#we write for fun do what sparks joy etc

[cetaceanhandiwork]

Nine years ago, Tumblr user @the-alligator-queen-blog began an annual tradition called Self Insert Week: a weeklong challenge/jam/etc where participants are encouraged to make fanworks with themselves as the main character.

This year, this storied Tumblr festival will begin on Sunday, May 4th, and last through Saturday, May 10th.

Why participate? Well, in its founder’s own words, it’s “a fun reason to make ourselves into the awesome characters we daydream up while going about our normal lives”.

But it’s also, in my view, a strike back at the common tendency to see fanwork – and creative work more generally – as such Serious Business that it’s not allowed to be openly self-indulgent. People worry so much, these days, about whether their artistic endeavors are “good enough”, or are a credit to their Brand, or whatever. I think that’s sad. Maybe even a little unhealthy, if we do it all the time. What’s the harm, really, if not everything we write is Serious Literature? Who said it had to be? Why can’t we embrace the cringe every now and again, if that's what sparks joy?

So this event is an upside-down festival for creative works: an excuse – carte blanche and imprimatur – to indulge in all the silly fandom escapism you’d eschew in a more normal week. Go smooch your favorite Straw Hat Pirate in Photoshop. Tell us about your wild adventures exploring the Forbidden Lands. Go wild! There’s no sign-up to participate, no masterpost, nothing like that. Just write, draw, and post your stuff under #self insert week 2025 so that we can all cheer each other on. :)

[queen-helaenas-pet-spider]

Satin Flowers Theories That Spark Joy:

1. He is a highborn!!!!

DEFINITELY POSSIBLE!!!!!! Satin having skills that mainly a highborn would have {reading, writing, etc}, him being bad at keeping fires in Jon's fireplace going {which is something a servant would do, and not a highborn}, etc.

2. He is the real Prince Aegon Targaryen {son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell *who was "killed" when Tywin Lannister and his army sacked King's Landing*} and not Young Griff!!!!

A little out there, I know, but it's a fun theory!!!!!!!! If Satin is Rhaegar and Elia's Aegon, and Jon is Rhaegar and Lyanna's Aegon {or whatever Jon's real name might be, I really hope it's not Aegon}, then that means Jon Snow has been {as far as we know} one-sidedly so beyond down bad for his own biological brother for like 3 books {knowing the Valyrian's, that's not a bad thing, but they're men *again, still not a bad thing, but same sex marriage is illegal in ASOIAF, and one or both might understandably not be into family fucking*}.

And if they're both Rhaegar's sons, them and Daenerys {Rhaegar's little sister} completes yet another 3 headed dragon {Dany as Aegon The Conqueror, Satin/Potential Aegon #? as Rhaenys, and Jon/Potential Aegon #? as Visenya. Walk with me. W A L K W I T H M E ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! }

More cons: 1. Satin being Rhaegar and Elia's Aegon would mean that another heir to the Iron Throne has thrown his life away to serve at a place that will kill you if you try to quit. And 2. As far as we know, Jon and their friends are the only support he has, and that wouldn't be enough to help him reclaim the throne {that Daenerys is also fighting for}.

3. He is one of Robert Baratheon's bastards!!!

Robert {a Baratheon man with Targaryen blood} was in love with a Stark man {Ned Stark, and not Ned's sister Lyanna *who went to war for, but couldn't even remember what she looked like*} and now Jon {A Stark man with Targaryen blood} in love with another potential Baratheon man with Targaryen blood?!?!?!?! {They'd still be related, but not as close as they'd be if he was Rhaegar and Elia's Aegon!!!!!!!!}

---

Satin Flowers Theories That DO NOT Spark Joy:

1. He is one of Littlefinger's MANY spies!!!!

WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT?!?!?! I mean, if it somehow ties into Littlefinger's whole climb up the Ladder plan, sure. But other than that, he would just wasting his time, money, and a very pretty boy that can make him even richer.

2. HE IS ONE OF JON SNOW'S KILLERS!!!!

No matter Satin's possible station in the world, he literally has NOTHING to gain from killing Jon!!!! Jon comforted him when he was scared, stayed by his side while fighting, elevated his status {which includes living with Jon in his chambers instead of barracks full of men that hate him}, verbally tore apart all who talked shit about him, etc!!!!

The only thing Satin gains from killing one of his very few supporters, would be getting hurt and killed by enemies. Saying that Satin Flowers is one of the men that killed Jon Snow is about as believable as Sansa Stark causing the Doom Of Valyria {which happened centuries before she was born, but knowing Sansa antis, I'm sure they've found a way to blame her for that, too 🙄🙄💀💀}.

---

Or, Satin Flowers could be just as GRRM introduced him as: A former sex worker turned into a man of the Night’s Watch, nothing more, nothing less. But I have a feeling that GRRM has plans for Satin, and I PRAY those don't include hurting or killing him right after the mutiny, or him being a traitor. Either of those would kill Jon....again....💀💀💔💔

[pridepages]

Something Gently Healing

I had a plan for November books that I have suddenly had to hard pivot away from due to recent events.

If you're curious, I'll tell you more about it under the cut.

Here's the part that matters: we are all about cozy books, healing love stories, and fun in this space through the end of December. I will come back to some of the heavier stories to do them justice later in 2025.

Stay safe, stay strong, keep sharing our stories 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

So after a long break due to professional demands (I have written so much for such unworthy audiences it makes me want to lose my mind), I had a whole plan for November.

The theme was supposed to be: "Dark Deeds, Dark Reads."

Think mysteries, political thrillers, psychological horror, etc. I had three novels prepared to post about.

And then November 5, 2024 happened.

In case you missed it (or are reading it in the distant future, in which case: if you can reply and give us some hope, please do), hatred, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and toxic patriarchy had a massive political victory in the United States. As someone who lives in a deep red state, I am struggling profoundly not just with the broad brushstrokes of who won, but with how they won and what the data trends are saying. In sum: my countrymen have unmasked, and most of them hold deep evil in their hearts in the form of greed, cruelty, selfishness, vengefulness, or apathy.

I wish I had the strength to give a message of hope, but I'm struggling just to feel anything at the moment.

And that's where this blog comes in.

I started this blog a couple of years ago as a place to talk about what I was legally forbidden to say. As an English teacher, "Don't Say Gay" gagged me and ground me down like a boot between my shoulders pushing my mouth into the dirt.

I needed a place to hold up the mirrors and open the windows to everything bright and beautiful about the queer experience: loving others and loving ourselves.

For a brief moment, things started to get better in the real world. There was a shining, shimmering mirage of hope.

But that's the thing about mirages. Get too close, and they vanish.

So now I need to kindle the spark of rainbow joy in my heart. It's 'banked, but not doused,' and I need to coax it into a bright strong flame.

So I'll be putting aside the books I had planned to write about for "Dark Deeds, Dark Reads" November. Instead, I will be making the hard shift to the gentle, soft love stories I had planned for December.

Please do not think this is because I don't take what is happening in the world seriously. I do. All too much. That's why I need this. And I want to share it with anyone who needs a little sweetness to cut the bitterness, too.

For the curious, these are the "Dark Deeds, Dark Reads" that I will be returning to at some point in 2025:

Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie Mclemore

Earthflown by Frances Wren

Rough Pages by Lev AC Rosen

For now, I wish you strength and safety where you can find it. Remember, we will still be here tomorrow.

XO

EJ

[yoinkschief]

I have to talk about this because the Glass Animals How To Be A Human Being album is one of my special interests that album is so cool you guys don't understand please

The album features 11 songs, each one corresponding to one of the people on the album's cover(s), each one telling a story about that person

I bring this up as context as to why, even though everyone in this community makes memes about it, Pork Soda is THE TomTord song, and here's why:

Pork Soda corresponds to the old man with a paddy cap and glasses in the back of the album to the left of the basket ball player, and as such it's sung from his perspective

The song is about two lovers who fell in love with each other because of their spontaneous nature,

Somewhere in South End when you were fun You took my hand and you made me run Up past the prison to the seafront You climbed the cliff edge and took the plunge

However, this song is sung from the future(ish?), it's the old man yearning for the days when he and his lover were younger and full of sporadic energy, for when they would just pick up stuff suddenly and leave off on some crazy adventure,

Why can't we laugh now like we did then? How come I see you and ache instead? How come you only look pleased in bed? Let's climb the cliff edge and jump again

This is further pushed by the song's official music video where it shows a literal divide between the two lovers, living different lives as they live on completely separate floors of the house

The old man is portrayed as bitter and its suggested this song is him complaining about how his life isn't what it used to be to the listener, as he sits in his living room watching TV and doing pretty much nothing with himself, stuck in a constant loop of disappointment and resentment

Versus the wife who's seen with a dog that she's trying to get joy out of having, she tries to keep having a spontaneous life and do fun things to keep that spark in her going, seen with her dancing with the dog in the floor above the old man

I think this is great symbolism honestly, and it suggests the old man is to blame for this lack of spontaneousness in their love life anymore

Furthermore this is perfect for TomTord, more specifically, imo, enemies/friend to lovers to enemies WTFuture TomTord, although The End was also pretty good I think it would've worked better if it was pre Tord leaving and then Tord coming back, as that gives similar vibes yk?

It's perfect for them and I know this song is everyone's personal hell in this fandom and I understand why but you NEED to realize this is THEIR song

Along with songs like I Love You Like An Alcoholic and The Masochism Tango, the list goes on

I can make a list

I have two separate playlists for TomTord you don't understand how much I love songs

Extra information I know about this song that's cool to me:

Glass Animals got inspired to write this song after they met a girl (at a concert I believe?) with a tattoo on her arm that simply said "Pork Soda", and when they asked her why she got such a random string of words tattoo like that she said "cause I wanted to", thus inspiring them to make a song about spontaneousness

HOWEVER

I know the reason she got that tattoo and why she said that she is so funny to me

She got that tattoo because there's actually a second Pork Soda, a band album: Primus' Pork Soda album, which is, I'm sure, why she got the tattoo because that album probably meant a lot to her

Thus making her answer "because I wanted to" seem like the generic answer every person who has a tattoo answers with because everyone always asks "why did you get that tattoo" or belittle them for the tattoo "not having meaning", etc.

Just a silly addition I thought I'd add to this because I love this album so much please ask me about the other songs I know about all of them

[iantimony]

twosday

we've got a two-weeker! last week I kept going "ah, I should write my Tuesdaypost", and then it was Saturday. so. ah well.

listening: back on an Astonishing Legends kick! listened to the 2 parters on bloodfalls and The Entity(tm).

Hypoxia - Thomas Giles and the album 'Pulse' that it's on.

the album 'I Will Write Your Song' by Matt Duncan. I should have listened to 'Soft Times' because the songs I have listened to that I like are both on there.

my roommate (listen, I don't live with her any more, but we share pieces of each other's souls so I am going to keep referring to her that way) also got me on these two songs that are major bops. good for Moving and Grooving.

Vois sur ton chemin techno remix by BENNETT

Pedro by Jaxomy

reading: literally so many academic papers. see the misc section.

watching: did a lot of youtube the past two weeks, just gonna post some highlights. a bunch of swell entertainment, not gonna post any one of her vids in specific.

how I reduced my screentime by 80% by reysu: something I've been grappling with is Ough, Too Much Screen, especially considering my day-to-day work is all on the computer too. did implement some of these tips, not sure how much it has helped me considering most of my screentime is on discord and messenger which I don't really want to totally disconnect myself from the same way I have on instagram/fb/etc without too much issue.

the importance of real things by Ted Kutina: I love you physical media

you can't fit your personality in an airport tray by Katie Robinson: some commentary on Style and Personality. not sure if it's just the period of time I grew up in or just something about me inherently or what but I never really had too much issue or thought with the idea of Finding My Style, I just don't buy clothes if they don't spark some joy or serve some purpose.

home organization for chaotic people by Caroline Winkler: found her channel as I overthink exactly where I want to hang up my wall art. she's an interior designer type but I was uncomfortably called out about how she talks about how she used to save every little scrap of anything that someone she loved may have touched out of a sense of guilt. I never really connected that to guilt, but, like, yeah. el oh el. made me think about some of the things I keep around and why.

fall reset guide (that'll actually help get your life together) by morgan Evelyn Cook: really loved the idea of a "morning menu" to replace the idea of a morning routine with.

playing: the biweekly dnd as usual. I have dropped the in-person game I've been playing in for now just because I am stretched too thin. I know this doesn't count but boy have I been thinking about minecraft. need her fr

making: I volunteered to do some drawings for an event my university is hosting in January that I will not be sharing on here because it will make me even more doxxable than normal. this has taken longer than I thought! I am more out of practice painting than I'd assumed so that hurted a bit, and one of the drawings was originally going to be a block print but I rapidly realized that an ink drawing would probably be easier and faster. neither of them are done yet but I have til Friday I think.

anyways I am back in pottery!!! I have made Two ramekins, Two failed ramekins that are teacups now, and a plate! I have never done a plate so that was a cool new thing to do. the real trick was to throw it on a bat and then put the bat in direct sunlight for like an hour before cutting it off.

eating: uhhhhhhh nothing notable really, lots of easy food and trader joes frozens right now because ough. oh wait I tried this bean soup that someone recommended. I forget who. it was. fine. idk it's just beans and garlic so it was just kinda underwhelming. I did get to use my immersion blender tho so that's fun. I have a different bean soup that I will hopefully make and try this week.

misc: dude writing my prelim document is SO SCARY. the introduction specifically is kicking my ass because it's like, "synthesize these papers you've read (and some of which you haven't, oops) into a coherent backstory for why the work you're doing makes sense and is important, for a field you're not technically trained in. also don't make it sound too similar to the thesis of the guy who was working on this project before you. good luck!!"

here is some astronomical happenings in The Corn. see you next week

[born-to-riot]

My precious gremlin, what a change it would be for you to shackle me instead! Your yappage does indeed spark joy, so I’m looking forward to the reveal and you can have me any way you want me!

Your taste in pairings are very much aligned with my own. Thank you for spilling them all out for me, it does wonders in helping me flesh out a piece that you will enjoy this solstice.

1. My characters are sluts, so I enjoy a wide range of ships, but none of them will find an easy journey to their happy ending. Azriel/Cassian, Azriel/Eris/Cassian, Azriel/Lucien, Azriel/Lucien/Elain, Azriel/Helion, Eris/Tamlin, Eris/Nesta, Eris & Elain, Helion/Lady of Autumn, Helion/everyone everywhere all at once, Lucien/Elain, Lucien/Vassa/Jurian, Elain/Band of Exiles, Lucien/Rhysand, Lucien/Tamlin, Lucien/Andras, Lucien/Tamlin/Andras, Tamlin/Rhysand, Feyre/Tamlin/Rhysand, and Lucien/happiness will all scratch an itch for me.

2. I have NOT listened to EPIC the Musical, though I assume you would highly recommend it. I’ll look it up so that I can really know what you like. What do you enjoy about it?

3. I love writing enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, happily never after, sad smut, pining, hurt/comfort, secret mating bond, unwanted mating bond, jealousy, possessiveness, protectiveness, and whump.

4. I would need to have Lucien with me if I were stranded on a deserted island. We could hunt, fish, forage, and fuck. He’d be able to provide fire and light in the dark, and he can heal. He’s a survivor.

From my understanding, you would agree with me on my answers. We are definitely a match made by the Mother (thank you, mods)!

-🎅🏼

hello my delicious Santa! I have to say your message came at a perfect time, it brought light into my day, brought wind into my sails, and brought wetness to my folds (jk... unless) (jkjk don't take me seriously) (but...you did say I could have you any way I wanted you) (ok now I'll move on)

While we've not yet had much time together, I've already decided I would ride or die for you based on pure vibes alone

I'm sure I would enjoy anything you have in mind, to be honest, I can't wait to see what your evil genius lends you! (TBH I'm surprised you've made sense of anything I have said as I have no idea what I want so kudos for that)

NOW YAYYYYY you answered my questions (which thanks for doing, you didn't have to). I tried not to ask anything damning because tbh I love a good surprise. Also you're doing a great job as I literally have no idea who you are (BUT I LOVE YOU)

oh right your answers to my questions

I love how wide your range is, faes are immortal of course they are sluts. I'll have to ask you after the reveal to rec me some pics as I admit I haven't ventured too far outside of Azris (I just LOVE them so much). Also what good is a story without any pain (don't get me wrong fluff is GREAT) but when you have characters that are so damaged and complex, there's part of me that likes to watch them break and build back up stronger. true love isn't easy

also HELION EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE is the most VALID SHIP IVE EVER SEEN

2. I do recommend it. I am and have always been a mythology fan (thank the anaeid, the oddesy, rick riordan and 6th-8th grade latin class) (fun fact: I am terrible at spelling and my autocorrect hates me). EPIC is a musical detailing a version of events of Odysseus' journey back home after the Trojan war (I think) (basically it's a musical version of the Odyssey). AND THE MUSIC IS SO GOOD, I just love the continuity with obvious themes (such as ruthlessness is mercy, sometimes you have to be cruel for the greater good, etc) and the underlying musical motifs (each character is represented by their own instrument, with the gods and monsters/magical beings having a more electronic sound compared to mortals) and ITS CONSISTENT. so long story short, if you like mythology and good music ID HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I also am by no means an expert on this musical as I have discovered it only a little over a month ago but it's just GOOD. Basically, I find details and continuity sexy.

3. I see by all your writing preferences that our TASTES OUR QUITE SIMILAR. Incase you couldn't tell, I have ADHD and so specifically the secret mating bond and happily never after made me thing of this one idea for a Beron/helion fic I wrote down a while ago. I don't think I'll ever write it but I figure I might as well share the idea with you since you seem to enjoy that type of thing: Okay so what if Beron and Helion were mates once upon a time and they never accepted the bond because of duties or something (I mean we thought Beron was bad imagine Beron’s father) but the two still did stuff right but then they love each other but they don’t enough to run away from their imminent duties as heirs so they don’t outright reject it until one of them is about to become heir right (I know the magic doesn’t work like that like they wouldn’t be able to tell but maybe it’s during a war and they’re like there’s a possibility that one of their fathers would die blah blah blah so they do it then and they can let the pain of rejection fuel their fighting in the war) and do then Beron becomes high lord and eventually Helion becomes high lord (we’re ignoring the age thjn) but then beron gets engaged to the lady of Autumn (political marriage) and like Helion and Beron meet up one last time the night before the wedding, bittersweet. But the day of the wedding, Helion is surprised because he feels another mating bond snap and when be looks at the altar he sees that it’s not to Beron but to his new wife. He is so thrown off and flooded with guilt but eventually Helion’s happy that the mother has given him another chance at love but he feels so guilty because what are the chances? And Beron? Oh poor guy he’s always smarter than people give him credit for and he knows Lucien isn’t his, he knows Helion’s features intimately, he misses them dearly and he grows bitter and hateful that his wife gets to be mates with the man he had to give up for his duty. In fact he’s so upset it drives him mad and cruel and that’s how he turns into a monster. And Helion hates him too, he hates the man that Beron has become because he knew that deep down inside there was once a good man in there and Helion had to live with the fact that it was definitely his fault in part that the evil part of Beron took over. I don’t think I’ll ever write this specific Helion/beron fic, but if I did I’d end with Helion thinking about how he hopes that once Beron passes the mother will forgive him and take away the rot in his soul planted by Helion. Maybe she would allow him to be the person he could have been, the person he would have been had Helion not fucked everything up.

idk, kind of tragic but the notion of "what makes Beron into Beron" is always a query I'm willing to ponder

4. FINALLY, question 4. LUCIEN IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE (I know you asked me before about what other characters I'd like to be featured, so just so we're clear, LUCIEN IS WELCOME AND WANTED). I have to admit though, in regards to the deserted island, the slut in me wants Tarquin by my side. Though I'd go to Lucien's island as well

ANYWAY I feel like I've yapped long enough. Thank god my yap page brings you entertainment.

Always a pleasure to hear from you my devout Santa!

Look forward to next time!!!!

(hope you had fun with the questions)

[mushiemellows]

Regarding the prompt lists you've reblogged - are there any ships or characters or categories of characters (any specific pirate crew, etc.) you definitely do not want to write about? So that we don't send in prompts that, like, spark no joy

I won't write like, incest-y stuff (even step-siblings). I don't generally write anything with minors (ex: I don't really engage all that much with KobyLu bc Koby is baby to me) but that is mostly a rule for my bigger (smuttier) fics. I could write something fluffy for the teens, though (pre-ts Usopp is a good example, I prefer to write him post-ts but I'll answer a prompt if the situation seems inspiring). But I will write Minks, I know some people are iffy with Mink shipping but I don't mind. There's only a small handful of ships I find squicky.

I'm using these prompts as practice for writing dynamics I don't usually get a chance to explore in my bigger stories (both asks I've already gotten are Nami ships, which I never write much of) so I'm really down to try writing most stuff at least once! The puzzle is the fun part for me, especially when I don't necessarily ship something myself. Like, I have to figure out what the appeal of a arrangement is. So joy is sparked regardless.

That all being said, I do get final veto. If I were to get a request that I don't care for, I'd probably just not answer it. But the fun here is in widening my scope. Just know that I won't be perfect the first time I try writing a new ship.

[sazuka57]

/post/718441984343293952/no-actually-im-mad-enough-about-it-to-speak-up when we do it people get mad and say that we're misunderstanding the characters and that we're so wrong and that it's fucking shit. i don't know what to do, i feel pressured to not fuck up

Anon imma give you my biggest secrets to fanfic writing, the ones that have carried me thru 15+ years of fic writing, of unwanted critics, of haters, and of little to no attention to my fics.

1) this is the most important one: write what makes YOU happy. Writing fanfic is a hobby and it should spark joy. It should make you happy. If this means you’re taking the big bad of the series and turning him into a baby that the heroes have to raise? Go for it. If it means a villain is your meow meow and you’re gonna rewrite the story to make him a good guy? Go for it. Whatever makes YOU happy. Because in the end, you are writing for yourself and for you to have fun. Yes validation is nice, but—

2) —but it’s not the end all, be all. It’s always so so sooooo good when people comment on your fics and leave you reviews and go nuts for your work. But I write for dead or niche fandoms and I rarely get attention on any of my work. And I made peace with that. You need to make peace with that. Validation is nice, but kudo/comments/hits are not the goal here: you having fun is.

3) ignore the haters. There are SO many gatekeepers in fandoms nowadays that it sucks the fun and joy out of life. Block them, don’t even reply, just block them. AO3 has mute and block buttons. Use them. And if they are extra rude? Report them. In the old days, we used to say “flames will be used to warm cold feet” which translates to “your hate is less than dirt” (flames here being haters and unwanted criticisms). It still applies.

4) this one is optional but: find like minded people! People who’d enjoy your work! People who you love discussing ideas with! It goes a long way to give motivation!

5) this one is hella important: it’s not ooc if it’s an au!! :) A person growing up in a war zone is gonna have very different experiences than a person growing up with parents who run a coffee shop and will have a different experience to growing up in an orphanage etc etc. and all of these things WILL affect a person’s behavior and will change how they interact with the world. Even if all those three scenarios had the same trauma (i.e. a fire), each one would react differently and would lose different things, which again, affects how they’d act.

6) BE ooc!! DO IT. Why? Because NO ONE is gonna write the character as “ic”’as the original writers/creators. The character in your head is different than the character in another person’s head, and in another’s, and so on. This is because our own lives and experiences affect the way we interact with the world—and fictional works. And working super hard to please the public means that someone out there will always go “that’s ooc how dare you.” You can never please everyone, remember that!

6.5) but also: write crackfic. It will help you break out of the fear of oocness so much. Even if you don’t write them, have crackfic ideas. They’re so good for your soul—humor is so good and cringe is dead.

7) and this is hella important: Anon you are human. Humans make mistakes. We fuck up. It’s how we learn and grow. And NO ONE was born perfect. Writing takes practice. Writing in character takes practice for every new character you write! It’s not easy! But you gotta trust yourself and your writing skills, and that requires practice too! Practice practice practice!!

So, TL;DR: Do what you want. Do what makes you happy. You are not being paid for this, and if people don’t like your writing, they can pay you to write exactly what they want. And fuck up as much as it takes for you to feel satisfied with the pieces your working with. And most important—aus and oocness go hand in hand.

[vacantgodling]

I have a burning question for you. One we all need answers to (only if you want to feel free to let this ask rot in your askbox for eternity you have my permission.)

is donut wip alive

KAT!!! i’m happy to see ya :’)

technically speaking donut wip & the entirety of the liminal space series as a whole are still alive! (i’m not a huge fan of killing off my wips i usually just shelve them indefinitely until i circle back to the idea) — couple of reasons it’s shelved rn tho

1. paramour brainrot >>>>>>>> like seriously this wip has made me insane idk what magical combination of tropes and ideas i managed to spark like 2 years ago but i have never been this abnormal about a wip ever i think lol. so a lot of my wips have been sidelined in favor of my Child.

2. i got Super Stuck. not just regular stuck where you get writers block for a bit then move on no, i mean Super Stuck as in i was stuck on donut wip chapter 15 i think for like a year and a half before i finally said “i cannot force myself to write more in this draft i have to take a break” so i stepped back from it and the series in general to figure out what was going on with me and my brain. and i think really what it came down to is at that time it wasn’t fun for me to write? it felt very much like a chore—despite all of its horror it seemed “safer” to write. it was the thing people were expecting out of me and i felt like i was writing more to fulfill expectations than to actually write this story because i enjoy it. AND I DO ENJOY IT!! that’s the crazy thing. i really like this story and the nuance i allowed to grow into it when it literally started as me being “fuck it write a horror novel just to finish something and don’t care about the characters” but i care about them so much now etc etc.

but because i don’t do well when i feel forced it just sucked the joy out of it for me. paramour in comparison, has never felt forced. it’s always exciting and stimulating to my brain because it is a wip that is so very Me all over it. and i wanted donut wip to have that same feel but i gotta give it more time. maybe i’ll try doing the outline to writing method that i’ve been doing and working for paramour so i can avoid getting stuck again.

however, i did actually rewrite donut wip’s chapter 1 proper back in may of this year—i wanted to see if i could come back to it and make myself write it Forreal and i could! i did! and i’m really happy with it! which is exciting! and as a treat you (and anyone else who reads this full nonsense ramble or remembers donut wip from eons ago) can read that revamped first chapter—first official piece of donut wip writing i’ve ever really posted. just cuz like tbh it means a lot to me that you care about that story weh ;3; and remember—

so without any more waffling: here is chapter one, uncensored from spoilers so u get drawn into the mystery 👀

Chapter One

I groaned when my guitar string snapped again for the third time today, the discordant twang echoing in my large dorm, up to the rafters. I heard Andres laugh from Tiffany’s bed.

“Oh yeah, making faces at it will help.”

“Fuck off.” I stuck my tongue out at him. “Toss me…” I waggled my pointer finger towards a stack of boxes between Tiffany’s bed and my desk. Opened and dangerously leaning was a box of replacement guitar strings, near empty and I’d only bought them a few months ago. “… Those.” Andres didn’t move though. I groaned again.

“Andre!” I snapped my finger and my voice at him. “Strings!”

“I’m not a dog. Besides, you’ve been at this for three hours. When are you finally gonna give up for the day and spend some time with your bestie?” He put emphasis on the word, but the trill of his voice was playful. “Hmm. I have been buggin‘ on this part a bit.” I pretended to think, tapping my thumb against my cheek. He seemed hopeful. I caved and laughed aloud. “Later!” I giggled at his groan. “I wanna make sure this melody’s flowin’ right before I break. Then we can play Spyro or whatever else ya wanna do.” Seeing as he couldn’t be bothered to give me my strings, I got up myself and toed my way through the mess that was steadily building up on the floor between the beds. I snatched up the box before Andres could knock it over with his outstretched foot.

“Oh, you watch it mister.”

“Sooooory.” He dragged out, but his grin told me he wasn’t sorry. I flipped him off, then flopped back down on my bed, quickly setting to work on restringing. More of them had begun snapping lately as I composed, but I chalked it up to stress. Finals wore me down this semester, more than they had in our first year, but it was bittersweet that they were over now. This year went by so fast, it’s like I blinked and it was December again. Beside me on the bed my bright yellow phone buzzed.

“Who’s that?” Andres asked. I flipped it open to look at the message.

from: vivi

Are you sure you want to stay for winter break?

from: vivi

Dad wanted me to ask again.

I tossed my phone back on the bed.

“Just my sister!” I said cheerfully. “Doing dad’s errands again. I told him I didn’t want to deal with him and Miss Borsche.” I wrinkled my nose. “He’s been buggin’ her to get me to come with them since I told him no.”

“Come with them… where?”

“Oh usually dad goes on some sorta cruise or vacation for the holidays. But, he never invites Vi. So I never go.”

“Why doesn’t he invite her?” The question was posed nonchalantly, and I looked over at Andres, who was looking down at his smartphone.

I’d venture to say that we’d become near best friends now after the past year and a half of knowing each other, yet there was still a lot we didn’t know about each other. I knew he had siblings, but not their names, and he knew about Juvia, but not anything more than that. I knew his family wasn’t rich but they worked extra to push him through school. He knew that mine was, but I had loans out the ass. We played guessing games every now and again—to get to know each other. But whenever there was some real-life line we went to cross in our blossoming friendship, he was always open and I always hesitated. It’s just how it were.

“She…” I tilted my head back and forth a bit. “It’s a bit complicated, I reckon.”

“Then take your time telling me. I’m not rushing you.” Our eyes caught, and he gave me a tiny smile that I couldn’t not return back. But things fell quiet after that, and I turned back to my strings.

Winter break was here, and the freedom that came with it curled around our slowly emptying building like the fresh blanket of snow that dusted our sleepy little college town. On the telly earlier, there were talks about a blizzard rolling in sometime between today and tomorrow. The snow for now was peaceful, and inviting. It crowned even my windowsill when I woke up this morning, and even if I wasn’t with Juvia in person, the holiday buzz still felt strong in the air.

A rap on the door drew me out of my thoughts.

”It’s open!” I called. The handle clicked then pushed open a crack, just enough for someone to poke their head in.

“Kelley.” Andres acknowledged the second I breathed out “Joaquin!” Our R.A regarded us with a lazy smile, and my eyes traced the curve of his handsome mouth. A flush of heat shivered through my body, and I darted my eyes away when they met mine.

“How are you two holding up here? Your folks coming soon?”

“Negativo.” Andres leaned back on Tiffany’s pillow, stretching one leg out into the air. I heard something pop and I made a face. “They’re back home and I don’t have enough money for a plane ticket there. So I’m staying.” Joaquin nodded easily, then he turned to me again. “Julissa?”

“Just Juls is okay!” I said quickly. I coughed. “Um, no, I’m also staying. If that’s alright?”

“No rules against it.” Joaquin flashed me a smile. “I was checking to see who’s still going to be here so I can send a final count to the director.”

“Is it just gonna be us?” Andres asked.

“No, there’s,” Joaquin paused to pop open the door a little further, and leaned against the wall. He counted on his fingers. “The three of us. Then, Daisy Kennedy, on the third floor. René Edwards, down the hall and….” He looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember. “Ah, Saul…Carson, I believe. Top floor.”

“Didn’t know you had someone named Saul on your floor.” I said, looking over to Andres. He snorted. “Me either. Aside from my roommates, I only really talk to you Juls.”

“You’re such a loner.” I teased, as though I was any better. Andres chucked Tiffany’s pillow at me.

“Hey!”

“Actually Kelley?” Andres started. I threw the pillow back and nailed him in the torso, making him choke on his next words. Joaquin’s quiet huff of a laugh distracted me for two seconds—enough for me to let my guard down. Andres jumped from Tiffany’s bed to mine and grabbed me in a headlock.

“Andre!” I shrieked, but he was merciless. His freehand dug into my side and began to tickle at my sides. It wasn’t long before I was howling with laughter, trying to desperately shove him off me. Amused, Joaquin waited patiently with his arms folded loosely over his chest.

Andres finally relented and let me go and I kicked his shin for good measure. “God, I can’t breathe.” I wheezed. Andres laughed jovially, then turned back to Joaquin. “I was going to ask if we had to stay in our dorms while we were here?”

“Well,” He looked between Andres and I, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think you need my permission, you’re both adults.” I felt heat swarm my dark cheeks and next to me Andres sputtered. “It’s nothing like that!” He snapped. “I just mean, I got a leak in my room and Juls offered to let me crash here. I just don’t know if the break protocol is different than during the school year.”

“A leak?” Joaquin frowned, reaching for his phone. It was similar to Andres’s, clear and sleek. He tapped a few buttons. “From the roof?”

“Yeah. I woke up this morning to snow dripping down my face.” Andres shrugged. “I don’t know how long the leak has been there, it’s been pretty dry this year. But I don’t want to deal with it, it’s literally right above my bed.”

“Like I said, you don’t really need my permission to stay wherever you’d like. But thanks for telling me, I just scheduled a maintenance request.” Joaquin tucked his phone back into his tight jeans. “Should be a few days but it should be fixed.”

“If it wasn’t snowing, I’d get up there and do it myself.” I hit Andres with my hand lightly. “That’s dangerous.”

“Wouldn’t want you falling off.” Joaquin hummed. “Now that I would be held responsible for.”

“Are you staying too, Joaquin?” I asked. Andres elbowed me. “He just said that. Earth to Juls, get your mind out of the gutter.”

“It wasn’t there in the— Oh, I hate you!” Andres and I began squabbling again and from the door Joaquin laughed. “I’ll leave you all to it!”

“Thanks for coming by!” I called after him as he moved from the doorway. Before I turned fully back to Andres, from the corner of my eye, I saw… something follow after Joaquin. I couldn’t get a good enough look at it, but what I did see looked like a cream colored tail.

[inkabelledesigns]

Fanwork creators self rec! When you get this, reply with your five favorite fics/art/podfics/etc. that you've made, then pass on to others. Let’s spread the self-love 🌼

(No pressure if you don't want to though!)

Star, thank you so much for sending me this! Delighted to be included and honored to be asked! While I don’t have a ton of fics out there (and some of my favorite parts of them aren’t even public yet) I think we can pick out five I really love. And I’ll encourage all of you to share works that you love from your own libraries! Please share, I wanna see what brings you joy!

Raindrops and References

If you thought I wasn’t gonna include this one, you had another thing coming Star. XD One, thank you for letting me explore your world through my own lens, and two, thank you for your kind words. I wrote this fic when I was just getting back into writing, and it was an early step in learning to write for my own enjoyment after having been expected to create for others for years. It was satisfying and fun for me, and I’m glad it’s been that for you and so many others as well. I still get emails of people leaving a Kudos on this from time to time, it’s wild. X’’’D Sometimes you give a gift and get an unexpected one in return. I’m still glad I wrote this, it made a positive difference.

Trapped in His Web

I don’t know if this one is still canon to Step Right Up, but regardless, I’m still honored to be a part of @bertrumstrousers wonderful circus world. Thanks for letting me write for Jacob and the make-up and costume department Giandark, it’s a treat and I love them so much. It was such a good time getting into Jacob’s head and Bertrum’s, and the horror and transformation elements of this story brought me so much joy. 

The Kraken’s Labyrinth

One day I will pick this up again, now that I have a clearer idea of what to do with it (thanks Audrey). XD It was inevitable that I was gonna put Bendy and merfolk together, with a little sprinkling of Samsie, but I didn’t expect how much joy this was gonna bring to the table. Still love this world a lot.

Searching the Depths - The Heart of the Studio

Ah yes, my “magnum opus” fic. Of course I have this as a favorite. XD I have a lot of fun working with the entire Bendy cast and my silly little OCs. I’m letting myself learn to just let go and have fun, and this fic continues to teach me everyday what I want in a story. It means so much that you guys have loved Bella and co, thank you. <3

Richard the Keeper - The Studies of 214

My most recent fic and a surprisingly strong source of brainrot as of late. If you like witty banter, unethical science, and Bendy levels of shenanigans, highly recommend this one! It’s got three chapters now with a focus on Richard, a keeper, running experiments to unlock the secrets of how the ink works, with the help of Bella, his prisoner and one of our cyclebreaker protagonists. Richard and Bella have such a fun dynamic, Sammy has been a delight to write in this one, and Wilson? Oh he’s horrible, I love writing him too. XD Please get me to talk about this one more, I’m having a blast with it. 

Honorable Mention: 

The Role I Was Made For

Not so much a fic as it is an audio skit! This started out as a dialogue test to see if I could voice Audrey and a cartoon Bendy (I blame Erin Lehn for putting the question out to the community of what Baby Benders might sound like, that’s what sparked this). It turned into a much deeper script about what makes a Bendy, and how Bendy and Audrey feel about who they are. It needs some heavy editing, but it’s one of the best scripts I’ve written in a long time. I’d say I like it just as much as Break Time, and another collaborative skit that hasn’t come out yet. Stay tuned, your girl got to co-write something awesome and perform as a very animated Susie Campbell, I look forward to when that’s ready to be heard. XD

Here’s sending you all the good vibes! Go take some time to reflect on what you love about your work, it’s very rewarding.

[cetaceanhandiwork]

Eight years ago, Tumblr user @the-alligator-queen-blog​ began an annual tradition called Self Insert Week: a weeklong challenge/jam/etc where participants are encouraged to make fanworks with themselves as the main character.

This year, this storied Tumblr festival will begin on Sunday, May 5th, and last through Saturday, May 11th.

Why participate? Well, in its founder’s own words, it’s “a fun reason to make ourselves into the awesome characters we daydream up while going about our normal lives”.

But it’s also, in my view, a strike back at the common tendency to see fanwork – and creative work more generally – as such Serious Business that it’s not allowed to be openly self-indulgent. People worry so much, these days, about whether their artistic endeavors are “good enough”, or are a credit to their Brand, or whatever. I think that’s sad. Maybe even a little unhealthy, if we do it all the time. What’s the harm, really, if not everything we write is Serious Literature? Who said it had to be? Why can’t we embrace the cringe every now and again, so long as it sparks joy?

So this event is an upside-down festival for creative works: an excuse – carte blanche and imprimatur – to indulge in all the silly fandom escapism you’d eschew in a more normal week. Go smooch your favorite Stardew Valley bachelor in Photoshop. Tell us about your wacky adventures exploring the Island Dungeon. Go wild! There’s no sign-up to participate, no masterpost, nothing like that. Just write, draw, and post your stuff under #self insert week 2024 so that we can all cheer each other on. :)

[drake-walker-appreciation]

World Whiskey Day Event

As promised, here is the prompt event for World Whiskey Day! The rules are simple: submit any creative piece (a drabble, a fic, a poem, a mood board, artwork, etc) that focuses on whiskey between now and World Whiskey Day on May 20th, and we will reblog it and add it to the master list that will be posted after the end of the event.

While this event is inspired by, and in honor of, our favorite whiskey-loving marshmallow, your work doesn't have to focus on him. You could write for another choices fandom entirely. If you do, it's encouraged to have him make a cameo or have a character mention him (just for fun). Crossovers and original stories are welcomed as well.

Prompts are provided in hopes of sparking some creativity, but you are not required to use them.

Whiskey Wednesday Meme Credit goes to @bebepac

PROMPTS:

General Theme:

Whiskey and Wine

Whiskey and Roses

Whiskey drinking contest

First drink (of whiskey)

Last drink (of whiskey)

Toasts (with whiskey)

Whiskey soaked memories

More Specific Prompts (but feel free to modify/tweak as needed)

Whiskey-soaked memories, that's what s/he was/is

“Whiskey, neat, and keep ‘em coming,” he/she/I was going to need all the help she/he/I could get to make it through this night.

When there are joys to celebrate or sorrows to drown….

The whiskey burns my throat like her/his absence burns my soul.

That’s great news! Let’s celebrate! I have your favorite whiskey!

Let’s seal the deal over whiskey!

The last time I had Irish whiskey things got….weird

MUSIC: (for inspiration)

Spotify WWD Play List

[aniron48]

double-dipping the writer asks:

11. what’s something neat you’ve learned while doing research for something you were writing?

78: how do you choose where to end a chapter?

Hello @dude-watchin-with-the-brontes! Thank you for the ask. 💜

11. what’s something neat you’ve learned while doing research for something you were writing?

Oh, friend, you have seen directly into the deepest pleasures of my nerdy little heart with this one. I *love* going down research rabbit holes. It sparks so much joy as part of the writing process, and asks so little in return, aside from curiosity and wonder. To that end, it's hard to pick just one thing. I currently have a bananas amount of browser tabs devoted to medieval art as part of a Glass Onion fic I'm working on, which has led to a less-bananas-in-quantity-but-more-bananas-in-content number of tabs devoted to the writings of St. Augustine. But I think my favorite thing I've learned to date was actually for Bad Thing Twice. Without spoiling too much, there's a scene there where Q quotes actual research about how financial value is ascribed to human life (primarily for things like determining what safety regulations to implement, etc.) and uses it to score points against the head of the Budget Office. I loved reading about this, incorporating it into my writing, and also having that be the beginning of Bond's "That one. It appears that one is the one for me" moment in the fic.

78: how do you choose where to end a chapter?

It's possible this will be deeply unhelpful, but bear with me: I played in some form of a symphonic band for over a decade of my life, from fourth grade through college, and the best way I can explain how I think an ending (of a work, or a chapter) should feel is this: there's a moment, at the end of any piece of music, where the conductor's arms still and the music stops, and the contrast that comes from the silence that immediately follows feels like part of the music. It's a moment the musicians and the conductor and the audience experience together, before ordinary life and noise resume, a sort of liminal space between them. I want the moment a reader leaves something I've written to feel like that. I want it to be the collective breath that we take together before we reenter the world. I cannot for the life of me describe how I know when I've hit that point, or how exactly I work with the beat of the plot and the rhythm of the language to try to achieve it. But it's a resonance that I feel for, however blindly.

Thank you again for this, friend! These were so much fun! 🥰

[dimtrake]

Just finished reading the first issue of Tim’s new solo and I’m enjoying it so far! Its not groundbreaking, but it’s pretty fun for what it is.

I think anyone who is looking for something similar to his rr run, or even 93 run, is going to be a bit disappointed. I know a lot of Tim fans are really desperate for him to get back to his preN52 writing and stories (I’m people), but I don’t think this book is going to be exactly that anytime soon. Going into it expecting those vibes isn’t going to spark joy etc etc.

But! For something a bit quick and lighthearted? Where we get to see some new stuff with Tim? Its not bad!

Positives:

-Bernard’s personality is back! He gets to be an absolute weirdo of a lad, good for him. I know people were worried that their relationship would be kind of glossed over, but it doesn’t look that way to me.

-We get to see Tim with a newer cast of supporting characters. One of my favorite parts of reading Tim stories is watching how he interacts with others. He’s both very awkward yet earnest, can’t help but to find it charming.

-I’ve seen some complaints about the pacing, but I think it works. It hit the points it needed to hit without being too rushed or wasting time.

-We get some info about what Tim has been doing during post rebirth canon. Little bits of info like how he has been living with Bruce, Damian, etc during this time. How some of those relationships are. I’m desperate for literally anything y’all.

Overall I’m not mad. Am I always going to pine for 90s and 00s Tim Drake? Yeah. But this looks like it has the potential to be a nice run! Imma enjoy it while I can!

[lovethisletters]

Belly boops for the Demon brothers!

I felt like writing something chill and wholesome and this came up. Personally I'm a belly boop person, I've always enjoyed watching people's confused faces when I poke their stomach, but sometimes I'll do it out of habit (when I'm leaving a room or saying goodbye to a friend I belly boop them insted of a normal goodbye and won't realize that I did it until someone would point it out or just in very random moments like in the middle of a conversation I'll do it as well) so I decided to hc how the demon brothers react to an mc who does this.

Keys: MC = your main character's name.

Summary: The demon brothers discover a peculiar trait of MC: belly boops.

Additional notes: MC is gender neutral!

Here is part 2 with the side characters!

▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️

Lucifer

The first time it happened was one morning when everyone was getting ready to go to RAD.

Lucifer always opens the door for everyone, and leaves last, so when you past by him you unconsciously decided to thank him for holding the door open in a very...unusual manner.

You booped his belly.

It was so random, that it was one of the very few moments in his life that the avatar of pride didn't know how to react.

—MC, What do you think you're doing?—his voice stopping you on your tracks.

You where confused at first on what he was referring to, but when you realized a wave of embarrassent hit you.

—Sorry! It came out of habit! I used to do that with my friends back in the human world!—you apologized quickly.

—refrain from doing that again, I'll only let it slide this time, understood?

—Yes! It won't happen again!

It did...

The second time it happened you immediately apologized only catching for a split second the death glare he gave you before running away.

Ultimately no matter how much he scolded you, you didn't stop.

I think he kinda...just accepted it once he realized you did that only with the people you're comfortable with. So he took it as a weird compliment.

So now he just stares blankly at you every time you do so, no longer even trying to correct your weird habit.

And to be honest...he secretly thinks is adorable, but he'll never tell.

Mammon

—Whadda ya' think you doin' ya' dumb human!?!?— the avatar of greed asked completely caught off guard.

He was telling you about one of his newest schemes to get some easy money; when all of a sudden, he felt a light and quick pressure on his belly.

It was your finger, but the weird thing was that you still looked like you where listening and waiting for him to continue the conversation like nothing had happened.

He's so confused.

When you realized what you had done, you explained to him it was something you did with your friends in the human world; is your weird unconscious way of showing a person you feel comfortable in their presence.

Blushy boi

—W-well...I guess that's ok, but don't ya' dare doin' this to anyone else, got it?

Your belly boops are reserved for the great Mammon!

Leviathan

Leviathan.exe has stopped working.

You where about to leave his room with a new game (he insisted you should try) on your hands.

—Thanks Levi! I'll let you know my thoughts once I finish it!—you said as he holds the door open for you.

Boop!

You went back to your room not being aware of the blushing mess of a demon you left behind.

"Why MC poked his belly?!?!" "It was probably a mistake, right?!" "No one would like to touch a yucky Otaku like him anyways!"

He won't confront you about it, thinking it was a mistake.

But then one time when you two were playing video games together and you just defeated the other team, he extended his hand in order to give you a celebration high-five.

But then you just...boop!

He blushes even more than the last time, and finally asks you why you did it.

When you explain to him is your own way to express endearment for the people close to you...oh boi.

He blushes so bad and his eyes get all glossy like he's about to cry, for a moment you might even think he's in pain or something.

He never thought of himself as someone you value or hold in such a dear place in your life, so he's just so happy to hear that!

Forget the high-fives! Belly boops are now a must every time you two are together!

Satan

The first time it happened was when you two where studying for a test in the library.

Satan is not a big fan of touch or touchy people; I feel like it makes him a bit anxious.

So when you first booped his belly...he felt kind of uncomfortable, but didn't say anything, thinking it was a mistake or a lame attempt on your part to provoke him.

He won't confront you the second, third or even fourth time it happens, only limiting himself to lightly scolding you with a quick glance.

But if you still don't get the hint, he would finally talk to you (not in an aggressive manner btw he's chill with you about it)

—MC, I don't know if you're doing this as a way to provoke me or make fun of me, but you should know how uncomfortable it makes me—He spoke holding you by your shoulders softly.

You explained to him it was something you did unconsciously, but that you weren't mocking him, Belly booping was something you only did with people you felt comfortable and trust enough to do so.

He gives you a kind smile after hearing you say that; He's truly happy to be someone you can rely on.

He might try to put up with it, belive me, he really does. But he just can't.

You let him know that it's ok for him to not like it, and that you're not mad or dissatisfied in any way, and that you'll be working on controlling this peculiar habit of yours.

He appreciates your words, and now every time that your habit slips, and you try to belly boop him; he'll catch your hand before you can do so and gently lower it, offering you a kind smile instead or...if he's feeling soft he'll hold your hand for a bit.

Asmodeus

He was finishing giving you a make-over when it happened.

—All done, hun! You look so beautiful!! Not as much as me tho...—he said handing you a mirror

—Thank you, Asmo!!! you're so talented!!

And out of nowhere...boop!

Silence.

Asmo, being the avatar of lust, has experienced all kind of touches.

But he has never (or at least not that he remembers) been booped in the belly.

He looks at you with curiosity, even tilting his head slightly, looking like a confused cat before his eyes spark with joy and he suddenly envelops you in a tight hug.

—Awww MC! You're just too cute! You make me want to gobble you up!—

Out of everyone, he's the one who loves belly boops the most, even more knowing the meaning behind them.

He just founds them so endearing, it melts his heart.

Whenever you boop him he'll pinch your cheeks and start baby-ing you.

Beelzebub

You first booped his belly at dinner, big mistake.

He was enjoying his meal when all of a sudden he feels your finger on his stomach.

And we all know Beel is a calm demon but when it's about food...you better don't try anything funny.

He hates being disturbed when he's eating.

He huffed in annoyance, directing you an angry glance you'd only had seen when the whole custard incident happened.

Tho he saw your apologetic expression and decided it wasn't something worth making a fuss about and continued eating.

He'll later feel bad about it tho, so when he came to apologize you decided to let him know it wasn't something you did on purpose and what it meant to you.

Beel was really happy, he even blushed a little and hugged you enthusiastically.

He enjoys belly boops...as long as you don't do it when he's eating.

Belphegor

It happened for the first time when he was falling asleep in class.

When you booped him he just thought it was your way of keeping him awake, so he didn't say anything at first.

That until he started to notice you would also do it in very random moments: You two would be out shopping or something and then...boop!

He's a bit startled at first, but much like Satan, he'll just look at you weirdly and then move on.

Or at least until curiosity gets the better of him and finally asks you about it.

When you finish telling him, a small smirk appeared on his lips.

He's the only one who kinda makes you regret you told him about the personal meaning belly boops hold to you because of how much he would tease you.

But he really likes them, because from now on. Every time the two of you take naps together; Belphie would belly boop you back before dozing off.

▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️

If you find any grammatical errors let me know! I'm trying to improve my english and that would help me so so much!

I will forever thank you if you go check out my other profile: @aileysmirnov  where I post things about my OC: edits, one-shots, imagines, art, etc. If you like Greek mythology and the bat family maybe you would get to be as fond of her as much as I am!

Anyway, thank you for reading!

[salmonellaandcheese]

Tag Game To Better Know You!

Tagged by the lovely and talented @lady--lisa (So sorry for taking so long! I didn't forget! I just couldn't figure out a way to copy all the questions easily on mobile)

If you saw the first version of this no u didnt

What book are you currently reading?

I'm halfway through Anne of Avolea by L.M Montgomery and a few chapters into the Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett. I really should read more, I used to devour books back when I was a kid, but the library I volunteer at is based on community requests so its almost entirely formulaic ghostwritten thrillers (curse you James Pattison). If anyone has book recommendations let me know!

What’s your favourite movie you saw in theatres this year?

I think the only movie I saw was the new Top Gun, which I only watched because my mum loves the original and we went for her birthday. I wouldn't say its fantastic, but I did end up infodumping to my friends about propaganda and pop culture.

What do you usually wear?

Usually loose jeans or other sturdy pants and some variety of print t-shirt with my red flannel. Anxiety kind of made it into my uni uniform, I never thought I'd miss my high school uniform that much. When I'm at home I'm usually wearing shorts and an old singlet that I got in grade 8 or something. Winter means I get to wear big jumpers! I have this horrifically ugly one on it that says New Zealand with a red kiwi on it, I adore it. If I'm reaching out of my miniscule comfort zone I'll wear a funky button up or a more form fitting shirt, I've always dressed quite modestly (although not entirely by choice) and this year I cut my hair off and started to explore my masculinity and being openly and visibly queer. I pretty much only wear natural fibres and very practial/sensory friendly clothing, so most of my clothes are made to last and will be repaired until I deign them unwearable.

Fun fact, I used to actually dress in a style I'd say is somewhere between classic lolita and cottagecore, lots of pinafores and frilly shirts and ribbons. Next year I'd like to step out of my comfort zone and dress in any way that sparks joy, maybe experiment with makeup, different styles or more revealing clothing (ooh a shoulder, scandalous).

How tall are you?

I'm actually not quite sure, between 165cm and 170cm I think (5'5" to 5'7")

What’s your Star Sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event?

Gemini

Do you go by your name or a nick-name?

I introduce myself with my name but with hopes that I'll get a nickname, I've always wanted one.

Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child?

I'm still in uni but by a technicality yes? I wanted to be a scientist but came to dislike science in high school, but now I'm doing archeology (and history) through an arts degree but I could do it through a science degree. I did really enjoy digging in the dirt as a child, so I think little me would be happy about that, even if i was more into paleontology.

Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one?

No. I do have a bit of a crush on my best friend, who I turned down a year ago because I'm the stupidest person alive and can't tell the difference between friendship feelings and romantic feelings.

What’s something you’re good at vs. something you’re bad at?

I'm good with precision and detail orientated things. I love knitting and I've picked up archery and bread making recently. Its actually why I got into archaeology, I wanted to work in restoration and conservation.

I'm bad at remembering to do stuff. It's the ADHD man. Assessments? whoops. Consistent meals? Forgot. Cleaning? sorry not happening

Dogs or cats?

Dogs, I've never had a cat and don't really know how they work.

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favourite picture/favourite line/favourite etc. from something you created this year?

I knitted my best friend some lovely socks, they're my first pair of socks and my second time doing fair isle.

What’s something you would like to create content for?

Look I know this means fandom but I have to start planning for what I'm putting in the show next year, it's only 6 months away. I'd love to do some more sewing, maybe make a gunne sax style dress (provided my anxiety will let me wear it out of the house) and I want to find something technically challenging for knitting, maybe lacework? Send me knitting/crafting inspo. I was thinking of maybe picking up counted thread embroidery too (yes I hate myself).

What’s something you’re currently obsessed with?

Star Wars. I've got brain worms about it. I've been microwaving it for months. Its been on my mind constantly, yet I have no thoughts. I'm forcing all of my friends to watch it. I'm rewatching all of it. I know nothing but also everything. I'm being excessively autistic about a background character wearing a cable knit jumper.

Good thing is that it makes conversation with men under 25 incredibly easy. I've made industry connections over a conversation about Lego Star Wars.

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year?

Uhhhhhh. My uni's archaeology society? The history society raised my standards high, they do a lot of fun events, whereas the archaeology one is useful but a lot more industry training and connections focused instead of having regular pizza and power-point nights like the history one.

What’s a hidden talent of yours?

Hmm. I'm not too sure. I can flip an egg without using anything other than the pan, does that count? Like just wiggle, wiggle, throw it up in the air and catch it.

Are you religious?    

Catholic but in a cool and funky queer way

What’s something you wish to have at this moment?

A concrete plan of what the hell I'm doing and how to do it. A solution to my joint pain?

Tagging: (only if you want to) @elprupneerg @rights-for-redshirts @doveyluvey @notaghost3 @swagtalia @radioactivehydronerd @hetaari @arthoe-iceland @ratfish-blues and anyone else who sees this is welcome to join in!