourself, feeling happy and alive in a way that you haven't felt in a long time.

the next day, thursday, you wake up early to accompany your grandma into town. the older woman drags you up and down shopping centre's, moaning on and on about how cheaply things are made now.

you make it through the first ten stores without your smile cracking, you think it must be a finely tuned talent.

it's not until well after lunch the woman decides to slow down, stopping at a local diner to eat. she does most of the talking, gossiping about everyone she's run into today.

you love your grandma and you enjoy your time with her, but you're too focused on tomorrow to really be good company.

if she notices your change in behavior though, she doesn't comment. highly unlike her.

by the time the sky is more dark than light, you two head home. she plays old country music the whole ride, teeny-bopper songs that remind you how young she used to be.

and when you finally lay your head down to rest, you don't try to fight off the supercut in your mind of your sweet farmhand.

the next day, fateful friday, arrives with a mix of nerves and excitement. you find yourself checking the clock more often than usual, the anticipation building as the day progresses. your mind drifts to the possible plans for the evening, wondering where billy might take you on this 'proper date.'

a bit after the sun hits noon, you finish up your chores on the farm, your thoughts consumed by your impending evening. you decide to freshen up and put on something nice, an easy way to get your mind together.

your closet here is less thorough than the one at home, but the innocent tops and bottoms of your late teens still fit. you look less severe than you'd normally for a date. forgone are the dark, tight, and sultry clothes of your college town, leaving you looking ever so sweet.

the early afternoon arrives, and you hear the distant rumble of his pickup as it approaches. you feel alight with a muddled mess of nerves as you make your way out of the house to meet him.

you look over your shoulder when you crack the door open. making sure you haven't awoken your sleeping grandparents, who rarely miss their three o'clock naps.

the summer sun is high in the sky, casting a bright glow over the landscape. billy's leaned up against his truck, staring expectantly at your front porch— staring at you, you realize.

as you walk to him, you can't help but notice the effort he put into dressing up. his filthy work shirt is replaced with a clean, green linen button-down, and there's a hint of ambery cologne in the air. he offers you a genuine smile, eyes lighting up as he takes in your appearance.

"hey there, beautiful." he greets you, a hand coming to rest on your shoulder blade, comforting.

"hi," you reply, returning his saccharine smile. "you clean up nice."

he chuckles, a bit bashful, "well, i figured it's a special occasion."

you let him lead you to the passenger side, where he opens the rusty pickup's door for you, you fight back your grin when he follows in after.

as you drive into town, the atmosphere is a blend of excitement and a tinge of nervousness. billy takes you to a quaint little restaurant a bit outside of town. it's casual but with dim lights and a cozy ambiance. certainly it's the most romantic restaurant around without heading an hour out into the city. the two of you share stories and laughs, finding little to no lull in conversation.

"you want any dessert?" you ask, fiddling a loose thread at the hem of your blouse.

billy shrugs, "i've never said no to some banana puddin'. what'd you say?"

you giggle, nodding in agreement. you feel high off of his company. you're giddy and doing a horrible job at hiding it, but he doesn't seem to mind. instead, he relegates to matching your optimism, only validating every enamored thought of him that rings in your mind.

the warm evening air swirls around you as the two of you exit the restaurant. billy offers his hand, and you gladly intertwine your fingers as you stroll down the sidewalk. the town square is alive with the soft glow of streetlights.

as you walk, the conversation continues, easy and simple. billy talks animatedly about his past few weekends at the rodeo and shares some amusing anecdotes about the other rider’s on the circuit. you, in turn, finally divulge your baler incident, much to his chagrin.

the final hours of afternoon are slowly rolling in, and soon you find yourselves back at his pickup truck. you assume he'll drive you home, but to your surprise, he takes a different route, heading towards the backroads right beside your land. you raise an eyebrow, curious about this unexpected detour.

"where are we going?" you inquire, a playful smile dancing on your lips.

billy smirks but doesn't say anything, keeping the destination a secret. the road is winding and narrow— made of dirt and full of large potholes. you know your little front-wheel drive could never make it. eventually, he slows the car off the path, onto the side of the road.

there's an apparent trail just to the right of you, and when billy opens the door for you, he immediately ushers you toward it, "don't worry, we won't go too far in."

you'd be lying if you said the setting sun wasn't adding a level of unease to the idea of entering the woods, but when you look at billy, eyes bright and smile true, you throw aside your worries.

the young man is true to his word. the trek into the woods only lasts a few minutes before you see it. an azure expanse of water— a secluded lake surrounded by towering oak trees and a backdrop of rolling hills.

you turn back to look at him, shocked, "how did you find this?"

"jus’ by chance a few years ago. i figured you'd been out here before, living so close," he remarks, "but i like that i got to show it to you." billy admits, a devoted glint in his eyes.

as you stand there, gazing at the serene lake, you feel a sense of wonder and gratitude for this unexpected and beautiful surprise. you can't remember the last time the familiar landscape of home felt so awing. billy seems to be taking in your reaction, a quiet satisfaction evident on his face.

"it's breathtaking." you finally say, your voice hushed in appreciation.

billy grins, seemingly pleased with your reaction, "so are you."

you turn back to the water to hide your flustered expression.

you watch him find a comfortable spot by the water's edge, sitting on a large flat rock. you follow suit, letting your head nestle into his chest. the sounds of nature surround you—the rustling leaves, the gentle lapping of the water, and the distant calls of birds. it's a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the town and the farm.

you look up at him as inconspicuously as possible, eager to commit his image to memory. his umber hair curls at the nape of his neck, slender nose burnt from the sun, his freckles apparent, and his ever-inspired blue eyes reflecting the water ahead.

you look away as your heartbeat quickens, afraid that if you peer up any longer he'll be able to hear the rhythm.

"can you swim?" you ask, toes dipping into the waters below.

billy's gaze softens, the radiant hues of his eyes flickering with warmth as he looks down at you. his calloused hand idly tracing circles on your back, comforting, "yeah, i can swim. why? you wanna go for a dip?" he replies, a playful glint dancing across his face.

enthusiastically, you nod, "i'd love to. it's been ages since i've been swimming in a place like this."

with a charismatic grin, billy stands up, extending a hand to help you rise. he doesn't hesitate to unbutton his shirt and free himself from his pants— clothed only in his black boxers.

you try to be as carefree as him, but you're slower to shed your attire. by the time you do, he's already shoulder deep in the water.

you make your way to the water's edge, stepping in. the cool embrace of the lake greets your skin as you wade in. the sun now casts a dim golden glow on the rippling surface.

as you move deeper into the water, you feel a sense of liberty wash over you. you let out a contented sigh, feeling weightless and unburdened. billy is a few feet away from you, beckoning you to come closer with a smile on his face. you oblige, splashing water playfully in your wake.

as you approach him, he wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you close. you can feel the heat emanating from his body, warming you up in the cool water. your bare skin presses against his, and you can feel a hint of longing course through your veins.

"you're s'beautiful," he whispers, his breath hot against your ear, sending shivers down your spine. "prettiest girl i've ever seen."

you chuckle slightly, looking beside him to the water, "you're just blowing smoke up my ass."

his hand finds your cheek, gently beckoning you to face him fully, "why would i ever do that?" he hums, "i only say things i mean, honey."

you blink at him, too far gone to stop your gaping, "you're a charmer, billy bonney. do you hear that a lot?"

he laughs, both hands now coming to rest at your hips, forcing you to wrap your legs around his, "i only need to hear it from you."

he says it so carelessly, without a thought. he's telling the truth, you surmise.

"why? you like me or something?" the words come out genuine, despite your teasing intent.

billy's eyes trail down to your lips, "i like you a whole lot, honey," you feel his grip grow steadier, holding you closer to him. he looks back up at you, gaze tempting, "i like you s'much i worked an extra four days on your farm jus’ to see you."

the revelation hangs in the air, and you find yourself caught in a suspended moment, the water lapping gently around you. billy's admission resonates, sinking deep into the newfound connection you've shared over these past days. his stare, earnest and reserved, locks with yours, and you can't help but feel a swirl of emotions.

a smile plays on your lips, a mixture of surprise and awe, "that's dedication." you reply, a playful sparkle in your eyes.

billy grins, his hands still securely holding you. "only for you, honey. i'm nothin' if not devoted."

you gleam at his words, intrinsically leaning closer to him. you're so close to letting your lips brush his before you stop, eager to see the weight of his affection once more, "you can kiss me now, if that's what you're waiting for."

with that, he presses his lips to yours, kissing you with a hunger that leaves you breathless. you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to you, savoring the taste of him on your tongue.

billy breaks the kiss, his lips trailing down your neck and collarbone, leaving a trail of kisses and nips along the way. you tilt your head back, giving him better access to your skin, letting out a soft sigh as he finds the sensitive spot on your neck.

"you're gonna be the death o'me." he whispers against your skin, his hot breath sending shivers down your spine.

your fingers tangle in his hair as he continues his assault on your neck, alternating between gentle kisses and nibbles. you can feel the heat building between your bodies, the water around you providing a cooling effect to your heated embrace.

billy's hands slip down to cup your ass, pulling you closer to him so that there's barely any space between you. he grinds his hips against yours, earning a moan from deep in your throat. you can feel his hardness pressing against you through the thin fabric of his boxers.

your eyes flutter open and you lock gazes with him, the intensity of his gaze mesmerizing. you tilt your head back down, allowing him to steal another kiss. his tongue teases yours. his hands roam up and down your body, exploring every inch of you he can with a passionate fervor.

you can feel yourself being taken into the depths of him until you can barely think or breathe. it's only when he finally pulls away, that you realize the afternoon has fully evolved into the beginnings of nighttime. the sky above you is almost entirely dark, littered with stars.

somehow, you still don’t think the kiss was long enough.

billy smiles at you, brushing his hair away from his eyes. you can't help but smile back, feeling content and happy.

"i think i like you too much." he murmurs, his warm breath caressing your skin. you laugh softly, feeling the same way.

a hum of agreement, "me too." you whisper back, pulling him into a tight hug. you stay like that for a while, enjoying the warmth and comfort of each other's embrace.

as the night deepens, you and billy finally decide to make your way back to the truck. billy helps you out of the water, his touch lingering as you both reluctantly part from the tranquil lake. the air is filled with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, their symphony accompanying your footsteps as you follow the narrow trail back to the pickup truck.

the woods, now cloaked in darkness, take longer to exit. the moonlight filters through the dense canopy of leaves, casting shadows on the forest floor.

once back at the truck, you find yourself wrapped in a cozy blanket billy had thoughtfully brought along. the drive home is filled with a comfortable silence, the events of the evening settling into a cherished memory. the road is dimly lit by the truck's headlights, and the night sky is a canvas of stars above.

as you approach the farmhouse, the thrill of the night lingers between you and billy. he parks the truck, and the engine falls silent. the two of you sit in the quiet for a moment, savoring the experience.

"thank you for tonight, you were real sweet." you say, breaking the silence.

billy turns to you, a peaceful smile playing on his lips. "i should be thanking you, for goin’ out with me. so thank you, darling. i think you're real sweet too."

"i'm real glad we met." you add.

he reaches over, his hand finding yours, fingers intertwining in a comfortable gesture. "me too," he replies, his gaze holding yours.

with a reluctant smile, you open the truck door, preparing to step out. billy, however, stops you with a gentle tug on your hand.

"before you go," he starts, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, "i was wonderin' if you'd like to do this again sometime. maybe i could take you down to the rodeo?"

the question catches you off guard, but the sincerity in his expression is undeniable. you feel a warmth spread through your chest, and you nod, "i'd like that, billy."

he grins, the moonlight casting a soft glow on his features. "good. it's a date then." you agree, leaning up and placing a peck on his pink lips before stepping out of the truck.

it's not until you're safely inside that he drives away into the night, the sound of the engine fading into the distance.

even as you slip into bed, the memories of the night play in your mind like a vivid dream. you drift into sleep with thoughts of the lake, the evening kisses, and the now waivered apprehension of the farmhand.

you've found yourself ensnared with billy bonney.

—reblog and like if you enjoyed, let ur local writer know you like her work !

billy taglist— @honey-bees-13 @poppyflower-22 @black-yn @siriuslybeloved @sherlollyliveson18 @cosmicspacewitch @aravenswritingdeskblog @sabrinasbd @cqsmo @coconut-dreamz @preciouspinkyy

₊˚౨ৎ˚₊ to remain on my taglist, make sure to interact :)

[ruija]

Well I really love your art, may I ask how do u color? I struggle with coloring turtles and I wasn't to know how do u do that?

Hi anon! That's a very broad question, so you've given me a great excuse to ramble anything I want about my coloring, eehehehee~! This will be in two parts and I'll start with talking about my simpler coloring style.

As in, when I color characters on a white background, with a limited or light palette.

The driving force behind this style is me being lazy. My time, energy, and attention span are pretty limited, so if I want to finish anything, I gotta do it fast. And with fanart, I'm usually just doing it for fun and relaxation, so there's no need to push myself to polish it too much.

Despite that, I rarely post just black and white sketches or line arts. I always try to add at least a little bit of toning or shading, because that makes the image easier to read. The characters and their shapes pop out and catch the eye of the viewer better.

However, in this particular example, just the couple toning colors don't quite do the job. The way Don and Leo are entangled makes the center area of this illustration very busy and hard to read.

As a comparison; this pic has only one tone + mask colors, and it works. This is because all the characters are standing separately and their poses are very stationary and simple.

So for the Don + Leo pic, adding some shadows helps in bringing out shapes and depths. Also in general, if you don't feel like drawing BGs, it's good to at least add a shadow below the characters. It grounds them and makes them feel like they exist within a space.

Sometimes if the posing looks too complex and busy, it might just be best to color in the characters fully.

However, even if I do full flat colors, I tend to use a lighter palette. Putting characters in their neutral/default color on a white BG can look a bit jarring as if they're floating in a void. It feels less immersive and like the picture is unfinished.

Using lighter colors makes the image more cohesive, and fits the characters into the white environment a bit more naturally.

If I'm too lazy to draw a BG, I prefer using stylized and limited colors. It feels deliberate and that the whiteness is just part of the palette, whereas the character-accurate colors on white don't match as well, even if they're more pastel.

That being said, there's nothing wrong with just slapping the flat-colored characters on a white background. As you know, I do it too. I'm just exposing my 'fancy coloring style' for what it is; me being lazy, hah!

Limited and monochromatic palettes are a nice shortcut even when you do actual backgrounds. It's faster and you don't have to worry about clashing colors. And you can still convey atmosphere and mood.

Also, on the topic of conserving your time and efforts; I think it's very common among younger/less experienced artists to think that the amount of time you spend on your art piece = how good and well received that piece will be.

Which has some merit to it of course, but it can lead to putting too much effort into areas where it's not necessary. E.g. filling the piece with tons of details and clutter that don't serve an actual purpose, but rather make the image hard to read. Or doing really complicated shading for a meme/comic, where simplicity would deliver the joke better.

So whenever I'm drawing something I intend to publish, whether it's a quick doodle or a more polished piece, I try to follow these two principles: Make it easily readable and do the bare minimum that needs to be done to convey what I want to convey.

Putting time into practice is important, but if you draw for work, it's also crucial that you know how to prioritize and use your time efficiently!

Anyway, thanks for reading! In the next part I'll go into how I do my fully colored pieces, so stay tuned for that!

[vylad243]

first, a sincere apology for this MONSTER of a prompt to come — bless my random half-conscious 4am thoughts for sending me down this downward spiral — BUT: we all know how protective/absolutely fucking feral Alastor is over any implied threat towards Vox’s safety: one can only imagine how horrible a fate would befall the poor, foolish folk who have the balls to ACTUALLY try to harm the Radio Demon’s mate.

Like, imagine Vox just going about his normal every day routine, taking precious baby boi Vark on his early morning walkies when he’s suddenly jumped by a group of very brave, very stupid sinners who either 1) want to get to Alastor through Vox and are SEVERELY underestimating the capabilities of the older overlord because he’s (in their minds) a “washed-up has-been fossil playing guard dog for the princess” who’s gotten soft because he’s in love (barf); or b) are hoping to take down an overlord out of sheer hubris, completely forgetting that Vox is literally a living power grid for Pentagram City, if not the entirety of Hell itself. Either way, f in the chat for their courage I guess. Since this attack is premeditated, our hapless captors made through work of trying to clear this specific area — a shortcut through an alley because not even Vox is immune to horror movie logic at times — clear of any cameras or electrical devices that could ensure an easy getaway and blocking off any potential exits they can.

Naturally, Vox — not being some helpless damsel in distress — puts up a damn good fight, at the cost of constant power shortages throughout the next hour or so. Eventually, however, he gets overpowered/taken by surprise and boom! Realm-wide power outage. Now, the gang at the hotel were already wary when the lights began flickering and the internet cut out during breakfast; their fear only intensifies when a sudden blackout strikes and they can hear a VERY pissed wendigo demon barreling down the stairs. Maybe even they find Vark on the hotel doorstep, visibly distressed and even a little injured (only a LITTLE, because I’m not a monster), with a crudely-written ransom note taped to him. Charlie can barely get through the first sentence before Al is out the door — a fifty ft tall, at the very minimum, mass of tentacles and sickly green static illuminating the pitch black streets, uncaring of those foolish enough to end up in his path.

It takes less than an hour for Alastor to find the dingy warehouse they took his mate to: these gentleman are not only bold in their stupidity but sloppy as well. Thanks to the blackout, he slips in undetected with his shadows and makes quick work of finding Vox. The overlord in question is more annoyed than anything else, bound in an uncomfortable position with angelic rope and put on mute (his captors’ egos couldn’t handle his viscous verbal roasts after he already fried them up pretty bad), but otherwise unharmed. Of course, this is Alastor we’re talking about: so much as the sight of his lover in pain, with a crack on his screen and his clothes visibly tousled is enough to spark a raging fire in the seething Radio Demon that would put the fear in God in anyone foolish enough to trifle with him.

Speaking of foolish, our intrepid group of attempted kidnappers are too busy trying and failing to restore the internet to try and broadcast their Very Spooky Hostage Negotiations stream (they rehearsed it and everything! Brad brought the costumes and eerie mood lighting!) to notice the horrifyingly wholesome lovers reunion going on literally right behind them. Alastor wastes no time in doing away with the bindings and making sure Vox is as comfortable as can be before teleporting him to a safe location outside; his lover is slightly irritated at the prospect of being left out for now, but is placated for now with kisses and the promise of watching these insufferable fools burn for their transgressions against Hell’s most ferocious power couple. Because of this, Vox waits outside for the next hour and makes a point of NOT restoring the power yet as he listens to his amazing and powerful mate torment the sinners psychology: the sounds of screaming are just all the more beautiful and crisp without the distracting noise of traffic and the nagging electric current constantly running through his veins distracting him from the most simple of pleasures.

Eventually though, by the two-hour mark, he gets bored of playing games on his phone, restores the power, and teleports back inside to tell Alastor to wrap things up because he actually has things to do today and he still hasn’t gotten his morning coffee yet, damnit. Al relents, teleporting the sobbing and trembling group of would-be kidnappers to the shadow realm, immediately showering his mate with kisses, cuddles, protective bites, the whole routine. Vox is slightly embarrassed at the entire ordeal (mostly at his own actions that led to him ending up here in the first place) but the assurances of Alastor that he did nothing wrong and the confirmation of Vark being alright soothes his guilt. He even allows Alastor to carry him out of the building bridal style as the warehouse burns down in a beautiful show of green fire and blue electrical fire around them (he thinks the view is fucking hot, literally in this case)

Naturally, Al and the rest of the hotel staff are on protective watch for almost the entirety of the next month — not because they think Vox is incapable of managing himself just fine, no; they just fear the consequences of what would happen Hell-wide if he were to go missing again. Vox can’t bring himself to be annoyed because he, more than anyone, is aware that Alastor would fistfight Lucifer and the entire order of Hell itself to ensure his safety. Not that he’s complaining anyway: his attention-craving ass is VERY much reveling in the almost 24 hour cuddle sessions and kisses, and Vark very much appreciates Al accompanying them during their morning walks now because he gets double the treats.

And the sugar on the cream comes later on in the week after the incident, when a VERY special, extended broadcast of Alastor’s radio show goes live on air, featuring a VERY special guest star: the media overlord himself, who would like to send a little message to the denizens of Hell that overlords are not to be messed with and are in power for a REASON. Alastor let’s him take the reins like the good, supportive partner he is, of course — any fool who dares to touch HIS mate has earned the cruel fate lined up in store, especially those with less than savory intentions (and sue him if he thinks the sight of his lover reveling in the suffering of those who dare cross him is more beautiful and poetic than the stars and moon and oceans combined)

Despite her usual preaching of going for as little violence as possible, Charlie makes an allowance this one time; in fact, she’s their first caller. After all, these sinners are her family, and woe betold you when you mess with the Princess of Hell’s family. Vaggie is only slightly perturbed by this reaction, but the soft look of pure adoration on her lover’s face as they listen in on the broadcast with the rest of the gang, languidly giving a stretched out Vark in their lap head pats, is worth the future nightmares, she reasons.

I didn't do the whole prompt, but I did my best! I hope you enjoy it, anon ^-^ I also included it in my 'A Month In Rut' series so it's vague enough to keep it spoiler-free of any unreleased chapters!

[my-mt-heart]

“The Book of Carol” Teaser

Well, that was some serious whiplash yesterday. Totally not suspicious. Not suspicious at all. I'm still uneasy about the show's leadership, but the teaser is by far the best reassurance we've gotten in a long while and Caryl fans are happier than I've seen them in over a year, so I'll take it. Hopefully we can expect exciting content like this to roll out consistently until S2 airs, but in the meantime, here are my thoughts on what we have...

Daryl's opening VO, "I dunno know if this is the place I'm supposed to be," is actually a line from the leaked 201 sides. In them, Daryl has a conversation with Isabelle, the details of which I'll discuss sometime after the finale airs, but what's relevant here is that it juxtaposes Daryl's conversation with Carol in Find Me. Whereas Daryl insists in the cabin that he does know where he's "supposed to be," implying that he belongs with Carol, something isn't feeling right about France or the "surrogate family" (🙄) the teaser immediately cuts to after that line. I don't know the context of the next lines of VO, "I've been thinking about all the people I left behind, wondering if they're still thinking about me," and I'm not entirely sure why Daryl assumes Carol may have moved on (need I remind you of the lunch date in S11), but obviously he's homesick. And, thanks to that very unambiguous tagline, we understand why. Daryl and Carol are each other’s home. They need each other to be happy.

Needless to say, Melissa is so good in this. She doesn't need gimmicks or anything artsy to make her performance stand out. Carol's agony over Daryl is right there in her eyes, her determination to find him clear in her voice. I especially love her soft "yes" to the man I suspect will accompany her to France (you can see his reflection in the rearview mirror when Carol is in the car surrounded by walkers). He seems reluctant to take up a cause he isn't emotionally invested in, meaning he doesn't know if he wants to embark on what's bound to be a long, dangerous journey for someone he hasn't met i.e. Daryl. So basically, he's asking Carol if she would do it if she was in his position and she assures him that she would. The dialogue is a bit convoluted to stick in a teaser, but the takeaway is supposed to be that Carol will do anything to find Daryl if there's hope he's still alive. Because, of course she would. Daryl should know that, just like Carol should know he'd worry about her even if she told him not to. They love each other. They told each other they love each other. These two have a lot of insecurities to sort out when they finally reunite, and I hope we get to watch those deep conversations take place when they aren't making out.

Carol riding Daryl's bike and carrying his crossbow are nostalgic, the first reminding me of when Daryl rode out of the Commonwealth in the series finale only this time I'm not fighting the urge to hurl something at the TV. I'm actually cheering Carol on as she sets off to find him and hopefully give him a stern talking to (I let you go on our road trip alone and you end up in France??) The second is reminiscent of No Sanctuary when she finds his crossbow at Terminus, and we all know where that led. The question is how will this reunion top it? Hint: there's only one right answer.

I wonder if collecting pieces of him keeps her grounded along the way, similar to how Dog became her connecting point after she and Daryl had their big fight in Find Me/Diverged. I'd ideally like to see flashbacks of Daryl teaching Carol how to ride and/or how to use the crossbow since it's never been established that she can do either. My expectations aren't high unfortunately because history tells me TWDU loves to take shortcuts. That was particularly the case in S11 as far as Caryl were concerned. If that continues though, it's going to be a major issue for me. Don't just toss out gimmicks you think will get us talking for a bit. Don't leave out the connective tissue. Earn what you want to show us.

The title screen is an eyesore. For one thing, there are way too many fonts and for another, "Daryl Dixon" is the larger text despite the season centering on Carol. Like I said yesterday, Melissa and Norman are on equal footing. That is confirmed, but visuals like this give the appearance that Melissa/Carol carry less weight than Norman/Daryl which is complete bullshit. The original spinoff was going to be hers just as much as it was his, so why wouldn't that be the case now? That's a rhetorical question because I know the answer. It'd be really nice if AMC stopped punishing Melissa and her fans for their mistakes last year.

But to end on a positive note (I was doing so well, wasn't I?), the teaser is a good sign for Carol's/Caryl's story, and I'm excited about S2 again. With some help, I'll be keeping a close watch on how the season is marketed going forward. If the whiplash continues, if EPs keep insulting their audience, well…why stick around for it 🤷🏻‍♀️ But if hints such as that tagline persist or ramp up, we might actually be headed for explicit canon 👍🙏❤️

(I see my inbox is about to explode. I'll get to what I can tonight).

[nobodysdaydreams]

20 Questions for Writers

@myfairkatiecat Thanks for the tag, sorry this took so long. (@sophieswundergarten thanks for the reminder 💕)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

8 so far. It's not a lot, but I make up for it in length.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

417,645 💀

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Exclusively tmbs so far, but I plan on doing some Wolf359 fics when I (finally) finish the podcast. Sadly all my ideas are long. I'm sorry.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Since I have so few fics I'll just give the list:

S.O.S., by a lot. I'd like to thank the show's cancellation for my unexpected success.

The Oldest Siblings , mainly due to it's association with SOS (it's the prequel in the series)

Treat Them With(out) Mercy

Who You Were Meant To Be

A Joy To Obey and It Should Have Been Us are tied

The Boys Who Waited

Sirens of the Sea and Sky: dead last with 3 modest kudos. This fic is the equivalent of having a kid in a school recital who screams the whole time and knocks down the set. He might be a disaster, but he's my kid and I'm proud. This fic is ridiculous, but it makes me laugh anyway. I don't know how burnt out finals Bods came up with this, but by golly...she did.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Of course! I think I've responded to every comment I've ever gotten (if not I'm so sorry please let me know). I appreciate every one of them, and I love talking about the ideas in my idea and the fics I write, so please know that every comment you leave totally brightens my day! 🥰

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hm. Right now "The Boys Who Waited" probably has the angstiest and most ominous ending, but we'll see what happens.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably "A Joy To Obey" since it's my main fluff fic with a nice ending. A great read if you like lighter stuff.

8. Do you get hate on your fic?

Not yet. If I did, I'm not even sure what I'd do. Depends on the hate. I might cry. I might laugh, honestly. I don't think I'm nearly important, good, or noticeable enough for that so I might be a little flattered ngl (unless it was something vulgar or hateful towards a certain group of people then I'd delete and block the person). I'm sure people have read my writing and not liked it, but I think they just click away.

9. Do you write smut?

No, that's not for me. Especially because I'm writing for a children's fandom, I just don't think that's appropriate.

10. Do you write crossovers?

No, but I've done some AU's on tumblr.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. Also this is a small fandom so if a fic of mine DID get stolen, it would be pretty awkward and obvious. Don't plagiarize kids.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'd be honored if anyone wanted to do that!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

No, but that could be fun!

14. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Why the MV Shortcut, of course! /jk

I don't really have a lot of ships I get super invested in, I prefer platonic relationships. If I think of one I'll let you guys know.

15. What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

You'll find out. (Don't worry about SOS. I promised I'd finish it and I intend to keep my word).

16. What are your writing strengths?

According to my readers, dialogue, characterization, themes, weaving multiple storylines together, and plot twists.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I can't write a short fic to save my life, and I can't edit to save my life. I also just publish my first drafts because I have no impulse control (sorry).

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Funny enough I’ve done this, but only canon MBS dialogue where I've translated it directly from the show's subtitles. If I made an error, please let me know.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Mbs, and so far just mbs. Hoping to expand someday when I magically have more time (and finish Wolf359).

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

SOS, just because of what a fun journey it's been.

Tags: @phtalogreenpoison @oflightningandstars @mvshortcut @sqenthusiast @itsgoghtime @amphibious-entity @mysteriouseggsbenedict and anyone who hasn't been tagged yet but wants to do it (sorry if I accidently double tagged)

[evelightnavi]

Midnight Blue Ⅵ

♤ Featuring: Neteyam x Female Omatikaya Reader

♤ Word count: 1.9k

♢ I'm Evelight_Navi on wattpad, parts will also be uploaded there.

Part 7

♢♢----------------------♢♢

"So, when were you going to tell me that the person that wasn't meant to be is Neteyam?" Spider asked as you two walked to his home. It had been a while since you two had some alone time again. Spider had tried to keep quiet about the secret you kept hidden. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He needed to be sure he was right about this. You looked at him surprised. How did he find out? And if he did, who else did? He nudged you as he laughed at your facialy expression. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out? You should see your face!" He laughed louder. You could feel your cheeks heating up. "W-who else knows?" You struggled to get out. "Relax, I didn't tell anyone. And as far as I know, nobody else knows." He said, trying to calm you.

This made you exhale. You didn't know you were holding your breath. "You know, I didn't tell Neteyam I liked him. But I think he might have a feeling, though." You explained as you looked at Spider. "Now that you say that. Does this have something to do with you being almost punished and Neteyam being exhausted the other day?" You answer Spider's questions with a nod. "We met accidentally in the forest the night before. We stayed there talking most of the time, until..." You started trail off as you thought back to that night. Neteyam had told you he saw you. It was perfect, and you wanted to say it back. You never did because of the arrangements. "Come on, don't leave out the juicy stuff!" Spider said, which made you snap back to reality.

"Some things were said that should've been kept quiet. It will only make things harder." You tried leaving the 'I see you' part out of it. Spider knew you weren't telling all the details, but he was okay with it for now. "The difficulty situation has now become a mess." He silenty said.  "I can't disappoint my family or my clan. But these feelings are hard to ignore all of the time." You said as the two of you stopped at the edge of the forest. Spider hugged you, and you hugged him back. "If I could help, I would in a heartbeat." He said before letting go. "I know. Thank you for being my friend. I couldn't picture my life without you." You thanked him as he walked out of the forest backward so he could still face you. "The feeling is mutual, Y/n." He turned around as he headed home.

By the time you arrived at the clan, it was time for you to meet with Lo'ak. He had asked to visit the high tree together. Lo'ak knew you loved the view and wouldn't be able to say no. You took your shortcut to get to the high tree. You stopped halway in your shortcut, remembering you would've got to go through your secret place. You walked a bit closer before deciding to go around it. Not long after, you were stopped as a familiar voice called your name. You turned around to see Neteyam. "Yn, can we talk?" He questioned as he walked closer. You looked behind you before you sighed. "I won't make it long." He stated as he noticed you were going somewhere.

You crossed your arms, trying to make yourself look more confident. "Go on." You said as Neteyam stopped in front of you. "I know what I said the last time we spoke. Maybe it's for the best we forgot about it." You could hear the hesitation in his voice. Your crossed arms lowered slightly, not fully uncrossing. "I'm not sure how you feel about us, but..." Neteyam stopped as he looked into your eyes. He still wanted to figure out if you liked him or not. "You were right. We shouldn't get to close since our arrangements are made." He started as he couldn't figure out how you were feeling about the two of you.

"You mean you don't want us falling in love?" You questioned, not wanting to believe what Neteyam had meant. He wanted to make you feel better, but there was no way to do so. "You agree?" He questioned. You looked at him perplexed. Was he suggesting we shut our feelings and emotions off? Your arms dropped to your side. "I take that as a yes? So it is decided." Neteyam stated still studying you. You were silent for a moment. "Yeah, I guess it is." You said as your eyes flickered between Neteyam and the ground. There it was! Neteyam eyes a gotten brighter at the litlle hint your body gave him. It had given him a last sprickle of hope. But before he could say anything, you spoke up. "I should go." You said before turning around and walking away. Neteyam watched you walk away. Ever though he had gotten the hint, there was nothing left to be said. After all, his was for the better.

You had replayed everything that had happened. You were trying to see if you could've said anything to make it more barely. You had tried staying out of his way. But you never meant for it to go this far. Neteyam had decided this for the both of you. You knew you were the one who had said you couldn't grow too close. But this... this was something you never expected to happen. You wanted to grow closer to him, and you knew he wanted that too. Both of you had responsibilities that you couldn't just throw to the side.

You looked up at the high tree as you arrived. Your shortcut had taken long because you walked around your secret place. It's not like it would've mattered since you came across Neteyam. You started climbing the tree. Knowing Lo'ak, you knew he was already up there. You had drowned your feelings out as you reached the last branch. Lo'ak helped you get upon it once again. He smiled at you as you both sat down on the edge. You felt relieved as you watched over the forest.

Lo'ak placed his fingers under your chin. "We should look up at a bit more." He said as he slowly pushed your chin more up. This made you look at the stars. It made you smile instantly. Lo'ak removed his fingers from your chin. "We can watch the stars, just like I told your father." He stated as he also looked up at the stars. Lo'ak felt comfortable and happy. He didn't like you like that, but at least he could make you smile. You two had grown closer over time, so maybe this could work out in the long run. You had been occupied, thinking about Neteyam and what he had said. But Lo'ak had given you some peace, which had made you relaxed. Even you thought this could work, if you could get over Neteyam.

"That over there is earth." Lo'ak stated. "Earth." You whispered at the same time. He turned his head slowly towards you, with a confused look. How did you know that was earth? Only his father and siblings knew. There were other people, of course! But you were never around them. Lo'ak knew for sure Spider didn't tell you. Last time, Spider tried guessing where the earth was. He was completely pointing in the wrong direction. Tuk was too young, and Kiri was never out that late with you. That would leave Neteyam. Had you and Neteyam been out that late together? Neteyam wasn't that close with you, was he?

"Would humans be as mean to their planet as they did here?" You questioned as you look at Lo'ak. He was still looking at you. He quickly changed his confused look to a more relaxed one. "From what my dad told us. They are using everything their planet can offer, if not even more." Lo'ak answered as he looked back into the sky. You sighed as you also looked back to the stars. The war had happened before you were born, but you had heard the awful stories. You were glad you never saw any of it.

Lo'ak had talked about many other stars, you didn't know about yet. You had asked him at thousand of questioned about the all. He a chuckled as he could almost tell which question your were about to ask. You had playful nudged him as he tried saying it at the same time as you. There was a moment of silent as you had stargazed. "What is that one?" You asked as you pointed at a bright shining star you hadn't seen before. Lo'ak looked confused before his eyes widened and ears pinned back quickly. "That is no star!" He said as he jumped upon his feet. Lo'ak quickly pulled you up. "Those are ships and they are landing!" Your eyes widened and ears pinned back as well. You both quickly climbed down the tree.

You had slipped on one of the last branches. The leaves had broken your fall as you layed on your back. You saw Lo'ak climbing down towards you. "Are you okay?" He asked worried as he offered you his hand. You waved him off, saying you would follow. You quickly got up and followed close behind Lo'ak. "Lo'ak! I know a shortcut!" You shouted to make sure he heard you. "Lead the way." He said as you started running in another direction. You kept running, not thinking about your secret place. "Through here." You said as you moved some big leaves out of the way. You had arrived at your secret place. The flowers started to glow purple as the two of you ran through them. Lo'ak looked at them in amazement.

You had stopped in your track at the sight in front of you. It was Neteyam and Inani. Inani stood in front of Neteyam, just inches apart with the purple flowers creating a circle around them. Lo'ak who was still looking at the glowing flower around the two of you, bumped into you. Making you both almost lose your balance. This quickly got the attention of the two ahead of you. Lo'ak stood beside you to see what was going on.

"What is she doing here?" You asked as you looked at Neteyam. "What are you doing here, bro?" Neteyam asked as he looked at his brother. Lo'ak had grabbed your hand as he started walking. Neteyam looked at your hands together as he could feel his heart raising. "No time to explain. We have to go!" Lo'ak said as he pulled you along. Lo'ak quicked his pace, letting go off your hand. You followed him, making Neteyam and Inani do the same. Neteyam ran next to you, which left Inani behind you and Lo'ak in front of you.

"I know what we agreed on earlier. But that doesn't mean you can bring someone to OUR secret place!" You tried to silenty shout at Neteyam. Lo'ak and Inani didn't have to know about this. "Look who is talking! You did the same!" He said harshly. You shook your head before catching up to Lo'ak. You were now running next to Lo'ak. He did, in fact, hear you both. This had made him realize there was more going on between his brother and you than he originally thought. It made him puzzle the piece together. You had been late and acted nervous when he defended you with the stargazing lie. So you had been out with Neteyam all night, stargazing in your secret place. Which also explained why you knew about the earth.

[not-poignant]

Hi Pia !! I just saw your retweet about letting authors know when you like their work, and I've been thinking about sending you an ask anyway so hereby I shall do both!!! First of all I want to tell you that I'm currently rereading Game Theory. A friend of mine told me about a fantasy world he created in his head and then let me rant to him about how much I love and adore Fae Tales, which then got me back into rereading it. While rereading, I got the notification that you're editing GT. That's so cool!!! My question for you, if you want to answer, is how does it feel to go back to GT after all this time? Besides the question I just wanted to let you know that I REALLY REALLY REALLY love GT and Fae Tales in general. Thank you so so so much for writing it. Its a huge comfort to me <3 I love you!!

is how does it feel to go back to GT after all this time?

Omg anon it's SO WEIRD

It's like getting into a time capsule.

So first up, I haven't reread Game Theory in its entirety for a few years because I find it kind of painful, a few things are out of character, and I know there's a lot of stuff to change to make it better suited as an original story and introduction to the world, and so when I start rereading it I see all the work I have to do and can't just immerse.

And that's been so annoying on a personal level, because I really believe in writing stuff you love - and for a long time I did!!

Going back to it I've found that:

Baby Pia didn't use the word 'cock' as often as I use it now. Which is kind of cute. I think I was still getting comfortable with writing explicit sex, or...something?

It's still better than I remember it. Like, as a follow on from SAL it's solid. I like the dialogue, and I like the 'feel.' I have no interest in changing that and in many ways I'm trying to remove as little as possible. I'm tightening prose/sentences, and being additive. I do know there's at least one scene I will have to remove (like Gwyn masturbating) because it's OOC and I will try and make that up to people somehow.

I really want more...background in the story. Not infodumps, but like...Gwyn actually fighting a fae driven mad because it was poisoned because of Augus' actions. Or Gwyn talking with his family. Gwyn talking to the trows!!! I'm so excited to add these sorts of scenes, things that are fleshed out and hinted at more in COFT and TIP, that I can make really robust now in GT as well. Things that I think will really strengthen the story, but also make it more captivating, and perhaps also make Gwyn more...understandable as a character. He's an extremely cold character to love if you haven't read SAL first.

I actually kind of get frustrated with how long the chapters are. I remember why I made them so long, and it was because I felt so terribly ashamed of how long the story was! So I 'hid' how long it was by condensing the number of chapters down and putting things that really deserved their own chapters into the same chapter and as a result, wrote shortcuts and really squished things that deserved more time and writing. I'm not angry at past me, I was genuinely frightened that people would hate the story if they saw a really big chapter count. And it's taken me a long time to let go of that. I know some people really like long chapters, and I think when it's appropriate it works so well, especially single sex scenes, but like...oof there are some chapters where it's like 'damn Pia you really were just trying to tell this in less than 45 chapters weren't you.'

While some folks say 'I can see how much you've grown as a writer' there's still some stuff I did better then than now. I think there's something to be said for having a long break there. Although I can also see some of my weaknesses a lot more clearly, because they're things I've like mended since then, or have been actively working on.

It's honestly been pretty fun. It's really important to me to preserve the integrity of the original story, because that's the story that got me here, and it reached people for a reason. Even if I'd write it differently now, I want to keep the basic essence of it the same. Ideally it just feels like reading 'Game Theory with some extra scenes' and all the other stuff blends into the background naturally, and doesn't feel jarring or strange.

It makes me so happy that you love Game Theory! Honestly it's folks like yourself letting me know things like this, and letting me know that you'd love to have it as a book one day, which has kept this as a dream in my head for a decade, and while I may be the world's slowest editor, the fact that this could actually come to fruition in 2024 is wild to me. Apparently it just takes me a really long time to commit to something lmao

[unmellowyellowfellow]

15 Questions — OC edition!

tagged by @sender-paulson !! thank you omfg

I'm going to tag @anonymousfoz @macabremoons @cabbojage @athenswrites and anyone else who wants to go on a rant about their OC's! tag me if you do it so i can see them!!

i will be doing this for Dixie, my protag for chalk mountain. she's a hotheaded mess but i love her <3 under the cut!!

1. Are you named after anyone?

my great grandma, dixie anne. she was badass. she's the only alvarez that isn't a total dick wad

2. When was the last time you cried?

when i was in my kitchen and emilio and frankie had to hold me down. it was really dramatic and i don't like to talk about it, but yeah

3. Do you have kids?

HELL no, and i do not want them. no offense to parents but full offense to mine. i am not a mother and i will not put a child through a parent who doesn't want them

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

no.. :)

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

their humor. the way you laugh and the jokes you make are really telling for you as a person

6. What's your eye color?

brown. unpopular opinion, or whatever, but i like brown eyes. theres more layers of depth and plus we master puppy dog eyes better than you blue eyed demons

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

scary movies because happy endings are just not realistic

8. Any special talents?

i can do a back-end pretty easily. it's like a party drink. drunk people love it; i've caused a lot of other peoples concussions though (lol)

9. Where were you born?

in the back of my dads beat up pickup on the side of a random farm road. dad said he knew a shortcut but instead we had to call an ambulance after my mom gave birth without any drugs. honestly, i don't know how she didn't kill him

10. What are your hobbies?

i used to drum in a band with some old stupid friends. we don't talk anymore, but i miss them

11. Do you have any pets?

no but i used to have a cat. i really want another one, but life is a little busy with the whole Evolved thing or whatever

12. What sports do you play/have you played?

i played t-ball when i was a kid with my brother, but we never played again after

13. How tall are you?

height is fake (i was always bullied for being tallest kid around so let's just not Talk About It)

14. Favorite subject in school?

history. it's easy and the alamo is my favorite story

15. Dream job?

i never had one. i don't want to spend my life working. i plan on gaining my inheritance after my parents kick the bucket and then riding the high till it kicks

[ceciliasthings]

Eugene taking care of reader who broke her ankle on a run? 😍 pretty please?

•Eugene taking care of you who broke your ankle in a run would include•

- You two were on a shortcut to Alexandria when you slipped into a hole and landed hard on the ground.

- Shit!-You feel a huge pain in your ankle.

- Y/n are you okay?- Eugene crouches next to you trying to see if you don't have any more serious injuries.

-Yeah, dammit I think I twisted my ankle...- you press your hand over the top of your boot in hopes of easing the pain a bit.- It's okay i think i can walk to alexandria

You try to get up but Eugene stops you, you are confused at first but he shoots you a serious look.

- Negative, you don't know how your ankle is if you force it it can get worse, so if you allow me, climb on my back.- He turns his back in front of you, looking at you sideways.

You gave a little laugh he got cute when he worried about you, you without much choice lean on him he carefully puts his hands on your thighs his cheeks burn feeling you so close to him.

- Ar-e y-ou comfortable y/n?- He asks stuttering.

You run your hands over his chest and brush your cheek against his you can feel their heat and see his eyes they shone even though you were dating he was shy when he touched you.

- Yes..- your lips press his cheek- Thanks for being a gentleman Eugene..

You feel his hands squeeze your thighs while he raises his steps,When you arrive he takes you directly to denise she says it's nothing serious but that you'll have to rest for a few weeks Eugene was by your side as she listened intently and asked a few questions.

- He quickly took over as your personal caregiver, he seriously very strict about his care even though it's not a serious injury he cares a lot about your well being.

-Get ready for him to be by your side 24 hours a day, he wouldn't let you get out of bed on your own he would carry you in his arms, he'd be lying if he said he didn't like being with you all this time,You feel loved when he offers to bathe you or when he pats your head before bed.

-He would make you snacks during your rest time he says that a healthy diet would help you get better you don't understand what this has to do with your ankle but the snacks are delicious!

-If you were lying on the couch he would occasionally sit up and put your feet in his lap and give you a massage while he talked about the benefits.

-If you were making love he would be very careful and the whole process would be very slow and pleasurable he is in no rush anyway he wants you to feel all the way.

- When your rest time was over he was happy your ankle was better,but he was kinda sad that he couldn't do it any longer you realized that and told him he can spoil you any time he wants that made him break into the biggest smile you've ever seen.

Notes: I don't know if this is what you expected but thanks for the request, and I don't know if you're the same person who asked me for the fanfic that y/n is pregnant but I'm already doing it, but this fanfic is big and I'm going to divide it into two chapters

[putschki1969]

Hi Puts, seeing you have been busy with work since your return from the Japan trip. Hope you can take good care of yourself with the busy work schedule.

I saw your lately post about Keiko’s new album hasn’t been your taste of music. So I wonder what kind of song genres do you prefer the girls to sing in their solo. What’s your favourite solo songs of the girls?

For myself, I love ballads so Wakana’s solo music genre has always been my cup of tea. But seeing Keiko doing challenges with her alto tone on some many musical genres makes me wanna cheer for her too. Tbh I don’t really dislike her songs maybe becoz I just simply adore her voice. As for Hikaru, since I’m not a great fan of rock anime genres, so I’m not catching up with her latest music. If you have some recommendations of her songs, I’d love to know that too.

Sorry for such a long message. Hope it wasn’t to hard for you to read. Stay well and keep sharing the Kala-love around^_^

Hello there!

Thank you, I feel like I am slowly getting back into a routine.

I had a huge reply already written for this but then I must have accidentally clicked a stupid shortcut which deleted a huge wall of text from this post T_T Needless to say, I have zero motivation to go through it all again. I apologise in advance if this feels a little rushed, I’ll still try my best.

First of all, no worries, your message is perfectly fine and it's an interesting question. However, I will admit that I always struggle with these types of questions because I lack the necessary expertise to explain my preferences when it comes to certain music genres. I enjoy music solely on an intuitive and emotional level, it either makes me feel something or it doesn't, for the most part I tend to disregard the technical aspects. That’s not to say that I don’t have some basic requirements which determine whether or not I like a piece of music.

Generally speaking, structure is key. Anything that’s too chaotic, directionless or all over the place will make me incredibly antsy. However, music shouldn’t be too monotonous either, I love a good, natural buildup. To really get into the flow of something I need a smooth melody with some motifs thrown into the mix.

I am very attracted to classical and orchestral elements. Symphonic instrumentals, elaborate harmonies, dramatic melodies, operatic vocals, inject it all into my veins. That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate other types of music as well. In fact, I have always had a weakness for 80s and 90s pop but that’s neither here nor there.

Vocal-wise, I gravitate most towards warm, mature and emotionally rich singing voices. I typically find high-pitched and youthful/childlike voices quite annoying.

Having said all that, I can’t really tell you my genre preferences when it comes to the girls. I just want their songs to have a good structure with a somewhat sizeable section that’s pleasing to my ears. Ideally, I would have them use a singing style that highlights their talents and doesn’t make their voice sound too grating. Keiko’s 3rd album accomplishes none of those things which is why I have a bit of an aversion to it. In all honesty, it feels like a big chaotic mess o me.

Just like you I have a strong passion for ballads but I don’t really want them to stick to a specific type of song. Especially considering that many of their solo ballads don’t even appeal to me. 

For example, I am absolutely obsessed with Keiko’s “Toori Ame”, “ I quite enjoy “Inochi no Hana” but I couldn’t care less about songs like “Hitori Janai Kara” or “Revolution”. While Wakana’s debut power ballad “Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni” hits me right in the feels and her equally enchanting “breathing” gives me goosebumps, the seemingly epic “magic moment” doesn’t do anything for me. Let’s not even talk about her slower pieces like “Nagareboshi” which I simply find too bland. With Hikaru it’s incredibly hard to pick ballads I like because at some point they have all started to sound the same to me but I definitely love her “Kawaisou da yo” and “midnight”.

As for general favourites, here’s a list of all the solo songs I repeatedly listen to (in order of their release):

Wakana:Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni, Kinmokusei, Yakusoku no Yoake, Ai no Hana, Kioku no Hito, Koi wa Itsumo, breathing, 442, Myself, Happy Hello Day, Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo, Inochi no Namae, Get Wild Hikaru: Avaricia, yolcu, Fili, 空-Look Ahead, disclose, midnight, Determination, Kawaisou da you, Kanashii Kedamono, Ambient Border Keiko: Inochi no Hana, Nanairo no Finale, Toori Ame, Nobody Knows You, Lost, Yoru no Uso to

Obviously, I can recommend all of these to you. I like some of their other stuff too but these ones I actively seek out

[samwwise]

this is the nerdiest ask i've ever sent but i am BEGGING, re: your two-gif gifset of Good Omens, "shall we read this story over again / it'll never be different," one - gut punch, love it. but also, two, you used a particular character in the text, a connected "st" in story. like the long S, this is something i have only ever seen in texts printed a long time ago; unlike the long S, however, i have never been able to find out what the fuck this is called.

do you know if it has a name? all i can think is that maybe it was a typesetting shortcut used to save time because of the frequency of "st" in English, but if that was the case, i would have expected to see something similar for "th" or "ch."

thank you for any help you can provide, this has been quietly rattling around in my unanswered questions box in my head since i was 16. i suppose i should start googling again? maybe there are resources on the web now that weren't available back then. either way, thanks, great gifs!

hi! 🌻

first of all: thank you!!!! and i'm happy to report that the thing you're talking about has a name: ligatures! it's basically joining two letters to form one single glyph/symbol. and you're right, it would usually occur with several combinations of letters (most notably the letter "f" and whatever letter comes after, and "th") in a cohesive typography.

but the font i used on that specific gifset, Esther Handmade, has the "st" ligature built in. it's not a setting i chose. otherwise, you would indeed have seen something similar for "th", it", etc.

hope this was helpful! thanks for stopping by 💙

[red-riding-wood]

Back from Hiatus

Trigger warning? I think? Brief mentions of medical stuff, nothing graphic. Oh, and death (but none occurred).

TLDR if you don't want to read seven paragraphs: Physical health bad, mental health bad, now hospitalised, fucked up when transferring my story files, hospital bad, home soon?, regardless you will be seeing me back in your feed probably more than you'd like

Rambling below cut

So, about a month ago I had to take a step back from Tumblr... and then an even bigger step back from Tumblr, because I had taken a step back from writing and I found that I just pressured myself too much to write and post when I did use the app. (I did my best to save your guys' stories in my drafts to read later but... I may have missed some and I definitely have some catching up to do.)

Why did I take a hiatus from writing? Well, that was due to my physical health declining in a real bad way. I won't get into it too much here, because I would end up telling a dramatic yet probably honestly boring story of the last four years of my life, but I'm willing to answer any questions if anyone's curious.

Anyway, that sent my head into a state of just utter... fear, I suppose. It's very difficult to care or focus on anything else when death is literally on your mind, and I was also in this weird state of limbo because I wasn't sure if I would be going to hospital or dying or what... so I didn't write, or really do anything except try to take care of myself the best I could. And I pretty much just isolated.

I've been in hospital a couple days now. The fear of death has lessened, and I think I'm gonna be okay, though I'm straight up not having a good time. I had this idea that what would get me through it was writing, so I sent myself all of my docs for my WIPs. Thing is, I keep shortcuts to them on my desktop, and apparently they don't save changes to the root file?? A lesson I learned after I showed up and found that massive chunks of my writing, notes, and storyboards were missing. Yeah, I fucked up.

But now there is talk of outpatient care as soon as this Friday which means I can maybe go home with my TPN (feeding through a vein tube which is the best way I can describe it since I am not a medical professional; it's basically a hardcore IV and I assure you it's badass and exactly like Cyberpunk 2077 -- that was sarcasm but seriously, props to anyone who lives with these because these are terrifying). If that's the case, I'll be able to carry on with White Ribbon and the fics I had started for Darjeeling and Budapest, and it will probably be a lot easier for me to write in general. I haven't tried writing yet, but hospital is a really uncomfortable environment for me (I mean, I'm sure it is for most people but I have a lovely lifetime dose of trauma on top of the usual) and I'm not managing as well as I thought I would so I have my doubts on how well I will be able to focus. (Don't worry about requests, guys... I haven't forgotten about any of them and I still fully intend to fulfill them, even if it means writing your smutty fantasies in hospital.)

If that's not the case, and I'm stuck here until surgery, well, I am willing it into the damn universe that I'm gonna write again regardless. So if you don't see me post something in the next week you have my blessing to send copious amounts of hate mail.

Thank you for reading my long-winded explanation. Oh, and, don't hesitate to message/reach out or tag me in anything! I'm feeling more social again now that I'm not, you know, dying and stuff.

[canyouhearthevoices]

I was reading your analysis of the BOUNCY MV and loved it (your comments also made me laugh eheheh)! Also since you said you weren't sure about the red lights in the bike part of the MV, I was talking to a friend about the MV and they mentioned how SeongSang's shots are very reminiscent of AKIRA (the manga/film). The plot goes something like post-apocalyptic Tokyo which is corrupt and there's anti-government protests, terrorism, and gang violence etc etc. There's a bunch of biker vigilantes etc etc etc~ And the scenes are also very reminiscent of the MV itself, which I found super cool (I once mentioned how it'd be super cool if ATEEZ had footnotes for all the references they make lolol)

Ahh thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

Yes, I completely agree with it being similar to AKIRA. I've never actually watched AKIRA (which is probably why it didn't come to mind) but I agree that the themes and aesthetics are similar. The shots you have included are great examples. I imagine that KQ/ATEEZ/the creative directors did this on purpose - AKIRA is very influential and impactful on anime media, so this is yet another visual shortcut they've used for storytelling. Thank you for bringing this to my attention... maybe I should watch AKIRA.

We know that ATEEZ have a lot of inspirations from influential texts from various cultures - Britain, America, Korea, China, Japan - so it makes sense that they have done this. I think it's amazing, because, as I said, it synthesises and plays with older media to make something new, and it uses those medias to make the story easier for the audience to understand.

One of my film professors is big on the idea of using conventions of a genre to make your story easier to understand, while adding a unique flair to it - and that's exactly what ATEEZ do.

As far as their references - yes I would love to see them (although I think we can get a pretty good idea just from the way they express these inspirations). Believe it or not, I have had a not insignificant number of dreams that just involve me grilling Hongjoong on the storyline and begging him for the answers. I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and see my ATEEZ poster and break out in a cod sweat because Hongjoong is staring at me and I know that he knows all of the little details of the storyline and gleefully watches us get it wrong but will never tell us...

It's a love-hate relationship.

Cromerteez also added this;

I think I probably forgot to add this but the Z logo on the wanted posters is very zorro logo-ish 👁️👄👁️ (again, I'm pushing the footnotes agenda lol)

For those (like me) who don't know - the Zorro logo looks like this;

Or at least, I hope this was the one you meant.

Yes I definitely see it. I had a little Google and it seems that Zorro is about a man who is hunted by the authorities but continually outwits them, and uses his sword to carve the 'z' into his defeated enemies. I can definitely see the similarities to ATEEZ's storyline. The only question I then have is - did they write the symbol on their own Wanted posters - to show that they would never be caught? Or is someone/something (Guardians?) else hunting them and has put the symbol on the posters as a threat?

The scene is ambigious enough that it could be interpreted either way - and we might need to wait for another MV, the Diary version of the album, or the next comeback to get an answer.

But thank you so much for sending this ask in! I really appreciate it and it definitely sorted out some of the questions I had about the MV. And reinforced my point about visual shorthand in storytelling.

<3

[sarahemaginnis]

Killmore Girls: Raincoats & Recipes, Prologue

Dean scrambled out of Rory’s bedroom, following her into the kitchen as he pulled his shirt on, straightening the collar.

Lorelai froze in the doorway, seeming to startle at the sight of the two of them. “Hey,” she said warily as she shifted back and forth on her heels. “What’s going on?”

“Dean came over to borrow something.” Rory answered quickly, running her fingers through her hair in a futile attempt to smooth her bedhead.

“Yeah, thanks.” Dean said, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. His heart was hammering. He needed to get out of the house as fast as possible, before Lorelai started asking him questions. Dean’s eyes darted to the kitchen door.

“You’re welcome.” Rory mumbled without looking at him, awkwardly crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Well, ah, I should go…” Dean stammered, his throat suddenly dry. “Bye, Lorelai.” With a grimace, Dean rushed across the kitchen, opening the door.

“By, Dean.” Rory called out to him.

Without a backwards glance, Dean walked out of the door and into the dark of the night. Closing the door behind him, Dean paused on the porch, leaning his back up against the wall of the Gilmore house as he exhaled the breath he had been holding since he’d heard Lorelai come inside the house.

“So, what did he borrow?” Dean heard Lorelai ask.

“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it first,” Rory stammered. “I – I know I promised I would, but I swear, I didn’t know that this was going to happen. I mean, I didn’t know he was going to show up tonight, and it just happened. It’s awful for you to find out like this, I know, but everything’s okay. I’m okay, and we were, you know, safe – so all those Trojan Man jokes all these years really apparently stuck. And I’m lucky, too, because Dean, he’s — well, aren’t you glad that it happened with someone who’s good and really loves me?”

“He’s married.” Lorelai’s words landed on Dean’s ears and he flinched, his face growing warm.

“You don’t understand the situation,” Rory was calm, calmer than Dean would have been if he was the one facing Lorelai’s questions.

“Is he still married?” Lorelai scoffed.

“Yes, but- “

“Then I understand the situation.” Lorelai’s voice began to raise, her tone growing sharper.

With a cringe, Dean pushed away from the wall, creeping around to the front of the house, being careful to not step on the creaky floor boards on the porch. At the volume that they were yelling at each other, Dean didn’t think that Rory and Lorelai would notice that he was still outside but he did not want to risk being caught and pulled into their argument. Pausing at one of the windows to the living room, Dean peered inside, wanting make sure they wouldn’t see him.

“I just want what’s best for you, that’s all!” Lorelai yelled.

“You’re just mad because I didn’t come running to you to discuss whether or not I was ready for this step. I decided it on my own.”

“Obviously, you weren’t ready for this step.”

Shaking his head, Dean stepped off the porch. He had heard enough. Crossing the yard to the gravel driveway, the stones crunched loudly underneath his boots. He was grateful that Babette and Maury were staying at the Dragonfly Inn for the launch this weekend. The last thing he needed was for Babette to catch him outside this late at night and to start asking questions.

Dean’s phone vibrated in his pocket and he stopped, pulling it from his jeans. Lindsay’s name flashed across the screen. Taking a deep breath, Dean flipped his phone open. “Hey Lindsay. Yeah, I’m on my way home right now.” Dean stepped off of the road and headed into the woods, taking the shortcut he’d used so many times in high school to get back to the town square. “Uh huh, yeah,” he said robotically, barely registering Lindsay’s words as he stepped over a fallen branch. “I love you too,” he replied automatically, recoiling at the sound of his own words. “See you soon.” Dean flipped his phone shut, shoving it back in his pocket as he pushed his way deeper into the woods.

He couldn’t think about what had just happened between him and Rory. He couldn’t think about Lindsay waiting for him at home. He just had to get home. He would figure out the rest of it tomorrow. Tomorrow, he and Rory would talk and they would figure this whole thing out.

Dean could just see the trees thinning and the glow of the gazebo lights of the town square ahead of him when the sound of a branch snapping behind him echoed throughout the woods. Dean froze, turning around as his eyes squinted, trying to make out distinct shapes in the shadows of the dark woods. Dean didn’t see anything moving. It was probably just an animal scampering across a fallen branch. Turning back around, Dean took another step towards the Town Square but another snapping branch had him spinning around again. That one sounded closer. The hairs on the back of Dean’s neck rose. Pulling his phone from his pocket, Dean flipped it open, shining the dim light in front of him. He still didn’t see anything, but Dean had the distinct sensation that there was something out there in the woods, watching him.

Turning back towards the Town Square, Dean left his phone open as he used the dim light to illuminate the uneven ground in front of him. Crushing dried leaves and fallen branches underfoot, he moved as fast as he could towards the Town Square. Just a few more feet. As he went to take the next step, Dean’s leg caught on something and he tripped, falling face first onto the forest floor. He let his phone drop, breaking his fall with his hands as the phone snapped shut next to him, extinguishing the light. Pushing up on all fours, Dean turned to pull his foot free of the root that tripped him but instead of a root, a hand with red nail polish gripped tightly onto his ankle.

“Babette?” Dean squinted at her familiar figure, laying prostrate on the ground behind him, her hand outstretched and clasped onto his ankle. “What are you doing out here?” Dean gently pulled her hand from his leg, pushing up to stand as he brushed the leaves from his shirt and pants. “Are you okay?” he asked, extending a hand down to Babette. “I thought you were staying at the inn?” Babette pushed herself up to all fours but let her head hang low, her blonde curls blanketing her face. Babette began to sway from side to side as she let loose a loud, guttural groan.

“Are you hurt?” Dean crouched down in front of Babette. “Let me help you up.” Reaching out with both hands, Dean moved to grab Babette underneath her arms, lifting her up as he pulled her close to his chest. Babette’s head snapped up, her bloodshot eyes locking onto his own. “Babette?” he whispered. Her pupils were blown, her expression vacant. Dean’s pulse raced. They stood there for a moment, locked in each other’s arms as Dean’s shallow breaths quickened. Dean waited for Babette to say something but she just stood there, vacant eyed and limp in his arms. “Babette” he whispered one more time, dropping his arms to his side as he took a small step backwards. His heavy boot landed on a branch, the dry wood crunching as he planted his heel.

The sound of the snapping branch awoke something in Babette and she lunged forward, grabbing Dean’s shirt as she growled. She yanked him towards her, her mouth snapping open and closed as her teeth violently cracked together.

“Babette! Stop! What the hell?!” Babette shoved Dean down onto the ground and he landed on his back, coughing as the wind was knocked out of him. Babette scrambled on top of him, drool dripping down out of her mouth and onto his face as Dean struggled to push her off. She was a small woman and he should have been able to push her off, but she was strong, abnormally strong. Babette’s head thrashed forward, her open mouth locking onto Dean’s neck as he felt her teeth break through the tender skin. Dean tried to scream but Babette had chewed through his vocal chords. Blood rushed into Dean’s airway, drowning him in his own blood.

Dean could feel his pounding heartbeat grow sluggish and slow in his ears as the world grew muffled around him, the sound of Babette’s moist chews growing fainter. And then, darkness descended.

Read the rest on ao3!