#wild friend kindness

[okamirayne]

*a wild friend looks up from the floor*

God, sorry to just stick around but those last couple of chapters...they're just so fucking good it's unreal. They're not just amazing but somehow they leave me feeling...peaceful? Idk if that makes sense or not

Just having them be together without anything standing between them, all walls down, no secrets or lies or hurts left, finally on the same page. It feels like a true beginning

How you can convey such a deep love without using the word once...though it really goes beyond love, doesn't it. That word is too tame, too small to contain what they have. It's raw and bloody and tender but also elemental in a way that defies description. I know a lot of other readers think Shikamaru mouthed "I love you" against Neji's skin but he wouldn't say that in my opinion cuz it's not enough

*sighs dreamily*

Also, this is neither here not there but something about fandom that always annoys me is how hard shippers fall into stereotypes and use top or bottom as a substitute for gender roles. And especially in regard to Neji it's very hard to find anything that doesn't make him an aggressive dominant person who just always ends up horribly ooc.

So what I really appreciate, especially considering how old the first installment is and how long running the series was, that you don't fall into this whatsoever. The push and pull between them is consistently from the get go not about dominance and submission but about maneuvering themselves and each other onto equal grounds, a place of total equality and trust where those fandom assigned roles have no meaning

It's not about top or bottom, dominant or submissive, it's about the connection and how they need that in that specific moment, which is way more in character for both these characters than anything I've ever read. Most of the time I skip over the sex scenes in fics cuz characterization tends to unravel pretty quickly but when you write them it always feels like "yes, this is the right time and place in the story for that to happen" which is a talent a lot of writers in any form of writing need to cultivate I think

They both have dominant personalities with a deep craving for connection, of course they switch.

*takes a deep breath and eats some chocolate staring into space for a few moments*

Anyway, that was another wild ride and your writing is just so good that I may have hyperfocused on it for a few days straight so now I'm just gonna crash for a bit

Because there is NOTHING else for me to read about them WHATSOEVER. You HAVE NOT written ANYTHING ELSE. This is their HAPPY ENDING.

*the wild friend gives you the two fingered "I have my eye on you" gesture and promptly goes into hibernation*

Are you kidding me? YOU’VE FINISHED UtS? ALEADY???

Ah, dear Wild Friend.  Thank You, from all the squishy corners of my gooey, mushy, Feels-Soaked Heart, for the astoundingly awesome, supportive, engaging feedback that you’ve so kindly taken the time out to leave me these past several days.  I’m gobsmacked.  It’s beautiful. 💜💜

I know a lot of other readers think Shikamaru mouthed "I love you" against Neji's skin but he wouldn't say that in my opinion cuz it's not ‘enough…’

Ah, hell. I love this. <3

Also, this is neither here not there but something about fandom that always annoys me is how hard shippers fall into stereotypes and use top or bottom as a substitute for gender roles.

Oh damn…

I feel you on this.  I’m not a fan of the seme/uke, top/bottom dynamic -- for the sheer sake of the dynamic/trope, whereby I sometimes feel that it can result in inadvertent (or deliberate) effeminising of one of the males. So yeah, not a fan. Totally different case if a character has a legit reason they don't enjoy it or want it. I think you can have a dynamic where one that tops without the other losing their masculinity. How the rest of the relationship plays out can certainly balance this.

Ah, yes. The level territory and equal footing that you described is exactly the no-mans-land intimacy they initially fought against and then fought to protect; sure it was riddled with a few landmines along the way…but I’m touched that you felt that sense of hard-won peace they managed to recover when the dust of all their conflicts settled.

Most of the time I skip over the sex scenes in fics cuz characterization tends to unravel pretty quickly but when you write them it always feels like "yes, this is the right time and place in the story for that to happen" which is a talent a lot of writers in any form of writing need to cultivate I think

I hear you. Again, super chuffed and touched you feel this way about how I wrote them.  Thank you.  With Shikamaru and Neji, it became more about the intimacy of longing, not the immediacy of lust. It’s not an itch that can be scratched elsewhere.

They both have dominant personalities with a deep craving for connection, of course they switch.

Insofar as their sexual behaviours...

so now I'm just gonna crash for a bit Because there is NOTHING else for me to read about them WHATSOEVER. You HAVE NOT written ANYTHING ELSE.

No...

No of course not....never.

*salutes* Thank you again, Wild Friend. Where my words fail, I hope gifs and emojis convey the appreciation. 💜💜💜

[wildegeist-old]

Everyone talks about the joys of someone else being super invested in your OCs and while this undoubtedly feels absolutely awesome, I think there's also something to be said about the joy of being invested in someone else's OCs too. There's just vibes you get out of some people's casts of characters that you can't get anywhere else with their own unique flavor from that person, and they're just sitting there in relative obscurity spawned completely out of someone's mind with no media involvement or anything. Special kind of feeling

[tawnysoup]

the fritter (frin critter)

[egophiliac]

CROWLEY SSR THOUGHTS

there is zero basis for this, but I can't get this thought of my head

I don't know why I decided to draw it this way

[deerest-deer]

lottie + hugs

[dammjamboy]

forgot to ever post this here but i had the most fucked dream the other night and i had to draw it

[sleepiestwizard]

Gem spits the blood out of her mouth, wiping the rest of it off her face. She raises up and pulls her sword out of the fallen body, his horns broken and clothes tattered.

She finally looks up, scared to face the result of the concurrent battle taking place near her. The cruel hand of fate twists both ways, with her ally fighting her… something. She’s simply glad she didn’t have to be the one to face her again, memories of a time past clearer in her mind than the peaceful waves of home, blood and loss and swords and an arrow in her back.

Joel stands up too, brandishing his axe, gleaming with the witch’s blood. He’s grinning big and feral, teeth shining in the moonlight, wolfish smirk dangerously loud in the sudden silence that’s befallen their temporary residence.

Two wild animals in a standoff that can only end in more blood.

Gem still has her sword raised, keeping her eyes on the moving target, never straying to the corpses littering the ground. They start circling each other, two celestial bodies, never close enough to touch.

“So what now, Gem?” he asks, red eyes scanning her, red patch in his hair, red blood staining his face, red, red, red. His sharp grin is still in place, too wide for what the situation calls for, but Joel’s always been a fool.

“I don’t know, Joel,” she replies, voice even, face stoic. “You’re the one that started circling me like I’m some prey animal. I’m not afraid to fight you, you know.”

“Oh I know you’re not, Gem. But you should be.” He jumps at her, axe raised high in the air, clanging against her sword. She managed to block, but barely, his ferocity surprising her.

“Oh, should I now?” she asks, something teasing in her voice. The fighting feels natural, the way Joel matches her perfectly in this way making something warm and fiery burn brighter in her chest. It triggers a memory in the back of her head, one of simpler times, of wooden swords and trophy heads, of jokes and salty air.

His axe catches her as she’s distracted, too slow to sidestep the attack. Blood spills down her arm, and she curses, steeling herself. This is no time to be distracted, she admonishes herself as she gets into a lower stance, counter attacking with her sword.

Steel drags against steel harshly, sword and axe at odds. They’re grinning at each other, Gem realises as she tastes sweat and blood on her tongue. There’s something almost beautiful about the fighting, two dancers so in sync, it feels like a performance. Animals, performing an intricate mating dance, before they devour each other, angry teeth against flesh.

Her sword catches skin and guts and everything in between as she manages to hit Joel in the abdomen. He gasps, the first sign of weakness he’s shown since they’ve stopped being allies - forgotten are the nights spent in the barn together talking about anything and everything, their hopes and fears, huddling in a single bed when it was cold despite being too big.

Like a shark that’s smelled blood in the water Gem pounces, ferocious and fast, a flurry of steel and red hair, red rage, red, red, red.

But Joel knows her, knows inside and out, has spent days upon days sparring with her and fighting other people with her, and he side steps with ease.

Back to circling each other. Gravity against the vastness of space.

It’s Joel’s turn to spit blood, raising a hand to wipe at the corner of his mouth. The hand goes back down to his newly acquired wound and he grins again.

“That all you got, Gem?”

Gem screams, something feral and wild and lunges at him, his axe barely coming up to block her sword. His smirk falls off his face, a concentrated expression taking its place, sweat dripping down his brow. She privately takes pride in that, it’s not easy for Joel to stop pretending, to drop the mask.

The fight for a while, the sounds of steel and heavy breathing all blending into the melody that accompanies their dance. Their steps calculated, the choreography premeditated. They exchange the lead when they feel like it, both of them too untamed to allow themselves to be led for too long, their need for control equal as their skill.

The fight drags on so long, the first rays of sunlight rain down upon them, birds chirping happily in the distance, oblivious to the battle below them. Orange paints the sky and Gem pants.

She’s clutching her side now, the wounds she’s acquired over the course of the night catching up to her. Joel’s the same, their circling now taking on a rather staggering quality, exhaustion dragging their limbs down like lead.

“Don’t suppose you want to give up? Any minute now?”

Gem scoffs, a smile tugging at her cracked lips. Joel smiles back, softer than the situation calls for. But Gem’s always been a fool.

“Didn’t think so,” he admits, and charges at her.

Later, she stands over the bodies.

She is gonna bleed out any minute now, she knows.

She walks to the red barn, one last time. The sunrise paints the sky red. Geminitay bleeds out. Red, red, red.

[a2zillustration]

I love my band of sad wet cats who have never had anyone do anything nice for them ever apparently.

| First | | Previous | | Next |

[[ All Croissant Adventures (chronological, desktop) ]]

[[ All Croissant Adventures (app) ]]

[killertoons]

THIS IS A YEAR OLD NOW BUT I FINALLY FINISHED IT!

I genuinely think wally would try to be friends with bendy, but bendy's not so trusting...and a lil rude.

[okamirayne]

*a wild friend calmly walks over and dumps a mountain of cried through tissues on the ground*

I blame you and I know you're not sorry! How dare you ruin my taste in romance, I can only truly enjoy the genre now if its as painful and raw and tender as these two

The end of Requiem? I just can't even, you beautiful beautiful monster you! The ache, the blood and sinew in the way they crave each other, the gentle flow of time when they're at peace together...*adds another tissue to the mountain*

I mean, everything about this series is good, like Kakashi and Genma and that world weary heaviness, or just Ino and Choji being good beans, the lead in to Kusagakure...but honey, I am as addicted to you ShikaNeji as they are to each other

And when I put it into perspective it gets even more heart-rending because they're just kids! Like, the depth of their feelings is already incredible on its own but when I think that these are teenagers...in a better world they'd be so fucking lucky to find each other that young...but in this one...

Puuh!

I'd also like to point out that one of my favourite recurring elements of this whole series is Shikamaru and Neji instinctively and simultaneously leaping to each other's protection. I live for stuff like this!

Also the fact that you found a way to get Neji hammered twice is absolutely incredible, I take my hat off and pull out snack and tea from it for you because that's some heavy magic

Anyway, onto the next!!!

*the wild friend dives into the mountain of tissues like Scrooge McDuck and doesn't emerge again*

*a wild friend calmly walks over and dumps a mountain of cried through tissues on the ground*

I blame you and I know you're not sorry!

Only because you shared that super sad dream with me and now we're both weighing the impact of the pain trains that we clearly enjoy driving...*sniffles subtly into teacup*

The end of Requiem?

DUDE! Like, how the hell are you reading this fast? I mean seriously, are you absorbing words through osmosis...I am...honestly astounded...but also, deeply touched that you're so engrossed in the BtB madness...wow....

I just can't even, you beautiful beautiful monster you!

I do try...

Now, if I step out of my amusement into the overgrown territory of warm fuzzy feels...I gotta say I'm a tangled hot mess -- as in, nuclear meltdown coloured by Hinata's complexion.

Thank you so much for what you shared here...I get hit all at once with the overwhelming gratitude and it's humbling and heartening in ways that result in me repeatedly failing to translate my feelings into words. Just know, it hits. And I feel it. For a long time.

It was a treat to be able to write that bond as you described it, and I'm so happy that you've connected with it and are impacted by it as a much as I was whilst writing it.

I'd also like to point out that one of my favourite recurring elements of this whole series is Shikamaru and Neji instinctively and simultaneously leaping to each other's protection. I live for stuff like this!

YES!

Also the fact that you found a way to get Neji hammered twice is absolutely incredible, I take my hat off and pull out snack and tea from it for you because that's some heavy magic

Ha! Well...just can't resist a drunken, drugged, or heavily dosed and dopey Hyuga! Shikamaru needs some of that himself, I think. *evil plot bunnies hatch*

Whoa. Godspeed, my dear Wild Friend. Though I don't think you need it at the rate you are powering through those chapters...bloody hell, what are you running on? DO TELL ALL.

*leaves out tea, treats, tissues and a bucket of grateful tears* 💜💜💜💜💜💜

[phoenixcatch7]

In love with the idea of captain marvel being Billy's imaginary friend. Like, it'd be so easy. Early depictions had them as almost fully separate people sometimes, like one soul with two minds, rather than just two filters like we mostly see now.

But imagine a Billy down on his luck, hurt and hiding from police and criminals alike, daydreaming the hours away as children do, taking inspiration from all the superheroes rising to fame, making little stories to play out his dreams of saving the world with a generic action doll he found while dumpster diving once. Most of the paint's rubbed off.

Red's his favourite colour, his comfiest jumper is a bright ruby even after all the grime and washes. Gold, too, it's shiny and warmer than silver! A hero cape is a must, big and eye catching! And he can fly, of course, like superman, and in his daydreams, when he's sore and frustrated after a long day's grind, his superhero is smart enough and knows all the right words to get the bullies to stop without resorting to fighting.

His superhero fantasy is one he spends a lot of time on, the first one he goes for when struggling to sleep at night, and he can picture it so clearly. Captain marvel is big and bright and kind, strong enough to lift the boxes for the old lady up the road who's moving all by himself, fast enough to catch Jamie who fell out of the tree on Saturday and broke his leg and couldn't come to class for weeks. He appears at the entrance to alleys when Billy is cornered, he steps up behind to cover for him when he gets caught shoplifting, he sits at the bus stop with him when it's pouring rain and the right bus doesn't seem to be coming.

And then the wizard comes, or rather whisks him away, and like a magician from a fairytale breathes life into his imaginary friend until Billy feels thrice his size and a million times more invincible.

From then on, captain marvel is a real hero, just like Billy is a real boy, and as one they save the whole city, and then the whole world, and get cats down from trees and help Mrs Victoria move the last of her boxes and she gives them a pinch in the cheek and cookies for the road and sometimes it hurts but it's so much better than he imagined.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Taking a snooze.

[sporesgalaxy]

in my dream last night they released a bill cipher themed soda called Decipher and I tried to go get some but insane wacky nonsense kept interrupting me before I could. I mean the nonsense had to do with the plot of the rest of the dream but it just kept showing up at the exact moment that I was about to get my soda. Ive just remembered the plot of the rest of the dream was that all of the straw hat piratds were there at tbis theme park we were in and some other group of pirates were trying to bully nico robin. the other pirate group was goth btw. their captain almost died from getting splashed with acid (by nico robin) (it was justified). But I didnt see that happen bc really I was mostly focused on getting my dumb soda.

[brazilian-whalien52]

Nami and her harem is my everything and I love how all the relationship she delivers are so different between each other

[beeelderly]

im really glad youre back, captain

[rainy-day-revelry]

Absolutely adoring how the chain seems to have assigned big brother little brother pairings for all of the minors:

Legend who is making sure Hyrule doesn’t overuse his magic and exhaust himself

Warriors who is constantly scruffing Wind to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid

And Twilight who is trying to stop Wild from yeeting himself off the nearest cliff and failing miserably

Peak sibling behavior