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#as someone who is becoming more and more involved in actually learning how writing in tv and movies works
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#I am so tired of people not being able to wrap their head around how dramaturgy works#I am so tired of people jumping to extreme conclusions#as someone who is becoming more and more involved in actually learning how writing in tv and movies works#I am so fucking tired of people mixing fanfic style structure and dramaturgy with original narratives#also I would give a kidney for people to stop judging media through the shipping lense#shipping centric fanfic has done so much damage to the way y'all interact with stories it's unsettling#there's reasons why fanfic is fanfic and original media is not. both are valid both have their niche to exist in#but they do not play by the same rules. that's why they're different from one another#(yeah this is about stranger things but it's not the only instance. this is something that happens more and more and it sucks)#(it makes me furious how many important aspects of storytelling are completely disregarded in fandom discussions)#(a lot of it might be because people don't know?#because it's kinda hard to see the mechanisms when you've never had a look behind the curtain?)#(but that doesn't make it any less frustrating)#(you guys are so hell bent on hating on creators it's terrifying. like do you not realize 'don't put people on pedestals' applies here)#(do content creators make stupid decisions? hell yes! is there some truly awful media out there? definitely!)#(is some of it really harmful? of fucking course!)#(but still these are people writing that and you need to consider not everyone has your brain)#(not everyone comes from the same mental map as you)#(also nothing will ever hold up to the flawless interpretation you have in your head. that's just not how it works)#(and it never will be)#(learn how to critically engage with media you like. that also means considering other nuances you didn't see)#(or didn't want to see)#(you have absolutely every right to be upset and angry and disappointed and all that)#(and of course you should point out dubious choices or tendencies)#(but if media is going to hold any kind of enjoyment for you)#(ESPECIALLY sequels)#(you need to also give benefit of the doubt. suspension of disbelief. 'not what I imagined but Imma read a fix it' mindset)#(especially if the thing you're criticizing /is not finished/)#(almost all of those 'plot hole / everything wrong with' posts about st vol 2 are so so easily rebuffed)#(shit I've run out of tags. whatever I guess you get my point. hopefully)
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mkscatgirl · 1 year
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There is a version of me that gave up uni after first or second year and didn't return to the city and just lives at home and works a min wage job or smth and maybe she's happier maybe she's not but she is definitely less stressed but also she doesn't have the friends that I do
#i like to ponder who i would be if made different decisions than the ones i did make#like in narritive games when you can look at the branching paths#there is 100% a path where i never came back after my gap year and just stayed at home#i think staying home would be way less stressful but i also think that i would feel stagnant way too fast#at uni i am so busy and overwhelmed all the time but i have more friends and more interactions with friends and i feel more fulfilled#because i am learning and am involved with stuff in the uni so it really does feel connected and like a community#and like you can 100% do that in my town too i know like a dozen ways i could volunteer there (half of them i wouldnt tho) but even then#i think volunteering and working retail or whatever wouldnt be enough yknow?#maybe that version of me has the mental energy to become a writer and i get really into essay writing that i post or smth#and maybe i find fulfillment there or i get really into gardening fr and hiking and whatnot i mean i was already on that path but left it#when i went back to the city because i simply cannot do those things#regardless if i stayed home id 1000000% be a family person and there would be a near 0% chance i ever date someone because i KNOW the#the people who are my age there i went to highschool with them im GOOD like im sure new people have moved there maybe but most people who#move there are like 40+ and are planning to retire so idk how many new young adults are there that didnt grow up there and i mean young adu#adult as in 20 smths not teens i am NOT talking about dating teens no thank you#the main thing to note here actually is that i wpuld be mentally ill regardless and so no matter what no choice is ideal
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crushmeeren · 7 months
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SFW & NSFW Bakugou Headcannons
Everyone involved in this fic is aged up/18+; continue scrolling or block if you aren’t into this
Note; These are Random SFW & NSFW Bakugou headcannons that exist to me 😫 sometimes I can’t stop thinking about Bakugou and the things he may do. I needed to just get them out even if it isn’t a one shot. Please enjoy these with me 💥 Also, these were only a few, I had a lot more but didn’t wanna make it too cluttered
Warnings; making out, pussy eating, hickies, choking, bit of dirty talk/praise, not so vanilla vaginal sex/anal sex, aftercare
Another note; I may have gone a bit overboard with this… anywho I really really liked writing this, just something to post in between my one shots, I could write more for him as well as other characters, feel free to suggest one! 💕
If this gets 1,000 notes I’m gonna shit myself
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Katsuki who constantly paints his nails black and has piercings lining from the lobes all the way up on both sides of his ears, plus a tragus on the left and a daith on the right (black and silver jewelry only)
Katsuki who also has a damn eyebrow piercing, who also has tattoos all over his arms and chest (mostly black & gray), it all, unsurprisingly, makes you drool
Katsuki who is actually left handed, who places his right hand on the soft, sensitive skin of your inner thigh as he drives because he always wants to touch you (the fucker squeezes a bit too hard when someone cuts him off, road rage for real with him)
Katsuki who only listens to Japanese rock and heavy metal at full fucking volume, who rolls the windows down during summer and blasts it while you drive down the highway (but you love the music too, so you digress)
Katsuki who religiously wears all black, who loves Doc Martens and Vans, who has an unbearable amount of SiM band T-shirts (which you steal, but he doesn’t mind)
Katsuki who plays the drums and learns your favorite rock song just so he can play it for you (spoiler- you cry)
Katsuki who says fuck almost every other word (but so do you)
Katsuki who introduces you to Eijirou & Denki, who become some of your closest & best friends (you’re so grateful for this, you love those idiots, they’re at your house often)
Kastuki who flushes a soft peachy color to the tips of ears the first time you call him Katsuki
Katsuki who bakes you any desert you want, whenever you want, who always makes you dinner (it’s like an orgasm in your mouth)
Katsuki who encouraged you to get into fitness in the first place, who has supported you every step of the way, who loves you no matter what you look like, but wanted to share his passion of working out with you (Eijirou is often there with you)
Katsuki who helped you learn how to love yourself, who has always been your weight lifting/running buddy (you complain, but now you secretly love going to the gym with him. Plus Bakugou in gym clothes? Dear god.)
Katsuki who pushes you outside your comfort zone, who is stern but that’s what you need to stay focused
Katsuki who can tell when you’re getting overstimulated at the grocery store, so he moves as fast as he can, giving anyone around you the bitchiest look he can manage, while holding your hand and whispering sweet words to you
Katsuki who loves you unconditionally, who you trust wholeheartedly, who is your best friend, who you want to spend the rest of your life with, and he feels the exact same way
💥Little Warning, the NSWF part is below this 💥
Katsuki who fucking loves making out, who gets warm shivers, cock throbbing when you lick behind his teeth and over the roof of his mouth
Katsuki who sucks your soft nipples into his mouth one at a time, who likes to tease you, giving you the erotic view of his warm tongue swirling around one, sucking with plush lips, who bites and pulls making your skull dig into the pillow
Katsuki who sharply bites hickies into the underside of your tits, dull teeth making your skin ache, forcing you to squeal as he liters you with bruises
Katsuki whose voice is gravelly and low when he whispers to you that you’re his needy little bitch and his sweet girl in the same goddamn sentence (you think you could cum just from his nasty mouth)
Katsuki who wraps his pretty lips around your clit making you see stars, sucking gently, who slips his middle two fingers into your slick pussy and swirls his tongue around your sensitive bud until your dripping, badly aching for his cock
Katsuki who gets you so motherfucking wet his thick cock slides in all the way in at once, curly blonde pubes brushing your clit, who sends heat flaring up your spine, out to your limbs as you feel every inch of his dick slide in and out
Katsuki who bites roughly at your calf (he really loves biting you), who leaves teeth marks near your ankle bone as he wraps his fingers around one leg, hooking your knee over his shoulder as he folds you in half
Katsuki who lets you wear his fingers as a necklace, squeezing the sides just right, so you feel dizzy, lightheaded with pleasure when he makes you cum like that
Katsuki who gets so sweaty during sex you watch as it drips down the side of his face, down his neck, who laughs, making you feel filthy when you can’t resist the urge to sit up and lick the liquid from the hollow of his throat
Katsuki who actually fucking loves anal because your ass sucks his cock in just right, who fucks you from behind while he stretches your ass open (little bit of double penetration with his fingers, it’s so damn good)
Katsuki who lets you guide his cock slowly into your ass, panting, whining, growling about how hard it is not to flex his cock so he doesn’t rip you in half
Katsuki who lets out high pitched whines/moans when he starts to really fuck your tight ass, who pushes down on your upper back, nails digging in, forcing you into the mattress
Katsuki who fucks your ass so well your fingers almost rip the sheets, who has you screaming Katsuki! so loud you muffle your shouts in the mattress, whose hips bounce off your ass so hard it turns your skin red
Katsuki who nails your sweet spot through your ass, who makes you makes you cum so hard you get chills, who makes you scream out that you can’t take it (but you can and he knows, your safe word is dragonfruit after all)
Katsuki who is so mean, gripping your hips so tightly, pulling you back into his thrusts, who speaks condescendingly when he asks you where the fuck you think you’re going, because he knows you can take his thick cock, cuz you’re his good little girl
Katsuki who fills your ass, your pussy, cums anywhere he fucking wants because he can, covering you in thick, warm ribbons of his release
Katsuki who cleans you up after, who helps you get dressed, who trades sweet kisses with you in the dark as he holds you until you pass out, head resting on his chest as he snores softly
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wisellamawerewolf · 2 months
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Heaven has a point and it's ruining the show's entire premise
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*rant under the cut*
It has probably been said before by other people who can articulate their thoughts better, but considering the way VivziePop chose to tell her story, Hazbin Hotel's premise just doesn't work.
At first the show's main idea was presumably about how it's never too late to become a better person. The themes of Hotel and providing redemption to damned souls if they CHOSE to become better was fitting for that concept and it could've worked well without much involvement from Heaven. Yearly extermination (although arguably not necessary) added stakes and a sense of emergency, but making Heaven fully involved in the situation was a very questionable choice. Now the main theme of the show is less about "self-improvement" and more about "Heaven is hypocritical", and it just doesn't work well for one (main) reason: every single sinner we have encountered are absolutely horrible.
I already sense some that people might bring up the "They're in Hell" argument, but here's the thing: it would've worked fine with the initial premise, but you can't say "Heaven is bad for exterminating souls" when these souls a.) killed, hurt and ruined people's lives when they were alive; and b.) kept killing, hurting and ruining people's lives in the afterlife. Is there a better solution than just killing these people? Probably. But that doesn't make Heaven seem hypocritical and unjustified. At worst it makes them look stupid, because if they knew most people would find extermination of souls abhorrent, they could've just send someone to rearrange hell and completely isolate the most vile sinners from others in order to prevent them from hurting people, instead of just letting them continue doing their shit but in a slightly worse place.
Another argument that comes in mind probably sounds something like "well obviously not EVERYONE is irredeemably bad in this place, and Heaven is surely unjustifiably sends people Hell for stupid reasons if it's overpopulated". And if this statement is true, I have a couple of questions:
Why then literally none of these people are in the Hotel? Surely Charlie could've find at least some of such people and convince them to participate in her experiment. This is probably better to live under the protection of one of the strongest beings in hell than being potentially killed in the streets, so what do they have to lose? If none of these people believe in Charlie's idea, why every time we meet a non-resident, they are always murderous assholes, with almost no exceptions? If Hell is full of wrongfully condemned souls, why doesn't Charlie address them in the seventh episode, instead of going to the cannibal town to ask for help?
I think I've said it somewhere before, but VivziePop wants to criticize religion for scaring people with eternal punishment for doing arbitrary and harmless stuff, but also wants to treat said punishment as a playground for her edgy OCs most of whom are the exact people who by all logic should be in hell.
She wants her story to be about redemption but then turns around and says "actually, my homicidal OC's did nothing wrong, the SOCIETY that condems them is a true villain. Please ignore corpses my faves piled up in the corner". Viv wants to have her cake and eat it too, which results in a sloppy writing.
The most frustrating thing about this that it could theoretically work if handled more carefully: Charlie is already naive and Vaggie is a freshly exiled angel so just make them believe that all sinners have a legitimate reason to be in hell and need to be "fixed". Let them run into Angel Dust and try to make him improve, only to later learn that better people were turned down in heaven and send to hell because of the arbitrary reasons.
It could've both drived the message of "you can always chose to be better" and provide a valid critique to the religion in regards to what counts as a "sin" and wether it deserves such a hursh punishment or not, but ut VivziePop just can't decide what she wants to do and talk about so she just throws in everything at the same time.
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love-quinn · 2 months
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WOVEN TOGETHER ━━━ remus lupin x reader
━━━ 𖥻︰ 2091 words
summary: despite your best efforts, remus lupin might just become your friend.
pairing: remus lupin x reader
tags: platonic remus lupin x reader, she/her pronouns, reader is a gryffindor the same year as the marauders, shy reader, mentions of anxiety
The common room was one of your least favourite places to be, but your dorm room was worse, so there you were. It was getting late, and you had a potions assignment due the next day, so you were sitting in a quiet corner trying to work on it. Well, trying to want to work on it. You were only just passing by the skin of your teeth, and if you failed this essay then it would bring your grade down from an Acceptable to a Poor, and that meant that you wouldn’t be able to get the NEWTS you needed. You weren’t sure what those NEWTS were, as the idea of having to do anything after finishing school filled you with fear, but you figured it probably would have something to do with potions. You sort of just picked the electives you enjoyed and then did your best.
Unfortunately, your best didn’t seem to be good enough with this essay, as you had been working on it nonstop for the past four days and you still had another 10 inches of parchment left.
“Disfigurement,” a voice came from above you. You looked up from your homework at a boy, looking bashfully at your parchment.
“Excuse me?”
He had the good graces to look embarrassed by the way you were looking up at him. “Disfigurement is one of the major side affects of using lacewing flies in the potion, a big part of the reason that it’s level three restricted by the ministry,”
Now, normally, a man standing above you and explaining something that you already knew would absolutely ruin your day, Merlin only knew it happened often enough. But normally, the men doing it didn’t look like they were talking about it out of pure interest.
His eyes got slightly dimmer as he realised your annoyance, a darkened honey colour that people wrote songs about. “Sorry, I should’ve- Just because you paused writing doesn’t mean you didn’t know what you were talking about. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” You decided on after a minute. You knew who he was, of course, you didn’t spend seven years in the same grade as someone without learning their name, but you were nearly one hundred percent certain he didn’t know yours.
“I just came over for…” he gestured uselessly at the small collection of cups on the table beside you, with a metal pitcher of ice cold water that stayed full no matter how much you poured it. A group of boys in your year had tried to use it to flood the common room one time. You had a sneaking suspicion the boy in front of you had been involved, despite the fact that he never received detention for it like the others did.
“Go for it.”
He poured two glasses of water and paused, looking at you. “I really am sorry. I’ve offended you.”
“I’m not offended,” you replied honestly. “I normally would be, but I’ll allow it just this once.”
The boy cracked a smile, slightly crooked, and it evened out his whole face, as though he had been created just to smile like that. “Thank you, then.” He corrected softly. “For not being offended by my interruption.” He put the cups down gently and looked for a moment as though he might shake your hand, before thinking better of it and leaving them hanging uselessly by his side. “I’m Remus.”
“So I’ve heard,” you didn’t mean to sound pretentious. “I just mean- we share a lot of classes, so I’ve seen you around a lot.” Now it was your turn to be embarrassed.
Remus continued smiling. “No, I know. I see you all the time. You always snag the good table in the library.” He gestured to you, testing your name out experimentally on his tongue, as though afraid to get it wrong. You nodded.
You liked studying in the library because it made you feel like an actual student. Doing homework on your bed, while the more common alternative, made you feel as though you were doing it wrong somehow. As if, because you hadn’t put in the effort to go all the way to the library and bring your study materials with you that you didn’t deserve to do well on whatever it is you were working on. “Do I?” your voice sounded far away, even to yourself.
“I’ll forgive you, though,” Remus said good naturedly, noticing your change in tone. This interaction had gone on far too long for your liking. You were beginning to feel exhausted. How embarrassing.
Talking to strangers for longer than ten seconds makes my stomach do a backflip, you thought bitterly to yourself. That was why your dorm room didn’t feel as welcoming as it was perhaps meant to. The girls in there talked, like they were friends. And they were friends, it was easy to see that.
You’d been so removed when you first started at Hogwarts, when you were only eleven. So overwhelmed by the hundreds of rooms and the hundreds of students, that when your roommates stayed up all night chattering and getting to know one another, you had felt nothing inside you aside from a desire to go to sleep. It took weeks before your nerves calmed enough to even attempt to contribute to their conversations, and by the time you had realised that maybe you did want to be friends with them, they had accepted your silence.
You gave Remus an awkward smile, the polar opposite of the one he’d given you. As if your grinning was a defect, not something you were designed to do. Sometimes it felt like maybe you weren’t.
He was still standing there. How could you make him go away without explicitly telling him to? You felt nauseous, squirmy under his gaze. Why hadn’t he left yet? “That essay Slughorn gave us is a real doozy, isn’t it?”
You cracked a real, genuine smile at his word choice. You didn’t know anyone who used the word ‘doozy’ and the best part was, it seemed to be entirely unironic. “Yeah, I guess.”
“I was planning on spending the afternoon up in the library, working on it.” His hand fiddled with the hem of his button-up. “Any chance I could sit at the good table?”
You nodded almost instantly. “Yeah, no, sure. It’s all yours. Sorry, I didn’t mean to hog.”
“You’re not,” he let out a breathy laugh. “You’re jumpy, aren’t you?” You felt it, and your cheeks burned at the notion that he could tell. “If you wanted to still study at your same table, and I was also to study there, both of us in complete silence, then I don’t think that would be so bad?”
Remus could see that you wanted to say no, and he didn’t want to push it if you were clearly uninterested, but he also knew that it had been seven years of you being the only Gryffindor girl he’d never spoken to, and also being the only Gryffindor girl he’d ever felt a strong desire to speak to. The others were great, sure, Lily and Marlene had become friends to him more concretely now that Lily and James were seeing each other, and Alice had always been sweet. You, on the other hand, had been described by your roommates as sad. Not ‘pathetic’ sad, but a more deep sadness.
“She’s awfully kind,” Marlene had told him once, hushed in the back of a History Against Magic Lesson. He hadn’t remembered how your name had been brought up. “Think she just likes it quiet.”
“The table’s yours,” you offered. “It’s okay. I can just study down here, it’s warmer.”
“It’s louder, though,” Remus reasoned. “Up there there’s no… well, no guys coming over here to explain something you probably already understand.”
“I thought you said you were going to be there?” You were genuinely confused at what he was asking of you by this point, but he laughed it off. You staved off a frown.
“I always find that homework is nicest when you’ve got someone there,” he offered finally. “Even if you’re not talking, just purely sitting there.”
You didn’t see how that would help at all. You’d probably be too distracted by anyone to even get any work done. But, you realised with a start, the notion of someone wanting to spend time in your vicinity, as innocent as Remus’s intentions were, made your heart ache.
He probably just wanted to be able to sit at the good table without putting you rout, you understood that. But at the same time, if he really wanted to sit there, and he really wanted to not disrupt your routine, then you didn’t see why not, even though maintaining eye contact with him for any longer than a second felt as though you were going to combust in a caramel-irised explosion.
“You can come,” you conceded, gently, hoping as not to come off rude or too territorial about your space. Perhaps it would be better if you studied outside, or in an empty classroom. That way you weren’t getting in his way.
“Excellent,” he was talking too loud, and he could tell that by the way you shrank back in your seat.  “Maybe I can finally get my transfiguration grade up, Merlin knows you’re doing well in that class.”
Why would he say that? That made him come across as a stalker who knew all your grades. He hoped you didn’t think that implied you did need help in potions. Your reactions weren’t giving him much, and it was making him nervous. He definitely shouldn’t have come over here, but he had been scrambling for something to say, and now he had to take water over despite the fact that no one had asked for water.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” You closed your textbook so gently it didn’t even made a paper noise as the cover closed. “But if you really do need help, then I might be able to.” You offered him one final smile, cheeks tinged with a visible blush.
You hoped he couldn’t see how dizzy you were getting. You wanted to go sleep and pretend this was all a dream so you could go back to ignoring Remus’s existence like he could go back to ignoring yours.
Unfortunately for you, though, he’d found your little hidey-hole study space that you occupied yesterday, coming in to tease you light heartedly about abandoning him for transfiguration. You didn’t not want to talk to Remus, it was nothing about him. He’d been nothing but sweet and funny in the very limited interactions you’d shared, you were the issue.
“Should’ve known you’d ditch me,” he’d said with a sigh as he sat down, opening his textbook up. You found you didn’t mind his being there as long as you weren’t expected to contribute much to the conversation.
“Thought it would be obvious.” You’d attempted to match his airiness in your tone. It came out strangled.
He sighed gently. “I wanted to pretend it wasn’t so, sweetheart. I thought you and me had something special. I told you about disfigurement in potions and you tell me about disfigurement in transfiguration.”
He’d been attempting to do the spell for about an hour, trying to turn a ball of yarn into a scarf. It was a simple spell that’d normally be of no issue to him, but he just couldn’t get it this time.
After nearly forty minutes of mumbling all but silently to himself so as not to disturb you, you had enough. You reached over and, so delicately he’d thought at first it was simply a breeze, uttered the spell while controlling his hand movements. A long, thickly knitted navy scarf burst from the ball of wool, landing pooled by his crossed legs. You looked up at him, expecting to be reprimanded for the touching, knowing you would have done exactly the same.
“You’re not real,” he said after a moment. Sometimes you felt that way too. “We’re officially studying together every time, now.” He grinned to himself, picking up the scarf and wrapping it securely around your neck multiple times, tucking the ends in to your jumper. It was soft. “Every single time, you little wonder.” You maybe didn’t mind as much this time as you had when he’d last suggested it. Your smile was almost hidden behind the mass of fabric you’d just helped him conjure, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t see it.
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beau-is-here · 3 months
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Why has Husk never stood up for himself, especially when uncomfortable over Angel's advances?
Well, what if it's because of the very deer who owns his soul.
(TW FOR SLIGHT SA/ABUSE REFERENCES, MENTIONS OF BEING DRUGGED) (ITS ANGEL DUST)
ALRIGHT YALL, BEAU IS BACK WITH ANOTHER ANALYSIS. I'm so excited to be writing a Husk-centric one, he's one of my favorite characters!
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So, we all know Angel likes to flirt, and this is mostly because of the way he copes with his own situation. Husk makes it very prominent about his discomfort towards these gestures, as he's the main victim of Angel's fake flirting.
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While he shows his discomfort, however, he never actually tells Angel to stop. All he does is push him away, weather that is an annoyed reaction or literally pushing him away. He never sets boundaries, or even says no to him.
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This all changes when Charlie introduces the concept of boundaries to Husk, as she had crossed Angel's earlier with the Valentino situation. While Husk seems annoyed about her remark, he takes it to Husk.
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When Husk talks to Angel after saving him from being drugged at a club, we notice him setting boundaries for the first time, saying that Angel is always "pushing [his] boundaries". He also uses the same language he learns from Charlie earlier with the boundaries talk.
But why does Husk never set boundaries before this? Because he can not.
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Husk is on a leash, meaning he has to take every order from his boss, or he could lose his life. He can't say no.
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And Alastor's treatment only reinforces how not only hopeless he is, but how powerless he is over his own life. He can not back away from Alastor's grasp, and it makes him feel like he has no choice on how others treat him, especially with Angel Dust.
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I wonder who's situation this remind me of?
But it makes sense that one person struggling with boundary issues is the one to hurt someone else struggling with boundary issues.
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But when Husk opens up about his boundaries, it makes both parties feel better. Husk feels more in control of his life, having the ability to say no. Angel dust feels in control of his life as well, having the respect to not have to essentially sell himself to feel respected, as boundaries are in place to respect all involved.
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Because he is willing to open up about his boundaries, it actually makes Husk feel more comfortable around Angel Dust, as he knows Angel's remarks will only be that of light hearted rather than sexualizing (to an uncomfortable degree). This is why Angel and Husk are able to become so close; as the trust formed between them allows them to open up to each other. This is a healthy relationship. Romantic or not, HuskerDust has really gone a long way for the best!
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genericpuff · 2 months
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I don't know the term for creators who became popular outside the traditional steps to "make it" in their profession; then when people started taking their work seriously and giving them criticism, these creators saw it as an attack because they are not used to mentors and studies.
Smythe's professional training is vague at best, being a folklorist. Then there's the creator of the popular hell cartoon that became her own executive producer and director in her 20s (I'm not going to say her name since it tends to attract her rabid fans) and becomes reactive to any kind of criticism on Twitter. Then there's that TikToker Devon Rodriguez, who became popular for sketching people on subways, and when an art critic gave a mild review to his art gallery, Devon unleashed his fans on him.
Like am I seeing a pattern here for artists? And I guess, what do you think we can learn from it.
Ah, so this is a very interesting (and broad) topic that we've touched on in discussions in ULO and other webtoon-related communities. So buckle up, it's time for an ✨essay✨
I think the best way I can sum up my thoughts on this issue is: the vast majority of people who become paid content creators don't seek out a job as content creators, a job in content creation is just something that happens to them.
I say "content creation" because this is something that applies to a lot of other platforms and online mediums as well, such as the examples you included (TikTok, Youtube, Twitch, etc.). And don't get me wrong, it's not like every successful content creator out there didn't work their asses off to get to where they are, but for many... it still involves an element of luck. People don't go to school for it, people don't "apply" to become influencers, and much of it relies entirely on just making stuff until it gets seen and propelled into success.
I think a lot of these issues arise with the creators themselves and how they view their own work. The reality is that many of us artists have been treated as the "rejects" of society, we constantly feel like we're misunderstood and have some deep inner pain that we express through our art, and instead of going to therapy, we come up with OC's. It's a lot more fun and it's a lot cheaper LOL Webcomics naturally wind up being the perfect lightning rod for people who feel that way, where we can pour ourselves into the characters, the world, the narrative, in a way that perfectly mixes our talents for art and our need to express our innermost thoughts and feelings about ourselves and the world around us. So when our art gets criticized or rejected ... it can be hard for a lot of artists to not feel like it's a criticism of the self, a rejection of our identities, an attack on our feelings and experiences, because we've tied so much of ourselves to our work. And this can make that transition very difficult for people who are trying to go pro, because being professional demands separating yourself from your work, at least enough that you can view it objectively, recognize its flaws, seek out pathways to improvement, and not take every bump in the road personally.
A lot of successful creators are people who just never made that transition. It's led to an abundance of professional creators who know how to film themselves or react to content or, in the case of webcomic artists, write stories about their OC's, but don't know how to actually navigate the industry at a professional level. They don't know how to read and negotiate contracts, they don't know what deals are actually good for them and which ones are better left on the table, they don't know how to manage teams of people, they don't know how to react to the attention, praise, and criticism of their audience - they're just doing what they've always done, but now they're making money doing it.
None of this is to speak ill in any way of the creators who've found success and are still just doing what they've always done for money. None of this is meant to be a slight on the creators who are using webcomics and art as an expression of their deeper selves (I do it myself, it's very cathartic!) because ultimately that's what makes your work your work, the fact that you made it, with all your good parts and bad. Many of these creators are capable of running their platform without any issues because they've learned how to play the game, or because their platform is made up of people just like them so their audience is more like just a social circle.
But many of them still also can't operate on a professional level and those are the ones we often see getting called out and held accountable when they do shit like, I dunno, scamming their audiences for money or making alt accounts to manipulate user reviews or plagiarizing from other people's work or just being really REALLY shitty to their own audience.
Often times these are people who are just doing what they'd normally do as a hobby, became well known for it, and managed to turn it into a living. But they never actually learned how to turn their hobby into a job, and themselves into professionals.
And artists especially are prone to this because, let's face it, a lot of us are just weebs having fun drawing our blorbos, so of course if we get a chance to monetize that, we're gonna! We should! We should want to be paid for our work and time and efforts!
But we also have to remember that it's a different ballgame, especially if you're turning your audience into customers. "I'm just a baby creator doing this for fun" doesn't and shouldn't apply anymore once you start signing contracts, selling your art as products, taking people's money to fund your projects, etc. because now it's not just your art, it's what you're expecting people to pay for so you can eat and pay your bills and live.
As much as our art is often personal and should be cherished as such, you can't expect people to want to pay for it if you're not setting a bar and meeting it, or if you're not treating your audience with any amount of dignity or respect.
I'm not saying you're not entitled to having feelings or still wanting to treat your art as art, but the line between art and products is there for a reason, it's to set people's expectations and ensure that both sides are having those expectations met. Webtoon creators suffer from the same thing that a lot of Youtube creators and other types of content creators suffer from in this transition, and I feel like HBomberGuy summed it up best:
"In current discourse, Youtubers simultaneously present as the forefront of a new medium, creative voices that need to be taken seriously as part of the 'next generation of media' - and also uwu smol beans little babies who shouldn't be taken seriously when they rip someone off and make tens of thousands of dollars doing it."
It's not gatekeeping a medium, it's not telling people they aren't allowed to have feelings or to want to still have that personal connection to their work in spite of the professional level it's achieved, it's simply just expecting people to actually live up to the label of 'professional' that they're using to make money.
And this especially goes for someone like Rachel, who claims to be a 'folklorist' despite all the contrary evidence that says otherwise. This is the same person who copy pasted the first result on Google as her source on a simple word definition:
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There's a second part to that HBomberGuy quote that also actually applies to Rachel really well in this discussion, concerning how she labels herself a "folklorist" and how that's affected and influenced the greater discussion surrounding Greek myth:
"But on the opposite end, Youtubers who act like serious documentarians gain a shroud of professionalism which then masks the deeply unprofessional things they do. We just saw that with James. I think [James] partially got away with what he's doing for so long because he acts so professional about it, so people assume, 'there's no way he could just be stealing shit!' so they don't check. And on top of that, a lot of James' videos contain obvious mistakes and made-up facts... but because they're often presented next to well-researched stuff he stole, no one questions it. I've seen James repeat a lie in his videos, and then other people claim it's true, and link his video as the proof. He has helped to solidify misinformation by seeming like he's doing his diligence."
There's always going to be discourse over what's legitimate and what isn't when it comes to Greek myth, there are loads of things we still don't know simply due to the knowledge being lost to time. But there's something to be said about a white New Zealand woman using her self-insert romance comic and platform to build a veneer of professionalism and legitimacy around herself, as if she's the authority on the subject, while simultaneously relying on first result Google searches and citing works that have no real foothold in the way of scholarly or "folklorist" discussion.
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All that's to say, you're right, her professional training is vague at best. She's never completed a longform comic prior to LO, she's not doing her due diligence in actually engaging with the media she's trying to "retell" and exposing herself to the voices of those from the culture that's tied to it, and she's not holding herself to any sort of standards when it comes not only to being a professional, but a professional who's been held on a pedestal for all these years. She's still operating the same way she was 5 years ago - drawing and writing whatever pops into her head and sending it to her editor for uploading, with next to no intervention or guidance. Except now it doesn't have the benefit of being new and having "potential", it's getting noticed and called out more now than ever because it's been 5 years of this shit and it's been getting worse on account of her clearly being burnt out (or just giving up/not caring) and the readers can't be sold on "potential" anymore.
And that's all I have to say on that.
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brokenpieces-72 · 8 days
Text
Mothers n Monsters
With Mother's Day coming up I figured I would include some wholesomeness involving the Hybrid 141. The following is inspired by @bluegiragi 's Hybrid au and includes @diejager 's reader character Hunter.
Mother's Day is something you are still new to since it was a holiday your biological parents didn't bother with. When you were in the program some of the other hybrids found mother figures in their retainers and mentors.
When it gets brought up in conversation and you learn more you start to wonder who exactly your mother is. Johnny's mom is definitely in there since she took you in. Hunter, you consider a parent because of how they've taken care of you in many ways, and not just you but the entirety of the 141. The last one you think of is Laswell since she'd been talking to you quite a bit to get information back to the program and keep you safe.
The question is... what do you do for each of them?
You ask Johnny for help with Mother's Day with his mother. Johnny often goes into whatever city is nearby and sends a few souvenirs to his mom, whether it's some trinkets, ingredients or even some alcohol. With it, he writes a letter, and you write one too. When the package arrives his mother smiles seeing the usual letter from her son, saying he's happy and grateful to have someone waiting for him to come home every day. What she isn't expecting is a second letter from you, and the adoption papers fully signed. In the letter, you tell her how happy you are to have a family not just on base but one waiting for you in Scotland. You've written about so many of the things you've done and all the things you're excited to do. You thank he for everything, letting you stay with them during the holidays, the extra clothes, and for becoming your new mother. She smiles reading through both letters, before finally looking inside the care package, seeing more than just knickknacks and the bottle of alcohol. You've left some drawings for her as well, of flowers you'd found and places you'd been.
Hunter is a bit harder. They're the kind of person who will say, "I don't need/want anything". You don't know what to get them so once again, you go around asking for help. Of course, you go to Johnny first, and he's a little confused at first. To his knowledge, Hunter doesn't have kids but when you explain your reasons that Hunter is kind of like a mom, he understands a bit better. Johnny has to think about it as well. He suggests coffee, as does Kyle. It's not a bad idea. You go to Price and ask him, and honestly he isn't sure himself. He settles with your help in the infirmary is probably enough. Next, you ask Simon. He also isn't sure but if he had to guess, probably less work needed to be done in the infirmary. Horangi straight up shrugs, not sure how to answer the question, though he figures that a massage or a few nights off would be a pleasant luxury. Konig did actually plan on getting Hunter something small for Hunter, not necessarily as a Mother's Day gift, but as a small thank you. A couple of chocolates couldn't hurt. You get Alejandro's input and it's one you can agree with, which is ensuring any and all prep work and inventory is completed ahead of time.
Rudolfo gives you a great idea though, the one you ask him for help with. Like Hunter, Rudolfo is human so he knows the drawbacks of being a human among many hybrids. You get one of those mugs, but make a custom label for it, and a bag of Hunter's favourite coffee and tea. For the next few days, you go to the other soldiers in the medbay to ask for their help in getting inventory and prep work done ahead of time, and they show you how to do all of it. When Hunter wakes up on Mother's Day they stretch, get out all of the sleepiness, and head over to the infirmary to get to work. When they get to the coffee machine they find the small gift and a small note. The note says, "Happy Mother's Day Hunter, I've gotten the prep work done in the infirmary the night before so you can have the morning to yourself. Enjoy." Hunter looks at the label on the mug and it says "The Beast".
Finally, there was Laswell, and once again you were a little stumped. You didn't know what she liked. Price is your go-to for this question, and he isn't entirely sure himself. He too, doesn't entirely understand the whole mom perception until you explain it. Not sure what else to suggest, he suggests you ask Laswell yourself.
Laswell comes to see you. These visits have become a bit more regular, to ensure the program has no reason to take you back. When you sit with her and go over the usual questions of, how are you, are you eating well, is everything going well on base, etc, you ask her what she would want for Mother's Day. The question catches her off guard a bit.
"Mother's Day? Spirit I'm not a mother." Laswell clarifies.
"You kind of are." You say. Laswell decides to humour you.
"How?" She asks.
"You always make sure we're okay on base, and have everything we need. You watch over us on missions, you come by to check in with me and make sure I'm okay. You've stood up for me before. When I saw my mother, and told you, you immediately called the program to tell them off for not telling us sooner." You explain. Laswell consider it for a moment and she gives you a smile. She didn't think of it like that, and honestly, she figured it was just part of the job and not much else.
"I think hearing all of that is enough for me." She tells you. "Thank you."
Note: Hey just wanted to chime in and wish y'all a good Mother's Day. I hope you're all doing well, and remember to take care of yourselves.
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bisexual-horror-fan · 6 months
Note
Bex would you be down to write a dom ethan and sub reader type dynamic smut? This isn’t a request just wondering if it’s something you’re into 😻
Anon of course this is something I am into. First time writing more dominant Ethan! I hope you like it Anon, I haven't posted a fic in over a fucking month! Everything has been so hetic and nuts, I've been working on this behind the scenes and I am hoping this gets me back into the swing of things! Let's go!
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Now Or Never.
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Rating. Explicit. Length. 2.5K. Ethan Landry X FEM! AFAB! Reader. Warnings: DUB CON! Stalking. Creepy And Delusional Behaviour From Ethan. Obsessive Ethan. Man Handling. Degradation. Vaginal Fingering. Vaginal Sex. Raw Sex. Implied Cream Pie. Hold The Moan. Don’t Get Caught. 
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Ethan has never been the kind of guy to really go after what he wants. He is much more passive, go with the flow, he doesn’t want to upset the apple cart nor ruin the image that people have of him. He knows it isn’t the best practice, he wants to get out of that, he wants to start doing things for him, maybe he should have made the call to start standing up for himself before agreeing to help his family avenge his brothers' death via a complex murder plot. However, Ethan was committed now, and he wasn’t going to back out, more importantly he saw no way how to, and so he stays. 
Assuming an identity in a new place and pretending to be someone he isn’t to infiltrate a group of people, pretend to be their friend just to be close enough to kill them was stressful. It felt like it was consuming his whole life, losing who he actually was in some regard, he needed a distraction, something to help give him purpose, ease his worries and the harsher edges of it all, or he’d go nuts. 
You were his outlet. 
Stalking just went along with what he did in service of the grand plan, you were not part of it, not involved, but you caught his eye in one of his classes. The first time, he was just going the same direction as you, he swears to God, he wasn’t being a creep, at first. That did not last long. He started to watch you, learn your schedule, get into your routine, and whenever he wasn’t having to continue his charade he was consumed getting lost in you. 
He knows where you live, he knows your class times, the coffee shop you frequent, your order at said shop, he knows what soap you use, the part-time job you hold and that one of your biggest pet peeves is when the tag in an item of clothing itches against your skin. 
He’s been watching you for an amount of time that he is sure if you knew would make you very fucking uncomfortable. You seemingly hadn’t caught on to what he was up to, which was good, it meant he could keep it up without worry, watching you living your life while you were totally oblivious. To be fair, how observant you are or are not, is not what he liked best about you, honestly what he liked is that you were the opposite to him in a lot of ways. No real responsibilities other than the ones you wanted to have, just living the way you want to, he felt some modicum of jealousy over that, he imagines what life could be like if he could get out of his current situation and have a more normal existence with you, it’s a good escape, but it’s just that, a fantasy, an unattainable one. 
It is getting harder and harder to ignore the situation he is stuck in, the same way it is becoming impossible to ignore the clawing feeling of dread in his chest. He wanted to stop feeling so helpless, wanted a sense of control, to feel like he was living for himself, even in a tiny sense. 
Time is running out, and he needs to correct this, or he might fuck up everything without some serious stress relief. 
Ethan learned about the Halloween party you were going to attend, and he thought maybe that would be good, to go and cut loose a little while near you. That plan changed, morphed, got away from him once he was actually there and near you in the costume you chose. 
He tried to keep distance, to just watch but between observing you having fun, the mounting pressure and the frankly bordering on painful erection in his jeans that would not stop throbbing finally a piece inside of him broke.
You had to know what you did to him. You had to know the effect you had on him, it was like you were aware you were being watched, doing this on purpose, it’s maddening. He could crush the red solo cup in his hand as he observes you dance with a friend, the way your hand rests on his arm, your head tips forward to press against his shoulder as you laugh, the sway of your hips, it should be him, why not him? He stews in his thoughts and the anger, the unfairness and the budding arousal threatening to boil over inside himself. 
He’d brought his Ghostface costume along, had it in his bag for something he needed to do later, it was like he acted on autopilot. He sneaks off, he got into the costume, and then he waits for the right moment. 
You are on your way to the bathroom, but not the main one people use, no these were your friends, and you knew about the lesser used one, he knew about it because of course, creep that Ethan was, he followed you there. When you are close enough he strikes, his hand over your mouth, his other arm loops around your middle, and he drags you the rest of the way to the bathroom. The door is already ajar, it’s no trouble to get you inside, a backwards swing of his foot to the wood makes the door close. The light is dim, there is a nightlight plugged into the wall outlet near the counter top by the mirror, so someone stumbling from the basement guest bedroom can find their way to the bathroom he assumes. 
You are struggling against him, squirming, muffled sounds trying to get out from behind his hand, but he is struck by just this. He is touching you for the first time, holding you, he draws you closer, makes it so you are flush against him. He’s thought about this countless times, you are warm and softer than anticipated, he can fucking smell you and it is intoxicating. He is so caught up in this, taking in every detail and small movement, he presses his hips forward, grinds himself on you through the layers of jeans and black fabric as he smells your hair and then what you do next? Ethan never would have thought in a million years you’d respond like this, by your eyes closing and you grinding back, pressing your ass closer to him with a sound behind his hand that might sound like a moan if he let you express it fully. 
You aren’t fighting him, not any longer, no you are rocking with him, trying to stimulate yourself in any way possible against him-
Oh.
You are better than he thought, he knew you were a slut, he’d seen you in your place, knew your porn search history and the collection of toys you owned, but to be down to fuck a masked stranger you hadn’t exchanged a single word with? You were a world-class whore, he was going to take advantage of this opportunity to the fullest. 
He knows he doesn’t need to hold you so closely, his arm releases your mid-section, his hand slides down your body and between your legs and up the short skirt of the costume you wore, fingers press to your underwear. You are already wet enough he can feel it through the thin material and his gloves. Your hips buck, wanting to get closer, feel more of him, it feeds his ego and emboldens him, you want him, and he isn’t going to deny you. 
He gets his glove off, he needs to feel you, skin on skin. His hand slides into your panties, his fingers dip as low as they can and feel the source of your extreme wetness, he presses, tease the hole carefully before his digits slide up through your folds, and he knows he finds what he needs when you gasp, head thrown back against his shoulder. 
His hand works, fingers circle over your clit, and you inhale sharply through your nose, brows furrow, and he watches you in the mirror. The way the pleasure plays out on your face as he teases you, he enjoys how your body responds, the small tremors of your limbs, the twisting and squirming of your form, the way your clit throbs under his touch as he presses harder. 
He needs to feel you inside. Fingers move, you whine, he dives inside, and he curls them, it causes the biggest reaction out of you yet. Your body pitching forward, hands on the counter and your walls clenching around his fingers. You are so soaked, soft, hot and so thoroughly alive. He can barely move them inside of you, but he does, he slips them in and out, presses to that same spot that got such a big reaction out of you, and he moans quietly, he swears he can feel you getting wetter. 
In and out, flex and push, you writhe, and he wants to hear you, he pulls his hand away, but before he does, he has one finger over your lips, that classic symbol of “shhh” and you nod, eyes half lidded and lust filled. You let out quiet moans, his palm grinds against your clit as his fingers fuck in and out, he can’t take much more. The simple movement, the motion, how hard he is rocking against your ass, he wants to be buried in you, wants to fuck you. 
So he does. 
His hand moves, fingers pulled out, and your eyes had slipped closed again, at the loss of him they open, confused and when you see him pulling the robe up you get the hint. You make your own move, shaky hands lift off the counter and your fingers hook under your skirt, you tug down your underwear and you step one foot out, leaving them hooked around your other ankle. He has the robe up and his pants open finally, the relief of pressure on his straining erection has him letting out a small sigh. His hands are on you, he adjusts you, one knee on the counter and pushing you forward, your hands braced on the sink, and you adjust too, your hips tilt and soon with a hand on your back and the other on the base of his cock he is lining up. 
It’s rushed and faster than he wants, but he just wants so much, it’s been so fucking long he can't stop it, can't help himself. He feels you, the heat coming off of you, the wetness on his tip, he lingers for only a moment before his hips move involuntarily, and then he is helpless. The first half inch pops in with no resistance, and you are perfect, you feel incredible it makes him let go of himself, hands lock on your hips, and he pushes further, slides deeper, and he watches you in the mirror. The way your mouth falls open, the exhalation, the way you tense in some regards and relax in others, but mostly he can’t focus on much else other than how your cunt feels around him as he settles in, finally to the base. 
He soaks you in for a second, you are more impatient than he, you whine again, needier than before, and you move first, pull your hips forward before sliding them back, and it makes any semblance of control break. He takes over, the grip on your hips tightens, and he pulls out almost totally before driving back in, you have to bite your lip to hold the moan back enough to not be overheard. The party is on the main floor, you are in the basement, but you are sure that he could make you alert everyone up there. 
This was insanely hot for you, a masked stranger pulling you away and touching you, groping you, fucking you without you seeing his face or uttering a single word? Unbearably hot, his fingers were good, but even two minutes in his dick puts his hands to shame. He is greedy. He touches more, he didn’t touch you enough before, his other glove comes off, and he touches your legs, your thigh, a firm squeeze of your ass, he feels up your sides and your chest. You lean closer into his touch, moving still with him, loving the pace he took as he fucked you, rough and quick, he pulls the top of your costume down, exposes your tits, palms them, and you moan louder than you probably should. 
This is good, but it could be better still, your hand is between your legs, you stroke your clit as he fucks you, the stretch of him is delicious, you find yourself gasping, arching your back a bit more so he hits that spot inside just a bit harder, a touch better. You are so close to the mirror you are in danger of fogging it up, but you want to look at him, you’d been staring at his masked face this whole time, wondering who is under it. 
You move back, press yourself closer to him and away from the mirror, and you get this urge. This urge that you don’t question or think about. Your back is to his chest, he is still preoccupied with fucking you and rolling your nipples between his fingers, perfectly distracted, huffing and letting out small sounds of pleasures, groans, you reach back behind him and the move is fast. You push the hood back, fingers grip, and you pull and twist, the mask comes off. He’s shocked.
He was so consumed with the feeling of getting to have you, with the mounting pleasure, he even had his eyes closed like an idiot, you got the drop on him. He stopped, held deep, and your eyes met in the mirror. 
He’s hot. Hotter than you thought possible, dark sweat soaked curls and hard eyes, pretty pink lips are wet and parted, he’s strong and has had no issue throwing you around and holding you down. The low orange light playing off your body and his face is going to be burned in your mind forever.
You don’t want him to stop, you want to keep going. You maintain eye contact, you move again, pull him out slightly before bucking back, he inhales hard, and you do it again, and again, slip more out and take him harder on every movement, and he comes back to himself. 
You like this, like him, you liked him as a stranger doing this, but you were still into this now made it even better. He takes over again, he fucks you harder while still meeting your eyes in the mirror. He wasn’t going to stop now until you came around him, and he filled you up.
God, he needed this. 
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personwhowrites · 1 year
Note
Hi! I wanna say I really love your work and it look cool and wicked.
Can you do TF141 + König x reader
Where they meet the new recruit who is totally a badass. (Like Alice from Resident Evil) and the gangs are inspired seeing her in action taking down the enemy. Take all the time you need, no need to rush.
I hope this what you had in mind! I am so sorry for not writing on Tuesday, I been working on this for a while now! Thank you for your patience and request! -E <3
Wc: 2k+
Tw: Knife, hand to hand combat, mentions of blood, dead body, Slightly guilt?, some fluff<not really>, mentions of bombs, slightly panic attack? Jumping out of stuff, terrible writing.
Beyond the mission
You entered the briefing room as Laswell called out, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. They all fell silent as Laswell introduced you to them.
"This is X," Laswell says, pointing to you and offering you a seat next to her. "X is a highly trustworthy person, and I've been waiting for all of you to meet them. X, this is task force 141, and König. You'll be joining them for a mission."
You give them a nod and take the seat next to Laswell. You wait for her to continue with the plan, your eyes wandering over to König. His height surprises you, along with the strange mask covering his face. He is not the only one in the group wearing a mask; another member has a skull mask on. It seems like you stared at the man with the skull mask for a bit too long, as your gaze meets his. He crosses his arms and leans back, continuing to hold your gaze. Eventually, you break eye contact as Laswell hands you a file.
"Information about the case and your role in it," Laswell says, looking at you. "X, I know you prefer working alone, but for this mission, you'll need to work with a team."
"Laswell, you know I don't do well with this 'team' stuff," you say, annoyed as you begin to look through the file. "Especially if the mission involves infiltrating the enemy's base."
"That's why you'll learn under my command," someone speaks up, causing you to quickly look up. "I'm Price, your captain."
"I know who you all are, I read your information on my way to the base," you respond quickly and look to Laswell. "Kate, I can't do this with so many people."
“I can’t pull you out of this one X.” Laswell says shaking her head. “Your skills are needed heavily on this mission.”
You sigh and set the file down, already feeling annoyed by the mission and hoping it would end soon. Working with a team was the last thing you ever wanted in life. You only care about your own safety, while it is your job to keep people safe, not everyone is expected to do that 24/7.
"You said you already knew who we are," Price says, breaking your train of thoughts. "How did you get our information?"
"With good skills in pickpocketing and hacking, you can do anything," you say, crossing your arms in front of your chest. "Let's just get this done, so we don't have to worry about this problem getting worse."
"Speaking like a true team member," Laswell says, patting your back. "I'll leave you all to discuss the matter. Price, let me know when you're all set to leave."
"Will do," Price responds, watching Laswell leave the room. "Now, everyone, we are going to ignore everything that's in this file."
"What?" König says, surprised. "Sir, we can't clearly-"
"Now you're speaking my language!" You smile and close the file. "I might have misjudged you, Captain."
“Gaz watch the door and Soap close the blinds to this room.” Price orders making slightly smile more, seeing actual order was nice. “Now, X right?”
“That’s correct.” You reply looking at him. “I’m guessing you want my idea in how we can sneak in?”
“A woman that can read my mind.” Price chuckles for a moment and then stops. His face becoming serious. “Well?”
"The layout features two entrances, two floors are show..but seems that their could be potentially a hidden third floor located underground..” You pause for a moment and then sigh. “Which may contain sensitive information and be highly secure."
"We can sweep each floor, starting by first floor, we can then move to the second floor and possibly have two people search for the entrence to the third floor." Price says in an ordering tone."We have six people on the team, we can split into three groups of two people each."
"I can go alone," you say, causing Price to shake his head. "I think it's best if two people go by themselves, it'll be more efficient and we can split up and keep watch for the other group."
"Agreed," a deep and husky British voice says, sending shivers down your spine. "It would be beneficial for us, captain."
"Fine," Price says, causing you to relax. "X and Ghost will go alone. Now, let's get our gear and be ready to leave in ten minutes."
Everyone nods to Price and exits the briefing room. The teams were already assigned. Gaz is with Price, Soap is with König and you and Ghost are alone. It seems straightforward, even for Laswell who isn't privy to the full plan.
As you enter the base, you aim your gun around, following behind Ghost. Everything seems normal until someone takes notice of your group's presence. You quickly pull out your knife and throw it past Price and König, then run up to the enemy and pin them against the wall. You take the knife out their arm and cut their throat, causing blood to spill on your hands. König quickly shoots someone nearby and the others begin firing at the enemies. The first floor is filled with the sounds of bullets hitting the floor and the smell of blood. It's a chaotic and bloody entrance for sure.
"Bloody hell," Price exclaimed, "All of you, be alert. We are not splitting up under any circumstances." Price quickly reloaded their gun, the sound of the chamber clicking into place filling the room. You couldn't help but sigh at the seriousness of the situation, knowing that things were about to get dangerous. "Alright, everyone, get ready," Price continued, "We are heading to the second floor. Keep your eyes and ears open, and stay alert." Price's voice was firm and commanding, leaving no room for argument.
As you heard Price's command, you decided to act on your own, ignoring the order to stick together, and rushed upstairs, eager to take on the enemy. However, as soon as you reached the second floor, you were met with a hail of bullets, forcing you to quickly dodge and weave your way through the barrage of gunfire.
You managed to find temporary refuge behind a door, but you soon realize that you weren't alone. An enemy was approaching, armed with a genie knife, ready to attack you.
"We don't have to do this," you said, trying to diffuse the situation. "Please, I don't want to hurt you." You said as you closed the door behind you, in an attempt to keep the enemy away, and also to give you some time to think.
The enemy, however, didn't seem to hear your words and kept advancing, the genie knife in hand, ready to strike. You quickly back away, trying to put some distance between you and the enemy, but you soon found yourself backed against the door with nowhere else to go.
As the enemy swung the knife at you, you realized that there was no reasoning with them. They didn't care about themselves or the consequences of their actions. They were focused solely on their mission and taking you out. In that moment you understood that you have to defend yourself, you have to protect your life. You need to take action, be ready to defend yourself with whatever means necessary. You prepared yourself mentally and physically, as you have to be ready for the next move that the enemy will make.
The enemy quickly overpowered you, pinning you against the wall, the knife now inches away from your face. But you were not going to give up that easily, you quickly used your combat training and press your knee on the enemy's crouch. Applying unwelcoming pressure, causing them to back off and drop the knife away from them.
You took this opportunity to tackle them, and grabbing the knife in the process. You were now in control of the situation and the weapon. However, in the midst of the struggle, you were unaware of the door being opened by one of your teammates, soap. They were witnessing the situation and was ready to intervene if needed.
With the enemy subdued, you raise the knife up and stab their chest multiple times, letting some blood splash on your face. As you did this, you could feel the adrenaline pumping through your body, a mix of fear, anger, and satisfaction. You felt victorious, but also a sense of guilt and remorse.
"What the fuck.." soap exclaimed, looking at you with shock and horror in their eyes.
They were taken aback by the scene before them, the enemy lying on the ground, covered in blood and the knife still in your hand.
You, on the other hand, seemed to be emotionless, your expression was blank, and your eyes were empty. You were still in shock from what had just happened, processing the events and the emotions that came with it. You get up, trying to shake off the feeling of the weight of what you had just done.
"Jesus," soap murmured, as they take in the sight.
They were at a loss for words, not sure what to say or how to react. They knew that the situation was intense and that you had to defend yourself, but still, the sight was unsettling.
Price enters the room and sees the gruesome sight, the enemy lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood and the knife still in your hand. They immediately understood what had happened, and how intense the situation was.
As you back away from the body, Price could see the weight of what had just happened in your eyes, the shock and the guilt.Price didn't say anything, just nod to acknowledge what had happened. They knew that their team had taken out the rest of the enemies on the second floor, and now it was a matter of securing the area and making sure that there were no other threats.
You move past them, looking around, taking in the destruction and the aftermath of the fight. The sight of all the bodies, the smell of gunpowder, and the sound of silence filled the room.
"Cleared the first floor," Ghost said behind you, speaking to Price. "We found the room with the information. Gaz downloaded everything we needed."
You heard the words but your mind was still processing the recent event, trying to make sense of what just happened. Ghost's words brought you back to the present, reminding you of the objective and mission. You took a deep breath, try to shake off the recent event, and focus on the task at hand.
"Good," Price says, still looking at you. "Who placed the bombs?"
"I did, captain," König says, looking over at the dead body, taking responsibility for his actions. "Our helicopter is awaiting us, captain."
"Let's go," Gaz calls out from the stairs, "We don't have much time till they set off, captain. I have a feeling some of the enemies got away."
Price nods, understanding the urgency of the situation. They quickly give orders to the team to leave the building, and to move quickly to the helicopter, that was awaiting for them.
The helicopter ride was silent, as you all sat there with your own thoughts, processing the events that just transpired. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the weight of what just happened hanging heavily in the air. You stared at your hands, replaying the events in your head, feeling a mix of emotions.
But after a moment, you finally snapped out of the sorrow, and the weight of the recent events began to lift. You couldn't help but smile a bit, feeling relieved that it was over. Price noticed your change in expression and cleared their throat, grabbing your attention.
"Where did you learn to do such a brutal thing?" Price says, his tone demanding and making you feel anger fuming inside of you. "Answer me, X."
You met his gaze, your own expression now hardening as you got ready to reply.
"When you work alone, you learn stuff." You say softly looking at him.
Price was taken aback by your reply, he probably wasn't expecting that answer. He probably thought that you have some sort of training or special forces background. But the reality is that your training is the result of the situations you have been in, the fight for survival and the need to protect yourself.
"Stop the helicopter," you said, your voice firm and commanding, indicating that you wanted to get off the helicopter.
"We are in the middle of nowhere, X." Gaz calls out from the passenger seat, "There's no base or towns near here!"
"This is my stop!" you said, getting up from your seat. König quickly puts his arm out, stopping you. "I know this area like the back of my hand,"
"You aren't leaving," Ghost says, making you stop and look at him. "No one is, until we get to the base."
You could see the determination in Ghost's eyes, he was in command mode now, but you were not going to let anyone stop you. You pushed König's arm out of the way and grab your gear, quickly moving to the door of the helicopter. You opened the door, and without hesitation, you jump out as Price yelled your code name. König gets up from his seat, hitting his head on the ceiling, startled by your sudden move.
Soap immediately rushes to the open door, only to see a parachute blocking the sight of you. They knew then that you had planned this and you were determined to leave. They knew that this was not something that they could stop you from doing.
As you drift away from the helicopter, you could see your team looking at you in shock and confusion, but you didn't care, you knew that you had to do this. You had to be alone, to process the recent events and to think about your next move.
You were aware that your actions might have consequences, but you felt that it was necessary. You pull the cord and your parachute opened, allowing you to drift safely to the ground. As you landed, you felt a sense of freedom wash over you, knowing that you were finally alone, and that you could finally think and process everything that had just happened.
"She has a parachute!" Soap yelled, trying to calm down the men, who were startled and confused by your sudden move. "Captain?"
Price sits back and shakes his head, "Leave her, I know Laswell will have her around," he says with a sigh. "That woman is crazy."
It is clear that your actions caught them by surprise and they may not agree with your decision but they knew that they had to respect it. They knew that you have your own way of handling things, and they had to trust that you knew what you were doing.
They also knew that you have a reputation of being a skilled and capable operative, who have gone on solo missions before, you have the knowledge and the experience to handle yourself.
As you watch the helicopter vanish from your sight, a sense of relief washed over you. You were finally alone, and you could finally take a moment to process everything that had just happened. You felt the weight of the recent events lift, and you couldn't help but smile.
You take a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill your lungs and the warmth of the sun on your skin. You lay down on the grass, enjoying the moment of peace, and taking in the beauty of your surroundings. The sounds of nature, the rustling of the leaves, and the chirping of the birds all helped to calm your mind and ease your soul.
You knew that you still have a lot to think about, a lot of decisions to make, and a lot of things to process. But for now, you were content to enjoy the moment, and to take a break from the chaos and violence of the mission. You close your eyes, letting yourself relax and drift away in the peacefulness.
Months passed, and no one had heard from you. Laswell never informed the team what happened to you, if you had ever reported back to her or if you had gone on another mission. The team couldn't help but wonder about your whereabouts and what had become of you. They couldn't help but think about the way you had defeated an enemy, with no hesitation, no pity in your eyes, just emptiness, and a clear mode of self-preservation.
They thought about the times Soap would mention your code name, and how you always seemed to be one step ahead of the enemy. They couldn't help but admire your skills and your determination.
Until one day, out of the blue, you showed up in the briefing room, with Laswell awaiting the team.
Price was pleased to see you, relieved that you were okay and that nothing had happened to you. He was curious to know where you have been and what had happened during your time away, but he also knew that it was not the right time to ask.
Soap, on the other hand, was head over heels to see you, he couldn't help but smile when you entered the room, he had missed your presence and your skills. He couldn't stop himself from trying to imitate the move you did on the enemy, many times, yet he could never land it right.
"The Cartel has attacked again, this time getting the British involved," Laswell says, handing everyone a file. "We need to take out the leader, and put an end to this once and for all. X, you will lead this mission, and work with the team to take out the leader and dismantle the cartel. Then, you will return back to the base, where we will debrief and plan the next move."
"Is X joining our team?" Gaz says, raising an eyebrow as he notices the uniform, "I don't have anything against it if she is."
"Please, call me Y/n." You say getting up from your seat. "Excuse me, I have somewhere to be."
"Y/n, sit your ass back down," Price orders you firmly. "You will listen to your captain, and you will follow orders. We are a team, and we need to work together to succeed."
A small smile spread across your lips as you took in the new team you found yourself in. You were excited to explore the new world of teamwork, and see what kind of adventures awaited you. You look at the men in front of you, all of them delighted and happy to accept you into the team. You knew that it would take time for everyone to adjust, but who knows what kind of adventures could await you now?
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em-dash-press · 11 months
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8 Tips for Writing Crime Fiction
People love a good whodunit. It’s why there are so many crime fiction subgenres: detective fiction, courtroom fiction, thrillers, cozy mysteries, historical mysteries, and more. 
If you want to try your hand at a story centralized around a crime, you might wonder if you need detective experience or a lifetime in the actual crime world to make a great short story or novel.
Check out these tips to find out what you need to get started.
Tips for Writing Crime Fiction Stories
1. Read Crime Novels or Short Stories
When someone wants to become great at sports, they find a coach. When they want to start a new career path, they go to school or find a mentor.
If you want to write crime fiction and you’ve never tried it before, treat yourself to some new reading material. You can browse the latest crime novels or short story collections to see what readers can’t get enough of. As you read with the intention of studying the work through your writer’s eyes, you’ll learn how to pull a crime story together.
Pay attention to how the authors build tension, introduce new facts and pull characters together through the primary criminal act in the plot. Note whatever interests you or makes you excited to read the next page.
2. Pick Your Conflict
While you can have multiple types of conflict in a successful story, you should pick a primary conflict as your crime fiction plot device. The crime itself could kick off your story and push everything forward, or it could be what makes your story fall apart on purpose.
Will you write an interpersonal detective story or involve the criminals themselves? Maybe your narrative will center on a victim’s loved one who becomes your protagonist. Your primary conflict will shape your plot and help you create the best protagonist to carry your story.
3. Create Your Crime First
It’s not impossible to write a crime story without detailing the crime itself before you start writing—but it’s much easier. It’s especially important if you’re planning to write a novel because there are so many elements that rely on things like:
Who does the crime?
What is the crime?
When does it happen?
Why does it happen?
Where does it happen?
What’s the motivation for doing this crime (if any)?
What are the repercussions of this crime (for all of your involved characters and their world)?
You’ll spin everything out from the crime, so start by picking an illegal event you want to write about. If you need help, read newspaper articles or browse true crime documentary descriptions to make a list of possibilities.
4. Save Your Most Helpful Research Sources
The realism of crime fiction plays a significant role in interesting your readers. You’ll need to research so much when you know what your plot will hold and what crime it involves.
You might spend weeks, months, or even years reading about things like:
How your protagonist’s world works before the crime and how the crime changes it
How DNA profiling does and doesn’t work
How first responders and cops handle crime scenes
How people are treated by the media when they or their loved one are hurt in a crime
How the legal proceedings afterward work for your protagonist
Once you know how the framework of each element works, you can create plot twists by causing slight breaks in the systems. I highly recommend saving pictures, links, and detailed notes in digital documents like a Google Doc or spreadsheet. You can also use the resources listed here to find other ways to visually save your research.
5. Give Your Antagonist a Motivation
Many crimes happen because people plan them to their advantage. A robber steals money because they have overwhelming medical debt. A killer murders someone who hurt them in the past.
The motivations won’t always be morally right, but they have to exist. Make sure your antagonist has one before and after the crime occurs. How does the event change their motivations or goals? That’s essential to know to keep them grounded within their own realm of reasoning.
If you’re writing a crime that wasn’t intentional, there has to be a motivation carrying your antagonist forward in the aftermath. What’s making them make their decisions regarding how they cover up the crime or distance themselves from it?
Tips to Take Care of Yourself While Writing Crime Fiction
1. Check In With Yourself
It’s so easy to bury your emotional well-being while writing a dark story. You might want to finish it on time or get through a particularly gruesome part of the plot, but pushing your emotional state to the side will only lead to burnout or worse.
Check in with your emotions to see what you need throughout your writing process. Sit quietly by yourself and ask what emotions are present. Let them speak above your story’s needs or your other responsibilities. Then see if those emotions have been lingering for the last week or two. Journaling can help with this, but you can also record your thoughts in the Notes app on your phone or a spare piece of paper by your laptop.
You might need to step away from your work for a bit or write a more laid-back story to give your mind a break. Maybe a good cry will release the pent-up emotions from your hours of research into how cruel humans can become.
Writing about darkness doesn’t mean you have to be trapped in that darkness for however long it takes to write the story.
Take care of yourself first. You’re more important than any story.
If your mind ever starts to feel overwhelmed while you’re writing a story with heavy thematic elements or violent events, please get help. I highly recommend the sliding-scale therapy available through OpenPath (sessions can become as little as $30/hour). You can access licensed therapists in your area, arrange in-person or virtual appointments, and make each session fit within your budget.
2. Take Breaks
Pausing your creative writing for the day or even the week could be what your mind needs. Research shows regular breaks make people more productive because they utilize other areas of our minds and help us return with fresh energy.
It’s also important to take breaks for your emotional well-being. You may not feel as sucked into your antagonist’s (or protagonist’s) violent, dehumanized state of mind by walking away from your manuscript. Talk with someone you love, watch your favorite show, or go to that farmer’s market you’re always talking about.
It’s easier not to get caught up in negativity when you retain control over it through things like breaks.
3. Don’t Sweat Your Search History
Cops won’t show up at your door if you’re googling which artery pumps the most blood and how long it would take to bleed out if that artery opened. That’s not how the internet works.
There are very few odds that police will need your search history while trying to solve a crime one day. However, if it makes you uncomfortable, look into a VPN and use incognito mode (if you’re on Chrome. Firefox users can use Private Browsing.).
You can also avoid specific internet searches by watching true crime documentaries on a similar crime or reading books about similar cases. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, especially if you’re writing a long-form manuscript that could take months or years to complete.
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If you’re interested in writing crime fiction, these are a few ways you can get started. Remember, you don’t have to write a perfect first draft. That’s impossible. All you need to do is start creating your world and use tips like these when you need help along the way.
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rosetowers · 9 months
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I need to stop making Aus and not do anything with them, but Prince Ballister has a hold of my brain, so have some little ideas.
EDIT: forgot to tag @mvjerbs bcs their art caused this
Bal's adopted by the queen during his "breaking-into-the-Institute-bcs-he-wants-to-be-a-knight" thing, and she goes "free baby" and scoops him up.
He has a generally easier time, even if he's a bit disappointed about not being a knight. It's one thing for even the queen to stray from Gloreth's doctrine and allow a commoner to be a knight.
Like, people don't like a commoner becoming heir to the throne, but that's seen as being up to the queen, and the closer relationship protects Bal from people's scorn.
The Director becomes concerned as Bal gets older and more involved in politics, as he starts suggesting stuff like helping the lower classes or anything that affects the status quo, which could put the city (*ahem* the Director) in danger.
The queen had been a bit sheltered from problems in the realm, but takes Bal's advice seriously and starts looking into ways to help people.
I have a couple of ideas as to how he meets Nimona:
Follow canon, somewhat. They meet after the main plot kicks off with Nimona opening Bal's eyes to how much worse the situation is and how corrupt the Institute is etc.
Or, they actually meet when he's younger, and she gives him far more radical ideas as to how they can help the realm.
For the first one, just Bal suggesting they should allow commoners to become knights would be enough to set the Director off, but in the second scenario, Bal could suggest actually trying to explore beyond the walls.
Not sure if I'd have Bal be framed in the second scenario: I feel like they could announce the intention to take down part of the wall ON the wall, and the Director makes it look like someone from outside attacks the royals.
Bal survives, but loses an arm. Thanks to Nimona, he suspects the Director, who demonises him and makes herself regent.
As for Goldenheart, Bal still wanted to learn how to sword fight, so Ambrosius was assigned to be his sparring partner.
Gloreth's descendents also often become royal bodyguards.
This can involve anything from pining over not being able to be together, to saying "fuck it" and doing so behind closed doors.
In the "Bal has known Nimona for years" scenario, Ambrosius knows about her too and agrees that they should help people and explore beyond the walls.
If nothing else, it does give him the opportunity to do something new as Gloreth's descendent.
He still believes in the Institute and doesn't think the Director would hurt anyone, but he also still believes in Bal's plan and doesn't like how he's being treated after the queen is murdered.
So there's some tension going on there as he tries to figure out what he should do.
Again I have put too much thought into this, and I'm not gonna have the attention span/confidence to write a whole fic, but I needed to get it out of my head lol.
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relaxxattack · 1 year
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How would you go about writing a pitch relationship?
OKAY SO.
essentially, when you get really down to the wire about it, it's about respect.
the foundation of a pitch relationship needs to be some sort of respect, and equality. this seems kind of obvious at first, because, how the fuck are you meant to rival someone if you're not equal? if they're actually better than you, and they win every fight or challenge, that's a beatdown, it's not a rivalry.
the literal definition of rivalry itself implies that two things of equal chance attempt to succeed.
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they can't just be exactly mentally and physically identical, though, and it's possible for two parties to not be equal and have a healthy kismesissitude anyway-- as long as they consider themselves to be equals.
that's where respect comes in. one party may be completely unable to fight or fend off any attacker, and the other may be the strongest bodybuilder in the universe. and you could think to yourself, well clearly they aren't equal, because the bodybuilder could snap the weak one like a twig. but if these two people really had healthy pitch feelings for one another, they would exhibit in challenges that were not physical. perhaps these two people are equally terrible at video games. their rivalry could manifest around that.
the main thing that people know and remember about pitch romance is the fact that it's based on hatred and annoyance. this person should annoy the shit out of you, and that friction between you is what causes the tension for the relationship.
so, to write pitch romance, what you have to start with is two people who consider each other equal and also find each other annoying as hell. but you have to remember to keep in mind the respect aspect (hatred without respecting and being drawn towards someone is not romantic, it's just plain old hatred). you also need to keep in mind that the oblivious pining stage of a pitch romance can go on a long time, because a classic part of having pitch feelings for someone is not wanting to have them. because, how could you EVER have a thing for someone who bugs you so much?
now, when it comes to the actual relationship itself- once the two idiots start dating, that is- the main idea is that there's a push and pull. an ideal pitch romance is essentially an act of tug o' war between it's two parties. suppose in your general human flushed relationship, the two of you take turns planning date nights, to show your investment in the courting. in a pitch romance, it might be more like taking turns winning- if your pitch partner has just pulled an incredible prank on you, it is now your turn to come up with something even better to get back at them with. you can't be shown up by them! you want to win!
so writing the beginning of their relationship might involve a lot of dates that are essentially formal challenges. what these are of course depends on the characters themselves; nobody likes the same kind of dates and similarly nobody likes the same kind of pitch challenge. if the two parties have similar interests, like say they both enjoy gaming, you might pick that so they can sharpen their skills on each other and try to become better. if they have very different interests, perhaps they'd do something neither of them are super familiar with, in order to be on even footing (remember that equality is very important to a pitch relationship). however, if one member wants the other to learn how to do their favorite thing, e.g. fencing, perhaps they would train their kismesis, and the real challenge would come from seeing who can be more patient, the teacher or the student. there could be some real tension in not knowing whether your partner is going easy on you or not, but showing them you can work hard anyway.
that's what the honeymoon period would be like, in my opinion- tons of challenge dates and pranks, while the relationship is new and fun and fresh they're probably teasing each other all the time and trying to see what one can get better at than the other.
when it comes to later, deeper aspects of kismesissitude, an important function of a kismesis is to point our your faults. yes, they respect you, but of course at the end of the day they still hate you-- and the reason they hate you is because you're too much of an aggravating person to let your good qualities fully come through. if one of your flaws is seriously fucking up your other abilities, it is the job of a kismesis to force you to notice this crack in your armor, so that you can get back to meeting them on equal ground.
for example, if your battle moves are becoming predictable, maybe they block every single move you make in a fight and then tell you they saw it all coming, so that you know you need to work on your tells, or switch up your moves. you want to get better than your kismesis, and in a way you want to get better for them, because you want them to respect you and continue to stay in your relationship. this also applies to mental and emotional flaws; battle skills are just the easiest visual example.
important fact: a healthy kismesissitude, like any healthy romance, is good for both parties.
if one person is consistently getting beaten down by words and defeats by the other person, who refuses to let up, that is abuse. they are absolutely not on equal footing, and no one is getting better at anything- no rivalry is taking place. (a kismesis should only be pointing flaws that are actually harmful to you or others, and actually reasonably fixable. your inability to dodge a sword is something you can train to fix. being disabled for example, however, is not something you can train to fix. beating down on your for traits you cannot change is abuse, even if a kismesis thinks or claims they are well meaning.)
conversely, if someone begins to find their kismesis isn't strong enough or interesting enough to warrant challenging and fighting, that is relationship also unhealthy, and likely going to end soon. being bored with your kismesis means they aren't challenging you in your rivalry at all, in which case they need to get back on even footing- or perhaps you just aren't interested in them as a person, which means the romantic feelings are gone.
(consider, as examples of unhealthy pitch relationships that broke up: terezi and gamzee, in which the relationship seemed to exist mainly because of terezi's low self esteem, and vriska and eridan, who broke things off because vriska became bored of it.)
pitch relationships can be unhealthy, the same as flushed relationships. if the power dynamics are not equal, or there's some insane excusing of actions or abuse of power going on, that's not healthy. it can be interesting though if you're trying to write a pitch relationship gone wrong, but i'm going off the assumption that this anon was wanting my opinion of how to write a healthy and happy-ending pitch romance.
so that's sort of my thesis on how to write healthy and fun pitch romance-- there's a tug of war, a lot of respect, arguing, challenges, training arcs, banter, and exhilaration. oh and of course, what everyone who hears about kismesissitude first imagines- yes, there's hate-fucking. all of those physical fights where you try to beat your rival you're romantically into at stuff? obviously that's going to have a ton of sexual tension. erotically charged swordfights are where it's at.
enjoy writing :]
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anti-katsuki-lounge · 5 months
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Saw someone saying that most people in the "bnha critical" hashtag mostly just "suck deku's dick" instead of actually criticizing the story. The same person also had another post basically saying that the reason why midoriya gets treated so poorly by the narrative is because every other character's traits were "erased(?) to make up for midoriya's bland character*" * I don't remember their exact words, but they said something similar to that
Those two posts gave me such a headache that I blocked them immediately
I really hate it when people say this.
I’m going to be honest, as someone who likes Izuku, there’s things you can definitely criticize about Izuku’s character. I think that he’s far too naive in certain situations and doesn’t get called out for it much. Him trying to see good in Overhaul is one of those instances. I think he suffers immensely from selective intelligence. He’s supposed to be great at thinking on his feet yet it takes him very long to realize that he could be throwing more kicks. I also think that as the story progresses, he becomes far less creative with his quirks. You get some rare moments like him using Black Whip from his mouth after being inspired by Tsuyu, but we rarely get these moments of his intelligence anymore. He’s also not allowed to really reflect on his past, so he’s extremely stagnant in regards to his views about things such as his quirkless past and the bullying he’s suffered from Katsuki.
However, Izuku isn’t a bland character. The problem is he has a bad writer. We could’ve seen more of his and Ochako’s relationship. Unlike many other relationships, the two are built around the idea that they constantly have each other’s backs. I wanna see more of this. I wanna see more of them bonding. Maybe Ochako asks Izuku for some hand to hand combat training. Maybe Izuku learns more about Ochako’s life/ her hobbies and tries to plan things for them to do that they both enjoy. Maybe they can have a heart to heart about constantly being underestimated and being a part of a group that is looked down upon (Ochako being poor and Izuku being quirkless). With Tenya, maybe the two can study together. Tenya’s great at retaining information but Izuku’s better at being creative, so they can help each other there. They could talk about their feelings of anger and how they feel they have a large legacy to uphold. With Shoto, we can have Izuku and him explore what a normal healthy friendship is like. We can have them confide in each other about the abuse they’ve been through and about their relationships with their moms. These are things that could easily be explored with a character like Izuku and Hori has set up the building blocks of Izuku’s character that allows for these things to be explored. The problem is that Hori doesn’t do any of this. We’re expected to believe that the DekuSquad are close knit with each other, but we don’t see them interacting in anything that isn’t related to heroics. We don’t see much of Izuku’s creativity anymore. He has numerous quirks, but even if some overlap with the others, there are cool combos a hero nerd like him could come up with, but instead Hori would rather have him do the exact same things over and over again. The way Hori writes Katsuki also hurts Izuku’s character. Outside of the first chapter, Izuku’s never allowed to show anything other than fear and admiration for Katsuki. He’s never allowed to be unique or else he’ll utterly surpass Katsuki in something (Katsuki’s latest B.S power up is an example of this). He’s not allowed to reflect on Katsuki’s bullying and the effect it has on him nor is he able to hang out with anyone without Katsuki being nearby or involved.
Long rant, I know, but the point is that while there’s certainly things you can criticize about Izuku’s character, most of the issues with Izuku doesn’t come from being a bad character but from being written by a bad writer who prioritizes other things over developing his MC
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bitchesgetriches · 11 months
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Happy Pride, my beauties!
"… okay okay, that’s enough pleasantries—I’m worked up about something!
I recently read an article about queer teens being thrown out of their homes by unsupportive families. It had a lot of advice that sounded pretty good. Pursue legal emancipation. Talk to your teachers and guidance counselors. Seek therapy.
“Bah,” I scoffed through a mouthful of Babybel cheese. “Amateurs! Someone needs to write a real guide. Someone who actually knows what it’s like!”
I was too busy playing with that weird red wax to remember I was exactly that person.
I left home when I was a junior in high school. The reasons were complicated and sad. Suffice to say it was driven by a need for physical and psychological safety I wasn’t getting at home.
Everything worked out for me. I got lucky and landed on my feet. A few psychological scars added to my roguish charm! But it’s not the best strategy. Sorta like throwing yourself down a mountain and hoping you learn to ski on the way down. (Also a thing I did once. How am I alive?)
There are many reasons a teenager might leave home early. Among them: poverty, instability, abuse, neglect, addiction, incarceration, system involvement, and mental and physical health issues. Some are thrown out or kicked out in stark, dramatic fashion. Others are slowly, painfully squeezed out or frozen out. Still more are ignored, unsupported, or victimized to the point that the child must take the initiative to leave.
Regardless of the method, one of the most prevalent reasons teens become homeless is due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Nine in ten homeless LGBT teens “ran away” (46%) to escape family rejection, or were actively forced out (43%) by unsupportive parents.
So I dedicate today’s article to our young queer readers. May you never need the tips I’m about to lay out."
- Leaving Home before 18: A Practical Guide for Cast-Offs, Runaways, and Everybody in Between
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ithuriels-criativety · 4 months
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How to write a harmless character (meaning someone who can't or will not physically fight)
There seems to be a misunderstanding between a harmless character and a peaceful one. The peaceful do not want to harm anyone, the harmless is incapable of doing so. None of them are bad traits to apply to a character, but the limits many others possible traits, so there is a list of very few characters that represents this traits (mainly the "harmless" trait).
Peaceful characters that belong among the main ones tend to be retired soldiers or someone with great skill in combat. It is not uncommon for them to be put in a critical situation where they need to use their knowledge, be it to protect someone or any other reason. I advise you, writer who are interested in this kind of character, to avoid making your character being underestimated, this is becoming a cliché that push away many readers.
Well, my actual point with this post is to advise about the "harmless" trait, based on my experience as a reader of course. Here it goes...
✨The harmless type✨
Most of the time this characters are kids, old people, woman or non-combatants civilians (basically mobs), which is infuriating! I am sure that upon reading the title you had thought one of this, so why don't I give you some examples of my creativity since you do not have enough? (I am kidding, I'm sorry).
The character who was once a great warrior known on the whole realm for their skills and now is just an empty shell. It would be really interesting if even being powerless now people respected them or he had students who would look after them.
Someone who was born with a weak body or an illness that couldn't be cured but wouldn't kill them. Being weak doesn't mean they're powerless, this character can be really smart and lead someone else or be a powerful person in business or politics and not to be ignored even by people with strength enough to wipe them out of the earth.
A person who has all they need to be the strongest or one of the best warriors but for some reason choose to not fight; be it a pacifist or someone traumatized and hater of violence. Make sure that they don't know how to fight if it is the second option! They may not learn how to after overcoming the trauma, something like "I don't need to fight to be who I am" or something (Personally, I like a lot the plot of them just not being into fighting; having all the genetics they need to be strong and just choosing to be peaceful and out of trouble).
Having their strength blocked by something that could be self inflicted. May it be a "curse", an injury or just not being allowed to use everything they have.
There are very few literary works that involve a truly harmless character that is well built and I can't even remember any who does to recommend, but you could be the one to add to this scarce list.
That's it. Feel free to add more prompts to it or use the ones I displayed here.
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