#tumblr: did you mean self love? no? you meant self care right? right??????

[wow-an-unfunny-joke]

Wow! Me? Venting again????? Who could’ve guessed???

So I’ve realized that I’ve got a thing about bandaids, as in I need to ‘earn’ my bandaids. I don’t know where I got this false scarcity from but in my head I can’t just use a bandaid Willy-nilly it needs to be bad enough to deserve a bandaid, so I either leave my cuts uncovered, go deeper than I meant to, or do way more than I meant to, all because I need to earn my bandaids.

[l-uminescent]

˚⁀➷｡˚ KINSLAYER ━━━ AEMOND TARGARYEN X FEM! READER

part two.

synopsis: rhaenyra’s daughter seeks revenge for the death of her beloved younger brother lucerys velaryon. and what better way to gain it, than from the man she was once betrothed to.

notes: did i steal daemon’s plot? yes. did the reader do it better? also yes. fuck aemond targaryen (who is 22 here) for killing lucerys fr, and fuck tumblr for making me repost this bc they shadowbanned me :(

warnings: reader is rhaenyra’s daughter, angst, violence, mention of blood, future hotd spoiler (battle above the gods eye)

word count: 3.9k

ONCE UPON A TIME YOU HAD THOUGHT YOU HAD KNOWN WHAT LOVE HAD FELT LIKE. being betrothed to none over than aemond targaryen in an attempt to ensure peace between the divided targaryen house, had gave you a sense of hope. the childish crush you had on the one-eyed prince had long exceeded into your adulthood (unbeknownst to you for a long while). and the news that you were to be married to the man you had felt so deeply for, had you thanking the gods that you were to be so lucky. 

for much of your adulthood, you denied the feelings you had for aemond. brushing the giddiness you felt when you were younger off as a fleeting childhood crush. now, the crimson paint that adorned your cheeks you put down to a sense of duty; you had to act the blushing bride in order to do your part for the realm. your mother's constant reminders that it was you who could maintain the peace between dragons, made you believe it was a sense of duty to your house; to prevent the bloodshed and the path to destruction that would follow if blood was spilt. as time went on, you begrudgingly admitted to yourself that maybe, just maybe, the small minuscule crush you had on the prince, in fact never left. you often reflected on the times where you had lived in king's landing with your family, often choosing to spend time with the second son of the king. you two were inseparable, where aemond went you were sure to not be too far behind. often, challenging each other on who would learn the most high valyrian words in a day, and who would learn the history of their ancestors first. it was a match the gods intended.

however, this sue for peace had crumbled completely. only a mere memory in your mind of what could have been if the targayren house was not so ignorant to the fact that women had much of a right to ascend the throne (you had king jaehaerys to uphold much of the blame for this decision). and now, the house was at war with one another. the dance of the dragons was surely to follow, leaving nothing but war across the realm and your poor broken heart.

the death of your brother lucerys did not seem to help with the feeling of heartbreak that effected life upon dragonstone. you spent many days and nights cooped up in your chambers. there was no one to turn too. yes, you sought comfort with your mother but she too was a shell of her former self. with jacaerys many miles north in winterfell, and your husband the murderer of such an innocent boy, you were left with nothing but your own reckless thoughts. as the sun rose in the east and set in the west day after day, your pain and suffering festered into a new, dark feeling within you. the sadness within was replaced with a craving of utter revenge. the lovesick girl, eyes wide with care and awe was shattered, replaced by a woman no, a dragon, who would go to any means to avenge the cruel death of her sweet younger brother. the love you had felt for the man you once were engaged to disappeared the moment you had learnt what he done; marring any chances at evading the war that was surely to follow. you swore to seek revenge with fire and blood. in whatever means the gods meant it to happen. 

━━━━━━━━━━ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ ━━━━━━━━━

the small council met as the sun lays lazily high in the sky, providing the normally dark and gloomy room with a sliver of light that is often uncommon on the island of dragonstone home to dreary weather most of the time. you welcome the sun in all its glory, soaking it in as you stand next to your brother jacaerys as you listen to the squabbles between the men as they discuss the course of action to take next. small crescents dawned under your eyes, reflecting the many sleepless nights you have come to known. the tiredness you feel currently now and all throughout the days since luke's passing has become an old friend to you, one that is begrudging to leave. you tune out, the effects of another sleepless night and your lack of interest in the bickering that is beginning to fester amongst the lords and your mother is boring you. instead, your eyes are captured by the ball of fire that lay millions of miles away. you weren't all that religious, if it came down to it you preferred the valyrian or old gods in favour of the seven. but there was no doubt the glistening embers that rained upon the room was a good omen. you were sure lucerys was looking down upon you, he adored the few sunny days on dragonstone, and this brought a small smile to your face. 

you hadn't realised just how deep in thought you were until your brothers voice broke you out of whatever hazy trance you were. despite tuning out, you had gathered the basics of the discussion - ser criston cole had set his eyes on rooks rest, and a dragon was needed to defend the castle. jacaerys' proposition to fly vermax was quickly shut down by your mother, deeming the boy as too inexperienced in battle and the dragon too young. 

"i will go." 

the words escaped your lips before you even had a chance to think them through properly. the feeling of revenge running through your veins was more than enough to spark this confident outburst. it had to be you who would go to rooks rest. you did not understand why this feeling was so apparent, whether it be the good omen in the sky, or the smile that had graced your lips for the first time in many moons at the thought of your brother being the one who sent it. but the need to take seat upon your dragon silverwing and fly to rooks rest settled in your soul as a desire you needed to fulfil. you knew immediately your mother would never agree to this, already refusing jacaerys to go meant there was absolutely no possibility she would let you go. 

"no. you too lack the experience that is needed in battle. i will not lose another child to this war." rhaenyra's voice trembled slightly with the mentioning of lucerys but she held strong with her decision to not let either of her elder children fly to battle. the mentioning of luke only feeding the fire in your blood, the need to seek revenge for his passing. 

looking up at your mother, you knew she had understood this as it was plainly evident on your face. alas, rhaenyra could not deny you had your mother's stubbornness and your father's strength. "mother, the entire council knows it is far too dangerous to risk the lives of both you and jace. queen and heir. send me, your grace. silverwing is used to battle and if war and bloodshed is sure to follow with the greens still bot bending the knee to you, then we must become acquainted with it." 

her eyes softened as she gazed upon yours, you reminded her so much of herself in her youth. the fire that burned within you mirrored that of hers. the want to prove yourself as more as weak was apparent, when many men had deemed you fragile due to the gender you were born as, you felt the urge to prove them wrong, just as your mother had felt, still feels with the many lords at the council who still see her as the weaker sex. she knew you were going to fly to battle whether she permitted you leave or not. and with a slight of her head you knew her answer. her lilac eyes gazing into yours with such intensity you knew the message conveyed. be safe, sweet girl.

another voice a the council spoke up, one you weren't expecting to hear. your grandmother, rhaenys. "you must send me as well, your grace. meleys is no stranger to battle, like silverwing. two dragons will be better than one, if the greens decide to also send a dragon to battle."

you were shocked that your grandmother was to fight so willingly for your mother's claim to the throne but yet, the more you pondered the less surprised you were. she too was a woman who should have ascended the throne, the queen who never was, yet king jaehaerys passed over her claim as a count of being weak as she was a woman. gods you hated the man sometimes. 

you were no stranger to the care of your grandmother. she knew straight away that her son was not actually your father, you were born a bastard, fathered to ser harwin strong yet she loved you nevertheless. just as coryls velaryon had favoured young luke, rhaenys, favoured you. your dark her reminded her much of her mother jocelyn baratheon and the way in which you clung to her as a child reminded her so much of leanor. she had grown to love you as you her, and refused to see you alone on the battlefield. 

"come granddaughter, we have much to prepare." rhaenys spoke softly as your mother dismissed the council, guiding you with her hand on the small of your back. giving one last nod to your mother, you notice the look of such fierce love in her. the promise of suffering she would bring if you were hurt. yet, the only thing rhaeynra could do now is pray to the gods above that her only girl would return to her safely. and by the gods she did.

━━━━━━━━━━ *ੈ✩‧₊˚ ━━━━━━━━━

silverwing was just as mesmerising as the day you claimed her at the tender age of  ten and three. her silvery scales often reminded you of the stars that hung from the sky. glistening intently as you often sat at your window deep in thought. such a docile creature, you could not help but fall in love with her kind nature; a dragon who was most friendly to strangers. as you approached her now a small smile once again graced your lips. the she dragon bent down to greet you, pressing her snout to your hand in a sign of understanding. the intelligence of the dragon was also something that had drawn you to her, she was able to sense every emotion you felt. she had known you were grieving and did not hold it against you that you had neglected to visit her. instead, she blew smoke from her nostrils, and you could have sworn she wore a toothy grin. silverwing was glad you had returned to her. 

flying your dragon had somewhat eased the dull ache that seemed to have made a permanent home in your heart. the ocean beneath you and the wind in your hair brought a sense of relief. this was home. you had miss flying your dragon across the realm, watching as the landscape beneath you changed from countryside, to villages, to oceans and to cities. it was freeing. as fast as she was, silverwing was no match for the speed in which meleys, your grandmother's dragon, flew. as she soared effortlessly through the sky, your dragon tried her hardest to keep up. 

"don't push yourself silverwing. meleys is a fast dragon. " you uttered calmingly to your dragon in high valyrian, stroking her scales softly in a show of comfort. oh how you missed speaking the language too. "calm my sweet girl, it will be okay."

as you finally caught up to rhaenys, the two dragons held pace with one another as you surveyed the fields below. ser criston cole's army had been spotted approaching rooks rest. the elder women held your eyes. a message passing through the two of you to get this done as quickly as possible. and with a cry, meleys delved to the army, silverwing not far behind her

a mix of anxiety and adrenaline coursed through your veins. you were petrified at failing the mission and returning to your mother's disappointed face with the castle in the hands of the greens. yet the pure adrenaline of gaining your revenge from those who supported the man who usurped your mother's throne and took your brother urged you to keep going "attack silverwing." you called out causing the dragon to plummet to the ground to attack those below.

the field that was once riddled with soldiers was now nothing but flame and smoke. red heat from the lips of your dragon had engulfed almost the entirety of the battlefield. the flames below you were nothing of the flickering of the candles in dragonstone that brought you comfort. no, the flames you caused mirrored the emotion inside, the intensity of the anger you felt, the betrayal from the man you once loved to cause this amount of pain. 

a sound you had not heard in a long time broke you out of your rage induced comatose. you froze, the greens had come for you. looking up, you recognised the gleaming golden dragon belonging to the usurper king aegon. sunfyre. your anger had only intensified at the man willing himself to fight against you and your grandmother. doubling around the castle, silverwing dipped her sharpened claws into the ocean's water, ensuring a clean cut against sunfyre before rising above the cliffs face, ready for battle. he was no match for that of silverwing and meleys.

despite the adrenaline within, you could not help but worry for your grandmother, as you watched the flames engulf both her and aegon as the dance begun. the women held a dear place in your heart and the image of her being hurt was enough to push you to attack the sun kissed dragon. flying to meet your grandmother, silverwing allowed herself to flip and glide between the flames aimed at you both. the bellows of aegon left a satisfying smirk upon your lips as meleys claws took hold within the belly of the enemy dragon, as you willed silverwing to attack the dragon's wings from above. clawing and scratching at sunfyre, silverwing and meleys both have seemed to have done immense damage to the golden beauty. chunks of the dragons wings had been ripped out and cuts adorned her body, red blood oozing out of her scales. the final blow had been dealt by your grandmother, yet war was far from over as a sickening roar had been heard beyond the trees.

aemond taragaryen had come out to play.

your breath hitched, letting you only to take only shallow breathes as vhagar descended from the trees. you tried to be brave, tried to hold back the tears that were evident in your glassy eyes yet you couldn't. tear drops sprung like rivers cascading down your terror-stricken face as you saw the shining silver hair of the man who had once been the love of your life, and subsequently the reasoning behind all your pain. wrapping the leather reigns that kept you in control of your dragon, you urged her to continue flying around rooks rest. the wind blew harshly as you circled the ashy landscape, drying your tears and making whatever was left stick to your reddened face. as vhagar descended upon the battle in the sky,  hought's swam through your head as you shouted at your dragon to attack, you wished away all feelings of dread. 

in that sliver of calm, you could not help but feel drawn to the sun as it had once again graced you with its appearance. and with lucerys velaryon looking down on you, you knew the gods wanted you to have your revenge in that moment. they had brought aemond to the battle for a reason after all.

flying up to sit side by side with rhaenys, you allowed the hatred in your heart to take over. the fire in your blood burned at the audacity for aemond to dare show his face after all that he had done. 

"it has to be me grandmother." you shouted over the howling winds in high valyrian. the distaste within had spoken clearly, it had to be you who destroyed the man in front of you. you knew rhaneys understood that, but you also knew she carried the same stubborn nature that all targaryen's had come to possess. plowing into vhagar first, it was obvious she was no match for the queen of dragons. sending waves of fire to the boy riding her, melyes took the moment of distraction to tear at the beast's stomach. 

unbeknownst to you, sunfyre had risen again at the sound of vhagar's approach. seeing the flame grown in the dragon's mouth, rhaneys abandoned the attack on the larger dragon, instead focusing on the dragon mere inches from you. ambushing her from the side, meleys' jaws clamp around the neck of the usurper's dragon. in a state of shock, you forced silverwing to the side, gratefulness gracing your features at your saviour. 

nonetheless, it was plain to see that both meleys and silverwing did not hold enough power to over through the two dragon's that had come to fight. with rhaenys preoccupied with the second coming of sunfyre and aegon, it had left you with the battled against  vhagar. having lived centuries you knew that you were no match for her. she had helped with aegon the conqueror's conquest and that alone had gained her much more experience in battle than your dragon would ever come to know.

reality kicked in like a knife to your stomach. understanding what you had to do sent shivers down your spine, but there was no other way.  to kill the dragon you must kill the rider. 

your mind flickered back to the many moments you had spent with aemond over the years. sneaking into one another's chambers at night to tell stories you have read in history books. the days spent in the garden giggling at the idiocy of your family. and as the two of you got older, you recounted the longing gazes in one another's directions, the stammering and blush that rose to your cheeks anytime he was near. the brushing of limbs at the feast as your grandsire had announced the betrothal. 

none of that mattered now. he had made his choice when he decided to slay his kin and you had made yours. 

gazing upon silverwing properly for the last time you spoke quietly "forgive me, comfort my mother when i am gone. i beg of you." the silver beauty squeaked in return, a note of sadness in her tone. she would miss you just as much as she missed queen alyssane, but she would honour your choice gallantly. "fly back to dragonstone when i am gone. i do not wish you to suffer the same fate, my love."

with your mind made up, you willed your dragon to fly to meet aemond and vhagar taking in a shaky breathe as you did. as silverwing glided through the air, her claw's tore through vhagar. nevertheless, the silver beauty had barely left any damage. vhagar's thick skin was almost impenetrable, only small surface wound were left behind from the attacks you inflicted on her. the only thing that kept you alive was your dragon's ability to stray so close to vhagar yet slip effortlessly beyond her reach whenever her jaws made an attempt to kill you both. 

allowing silverwing to deal with vhagar, meant that you were left to deal with her rider; your glassy eyes never leaving  the man who had caused you such suffering. he had grown you noted, his cheeks now hollowed out as if he has been struggling to eat, a dark crescent clear under his one good eye. the hate in your heart weakened, you had almost felt an ounce of sympathy at his obviously heartbroken state. you wondered if he had regretted his actions; had regretted pushing you away. you wondered if he blamed himself for what had happened that night, if he had really meant to kill luke on purpose. but you also knew you would wonder these things for the rest of your life if you let him live. no matter how much remorse he truly felt within you could never forget his actions, the way in which he took pride in what he did, bragging about being the first to spill blood in this horrific war. and that was enough for you to keep fighting.

pulling away from vhagar for a final time, you flew back around the castle unstrapping the saddle you had on silverwing, tossing it to the wind. unstrapping the sword, daemon had given you from your twentieth name day, you held it in your palm with such force that your knuckles began to whiten. as silverwing set her sights on vhagar once more, a final sound of pain came from your dragon as she knew what you had planned to do. knowing there was no way in changing your mind she flew above the dragon and its rider, positioning you perfectly in what you aimed to do. 

holding onto one of the many talons in her back, you allowed yourself to stand upon your dragon's back, the sword still tight in your hand. your eyes had never left that of the icy lilac that sat below you. the mix of fear and understanding stood in his, as he knew what you were about to do a second too late. the shock of realisation came as he tried to unfasten the straps that kept him tied to vhagar. she was too big of a dragon to move in time for what you were about to bestow upon the targaryen prince, and it was too high of a jump for him to survive.  

jumping from your dragon's back you let your mind to once again reflect all the love you had for aemond taragaryen. allowing yourself to find comfort in the fact that you had known love in your lifetime.

and as you drew the sword through him, you felt no remorse. a debt had been payed. revenge had been served. for luke.

but, there was no escaping the torment your heart inflicted upon you in the moment your sword pierced his only good eye. you had thought aemond would hold loathing at what you had done in his final moments, but all he felt was abhorrence for himself. driving you to the point of sorrow and grief where you had felt like you could do nothing more than seek revenge for what he had done. whispering a soft "i love you'' before you had pierced him, gave you the closure you had needed. those three words had answered all the questions that had played over and over in your mind, running rampant through your darkest hours.

the history books recalled that you had died peacefully with no call of a dragon to save you. you had plummeted to the ground with the man you had loved, knowing you had avenged your sweet innocent brother lucerys and had come to learn aemond had regretted his actions dearly. this was truly enough for you to die happily. and that you did.

[neo-my-geo]

Hey gang, it’s your old pal Neo here. If you know me, it’s probably from one of the several very stupid TF2 comics I’ve posted to Tumblr.

However! I am also an English major (unfortunately). One who has read millions of words worth of fanfiction in their life. I have been part of the Sherlock, BNHA, Disco Elysium, and, of course, TF2 fandoms; I’ve been around the block.

The further I’ve progressed into my English education, the more I’ve noticed which mistakes are the most common in fanfiction. Many of them are easily fixable; writers just need to be pointed in the right direction. 

“Neo! Does this mean you think people shouldn’t be allowed to post their works online without a background in formal English education?”

Of course not! I can explain why if you’d care to venture below the cut with me!

Yes, I will explain how to use commas.

It’s important to note that this is NOT a post about formal writing. You aren’t writing an essay. Please, for the love of god, do not write fiction like you’re writing an essay.

There are no stakes to writing fanfic. No one is going to get hurt if an author doesn’t know what a dangling participle is. One of my favourite things about fanfiction is that it’s one of the only art forms left that’s done exclusively for fun! You should write what you enjoy, and share what you make with like-minded people. 

What I want to do is provide assistance as best I can to writers who want to improve their fundamentals without having to take the same university courses I did. Nobody is going to be getting a formal education to write fanfiction unless they’re ridiculously dedicated, and I’m not expecting that of anyone. 

The point I need to stress is that knowing these grammar fundamentals can instantly improve the flow of your writing. Punctuation is a ridiculously important tool for writers, ESPECIALLY in fiction. Commas, semicolons, and full stops (including periods, exclamation points, and question marks) steer the pacing in the reader’s mind; did you notice how your brain stopped for a second after that semicolon? I can show you how to do that.

You may be wondering why I’m going through so much effort to teach all of this to strangers on the internet. The answer is that I enjoy sharing this knowledge with others and helping them grow. By seeing this, my goal is to help you become more proficient at self-editing. Showing this to people who actually want to learn will, hopefully, benefit the community as a whole, and I think that’s very worth it. 

Also, while this post is obviously themed around TF2, the points I’m making can be applied to any fiction. Grammar is for everyone, and the church of the semicolon always has room for more initiates. 

Also also, as an edit, I should clarify that this is meant to cover the more objective facets of self-editing, which is why I'm mostly covering punctuation. Maybe I'll do another post about using adjectives someday.

With that out of the way, let’s get going!

I’ve teamed up with several English teachers (real ones! One of which may or may not be my mom!) and an editor to gather a list of the most common problems we see in amateur fiction. This post is going to be split into three broad sections: apostrophes, commas/semicolons, and other common problems. 

The apostrophe

This section is short, but it holds weight. Other than commas, apostrophes are the most typoed grammatical tool in any fanfiction I’ve edited. This is because, much like the rest of English, the rules surrounding them can be annoying and inconsistent. 

Apostrophes have two main uses: possessives and conjunctions.

A possessive is a word that denotes the ownership of one thing over another. The vast majority of the time, this is done using an apostrophe and an S.

There is, however, one glaring exception to this rule, and it’s the bane of my existence. 

When denoting possession of an object over something else while using the pronoun ‘it,’ you do NOT add an apostrophe before the S.

A conjunction, on the other hand, is when a writer uses an apostrophe to combine two words. The following are examples of common conjunctions:

What’s (what is)

They’re (they are)

It’s (it is)

Conjunctions are not often used in formal writing. Thankfully, we aren’t dealing in formal writing. Go crazy.

Time for a lightning round of the most commonly mistaken for each other possessives and conjunctions!

Your is possessive. You’re is a conjunction of ‘you’ and ‘are.’ When you can’t decide which one to use, imagine replacing it with ‘you are’ and seeing if it makes sense. If it doesn’t, use your.

Their is possessive. There indicates a location. They’re is a conjunction of ‘they’ and ‘are.’ 

The comma and the semicolon

You knew it was coming. I knew it was coming. It’s time to talk about commas.

Commas and semicolons are far and away the biggest grammatical hole in the toolset of fanfiction writers everywhere. They’re often treated like the rules surrounding them are complicated and difficult to understand, but the exact opposite is true! 

The big issue I’ve heard time and time again is that the rules of commas are often explained through metaphor instead of example; this means that writers everywhere have slightly different ideas of how you’re supposed to use them. The fact of the matter is that, yes, there are correct and incorrect ways to use commas. Knowing when they’re appropriate and when they aren’t is easily the fastest way to bring your writing from looking amateurish to sounding professional and experienced. 

In order to know how to use a comma, you must first understand the difference between a dependent and an independent clause. 

An independent clause is a section of writing that functions perfectly well as its own sentence. It MUST have both a subject and an action/verb.

A sentence without an independent clause is known as a fragment, and they’re the bane of English teachers with highlighters everywhere. 

A dependent clause is a section of writing that does not have both a subject and an action; it does not function as its own sentence.

Now, let’s say you want to combine the two. When joining a dependent clause to an independent clause, the order in which they are placed is crucial to whether you use a comma or not. 

When joining a dependent to an independent with the independent clause first, you do not need to use a comma.

When joining a dependent to an independent with the dependent clause first, you MUST use a comma. 

Keep in mind that, if one strives for total grammatical perfection, all narrative sentences MUST have an independent clause. This, however, does not apply to dialogue. Human beings do not think about whether what they’re saying is a dependent clause, and neither would the vast majority of fictional characters. Don’t be afraid to break the rules of grammar as long as it’s contained within quotation marks. 

Alright, that’s the easy part. Time to learn about joining two independent clauses. It’s semicolon time, baby!

If you join two independent clauses without properly using a comma or a semicolon, it is a run-on sentence. You do not want these in your writing. They’re awkward to read and mess up the flow.

When joining two independent clauses, you can use EITHER a comma or a semicolon. You just need to follow these rules:

If you’re joining two independent clauses with a comma, you MUST use a joining word (and, but, so, etc.) AFTER the comma. 

If you’re joining two independent clauses with a semicolon, you do NOT need to use a joining word.

Did you know that a sentence with a comma counts as its own independent clause? This means that you can make a sentence that includes a mix of both without it being a run-on! Just make sure that, no matter what, the semicolon is between two independent clauses. 

Still, try not to write more than two clauses in a sentence too often. Sentences with a lot of punctuation are very attention-grabbing, but shouldn’t be overused. Full stops aren’t your enemy and variety is the spice of life. 

It’s also important to remember that you should avoid using more than one comma in a clause (with the exception of the rule below). That part loops back to the 'avoiding run-ons' bit.

It’s really that easy! 

Commas are also used in informal writing to inject a separate thought or descriptor mid-sentence without breaking the flow by adding a period. This is often used when describing the perspective of a character experiencing something in a story, but not (usually) when using omniscient perspectives. 

The final issue I frequently see with commas in fanfiction is in regards to dialogue. Sometimes you end it with them, and sometimes you don’t. What gives? 

Well, my friend, the answer is, thankfully, much simpler than the previous section.

When following dialogue with a dialogue tag, use a comma instead of a full stop. If you’re continuing the previous sentence after the tag, use a comma after it as well. 

Note that a dialogue tag is a short phrase that identifies the speaker. It isn’t a complete sentence on its own.

When following dialogue with an action that does not serve as a dialogue tag, use a full stop instead of a comma. 

Other common problems

This section is dedicated to putting specific grammatical errors into words, along with how to solve them. 

Not sticking to the chosen point of view

Always choose your point of view before you start. Is it in the first, second, or third person? Is it omniscient or limited? Does the point of view switch during the story?

First person perspective is told as if the POV character is directly describing their experience to the reader. The character uses I and we to describe their own actions.

Second person perspective is told as if the reader is a character in the story and their actions are being described to them. This is the rarest, and the most difficult to write.

Third person perspective is the most common and the simplest to write. The events of the story are a separate entity from the reader altogether and the narrator uses they/he/she/it pronouns for characters. 

Omniscient perspective means the narrator of the story knows all, including the thoughts and feelings of each character. 

Limited perspective means the narrator of the story only knows what the POV character knows. 

Past and present tense

When you decide between writing a story in past or present tense, it is crucial that you do not switch between them unless it is narratively intentional. Reading a past tense story that mistakenly switches to the present tense is like being pulled out of the room someone is telling a story in and suddenly taking part in it yourself. It’s disorienting and gives the reader unwanted pause.

Overly-long paragraphs

A common adage spread by English teachers is that most paragraphs should be at least eight sentences long. This is great advice for beginner essays. You’re writing fiction. 

If you have a new thought, start a new paragraph! A concise and well-read single-sentence paragraph is infinitely better than one that drags a thought for too long. Aim to have a blend of paragraph lengths when you write, alternating between the descriptive and the punctual. 

Dangling participles

A dangling participle is when a word is used to describe a noun that isn’t actually present in the sentence. Much like how a sentence without an action isn’t grammatically correct, neither is a sentence without a subject. 

Malapropisms

A malapropism is when an author mistakenly uses one word or phrase instead of another similar-sounding one. I’m not about to list every single malapropism ever made, but these are the ones I notice most often:

To comprehend is to understand something, to apprehend is to arrest someone, and to be apprehensive is to be anxious or fearful of something bad happening.

Could care less means you do care. Couldn’t care less means you don’t.

A lot means a large amount of something. Alot isn’t a word and you shouldn’t use it.

The only real solution to using malapropisms is to make sure you fully understand any words you use in your writing. Never guess, and make sure you always google it. Having beta readers also helps.

If you made it this far, congratulations! You now know the most common errors in amateur fiction and how to solve them! Thank you for listening to me complain for two thousand words. 

The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to make mistakes. First drafts are always gonna be a little bad. The real key to success is knowing what your end goal is, and how you plan on achieving it. Here’s hoping this was a helpful tool for that!

Shoutout to @salmonandsoup for helping me think of the list of issues to address! You're a real one. Also shoutout to my mom, who doesn't have Tumblr. Also the third person. You know who you are.

[falcqns]

would it be enough (if i could never give you peace)

✰ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Tim Bradford x Lucy Chen x Tamara Colins

✰ 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: everyone at Mid Wilshire knows that Tamara is Tim and Lucy’s daughter. There is only one person who isn’t aware of this, and that is Tamara. Until she gets hurt, that is. 

✰ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: crying, like lots of it. Car crash, near death experience, fluff, angst with a happy ending. tagging @natashasera

don’t forget to read and reblog, and i do not give permission for my works to be posted anywhere other than tumblr. thank you.

Tamara loved Tim and Lucy. Ever since they had busted her for stealing Lucy’s car, Tamara had felt safe with them. There were her warmth; the people who cared for, comforted, nurtured, supported and loved her, something she had never felt as a child. Right now, there was nothing Tamara was missing more than the warmth of Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen while she was upside down in her totalled car, hanging on for dear life, just before the world around her went black.

Lucy loved Tamara like her own. She had never had such strong maternal feelings for someone than she did Tamara. She rarely made her angry, she kept her space tidy, and rarely talked back, which had resulted in Lucy rarely feeling upset or frustrated with the teen. But right now, she was frustrated. Tamara was ignoring her messages. 

Tamara’s high school had called her; she wasn’t present for morning attendance. This isn’t what frustrated Lucy. What frustrated her was that Tamara was then also absent for 2nd period, and now 3rd. 

Lucy knew that Tamara was struggling with her birthday approaching. That meant that the teen would put even more pressure on herself to find a job and move out, which was something Lucy and Tim did not want. They wanted her to know that she was family, and that because she was family, she didn’t have to leave on her 18th birthday, but no matter what she or her boyfriend said to the teen, the words just weren’t getting through to her. And Lucy knew that having stress like that, especially self imposed stress like that wasn’t easy to deal with, but Tamara also knew better than to skip school. 

Lucy sighed heavily, looking down at the 5th unanswered text from her teen. She then shoved her phone in her pocket, and stepped out of the shop, walking towards the table between the food trucks that her and Tim always shared. She plopped down next to him, and didn’t greet him, instead she grabbed a few fries and shoved them in her mouth, hoping that she would feel less angry with some food in her system, but it didn’t work. 

“What’s going on?” Tim asked. Of course he knew something was wrong, Lucy thought to herself. 

“Tamara is skipping class.” She said simply, and Tim shrugged his shoulders. 

“She’s a teenager. Teenagers skip school. I did it, and I’m sure that you did too.” He said simply, taking a drink of his pop. 

Lucy rolled her eyes, turning to face Tim. “She also isn’t answering any of my texts. Something that she knows to do, even if it’s just an emoji. I know she has a lot on her mind right now, but that doesn’t mean she can ignore me.”

Tim sighed, reaching out, and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “I know. I know you’re frustrated with her, and that’s okay, but there must be a logical explanation for her not answering. Maybe her phone is dead, or she forgot it at home. She’s not doing it deliberately okay?” Lucy nodded, and she opened her mouth to respond to Tim, but was cut off by Tim’s phone ringing. 

He lifted it from the table, and Lucy saw Angela’s name. Tim answered and held it up to his ear. 

“Hey.” He said, and Lucy could hear Angela’s voice on the other end, and it sounded concerned. Lucy’s brows furrowed, and she honed in her hearing, trying to pick up what was being said. Tim hung up a moment later, and once again Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but was once again, cut off. 

“We have to go back to the station.” Tim said, standing up, and tossing out his garbage from his lunch. 

“What’s going on?” Lucy asked, standing up immediately, and following him to her shop, tossing him the keys in the process. Tim opened his door, and made eye contact with Lucy.

“I don’t know, but judging by her tone, it can’t be anything good.”

——

As soon as they pulled up to the station, Angela pulled them inside and into an interrogation room. She sat them both down, and took a deep breath before sitting down across from them.

“What’s going on?” Lucy said, an edge of demanding to her tone. 

“Nolan and Juarez responded to an accident a few hours ago.” Angela started slowly. “By the time they arrived on scene, paramedics had gotten the driver out of the vehicle and were preparing to transport to the hospital. Nolan and Juarez took witness statements, and then followed the ambulance to the hospital.” Angela finished, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

Lucy and Tim looked at each other, confused. Why was Angela telling them this, and why did she seem to be on the verge of tears. 

Angela took a deep breath, gulping before she spoke again. 

“We were unaware of who the victim was until she was being prepped for surgery, and Nolan got a good look at her.”

“Who was it?” Tim asked, and Angela looked down before looking back at the couple. 

“It-uh, it was Tamara.”

Lucy felt her heart drop and shatter, and all of her frustration immediately disappear, tears pouring from her eyes with no warning. “N-No,” Lucy whimpered, and she felt Tim immediately wrap her up in his arms. “No, sh- she-“ She gasped, and Tim hugged her tighter, leaning in close. 

“It’s okay, baby.” He whispered, hugging her to her chest as she broke down. “I-is she okay?” He asked Angela shakily. 

Angela sniffed, wiped away a stray tear. “She’s in surgery, but last I heard she was stable. From Nolan’s once over of her, it appeared she only had a broken leg, but we won’t know the full extent of the damage until she’s out of surgery.” 

Tim nodded, finally breaking down, burying his face in Lucy’s hair. “She’s gonna be okay, baby.” Lucy sobbed harder. “C-Can we go see her?” He asked quietly, and Angela nodded immediately. 

“Of course. I’ll inform Grey.” She said, wiping her eyes as she stood up. Just before she shut the door behind her, she looked at Tim. “Keep me updated, okay? Doesn’t have to be much, just a quick text. Just so we know she’s okay?” 

Tim nodded. “Yeah, yeah of course.” 

Angela smiled, and shut the door behind her, and Tim held Lucy even tighter. “She’s strong.” He whispered. “She’s our strong girl. She’ll pull through, and she’s going to be okay.” He said, unsure if he was reassuring Lucy or himself more. Lucy pulled away from his chest, and Tim held her cheeks in his hands. 

“I c-can’t lose her,” Lucy whispered. “She’s my baby, I can’t,” 

Tim nodded, chin wobbling, a tear falling from his eye. “I know. But like her mom,” Lucy smiled at that. “She’s determined. She doesn’t give up. There is not a weak bone in her body. She’s going to get through this, and she’s going to be okay. Wanna know why?” He asked, and Lucy immediately nodded. 

“Because she has you for a mother.” Lucy smiled, more tears streaming from her eyes. “You’ve been to hell and back, and you are the perfect person to help her through this. She’s going to be okay.” He said, and Lucy nodded, taking a deep breath. 

“Don’t discredit yourself so much,” Lucy whispered. “You’ve done a lot for her too, you know.” She said quietly. “And you’ve been through a hell of your own, and you survived, which is why you are the perfect person to be her dad. You support her, comfort her, and love her like your own, and thats something she hasn’t had for so long, if at all. You’re right,” Lucy said, taking a deep breath. “She’s strong, and she’ll get through this, because she has us.” 

Tim nodded, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Can we go see her now, please?” Lucy asked, and Tim nodded with a smile. 

“Yeah, Goosey, we can.” 

——

By the time they had changed out and reached the hospital and had found the right ward, the doctor, who just so happened to be Grace, was just speaking to Nolan. They walked up to the pair, and Tim and Lucy immediately interjected. 

“How is she?”

“Is she okay?” 

Grace smiled, and turned away from John, who raised his hands, and stepped away. 

“Your daughter is very lucky. She had some internal bleeding, but it was an easy fix. She also has a broken ankle, but we’ve set it, and it should heal perfectly. She’s just being moved to recovery now, I’ll come and get you two when you can see her, okay?” Grace said, and Lucy nodded. 

“Thank you,” She said. “So much.” Grace smiled, touched her elbow briefly, before walking through the double doors behind her. 

Tim wrapped Lucy back up in his arms, holding her tight. He bent down, and began whispering in her ear. “I told you she’d pull through.” 

Lucy choked out a sob. “I was so scared.” Lucy expressed. “I thought I was going to lose her. I thought that I would never see her again, that I’d never hear her call me Mom, never tell her how much I love her, how important she is to me.” 

“I know, baby.” Tim whispered, rocking back and forth slightly. “I know. I was thinking the exact same thing, but know we’ll get a chance to tell her, and to show her how much we love her.”

Lucy looked up, a slight smile on her face. “You were thinking you’d never hear her call you Mom?” She asked playfully, and Tim glared at her, but with no real heat behind it. 

“You know what I meant, Boot.” He said, kissing her forehead. 

“Not your boot anymore,” 

“Maybe on paper, but in my heart you’ll always be my little Boot.” 

Lucy slapped him across the chest, and he choked out a laugh just as Nolan walked back up to them, with Juarez beside him. 

Tim looked Nolan in the eyes, a serious look on his face. “How bad was it?”

Nolan breathed in through his nose before answering. “It was bad.” 

Lucy turned around in Tim’s arms. “How bad?” 

“Like ‘I’m-surprised-she-survived’ bad.” Celina answered, and Lucy closed her eyes, breathing deeply, to stop herself from crying again. 

“Thank you for being here with her.” Tim said, and the duo nodded. 

“Of course. She’s family. There’s no other place we’d be.”

A moment later, Grace came back out through the doors, and walked up to them. “She’s still asleep, but should be awake within the hour.” 

“Can we see her?” Tim asked, and Grace nodded immediately. 

“Of course, follow me.” 

Lucy followed Grace immediately, and Tim followed after nodding at Nolan in thanks. Tim grasped Lucy’s hand as Grace led them through the hallways towards Tamara’s room. “She’s in here. I’ll give you some time.” Grace said, and walked away once Lucy nodded. 

Tim squeezed Lucy’s hands, and after a collective deep breath, they entered her room.

“Oh god,” Lucy whispered once she laid her eyes on Tamara. Tamara was laying in the bed, a cannula under her nose, heart rate monitor on her finger, and other various wires in her body, along with an IV with what Lucy assumed was pain medication. Lucy wasted no time in going to her side, and Tim wasn’t far behind, moving around her to stand at Tamara’s head, brushing her hair back and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Lucy grabbed onto her hand, and pulled up a chair. She pressed Tamara’s hand to her cheek and just gazed at her, a million thoughts running through her head. Tim came up beside her, and rested his hand on the back of her neck. 

“What’s on your mind?” Tim asked. “And don’t try and lie to me, Lucille.” 

Lucy rolled her eyes at his use of her full name. “Don’t call me Lucille.” She snapped, but sighed, and explained. “I was mad at her earlier. I was mad at her, and she was probably terrified. We could have lost her today, and all I cared about at the time was that she was missing school.”

“Luce-“ 

“I was mad at her over something so stupid, for no reason, too. So what she skipped class? She works so hard she should be allowed to rebel a little bit. I should have realized that it wasn’t like her to not respond to me. I should have driven her to school today, I should have let her stay home-“ Lucy rambled, more tears falling from her eyes. 

“Lucy-“

“She didn’t deserve this. She worked so hard to buy this car, and now all her hard work is gone. Her car is totalled, and she’s going to be crushed. She deserves to have a car, to have a safe space with her at school after not having that for so long-“

“Lucy.” Tim said, finally catching her attention. “Baby, you’re rambling, and none if it really makes sense.” 

“Sorry.”

“No, no don’t apologize, but you do need to calm down. That’s what she needs right now. She needs her mama to be the cool and collected one, right now, at least. We don’t want her feeling guilty for crashing her car, or her thinking that we’re mad that we had to leave work. She just needs us to show her that we’re here for her, and show her how much we love her.” He said, and Lucy nodded. 

“Okay, yeah, you’re right.” She said, and looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep, calming breath. 

“And about the car, we can just get her a new one.” He said, and Lucy looked at him like he had 10 heads. 

“What?” Lucy exclaimed. “How?”

“With the money I got from selling my father’s house.” He said, shrugging as he did. 

“You mean the money that you were saving to buy yourself a new car?” Lucy asked. 

“Yeah.” He said. Lucy shook her head in disbelief at him. “Look, Luce.” He explained. “The car I wanted was just that, a want. But Tamara just lost her car. The car that takes her to school and back every day, the car that she worked so hard to buy. She needs a car, and I’m willing to use the money to buy her something that she needs instead of something that I wanted.” 

“So you’re not gonna be sad every time you see a Tesla, and you’re not going to be singing “That Should Be Me” in your head?” Lucy joked, and Tim rolled his eyes, before grasping Lucy’s chin in his hand, and leaning in. 

“You think you’re funny, don’t you?” 

Lucy hummed. “Yeah, I do. I’m hilarious.” 

Tim and Lucy shared a laugh, and had just started to lean in when Tamara began to move, and make noises. They immediately pulled apart; Tim shot up from his seat and resumed his place by her forehead, rubbing his thumb across her soft skin, while Lucy held on tighter to her hand, and shifted from the chair to the bed beside her leg. 

“Mmmm-mm,” Tamara whimpered, and opened her eyes, blinking at the harsh light. 

“I’ll go get the doctor, okay, T?” Tim whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead again, before heading out of the room in search of Grace. She nodded, squeezing her eyes closed. She opened her mouth again and attempted to talk again. 

“M-ma-“ Tamara said, and Lucy furrowed her brows, confused on what Tamara was trying to say. 

“Take your time, baby,” Lucy encouraged, leaning closer. 

Tamara’s face crumpled up slightly, and she was finally able to speak, as tears began to stream down her face. “M-mama,” she whisper-cried, and Lucy immediately helped her sit up, and wrapped her up in her arms, a warm feeling spreading through her chest after hearing her call her Mama for the first time. She knew Tamara probably didn’t know what exactly she was saying, but it meant that she saw her as her mom. And Lucy also knew that she needed to lean into it, to show her that she accepts her as her daughter, and that she loves her.

“I’ve got you, baby.” Lucy whispered into her ear. “You’re okay, Mama’s got you.” 

“W-where’s D-Dad?” Tamara said, and Lucy smiled, hearing the name, knowing Tim would cry.

“He went to go get Grace,” She explained. “Dr. Grace is just going to make sure that you’re okay, and then as soon as we are able to, me and Dad are going to bring you home, okay?” 

Tamara nodded, burrowing her head into Lucy’s neck. Lucy adjusted her position, laying back on the bed, and helping Tamara lay down, resting her head on her chest. Lucy started to play with her hair as Tim walked back in. 

“She’s on her way, she got pulled into another surgery, but she said to press the nurse’s station button if anything is wrong.” He said, walking over to the side of the bed, and taking up refuge in Lucy’s previous spot on the bed. He took Tamara’s hand, and rubbed his thumb back and forth. “How are you doing, T?” He asked. 

“‘m sorry, Daddy,” Tamara whimpered as she started to cry. Lucy hushed her quietly, her hand traveling down to rub her back. “I crashed the car. I didn’t mean to, I swear-“

Tim leaned forward. “It’s okay, bubba. I’m not mad, neither is Mom. It was just a car.” He soothed.

Lucy smiled, seeing tears in Tim’s eyes. She knew that it was a mixture of being thankful that Tamara was okay, and extreme happiness that Tamara called him dad. 

“A car can be replaced.” Lucy explained. “You, however, cannot be replaced.” 

“Yeah, bubba.” Tim said, pressing a kiss to her hand. “There’s no replacing our daughter, you know that right?” 

“D-Daughter?” Tamara stuttered, and both Tim and Lucy nodded. 

“Of course you are. You are so important to us, T. And we want you to know this because we know your birthday is coming up, and that you’re stressed about having to move out, and we want you to know that we want you to stay. Especially after today, we want you where we know you’re going to be safe.” Tim explained. 

“You’re our girl,” Lucy said, kissing Tamara’s head. “You’re with us forever, okay?” 

“Even when I annoy you?” Tamara asked, a small smile on her face. 

Tim laughed. “Especially then.”

[velvetvexations]

(this is from yesterday so this entire thing is written out and just copy pasted in.)

The more I see how you've been treated by other trans people, the more hollow all the posts repeating variations of 'love all trans women! Listen to all trans women! Have kindness and grace for all trans women! Even the bad and ugly and annoying ones!' become to me.

One one hand, these posts almost without fail dissolve into active vitriol the moment someone (foolishly and naively) tries to mention any other kind of trans person, which the OPs often shut down and treat as insulting, hostile, nefarious or a deliberate attempt to take away (steal?) the kindness away from transfems (like it's a finite resource?)

On the other, I follow a lot more transfems than transmascs, meaning I got to see how some of them felt about it. The anecdote that lasered itself into my brain was seeing a butch trans woman saying she felt bitter and kinda hopeless sharing that kind of message because her experience was that not even other trans women had any kindness or grace for her.

And then how this has played out for you. You and another trans woman disagreed, and instead of saying 'you're annoying me and I disagree with your opinion' she presented you as misgendering her (it's apparently not enough that you use they/them by default to account for all the genderfuckery on Tumblr. How dare you not be clairvoyant.), she didn't care that you corrected yourself and told the person crawling out of the woodwork to talk shit about her to fuck off, she said you 'threatened to share' her nsfw account when you censored the url and told the anon to get lost, and blamed you for a shitstorm resulting from her saying something controversial.

Going further, you get that asshole demanding you 'give the URL of your transfem mutuals'. It reminds me of how everyone, including other transfems, were screaming at Tumblr's CEO to show 'proof' that predstrogen had said or done something worthy of being banned. And it's just... Does anyone hear themselves? Why is everyone okay demanding personal or potentially intimate information about transfems for the sake of 'proof?' Why do you have to hand off the URLs of people you know so some asshole can presumably judge them and dismiss them for not being good enough? Does no one else find it insane that it's okay to bulldoze transfem's privacy for the sake of 'proof'?

Is this why those positivity posts are so often structured like commands? So that everyone can nod their head and pat their backs self righteously for doing the 'right thing' of passing this command along to the unspecified OTHER meant to ACTUALLY work on treating transfems better? Did everyone press the reblog button to look good or something? I thought everyone, trans people included, agreed that the point was tangibly and personally putting in some effort to do better?

I always internalised those posts as a rallying cry to do better, all of us, but it seems like it's played out as an excuse for people to use personal pain to justify lashing out and pushing the DOING better part onto 'someone else'.

Yeah, like. So much of it just comes off as virtue signaling? I recently got accused of being an anti-SJW for using that term lol but that's an actual thing that actually happens. It's so performative. It's theory.

And it really does frustrate me that I can't take those posts seriously. Regardless of what anyone else thinks, I have serious chest thumping anxiety about the constant, terrifying situation we're all in. We as in "me as well". So I want to take comfort in those posts that are about how the OP will support trans women with their dying breath, I did take comfort in those posts, but then I look for five seconds on OP's blog and find ten posts about transandro bros and I want to never hear someone say they support me ever again because they're all fucking snakes and their support is completely worthless to me.

[v3nusxsky]

Hellooo I wanted to request a lady lesso x reader hurt/comfort fic where r is on her period and more emotional than usual, Leo says something with a mjdly irritated tone to her and unknowingly upsets her, later on leo realises r is on her period and in pain (I get cramps and bad headaches and also get irritated easily) and comforts them softly?

Monthly gift my ass

*Authors note~ I know a few people in need of this so here we go.... Totally not self indulgent when I wrote this*

Trigger Warning ~ periods

Prompt~ see ask^^^^^

+

Another tumblr anon = similar request~ Heyy I really do love your work. Can you possibly do a lady lesso x female reader(both already dating) that reader is on her period and lesso comforts her with her terrible craps, cause it pains lesso to see reader in such a sight. (Also have a wonderful day :) )

Honestly you weren't sure why they called it a monthly gift. What was the gift exactly meant to be, the pain, the blood? You weren't sure but truthfully it sucked. I mean why is it only people with female anatomy suffer with it? Why not everyone? And once a month? Bit overkill wasn't it? Apparently not though, and what made it ten times worse was the arrogance of some people out there. I mean come on, it's allowed to hurt and your allowed to react to that in the way you feel you need to.

For you, you not only had your monthly gift to deal with but also that of your lover and the very stubborn Dean of evil, Leonora. You each looked after one an other during that time in the month. This time it was your week and boy were you unhappy about it. You had plans, things to do that did not include withering around in pain. The first thing you noticed was the margarine like headache, then it was the feeling of a knife inserted into you womb and being twisted and finally it was your mood swings. Your mood was constantly changing, you felt bad for your students truly, if you were feeling the emotional whiplash then surly they were too. You tried to keep yourself in check, you really did, but everything seemed to get on your last nerve. If you weren't snapping at people you were crying or angry. Truly this was exhausting.

That's why you took yourself to your office after school hours rather than finding your lover like normal. Maybe if you isolated yourself then it would all be okay. You couldn't hurt anyone that way. Your head throbbed painfully and your eyes were blurring the words together yet you still forced yourself up right and continued working. The arm wrapped around your abdomen was a dead give away you were hurting, but the pained whimpers you'd occasionally relapse were good confirmations. This sucks, yet the idea of just giving in and laying curled up in the dark and in your lovers arms made you feel guilty. It was a risk and one you weren't willing to take.

Although Leonora likes to look like she doesn't care and her feelings are constantly indifferent, you knew just how sensitive she could be, how even the smaller unkind comment would live rent free in her mind, tearing her apart inside and out. You couldn't bare the thought of being the cause of that. So you carried on forcing yourself to try and focus on the work that needed to be completed.

Lesso was worried. It's the only way to put it simply, she heard whispers of how you'd snapped at this student or got teary at the fact your class talked over you. And with some quick mental math she knew just why. Your period, growing up you were taught to hide them, that they weren't normal and most definitely didn't hurt. So she knew you'd hide away on the particularly hard months. Apparently this month would be one of those.

Knowing you hadn't gone down for food she decided to get some of your favourite snacks, your comfort blanket, water and some pain medicine before coming to find you. The sight that met her broke her heart. You were attempting to work as you curled up over your desk, you looked exhausted and in agony and she only wished she could help more. "Dove?" She whispered, "I brought you some snacks and your blanket even some medicine if you need it, are you okay love?" Are you okay? What kind of question was that. Your temper flared and you snapped "do I look okay Leonora?"

The pain flashed through Lesso's eyes and you instantly felt guilty bringing a hand to rub at your aching head, "I'm sorry Nora I didn't mean to snap" you whimpered tearing up, "I'm sorry Nora, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness darling." You whimpered at the end of your apology and instantly she was up and holding you in her arms, "I know dove you're in pain I know love let me help you" she whispered swaying you slightly before guiding you to the sofa in your office. She laid you down and started to rub slow firm circles into your stomach as she knew those soothed your cramps, she kissed your forehead knowing your head was sore and all in all did everything possible to make you comfortable. All while reassuring you she wasn't mad and that she still very much loved you.

Her kind actions brought tears into your eyes. You truly felt so cared for and loved that it was overwhelming. Everyone says your lover is cold and evil yet here and now she was anything but those words.

Word count~ 956

[edsbacktattoo]

ok i was kind of purposefully avoiding the details of the gravy basket theory because it's sounded so dumb but holy shit i really didn't know the extent of it. sorry in advance to be rambling in your inbox.

i thought if i wanted to talk about it i should read the post in full but honestly that was a struggle on its own. it just completely misunderstands the way the show uses ed experiencing purgatory as metaphor. like, the innkeeper does not show us this sort of wish fulfilling dream state at all, and ed externalizing his self hatred into the figment of hornigold is a simple, concise idea that the show specifically goes out of its way to make clear. episode 8 just doesn't have this. like, you'd have to make the argument that literally EVERY CHARACTER PRESENT IN THE EPISODE is somehow representative of an aspect of stede's psyche. it's not just a matter of him projecting his desires into a falsely constructed space, it's a matter of internal issues manifesting from the subconscious, which is what the show has established. it's particularly bizarre to me that they don't make any effort to argue what izzy is meant to represent in this theory, or what him dying could mean symbolically (which is. y'know. the point of the gravy basket as it's been explored). also there's just a complete disregard for ed's arc in the finale which is. eugh. come on.

and this is all still being generous in taking the idea of the "gravy basket" at face value. like, it feels a little ridiculous to even entertain the idea enough to try to argue it. i'm just so baffled.

(it did make me think about psychonauts to the point of wanting to replay it, so. i guess there's that.)

PRECISELY!!!!!!!!! don’t apologise for rambling in my inbox when you’re so correct my dear friend <3

i can’t believe that this theory has such a vice grip on some people. when it first appeared on my dash (and it did, not because a mutual reblogged it, but bc i follow the ofmd tag, and tumblr is evil and gave me the post bc it thought it was being helpful) i thought it was. a joke. i thought the op was having a laugh. but the more i read the more i started to worry. it takes a very distinct lack of media comprehension to come up with something like this.

now, i want to make it clear that i do feel for the people who enjoy izzy normally. like the folks who just like him because he’s interesting and fucked up and strange. the people that don’t woobify him, ya know? those guys are all right.

but the kind of devotion that leads to behaviour like this? threatening and belittling the writers of the show? calling ed violent and thinking he’s going to be an abuser to stede, the man he’s in love with? if you genuinely believe that then there is something seriously wrong with you, and i think you ought to look introspectively <3

also, as a side note, a large criticism i’ve seen for season 2 is poor writing (which is just not at all correct) but to make up for said “poor writing” the theories that people are whipping up are genuinely like. worse? imagine if they did the gravy basket thing again. gravy basket 2: electric boogaloo. that would be bad writing. that would be lazy!!

no, what they did instead was deliberate and careful and beautiful and hopeful. open ended and bittersweet. and yet. AND YET!!!! you get folks trying to cope so bad it makes them look stupid.

and this is all that i will say on the matter. tho, ive never played psychonauts and this might be the thing that makes me dive into that :)

[moonjxsung]

STAR I LOVE YOU OH MY GOD 😭 I absolutely loved every word of Begged & Borrowed, I LOVED how you slipped in references to the song and how well you integrated them into the story 🥹 It was truly everything I could’ve hoped for and more 🩷

I love angst and you delivered oh MY GOD did you deliver. I was crying at one point because I was so sure you were going to listen to my stupid ass self when I said I’d be okay with a sad ending and give me this sad ending when I was already so invested and I was ready to go to sleep crying. Like I was so sure Minho was just going to accept his life as the other man like that damn Lana del Rey song and I was PISSED I WAS READY TO COME CRYING AT YOU EVEN THOUGH I LOWKEY ASKED FOR IT.

And then it felt like things were finally going to be okay only for you to break my heart again because what do you mean they’re leaving each other’s lives there are people who are dying (me). And I was picking at my nail polish the entire end half like I was so ready to throw my phone at the wall. I had to get up and get wine for myself too cause of all that wine talk during the fic and I was craving it atp 🙃 AND EVEN AT THE ENDING YOU MADE ME SUFFER THINKING HE WAS JUST GONNA WALK OUT STAR WHAT THE FUCASTHSAASHSFHFDBSASFH.

Really only your writing here on Tumblr can make me feel all this shit that published novels do (sometimes not even books do it for me). I absolutely love your writing so much I wanna kiss you and give you Han Jisung wrapped up in a bow for Christmas, thank you so much for writing this. I also highkey wanna go to Shirakawa now 🥲

Anyways this is an egregiously long ask/review(?). Just wanna say I love your writing again. And thank you again for accepting my silly request and making it something so beautiful 🥲🩷 I love you 🩷

~🌷~

Oh I am SO glad you loved it!!! 🥹🫶 I’m so glad you caught the references to the song in there too! I mentioned it earlier but I can’t stop listening to it 😭🫶 fun fact I actually meant to take your advice and make it a sad ending but I literally COULD NOT bring myself to do it bc I just wanted redemption for Minho’s character so bad 😭

This one was super fun to write and I literally remember the moment I got the notification when I was at the gym and thinking to myself “yup this one’s going to be fun” and how right I was 🫶💓

Thank you for this lovely review and for taking the time to read and request and ALL the lovely things you’ve been on this blog!! My day is always brightened with your messages and I can’t wait to continue publishing more stuff for you all in the new year ❤️ take care of yourself, sending you so much love!! (Also I want to to go Shirakawa too 🥲 new bucket list item)

[fastcardotmp3]

.oneshot

[back to main masterlist]

.gen fic

◌ I'm worse at what I do best (2.3k, T, stobin)

Febuwhump prompts: Suffering in Silence & "Why won't it stop?" In which Robin knows Steve carries the fight and the hope, and so she decides she'll carry the rest, no matter the cost. [cover art]

◌ I'm so much older (than I can take) (2.3k, T, Mike & Nancy)

Febuwhump prompts: "I love you" & "Help them" In which Mike watches Nancy get hurt and finally, inevitably, sees his sister in place of a soldier. [cover art]

.steddie

◌ covered bridge love (2.6k, T)

[+ podfic by @n0connections @hullomoon @sunlightsymphony Aheada_Lettuce dairaliz] Steve is injured in a fire. His ex-boyfriend gets a call. It was supposed to be easier this way. (angst with a happy ending) [cover art]

◌ Unreliable Narrator (5k, T)

[+ podfic by @n0connections] Nancy Wheeler writes a horror novel, asks Eddie to read it for the book on tape, and shows him a bit of truth about his own character arc in the process. [cover art]

◌ strange but not a stranger (2.2k, M)

Febuwhump prompts: "Bite down on this" & Obedience In which Eddie is starving and Steve makes him eat. [cover art]

◌ this town (rips the bones from your back) (2.3k, T)

Febuwhump prompts: Rope Burns & "You lied to me" In which Steve survives Starcourt, but he still has to survive Eddie's questions. [cover art]

◌ for I must be traveling on now (2.1k, T)

Febuwhump prompts: Hostage Situation & Too Weak To Move In which Eddie is the son of a King but not his heir and Steve is locked in the dungeon. [cover art]

◌ living reflection (of a dream) (2.4k, M)

Febuwhump prompts: Presumed Dead & "I'm doing this because I care about you" In which Eddie Munson was convicted of murders he didn't commit seven years ago. Who is he when he breaches the other side of those walls? [cover art]

.ronance

◌ aching with freedom (kissing the damned) (2.2k, M)

Febuwhump prompts: Solitary Confinement & Helpless In which Nancy is imprisoned for knowing too much and Robin brings her home. [cover art]

◌ mind our mouths (and beware our talk) (2.4k, M)

Febuwhump prompts: "Who did this to you?" & Came Back Wrong In which there's a regular at the bar where Robin works and she never sips from her drink. [cover art]

◌ to come in from the cold (2.4k, T)

Febuwhump prompts: Truth Serum & "Please Don't" In which the monsters came when Robin was eleven, her parents are killed when she's seventeen, but safety can still be found amongst the right people. [cover art]

◌ shelter from the storm (2.8k, T)

Febuwhump prompts: left for dead, “no…not like this” & not allowed to die In which Nancy makes a deal with a faerie and gets more life than she bargained for. (But at least it means she's around long enough to meet an equally endless girl.) [cover art]

.chronance

◌ dancing barefoot (2.1k, M)

Febuwhump prompts: Time Loop & Semi-Conscious In which Chrissy has died innumerable times, and it hurts to remember. [cover art]

.kalixrobin

◌ I never wanted trouble (but I sure get enough) (2.2k, T)

Febuwhump prompts: Bees & Killing in Self Defense In which Kali gets to kill Henry Creel once and for all (and then kiss a pretty girl about it). [cover art]

.jargyle

◌ good men through the ages (2.1k, T)

Febuwhump prompts: "You weren't supposed to get hurt" & Blood-Stained Tiles In which Argyle gets shot and in which Jonathan grapples with an unending guilt complex. [cover art]

.ensemble/ multiship

◌ your body is an anchor (2.3k, M)

Febuwhump prompts: Unresponsive & "You weren't meant to be there" In which Nancy takes a detour during their trek through the Upside Down and faces the reality of closure. [cover art]

◌ ticket to anywhere

A collection of ficlets and meta analyses that I am archiving for safety’s sake (but you can read them too if you like) see also on tumblr

.9-1-1 fic

◌ we'll dream of a longer summer (3.3k, T)

In the years following Shannon’s death, Eddie dreams of her return to a distressing degree. It’s hard not to be confused when he sees her standing in a shop window.

[delyth88]

X-Men rewatch part 4

Next up was X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Now this one I had actually seen before, and very much enjoyed, but it is so much better having watched First Class as well. Funny that. XD

I love me some time travel shenanigans, and this delivered. The dystopian future was really rather grim and I'll be seeing those images in my mind for a while yet I imagine. :/ The sense of inevitable doom was strong! I ended up watching this over three evenings, so perhaps that's given it more impact than it would usually have. And I felt they did a really good job tying the present with the past here.

Random thoughts...

OMG! I did not see Erik actually killing Wolverine coming. I feel like that was a line crossed, and I'm interested to see if that plays out in the last two films of the younger generation. I mean I guess we see that plenty in the original films, but in that case it was always with the hope that things might improve - it's a lot harder to watch things going in the opposite direction. And just how isolated Erik is now - that can't be good.

I didn't remember how the main plot played out, but I love that Mystique created the opportunity for a positive ending, although I'm a little unsure why she didn't just let Erik carry on? Might have to watch it again. Oh noes. Was she wanting to reduce the number of casualties but still get Trask, or something else?

I have enjoyed how Mystique has been a much more important and well developed character in these films so far than in the original trilogy. Makes her feel less like the exotic naked woman thrown in for fun which it kinda felt it was to me in the earlier films.

And Charles. Beautiful heartbroken Charles. I loved his story. While I'm not entirely sure they sold the reasons why quite well enough, it was clear that the last few years had NOT been kind to him. I loved his exchange with Erik on the plane. And I can very much empathise with the desire to block it all out and stop caring so much - and to have a means of doing that, that also coincidentally allows you to walk again - it would have been irresistible.

I thought the conversation with his future self was a good way to push him along the right track and to tie the two eras together. But man, does the message of holding on to hope and working for something better ring differently in 2024.

And I'd forgotten that the impact of these changes meant that Jean was still alive. I did very much enjoy Wolverine walking stupidly around the mansion working out what was going on after he woke up, and his conversation with Charles at the end. Sometimes you just need the soppy ending.

The whole thing with Peter breaking Erik out of the Pentagon, I'd forgotten about that. I've seen that video clip floating around on Tumblr so often now (the one where he rescues everyone from the mansion) that I can't recall if I've actually seen the movie that's from now (I don't think I have because I think I've now seen all the ones I remember). But the rescue scene was just great fun. And the short line about his Mum telling him his Dad had similar powers now meant something to me where it would have gone over my head in 2014.

I am in very real danger of falling in love with another bunch of characters with tragic backstories in films from the 2010s. Sigh. If there's anything equivalent in modern media that I'm missing, please do let me know so I don't have to catch up on it in 10 years time, eh?

[bokipop]

the maka ramble i mentioned because im still autistic

ok so im rewatching as i speak and like skipping through to find the evidence for my claims so claims will be in order of when they come to me

lesbian maka is canon because near the end of the first episode she's literally screaming about how she hates men and wishes they all would just die. i can literally never see maka in a relationship with a man other than MAYBE soul (DISCLAIMER i DO NOT ship soma i will die on the hill of qpp soul and maka) but thats only because she literally says as she's screaming about killing men that soul was the only man she ever decided to trust (this is a whole other segment that i may or may not discuss in this rant)

can we talk about the skill maka demonstrates when she's fighting with soul. she's what. 14? and she fights with aura of years of experience. like soul's pretty much just along for the ride it's maka who's doing all of the actual fighting 90% of the time (10% when soul's being a self sacrificing dipshit and jumps in front of a hit meant for her)

can we talk about how in uhhh episode 4 when they're fighting sid and sid like attacks maka with his gravestone and she says "people need fear to survive, we experience it so we can grow stronger" LORD DEATH IS SO RIGHT WITH THE COMMENT "if she wasn't afraid in this situation id call that reckless, but maka has the courage to fight in spite of her fear"

i saw a tumblr post about it but unrelated why does dtk say "my father's school is exactly like i expected" as if he hasn't been there before

also unrelated but BLAIR IS MY BIGGEST OPP SHE'S LITERALLY A PEDO I HATE HERRRRR

anyways can we also talk about how maka and soul did soul resonance without any warmup or discussion before hand it was just "hey lets do it" "ok" i mean yeah they missed the hit but they still did the skill

jumping wayy forward to the crona vs maka underground fight in ep20 can we talk about even just maka's intuition alone. like she had the vaguest hint of whatever she detected in crona's soul and decided to go full blast with it. adding onto that can we talk about her compassion and empathy? like it takes a truly good person to do what she did for crona and she did it without the expectation of anything in return she simply wanted to help them. she has such a strong and admirable moral compass i think i said this before but she's literally one of my biggest inspirations ever

i'd talk about the last episodes where maka goes inside soul's. soul. and saves him from the black blood but i dont feel like rewatching that entire episode right now and i've only seen that specific episode like twice so i cant do it from memory

but on the topic of soul and maka can we talk about their incredibly intricate bond. their trust in eachother is out of this fucking world liek if you asked either one of them "if x asked you to jump off of a bridge with them would you do it" they'd say yes without hesitation or second thought. they care so much for one another and i love how the writers of soul eater portrayed it without it being inherently romantic. i love male female duos who ARENT in love. have i mentioned how i'd die on the hill of qpp soma. THEY'RE QPPS YOUR HONOR. i had something very specific to say about this and then forgot. it'll probably come back to me later. its later as i type this specific sentence and it still hasn't come back to me so i'll probably end this post here. stay tuned for more i think i have more in me

[theexodvs]

The Handy-Dandy Exo Intro and FAQ!

27. Married. PCA deacon. My pronouns are uses/bathroom/standing. I am the intersection of BLM Tumblr, Christblr, and the part of Tumblr that criticizes MRAs.

Limited atonement and human sexual dimorphism are beautiful wonderful things.

Scrupulosity, touch starvation, and adolescence are figments of the psychoanalytical imagination.

I block all porn accounts I come across and unabashedly kink-shame.

My anons have anger issues.

When and why did you reject the men’s rights movement? The explanation can be found here.

Suicide-baiting is bad, m'kay? Yes, I know that now. I have apologized for the post you’re talking about, and have removed it.

Do you really think autistic people are perpetual children or think Autism Speaks is a reputable organization? Not anymore, and I haven’t in some time. I have redacted these statements publicly. However, most of my disagreements with other statements made by Temple Grandin and John Elder Robison still stand.

Are you a feminist? Depends largely on the definition. I don’t go about self-identifying as a feminist, but the fact I recognize women are vulnerable, even in rich, western countries, causes other people to see me as one. I stopped caring what people called me a while ago.

Doesn’t your refusal to call yourself a feminist make you as bad as Mpov or SirYouAreBeingMocked refusing to call themselves MRAs? It doesn’t make them “bad,” it makes them look ridiculous. The MRM is a much newer, smaller, and ideologically homogenous movement than feminism, and thus there are still major, definitive tenets it adheres to, all of which Mpov and SirYouAreBeingMocked agree with. The tenets of feminism vary widely by school of thought. I’m not even sure any feminist school of thought would want me in their ranks, while MRAs of all stripes will reblog posts from Mpov and SirYouAreBeingMocked like they’re God-breathed. They should just admit that they’re MRAs, and get on with their lives. It’s not like non-MRAs believe them when they deny being in the movement, anyway.

Why do you police other men’s masculinity? They have a very twisted view of what it means to be a man. They think that leaving scathing reposts towards angry lesbians with stupid haircuts is a good use of their time.

What’s with you and criticizing Israel/Zionism? I find myself under a religious umbrella term that includes those people who consider even the slightest questioning of modern Israel’s place in Biblical prophecy to be an unforgivable sin. Thanks, Jerry Falwell Sr!

Do you believe in replacement theology/supersessionism? These terms are meaningless neologisms invented by Christian apocalypticists in recent centuries to describe anyone who holds a different viewpoint regarding Biblical covenants. The only thing either of these terms has ever meant is “not dispensationalism.”

Which version of the Bible do you generally read? In English, I tend to use the NASB or ESV, depending on the context, as they are both devoted to accuracy in translation. Since I was able to find a bilingual Chinese-English Bible with ESV, that’s the one I use in print, while the NASB is what I use on my phone. For Chinese, I use either the CUV or RCUV (the latter I use in print).

What is your political philosophy? I'm a theonomist.

Are you an advocate for purity culture? The main issue I have with purity culture as it is currently practiced in American evangelicalism is that it expects more from women than from men. If we shamed men who slept around (regardless of their political affiliation) and stigmatized men in revealing clothing, I believe that purity culture can be viable.

Why do you generally refuse to engage SirYouAreBeingMocked? He is not actually interested in truth. He is interested in having a debate.

Why is a doctrine that teaches there are some people who are hellbound a beautiful, wonderful thing? Because the important part of Malachi 1:2-3 is not, “Esau I have hated,” but, “I have loved Jacob.”

I’ve found your account on a different website/know your actual name! And?

[m0e-ru]

I meant to send this yesterday buy Forgot but it's 3/20 for me now (yay :3) I actually had something else to say but got up writing this ask and that thought left sooo please any new thought for your au :3? Please say as much as you want, I would like to hear it the stage is yours!

hey ahhh I love okyakusan I love enablers . im going to be the most annoying person on this soapbox. also literally rewriting this because I lost the note this was in like I said not writing it in Tumblr post would be a better idea OH WELL ! I was just spouting nonsense there anyway what was I talking about. ohh right my Adachi rightt right….

The thing with Adachi and how he’s kept me up at nights is how much there is to do with him. In this case with gsaslau, he’s not just “empty,” he’s “emptied”

While I write like there’s a million subplots going on simultaneously in this au (which is. right) the thing about Adachi being the central character somewhat is because of his bond with Mim and what that means for everyone’s Gas Station Attendant Social Link

If we did consider myth, then yeah, we have Izanagi and Izanami; Souji and Marie, Adachi and well. Yeah.

There is significance to each other’s life by the motif of this myth alone. Not even being specific if they’re family, friends, lovers, or adversaries, because it could be that secret third thing (‘you have more than three options’ yeah I know that)

Mim and Adachi’s relationship is so special in a way that it’s like that Tumblr post it’s like. It’s like this

God’s goal of their social experiment was there to truly determine what humans wanted. Sure, they were born out of the desire to veil the truth and accept more palatable blissful lies, but they went out of their way to confirm that and see if humans had the strength to see past it all and live their lives in truth as they’d always been.

Choosing three human individuals with the qualities at the end of the spectrum and the in-between: to be full of Hope, or full of Despair, or to be nothing but a swirling black hole of Emptiness.

That Izanami tried to push the limits of these qualities as well. How far can Hope be hopeful before falling to despair. Can that of Despair actually stand on his own to feet and be hope for everyone else. Can Emptiness… not be empty.

Izanami saw a literal blank slate enter Inaba. Not anybody who’s lived in Inaba their entire life (Namatame), not anybody who’s returned to Inaba to live their life (Souji). God peeked inside a man’s hollow heart and decided to fill it. Besides taking the most convenient human occupation for that moment, the attendant may as well have come out of that mold and was there to be everything Adachi needed. Trimming out any excess, filling up bubbled spots, polishing everything here and there as time went by. Having to be there for the other pawns they want to keep a close eye on and changing and adapting like a clay doll, remolded and and reshaped to their will, but otherwise staying the same to the mold it first came out from.

Until the imperfections couldn’t be hidden. The fog was seeping, the maggots were crawling, the rot was wafting, the scars were showing. But there should be more to an attendant than working at the gas station, right? Let him have wishes to take care of his home. Never figure out where he goes when it’s not raining. Don’t ask for his name but rather know him by all the things he talks about that is everything but anything about him.

God just made a puppet just enough for the humans they needed to get close to. And what if the self-sabotaging man says he doesn’t like idiots, maybe that’s exactly what he needs. What if he needs someone so much that isn’t like him that he can just be himself. What if he needs something to take care of because he can’t take care of himself. Give him something he’s good at doing and he’ll do it. Give him someone who won’t care what he’s doing and just enjoy him for the person he is. Then take it all away just to see how empty he can get.

What’s worse than being having nothing the whole time—actually having something and now you lose it? What’s the point of learning to love having never loved before then all if it’s taken from you? Why be filled to the brim from a half empty glass only to be tipped over and have your heart spill all over the floor? Was it just better to be empty the whole time, or be emptied from being so full?

Mim literally had a Teddie moment and said “wow I’ll make something so loved and appreciated just so I can stay close to the things I need to monitor” then fucking realized “hey I like it this way actually maybe bonds are a good thing.” Then they remember they have a fucking JOB to do and they’re like “ohh just kidding im a fucking monster they won’t love the real me anyway (god)” and do a Marie and take everyone’s memories of them— the attendant. Because they don’t just want to make a separate sentient being of the identity they just accepted was their own self. If there was going to be an attendant, it would be them. But since they can’t be there, then there’s also no attendant to keep these memories and hearts occupied.

They ran away hoping to cut off all their bonds so people won’t regret associating with a monster, leaving a bunch of people with botched memories and holes in their lives. And they did a really bad job at cleaning up, that there are people who are still chasing after them because these people care. And they don’t WANT these people to pursue the truth because they’ll be so disappointed. Mim ends up trying to erase themself entirely so there’s nothing to chase. The world would be so free and pristine and clear of their influence because they’re gone DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU

Mim saw Adachi and said “how can I stay close to this fucking miserable man who I need to use to stimulate this city and get the results I need” then subsequently poured themself into a mold of the emptiness in his heart and out came the attendant. Look at this guy who’s so stupid, who’s an actual idiot, a prettyboy who knows nothing about the outside world, who has a skull so thick and a humor so odd. Literally everything Adachi isn’t—but that was the point. Bitch just interpreted the emptiness inside him and filled him and now they’re fucking worsties besties it’s ridiculous. This is what watching chair car adventure 100000000000 times does to a motherfucker

Mim’s stupid foggy attendant body starts literally melting in the summer heat. Anxious that people would call them out, but being sympathized with and being told they’re just not good in the heat, like other humans. Getting callouses so rough and actually bleeding from a cut on their finger when they thought fog would just seep out. Putting their hand in in their mouth and actually tasting the oil and wax they’ve been working with the whole time. Getting so hot or laughing so hard they actually get flushed until the tips of their ears. Wondering if the maggots crawling in their body made their way out, when the beetles they found in Namatame’s truck made their way into their sleeves and scuttle away. That maybe they didn’t smell like burnt rot, but rather car exhaust and gasoline and tomato juice they spilled on their pants. That maybe when they pull back their sleeves or look under their shirt it could be skin with lungs breathing and a heart beating rather than decaying flesh hanging off of bone.

Adachi learning how to open his heart to things and let things inside, while a puppeteer stops puppeteering and their smiles actually hurt their face because they can’t stop. Both becoming more human again in their own ways, the other quite literal. Both running away and sabotaging themselves for the sake of the people and the home they learned to love, neglecting to love themselves. I’ve made them both so alike it’s sickening even to me but it’s so fun I have dolls that are beaten up so much I drive their faces into the ground because that’s how I play with dolls and have fun SORRYY

And this is how they are best friends. Which is an essay that is just as badly structured but still expresses what I want to say probably. I lied actually. There’s more than one, but still.

THE two skits in visualive that matter so much to me https://m0e-ru.tumblr.com/post/690320733390471168/stopping-myself-here-but-i-hope-its-a-well-known

ESSAY 1 https://m0e-ru.tumblr.com/post/664354915309764608/you-dont-understand-how-much-chair-car-adventure

ESSAY 2 ✌️ft. more adachi I think https://m0e-ru.tumblr.com/post/667202694005587968/please-by-all-means-make-a-post-about-adachi-and

tohru “fuck this guy in particular” adachi https://m0e-ru.tumblr.com/post/691316103200276480/yknow-if-you-were-mentally-ill-and-watched-the

adachi touchy as hell compilation https://m0e-ru.tumblr.com/post/694208373929967616/adachi-touchy-as-hell-compilation

[honeysucklethornsandalligtrhorns]

I dunno if i’m allowed to add onto this, but i will anyways.

A lot of these reblogs seem to be stories told by adults about teenagers. i am a teenager, and holy shit this is right on the dot.

When I was only a couple years younger, I was a very extroverted kid. I shared with everyone about everything, and my biggest interests at the time were Harry Potter and Supernatural. I would sit with anyone who would listen and tell them about the entire plot, the characters and their character progression, what that meant for the story; Id show them fanart, tell them about different fan theories and which ones I thought were true and which ones I didn’t.

Now, if someone asks about the thing I’m interested in, I give them a couple basic facts/a simple description and move on. Because I know that’s all they want to hear. I *know* they’re not really interested.

And that applies to my opinions, too! Yes, I want to engage in conversation with my dad about politics (even though we’re on different sides). But I know he’ll dismiss all of my beliefs and points with a ‘Where did you learn this from’ (typically from Tumblr, a news article I don’t remember the source of, etc) or ‘Who’s putting these words in your mouth?’ Not only does this lead to me not conversing with him about politics, it leads me to not converse with *anyone* about politics.

Yes, I want to talk with my mom about my interests, but I know she’ll change the topic after a couple sentences, or the merest implication that i’m getting excited about the subject. So I just don’t tell her about my interests. I give her a ‘I got into a new show recently’ and she’ll give me a ‘oh yeah? what’s it called?’ and i’ll tell her. ‘what’s it about?’ ‘oh, it’s about these two people on opposite sides who fall in love, kinda like a romeo and juliet story, but it’s set in the apocalypse.’ ‘oh, okay. have you turned in your field trip permission slip yet?’

And on another note, I can confirm that teenagers are starved as hell for compliments. I messaged my guy friend one time telling him that he was a really important person and was super great to be around and he responded pretty soon after with something along the lines of ‘Holy shit thank you so much, no one’s ever told me something like that before, I feel like I really needed to hear this, I can’t tell you how happy this makes me, I’m putting this up on my wall etc etc’. It was the same thing with my peers, especially when i told them that their assignment/homework was really well done. On another note, I think the whole reason some kids are judgmental of others is because they grew up learning that being different meant being wrong, and they *do not want to be wrong. They want other people to like them.*

Gonna be honest, the entire reason I gave out compliments for a while was in the hopes that someone would compliment me back. I would regularly care about my self image because I wanted people to tell me ‘I like your outfit!’ ‘You look really pretty today!’

People care about others approval. People want to be seen and acknowledged and asked questions, especially teenagers who are now getting a shitload of responsibility dumped on their shoulders and want to be told that they’re doing *something* right. We want to be told that we’re not complete fuck-ups. We want to be seen and heard because we’re growing up and that means that we’re finally going to matter to society and to the world. We’re finally going to have a purpose.

And sure, there’s probably a lot of teenagers who would fight me on this and say ‘no, that’s not how i think’. And no, it might not be. But I can guarantee you this: those teenagers who don’t want to her what *you* have to say? Who say they don’t care about opinions? Who scorn adults and yet want to be them so vehemently? They grew up in a world where if anyone they respected or was older than them had an opinion regarding them, it was going to be negative or, at best, neutral. So no, they dont care what you have to think about them, because it’s not going to be something nice. They think that even if they were to try there’d be no acknowledgment for themselves, and that’s *fucking true*. Because who’s gonna acknowledge a teenager?

Hell, I bet a lot of you would disregard this post if you even learned my age.

Anyways, that’s all I’ve got to say. Be nice to kids, folks. They sure as hell fucking need it.

consider: teenagers aren’t apathetic about everything they’re just used to you shitting all over whatever they show excitement about

[gaysindistress]

LOVED the bucky imagine with them having a secret crush on each other, and y/n confessing before her date❤️ But there was WAY TOO LITTLE GROVELING😭 I need Bucky to be begging her for forgiveness after all he made her go through. I mean, SHE WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS FOR GOD SAKE. If you make a part 2, please include some grovelling for my sanity❤️

Hey babes,

It’s time we have a discussion about the expectations surrounding requests.

I’m very grateful and appreciative of the ones that I’ve received as well as all of the new people and support. With this influx, I’ve noticed a few things that I feel need to be addressed when it comes to requests. Id like to acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of people have been very kind and understanding. I’d also like to say that this is not meant to be negative or an attack on anyone and I was already planning on adding a similar note to my guidelines. Moving right along…

First and foremost, requests are not a guarantee.

I do my best to write all of them however I can’t guarantee that I will as not everything will work with my muse. I don’t think it’s fair to post a fic that isn’t up to my personal standards simply because it’s a request. I want everything on my blog to reflect the love and respect I have for writing which means I’ll only post what I feel is good quality. I’m also not going to force myself to write something just because someone asked me to. Again it goes against my quality over quantity rule (which applies my non requested fics as well).

Secondly, writing is a hobby for me.

As much as I would love to get paid to write and post, I don’t. This is all done simply because i want to. I have a very busy life outside of tumblr so my free time is limited and there’s even less to devote to my blog. I also started posting as a form of self care and in order to keep it that way, I give myself limits on how much time I devote to writing and working on my blog. Obviously I’m more active some days than others or not at all and that is okay. Personally I would much rather see a writer go MIA for a few weeks so they can recoup than watch them lose their passion entirely and disappear.

Third and finally, remember to always be kind and have empathy.

It’s easy to forget that there is person behind the username and profile picture. Even though our words may be typed, they still have an effect on people and we have to be mindful of that.

In regard to this particular ask, I truly believe that this person only meant to give feedback and did not intend to insult me. However the fact still remains that I was genuinely hurt by it and even cried when I first read it. Now that I’ve had the day to reflect, I understand what they were trying to say despite the poor word choice which leads me to my next point.

While I don’t believe it wasn’t meant to be hurtful, this is a backhanded compliment and not how you give appropriate feedback. Giving feedback can be very complicated because it’s easy to say and mean one thing but it comes across the complete opposite way.

If you’re going to give someone feedback, always make sure to say something positive it is important to let people know what they are doing well addition to what needs improvement. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate essay where their usage of tone words is analyzed. It can be as simple as commenting on how well they described the setting.

Second; be specific about what needs improvement. If you’re making food and ask someone to taste it because something isn’t right, you wouldn’t want them to just say “yeah it’s missing something.” You would want to be told exactly what is missing and how much to add. The same thing applies to writing. Tell the writer exactly what needs improvement and be prepared to explain your thoughts. In this case, “add more groveling” is the “yeah it’s missing something.” There aren’t specifics for me to focus on and brainstorm for. Making specific recommendations like “I would like to see more of the panic attacks so the audience gets a better feel for how deeply his behavior affected her” are going to give a writer more to work with and thus produce better results.

And lastly a writer is not required to accept feedback. I feel like this is pretty self explanatory; feedback is someone’s opinion and no one is required to listen to it.

All in all, I’m not trying to bash this anon and I hope that if they read this, they don’t see it that way. Had this not been an anon, I would have addressed it privately and just added something simple to my guidelines like I said in the beginning.

Once again thank you for all of the support and encouragement. It means so much more than I can ever say 💕

Love,

Rose 🌹

[anulithots]

"What a debut".

The tumblr houseplant series: Philodendron. Episode two.

The tumblr houseplant series: Growing a garden of houseplants based off this weird thing called existence, "planted" by others from tumblr.

A tumblr houseplant story from @rainisawriter

Seed post here

Episode one - Weather you like it or not

Note - this is still a first draft, any feedback is much appreciated <3

TRIGGER WARNING - slight self-deprecation.

------

Philo knew it was dumb.

They weren't being malicious. They weren't trying to make faer feel awful. They didn't mean anything by it.

They were passing statements, questions.

Simple. Simple. Questions.

And yet, Philo's leaf tips curled into themselves, straining and spiraling to the offbeat throb of faer heart. Which was a ridiculous amount of terrified hurting for something so small.

Philo wanted to laugh at faerself.

Fae should be better than this, all this time fae spent preparing and imagining every worst and best possibility, it was to prevent this. This entire weather obsession was meant to prevent this.

And yet here fae was, curled into a dusty corner, unmoving for at least a few...

...hours?

Days?

It didn't matter. Fae would stay here for eternity if it meant avoiding death-by-embarrassment.

Yep. Philo would just stay here.

Forever.

Alone.

With faer thoughts.

That wouldn't be quiet.

Fae wasted all faer time and faer entire life meant nothing and fae spent months and months and months thinking this was such a great idea and yet it all fell apart over the simplest of questions and now fae huddled in a corner and would fae do this for another few months, spiral in solitude before stumbling upon some other 'great idea' and fae would foolishly waste faer life in that cycle foreve-

Philo sighed and rubbed faer face. Fae was being melodramatic. It was ridiculous, really. Fae would have to leave and face this inflated mess eventually...

...but last time, this lasted months.

Philo knew what would happen.

How much time fae would waste.

How much fae wanted it to all go away, to be okay. It should've been fine. Why does fae care so much?

How the thing fae once loved would become crashes of reminders of what should've happened, what could've been, what fae should've said instead and why Dottie wasn't right. Because if Philo could only prove Dottie wrong - that fae did have a practical plan - the feeling would fade.

Right?

Well, Philo tried once, and fae remembered the worst part about this.

How every single embarrassing thing Philo's ever done comes crashing into one single horrid thought process and the accompanying wallowing self-pity that fae did not want to deal with. Fae was fine and perfect an hour ago. Why couldn't fae let it go? Why couldn't fae forget it and move on?

Fae knew the answer.

Philo never forgot.

[next episode - "You get in the way"]