#but i ALSO feel like that the good luck is starting to tip too far and the finale battle might ALSO go horribly wrong-

[yandere-sins]

holy crap your previous könig and ghost yan are so good😭 i have this idea, and idk if anyone has incorporated it in any yan stories of them, but the idea of unmasking them and seeing their faces for the first time???? like this is pre-established relationship (with either men idk up to you to imagine which) where you haven’t seen their faces…yet. the most you know is the intimidation you feel every time you see them—or see them lurking around you but like, imagine a scenario where the reader is trying to get them to take off their mask + plus i’m pretty sure ghost and könig has yet to have canon appearances so i’d like to hear your interpretations of them!!!

I had this idea in a not yandere-sense and it was so wholesome and adorable and just intimate where they let you unmask them for the first time, kind of hesitant, but so adoringly... Maybe I should write the harmless version one day, but for now, this is still a yandere blog sorry hahaha! Thanks for requesting!!

Warnings: Yandere, Minor Sexual Content

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

König

♡ König is so flustered. Poor man doesn't even think he deserves you being so agreeable that night, sitting in his lap, allowing him to touch you (shallowly, but his fingers are on your body, and that's more than most nights). Yet, you also caress him back, not saying anything or giving him reasons why you're being so nice. You told him so many times you hate him, driving a dagger into his poor heart over and over. Yet, your fingertips are tracing his shoulders and collarbones gently, carefully. He can't stop swallowing hard with all the drool collecting in his mouth, his brain befuddled with intense adoration and need for you to do more. To touch him more, to make him feel your hands and body rougher than the fluttering touches you're bestowing onto him.

♡ That's the only reason he allows your hands to go further. He really likes his mask, but you driving your hands under it, touching the hot skin underneath, well... it raises more questions and also something else between his legs. But König is way too scared to ruin this moment. He's also afraid of you uncovering something you might not like. A face you might find ugly or scars that you will laugh about. He doesn't want you to think badly of him, even though he can't change his looks anymore. At the same time, he really doesn't want you to stop. Just one more inch of skin bared to you. One more touch of your fingertips and all these feelings he harbors for you might explode out of him. But when you get to the stubble on his chin, your thumb having pressed deliciously into his throat and giving him a kick of adrenaline, suddenly, König revolts. Picking you up and setting you down on the couch before getting up and leaving the room in a hurry, he pulls his shirt-mask down as much as he can. After all, it was a bit too much for him; maybe you'll have more luck next time.

♡ (Yes, he's in the bathroom and miserable that he stopped you. Yes, he needs to take a cold shower afterwards, and yes, he still jerks off despite the icy temperature, bemoaning the roughness of his hands compared to yours.)

Ghost

♡ You know, Ghost really didn't plan to let you do it. It's his thing; he doesn't mind being always covered up and unreadable. It also helps with you and keeping you a bit fearful at all times. But when curiosity kills the cat, and you start playing with the seams of his mask, he just... lets you. Ghost wants to know how far you're willing to go, how bold you are—and how much he can take. He's not ashamed of his face, but the mask is his identity, so there might still come a moment when it's uncomfortable for him. But at the same time, this is like a game to him. One he knows he can stop at any given time, but which will yield a lot of prizes if he endures it.

♡ Because really, what's more adorable than you realizing he's not reacting? You thinking you're allowed to do what you want? You're testing the waters carefully, with only the tips of your nails slipping under the tight mask. Ghost watches you through his lashes as he pretends to still be dozing, unbothered and relaxed. In reality, he's controlling his instinctual flinches as everything screams at him to stop you. But you're not out to unmask and kill him, you're just curious. And you grow bolder, fast. He loves that look on your face, the concentration as you loosen the fabric so it might roll up his neck. You keep glancing at him, and though he knows you want to check if he's still asleep, it feels like you're asking his permission. And Ghost gives it to you. He's in control. So he even cranks his neck so you can push it up his chin, exposing his mouth, excitement about your achievement palpable. But when you adjust your position to continue, driving your hands under the mask and cupping his face, Ghost decides it's enough, pushing upwards to meet you in a kiss.

♡ He'll have you flipped over and complaining faster than you can react to, hands pinned above your heads, and your complaints turning into gasps and moans as he deepens the kiss, his hands exploring you until you arch your body into his touch and your mind is woozy from the loss of oxygen. Now that his mouth is out, he might as well use it to both of your pleasures and who knows, maybe he'll let you go a bit farther next time.

#ghost #yandere ghost #könig #yandere könig #yandere!ghost #yandere!könig #könig cod #ghost cod #cod #call of duty #yandere cod #yandere call of duty #yandere!cod #yandere!call of duty #yandere #yandere imagines #yandere headcanons #yandere scenarios #yandere fanfiction #yandere writing #yandere stories #yandere oneshots #yandere oneshot #yandere drabble #yandere x reader #yandere x darling #Yandere TW

[charmedreincarnation]

I’m kind of in a similar situation to your college indecisiveness post bc I want to shift but never have the time cuz all this studying. I’m really hating life rn. I’ve tried shifting a few times and managed to detach my awareness from this reality for a few minutes at a time, so i know what works for me, but I never have time to do it. I feel kind of drained that I could be achieving so much but I’m stuck not even having the time cuz I’m not smart enough to get done with all this HW fast enough

TLDR how do I be cool like you and too smart for school to be a big concern? Do I just say f**k it and do a shifting attempt when I’m supposed to be studying?

This was such a sweet ask 😭😭💖 I'm overwhelmed by the sweetness of your words, and I assure you, I'm far from being as cool as you think. In fact, I found myself facing the very same dilemma in the past! Now, I'm not sure if you're looking for some wisdom from Loa or valuable studying tips, so ill share a little bit of both? Also college-related questions/asks have been pouring in lately, so I've decided to address them all right here. I should probably just make it a post but I’ll use this ask as a reference.

Pre law perspective:

So my senior year, was when I really started my journey. It was during this time that I learned about shifting and manifesting (kind of law of attraction) so I naturally attempted everyday and had my focus to that. However, I basically spiraled into burnout and indifference towards school. Tbh It's still a mystery to me how I managed to do fine in school when I basically stopped attending classes mentally and barely did my work.

I've always had ADHD, anxiety, and procrastination issues throughout my high school years, But senior year took it to a whole new level. The boredom and disconnection from my studies were unbearable. I went through the motions, completing my homework, but for classes I didn't enjoy, I mindlessly attended without caring or understanding the material. It was a year filled with academic mediocrity, and certain subjects like AP Calculus and AP Biology, which I didn't even need for my future plans, were absolute torture.

And at the time I didn’t even fully understand what shifting was, But I clung to the notion that school no longer mattered in the grand scheme of things. Looking back, I realize it was a detrimental mentality to have for my well being. If there's one piece of advice I can offer, it's this - find a balance. Avoid burning yourself out completely, but don't neglect your mental well-being either. You are still here, whether you're shifting or not, whether you’re god or not, and whether you're actively manifesting or not. Diving deeper into a negative mental well will not benefit you in any way. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

As my burnout intensified, I reached a point where I no longer wanted to be alive in this boring ass reality. It became so severe that I almost didn't apply to college. My entire focus was consumed by shifting, and I simply didn't care about anything else. It was my friends who came to my rescue, pushing me to apply and offering unwavering support. Without their guidance and nurturing, I honestly don't know where I would be today.

Eventually, I grew tired of being tired. I began diving into my subliminal journey, creating playlists that combined affirmations for school,success, and luck. I learned the importance of dividing my time wisely. During the second semester, I continued this approach, focusing on school-related practices during the day and dedicating my evenings to shifting attempts.

Affirmations and scripting became the root of my routine too. Miraculously, my grades improved, even when I skipped classes for an entire month or neglected to read the lectures.

I was able to graduate high school with honors, which in itself proves that success or whatever isn’t even just about being naturally "good at school." I worked smarter, not harder and knowing about manifesting really helped with that!

So I really advice you to find a balance in your journey. Don't pour all your energy into just school or just manifesting. Embrace the plethora of easy methods available - scripting, subliminals, binaural beats - and integrate them into your study routine. Make it work in your favor. Treat shifting like a cherished hobby, something that complements your academic pursuits rather than overshadowing them.

Also, set realistic standards for yourself. In high school, I used to obsess over achieving straight A's, disregarding any grade below perfection. Looking back, I realize how misplaced my priorities were. As long as you maintain a mix of A's, B's, and even a few C's, you'll be absolutely fine. Set a goal of achieving a GPA of 3.0 or whatever scale your institution uses, and celebrate every success along the way.

Loa perspective

Ok, now let's talk about the power of the Law of Assumption!

Now that I'm in a place where I give only about 20% of my time and effort to school and still do very well, I can help and reflect on my journey properly. Back in high school, like said I struggled with anxiety and ADHD, and I thought these challenges would hold me back.

Test-taking, deadlines, remembering information it all seemed overwhelming. But you know what helped me? Subliminals.

Listening to subliminals for intelligence and confidence made a significant difference in my life. They boosted my abilities and gave me the belief that I could excel academically. And that belief was everything.

As you probably know the Law of Assumption states that whatever we expect and assume to be true will become our reality. So, I decided to apply this principle to my studies. I assumed that I was capable of achieving great grades with ease. I assumed that school life would be manageable, and I would continuously improve my skills throughout the semester. I always visualized seeing As, revised my past grades, teacher giving me the grade I know I deserve no matter what.

And guess what? It worked! My mindset shifted towards greater productivity, and I started using my time more efficiently. As a result, my grades improved, and I had more time to focus on the things I genuinely enjoyed. It was a game-changer, and it accounted for about 70% of my success. Just imagine that - simply switching my mindset and accepting the positive results from my previous subliminal experiences.

I understand that college can be more stressful and demanding than high school. But it's still the same principle at play. You don't have to drastically change your study habits if you don't want to. Instead, use general resources during the day to aid your studying. And while you're at it, listen to subliminals that align with your goals. Instead of imagining and affirming to yourself that you're a failure and worrying about all the things that could go wrong, shift your focus. Imagine the grade you want, affirm and visualize that no matter what happens on your test, you'll still pass the class with flying colors. Remember, it's just one test, one assignment, and there are so many more opportunities ahead.

General school tips

* Stop checking your grades every day. Seriously, it's only stressing you out. Grades can fluctuate randomly, especially in college (and honestly, even in high school). Instead of obsessing over the numbers, focus on staying on top of your assignments. Keep up with your work, put in your best effort, and trust that alone will reflect in your grades.

* Say no to all-nighters. Trust me, reading the same material for 12 hours straight won't magically make you understand it. If something isn't clicking, it's probably an internal issue. There's no need to spend an entire night alone trying to grasp a single concept. Look for alternative resources like recap lessons on YouTube or seek help from a tutor or classmate. Remember, it's okay to acknowledge what doesn't come naturally to you and instead focus on your strengths.

* Realistically, doing your homework and attending class means you're probably not failing. Even if you're not getting the grade you want, it doesn't mean you're headed for failure. Those big tests that carry a significant weight in your grade may impact your GPA, but they don't define the trajectory of your life. Take a moment to reflect on all the times you thought a single grade would ruin everything, yet here you are, still alive and thriving. You've been through challenges before, and you're stronger than you think. Breathe, remind yourself that you're not alone in these thoughts and stresses, and keep pushing forward.

* Make friends and join class group chats. Trust me, these connections are gold. Joining group chats on platforms like GroupMe or Snapchat allows you to ask questions, collaborate on study guides, and realize that you're not alone in this journey. Even if they're not your closest friends, having a support system within your classes can make all the difference.

* Use EFT tapping for anxiety, especially before tests. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping is not only useful for Law purposes, but it can also work wonders for managing anxiety. Check out my pinned guide on how to use EFT tapping. It has personally helped me immensely, and I hope it does the same for you.

* Work smarter, not harder. The truth is, those who seem to breeze through school while partying every night still manage to graduate and pass just like everyone else. The key is finding shortcuts, utilizing the vast resources available on the internet, and working smarter, not harder. Embrace technology, explore online study tools, and leverage the power of the internet as your greatest friend in this journey.

Here are some free recourses:

Math and Science

1. MathMagic Lite: This app lets you write any mathematical expressions and various scientific symbols easily

2. Equatio: A powerful equation editor that makes it easy to create digital, accessible maths

3. Microsoft Mathematics: Can be used to write mathematical expressions, solve equations, and plot graphs

4. Desmos Scientific Calculator & Graphing Calculator: Utility apps for students and teachers for calculations and graph plotting

5. WolframAlpha: A computational search engine that can solve a wide variety of problems, especially useful for math and science

Article/Video Summarization

6. Smmry: A website that summarizes articles for you

7. TLDR This: A browser extension for quick article summarization

8. Inshorts: An app providing news in 60 words or less

9. Listenable: Converts articles into short audio files

Note-Taking

10. Evernote: A note-taking app where you can jot down thoughts, save things you find online, and even scan physical documents with your phone's camera

11. Microsoft OneNote: Allows for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration

12. Notion: An all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and get organized

Concept Explanation

13. Khan Academy: Offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom

14. Coursera: Provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online

15. Complexly: A YouTube channel that produces a variety of educational content, including the series Crash Course which covers many different subjects in depth

16. citation machine: you never have to make source citations by yourself. This gives your both in test and citations for your essays and research.

Lastly I’m gonna put all the free resources most colleges offer for free!

Academic Resources

* Online Study Platforms: Websites such as Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX offer free or low-cost courses on a variety of subjects that can supplement your coursework.

* Academic Advising Centers: Most colleges have an academic advising center where students can get guidance on course selection, degree requirements, and academic planning.

* Writing Centers: Writing centers provide assistance with writing assignments, including proofreading, editing, and helping with citations.

* Library Research Databases: Your college library likely subscribes to a number of research databases (like JSTOR, EBSCO, and ProQuest) that can provide access to academic journals, books, and other resources.

2. Career Resources

* Career Centers: These centers offer career counseling, resume reviews, interview preparation, and job search assistance.

* Internship and Co-op Programs: Many colleges have programs that help students find internships or co-op positions in their field of interest.

* LinkedIn Learning: This platform offers courses on a variety of career-related topics, including networking, resume writing, and job interviewing.

3. Mental Health and Wellness Resources

* Counseling Centers: Most colleges offer free or low-cost mental health services to students, including individual therapy, group sessions, and workshops.

* Fitness Centers: Regular exercise is important for both physical and mental health. Most colleges have fitness centers that offer a variety of workout options.

* Mindfulness and Meditation Apps: Apps like Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations that can help reduce stress and improve mental health.

4. Financial Aid Resources

* Financial Aid Office: Your college's financial aid office can provide information on scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities, and student loans.

* FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to accessing federal financial aid, including grants, work-https://www.tumblr.com/charmedreincarnation/712878654521262080/everything-eft-tapping?source=share funds, and loans.

* Scholarship Search Engines: Websites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com can help you find scholarships that you may be eligible for.

Other questions I got

Q: How did you manifest graduating early?

A: Graduating early was always a desire deep within me. I didn't realize it was on track to manifest until I had a meeting with my advisor. Interestingly, when I found out it was happening, I wasn't as ecstatic as I thought I would be. It made me realize that desires can change as we grow and evolve. So, if something you once desired doesn't bring you the same joy anymore, it's perfectly okay. Life is all about evolving and embracing new desires.

Q: What affirmations do you use?

A: Since I had a multitude of desires in various aspects of my life, I found it tiring to have a separate affirmation for each one. So, I opted for general affirmations that encompassed all areas of my life. For example, I would affirm statements like "I am the luckiest person alive," "Everything works out my way," and "I always get my desires." These affirmations can be applied to all aspects of life, including school. The key is to find affirmations that resonate with you and create a positive mindset.

Q: How do you manage the law/shifting and school?

A: As I mentioned earlier, integration is the key! You don't have to view manifestation or shifting as something separate from your school life. Instead, incorporate these practices seamlessly into your daily routine. The goal is to make it a part of your lifestyle without feeling like it's an extra burden or sacrifice. For example, if a certain method, like wbtb lucid dreaming, is disrupting your sleep schedule, consider switching to other methods like subliminals or reality checks. You can still set intentions before going to bed, which will be effective without compromising your sleep. Find what works best for you and strike a balance between school, manifestation, and your mental health

Q: What to do if affirmations don’t work:

A:maybe you don’t think with words. I’m more of a visual person and will always believe and like images more than words. I would just imagine my grades always being an A. No matter what, no matter if I failed a test or forgot to submit a homework even if I failed everything I still got an A! If you don’t like to visualize then change your wording to how you naturally speak. Maybe you don’t even like affirmations, it’s really different for everyone.

Q:I don’t want to go to this college but I still have to apply, is that affecting living in the end:

A: nope I don’t think taking action or not taking action affects anything If you’re living in the end. Just because you apply doesn’t mean you’ll get in simply because you took the action. Do what you have to do it doesn’t matter if you’re living your 3D life but know imagination is your true reality. If you’re a billionaire and sleep in a homeless shelter that doesn’t take away from the fact you’re a billionaire. Who knows why you’re at a homeless shelter and who knows why you’re applying for college. It doesn’t dictate anything.

Q:I needed to get into the void before college but now I’m here without my dream life and I hate it. What do I do:

A: well it’s happened so take a deep breath. You can still master the void, in fact you already have you’re just being silly and want a funny humbling story. There is no better time than now to be delulu. When you’re trying to escape something and it passes accept it and make it your bitch tbh. honestly keeping busy definitely helped me in my journey anyways, but I did provide tips above so you have free time because you shouldn’t just be immersed in school. For example when I was poor, it was because I needed a humbling back story because no one likes people born into wealth. I’m assuming you still want to be in college, and yea, it’s just cool to have started from the bottom before you become that It girl. That’s your choice and your truth but now you’re done with being humble so go tap into the void.

Q: what’s your perspective on manifesting a perfect life. like nothing bad ever happens but also having a good life with just minor challenges (nothing too big) and I don’t wanna normalize suffering bc who wants to suffer?

A: ok this had a school ask but that was just the gist of it. anyways not that my opinion matters first and foremost. But I think that’s great. Who wants to suffer… exactly. You know I like being human, but I did not like my human experience before Loa. I do like challenges, I like growth, I like not being perfect, and I like being happy and getting what I want too! you can still have all those human aspects and manifest everything you desire. Mary Sues do don’t exist because humanity exists. Don’t worry about it. Your life won’t feel stagnant or unreal or something, I promise

Ok sorry this came out longer than I expected but I had a lot to say. I hope that answers all the asks I’ve been getting ! You all got this, college, your manifesting journey, your anxiety, all of it. All of your dreams & desires are within your reach (right in front of you !!!) so go for it and still live your best life <3!

#law of assumption #manifesation #manifesting #my asks #void state #shiftblr #reality shifting #school #hot girl scholar 👩‍🏫 #college

[blairrwaldorfs]

Clandestine Meetings

Joseph Quinn x Fem!Reader

Summary: How big is your empathy for someone you love? When do you know when enough is enough?

Author's Note: This hurts soo... good luck! Inspired by Illicit Affairs and You're Losing Me by Taylor.

Wordcount: 3.2K

The rain poured heavily down the city of San Francisco as you fluttered your eyes open and watched every raindrop slide down the glass window in front of you. The city lights burned brightly outside with the sound of the rain pitter pattering.

One year. 

One year since you have been doing this. You knew damn well that this was illicit. You both have talked about this. You knew damn well that this was something that everyone would disagree on because you were nothing but just a normal girl from San Francisco. You weren’t known for anything else. You weren’t special, but he chose you. He chose to be with you. 

You two had met one year ago at a bar when you had gotten yourself a bit too drunk after a long day at work, and he had come and talked to you. At that time, he was also in town to film a movie. For some reason, you had caught his attention. Ever since then, you two had been seeing each other. You would facetime each other when he was back in London. He would secretly visit you in San Francisco whenever he had time. It worked. It worked really well. Though, no one else knew about it. Not even your friends nor anyone close to you. It was just the two of you. You both agreed to keep this a secret because he didn’t want everyone else dipping their opinions on the relationship nor wanted his team to ask several questions because then, they’d start having ideas of how this could be publicized, and he didn’t want that. 

You understood his decision. You supported his decision because you thought no matter what, you were important to him. That he cared for you and the reason why it was kept a secret was because he didn’t want to hurt you nor disturb your life in so many awful ways by the public. So, you agreed. But how far would you go? How do you know if enough is enough?

“Hey.” He whispered softly, planting a soft kiss on your bare shoulder. He wrapped an arm around your torso, pulling you close to him as he buried his face on the back of your neck, smelling your flowery scent.

“Joe.” You murmured. “I have to go.”

He hummed softly, his arm tightening around you. “Hm… no. Please stay.”

You couldn’t help but smile and slowly turned yourself around to face him. Your index finger poking the tip of his nose softly.

“You know I have to. We don’t want to get caught by Alex tomorrow morning, remember?” 

Alex was Joe’s manager, and he was coming to stop by Joe’s hotel room tomorrow morning to drop off some paperwork for him and talk about his next schedule after the movie. Usually, you would sneak out of the hotel room early in the morning but not this time. You didn’t want Alex to catch you just in case he’s coming in early. 

“Few more minutes.” Joe whispered, pulling you close to him as you buried your face on his neck.

You could never get tired of his minty fresh scent, and you had spent so much time with him that sometimes, your clothes were starting to smell like him or his scent would still linger on you when you arrived home. 

“You know you’d miss me when I go back to London.” Joe said, his fingers gently brushing your hair, and it made you feel safe and warm in his arms.

“You don’t have to go, you know.” You replied. 

You had told him that about a thousand times, but Joe loved his hometown, and he couldn’t just leave London just like that. You tried understanding that too because you knew it was hard for him to change his whole life and move to a different country with unfamiliar cultures that he wasn’t so used to. 

Joe didn’t say anything as he set his index finger on your chin, lifting your face up, looking into your eyes before giving you a small smile. His lips touched yours softly as you kissed him back. You didn’t know what it was when it came to him, but you tend to get lost in his touch and every kiss that he gave to you made you want to just melt yourself in his arms completely. 

“It’s raining, darling.” Joe made an excuse when you pulled away and swung your legs over the bed, letting your feet touch the cold wooden floors.

“You’re mental if you think I’m going to let you go out there in the rain.”

“Joe, I’m fine. I’m used to this weather.” You stated, slipping on your clothes. 

“I know.” Joe followed right behind you, slipping on his boxers before sliding his arms around your waist, hugging you from behind and planting repeated soft kisses on your cheek. 

“Joe!” You laughed as he continued to give you kisses all over your cheek and down your jawline and into your neck. “You always make it so hard for me to leave!”

“That’s the point, innit?” He laughed, letting go of you as you turned to face him, setting your arms around his neck.

“I’ll come back tomorrow night, I promise.” You grinned, leaning in to give him a chaste kiss.

“Alright, alright.” Joe sighed. “I’ll let you go if… you give me one more kiss.”

You laughed, poking both of his cheeks with your index fingers before sliding your fingers through his curly brown hair. You stared into his eyes for a moment before leaning in to kiss him deeply. Joe smiled through the kiss as he picked you up from the floor and twirled you around the air, letting out a squeal from you. 

Hood up and face down was what you told yourself as soon as you walked out of the hotel building later that night. Umbrella up as soon as you walked out under the rain and down the hilly streets of San Francisco. Your apartment building wasn’t too far to walk to, so you decided not to take the bus. As soon as you entered your apartment building, you shook off the rain droplets from your umbrella and coat and headed up to your place. 

“Shit.” You cursed under your breath as soon as you heard your phone rang and saw your co-worker’s caller ID. You hesitated for a moment before answering the phone call.

“Hey!” You answered with a cheerful voice.

“Where are you? I thought you’re coming.”

You gently slapped your forehead with your palm and scrunched up your face, trying to figure out an excuse as to why you have missed hanging out with them for the fourth time already.

“Yeah, I’m so sorry. Something came up and my sister needed help moving some stuff in her place. You know how she just moved in.” 

You were the worst liar ever because you have made the sister excuse for the third time already.

“Well, we really missed you. We haven’t seen you in a while, especially when you started working from home.” Your co-worker replied.

“I know. I’m so sorry, I’ll make it up to you all next time.” 

And just like that, they believed that excuse again, but you doubt they actually believed it because you had told them the same excuse over and over again. 

You know you wouldn’t. 

Entering your place, you freshened up and immediately slipped yourself under the comforts of your own bed. The thought of Joe had appeared in your mind as you stared into the ceiling. You knew that your situation was hard, but you had fallen hard for him. He had made you the happiest in a long time, and you would do anything just to be with him. If that meant by enduring the hidden clandestine meetings in his hotel room or his little midnight visits in your apartment, you’d do it. You’d do anything because you were deep in this already, and you knew he wanted you too.

But the question kept repeating in your mind. How far would you go for him? How far until enough is enough? 

The next morning, you had received a message from Joe saying that he couldn’t see you because he was running a little late from filming and so, you understood the situation again. The day after that, he had some kind of convention to attend, so there was no show of him in your place again. You understood the situation again. Then, news broke out about him dating a certain Hollywood starlet and that pulled your heartstrings a little too hard that you had found yourself up in his hotel room, waiting for him to finish his night filming. You waited for him until 2am until he arrived in his room, stunned to find you in his bed. 

“Hey.” Joe furrowed his brows. “What are you doing here?”

“Is this true?” You held up your phone with the article on the screen.

“Baby.” Joe started.

“No, don’t call me baby.” You argued. “Just answer my question.”

“No, of course not!” He replied, walking towards you and sat at the edge of the bed across from you. He held your hands, his eyes staring right into yours. “You know how I feel about you. This is all just some kind of PR that Alex decided on.”

You looked into his eyes, trying to find the truth in them. You believed him. You really did. You saw it in his eyes that he was telling the truth and that made you relax a bit as you exhaled a sharp breath. 

“I love you.” Joe said sternly.

Those three little words took you aback because it was the first time that he had said those words to you. You knew right then and there that he was telling you the truth.

“Y…You do?” 

“Yes.” Joe smiled. “I love you. I love you so much that I can’t even explain how you make me feel whenever you’re here with me.”

“I love you too.” You smiled as he pulled you into a deep, passionate kiss. His fingers tangling in your hair as you smiled through the kiss and gently pushed him down on the bed, towering over him. 

You pushed his hips down as you continued to kiss him, while he tugged on your hair a little bit, letting you escape a soft moan from your lips. He quickly turned you around so you were laying under him as he towered over you this time, letting his lips touch and burn every inch of your soft butterfly skin. Your head spun just like the way it always did whenever he kissed you. Your body shook just like the way he always made you feel whenever you felt himself inside of you. Your hazy eyes stared into his as he paused for a moment and gave you a smile. You were so in love with him and god, look how much of a mess he had made of you, but you didn’t care. For him, you’d do anything. 

Burying your face on his chest that night, both of you still breathless and panting from the way you two had touched each other, you didn’t even realize that the next few weeks were going to be hell for you. 

One year.

One year of understanding. One year and you both had fallen for each other deep but how come in that heavenly year, you didn’t expect that hell was coming? Because for the next two weeks, you didn’t see Joe. Although, you have seen him in articles with her. He had told you that this was only for publicity, but you were starting to feel different about it. You weren’t comfortable, but you understood because he loves you and this was only part of his job. But how big was your patience? How big was your empathy because the more he was busier, the more you were seeing him less, it was starting to tug on your heartstrings a bit too hard. A bit too painful. 

It pulled your heartstrings when you arrived in the hotel lobby one night and an unfamiliar voice called your name. You turned around and saw Alex waiting for you in the lobby.

Uh oh. He knows.

“I knew it.” Alex scoffed, walking towards you.

You pulled your hood down and stood there frozen. You weren’t too sure what to say or do exactly. You and Joe didn’t talk about this. 

“So, you’re the reason why Joe would disappear from our sight all of a sudden or when he tells us he’d be at the bar down the street when he was really with you.” Alex stated. 

He looked furious, and you swallowed every bit of fear that was running inside of you right now. You weren’t too sure what to do in this situation, and you didn’t want to fuck it up by saying something that you might regret later.

“Alex.” You heard the elevator doors open and saw Joe walk out of it. “What are you doing?”

“We already know about her, Joe. Don’t try to cover it up.” Alex retorted back.

Do something. Say something, Joe.

“Alex, what are you talking about?” Joe furrowed his brows.

Lose something, risk something.

“We’re just friends.” Joe stated.

That stung. 

You didn’t say one word because you didn’t want to get in the conversation that wasn’t meant for you to be in it, but those words stung. One year of this relationship, and Joe was weak. He couldn’t even defend you in front of his manager. How would he defend you if one day, you were caught in public together? How far and how long were you two going to be like this? Will Joe ever one day risk something just for you? He said he loved you, but did he really? You watched as Joe explained to Alex that you two met at a bar, and you have been there for him whenever he needed a friend, and you didn’t want to stand there anymore. You didn’t want to listen anymore because every word he said shattered every piece of you, and you weren’t too sure if you were able to piece yourself back together again after this. 

As soon as Alex had believed him, Joe took you upstairs. You didn’t say one word to him in the elevator nor when you two walked down the hall. Your mind, however, was running a thousand thoughts. Your heart was beating so fast, and you just wanted to scream. Your face was starting to go gray, and you felt like you were going to throw up. The air between you two was thick, and you knew damn well how much it changed the moment he said those words. When you entered his room, your heart had stopped beating for him. He was slowly losing you. You were slowly fading from him, and Joe didn’t even realize it, didn’t he? 

“Hey, I’m so sorry about that.” Joe took your hands in his, but you were numb. You weren’t there anymore. 

Stop.

“Are you alright?” Joe asked, tilting his head at you. “I’m sorry I had to say that. You know how complicated it is.”

Stop.

He was losing you.

Stop.

You couldn’t find a pulse. Your heart had stopped beating.

“I can’t do this anymore.” You vomited the words. 

Joe stood frozen in front of you, and you could see the hurt in his eyes. Joe loves you, but he didn’t love you enough for him to learn how to fight for you. 

“I… I don’t understand.” Joe murmured. 

“How long, Joe?” Your eyes welled up with tears. “How long are we going to be like this? Until there’s nothing left in me anymore?”

“What?” Joe was confused. “No, of course not.”

“I gave you everything. I gave you myself, my patience and every bit of empathy that I have. I gave everything to you.” You argued, tears rolling down your cheeks now. “Even when it gets hard sometimes. I understood you because you said you love me.”

“I love you. I mean that. Things are just complicated right now, and I never want to hurt you like this.” Joe explained, taking one step closer to you.

But every step forward he took, you took a step back. Every word he said, you felt yourself and your soul faded with it. You have been trying to stay strong about this. You have been trying to be so patient, but for how long? 

“Then choose something!” You exclaimed, “Risk something for me for once!” 

Silence.

You shook your head. You knew what that silence meant. 

“I got nothing, Joe.” You murmured, wiping your tears away. “I can’t believe your words unless you also show it to me.”

You stood there and watched him sit at the edge of the bed. His head hung low, and he was shaking his head. No words slipped out of his lips and that made it even more painful because even with just the two of you, he couldn’t even fight for you. He couldn’t even lose something for you. He couldn’t choose you. 

“Goodbye, Joe.” You shook your head and turned to walk out the door. 

“Wait!” Joe immediately got up from the bed and stopped you. 

He wrapped his arms around you, hugging you from behind so tight that he didn’t want to let go of you just yet.

“I’m sorry, please.” Joe murmured. “Please don’t go. Don’t give up on me just yet.”

You could feel his tears on your skin, but you already had faded away. 

“Then choose something, Joe!” You cried out, pulling his arms away from you.

You knew damn well that this was going to break you, but you still risked it. But how far is enough? How long were you going to be an idiotic mess for him? 

“I love you so much.” Joe turned you around to face him, cupping your face and wiping the tears that won’t stop rolling down your cheeks. 

“How can you say that when I’m slowly dying over here?” 

Joe shook his head, “You’re not. You’re not going to because I will risk everything or lose everything. Just not you, please.” 

You stared into his chocolate button eyes. You saw the truth in his eyes. One year together, and you knew you could always see the genuine truth through his eyes, so you believed him. 

“I will talk to Alex first thing in the morning. I will tell him everything.” He caressed your cheek softly with his thumb. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t realize how much shit you have endured because of me. Most of all, I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner until you were slowly losing from me.”

You nodded your head, sniffing as you wrapped your arms around his neck and embraced him in a tight hug. “Thank you.” You whispered.

“I’ll lose everything before I could lose you.” He whispered, pulling away. 

He kissed you softly and showed every bit of his love into that kiss, making sure that you knew how much he meant to you. Joe made sure that he showed every bit of his love for you in that kiss, and you knew. You knew he meant what he said. 

And he knew that for him, you had ruined yourself a million little times, and he would never let you do that ever again. 

The End.

Taglist:

@palomahasenteredthechat @sunvick @eddies-acousticguitar @demonsanddemogorgons @joesquinns @mmunson86 @ghostinthebackofyourhead @corrodedcoffincumslut @figmentofquinn @tlclick73 @browneyes8288 @bylermaxmayfield @ali-r3n @ficsbypix @capricornrisingsstuff @missonlypost @ali-in-w0nderland @amberolivia666 @lalalala-melmosworld @niallersfreckles @nanas-lasagna @emma77645 @indulgence-be-thy-name 

#Joseph Quinn #Joe Quinn #Joseph Quinn x Reader #Joe Quinn x Reader #Joseph Quinn x You #Joe Quinn x You #Joseph Quinn x Fem!Reader #Joe Quinn x Fem!Reader #Joseph Quinn rpf #Joe Quinn rpf #Joseph Quinn Fanfics #Joe Quinn Fanfics #clandestine meetings #one shot #blairrwaldorfs

[awkwardchick87]

a/n - Here is the "Only one Bed" trope winning drabble!! Enjoy!

c/w - mutual pining, smut (of course) oral, (m and f receiving).

wc - 2085 Part of the @enchantedforest-network <3 Dividers by the always lovely @benkeibear <3

You had been traveling with Vash the Stampede for a few months, and you were quickly learning that his name as the “Humanoid Typhoon” was more than just a silly little nickname. Disaster followed him everywhere. Whether it was in the form of some shootout, or just his bad luck, it didn’t matter. It seemed he had what you referred to as “a cup of luck” and as the day went on, his cup became more and more empty depending on what happened. 

You were also learning that your little crush on Vash the Stampede, was not as one sided as you thought. It started with looks around the campfire, and evolved into touches that lingered a half a second too long. The way he would blush as he helped you bandage wounds. Of course you noticed, your face also getting a little pinker every time his skin made contact with yours. So it was only natural that the very little luck he had that day, was used on the deal you had gotten for supplies, because as soon as you got to your *double bed room* at the ONLY and VERY FULL inn in town, was marked wrong.

The both of you stood in the doorway of the room staring at the single bed. Of course there was only one bed. You smacked your forehead with your palm, cursing Vash, “Well now what?” You shifted into the room, placing your bag on the table. 

Vash took a few steps in and placed his bag on the floor, “Well, I guess I can sleep on the floor. Maybe I can ask for an extra blanket and pillow” He turned and left the room, not waiting for a response, hoping you didn’t notice his red tipped ears. 

Coming back a few moments later, Vash sighed, “Well the whole place is packed, and there are no extra blankets. All they could give me was a pillow.” He stood at the door, a sheepish look on his face. You sighed, “Well, I can’t make you sleep on the floor. We will just have to make due.” You grabbed the pillow from his hands, moving your own over and placing his beside it. “I am going to grab a quick shower first. I feel kind of grimey” You grabbed the smaller bag, containing your toiletries from inside your pack, rushing into the bathroom and shutting the door. You pressed your back against the door, heaving a sigh. This was going to be a long night. You didn’t think you could sleep in the same bed as Vash. Vash kicked his boots off and shrugged his jacket off his shoulders. Sitting at the small desk, he dropped his forehead on the table, how was he going to sleep tonight? You were way too pretty. He heard the water running for the shower and groaned against the table. Now you were going to smell good too. You finished up your shower, shutting the water off and grabbing a towel, quickly drying off and pulling your night clothes on before stepping out of the bathroom, “It's all yours.” you squeaked out. Vash was still at the desk, chin resting in his palm. He looked like he was deep in thought. 

His head popped up, “Oh, yeah, thanks.” He grabbed his own things and quickly walked past you, into the bathroom. 

You sat on the edge of the bed, ‘Ok, I can do this. Its nothing. Its one night. Thats it. We can share a bed for one measly night. No problem!’ Flopping back on the bed, you cover your eyes with your arm. You didn’t get to lay there long, hearing the water shut off in the bathroom, a few moments later, Vash opened the door to the bathroom. He watched you from the doorway as you sat back up, shuffling over in the bed, pulling the blanket up around yourself. 

Walking over from the bathroom, he sat on the bed, as far away as he possibly could. He laid his head down on the pillow, only taking the edge of the blanket and bringing it to his shoulders. “Hey, you can, you can have more blanket if you want.” You whispered. 

Reaching over, he shut off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. THe moonlight filtered in from the curtains. You looked at his back, his skin almost glowing. “No, I’m ok.” he huffed out. 

“Ok.” the silence in the air was maddening. “Hey..” you whispered at him again. He hummed at you in response, “Is this… weird?” you asked. 

He rolled himself over in the bed, still staying as close to the edge as his tall body would let him, “Its a little weird. But not bad weird. I just..” he trailed off, focusing on something behind you instead of your face. He was grateful it was dark and hoping you could not see the blush creeping up his face. “I don’t know if you’re really ok with this..” he finished. 

Reaching towards him, you hesitated placing a hand on his arm before resting it on his bicep, “Vash.. I have no issues sharing a bed with you.” you reassured him. Hearing him sigh in relief, you smiled, “I don’t think I’d be comfortable with anyone else. You saw him smile. 

“Yeah, this would be a lot weirder with someone else.” he chuckled. “Can I ask you one more thing?” 

“Anything.” you replied. 

“Can I kiss you?” The question hung heavy in the air. 

You looked at him, raising your head a little, “Vash? Are you teasing me?” you sounded a little hurt.

“What? No, not at all!” he sputtered “I'm sorry! I shouldn’t have asked -” you cut him off, placing a finger on his lips. 

“Vash. We both know we have.. Something.. Going on here” you gestured, pointing between the two of you, “but I also don’t want to jeopardize what we have.” You propped yourself up on your elbow, “I like you too much and I don’t want to lose you.” you confessed. 

Vash nodded slowly, “I feel the same way, but I still want to kiss you.” he reached a hand up, cupping your cheek. You felt your face heat up. He was not making this easier for you. 

Feeling your resolve crumble, you leaned your head down, brushing your lips against his. He shifted his head just slightly, enough to close the distance. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer and rolling you onto your back, hovering above you. Soft groans escaping his lips and he kissed you over and over. His tongue swiping along your bottom lip, urging you to let him taste you. 

You moaned, opening your mouth and brushing your tongue against his. Bringing your hands up to thread through his hair, you tugged on it lightly, earning a moan in response. He couldn’t help himself, grinding himself against your clothed core, both of you gasping at the delicious pressure. 

“You look so pretty under me.” Vash was breathless, looking down at you with hooded eyes full of lust. One hand reaching under your shirt, gliding across your stomach, up to your breasts. His thumb brushing across your nipple, feeling it harden under his touch. 

Arching your back, you bit your bottom lip, trying to hold your moans back. You grabbed the hem of your shirt, pulling it over your head and tossing it to the floor, quickly reaching under you and unhooking your bra, ripping it off your arms and throwing it down also. 

Vash giggled at your eagerness, leaning back to sit on his knees above you. He pulled his own shirt off, blushing lightly. You sat up, placing a kiss on one scar running across his shoulder before kissing the metal grate over the left side of his chest and laying back down. Lifting your hips you pulled your sleep pants down, kicking them to the floor and leaving your panties on. 

Vash sucked a breath in through his teeth before making quick work of his own pants, tossing them to the side. His hands running up your thighs, feeling them twitch under him the closer he got to your core. “Vash..” you moaned. He looked down at you, his fingers hooking into your underwear, pulling them down and tossing them behind him, a smirk on his face. He lowered himself to your core as you threw your head back shyly. 

Using his fingers he spread your pussy lips apart before swiping his tongue from your twitching hole to your clit. Your back arched as you let out a gasp. Groaning at the taste of you, Vash buried his face into your cunt, tongue lapping at your folds. Your hands flew down to his hair, threading your fingers and pulling harshly while you writhed and moaned under him. Pushing his tongue into your pussy, his nose bumped your clit. He devoured you like a man starved. You could feel your orgasm building quickly, like a fire low in your stomach. “Vash.. I’m.. Oh god!” you could help but cry out, the threads of your sanity finally snapping with a flick of his thumb over your clit. Your legs trembled and twitched. Vash quickly shoving two fingers into your clenching hole, helping you ride your high. His tongue flicking across your small bud, sending your mind into a frenzy. You couldn’t form sentences, mindless babbling that vaguely sounded like his name. Vash drank down everything you gave him, his own moans sending vibrations along your core until your palm flattened on his head and you weakly pushed him away. Sitting up on his haunches, he looked down at you. Licking his lips and wiping his chin with the back of his hand. You looked ethereal to him. Panting breath and your body flush with bliss. A thin layer of sweat covered you. “Amazing.” He whispered above you. All you could manage was a weak smile. 

“Give me.. Give me a second, that was.. Wow.” You lifted your arm, resting it on your stomach. 

He chuckled above you, “you don’t need to do anything.” His face was full of adoration as he looked at you, “I’m happy we finally go to do.. Well, anything” signature smile graced his lips. 

“Vash…” you trailed off, sitting up, “I want to help you too.” brushing your fingertips across his cock, he sucked a breath through his teeth. Shifting on the bed, you gestured for him to lay beside you. 

He complied, laying flat on his back as you lay across one of his thighs. You hand gripped his cock at the base, pumping slowly a few times. Vash threw his arm over his head, “Mayfly..” a broken moan bubbled from his throat. Swiping your thumb across the tip, you leaned in, giving the head of his cock a few kitten licks before taking it into your mouth. His hips bucked at the feeling of your warm mouth and soft lips. Taking him further, you wrapped your hand tightly around the base, stroking what you could not fit into your mouth. 

Spit coated his length as you bobbed your head, dribbling down his balls, a few drops landing on the sheets below. Vash moaned, his legs twitching as his flesh hand came down to wrap into your hair. Gripping lightly, he pushed and pulled your mouth along his cock, pushing you a little further each time. Gagging slightly, you relaxed your throat as much as you could, wanting to taste more of him. “Yeah, like that.” he gasped “Suck my cock like that. Oh fuck” 

His balls tightened, his hand pushing your mouth down as far as he could. Your nose brushed against the small patch of hair at the base of his cock while he spilled his cum down your throat. His hips bucked, feeling your throat spasm as you gagged lightly, desperately trying not to spill a drop of cum. His fingers loosened, letting you pull back. You dipped your head back down, wanting every stray drop of cum on your tongue before swallowing. Pulling you on to his chest, Vash wrapped his arms around you. “Thank you.” he whispered. His fingers gliding idly across your arm, tracing nothing in particular. 

You giggled, “We should really be thanking the innkeepers. Think of how much money we’ll save if we don’t need to get double rooms anymore!” 

Vash blushed at you, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” 

#Trigun smut #Vash smut #Vash the stampede #vash the stampede smut #vash x reader #vash the stampede x reader #vash the stampede x reader smut #vash x reader smut #~~trigun stuff

[d-dixonimagines]

can u do enemy to lover prompt five

Prompt: "Don't touch me!" "How am I supposed to bandage you up if I can't touch you?"

I don't know what to really label this as. It's mild angst? If you wanna call it that? Reader is more moody than I originally anticipated them to be. Also, I clearly don't know how to clean wounds or how they would do it in the show, so the way it's described here is probably wrong.

Right from the very start of the day you and Daryl had been at each other's throats, bickering and yelling like you'd been married for 50 years. So it was beyond you why Rick thought it was a good idea to make you two go on a run together. Surely he knew there would be a chance that only one of you came back, and not because of any walker. The run wasn't supposed to be that big a deal. A quick day trip scouring for supplies and literally anything that would be of use and that you could carry. Everything had gone surprisingly well until you were making your way back. There was a run-in with a small hoard of walkers that happened to wander through where you were at; too many of them for just two people to deal with. You both made your way towards an abandoned house, killing off as many of the walkers as you could, focusing only on the ones that were a higher risk. If you had tried to pock off every single one, it would become too easy to get overwhelmed and ambushed as they all crowded together. So your only goal was to retreat to safety.

"Over here!" You heard Daryl's voice over the commotion of the moaning walkers. Yanking your knife from one of their skulls, you turned in Daryl's direction and made your way over. You both were almost at the house, eyeing it just beyond the tree line. There were scattered walkers wandering the property, making it difficult to make a direct run for it. "We should just keep moving. See if there's another place further down." You suggested, not seeing any other option. Daryl just shook his head. "Nah... we don't know how far the next place could be. This could be our only option. We jus' need'a plan." "We don't have time for a plan," you rolled your eyes, using every will power you had to not raise your voice and draw more attention. "I can see that, that's why we ain't gonna waste our time lookin' for somethin' else." Daryl growled back. "There's gotta be about seven or eight up there.. if we clear 'em out, go 'round either side of the house, there's bound to be a way inside." Glancing behind you to see the other walkers closing in, you let out a frustrated groan, getting yourself ready to run. "Gah!" If we make it out of this, Dixon, I'm gonna kill you myself!" You yelled, running off towards the house before he had a chance to sass you back. Clearing out your half of the yard, you quickly checked the front door to see if it would open but had no such luck. You continued round to the side of the house, killing off any stragglers. Finding a window above a pile of old wood, you attempted to climb up it to get a better grip of the window. When it didn't budge, you went to smash it but was interrupted when you felt hands grabbing at you, knocking you unstable. You let out a startled yelp as you struggled to keep the walker at bay, fighting to hold it back so you could reach for your weapon. It was just out of your reach, you could feel the tips of your fingers grazing it, scrambling to get some kind of traction to get a better grip. Daryl rounded the corner, stabbing the thing in the head and throwing it off you. "Finally you show up," you snapped at him, standing up quickly and grabbing your gun. "That's a funny way of sayin' thank you fer savin' yer ass." You just scoffed, holding your arm, not having any time to check the damage. "Did you find a way in?" "'Course I did, Princess. This ain't my first rodeo." You ignored his comments and followed him to the back door, barricading yourselves inside. After checking the rest of the house, you allowed yourself to relax just a bit once you knew it was cleared. Daryl set his things down on top of the counter and looked around the kitchen, checking to see if there was anything edible to eat. You wandered off in search of a mirror to tend to your arm. Raiding through the medicine cabinets and drawers, you didn't find much that would help. Just a tolerably clean cloth and some gauze. You started cleaning around it, as best you could, wadding up the cloth, dropping it, getting frustrated with... just... everything.

"Need help?" Daryl's voice brought you out of your head. You only looked at him for a second, getting a glimpse of him leaning against the doorframe before looking at your arm again. "I got it." He scoffed. "An infection is what yer gonna get if ya don't clean it right." "It'll have to do until we get back, won't it? I don't exactly have a lot of options here." "Water might help at least." "You see any water lying around?" "Yup..." Daryl stated simply, holding up a half filled jug. You kept your gaze on him, your eyes narrowing at him in irritation. Snatching the jug from his hand, you set it down harshly on the sink. You struggled with getting the cloth wet, not really able to use your injured arm. "Let me help." He pushed himself from the door frame. "I said I got it." Daryl didn't accept that answer, knowing you were just being stubborn. He reached over and grabbed the cloth from you, getting it damp before raising it as a silent request to keep going. Without saying anything, you contemplated for a long moment before slightly turning your body so he could get at it better. "This'll sting a bit," Daryl spoke gently, taking the water and pouring it over the wound, causing you to let out a hiss and jerk your arm back. "That hurts!" "I told ya! Ya can't get mad at me after I warned ya." You just huffed, turning back so he could continue cleaning the wound. After setting the rag down, he grabbed the gauze and gently gripped your arm, but before he could place it, you jerked out of his hold again. "Don't touch me!" Daryl let out a breathy sigh of frustration. "How am I supposed ta bandage ya up if I can't touch ya?" You stared daggers into him but he just stared back. The longer you stared at him, the more realization set in that being angry wasn't going to help anything. You weren't even really angry, you were just frustrated and overwhelmed. Daryl was only trying to help and you needed to calm down. Going back to where you were, you turned your body so he could fix you up, letting him do what he needed to. He placed the gauze on your arm and wrapped it as neatly as he could, tucking the end piece in to the rest of the material. "There... now ya have a better chance of yer arm not rotting off." There was a faint hint of smirk at the corner of his lips that you would have missed if you weren't looking at them.

You glanced down at your arm as you pushed off the sink. "My hero," you responded sarcastically. There was a beat before you looked up at him again. "Thanks..." There was another pause as you examined his face, that playful smirk vanished. "I mean it. Thank you," Your voice was softer, more relaxed. Daryl gave a soft nod before leaving the bathroom and heading towards the kitchen. "I'm starvin', I think I saw an opossum on the back porch." The moment was gone. You let out a loud groan as you followed behind him, revving up to give him an earful!

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon imagines #daryl dixon x reader #the walking dead imagines

[lundenloves]

𝐏𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥

{✧} effectively a part two to when it rains it pours, written through the godsend time passage that are seasons.

↳ no warnings | 3.4k | f!oc

part one | masterlist | taglist | request info

{✧} i’m on a mad writers block atm. if this seems off and you’re thinking, yeah i can fucking tell, don’t tell me or i’ll digest acid. thanks. it’s also unedited so i’ll just see myself out if that’s alright? it’s been good, cheers guys.

Winter 

A long, sharp and cold exhale was taken by the winter breeze. Frosting mid air into an icy vapor and Simon rubbed his hands together to no avail, brushing the uneven snowfall off his broad shoulders before entering the moodily lit coffee shop. Four in the afternoon had never been so dark. Eclectic lights strewn from the ceiling and above the counter, doing their best at creating an ambience that almost irked him. 

He shrugged the feeling off, rolling his shoulders habitually and walking to the counter where he received a hearty, “I’ll be with you in just a moment.” The voice was warm, intertwined with genuine sincerity which seemed rare these days. Simon shoved a hand in his pocket, reaching for his wallet in preparation. “What can I get you?” The genuineness sounded and he looked up, locking eyes with her.  

The tips of his ears grew red and he wiped at the side of his nose in subconscious anxiety. He was the first to notice, of course, eyes glued to her, frozen in his position with no words available to roll off his tongue. “Just—“ He cleared his throat. “A coffee, yeah? Black.” 

Thea hadn’t recognised him at first. Taking his card payment with ease, and turning around to start his drink with practiced finesse. It was too busy for her to think about his gruff accent, the familiarity of it pushed too far back in her head. Even still, his physique hadn’t dared to haunt her mind ever since that one night two weeks ago. Simon stood, hands in pockets, eyes averted to the floor in his best attempts to remain inconspicuous. 

Although that act was shot down point blank with three words. “Order for Simon.” Thea had shouted, pushing the sleeved takeaway cup across the counter. “Enjoy.” She followed, locking eyes with him when he had cringed at her acknowledgement. His otherwise unused first name dampened to the same depths of his callsign. One a killer, the other a cold heart. The difference was uncanny. 

He gave nothing back, taking the cup and turning his back on her, walking away out the door without so much as a look back. “Christ.” Came a mutter, cigarette stuck to his lip with long stomps through the street. He began to wonder why he was short on luck, and just who he pissed off to reward bad karma. Never once had he come across the same girl twice after taking her home. It wasn’t because he was a sleaze, it was because he was too busy and slept with too few people. The paper cup in his hand was small against his palms, rolling it across them to catch sight of sharpie on the inner sleeve. 

The smoke tumbled from his lip haphazardly with both hands occupied, cigarette clung solely to his bottom lip and locked with his top. The sleeve slipped off easily, his brows furrowed upon ripping it to see the inside. Ten digits. Her fucking number. Scribbled loosely with the words, ‘You better call’ Simon’s shoulders lifted for a brief second of amusement, shoving it into his pocket without a second thought. 

It was only when he was home, folding his pockets inside out that the paper sleeve grabbed his attention fully. Eyes narrowed at the lone sight of it, twirling it around his fingers before reluctantly pushing the digits into his phone. 

Spring 

Days, weeks and months had gone by. The number sat untouched in his phone, his steps avoided the coffee shop like the fucking plague, and his eyes squeezed shut to forget about her touch. Even worse, she was all he could think about. And it royally pissed him off. It had been one night. One night, not years. So why did the glass in his hand push a frown across his brow, sliding it to the back of the cupboard with a sigh. 

The phone felt like a weight when he had taken it from his pocket, placing it face down on the counter. There wasn’t any particular reason why she had been on his mind so often, no reason why his phone should be an offensive thing to look at. But it was. Somehow. Even after months. 

He blinked down at it, the vibrate pinging off to indicate a silenced call. A noise between a sigh and a laugh left his mouth, the screen headed by an unknown number. 

Simon’s own reflection was caught in the phone screen, dark circles under his eyes indicative of the unstructured time off. The phone rang out and he blew a raspberry to himself, sliding it across the counter to the other side before reaching to pick it back up seconds later. 

The coffee sleeve was scrunched up in his right fist, dropped back to the counter in its near ripped glory. The only journey it knew was from drawer to counter, counter to drawer. And now — it stayed on the marble, spread wide by his left hand as his right punched the number to create a contact rather than a lone number. “Right.” He said through an exhale, dropping the phone back down and taking a few spacing steps backward as if it were an explosive. “Right.” It was repeated, this time with more assurance, his shoulders rolled backward in attempts to alleviate whatever imaginary stress was on them. 

He typed many words, deleting every one, determined to concoct the perfect introduction for several minutes until falling back to a measly, ‘Hello.’ And even then, as soon as his thumb had tapped send, he wanted to delete it. And he would’ve, could’ve even — if only a reply hadn’t came within fucking seconds. 

Two words. ‘Hi, Simon.’ 

His jaw tightened at the bubbles indicative of her typing, watching with red ears as they grew in size, falling and restarting all over again. His knuckles tapped the marble in anxious wait, locking his ankles together. 

‘You alright?’ 

A divot appeared in his brow at the words, leaning forward to type a reasonable, ‘I’m fine.’ Although it didn’t quite make it when he had jammed the backspace button, restarting his sentence. ‘Yeah. Are you?’ Phone dropped, hands massaging across his temples in a futile effort to rub out the building tension behind his eyes. 

‘Can you phone?’ 

The question didn’t give any time before her name had appeared atop the screen, his new contact in digital evidence. Simon steeled himself before accepting the call, pressing it onto speaker and leaning his palms down on the counter. 

“Didn’t think you’d text.” Her voice echoed through the phone, simultaneously collapsing and flaring any doubt in him. 

“Didn’t think I would either.” 

Summer 

Three confident knocks penetrated Simon’s silence. Only a brief pause before they had pecked once more, knocking in a continuing succession before he had grunted in response. “Right, fucking hell.” It was two in the morning, not a respectable time to be bashing on doors — then again, nor was any time a good one to be doing as such.

The hard wrapping of the door was only cut short after he had swung it open, eyes squinting at the bright hall light. Simon puffed out his chest, ready to give whomever had nearly woken up the whole building a telling before his eyes fell onto her. Her once again. Swaying and lazily smiling up at him, her hands flat against his broad chest.

“Thea.” His voice was quiet, taking her hands from his chest and dropping them back to scantily dressed sides. “What are you—“

“I wanted to see you.” She slurred, walking past him into the flat and smiling widely. “I missed you. You— big, broody man.” Her head shook with each word, almost punctuating herself, watching intently as he shut the door and pressed his back against it. Eyes red with lack of sleep, his chest bare from the contradicting evidence of rest attempts. 

“You’re drunk.” He stated obviously, reasserting his composure before walking to the sink and grabbing her a glass of water. “Have that, yeah? Stay here.” His hand grazed her hip upon walking past, looking backward over his shoulder before wandering back into his room to make the bed. 

Thea followed him instead, glass left on the table as her feet stumbled behind him to the familiar room. “You don’t need to make it.” She was sure to announce her presence before touching him, hand rubbing his shoulder. 

Simon ignored her, unintentionally shrugging her touch off and rounding the bed to shake the duvet and puff it up. He was silent in his activities, grabbing clothes from a drawer and shoving them onto the bed, blinking twice at her. “Put them on. Give me that.” He nodded toward her dress. 

“Can you—“ 

His hand was a gentle touch on her back, eyes refusing hers that were staring up at him as he reached for the zip. Thea slipped out of the dress entirely, bare chest now pressed against him to gain his warmth. “Sorry.” He mumbled, attempting to take a backward step and gathering her dress in his hands. “I’ll leave this here, yeah?”

She cocked her head, staring at the clothes he had left for her. “Where are you going?” Her words dragged, body suddenly feeling heavy on her feet. 

“Nowhere.” He then left the room, leaving Thea to pick up his clothes, eyeing each garment and marveling at how big they were against her. She slipped the t-shirt on and Simon padded back through, pushing a hand through his hair. “Tell me if you’re going to be sick.” He said it bluntly. “I’ll just be in the other room.” 

“Doing what?” She challenged, sitting on the bed and looking up at him as he pulled a hoodie on. His tattoo disappearing under the fabric, her eyes dropped to her feet. 

Simon shifted, blatantly ignoring her question. “Tell me if you need anything.” He left the door open, leaving her to fall back onto the bed with a sigh, then a giggle, followed by another one. 

They had been talking on the phone for months, only seeing one another in person once more since that night. Aside from that, Simon actively avoided seeing her in person — he wasn’t against it, just, insecure of the whole thing. So now, as she had showed up to his flat arse-drunk in the middle of the night, a responsibility waved over him and he wasn’t sure whether to like it or hate it. Hence his distance. 

Thea on the other hand, majorly enjoyed the fact she was wound up in his sheets, the masculine smell surrounding her as she pulled the duvet up, basking in his scent. 

She didn’t remember falling asleep, nor did she remember the bed dipping at some point during the night, but evidently it had. Simon was next to her. Fully asleep and fucking snoring, it was what had woken her up. That and the pounding headache that was seeping through the back of her skull, sitting up with a mighty frown. 

It would’ve been a sight for sore eyes, her sat up in his bed, brows knitted tightly together while she felt around for her dress. “You alright?” Simon mumbled from beside her, his tone coated in sleep from the rasp. Thea had zero recollection of what had happened last night, how she ended up here most of all. It was supposed to be work drinks.

“Did we fuck?” Her arms dropped in exaggeration, although instantly regretting it when her head exploded in pain. Simon shook his head, turning onto his back and sighing in tiredness. 

“You showed up.” He cleared his throat, attempting to eliminate the croak of his morning voice. “Drunk.”

“And you put me to bed?” She turned to him, catching his squint from the sun reflection. He had caught colour across his nose and cheeks from the last day of good weather, even his neck was tanned considering he rarely showed that much skin. 

“You put yourself to bed.” 

“What time?”

“Three.”

“Three? Fuck I am sorry.” Thea would’ve laughed at herself had the headache not continued its rage. “Must’ve wanted to see you.” The laugh came anyway, turning on her side to face him. Simon shrugged, eyes roaming across her features. 

“You did say so.” His brow ticked upward teasingly. 

“Well, you’re lying here with me by choice so you must’ve missed me. Actually.” She smiled the best she could given the awful hangover and Simon’s eyes landed on her lips. 

“I’m here so you didn’t choke to death.” Her scoff forced a slight smile from him, one so minute you could easily blink and miss it. “On your own sick.”

“Yeah I got that part. Thanks.” A beat. “I wasn’t sick though, was I?” 

“You were. Everywhere.” His tone was light, turning onto his back and smiling to himself. 

“You bastard. No I wasn’t.” She sat up, leaning over his chest to look him in the eye when his smile had turned downward into a boyish one. “Exactly. You’re here because you wanted to be here.” She playfully nudged his shoulder, Simon’s eyes remained on her lips, only leaving to find her own stare. There was pristine silent communication between them, Thea pressing a kiss to his cheek before he had taken her jaw and gently guided it so he could kiss her properly. 

It was soft, and tender but most of all safe. She pressed her forehead against his, the sound of them pulling apart felt sweet. “Can you get me paracetamol?” She stifled a laugh. 

Autumn

“You say that like you’re not here all the time.” Simon grumbled, his eyes falling above her and to the organised chaos of his living room. Thea had pretty much commanded the space, strewn with all of her things and comforts. Something that happened gradually, because she really was here all the time. 

“I’m not. I work.” She said, pushing herself backward via two hands on his chest. “Like, all the time.” It wasn’t too far from the truth, though the way Simon stifled a laugh forced one from herself. 

“Where do you sleep?” His brow quirked, turning to continue cleaning the dishes that were discarded. 

Thea scoffed, “That’s— no. That’s because my flat is years away from the shop. Yours is convenient.” She punctuated the end of her sentence by clicking her tongue. 

“It’s convenient eh?” He dropped a palm onto the counter, looking down at her. “You send parcels here too.” The slight curve of his lip was one that she scrunched her nose up at, shrugging and leaning past him to reach for a mug. 

“Like I said. Convenient.” She nodded her head with each action that went into making tea. Flicking the kettle on and swiping a teabag from the cupboard beside him, eventually standing against the counter with her arms crossed. “You know?”

“Oh I know.” Simon teased, gesturing toward the stacked up parcels on the counter she had gathered to open. “I’ve signed for about ninety.”

“Have you fuck ninety.” She looked up at him with an amused smile, tilting her head. “There’s only eight. Could’ve been worse.” Simon held a knife out for her to open the boxes with, turning around to watch the destruction haul commence. “There’s actually one or two things for you,” Her hands shook a box. “I think.”

“Happy days.” He said flatly, locking eyes with her after she had scoffed. “I don’t need anything.” Came a shrug. 

“You need everything.”

He shook his head, squeezing his opposite bicep and resting a hand against his cheek. 

Thea cut the first box open, dumping the clothes from it before tossing it to the counter next to Simon. “I’ll try it all on later.” She said while pulling a new hoodie over herself, “Yeah, it’ll probably all fit.” The pile was shoved to the side to make room for another box. 

She spun it round, taking the knife and gasping. “This is your one. Like, all of it.” The cardboard was shoved toward him and she leant her elbows on the counter to stare. A brow of uncertainty was lifted, cutting the tape and unenthusiastically pulling out three shirts. 

“Open them.” She bit on her bottom lip with a smile, reaching out for one of three. “They’re like— standard. But that good material you like, let me feel.” She pulled the packet open, nodding at the quality. “Try it on.”

“It’s just a shirt.” He said although complied instantaneously, discarding his current shirt. “How much was it?” Thea moved to stand closer to him, her arm touching against his bare chest upon reaching for the tag. “Forty-odd?”

“Around there.” She watched as he pulled it on, her hands reaching to smooth it out across his shoulders. “It’s nice.”

“I didn’t need it.”

“Yeah, thanks Thea,” She imitated his gruff voice. “And I say, you’re welcome Simon.” Her smile opened an opportunity for his own, leaning back from the counter to inspect the shirts further. 

Winter

Their second Winter was early dominated by arguments over Christmas decorations. Simon had never once put up or even had such things, for a number of reasons. One being, he was rarely here for Christmas — opting to spend it on voluntary deployment or training of new recruits so as to not be alone. Two, he didn’t even like them. It felt and looked like clutter. Not to mention the effort of putting them all up just to inevitably take them down a month later. 

He didn’t and point blank refused to see the point. 

Of course, until Thea had almost fell headfirst into the flat door trying to knock on it. A huge plastic box labeled ‘Xmas’ was by her feet, face red from lifting it up three flights of stairs. “If I took all of this up them stairs and you say no, i’ll kick off, Simon Riley.” 

He silently picked the box up, shutting the door with a nudge of his foot and dropping it with a thud to the livingroom floor. “It’s not going up.” Though his words lacked certainty, knowing that the woman opposite him would stop at nothing. 

“Oh, but it is.” She nodded sarcastically, falling to her knees before the box and pulling various ornaments out. 

Then there was the new year. And that was another battle, not necessarily an argument but a protest of sorts. One that Simon refused to concede to when Thea had said she was going out on the lash. “Well what’re you gonna do then?” She laughed, leaning on the doorframe. 

“Sleep.” He answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, “It’s just another night.” His nonchalance sometimes felt like a weapon.

Thea nodded slowly, taking her step backward out the door. “Yeah alright, see you later yeah?” Her laugh came when he had shook his head, closing the step between them to kiss her cheek and ruffle her hair that had taken an hour to do. “Oh nevermind,” She pushed him back. “You won’t make it out the fucking door after doing that.” 

However, of course, he had shown up to the bar she was at only two hours later. Begrudgingly shrugging his jacket off and making a beeline for her amidst the crowd of people she was with. 

“Oh, oh my god.” Thea had drunkenly slurred and cackled at the sight of him, immediately sticking to his side and looking up at him. “I told you, I told you— that you would come.” Her finger pointed toward his face and he pushed it away, sliding an arm around her shoulder to steady her swaying. “Try this.” Her drink was shoved to his lip. 

“What is it?” He took the glass, instinctively grimacing at the clear liquid. 

“Try it.” She leant her forehead on his shoulder for all of two seconds before looking up to see his reaction. A squint. At best. “You don’t like it? It’s nice—“

“Awful.” He slid the glass back across the bar and took the offered water. “Have that instead, yeah?”

“Oh shit,” Her hand tapped his cheek twice, gesturing he leaned downward before she had managed to lock her lips on his. Simon hummed against the kiss, pulling back and pressing his thumb to her jaw. “It’s new year! You’re my kiss. Fucking— we missed it, you missed it.” 

“Just another day to me.” 

this is literally just no plot written life shit. wait there a second while i let out a guttural scream.

simon ‘ghost’ riley taglist: @vamppxncess @crowbird @misshoneypaper @tallrock35 @fluffmonster @islanderr @blueoorchid @lea3773 @coldflapjack @rayhawk05 @han11dh @liishook @melovetitties @fallonx @rvjaa @fuckmelifesucks @bhayatsara @takeomisbitch @local-spidey @konigsblog @penutjuice @babychoi03 @sheluvzeren @sparklingtragedy @maviee @wiserebelpartypie @daddylorianisastateofmind @bhayatsara @mistydeyes @writingmysanity @johfaam0 @idkjoequinn @gressseyy @fwibblefwobble @shibble @maladaptivedaydreamingbum @airghostlyfox

when it rains, it pours enjoyers (hello): @sofasoap @illyanam1011 @lez-zuha @ipoopedmypants47 @queen-ilmaree @yellowscuderia @luvfromkat

i couldn't tag like ten people overall, i apologise. as always, if you would like to be removed from the taglist dm me! reblogs and comments are very much appreciated, if no one pats me on the head every now and then i'll sit in a hole.

#simon ghost riley #cod mwii #cod mw2 #cod mw fanfiction #simon riley #ghost mw2 #simon riley x oc #simon ghost riley x oc #cod mw oc

[love3velyn]

♡ My revision tips ♡

Hi everyone! I've got my first A-level exams in the next couple weeks, so I've been focusing on revision and I wanted to share some of my revision tips! I used to find exams very stressful but I have some ways to make exam season a bit easier so I hope this can help •ᴗ•.

1. Create a good study environment

When you start a study session try to create a calm and focused environment. Try find a a quiet place where you will not be disturbed, if this is hard to find try using noise cancelling headphones. Make sure everything you need to study is within reach. I also like to light a candle to feel relaxed and I have a blanket to stay cosy! Creating a good environment can help you get in the mood to work and focus.

2. Plan your time effectively

Find a way to plan every topic you need to cover before your exam. Some people find revision timetables useful for this. I like to create a revision list based on my confidence levels with each topic and work my way through the list going from least confident to most confident. I will usually focus on one or two topics a day depending on how close I am to the exam. I will also write a few goals for the revision session in my Notion which helps me to stay on track.

Another tip to plan time effectively is to plan the how long you would like to revise each day. Don't feel pressured to work for hours straight! I know it is easy to compare yourself to others but find a balance that works for you. The goal is to work smarter not harder and revising for long periods of time can be damaging. As an A-level student I try to revise in one hour sessions with 15 minute breaks and I try and do 4 hours of work. I have found this is enough time to get what I want done without feeling burnt out. Remember it's a personal choice and you need to take care of yourself.

3. Use cute stationery!

I personally love cute stationary! I find it really helps me to keep motivated and excited to revise. It doesn't need to be expensive, just find some stationery that motivates you. Some of my current favourites are the Stabilo swing cool pastel highlighters and my Sumikko Gurashi mechanical pencil.

4. Try to avoid just taking notes

While note taking is effective in class and when first learning the content, I have found it less useful when it comes to revision. Re-reading notes or textbooks can be helpful to jog your memory but it can be boring after a while. One of the best ways to revise is through active recall. Active Recall is all about retrieving information to make it easier for your brain to make connections between things. This can be done by using revision cards to test your knowledge, or on websites such as Seneca or Quizlet that help you to learn content, then test you on it.

5. Treat yourself

Revising is difficult at times and it can be tiring. Be sure to look after yourself and treat yourself with kindness. If you are having a tough day it's okay to leave revision for that day. It is better to rest than push yourself too far. I like to treat myself by having self care baths, taking time for my hobbies like gaming and reading and by spending time with friends and family.

I hope these tips are helpful to someone and make revision a bit easier. Good luck to everyone taking exams, I believe in you! ♡

Love, Evelyn x

#study blog #study tips #study inspiration #a level revision #gcse help #self care #pink blog #coqeutte #coquette #romantisize study #rosy blog #girlblogging

[skyeslittlecorner]

Small gameplay tips pt. 1

I love to do my little shenanigans to take out as much as I can, so here are little tips, and maybe I can call it good practices?

I wanted to include a little more here, but oh well, in the end here I am with a math essay...

In summary: Buying keys for pancakes every day is very profitable.

Daily reroll

See these keys? Delicious, free keys? Yes. Free. What you get from them is worth more than what they cost.

For those who are curious why, you got the whole math below.

Let's write down the values right away:

S Devil - 80 pancakes A+ Devil - 20 pancakes S Artifact - 10 pancakes A+ artifact - 5 pancakes

I do not mention the L value because it is nice to have it, and besides, the chances of being drawn are so low that we will not use them to estimate the average.

Let's assume two small conditions.

1) You have some pancakes to start with, let's say at least ~300

2) You have a goal (and this is VERY important)

Buying keys with pancakes will give you 10 pulls a day, which you can use immediately. Do it. Remember what you got, it's best to take a screenshot. If the card or artifact you're looking for isn't among them, you sell EVERYTHING. Yes all. This artifact you need for development too. This evolution of your favorite too. All. If you have a large supply of pancakes, go ahead, you can save something, but below 500 it's better to be safe than sorry.

You leave only what you were hunting for from the beginning - most likely L's cards and artifacts.

Taking the average of the draw percentages, in 10 pulls you should get: 1x S grade devil, 4x A+ grade devil, 2x S grade artifact, 3x A+ grade artifact. 

So, roughly estimating, averge return of pancakes should be around 195. Keys costs 180.

Example - random 10x pull i made to make this post was worth ~400 pancakes.

I'm surprised Gusion isn't here lol

So far, I have made many pull and there have been some that were both above and below average. In the worst case scenario, I made about 100 pancakes. Math is math, but luck is luck. That's why I advise keeping some savings. I would say 300 is the absolute minimum. I'm ultra frugal, so I like to have at least 800 pancakes on hand, but it depends on you when you feel safe.

There are also surprises, such as new cards that cannot be sold, but it depends on the account, so I didn't take it into account. General rule is the same for all.

If you hasn't used these keys before, I hope you will start. This is one of the most generous things from PB. It's worth trying :D UPDATE: I've been questioned about how to get pancakes, so here are the screenshots! You can sell both artifacts and devil duplicates in your inventory.

#whb #what in hell is bad #overanalyzing #whb tips

[bitchesgetriches]

Hello! I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, but I'm 25 and I've never had a job. For context (and I'm sorry if it sounds strange), I was raised in a cult. I was never prepared for life beyond it and don't know how to go about getting a job. Because I was never really allowed to talk to anyone outside the cult, I'm afraid I'll come off weird in an interview and like I don't know what I'm doing (because I don't).

Luckily, I've been able to learn a few things from the internet, but none of it deals with my specific situation. I feel like I'm floundering and don't know how to actually start. Every time I go to put in a fast food application, I get in my head with too many questions and shut down.

Although I am aware that it's mostly nervousness, I am also still so confused about the whole process and I'd love some advice on how to successfully get a job if you have any tips.

Some specific questions I have: when I go to an interview, do I tell one of the employees I'm there for an interview or is that wrong? Am I just overthinking it too much and it'll be straightforward when the time comes? What is the best way to answer interview questions without leading on that I've never had experience in a work environment? Or is it actually better to be clear I have no experience but am still willing to give my all? In a similar thread, if an application doesn't ask about experience does it actually matter to the employer? What is the best way to answer the tell me about yourself question when you've never really done anything? Or any of the typical interview questions for that matter? How do I make sure I'm getting a good job and not being taken advantage of because of my lack of experience about the world?

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I really appreciate it!

Holy shit, sweetie, we are SO GLAD YOU'RE OK. Being raised in a cult is an extremely scary and traumatic experience, and we're just so impressed that you've made it this far. We're proud of you and rooting for you.

I don't think we're 100% qualified to give advice to someone in your particular situation. But we do know someone who is. There are support groups and nonprofits all over the country that provide everything from weekly meetings to no-cost group housing to career counseling and life skills training to people who have escaped from cults. The one I'm familiar with is based in Boston, but I think you should start your search for career counseling at Spiritual Abuse Resources. They can direct you to help in your area.

A lot of your specific questions about getting a job we address in the articles listed here:

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Getting a Job, Raise, or Promotion

We're rooting for you, honey. Good luck on your journey.

[hopelesslyromanticshark]

wait i just saw ur taking an ap test soon and as a former ap kid i have to offer you my best advice because i took six ap tests and passed all of them

okay 1) do not stay up and cram anything the night before. you know all you can by that point. instead get a good nights rest. a nice sleep will do way better than anything else

2) bring water and snacks. hydration is key to success. also eat a really good breakfast/lunch depending on when your exam is. filed your brain girl

3) if you know nothing about the prompt you get just start writing. literally write so much that eventually you hit something. i did this with my ap lit exam and ended up getting a 4 because i just wrote and wrote and wrote until eventually i felt like i got something somewhere that had to be right

4) comfy clothes. i can not stress this enough. layers too because you never know if the room will be hot or cold. and you don’t want to be uncomfortable for hours on end. also my personal preference was to wear slides/slippers because wanted to be able to sit however i wanted and not wear shoes lol.

above all else remember that the collegeboard does not care if you succeed or fail. they are an evil corporation and if i could fist fight trevor packer i would. fuck him and his cryptic ass tweets. this test does not determine you.

(also i feel like i remember you saying you were taking ap gov and as a former ap gov girlie let me wish you the best of luck and if you need any help from me and my stupid tricks to remember the court cases i got you let me know)

six- SIX APS IS CRAZY OH MY LORD I THINK I WOULD DIE LMAO- one is enough for me.

ALSO all of this info is life saving and i will DEF be using it bc ya girl is a tiny bit stressed. but honestly?? ap gov has been my jam so far!! i'm really really good at making little tricks to memorize amendments

for example, the 26th amendment is the one that set the voting age at 18 bc 4+2 =8 which is just 18

im crazy but it works lmao!! im working on writing all them down and memorizing them from there but honestly im having fun with it and im not super concerned about passing (PLEASE LORD LET ME PASS IM BEGGING YOU TO LET ME PASS ILL RIOT IF I DONT PASS)

but ive already been accepted into a college so do i really care??? nooooooooooooo ma'am!!

once again THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS LOVELY GIRL!!

#return to sender ౨ৎ #all my love ౨ৎ

[i-literally-cant-with-this]

WC ::: Less than 900

A/N ::: I'm so damn loopy right now that I can't even read this as thoroughly as it should be read. Sorry. But I'm sure it's because I'm sick and have a growing fever (have I mentioned that enough? No. No, I don't think so.) Also, the counting being off really threw me for a loop. But I implore you, do not look too far into it. You'll end up on the wrong side of the asylum bars (jk).

MDNI under the cut, please!

C/W ::: hanma x f.reader, um, slight bondage (hanma's hands tied behind his chair), riding crop, smacking him around again because I love doing that ok?, language - you know what to do if there are any disasters.

Thank youuu!!!

You sat on your knees on the hard floor between Hanma's legs, your hand slowly skimming up and down the length of his painfully hard cock. The veins made it feel ribbed against your fingers.

Hanma's breathing was getting more ragged by the second, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Not when you were stroking him so perfectly. Not when your lips were moving closer and closer to the tip of his cock, your warm breath ghosting over it with each exhale.

He whimpered into the dimly lit room. "Aht! That was awfully close to a word, Shu-ji! You know the rules. No talking." You squeezed the head of his dick in your hand and ran the nails of your left hand down his right thigh. He hissed at that. You didn't know if it felt too good or too bad.

Quite honestly, you didn't give a shit.

"Do I need to punish you? Again?" You stared up at his eyes, the ones you knew you'd never forget. Not in this lifetime or the next. The ones that were just as dangerous as they were curious.

You didn't even know what it was about him that drew you in like a moth to a flame. It could have been the danger. It could have been his charm. It could have been his cock. It could have been the conversation the two of you had the first night you met.

Whatever it was, you couldn't get enough of it. And you didn't want to.

You leaned forward and licked a stripe up the underside of Hanma's dick, eliciting another whine from him. He wanted to beg for more, but he knew the consequences.

And honestly, the thought of being punished again by you was a little exciting.

You moved your hand up and down his cock faster, your grip tightening just enough to make him feel uncomfortable.

Spitting on it, you smeared the clear blob of saliva and precum and made his cock glisten. Your eyes widened in shock and arousal as he throbbed in your hand. It was so pretty.

You could feel yourself getting wet at the sight of Hanma's cock straining against your hand. Like it was trying to break free of your grasp.

Without warning, you took Hanma's cock into your mouth and sucked him down to the base. You didn't know how you were able to take him all in, but you were determined to do it.

His reaction was the most rich sound you've ever heard. He groaned and growled from deep in his gut and it erupted so violently. "FUCK!!! FUCKY/NFUCK!!!"

"Oh, Shu. Now I have to start all over." You gave him a fake little pout and got up to tighten the restraints on his wrists. "Poor baby boy."

He knew he was in trouble now. He'd broken the rules, and you weren't going to let him off easy.

"Shuji, I think you need to be taught a lesson." You walked back over to the bedside table and pulled out a riding crop.

Hanma's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't believe his bad luck.

"Count for me, baby. Every time I hit you, I want you to count. Start at zero." You smirked, and the look on your face was nothing short of pure evil. "And if you mess up, we start all ... over ... again." You tapped the underside of his chin with the crop to really drive your point home to him.

Hanma nodded in understanding, a grin spreading across his face. You were both going to have fun with this.

The first hit of the crop came down hard on his thighs, leaving a red mark behind. He gasped and counted.

"One."

The second hit landed on his stomach, making him wince. "Did I or did I not tell you to start at zero? Hanma? I think I did, pretty."

"Fff-zee-roh." He exhaled heavily and rolled his head around, stretching his neck.

The third hit was on his nipple, and he nearly buckled under the pain.

"T-two-mmm!"

You leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Good boy. You're doing so well." You placed a soft kiss on his cheek and rubbed your hand up and down his arm. "I'm so proud of you, baby. Keep going."

The fourth hit was on the other nipple, and he almost broke down in tears. But he didn't. He held himself together and kept counting.

"Th-thr-three." Oh he whined so nicely for you after that one.

The fifth hit was on the underside of his dick, and it was enough to make him come right then and there. He didn't, though. He was determined to please you.

"F-fo-er-uh."

The sixth hit was on his balls, and he lost it. He came all over your chest and his thighs, his whole body shaking from the intensity.

"Fi-hi-ive-huh." He sat in the chair, twitching all over from cumming so hard.

You smiled down at him. You leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips, running your fingers through his hair. "That's my good boy. You did so well for me."

Hanma was still panting from his orgasm, but he was still able to whisper out one last thing before he gave up: "Thank you, mommy. I love you."

You couldn't help but smile at that.

Taglist ::: @sugawhaaa (Tysm for the inspo for this with your audio post), @katkitkats @kazutora-kurokawa @arlerts-angel @darkstarlight82 @viburnt

#tokyo revengers smut #tokyo rev smut #hanma shuji smut #shuji hanma smut #hanma x reader #hanma x you #hanma x y/n #shuji hanma x reader #shuji hanma #tokrev smut #tok rev

[gudfornuthin]

Beauty and the Beast

Chapter one

Bill Weasley x reader

Summary: After being attacked by a werewolf many years ago, Bill Weasley goes into hiding, away from the outside world. When a young girl goes in search for her father, she finds the place he’s been kept prisoner. And the person keeping him there. How will she gain the trust of this beast, and what happens when feelings start to show?

A/N: Heyyyy😅 so I haven’t updated this in like two months but I’m currently writing a book that took up a lot of time and I lost track. Either way, thank you to everyone showing support for the prologue! These first couple of chapters are going to be slow burn, mainly just until the reader meets Bill. Feedback is appreciated, let me know if you want to be tagged in upcoming chapters :) I now also have tipping if anyone wants to show support that way too❤️

Elmbrook was a quiet village, tucked away from all the hustle and bustle of city life. Everyone knew everyone, and if you ever needed a helping hand, there wouldn’t be one too far away. The people were happy, doing the same routine every day, never interfering with the world outside of their small place they called home.

That’s why the young girl currently running through the streets receives strange looks. Y/N was the girls name. And she’s odd. Odd being compared to everyone else in the village. She was always seen sprinting from one place to another, her clothes disheveled and her eyes blown wide. She didn’t work the typical nine to five, rather choosing to work alongside her father and his ‘discoveries’ in magic. That was another reason for being seen as odd. Her father. He was convinced there was such things as witches and wizards out there somewhere, and he dedicated all his time and effort into proving that right. So far no luck. But he would keep searching, and his daughter followed by his side.

Y/N trips over uneven pathways several times, before finally arriving at her destination. ‘The Book Nook’. Her favourite shop, along with the one person (besides her father) who doesn’t judge her for being her. She walks into the shop, spotting the shop owner in question, leaning precariously against a ladder and reaching for a book on the top shelf.

“Good morning Mrs Figg!”

The small woman yelps, gripping the ladder and stopping herself from falling backwards. She turns and sees the young girl. “Dear lord Y/N, you scared me half to death!”

She slowly makes her way down onto safe ground, swatting at Y/N’s arm as she passes her smiling figure.

“I was wondering if you had the latest edition of Magic for Muppets,” she asks.

Mrs Figg rolls her eyes. “Your father couldn’t come and pick it up himself?” She waddles into the back room, and returns soon after with the bright red book in her hands. She never judged the family for their interest in the magical world. Mrs Figg herself dabbled in it sometimes. However, she never bothered stocking many of these books or similar in her store, considering the rest of the people in the area spat at the idea of something mystical or supernatural out there. But she would always buy in specifically for Y/N and her father. She liked their equal childlike wonder. And sometimes she hoped they would actually find some real magic, someday.

Y/N takes the book and holds it close to her chest. “You know what father is like. Once he’s in his research, he’s in deep. I’m sure he’ll pop by next month for the next edition.”

They both say their goodbyes, and Y/N strolls out of the shop, ready to make some lunch once she returns home. Before she has the chance to walk a step further onto the path, she’s knocked slightly by a strong, tall figure. The person quickly grabs her arms, stopping her from toppling over completely. The book however, ends up thrown into a puddle, now sopping wet.

“Sorry, my love. Didn’t see you there.”

The voice sends chills down her spine. Looking up, she comes face to face with dark eyes and sharp teeth, shown through a smug smile.

“Hello Fenrir. It’s quite alright.”

She brushes him off, and rushes to the book, hoping to salvage what’s left of the damp pages. It’s thankfully not completely ruined, as Y/N takes a handkerchief from inside her sleeve and cleans off the water. Hands with sharp nails yoink the book out of her hold, as Fenrir grimaces at it.

“‘Magic for Muppets’? What on God’s green earth has possessed you to read this absolute drivel?”

Y/N snatches the book from the large man, beginning her short walk back home. “It isn’t drivel, this is interesting information about something my father and I have a shared interest in. Considering it’s title, you may even be able to understand what’s written inside.”

Fenrir jumps in front of her, standing much too close for her liking. “You think insulting the man whom you are to be betrothed to is wise?”

Y/N holds her ground, taking one step closer and almost rising on her tippy toes. “We are not a couple, and I will never be your betrothed.”

She pushes his chest hard, not moving him much, but enough to step around him and make her way down the road. Fenrir watches on, an animalistic snarl on his face.

“Mark my words, I will make Y/N my wife.”

————

Y/N finally makes her way back home, closing the door behind her and huffing a sigh of relief. This wasn’t the first time she’s had to deal with Fenrir and his incessant attempts to woo her. While he’s never been overly aggressive towards her, his appearances have become more frequent and more intense. She knows he believes that soon enough she’ll end up breaking and giving in to him, but Y/N will never let that happen. This wasn’t true love. This was power and control over a woman Fenrir thought he had the right to own.

The girl walks further into the house, calling out to her father. She checks his office space, full of papers stacked high, and sketches of weird looking creatures taped to the walls. These things her father would frequently see in his dreams. They were very detailed. One of what appeared to be a platypus, surrounded by gold coins and jewellery. Another one, bright pink and very fluffy. Y/N sometimes told her father that he should write a story about these creatures. He would respond with a gruff tone, telling her that they aren’t just simply things made for storytelling. They were real, even if he didn’t have proof.

She keeps calling for her father, until steps are heard patting down the stairs. He appears with a wide smile, as well as a big bag and a long coat covering him. “Ah, Y/N! So glad I caught you before I left.”

He rushes around, grabbing food from the fridge and his gloves off the table. He’s talking to himself, something about proving everyone wrong and making sure he has the correct supplies. Y/N barely has any time to compute what’s going on.

“Father, are we going somewhere?”

He stops his frantic antics for a second, shaking his head. “Not we, my dear. Just me. I need you to hold the fort while I’m away.”

“Away where? Father what is it?”

He grabs a scarf off the coat hanger, and takes his daughter in his arms, holding her tight. “I found them.”

“Them?”

He moves back and nods. “Them! The things I’ve been seeing in my dreams. When I went strolling in the woods this morning, a gleam of yellow caught my eye. When I reached for it, a small clawed hand grabbed it before I could. It was too fast for me to catch, but I saw it. Dark fur, long snout, beady eyes. It’s that strange platypus. And i need to find it.”

He kisses Y/N on the forehead and strides to the door, walking outside with his daughter close behind.

“How can you be so sure? Maybe it was a worse for wear raccoon or a really big rat.”

Her father turns and looks at his daughter, the happiest he’d ever looked in quite some time. “I’m willing to take that risk.” He continues walking, yelling the rest over his shoulder. “I’ll be back in a couple of days, my dear. I’ll soon show all of them how right we were.”

Y/N crosses her arms, a small smile creeping onto her lips. She truly hopes this time her father is right. As for now, she’ll just have to wait.

———

Tags: @timetruthhearts-moony @ohantonia @k-k-merlin @nessa3nessa @m-rae23 @kcloveswrestling @bamboozledflamplant @marvgrrl @worldswithoutendings (apologies as some tags didn’t work)

#bill weasley x reader #bill weasley #domnhall gleeson x reader #domnhall gleeson #beauty and the beast #x reader #harry potter #beauty and the beast x reader

[wuxianxkexing]

Another one of my unhinged insights, this time about MuLianCheng.

So I find it interesting that Hua Cheng decided to wear red eyeliner in his San Lang disguise. He first met Xie Lian again after his 3rd ascension during the Bridegroom arc in his /true/ form. People speculate that Hua Cheng is insecure about his looks so that is why he decided to try to befriend Xie Lian in disguise, but if that is the case why show up during your first meeting in your true form? Xie Lian could've looked Hua Cheng straight in the eyes at any point. It is only sheer luck that he didn't.

Ok maybe there is the argument that he showed up in his true form because he just didn't have time to put on his disguise after being tipped off to where Xie Lian was and he didn't necessarily plan to reveal himself but chose to after Xie Lian was left alone in the bridal sedan (even though Xie Lian 100% didn't need his help lol). Alright. But why decide to ever show your true form to him if you are that insecure about your looks? Or at least why decide after only 3 days that the next time you meet him that you will show him your true form? Does that make any logical sense for a person deeply insecure about their looks to do? No. People who are insecure about their looks, especially to the point of wearing a disguise, are not going to get over it /that/ fast. So my argument is that Hua Cheng is not that insecure about his looks. Maybe he has a normal level of self consciousness about his looks but he ain't despairing over how ugly he thinks he is.

So why show up in a disguise? He was worried that Xie Lian might be intimidated or biased by the rumors surrounding him, so he chose to befriend him in disguise so Xie Lian could actually get to know him before letting the rumors cloud his judgment. That makes sense and explains why he was willing to show his true form so quickly. He didn't really want to deceive Xie Lian, he just wanted to get acquainted and show that he means him no harm before revealing his intimidating true identity. However why did he choose that particular disguise?

We know that Hua Cheng has been in love with Xie Lian for like 800 years. It makes perfect sense that he would choose a disguise that he thinks Xie Lian would find attractive (he sure as shit wouldn't choose a disguise that he thought Xie Lian would find ugly or even just average). Why does he have the impression that Xie Lian would be into mean twinks who wear red eyeliner and dress to kill a bitch?

Enter Mu Qing/Fu Yao. He is also a mean twink who wears red (though more like pink) eyeliner who dresses to kill a bitch. Now I'm not saying that Hua Cheng is copying all of this from Mu Qing on purpose. I think that Hua Cheng is naturally kind of a mean bitch who likes to dress really good. But the eyeliner. Why the eyeliner? He doesn't wear eyeliner in his true form and as far as we know he never wore it until after the Bridegroom arc. He saw Mu Qing wearing it and thought for some reason "I need to wear red eyeliner in my disguise too." Why? My thoughts are as follows.

Hua Cheng wanted to prove that he could wear it better. Why? Because he feels insecure about Xie Lian's and Mu Qing's relationship (either past or present). Either he felt, knew or heard rumors that MuLian was a thing in the past and so he naturally feels the need to compete with Mu Qing (especially since Xie Lian could see through Mu Qing's disguise and knew it was him the entire time. What if they started their relationship back up?) OR Xie Lian was giving Fu Yao certain looks or perhaps comments that made Hua Cheng feel like he needed to prove that he could do it better.

I think Hua Cheng realizes that he and Mu Qing are similar, or at least similar enough, to be Xie Lian's type. I think this is part of the reason he so bitchy to Mu Qing in specific. He needs to prove that he can be bitchier, funnier, prettier, more skilled, etc... than Mu Qing in any way that he thinks that Xie Lian might like. Mu Qing is probably too emotionally constipated to pick up on it and just thinks Hua Cheng is an asshole, not realizing that he is jealous of/feels threatened by him.

I also like this theory because of the potential symbolism behind it. They both wear red eyeliner to symbolize their love for Xie Lian. Mu Qing wears pink because his is a soft love. Hua Cheng wears red because his is a passionate love. It seems like they both have acts of service as their love language but Mu Qing is way more shy and lowkey about it than Hua Cheng, hence the more subtle pink instead of the bold red that Hua Cheng wears. It's a little hint at their rivalry before you even know much about them.

#i just like the idea of these two being in a cat fight over the same guy #hua cheng #Xie Lian #fu yao #san lang #mu qing #tgcf #heaven officials blessing #mulian #hualian

[shepherds-of-haven]

hii! i'm a new author working on my first if, and i'm really not doing great tbh. shepards of haven is (my current hyperfixation) sosososososo good and so expansive and just generally the best thing ever and i'm aware that you've been writing this story for years and that's probably why it's so amazing but i'm not having a fun time over here and i was wondering if you have any tips for worldbuilding or if you could share like a general overview of your process? thank you so much :))

Hi there, I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling great about your project at the moment! I think my #writing advice tag could be helpful to you, since that's where I stick all the posts and answers about writing tips and worldbuilding advice from this blog, as well as my @strangevoyages blog, which is exclusively focused on my authorial career and writing-related tips and tricks, so it might be easier to parse through for advice! This post I wrote last year, in particular, could be helpful for worldbuilding, as well! (As well as this post for my general tips for beginning writers of interactive fiction!)

On top of all that, though, I think the best piece of advice I can add on for you is to be patient with yourself! As you mentioned, I've been working on Shepherds for over 20 years now: it was basically the first story I ever wrote, and I still haven't published it in a complete form yet. My first novel, We Have Always Been Here, also took about four years to complete, and in that amount of time, I burned it completely to the ground and started it over from scratch FIVE TO EIGHT TIMES before I got so sick of looking at it I just had to submit it. And I thought I would start my second novel directly after that, starting a few months after WHABH's completion in 2019. It's been four years since then and I'm still figuring out the world and characters of that second novel, to the point that I've also started and completely scrapped the story three or four times... I didn't even settle on the main cast or their names until earlier this year, so that's like 3 years where I didn't even know their names, let alone how their world worked. 🥹 And in the last four years, I've still only gotten as far as about ten chapters on this series, and my most current draft is only at four! (And I'm about to scrap some of that and start over again... 🥹)

At some point, you finally iron things out and the story details settle and actually click, and then you might be off to the races--but you've got to give yourself the time, patience, and understanding to actually get there first! I know that things can feel frustrating when it feels like you've run up against a wall or you just aren't feeling inspired, but letting things simmer for a while just allows the flavors of your story to complexify and deepen. You're creating a whole new world in your head, so give yourself a break! It takes time. Like a good soup, sometimes you have to let it sit on the stove for a bit and bubble away without poking at it impatiently and wishing it would hurry up or dumping ingredients in it to make it cook faster. In the meantime, consuming media that inspires you or that you genuinely love and enjoy--without turning it into the work and chore of "research"--might uncork or illuminate something you didn't even know was brewing. That's what I most often do when I'm feeling uninspired! I just leave everything where it is, meander away, watch or read or play something that intrigues me, and that often naturally sparks inspiration when I'm not thinking too hard about it. A watched p(l)ot never boils, so to speak!

I hope that (and my other posts linked above) help you in some way. Good luck with your writing and again, try not to be too hard on yourself! You're not alone, every writer feels this way: it's just a part of the process, but one that we can mitigate by giving ourselves time and patience. :) And thank you for the kind words about Shepherds, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

#writing advice #writing #writing tips #redirect #strange voyages #tips #advice

[celestie0]

any tips on starting a story?? i created my account cuz i wanted to create small fanfics and gain a following but idk how 😭

hiii love thank you for your ask i’ll try my best to give the tips from what i’ve learned so far!

i also answered a similar writing tips ask for another lovely you can find here. and if you do post your works n you’re comfy w it i’d love to support you!! feel free to tag me 🫶🏼💕

story planning. this is more applicable to lengthier fics, but don’t get too caught up in planning that you don’t actually write the story! it’s okay to have a general idea, or even a multiple paths idea for your story. i did this for kickoff but i wrote alternate chapter ideas branching off from some of the chapters n ended up just choosing which ever one i wanted n thought fit best lol. but basically things are subject to change, so you don’t need to have a scene-by-scene in order to start a story, just a general idea

central theme. i think to start any story and have it be engaging throughout, it’s important to have a recurring theme that gets brought up often, or something that ties two characters together, etc. from the very beginning! could be a physical proximity thing (ex neighbors) or a mission thing (ex bodyguard), choosing something like that can get a story started and create environments btwn characters that feels necessary rather than forced just for plot (assuming you’re writing for romance)

inspiration. if you’re just looking to write fanfiction, there’s nothing wrong with just starting off w a concept or idea that you already know you like from a tv show or book! for example if you like spiderman, then just write a canon-adjacent spiderman au w your fave character from an anime or something haha. and then maybe once you start writing, your own original ideas start to come into play and you go off of those. i think in the fanfic community, people adore spin-offs & mainstream concept ideas bc it’s just nice to have fun with it

high stakes. creating high-stakes within any conflict or decision is really simple, even though it may sound difficult, but it could be as easy as having a character take up a certain job because she really needs the money, or another character’s inability to quit a toxic workplace is because they need health insurance for a certain illness, etc. i think conflict is necessary throughout a story, rather than just one major conflict at the climax, but introducing little ways to up the stakes is a great way to make things more real

logistics. i think to build a following it’s also necessary to know when to post, how often to post, etc., but at the end of the day it’s just a hobby and you should be writing what YOU want to write!! and just get started! ☺️ that’s the easiest way to write—is to just write

i hope this helps my dear i wasn’t sure if you were referring to long-fic or short-fic stories but i tried to keep my recs relatively applicable to both 😭🫶🏼💕 good luck im rooting for you!!

#anon #asks #writing tips #just writer things

[focsle]

Recovering from complete burnout and slowly trying to open up to writing again, I've hit a bit of a snag and thought to ask. Any tips on how to write for a more historical setting? Any thoughts on how to constructs sentences or world building that doesn't make it feel too modern?

Best of luck to you in slowly emerging from the burnout. I hope your writing flows!

My biggest tip for both of your questions is research research research. Reading secondary sources about the time period you’re interested in is a good place to start to understand the historical context of the era. But after you get a grounding in all that, primary sources is where the world really shines. It depends on what time period you’re looking at, because some eras and places are absolutely more accessible than others in terms of surviving documents, but my primary source explorations is where I’ve really been able to get the most information to build out my world, make it feel lived in, and understand the cadence of people’s voices. You get to learn how they thought, what they sounded like, what they cared about. Little turns of phrase. Things like that.

Some places you can start to get a sense of language are books, magazines, and newspapers written from the time period. Transcripts of testimonies in court records. Letter writing and etiquette guides. Dictionaries contemporary to the time period you’re writing in, including slang dictionaries (like grose's dictionary of the vulgar tongue). But those aren’t entirely representative of how people talked, so if you can find diaries and letters those are the best. Of course, with all these things, what is available and what people sound like is also going to be bound up in things like class and access to education, but those are places to start.

It also depends on how intense you want to be, as far as not wanting it to be ‘too modern’. Some writers want to filter out most anachronistic words. Here’s a blog post of one writer who created a custom dictionary and used it to spell check her manuscript for words that didn’t exist yet. But on the flipside you also have comedies like Blackadder that has the most IMPECCABLE and beautiful costuming because viewers would write in being like ‘ummmm excuse me that 18th century button is wrong’, but absolutely bonkers historically inaccurate scriptwriting. And that intentional contrast is what makes it effective as a comedy. With me, I want people’s voices to sound of the era to some degree, but I always acknowledge that I’m ultimately writing FOR a modern audience. So I’m gonna make some of my dudes say ‘yeah’, you know?

When writing historical fiction, I think the most important thing to keep in mind still that you’re telling a story, not writing an encyclopedia. And one can take creative liberties to best tell that story. But at the same time, there is a WEALTH of amazing authenticating details that can be found in research that will enrich that narrative in ways that you can’t get from referencing other historical fiction or just using your imagination about what you THINK something might be like. History is weird! And people in the past are forever surprising! But also often quite like people today—they felt the exact same things that we feel now because people are people are people, which I also don’t think should be forgotten in writing a historical story. For me, I’m not writing a nonfiction—people aren’t going to learn the ins and outs of whaling from my comic in the same way they would reading an academic text about it. But I need that world to feel grounded, and I need to invite people into it fully, and I need to understand the sort of men who found themselves there. The research and authenticating details is how I try to do that. It also helps that it’s a topic I’m obsessed with; I read dead whalers’ journals over my morning coffee or at 2am just for fun so…the research isn’t a hardship for me at all. But either way, the two need to balance each other. And I think how much you lean in one direction or the other depends entirely on your narrative and what you’re hoping to do with it.

#asks #anonymous