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scoops-stevie-archive · 1 year

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ftm steve, established steddie. contains detailed descriptions of periods.

Steve spends the first day of his period absolutely miserable. His emotions are all over the place. One minute he's this close to lashing out at the first minor inconvenience and the next he's ready to bawl his eyes out.

He knows Robin can tell that something's up. She keeps asking if he's alright and Steve tries to brush it off, tell her he's fine, it's just a little headache, he couldn't sleep last night. But then that sends her into another spiral that makes Steve want to scream and throw something just to get her to be quiet.

Those are mean thoughts, Steve knows, but his body's all out of whack, and his knees and lower back are killing him and he swears he can feel his fucking hips shifting. Add in the cramps that are steadily rolling through his uterus and he's so fucking close to committing homicide.

He's in the stacks, dead-eyed as he stocks the new animated releases, and shifting from foot to foot because now those also hurt and he can feel the beginnings of a migraine that'll have him calling off the next day, and he just wants to go home and lay on the couch with his heating pad and his boyfriend while some shitty TV show plays in the background.

"Steve?" Speak of the devil.

Steve makes a noise of acknowledgement and continues to shelve the tapes. He ignores the pang in his chest that makes him want to reach out and pull Eddie closer and burrow into him.

As if he can read his mind (or tell by the look on his face), Eddie steps closer. "You got Robbie real worried, sweetheart," he says gently, hands in his pockets. Steve can tell he wants to reach out for him the same way he does.

"I'm fine, Eds," Steve says. More like he tries not to snap at the only person who knows about his "condition." He can feel his agitation rising, though, with another wave of cramps that are accompanied by nausea and a sick feeling of something gushing from down there.

"Is that why you look like you wanna blow chunks all over the place right now?"

Steve maybe puts a tape on the shelf a little too hard. "It's been a shit day, Eddie, I really don't need sarcasm right now."

Eddie puts his hands up. "Sorry, sorry." He comes a little closer and lowers his voice. "Talk to me, baby. What's the matter?"

Steve sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "It's the first day," he mutters behind his hand.

"Hm? I couldn't hear you, Stevie."

"I said–" Steve sighs again, harsher this time, and his hand falls to his side, his gaze firmly locked on the tapes in front of him. "It's the first day, and the first day is always shit. It feels like a rock's sitting in my stomach or something and I can't take more than two steps without feeling like I'm gonna puke."

He doesn't mean to unload it all onto his boyfriend, but he asked for it. His perfect, wonderful boyfriend who takes it all in stride without a single hint of judgement or disgust.

"I'm hormonal as fuck, man, and it’s like customers chose today specifically to be even more annoying than they usually are, like they made it their personal mission or some shit."

Steve looks to the front of the store where Robin is still at the counter and then back at Eddie. "Robin keeps asking me if I'm alright, and I love her, Eds, I really do, but if she keeps it up, I'm gonna end up snapping at her and then she'll cry and that'll make me feel even worse."

Steve takes a deep breath, holds in it for ten seconds, and exhales. "I just need a break," he says, sounding defeated, and so so tired. "I just need to be alone for five minutes, and–"

Eddie, who has been quiet this whole time, like a saint, letting Steve rant until he runs out of steam, tilts his head and looks at him with those big Bambi eyes Steve loves so much.

"And what, Stevie?" he asks gently.

Something in Steve's chest snaps and his bottom lip wobbles before he can stop it. The back of his throat burns like it always does when he's about to cry, and– yep, here come the tears.

He takes a shaky breath and his voice breaks when he says, "I need you."

Eddie's expression falls into something Steve absolutely hates. "Baby–"

Steve clears his throat and the tears are gone as quick as they came, though his eyes are a little red rimmed and shiny.

He shakes his head and waves Eddie off, putting more tapes on the shelves like he didn't just have a mini breakdown in the middle of his shift. "It's fine, Eddie, really. I'll just, I don't know, take a painkiller and tough the next couple hours out."

The tape he's holding is gently taken from him and set on the shelf for him. Eddie levels him with a raised eyebrow.

"Is that really what you want to do?"

Steve bites his lip. He doesn't. Work is the last place he wants to be at today, or this whole week for that matter.

He shakes his head with a soft, "No."

"Okay, then."

Eddie tells him to go grab his things from the break room. Steve is too exhausted to argue. He comes back to the front counter but before Robin can launch into a lengthy apology, Eddie interrupts her with a minute shake of his head.

Steve holds his arms out and pulls her in for a hug anyway.

"I'm sorry for being an ass all day," he says and plants a kiss on the top of her head.

Robin hugs him back and kisses his cheek. "I'm sorry for being pushy." She pulls back and takes Steve's hands in hers, lacing their fingers together. "Hope you feel better soon, dingus."

Steve can't leave his car at work overnight so he follows Eddie's van to the trailer. He grabs one of Eddie's pullover hoodies out of his closet once they're inside and a pair of baggy sweatpants before making a beeline for the bathroom to pee and change his pad.

Soon enough, Steve comfortable and cozy on the couch, covered with at least two blankets and even more pillows, his hood pulled over his head and mussing his hair up even more. Eddie's got My Friend Is a Vampire playing on the TV, but Steve's saving grace is the heating pad that's covering his waist under the blankets.

Steve groans softly as he's hit with more cramps and shifts his hips against them.

"Here, sweetheart." Eddie comes back from the kitchen and hands him a cup of hot chocolate. He reclaims his spot next to Steve, boxing him between his body and the back of the couch. "How you feeling?"

"Like shit," Steve grumps, taking a sip and reaching back to set the mug on the side table. "I'd rather take being gnawed on by demobats than have to deal with these cramps. At least I can see the bats and try to stop them." He winds his arms around Eddie's waist and rests his head on his shoulder.

Eddie crinkles his nose in distaste. "Frankly, babe, I'd rather you not go through either." He rubs his thumb over the skin of Steve's hip. "What's stopping you from using all that government money to pay for your surgery?"

Steve hums and turns his nose into Eddie's neck, smiling against the skin. "I wanna get at least one kid out of you before I do that."

They've talked about this. In length. Eddie was there for the Winnebago conversation. Steve wasn't lying back then, but he's since realized he was wanting all those things with the wrong person.

"Yeah?" Eddie's voice is amused. "You want a couple Harrington spawn running around the trailer park?"

"Nah, was thinking more along the lines of a Munson brat."

Eddie stills against him.

Steve comes out from his hiding spot and grins at the look on his boyfriend's face. He leans up and kisses his cheek. "Did I break your brain on that one, honey?"

Eddie shakes himself out of his stupor and cups Steve's face, pressing him into the couch so he can kiss him silly.

"I'm gonna give you so many Munson brats, baby," he promises between leaving kisses all over Steve's face and Steve's giggles. "You won't even know what hit ya by the time I'm through with you."

Steve guffaws and lets Eddie cover him with kisses and love.

"I'll hold you to that, baby, don't worry."

#cj writes #steddie #steddie ficlet #ftm steve #ftm steve harrington #trans steve harrington #wrote this on tuesday when i started my period and was feeling like shit #now it's saturday and my period is over #cj talks

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haihaihaitani · 10 months

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Don't Be Scared ~ *Rindou Haitani*

Summary: It seems Rindou’s colleagues don’t respect you as they go out of their way to make you miserable. But you would never tell Rin this. You’re stronger than that, right?

Pairing: Rindou Haitani X G/N!Reader

Genre: Angstyish Drabble

Word Count: 686

Warning: swearing, anxiety attack, insecurities. Rindou being OOC (but I need him to be this way), hating the nickname baby (seriously I could rant about how much I hate being called this, but I think I summed it up pretty well in this)

Masterlist

A/N: I wrote this as a sort of therapy piece. Two things mentioned in this story are insecurities of mine. And sometimes I just imagine a lovely anime boy telling me he’s going to protect me. So yeah. Very self-indulgent.

A/N 2: Also my dad had piranhas. That’s why they’re here.

You were officially having the worst day ever. Currently, you were curled up in the far corner of your husband’s office, behind his couch. You were squeezed into a tight ball, shaking and crying like a child. All because you were embarrassed in front of your husband’s coworkers.

Honestly, you couldn’t remember who it was who did it and you frankly didn’t care. You could still remember what he did clearly, even though it happened over an hour ago. You don’t think you were ever going to forget.

You were on your way to your husband’s office with some important paperwork when some guy jumped out and scared you. You hated jumpscares because you always felt stupid afterwards. However, after he jumped out, you tripped over your own feet and fell on your ass.

While you were trying to fight back your heavy breathing and tears, the guy laughed and said, “Ha! Gotcha, you whore.”

You were frozen.

A whore? Is that what these people thought of you? You thought…

You shook your head. It didn’t matter what you thought anymore. What mattered is that no one here respected you. Maybe your own husband didn’t respect you like you thought. You just wanted to disappear and believe none of this ever happened. That when you close your eyes, count to three, and open them, you’d be home again.

The door to the office opened. You heard Rindou call out to you, “Baby? Are you here? Ran said he saw you run in here.”

Baby. You were right. Your own husband didn’t even respect you to see you as anything more than a child. Were you being dramatic? Sure. But you still felt justified in being a little extreme considering the humiliation you were subjected to.

“Babe?” Rindou’s voice was much closer to you now and you felt his shoulder brush against yours. You squeezed yourself into a tighter ball to get away from him. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Go away.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me. Something is bothering you and I will do whatever I can to make it right.”

“No! It’s embarrassing and I just want to crawl into a hole and die!”

You weakly struggled against him when he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into his lap. “Love, please. Let me help you.”

Taking a few breaths to try and calm yourself, you told him. You recounted the mortifying ordeal with the jumpscare and how he called you a whore. You then let your insecurities spill, how you were so stupid that you could handle a bloody massacre but couldn’t watch a horror movie. You mentioned that you didn’t think anyone respected you, much less like you and you wished you weren’t so dramatic, but explained that these were the thoughts and feelings you were having.

When you were done, Rindou didn’t say anything for a long time. You were about to ask him to say something when he whispered, “I’ll kill him.”

“What?”

“I’ll fucking kill him. I’ll gut him like a fish and feed him to your piranhas for making you feel this way.” He snapped, his voice cold and deadly.

You shook your head and burrowed yourself into his chest. “Don’t do that. You’ll make yourself work more for something those fish won’t eat.”

He gave a slight chuckle but pulled you in closer. “I’m glad you’re making jokes but I’m furious someone would make you doubt yourself like that. You are not a baby and you are not a whore. I love you so much, I married you. If you want, I’ll stop calling you baby. I call you whatever you want. But you have to know that I have never thought less of you and I never will. You are the love of my life and I will never, ever stop loving you, okay?”

You nodded. “Can we go home?”

Rindou kissed the top of your head. “Of course, my love. Right after I call Ran, okay? I have to order a hit.”

“Tell him to be slow and painful.”

“Anything for you.”

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tofautisawa · 10 months

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You're an experienced animal writer, and you seem to have a really good grasp on the complicated realm of mixing animal/human moralities and behaviors in writing (such as lion infanticide) But do you have any opinions on how hyena-on-hyena infanticide should be handled with the most care in a story, if it's included? Would it be treated like a tragic inevitable risk since mothers can't enter their cubs den and the cubs don't understand, should it be reserved for unsympathetic characters, etc

I think you're giving me far too much credit there. lol Long post warning! This is not a thing that will be properly explored in Tofauti Sawa, as the hyena siblings featured (Amani and Dumaka, Nakato and Thabo) will not have any mention if they tried to kill each other after birth, if they succeeded and Sahara herself didn't have any siblings. Though I imagine that Nakato and Thabo didn't since I already drew a illustration of them shortly after their birth and things were peaceful. I imagine within my own story, if a hyena mother witnesses her cubs trying to kill each other ( I have seen footage of this happening while the mother is in the burrow), her own actions for it will heavily depend on her personality. ( This also applies to any talk of lion infantcide featured. Even in real life not every situation is the same.) | For example, If Masozi was to give birth to another cub along with Sahara and Sahara started attacking the sibling ( because let's face it, she would), Masozi would put a stop to it because she was excited to be a mom and would want all her offspring to survive. Adira if she had more than one cub that started fighting, wouldn't give a shit. And then you will have random hyena 02948348 that won't intervene because she would want to put all attention on the strongest cub, etc. etc. It just all depends I suppose. I dunno.

One difficult thing about writing this comic is when taking account of animal characters actions when you want them to actually act like the animals they are based off of compared to human morality. It's probably what makes Munirah such a debatable character ( and Gatura to a small extent). Like a stork killing their smallest weakest chick to focus on raising offspring she feels would have a better chance at life and worth using resources will be horrible to us but normal to them. And by that definition people wouldn't want said character to be rooted for in a narrative. Some people may understand from a animal perspective that Munirah would want offspring she feels will be strong and sire them with a male she deems worthy, but from a human perspective you aren't gonna root for her when she throws her own sister under the bus and doesn't give a rat's ass when her new boy toy kills her nieces. And some people already aren't rooting for her due to how she antagonizes Silver before it all went down. The animal morality perspective thing could also be why people tend to give Gatura less grief about killing Malaika and Safi because the reason he did it is the same reason why male lions do it real life ( and zebras...and horses...and a whole lot of animals really), but of course to us- it's horrible. And then there is that whole can of worms about the lionesses eventually mating with the male that killed their previous litter which Alika of course will sooner take a cheese grater to Gatura's di-- I have no idea wtf I am talking about at this point and I am not even sure I even answered your question at this point. I never started this comic trying to teach morals or have a lesson in it, the characters are kind of doing whatever at this point, so I am hardly the person to be asking when it comes to this sort of thing because even I am sweating nervously while typing this. The original draft of this story was actually a lot more darker than what you are getting now but I toned it down over the years if you can actually believe that. lol Ultimately, it's entirely up to you how you choose to portray this in your own story. Or you can take the easier route and not include it at all if it's too difficult to you to actually address in your story without making things complicated from a animal vs human morality standpoint unless there is a direction you are 100% certain you want to go. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'm just rambling at this point and I feel there might be people who could better discuss this in a much better way than I can, and probably word it better too because I felt I butchered it so hard.

#ask

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possuminnit · 2 years

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IS SHAKEN OHMTNGM......... I WILL... DOODLEIT SOON AND FIND ! OUT WHAT WORKS SITS DOWN TO YOU!!!!!! SHARE UR CTOMMY HEADCANONS ALL OF THEM RN!!!!!

YIPPIE!!!!!!!! OK OK i will share ctommy hcs i have ^_^ all of them that I remember At Least..

so ok. tommy possum.. obviously.. ive made certain posts talking about some aspects OBV so u might've read some of these before but oh well. ill start off first with how possums tend to live in other animals' burrows and holes - which fun fact for u, armadillos are pretty chill with possums staying in their dens with them :)! they also live under patios and in garages, anything of that sort that they can get into. that whole fact I display the entire bedrock bros era; Tommy living under techno's house/in his basement .. also I feel like it could also be used for pogtopia (while it isn't a burrow made by someone, it still is a hole that he didn't make So..) and whatever the fucking era is where ctommy and csapnap teamed up and they made base in ctubbos old house. But those are more iffy I feel

Possums are actually pretty social animals, they're /shy/ - in a way -but they like being near people. adult possums are seen being friendly with other adult possums and along with some other animals (+humans, but just because humans mean they're near food yknow, but it counts!) possums are also very cuddly, they cuddle with other possums for protection and for affection :) I just think ctommy doing that is Cute... like himm a ctubbo... Yes

i mentioned this in last ask so this will be quick but possums use their tails as another limb basically - use them to climb and hang in places (however not for long, the babies cant often hold their body weight) this one for ctommy I feel he'd use it to be sneaky and steal shit. probably most times its obvious he does it just because he wants to stir something up (for fun! its harmless. probably ^_^)

two even shorter points. possums make weird ass noises. just compare it to any weird ass noise tommy makes. point over Bye (here's some videos of possum noises btw; one , two ) ; second point is possums are protective of their family/things. Enough said, once again !

okay this one is gonna be a jumble of a few, so bear with me here. possums cant control when they play dead, it happens when they feel a lot of anxiety/when they panic when some predator or just anyone they don't wanna deal with gets too close. playing dead can last a few hours and they normally Smell dead too... which, smelly ctommy and smelly cwilbur icons Ig. Gotta 4ever match. BASICALLY whole point is ctommy playing dead in exile (maybbee that's why he wakes up in the water a lot.. ctommy plays dead - cdream sorta just shoves him into the water assuming he'll wake up sooner then Leaves. Because yknow. he's cdream) - next point in this one, sorry ull have to learn about cdream hc also but it'll be fast. CDREAM ! he is a rattlesnake hybrid to me, for a few reasons (did u know there's green rattlesnakes?) but one of them is possums are immune to rattlesnake vemon! (also scorpion venom, if you wanted to know) - that's important because my idea with these hcs is along with cdream not being able to get ctommy to listen, he cant Threaten him with venom - or drug him slightly with it, i guess - so exile happens. Yada Yada

#soorry umm..... kinda went crazy LOL #long post #ii have more... like little hcs too ^_^;...#asks! <3 #tranztommyinnit #possums.hc #cdream mention #cw drugging mention #SORTA LOL idk just 2 be safe

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faithdragon36 · 11 months

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I'm now fascinated by your endermen lore because I too had ny ideas why endermen left The End specifically the SAFETY of it can you drop some lore on me and also what exactly do you have in mind for future endermen ocs if you don't mind me asking ☆ ✨️

Sure!

So, basically, to me, Overworld endermen are either sick to fucking death of talking to people, since in the End you basically can’t get a second to yourself because there are PEOPLE. EVERYWHERE.

…OR, they’re curious about other dimensions. This one is less common, because if you want to explore another dimension, the Nether is a more common destination since acid doesn’t fall from the sky every few days. (AKA it doesn’t rain there) So Overworlder endermen are mostly the ones that don’t want to talk to you even if you REALLY want to talk to THEM. They just want to vibe (or brood, depending on their state of emotion, lol) and hang out. Preferably alone.

They’re not pack animals, so this isn’t as detrimental to them as you might think. Like, they still form communities for convenience and safety if they want to (mostly in the End and the Nether, respectively), but they don’t need to talk to someone every day for their mental health.

Also, in my mind, the End Void is a liquid that the End islands are floating in. End stone is extremely light and airy, so it can float on the surface of the ocean that is the Void. The first 25 to 50 blocks from the surface are highly aerated, so you won’t drown/suffocate if you stay near the top, but when you get to the part where you start taking damage in the game, that’s the Void thermocline. It gets way colder, and there’s not enough oxygen to breathe. This sudden transition will take most people by surprise, which is why you immediately start taking damage- most people aren’t prepared enough to hold their breath down there with so little warning, and it’s freezing.

This is also why End cities have ships. They can sail across the surface of the Void! I don’t know why they’re that high up though. Maybe they have a crane and they want to prevent Void barnacles from growing on the hulls, or something.

Another fun thing: my Endermen are very very insectoid. Most Endermen can fly short distances in the End, if they need to, and different wing patterns are pretty common. They just mostly don’t fly, because, well, there’s another, bigger, scarier species taking up the End’s airspace. Dragons. So, they’re more like beetles than butterflies. They have flight wings, which can be different colors, patterns, and shapes, and they have. Well. In real life beetles the upper, protective wings are called “Elytra,” too, which creates some questionable implications for the wings you find on End ships. But endermens’ elytra are a uniform black.

Some endermen also have burrows, since ender dragons get so big they just can’t fit underground. This is also why you can find Overworld endermen in caves. It feels just like home! Just… darker. And roomier. End islands don’t really have a lot of space, so you have to get pretty compact with your burrowing.

Purpur blocks are made with the hardened sap of a specialized species of chorus trees, which gets very cloudy and opaque when it sets :]

#36.answers #sparkle anon #minecraft

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mtnkat3 · 2 years

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2.38pm

my Love/s. DOne, DPOne, & Alll.🔆

Was calling container places while wh was out.

my Love/s.

I guess my thoughts on "political correctness" & "don't ask. don't tell." Are ... skewed? Because.

USAF ROTC during college, DC trip, conference with... higher level chain of command. These terms were "new" then. In 1992.

I never agreed with them.

Kinda think it's why God made my migraines & astigmatism such a thing. No aspirin on boot camp back then. I had to put that pen down. It still...haunts me. Affects me. I still pray for the people I knew. That they are alive & whole.

As I think about it, its interesting to note that most truly "patriotic" people. Those who serve, those who wanted to, those who support.

Believe in the Constitution, Bill of Rights, & we will fight for it. Die for it.

Freedom is not free.

It's the people that never think about these things, nor about those who sacrificed, that just walk thru life with blinders on. It infuriates me.

These are the people who have no idea where milk, eggs, meat, food stuffs & staple items come from.

It is time for political correctness & all the adjacent things be flushed down the toilet where they belong.

I love this country, the military personnel that serve it & pray they be safe & come home whole to those that love them.

Even though God has different things for me to do, they are of great value tooo.

And that's what I have to grow with.

I am still a woman warrior, just not serving this country. Rather serving the Blessed Gift of my Mate/s & the home we create together. As God intents me to.

I am still fascinated by God's Creation. From humanity, to the stars. Alll of His infinite wonder.

Why I love shows like Stargate [movies, SG1, Atlantis & Universe.], Andromeda & alll the Stsr Trek franchise. Firefly & Serenity. I go for the ones that aren't always main stream. If not obvious.

I am a stargazer. Whilst I also enjoy watching earthworms burrow & create more fertile & useful soil. Or...listening to my cat snooze right now... poor old baby. She had a hard first 2 years so I baby her. And at 17yo I think she deserves it. I'll do the same for pups too. Birds, fish, horses, goats,... whatever animals God entrusts within my care.

Life fascinates me.

Sheepish blushin grin.

Back to work.

I love You/Alll endlessly.

I am=>《Your's/s'.》

DOne, DPOne, & Alll. 🔆

🔱💝⚜🗝🔆♾⚓🙏🙇‍♀️🕯💡🌂🔗🧭🌠🤓🤔🤪🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️☺️😘🥰

I always start thinking a short missive. Sigh. Hope it shows just how much I love thinking about & talking to You/Alll. Even when the conversation is in my head, I feel like we are. Blushing beet red. ~Your's/s'. ~TkP.

3.06p

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ask-an-aussie · 3 years

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Aussie Wildlife FAQ

So here's questions I'm frequently asked as both a wildlife rescuer and carer and keeper at a wildlife sanctuary. Heads up, this is a long post, I've made the questions stick out so you can easily skip through. I've tried to make it as easy to read as possible, and to find what you're after, whilst also providing lots of info.

Poison Vs Venom, what's the difference?

Well, mostly, poison just never stops killing. Like if you poison an insect, then a bird or small mammal eats that insect and they slowly get poisoned by all the poisoned insects they eat, then something eats them, like an owl, and that gets poisoned, then as it rots the poison goes into the environment, etc. Poison never dies. Venom has to be injected, so yes you can be envenomated by a dead animal, if you are stupid. Poison can be inhaled, eaten/drunk or even through touch. So if a cow is poisoned you have to dispose of the body safely, if a cow is bitten by a venomous snake, technically you can still have steak for dinner.

Are all Australian animals out to kill you?

Maybe.

They could want to kill us, I mean as a species we aren't that great. Their ability to kill us however is limited. So are all Aussie animals able to kill you? No. So we have lots of cute small mammals, like antechinus, dunnarts, pygmy possums and the like, that can bite and scratch but are very tiny bois. We even have lots of non-venomous snakes, pythons and blind snakes. Most lizards outside of Goannas can't cause too much damage. Echidna's are completely defensive, have no attack whatsoever. Lots of birds have no interest in you, unless you get near their nest. Freshwater Turtles, Little Penguins and Tawny Frogmouths all main defense is shitting really stinky shit at you. Even our venomous snakes, as long as you seek medical attention you should be fine. Considering we have the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world but average only 1 death a year that's pretty good.

But you still have lots of dangerous animals right?

Yes.

Maybe I should elaborate. Any animal is dangerous, including you, if given the right circumstances. I'm a lovely person but hurt my dog and you better run. Most animals don't want a bar of you. However, if you are a threat to them, or their babies, they will defend themselves. A lot of animals get tagged with the word 'aggressive' which I don't like, aggression is a human emotion that I've never seen in wild animals, or even pets and things. Mostly it's defensive behaviours that people read wrong. For example, the most venomous snake in the world is the Inland Taipan (found in Aust.), however the most dangerous snake in Australia is the Eastern Brown snake, less venomous but also less shy and lives in suburbia. Still, it only ever strikes at people when it feels cornered and needs to get you to back the hell off. And lets be real here, what else can they do? They can't yell and scream, they can't punch or kick. Legit their only option is to bite, and even then mostly it's a closed mouth strike to freak you out into stepping back, and most people bitten by snakes are given a 'dry bite' where no venom is injected, as they want to use it on their food not waste it on us. And 90% of snake bites that happen in Australia are people either trying to catch or kill a snake.

It's fairly simple. Don't threaten animals, don't give them a reason to be dangerous and you are fine. Crocodiles in the water? Don't swim there. Sharks around? Avoid swimming at twilight. Snake? Leave it alone. Nest with baby birds? walk away. You don't randomly show up in some strangers home and expect them not to react, so why do we expect different from animals?

What animals are on the most 'dangerous list' then? Which animals should I really avoid pissing off?

Start with the obvious. Crocodiles, venomous snakes, sharks, some jellyfish, venomous spiders, stone fish, blue ringed octopus, birds of prey (our Wedge Tailed Eagle WILL attack drones, hang-gliders and helicopters if they come into their territory) Then you've got the less obvious. Ants - like meat ants, they will swarm over you then all bite down at once. 1 bite isn't so bad, a whole colony biting you, deadly. Then there's other ants in the Myrmecia family (bull ants and the like) that are just HUGE, and have massive mandables for biting and also can sting you, and are one of the most toxic insects in the world.

Wombats - Can run at 40km/hr, skull so hard it's the only thing a Tassie Devil can't eat, able to bite your calf muscle clean off your leg, oh and they have killer booty. A hard cartilage plate in their lower back that they use to block their burrows, and if threatened can lay down and as the animal tries to get past jam their legs straight and crush the skull of a fox against the roof of their burrow, easily break a dingoes jaw or even destroy your hand.

Kangaroos - yes they box, hahaha wouldn't it be funny to box with a kangaroo. NO. Kangroos box for fun but also to defend themselves and their mob. The Alpha male is the big buff one that looks like he's on steroids. He looks like that for a reason, to defend and protect his mob. DO NOT MESS WITH ANY KANGAROOs, but really don't mess with Big Daddy (for being the alpha he gets all the ladies) Kangaroos are made for this. A punch from a Kangaroo can easily break you ribs. They can lean back on their tail and bring both legs up to kick you, easily tearing you open, which they can do with the claws on their toes, and so basically dissecting you from sternum down. Oh and if they gran you round the neck for a 'Cuddle' DUCK AND RUN. They will hold you in a kind of choke hold and then bring their legs up to kick you and basically snap you in half. Don't even mess with Wallabies man, they may be smaller but can still do damage.

Tassie Devils - are extremely shy and slower than you, like you can actually run away from them. BUT. They have the strongest bite strength compared to size of any animal. The have a PSI of 1200 and males weigh around 8 kg. For perspective, Hyenas have a PSI of 1100 and males weigh around 50kg

Brushtail Possums - They may be cuter than the American Opossums but trust me, they don't want you around. They are solitary so most people have heard them fighting of a night, screeching, shrieking, hissing, growling and making darth vadar noises. Heads up from someone who has had to rescue them from awkward places (fire-places, BBQs, closets) They are stronger than you and they will f*** you up. Even without them meaning to I've gotten injuries from my joey Brushies, they get so keen on their milk when you put it in that they climb your arm and their claws are sharper than cats. Also the sheer strength of them. I'm stronger than I look but if they are clinging on to a tree you are gonna need all your strength to get them off. The can also bite your finger clean off. And I've seen injuries from people who feed wild ones and for some reason have been late to put out the food or something and they've climbed their leg or even jumped on them - stitches were required in a few of those cases (human skin is not thick like tree bark)

What's with Magpies and swooping?

Simple, they have nests/babies and are protecting them. Australia Magpies are very smart and can recognise faces. If they think you are a threat they will try and scare you off. Just like if you're walking along with your toddler and there's a weirdo doing something strange you hold the kid tighter and closer to you and move through faster. But these guys can't just move their nests or their babies. The spot is chosen based on food availability and shelter from sun and rain, but also not being too cold. It's their spot. I've never been swooped by Magpies, other birds yes, but not Magpies. My local birds know me as the lady that cleans and fills the bird bath. Legit the Magpies sing a specific song when it needs filling to call me out to do it. So don't be a threat. If they are swooping in that area, try to avoid it or go through quickly. We used to have Plovers at my school, in the bush at the end of the oval. Never a problem. One day some kids go into the bush and stomp on their nest and eggs. After that they would swoop anyone who came close to there. So the school blocked off that end of the oval. Fair call. Wasn't the birds fault.

Why is everything named so basic?

Oh you mean the snake that's black with a red belly being balled a Red Belly Black Snake, and the tree with all the doodles on it being called a Scribbly Gum? 80% of plants and animals found in Australia are found NO WHERE ELSE. So the early Europeans had a lot of things to name and when they tried naming it themselves they would get it wrong. 2 good examples are: The Death Adder (only considered highly venomous, not deadly, and not an Adder). Also you're only likely to get bitten if you stand on it or try to pick it up. The Australian Magpie, they saw a black and white bird so it must be a magpie. Nope. Actually not in the corvidae family but in the butcherbird family - Artamidae. So their solution was to either take the Aboriginal word, for example, Quoll, Kookaburra, Koala, Quokka, Taipan. Or name it after what it looks like/sounds like/ is found Boobook Owl - makes a sound like booooo-book Squirrel Glider Eastern Water Dragon Grey Headed Flying Fox Flaky Bark Tea Tree Old man Banksia This can cause confusion though as not every brown coloured snake is a brown snake, and not all Eastern brown snakes are brown. Squirrel Gliders aren't related to squirrels. Flying foxes are bats not actual foxes that fly.

What do I do if I find injured wildlife?

Well, depends on the wildlife and where it is. If it's in a dangerous position, like the middle of a highway, don't try anything. First thing, call a wildlife rescue group, there are plenty around and they have trained people who know what to do. A quick google search should show you all you need to know, also the IFAW's Wildlife Rescue App will identify the closest group to you.

If it's a snake, adult wombat or kangaroo, or any other animal that can cause you serious injury, leave it be. The wildlife rescuers you call can give you basic info on how to help but mostly calling them is the main thing.

If it's something smaller, like a young animal or glider or baby bird and you are able to put it into a cardboard box that will be perfect. The 3 main things injured/ill wildlife need are warmth, dark and quiet. You don't need to worry about food or water. The rescuers will organise that. If you give food or water to an animal in shock you can cause more damage.

THE BEST THING IS TO DO NOTHING. I know this sounds stupid. But so many problems can occur from people who don't know what they are doing helping out. You know what they say about good intentions. For example, picking up a Koala like you would pick up a human child (under the armpits, around the chest) you could actually break their ribs. Also so many Koalas end up needing vet care during heat waves because people pour water into their mouths - they can get pneumonia as the water goes in too fast, it is not a natural way for them to drink. You can also get yourself injured or make the animals injuries worse. I have seen Kangaroos with broken legs get up and try to hop away from people. I have seen severe scratches on other people because they tried to pick up an animal.

What diseases can wildlife give me?

Well. I only know about Australian wildlife, and it's very different to other parts of the world. If you get a bad bite or scratch from wildlife you should see your doctor ASAP, get the wound cleaned properly and make sure your tetanus is up to date (same as if a pet gives you a bad bite or scratch).

There aren't that many Zoonosis that are around in Australia that are easy to catch. Mostly you have to be dealing directly with sick wildlife to get them.

The main thing is Australian Bat Lyssavirus. ABL for short. Now our bats can carry it. About 1 in 1000 bats may have it and you HAVE to be bitten or scratched for it to be transmitted to you. If you are bitten or scratched by a bat your chance is 0.1% of getting ABL but it is related to Rabies, so head straight to hospital for treatment. If you don't touch a bat you won't get bitten or scratched and so your chance of getting it is 0. Hendra is the other virus our bats carry, however it has to go through a horse before it mutates enough for humans to get it.

Basically it's only when you get involved with wildlife that your risk of getting a disease from them is higher than VERY unlikely. If you happen to help some wildlife, and you maybe wrap them in a towel or jumper, even if they urinate on it. You can just chuck it in the wash (I usually add a little extra disinfectant) and it will be fine. Treat it the same as if a pet had used it or urinated on it.

What's some Good Wildlife Apps to have?

Well, there's so many out there now hey? Here's some that I've found handy or know people that use. WomSAT EchidnaCSI PlatypusSPOT are all for recording sightings of these animals (wombats/echidnas/platypus) this helps researches track where they are and how they are going which means we can help them more as well. OzAtlas - record a sighting of anything Australian, animal, plant, fungus, insect. FrogID - need to identify a frog? This is the app for you. Use photos or sound recordings, Field Guide to *insert state/territory* Fauna - Have a field guide on you wherever you are without having to carry a book. Seek by inaturalist - Helps you identify any animals, plants, insect, fungus. IFAW Wildlife Rescue - wildlife rescue app (currently for NSW only but soon expanding) will give you advice on what to do and put you into contact with the local wildlife rescue groups.

Besides Cats and Foxes, what other invasive species have you got that cause problems?

First up, any invasive species causes a problem. In Tasmania they have issues with Sugar Gliders, because they are not naturally found there and use up tree hollows that other animals need. Invasive species cause competition for food, water and shelter. They can also bring in diseases that didn't exist in Australia before and that our natives have no defence against (like cats and Toxoplasmosis) Here's a quick list of invasive animal species in Australia. Cats, dogs, foxes, pigs, water buffalo, ferrets rabbits, horses/brumbies, goats, camels, Cane Toad, European Honey Bee, Common Myna bird, deer, donkey, common starling, common pigeon, black rat, brown rat.

There's more, there's reptiles, and weeds and fish but those guys ^ are the main ones that cause problems.

I am an animal lover but unless we get rid of these animals you loose more in the long run. I'm 100% against use of poisons, I prefer having people hunt them to be honest. If you know what you are doing and have the right equipment you can give them a quick, painless death. To give you an idea how bad invasives are:

The introduction of the rabbit is the main cause the Lesser Bilby became extinct.

The introduction of cats and toxoplasmosis is believed to be the main reason Eastern Quolls became extinct on mainland Australia

Rats led directly to the extinction of 5 of Lord Howe Island's bird species

30% of our land snakes and Goannas are at risk as Cane Toads are rapidly spreading and eat their eggs.

The Common Myna Bird is the 2nd greatest threat to Australian native birds (habitat loss being the 1st)

The fox population has been estimated at 72 million and consume around 190 million birds a year

There's an estimated 23 million wild pigs/boars and an estimated 2.6 million goats - all eating whatever they come across.

How can I help Australian Wildlife?

There's the stuff we already know, like reduce/reuse/recycle and don't litter. But there's other things you may not know about.

Turn off lights at night - any lights that you don't need, don't have them on, especially if they are outside. Lots of animals require insects in their diets, particularly moths, which can be distracted by lights. Zoos Victoria have launched educational stuff for this https://youtu.be/ZAcL4FKPtHw

Learn about them - It's not hard, there's multiple ways you can do it. There's books, tv shows, pod casts, you can follow sanctuaries and other people who work with wildlife on social media. Planting flora that's native to your area is great as different plants can attract different animals and it's much lower maintenance, being made for that environment. You can even find cool life-hacks like Lemon Scented Tea-Tree doesn't just smell amazing and feed lots of wildlife, it keeps the mozzies away! There's different kinds of nesting boxes out there specific to different species that you can put up to help 'foster' that species. You can even become friends with your local Magpies! Mine know me as the lady who cleans and fills the bird bath and all I had to do was whistle to them when I was done and now they are really chill around me and I get to watch their antics. Debunk Myths! - In learning about wildlife you can debunk lots of myths like: a mother bird won't take it's chick back if you've touched it (fake news!) or that snakes dislocate their jaw to swallow their prey (that would be soooo painful!)

Put out water - have a bird bath and keep it clean and full. Or if you don't have one or want to get one just put water out on hot days. Summer's getting hotter and hotter and our animals really suffer. So put out a nice pot or container of water. Don't forget to put a rock or a stick in it if it's a slippery surface (like plastic or metal) so that little animals and bugs don't fall in and drown, and keep it out of the sun if it's likely to heat up.

Check roadkill - it's not pleasant but needs to be done. Don't do it if it's a motorway or somewhere dangerous, but if you can PLEASE do. Roadkill sometimes looks dead but isn't and you don't want them laying there suffering. They may have pouch young if they are a marsupial or young nearby that will need care without their parent. And where possible get it off the road. Species like Tasmanian Devils, Goannas and Wedge Tailed Eagles feed on roadkill and can then end up as roadkill themselves. Even if you have to drag it, it's dead and not gonna feel any more pain. 100% of people I have attended a rescue for who have called because they stopped and found a joey or young in a pouch or hiding nearby have not regretted their decision at all. Even if they were late for work, they saved a life and it was worth it.

Avoid using poisons - insecticides, pesticides, snail bait and straight up rat poison. Like mentioned in POISON VS VENOM, it just keeps killing. There are so many other options out there and they aren't hard to find. There's stuff on the internet but also at Bunnings I've found more environmentally sound options that use Tea Tree oils and Eucalyptus instead and work just as well.

Don't feed them! - Most Aussie animals are gluten and lactose intolerant. BREAD IS REALLY BAD! and if not eaten it gets mouldy and causes disease. Putting out bird seed is the number 1 problem when we talk 'feeding wildlife'. WHY?

The 'wild birdseed' that you buy in shops isn't actually for wild birds. JUST LOOK AT IT, you don't see those seeds growing out in the wild. The main seed wild birds eat are Bottle-brush, She-oaks, Banksias, Wattle and Eucalypts. None of those are found in these bags of seed.

Even for seed eaters that seed you buy is too fatty and unbalanced

For those that don't usually eat seed, like Lorikeets, eating the seed destroys the specialised bristles on their tongues that they need to eat their natural food - nectar and pollen.

If you don't keep it clean you will spread diseases, especially psittacosis (beak and feather) for which there is no cure just a slow, drawn out death. You can also catch it and end up in hospital.

You cause an imbalance. Animals breed based on food availability, if you make food available they will breed but there might not be enough space or trees available and you create more competition and also they end up relying on you and if you go on holiday or anything they can die without that food.

You can cause health issues in other animals. Possums love bird seed but it makes them fat, making it harder for them to escape predators.

You will be feeding non-natives. For example, the Common Myna bird cannot survive on wild plants, but if there is a food source around they can. Got rid of Common Mynas in my neighbourhood by convincing my neighbours to stop putting out bird seed.

RATS LOVE BIRD SEED. Specially feral rats. Mice also love bird seed.

You make a predator hot-spot. It won't take long for predators to realised animals they prey on visit your feeding station and they will come. The most common predator I find around bird seed? Snakes. Snakes love rats and mice, rats and mice love bird seed. You do the maths.

If you want to feed them just do some research and plant trees that are food for them.

How many species are endangered?

Sadly, it's almost quicker to list what's NOT endangered in Australia.

That's hard to say as there is different ways they can be endangered. In one area they may be common, but in another they could be disappearing. You can have Endangered lists at different levels; local, state, national and international.

But the most used list is the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species. AKA the IUNC Red List

Here's a bit of a breakdown: EXTINCT 26 mammals 7 birds 4 amphibians CRITICALLY ENDANGERED 7 mammals 8 birds 15 amphibians 13 reptiles ENDANGERED 18 mammals 29 birds 18 amphibians 21 Reptiles VULNERABLE 51 mammals 40 birds 23 amphibians 35 reptiles NEAR THREATENED 43 mammals 37 birds 9 amphibians 21 reptiles

Then there's the "data deficient" category where they really just don't have the info. 10 mammals 11 amphibians 42 reptiles

I will continue to update this post as I think of other things. Feel free to send me any questions you have

#Wildlife #Australian animals #Aussie #FAQ #endangered animals #what people should know #long post #venom vs poison

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lexi-evans · 3 years

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𝖈𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖒𝖆𝖘 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖉 𝖔𝖓𝖊'𝖘 | Draco Malfoy x weasley! Reader

Convincing Draco to celebrate Christmas with you, at the burrow.

warning: Fluff.

“Come on, Draco. Please, please! Pretty please!!?” Draco sighed, glancing at you. You looked at him with puppy doe eyes, you knew he can't resist them. He knows, he can't say no to you. “Fine, I'll go with you. Don't blame me if they don't accept me —”

“That's rubbish, dray. They'll love you” you replied, placing your head on his chest. “trust me” You hugged him, he smiled wrapping his arms around your waist. Both of you are laying in the couch cuddling,in his common room, by the fire place. “I love you, and I'm sure they'll love you too”

He hummed in response, as you played with his hair. “Can I kiss you?” “Do you even have to ask?” and soon just one kiss turned into full make out session.

✨✨✨✨💖✨✨✨✨

“Come on, Dray!! It's almost time, the carriages will be leaving soon!” You spoke, practically dragging Draco with you. After the night when you convinced Draco to come along with you to the Burrow.

You immediately wrote letter to Molly, and to say she was more than okay to let draco stay in the burrow. You were delighted, despite the protests from you're twin brother Ron. He's not very happily with the fact that his twin sister is dating his ‘enemy’.

You moved on from the past. Draco is no longer the same greasy haired, arrogant, daddy's little boy anymore. He can make his own decisions and follow his heart instead of doing whatever his father ordered him to do so. He apologized, you forgave him.

When the blonde realized he fell for the redhead, he knew he's definitely going to have to stop being the git he was. So, he changed. He no longer calls muggleborns as mudbloods. He doesn't torment first years anymore. Better yet, had managed to befriend Harry and apologized to Granger.

After going through all of that, the twins. Fred and george gave him permission to take you on a date. But of course threatened him they'll hex him to oblivion, if he broke their little sister's heart. But they knew he genuinely is in love with you.

“Aren't you going to sit with me?” He asked, frowning when he saw you stopped at the compartment where the golden trio were seated. “I'll come over later, don't worry. You go ahead” you replied giving him a toothy grin. He nodded before heading off to find Zabini and Nott.

Ron snickered. You sighed “why can't you just be happy for me?”

✨✨✨✨💖✨✨✨✨

The first two days at the burrow, are fun. Molly and Arthur are both fine with draco being you're boyfriend. They think he's sweet, which he is. You guys played quidditch, made gingerbread house. After being forced to spend along with draco together in the house.

Ron was too getting along just fine, with draco. And you couldn't be more happier.

Finally, it was the day. Christmas!

“What's gotten you so happy, sis?” Ginny nudged your side, Hermione laughed at your confused face. “Any reason, why you're smiling like an idiot?” she asked.

Ron and Draco are playing chess, while Harry is helping out Molly. The twins are testing out their new products, while arthur is reading newspaper.

“It's just... I feel like, Finally everything's going just like I always wanted. You know what I mean?” Ginny shook her head. Fred gave george a puzzled look.

“I've got everything I ever wanted, Gin. A perfect life I can ask for” you got everyone's attention in the room. Who were listening to you, carefully.

“parents who I absolutely adore —” You walked over to Molly, wrapping an arm around her giving a light squeeze. She gave you a warm smile. Arthur smiled at his daughter, dearly.

“overprotective brother's who I love —” you walked over to the couch, elbows pressing on the couch as you leaned.where Fred and george were sitting. Both grinning, widely.

Draco watched his girlfriend, with such adoration. He always admired how much you cared about everyone around you.

“An annoying, twin brother —” you said, playfully, ruffling his hair.Ron rolled his eyes, smiling.

“Fierce sister —” Ginny chuckled.

“Two best friends, one who attracts not only girls but mostly danger —” You gave Harry a teasing look. Ron gave him a mocking expression which Harry mirrored. “the other one, who's the mum —” Hermione rolled her eyes, folding arms up to her chest.

“But still the brightest and intelligent one —”

Hermione shook her head in disbelief, but couldn't wipe off the smile on her face.

“Last but not least, my lovely boyfriend who I love to the moon and back —”

Eyes shifted to Draco, who looked awkwardly flustered. His cheeks painted with crimson dust. Of course, he didn't expect you to say you love infront of everyone.

“Nothing is better than spending time on Christmas with loved one's” Harry spoke, wrapping arm around Ginny's waist who blushed at the sudden action.

“That is very true” agreed Ron.

✨✨✨✨💖✨✨✨✨

“What present did you get me?” you asked Draco who scratch the back of his head.

You looked at him suspiciously, and then the basket. Once you removed the clothe, a puppy jumped out. In instinct, you jumped at first quickly melted.

“No way!!” You stared at the small puppy, amused. “I know how much you like animals and I wasn't sure if you lik—”

“Are you kidding? I LOVE IT!!!” You giggled as the puppy licked your face. You stood up tip toeing, wrapping arms around his neck.

Clearly forgetting there are other people in the house. The lot went ‘Aww’ looking at the two flustered couple. You burried your face into his chest. Draco laughed at your cuteness. Draco giggled, placing a soft kiss at your temple.

✨✨✨✨💖✨✨✨✨

“You look cute” You mumbled. Everyone went back to their rooms, whilst you and Draco stayed up, cuddling with each other by the fire place. Draco hummed. He is wearing one of the sweaters Molly knitted, his blonde hair a little messy with you playing with it.

He wore grey sweatpants and scarlet extra pair socks to keep his feet warmer.. while, you were also wearing almost same clothes. “You look adorable”. You stayed quiet for few moments in comfortable silence. Draco pressed soft kisses in the exposed skin he could find, murmuring sweet things about how much he loves you and how make him happy.

Draco showed affection mostly with touch. And you know that. “Mum likes you, you know?”

“Really?” he said in amused tone. You hummed in response.

“Draco?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“I love you”

“I love you, honey”

“Merry Christmas, dray”

“Merry Christmas, Y/N” that was the last thing, you heard before you slowly drifted off to sleep. Draco looked down at you as you slept peacefully next to him. You're head on his chest, few strands of hair lightly covering your face, lips slightly parted as low snores left.

Draco felt so god dang lucky to have someone, amazing like you by his side, forever.

✨✨✨💜💜💜✨✨✨

A/N: I would like to apologize for not posting much lately because I'm sick, (still am) but anyways, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! Also thank you so much for 112 Followers!! I love you all so much, hope you're having a great day!! Also, Requests are open! And you can also slyther-in to my dm's anytime!! Once again, merry christmas!! [Writing fics, while being sick SUCKS]

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xadianjay · 4 years

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TDP Secret Santa Exchange

From: @tdphttydatlatlok

To:@cruria

This is my gift for you!

You said you loved both canon and headcanon, so I decided to write something about the time after the battle. And with Janaya. It also contains some stuff about what happened in Lux Aurea during the time skip.

But enough about that, just enjoy:

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Sunfire and Night Rain

The battle was over, Rayla and Callum were talking, Ezran was playing hide and seek with Soren, Bait and Zym and Amaya talked to that other human with the red hair. Janai wondered if they were a thing? But then again, why did she want to hold her hand when the Dragon Queen woke up? Kazi came up from behind.

"You seem to really like the human general!", they said mockingly, knowing Janai would get furious. She immediately blushed and denied: "She was my prisoner! Now that we don't have to fight the humans anymore, we don't have to talk anymore!"

"But you will!", Kazi responded with a knowing look on their face.Then they walked away to talk to some of the other warriors. And left Janai confused and worried.

Kazi'd been right, she wanted to spend more time with the deaf general. Even though she hadn't admitted it yet, she secretly really liked her! Of course, being able to talk to her without having to learn a new language first would be easier, but even if she wasn't deaf, Janai would still have to overcome her boundaries, admit her feelings to Amaya. She'd never been that good at the whole feelings stuff, but then again, she'd never really needed it. As a warrior, you fight with honor and strength, but you don't show feelings to your enemy.

Confused and trying to overshadow her feelings,she went outside, hoping the fresh air could clear her mind. She found herself again at the place where they landed with her trusted twin-tailed inferno-tooth tiger. Amaya had gotten off the mount and welcomed her nephews back. Janai hadn't thought about her having a family a lot, but the sight of her hugging her nephews warmed her heart. The older one started to talk to her, but also to everyone else, speaking both normal and sign language, which made it more comfortable for Janai to listen. At least until they started talking about her. Amaya'd signed something to him after she'd told him that she thought of Amaya as her prisoner, not her friend.

And Janai had tried to understand.

They'd been in Lux Aurea for a few days to recover and then they went to the Storm Spire. And in this time, Janai had asked Kazi if she could teach her sign language, just the basics, so it would be easier for her to understand Amaya. They'd been surprised about her sudden interest on the topic, especially because Janai had never been the type to learn about language or really anything that wasn't fighting. That was probably the time when Kazi first picked up the vibe that Janai might care more about what would happen to Amaya that she admitted. But they didn't try to talk her out of it, Kazi loved teaching and was really good at it too. And they had no problem with love, however unusual and strange it might've seemed. And later, Janai'd even tried to talk to Amaya a little bit – partly without Kazi, Janai wouldn't want anyone to know what she said to Amaya. She hadn't talked to anyone about it, but she had the feeling Amaya would understand. It was about her sister. When she'd died, Amaya probably saved Janai's life by holding her back from going up the tower to...to what? Revenge her sister? Try to find out what happened? Attack for Lux Aurea? Or simply save her sister, even though she knew it was impossible? Back when it happened, that was more or less Janai's drive for going, the anger, the pain… Janai had always looked up to her sister, and even though they had different points of view on a lot of topics and took a different way in life, Janai had never felt closer or more understood by anyone else. And now she was gone. For the second time since she died, Janai started to cry.

She wrapped her arms around her legs and burrowed her face in her arms. She felt so alone, so weak… Her thoughts paused for a moment, a moment of silence, one of peace in her mind, then they drifted back to this place. Where she'd landed with Amaya. Where Amaya had signed to her nephew. It wasn't surprising that Janai had caught some of the words Amaya used during the quick exchange. She'd understood parts of what Amaya was saying too in Lux Aurea. And if she wasn't mistaken, she'd said something like – no! It wasn't possible! Janai's mind started to race as she thought about what else she could've said. There were so many possibilities! She tried to get her head on some other topic, for example how she'd rule over Lux Aurea now that her sister was gone. Or what the sunstone would be like, how to repair it if that was even possible and if it was not, what to do? All of these were rather important matters, but Janai couldn't focus on either of them. Her mind always slipped back to the thing Amaya'd signed… And the harder she tried to avoid thinking about it, the more she got stuck on it. She needed to know for sure! Janai went back inside, the air outside had done nothing but bring more confusion to her brain after all. Amaya was still leaning against the wall, talking, or better signing to the man. He signed back, there was nothing to hear except a laughter from the man every now and then. Callum was sitting on the other side of the room, alone this time. He was the only one who could tell her for sure except Amaya and he was the only one who was available at the moment. "Ahem, excuse me? Can I ask you something?", Janai asked him. He looked up to her.

"Of course!"

'What did Amaya say to you back then? You know, when we landed and I said she was my prisoner, not friend?"

"Oh...uhh, this is...kinda awkward, but..", Callum stuttered in response.

'Yeah, tell me about it!', Janai thought. She felt her body heating up.

'Please don't blush, please don't blush!', she begged herself.

"She kinda said..uh, that you...thought she was cute? But...haven't admitted it...yet?", he finally said, awkwardly rubbing his neck with one hand.

Janai's eyes widened. She'd been right. Her body ignored her wish, she felt her cheeks get red, praying that her golden markings and dark skin could somehow cover it up.

"Thank you", she muttered, turning around and walking, almost running outside again.

She sat down on the edge of the….. . Someone approached her from behind. It was Amaya.

She sat down next to her and looked into Janai's face, obviously worried about her.

'What's wrong?', she signed slowly, making sure Janai would be able to understand her.

"I think you were right. I do like you", Janai said quietly, turning towards Amaya so she'd be able to read from her lips. That also meant she had to directly look at her face. Her beautiful face, only harmed by that scar, going from just beneath the right eye over her right cheek. Somehow, the scar only made her even more beautiful. And showed how much fight she had in her. Amaya started smiling. It was only a thin smile, but it made Janai's heart race even faster than before.

'I like you too. You're a noble warrior. And a beautiful woman', Amaya signed, at least if Janai had interpreted the few words she didn't understand correctly. She blushed again. Amaya liked her!

Back in Lux Aurea, Kazi'd talked to her a lot. They'd been sitting in the ring of fire and talked for a long time and afterwards Kazi, who was very easy to talk to, knew a lot about Amaya's past. And they'd told Janai everything. That Amaya's older sister had also died. To save her husband and sister. To save ten thousand starving humans. Amaya'd been trying to comfort Janai after what happened to her sister Khessa, and even during it. That had been the reason for her to want to talk to Amaya in the first place. This act of selflessness, this look she gave Janai and told her to let go with, it spoke of understanding. Janai had assumed that Amaya was trying to help her because she knew what pain she was going through, but not more. She'd never thought Amaya might care about her. But then these other thoughts came to Janai's mind about Amaya… thoughts she hadn't even fully admitted to herself yet. But the truth was… she thought Amaya was beautiful. Yes, she was a human, but a good one! She had feelings, the same feelings Janai had. Khessa and her parents were the only people who taught Janai about humans. And everything they ever told her was that all humans were monsters. Dark mages. Heartless creatures who didn't bother to rip the life out of a helpless animal. But even the first time Janaid fought Amaya, she'd known that Amaya wasn't like that. She would never rip the life out of something. She was noble! And now she'd said she thought Janai was noble! And beautiful!

"Yeah, you too! And … I ...uh, you were right. I do think you're cute", Janai muttered, this time looking at the ground as if there was something very interesting down there to see. But she felt that Amaya had understood. She wanted to get up and walk away, she wasn't able to sit there anymore, she thought she was going to explode because of how awkward this situation was.

But Amaya grabbed her by the arm as she tried to walk away. Turned her around. Suddenly her face was so close at Janai's! Too close! Amaya looked at her with her soft eyes, again a smile emerged on her lips.

'I think that of you too. That's why I signed it to my nephew, because I hoped you would feel the same way about me', Amaya signed, looking into Janai's eyes the whole time, waiting for some reaction. Janai felt herself loosening up and started smiling too.

"Well, I do. Feel the same way about you."

The sun was about to set, it hung up in the sky, just barely divorcing their faces from each other. Until they got closer together.

Janai's brain stopped working as her lips touched Amaya's. It was a short, but deep kiss and it had a great meaning for both of them.

A few hours later Amaya told her nephew that Janai had to get back to Lux Aurea to rebuild the armee and help the fortress to recover.

And that Amaya would go with her.

-----

In addition to that, have some bad fanart bc I can't work with colours:

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fanfictrashdump · 3 years

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Queening a Pawn, 18

If you're new: this is my procrastination fic. It is what I drabble around with when I'm being my worst self, and ignoring all my other WIPs and responsibilities! Enjoy!

Summary: During the Time Heist, Loki stole the Tesseract and escaped. He did not expect, however, to be pulled through a Time Loop that delivered him to a Midgard more than a decade older, wiser, and bitterer. Having just lived through his unsuccessful attack in New York, Loki must learn to live in Midgard after the defeat of Thanos (post-Endgame). The question is, who is Loki without a quest for a throne or total domination?

Pairings: Loki x OC

Loki was lounging in the plush armchair in his living room, legs thrown over the armrests as he leafed through a chemistry book. In his lap, the tufted ball of fluff that was Einherjar lay on his back, showing the dark-haired Prince his belly for the occasional scratch. The kitten chirruped, protesting the lack of attention. Loki lifted the book to look down at his lap with a smirk.

"When I said you could come over, it wasn't for you to monopolize my time, you tiny brat."

The cat made a noise of protest before flipping just enough to butt his head against Loki's hand. He acquiesced, rubbing the kitten under the chin before the beast hopped off and stood before the bedroom door, tapping his soft paw against the door.

"She needs to rest–"

He stopped himself when the cat just started to scratch at the door with a vengeance. Loki rolled his eyes, swinging his legs onto the floor and abandoning the book onto the coffee table before stopping by the bedroom.

He had barely twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open before the kitten had slipped inside with his tail straight up and alert. With a grin, he followed the feline with his eyes as the kitten made its way up the tall bedposts and the twisted black bedlinens. Among a thick cocoon of sheets, Delilah lay rolled up into a ball, breathing evenly in peaceful slumber. His lover had fallen a little under the weather, and while every other being tended to avoid her like the plague, Loki knew he was at no risk of contracting any disease. After much protest, he had slung her over his shoulder and deposited her in his bed. Three days later, and she had pretty much remained unmoved.

Einherjar burrowed his furry body under the crook of her arm, settling against her warmth and purring so loudly Loki could hear it plainly from the doorway. "Ein, baby. Give me five minutes," she rasped weakly, barely able to pet the kitten.

"He just wants to curl up with you. No need to wake."

His voice made Delilah rouse. She blinked sleepily at the man with an odd look on her face. "When did you get here?"

"Well, I do happen to live here," he replied, clearly amused.

She stared around the room with a frown. "This isn't my room."

He suppressed a snort. "Well spotted, love."

"I'm icky."

"That is patently untrue." A few steps had him climbing up on the bed with a smile, pressing a kiss to her temple, despite her vehement protests. "You are burning again, sweetheart."

"My eyes are achy."

"Perhaps," he started, flexing his fingers before placing his palm onto her forehead. Delilah watched in fascination as his skin slowly turned blue, from the tips of his fingers and disappeared into the sleeves of his jumper. "Alright?" She nodded quietly, leaning into the soothing cool of his skin before her fingers began to trace his markings.

"Frosty, the snowman–" Lilah started singing, but Einherjar mewled as if he was protesting on the frost giant's behalf. "I'm kidding, Ein. He knows that. Don't you, gorgeous?"

"Are you always this flirty when you're ill or do I simply bring it out in you?" Delilah smirked impishly, and Loki rolled his eyes. "Never mind, you flirt." Another kiss peppered her forehead. "Let me bring you some broth," he murmured, slipping off the bed and reluctantly parting with her.

Delilah surprised him by wolf-whistling after him after giggling. "Do you have any fries for that shake?"

His darkened gaze cut over his shoulder. "Don't tempt me, pixie. I'll give you much more than a shake."

"Tease!"

He ignored the claim, pouring the broth he had carefully tended to all day, into a colorful mug for her to sip. The warmth scalded his blue fingers, but he made no complaint as he dutifully carried it back into the bedroom and waited for Lilah to sit up. She mumbled a complaint as her sore body stretched and burrowed into his side. She jumped when her outer thighs came into contact with his cold corporation.

"Why am I not wearing pajama pants?"

Loki chuckled. "Terribly sorry. I have a strict no pajama bottoms rule in effect. No exceptions."

She closed her hands around the mug, absorbing its warmth. She raised an eyebrow at him. "The lace underwear?"

"That was purely for my benefit, I admit." He nudged her gently on the side. "Illness is not an excuse to forego a bath."

"I've been sleeping," she retorted, deadpan.

"And I've yet to disturb your rest. You're welcome," he sassed back with a half grin, making a bundle of her and dragging her warm body into his lap, careful not to spill her broth. Delilah shuddered against the chill of his skin but settled against his chest, regardless. Her interest piqued as she sipped on the warm, savory liquid as Loki was now humming some unknown tune under his breath. He pointedly ignored her curious expression as his voice reverberated through his ribcage and hers, still humming. The forest cat completed their odd nesting doll positions by curling up in his mistress' lap, purring loudly.

"You're happy." The phrase wasn't so much an accusation as it was an intrigued declaration.

Loki tutted, forcing a frown on his face. "Slander."

"No, you are. Why are you so giddy?"

His fingers worried at a loose thread at the hem of her shirt and he made a mental note to have it replaced. He shrugged. "You never seem to need help and… it's nothing."

"Loki…"

"You fell asleep before I could even assure you that you'd be fine…"

"Oh, my heart," she gushed, staring up at him with an expression of pure adoration that seemed very out of place directed at him. "I trust you with my life, Lo."

"I know that. I just didn't know you were comfortable with me."

Lilah sighed, still smiling. She leaned away just long enough to place the mug on the bedside table. "I know that it's hard for you to believe, but I don't mind you around even when I'm sick and vulnerable and icky. In fact, I kind of prefer it."

"You prefer m-me around?" Despite the question, he was lighting up from within with giddy expectation.

"Everything is better with you around."

"I feel the same." His cheeks turned lavender over his Jotunn form. "I've waited a thousand years for you."

"God of Mischief and Lies? God of Soft Feelings and Ardent Domesticity!"

He smirked. "Easy. If rumors get out no one will ever respect me again."

"Or they'll respect you even more. Because how in the world can you turn from a sweet creature fishing for hugs and kisses to a lethal animal with deadly precision? How does that not inspire awe?" Loki's cheeks burned further, eyes dead set onto his hands on her lap, curled in Einherjar's fur.

"That sounds awful."

"It sounds like everything I want to come home to," she whispered before pressing her lips to his. "Or maybe that's the fever talking," Lilah joked, trying to break the tension and make him chuckle.

"Lilah?"

"Yeah?"

His back tensed and he drew a breath to steel his resolve. "Would you– would you want to come home to me?

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't I already?"

"And there you go, answering a question with a question again," he huffed, shifting uncomfortably beneath her. "I'm asking you to wed me."

Delilah giggled pecking the frown out of his lips. "I know."

"So, it's a "no", I assume?"

An eyebrow raised expectantly. "Why would you say that?"

Loki cut his eyes at her with an unsure expression. "Because you… I…don't…. know…"

"Silvertongue, indeed, I see," she teased. Loki supposed there was no way he could blush any harder. His heart was thudding in his ears and threatening to burst through his chest cavity, sad and defeated, but also thoroughly and entirely enamored of this ethereal creature. "You'd really be stuck with me for however long I live?"

His mouth tenderly trailed down her jaw. "I could ask you the same."

"Stop making dumb decisions and you'll happily arrive at my funeral looking like a snack," she joked, only to have him pinch her side with a frown.

"You're not dying before me," he groused. "Do you think I would ever offer you marriage without guaranteeing you'd outlive me?" Delilah rolled her eyes, but offered no complaint, choosing instead to cuddle him, all the while sandwiching Einherjar. The kitten purred contentedly and burrowed further between them. She could tell there was still more on his mind and she waited patiently for his bravery to agree with him. "I'm aware that I'm not the safest option. I'm also aware that I am not the most suitable mate– Thor is–"

"I don't want Thor. I love him, but he's kind of a narcissistic brat with a hero complex."

"In fairness, he is a hero."

She cupped her hands around his face, watching how his skin pinked at the warmed contact and his features fell into his Asgardian form. "So are you–the person I actually want. Who is already entirely mine and I intend to keep, forever." Her finger ran the length of the creases that formed whenever he smiled. "If you want to put a ring on it, be my guest. I wasn't planning on letting you go, either way."

"And how did you know I'd be amenable to this plan to hoard me away?" He caught her left index finger between his teeth and gnawed gently.

She grinned. "In the last four days, I've been feverish, throwing up and looking like a trash monster and you've been anxiously hovering for the entirety of it. You've basically hoarded yourself into my life." The kitten, who had scaled the front of her shirt, fishing for attention, mewled in what sounded like annoyance. "Our life. Terribly sorry, Ein." They shared a glance and Delilah rolled her eyes dramatically. "You sure you want all this?"

"Most definitely. Say "yes", darling." She gave a giggle and peppered his face in a trail of warm kisses.

"Yes, darling."

"Smart ass," he muttered, though his face lit up in a disbelieving smirk.

"Learned from the very best, love of mine." Delilah caught the corner of his mouth and Loki bit back a growl before recapturing her lips. "Husband of mine."

This time the growl was not subdued. His kisses were effervescent but short-lived. With a wide smile, he leaned over opposite her, digging into the drawer of his own bedside table. When he righted, he was fisting something tightly in his left hand, a slight tremble barely noticeable in his limbs.

"What are you–?" Delilah could not finish the questions before Loki opened his hand. Laying in the center of his palm was a delicate silver band woven in threads like vines. Details of tiny flowers and leaves threaded through the fibers.

The Asgardian looked rather sheepish as he waited for a reaction –any reaction– from his lover. "On Asgard we trade weapons, but I've read that rings are the traditional exchange of the realm here. Though I do have a beautiful Uru dagger that I've been meaning to give you. Is it weird that I want to give you a weapon? I just worry–"

"You're rambling." Her tone was playful and loving. "You're rambling when you should be making me yours," she added as she offered her left hand to him, "but god, I love it when you do."

Despite the flush, Loki eagerly slipped the ring from his palm onto her finger, enjoying the crackle of electricity that formed once the band magically adjusted on it. There was a tug in his soul calling him to her, one that he was sure she felt, too, if the curious tilt of her head was any indication. It was an intimate, yet effortless, connection–souls finding their match and twisting together. The new sensation was comfortable and soothed his anxious, frayed nerves. She was his balm.

Delilah looked down at her hand in his. She turned it over, palm up, casually running her thumb over the band in an attempt to perceive the intricate designs with her digits, but coming up surprisingly empty. Beside her, Loki gave a shudder, gasping lightly, and her mind flashed with a million images of herself, many in an array of compromising positions. She had never had a god in her head before, but she decided she was going to like this.

#Loki #Loki MCU #Loki fanfic #MCU #MCU fanfic #MCU fanfiction #Loki x oc #Loki x ofc #alternate timeline #time heist #fix it #Queening a Pawn

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pynkhues · 3 years

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Do you have any tips on how to write a story with multiple main characters? I'm currently trying to write a story that features six characters. Two of which are sort of a duo they are co workers/ friends. The rest of the characters don't really know each other yet however eventually they all come together. They are all important to the story. how can I make this not confusing for the readers?

Absolutely, anon! That sounds like a really cool premise – I love stories that sort of weave a bit as they come together, and having characters that seem like standalone threads only to braid them as the story goes on is a favourite narrative structure of mine. It’s also kind of good timing to ask, because my novel (which comes out in two weeks! Eek!) actually has three leads / three point of view characters, so this is definitely a headspace that I’ve been in quite a bit over the last twelve months (plus I’ve been lucky enough to work with a team of editors who really helped me grow and develop on that front!)

When we talk about writing multiple main characters, I think it becomes a conversation about balance. That might seem like an obvious answer, because of course we’re always balancing characters and storylines in a way that weights them appropriately, but I think it really goes beyond that to a balancing of tone, vocabulary, imagery and space.

These are things that ebb and flow between characters, but they’re also things that have the responsibility of grounding readers with the character they’re spending time with, on top of controlling the narrative tension which keeps your story moving, and your readers reading (or watching if what you’re writing is a screenplay or play!)

In that sense, I think the best way to talk about that balance is to talk about four different things, namely:

Who are your characters?

Story worlds (and where they crossover)

Voice

Pace, Tension & Narrative Structure

So, let’s start at the top.

Who are your characters?

Understanding who your characters are and how they fit into the narrative you’re telling is another one that feels probably obvious, but I think it’s an important one to break out because it really feeds into my next two points.

The basics of knowing who your characters are culminates in three questions.

What do they want?

What’s standing in their way, stopping them from getting what they want?

How will they overcome what’s standing in their way so that they can get what they want?

These three questions ultimately inform every aspect of your plot, but they also inform who your character is because there is a why behind each of them.

I’ve talked at length I think on here about the almighty Why? haha, but it really is pivotal to the ways in which we understand story and character. JK Rowling being a TERF and a terrible person aside, Harry Potter is really a great example of this, and I use it all the time when I’m teaching, because people generally know it and these three questions – and how the why? informs the character and the story – is really clear.

What does Harry want? Harry wants a family.

What’s standing in his way? Voldemort wanting to take over the wizarding world, killing his birth parents and threatening the new family he’s building.

How will he overcome it? Harry will be a hero, and overcome with the help of his created family.

In another world, this would be a classic hero’s journey – Harry hears the hero’s call, he fights the villain, he saves the day; but what Rowling does well is that she uses that why? to inform his character and ground us in the story. Harry never wants to save the wizarding world – he wants to save this scrap of family that he’s found in Hermione, Ron and the Weasley’s, and Hogwarts. The story follows traditional structure, but it roots itself not in a hero’s desire, but in a human one.

Harry’s just a boy who wants a family, and all his decisions are informed by that, but more importantly, Rowling makes narrative and structural decisions that feed that motivation.

The Dursley’s treat him badly; the mistreatment, neglect and abuse of that upbringing is juxtaposed against the embarrassment of riches he experiences not just at Hogwarts, but in the Wizarding World broadly; his father’s own created family is tangled; he connects to animals and fantastic creatures who are out of place because Harry himself has lived a life out of place, etc etc.

Even though it’s Harry who’s the protagonist and the only POV character in the books, you can still answer those three questions of all the supporting characters too, and that’s what you should be thinking about with your own story. Being able to answer those questions gives all your characters agency, it builds conflict (which I’ll come back to), and it helps you to build a distinctive world and voice for each of them.

Story worlds (and where they crossover)

We tend to think about story worlds pretty broadly, which I think is a detriment to storytelling. We each have our own distinct worlds and spaces that are ours and spaces that we’re not comfortable in and spaces that we’re only in with other people, or because we have to be, or because someone we love loves it.

Knowing what spaces are which for your characters is something I think really enriches stories overall and is going to help you to create associative spaces as you distinguish your major and minor characters from one another. It can also help you to create authentic conflict.

Just to jump back onto Harry Potter because it’s an easy example most people know – take Ron and Harry.

They’re mostly equals at Hogwarts, but not really anywhere else. Places like Diagon Alley make Ron feel uncomfortable because his family is poor and he lives on his brothers’ hand-me-downs, whereas for Harry, Diagon Alley, especially in the first few books, is a place of comfort because it signals a connection to his family, financial ease and a return to the world he considers home after spending time in a place he’s abused and neglected. Similarly, Ron loves his house – The Burrow – but is also embarrassed by it, whereas Harry loves it and yearns for it. It’s what he wished he had to come back to. Both these things create conflict for Ron and Harry at different stages of the book, and also fuel Harry's marrying into the family.

The Burrow is also written in a way that is distinctly characteristic of The Weasley’s. It’s loud and chaotic and cobbled together with what the family can afford, but it’s also full of charm and love in a way that makes it hard to confuse for any other location in the books. It is character informing space informing character in a beautiful little cycle.

Thinking about how space informs not only the primary character who engages with it, but what it can tell us about other characters who might not ever even go there is a great way of really distinguishing between them. Again, thinking of Harry Potter – compare the Weasley House to the Dursley House to Malfoy Manor to Grimmauld Place.

These are distinct settings that inform character and story and tone.

If it’s a shared space though too, think about the different ways characters interact with it.

In my novel, all the POV characters live in the same house, but where two of them are comfortable in it and roam it freely, one character is frequently featured in the overgrown garden or locked in her bedroom. She cuts herself or she exists on the outside of it, because she doesn’t feel connected to her family, and her brief moments of connection with her mother always happen in the backyard, because they can only really be together when her mother makes the effort to meet her where she’s at, not the other way around.

Voice

If we think about story worlds too broadly, we do the opposite, I think, with voice. There’s this tendency to think of voice as dialogue, or as internal monologue, when it is so much more than that. Voice is everything from vocabulary to gestures to what you notice and feel.

There’s a great horror movie called Hush which I always highly recommend, because it’s a two-hander with two characters, and the protagonist is deaf and the antagonist is not, and one of the great things this movie does is remove sound when we’re in the protagonist’s POV. That is a distinctive choice in terms of crafting her POV or ‘voice’ which settles us in her head and amplifies her conflict with the antagonist because she can't hear him.

It goes beyond that too though – what your characters pick up on, what’s important to them in setting, conflict, romantic scenes – is informed by their character and who they are, and becomes a distinctive part of their voice, and yours while you’re writing them.

A character who’s come from a poor background is going to notice the smells of expensive, gourmet food, and the way someone speaks or throws out references to holidays like they’re something everyone can take, versus a character from a wealthy background who’s probably not going to notice the smell of the food as much because they’re accustomed to it, but will notice – say – a place not having a maid or the size of someone’s living room or the fact that a bedframe is old or second hand.

We’re products of our experiences and those experiences inform not just the way we speak, but what we absorb or feel in a moment. Thinking about that in the context of your characters is going to help you to create really distinct voices for them that in turn help your readers pick up quickly on who they’re with and where they are. It’s also going to help create really distinct arcs for all six of your main characters, even the two that work together.

Generally speaking, I’d say things to consider are:

Age

Gender

Race

Class (particularly if it’s changed like Harry’s did)

Family and upbringing

Relationships (particularly friendship circles)

Travel they’ve done

Work

Where they live right now

What they eat

What they do for fun / what they enjoy

What they do because they have to / what they don’t enjoy

Pace, Tension & Narrative Structure

One of the pivotal things with storytelling is that the shape of it should feel consequential. To boil it down to its most basic meaning – something happens and so this happens, not and then this happens – the former is what creates flow and builds tension, whereas the latter jars and confuses. When you have multiple POV characters in temporarily silo’ed storylines, this can be trickier. You’re dealing with scenes that are often not immediately talking to each other, which isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but you need to find the balance in that.

If you have six completely unrelated storylines you need to find ways to connect them in ways that are going to prick the reader’s notice and create clean transitions. A character might drive to the beach while in the next scene a character swims in a lake for instance. We know that they’re separate and in different places, but the water connects them in a way that creates narrative flow.

It doesn’t even need to be that direct – two characters might be in the same place but at completely different times, a character might wear something blue and another might be repulsed by something blue, or it can be thematic juxtaposition. In my novel for instance, a character spends time connecting with a friend, before we have a scene with his sister who is completely alone.

These sorts of transitions create thematic clarity even if the narrative connection is still building. They also create tension which compels readers because they’re waiting for worlds to collide and feeling the impact of knowing these characters are close and the story is threading, even when it’s not quite yet.

Thinking about how transitions build tension feels like a whole other post, haha, but thinking about it in the context of balancing characters, building tone, and creating contrast is really important for managing big casts of characters.

Just before I finish up: a final note on headhopping

Be! Very! Wary! Of! Headhopping!

It’s one of the cardinal sins of writing really, and it’s when writers bounce between POVs in the one scene. You can have an omniscient voice, you can bounce around scene-to-scene, you can even have a handover mid-scene (although these are extremely hard to do), but you can’t do it flippantly or you will confuse your message and your readers.

If you are coming from a character’s POV, you need to stick with it and only hand it off in a responsible way. In my novel, I have my three POV characters, but I only headhop at scene transitions for instance. A lot of movies headhop through lingering shots on particular characters which then let them transition with them. If you’re an omniscient narrator, you need to do something similar. There’s a reason it’s called headhopping, and the reason is it makes the author look like they’re jumping between characters on one leg.

Don’t do it! Invest in a character for a scene or a chapter before switching POVs.

In conclusion

The best way to balance multiple protagonists is to understand them, and understand how their history informs them, and shapes their experiences of not just the world around them, but their experiences of others, of their conflicts, of their growth and their setbacks, and how that in turn builds your story.

I hope this is a help!

#writing advice #writing #i'm sorry this took me a few weeks to get to anon!#it's been wild #i also really do hope this is helpful #let me know if you have any questions #:-)#welcome to my ama

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