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goodluckclove · 8 days

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I've been meaning to say something. (100 follower hot take)

Hey! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you've had a nice day. Why don't you rest with me for a while? I made some chocolate chip cookies - with shortening instead of butter, so they're very soft and very chocolatey. I made way too many and they aren't my wife's favorite, so I could use some help in eating them.

You're probably a writer, right? Or maybe you think about how you could be. Browse the tags here, or on other social media platforms. Maybe you used to write stories as a kid. I bet those were fun. Teachers might've thought they were impressive, or they dissected them line by line until the words didn't make sense in your head anymore. Either way, if you're here you're probably here for a reason.

(rant alert)

I dipped a toe in online writing communities on and off. My last attempt was forty-five minutes scrolling through the writing hashtag on Youtube Shorts (so TikTok, I guess? I don't know). I didn't like it. I really didn't. The thing that sticks out the strongest in my mind is one particular video where a woman claims that every story needs a second act plot twist.

Huh? Every story? All of them? Why? Since when? Who are you? What qualifications do you have to make a statement like that?

That's the common thread that makes a lot of writing spaces very uncomfortable for me. Successful writers are really only successful in their genre and for the given moment, so they don't have that much objective authority in the craft. And yet I see a lot of people deciding the things that you can't do in writing. Or the things you have to do, and how you have to do them. It was so much of Writeblr at first glance that I almost dipped out once again. I didn't, though, and I'm glad I didn't because now I get to watch some of the next great storytellers from across the world grow and examine and forge their way forward.

No one can teach you how to write. No, that's not true. Teachers teach literacy. Handwriting. Typing maybe - do schools still teach typing? Let me try saying it in a different way - no one, not one single person on this goddamned planet, has the right to tell you how to make a story.

I was supposed to get my MFA in creative writing before my first breakdown. My uncle stayed in the program I was meant to be in, and a few years after I dropped out he graduated. Recently I had the thought to look up his thesis novella, and as I searched I found myself regretting my decision to leave school. If I stayed and got to develop my writing in an actual class, with other writers and a knowledgeable professor, how much further along would I be than where I am right now?

It was bad. His novella was terrible. It was so bad I had a small existential crisis for, like, three days. He spent so much money on years and years of professional education and came out with a truly soulless story that read as if you prompted an AI to write the next Great American Novel. So if you think you need a writing degree to be a legitimate author, it could help connections-wise, but it ultimately won't be the thing that does the work for you.

Not all advice I see online on writing is bad. I find the people who are able to capture the "I" statements of therapy and phrase advice as things that have worked for them, or things that they personally enjoy, to be fine. Some writing advice can spark inspiration.

But if someone is the type of person to boil every story down to troupes and cliches, and then immediately say that every story that uses the trait they don't like is automatically bad for everyone? I'm dropping the kindness for a second - that's trash. That's a trash take and I see far too many writers use it as a reason to stop before they begin.

I don't like whump. I say my reasons in previous posts if you go back through my blog. But you will never hear me say that any story with whump in it is bad, because I don't know that. You might prove me wrong. I am an adult human being and I have the humility to admit that I can like something I didn't expect to. I genuinely enjoy the direction of The Human Centipede (only the first one) and if you cringed just now that probably means you haven't seen it.

There are so many types of books and movies and plays and comics out there. To enjoy a specific genre is fine, to ignore the existence of everything else is a really, really, really odd thing to do. Maybe someone will hate your story because they think everything should be Neil Gaiman, and therefore have no way to understand your epistolary high-Western. You are not the wrong end of that situation just for existing.

And at there is a definite threshold on how many writing tips you can gather before they stop being useful. If you find them interesting, that's one thing. That's fine. But if the culture of creativity online has made you feel like you need to educate yourself on every possible angle before you can write a story, you are actively harming yourself.

Imagine taking the level of structure you put on yourself in that way and putting it on children playing pretend in the backyard. Oh, Susie, don't you know that it's overdone for your Kitsune have dead parents? Xyler, shouldn't you ask someone else before you decide how Spiderman would react to this? It would make no sense and they do not need it. Kids will make a whole world out of nothing and it's the most fucked thing in my heart that at some point they get access to Reddit and dipshits start insisting that's wrong.

They aren't wrong and you aren't either. Your favorite creative influencer can't tell you your story, strangers on the internet can't tell you your story, your teachers and loved ones can't tell you your story. They can influence it, but they can't write it honestly the way you can.

You do that. That's the thing you do.

Man that makes me upset. I can't tell you how to make a story, either. If anyone sends me asks for writing advice the most I'll do is say what I've done before hopping into your DMs and starting a direct conversation. it's so personal to each individual artist, and I'd like to think that the people selling these classes and software and promoting these platforms haven't thought about that before. Otherwise it does feel manipulative. If you have a willingness to practice and imagine and really experiment with the possibilities, you are ready to write your story.

And if it doesn't work? Try again. That's what you do.

Stephen King has written roughly a thousand books and maybe five of them have decent endings. He is unimaginably successful.

I'm rambling now. I think I got that out of my system. I was really worried to say this out of fear of being too weird or somehow reverse-gatekeeping so hard that it circles back into also being a bad thing. I've just spoken to a lot of people who I still think of throughout my day, and I truly ache for them to get past the fear of creation. Because it's worth it. It's worth it and it's fun, even when it's messy and you're tired.

Let it Be just came on. Beatles. I haven't listened to The Beatles in a long time. Feels a little apropos.

I love you, reader. Reader, Writer, Colleague. Take care of yourself. Especially the little you, still sitting there in the backyard of your soul, bathing in the sun with their bare feet in the damp earth.

Consider joining them, maybe.

#writeblr #writing community #writers on tumblr #queer writers #authors of tumblr #on writing #writing #actually writing #writing resources #writing tips #writing help #writing advice #how to write #writing tips and tricks #writers supporting writers

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meowjunie · 2 years

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that’s right we twisted (i like it like that) (M)

preview: “where’s jeno?” you tried hard to steady your clearly wavering tone and glanced around to avoid any further awkward stares.

“you’re looking at him.” jeno snorted and knocked back his hood with a veiny hand, revealing golden blonde locks and a pair of black floppy ears.

the world seemed to stop at that moment. how in the hell did you skip over the fact that you were looking after a grown ass man?

pairing: lee jeno x fem reader

word count: 4.4k

genre: non idol! jeno, hybridverse au, pwp, crack-ish?, strangers to fucking

warnings: predator/prey dynamics, brief choking, hair pulling, submission, non-sexual and sexual degradation (jeno is mean), coercion/manipulation (jeno tells y/n she’s being overdramatic about him not prepping her & other)

smut warning: m/f, rough sex, unprotected sex (wear! protection!), improper prep, anal (f), creampie

a/n: y/n did consent to everything above! what i write does not reflect jeno in any way. this is purely fiction.

requests: hard hours are closed.

“y/n,” your landlord sighed into his palm,”if i extended your deadline for payment, i’d be showing favoritism. rent is due next month and the overdraw fee at this period is hefty.”

“give me more time — how am i supposed to find a job on such short notice?” you pleaded, vigorously refreshing on your bank account app as if money would appear instantly.

“make it happen or i have no choice but to kick you out. demand is high and time is money.” the older man shook his head apologetically, turning and hopping down the steps without another word.

“fuck this.” you sighed out, hands buried in your hair.

“fuck.”

where the hell were you gonna find quick cash in a non sketchy way?

shutting the door before your neighbors saw you mid-crisis, your thoughts spiraled.

“fucking capitalism! i can’t do indeed without a resume, can’t even fucking do uber because i’d need a car and i use the subway..” you threw your hands up in frustration.

after a few minutes of panic, your mind came to a full stop at the dreadful realization.

your last resort.

you’ve heard all types of horror stories about craigslist, and deep down you were just praying you weren’t about to become another storyteller for a fucked up job all for the sake of keeping a roof over your head.

nonetheless, you found yourself scrolling endlessly on the site through your phone, barbie bandaid clad thumb slowly landing on a job offer that seemed too good to be true. “hell no, this must be a ploy to get kidnapped or some shit. that much to watch a dog?” your eyes widened at the listing.

1 night only dog-sitter needed ASAP!! $150 hourly. (jeno is very playful and curious. *on the territorial side as a rottweiler breed* higher payment can be discussed if this will be an issue, thank you!)

you skimmed over the details for what looked like the fifteenth time, not fully trusting it. you knew you didn’t have much time and needed quick cash, but you didn’t want to take a risk.

“fuck it. i need this.” you sucked in a deep breath and cracked your knuckles, messaging the lister immediately.

if it turned out to be a deranged killer, at least you wouldn’t have to worry about rent!

the prompt ding from your phone nearly sent you flying at the quick response, spiking the anxious feeling at the pit of your stomach.

“damn, this must be urgent..” you mumbled, reading the response with budding apprehension.

65154427: thank you so much for reaching out! finding a last minute sitter has been a nightmare :(

jeno is a bit of a handful and he’s spoiled so those two things alone have cost me a lot of time when it comes to keeping long term sitters.

i hope that you’re able to take care of my puppy!

quizzically, you typed back some words of encouragement, confirming that the services in the dog sitting listing wouldn’t be a problem.

those seemed to be the exact words the owner was looking for because it was then that after a few words of approval later, you found yourself job bound in only a matter of a half hour.

so, not too shabby!

the thought of being kicked out with no way to pick yourself up haunted you for months and there was no way you were gonna let that shit manifest for you so this was a huge pick me up in your eyes.

“i love dogs and i’m good with them. what the hell could go wrong? the damn thing eats, sleeps, and shits! i’m going to be just fine.”

you blew off the brewing feeling of uncertainty in the pit of your stomach, before plopping on your sad couch.

everything will be fine!

—————

everything was not fine.

the pressure of doing a job well done was instantly heightened as soon as you found the place you were going to be staying overnight at.

a modern penthouse with gold outlining and neatly trimmed bushes stood in front of you as you entered, an even more upscaled elevator greeting you upon your entrance with a mocking ding.

who the hell were you dog sitting for? brad pitt?

“do not fuck up.” you whispered to yourself as you boarded the elevator, punching in the floor number with a shaky finger.

you were genuinely starting to become unmotivated at your ability to take care of this seemingly high end dog.

a smooth elevator ride later, you stepped out self consciously and immediately strode down the hall to look for the number of the place, not wasting time.

time is money. you repeated after your landlord internally.

the show of the city lights reflected appealingly on the top floors of the glass vicinities, your breath stilling at the admirable sight. “eat the rich but i could get used to this.”

your unconfident trudges finally came to a stop at a creme door, luxuriously crafted. with that quality? it had to be.

your stomach broiled in suspense as you rang the two way intercom, free hand gripping onto your overnight bag at what would happen next.

“this is the sitter you called for? for jeno?”

a pregnant pause had passed until you heard a small ‘mhm’ being thrown back in return on the intercom, your face dropping immediately at that.

some fucking professional.

the ear-penetrating buzzing blasted out from the intercom as a result of the door being unlocked, alerting the nosy hallow halls of the presence of a new company.

you took a deep breath to calm your nerves before pushing the automatic heavy door open with your hand and strolling into the spacious home, placing your items down on the couch.

first mistake.

“jeno!” you made kissy noises and crouched, expecting to be met with the love of a young and energetic puppy.

“you shouldn’t put your things on other people’s property, miss sitter.” a bass filled tone spoke from behind you, a shrill gasp ripping out of your throat.

“what the hell?” you grabbed onto your chest, heart damn near beating out of it’s cavity while you rose from your bent position and turned to look at the source of noise.

an attractive male stood tall before you, hands tucked into the pockets of his raised hoodie and legs adorned with what looked like balenciaga sweatpants. his sharp eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of you, causing you to curl into yourself at having dared to make eye contact with him.

oh.

“where’s jeno?” you tried hard to steady your clearly wavering tone and glanced around to avoid any further awkward stares.

“you’re looking at him.” jeno snorted and knocked back his hood with a veiny hand, revealing golden blonde locks and a pair of black floppy ears.

the world seemed to stop at that moment. how in the hell> did you skip over the fact that you were looking after a grown ass man?

“no— no i’m supposed to be looking after a puppy with attitude problems and a cute little underbelly. you.. you’re not that!” you refuted, backing away in astonishment.

jeno’s head tilted, soft ears quirking at your remark,”do you not see the ears, dumbass? i am a puppy. didn’t my owner tell you i’m a rottweiler hybrid? or like, anything about me at all?”

your eyebrows furrow in on themselves at his insolent reply, lips suddenly falling agape in realization. “damn. i should’ve known. average dog sitting doesn’t pay that much an hour.”

“i don’t care, just get your shit off of my seat.” he grumbled, waiting expectantly for you to take your bag off of the couch.

an annoyed expression etched its way onto your features, your once confused face dropping quickly at jeno’s rudeness,”listen. i don’t want any problems with you. but we’re about to have a very uncomfortable night if you don’t understand basic fucking respect, asshole.”

jeno’s jaw clenched, your heart rate picking up once more at his mirrored annoyed face. something was 10x more terrifying about his own annoyance than yours.

the taller male slowly made his way over to your small stature until he was mere centimeters apart from being pressed against you,“if i want your stuff off of mine, it comes the fuck off. if i tell you to jump, you ask how fucking high. no questions asked.”

“you’re not listening. you don’t understand how this works—“

knocking you back a few steps with a swift nudge of his chest, his ears stood predatorily. “i understand that you don’t know how things work in my house. catch up.”

you now understood why you were being paid a fortune to look after this horrifying brat.

you rolled your eyes and bumped past him to take your bag off of the couch, his stiffened body instantly relaxing and the uninviting aura around him shifting into one of tranquility.

“so, it looks like the girl has a brain in that thing on her neck.”

you were starting to regret coming over in thin sweat shorts and a cropped long sleeve, feeling embarrassed as you felt your arousal leak through your pants.

he was insulting you and you were getting horny.

jeno stared you down for what seemed like an eternity before snorting and turning to leave up the steps in disinterest, not bothering to look at you,”guest room is up and second to last door on your right, bathroom is under renovation so if you wanna piss or shower you’re stuck with me, princess.”

this was a problem.

you weren’t about to tiptoe around this asshole all night! but you had to make the best of it. after all, this was your ticket to keeping a roof over your head.

sighing dramatically you plopped onto the floor, the spacious couch staring at you jeeringly while your ass began to hurt within seconds of sitting on the hardwood.

dickhead wouldn’t even let you sit.

—————

the clock was nearing eleven when your stomach started to fuss angrily. you already changed into your pajamas and spent hours tapping away on your socials. your last meal was hours before you stepped in the building so you were bound to be starving by then.

unsure what exactly you could touch without getting your head knocked off your shoulders, you just decided to take a chance.

second mistake.

you lightly toed your way into the kitchen and over to the grand fridge, opening it as quietly as possible to not stir the beast in his cave.

“what to eat.” you muttered to yourself, scanning the contents and deciding on making noodles with the ingredients in the full fridge.

the house was filled with a daunting silence as you began preparing the meal for one. you felt like prey in the middle of a forest trying to refeed before the scary predator came and snatched you up.

“hey, you. ugly girl. the fuck are you wearing? you’re barely covered up.” jeno’s daunting voice called out from over the counter.

damn it. you nearly seethed.

“it’s y/n, fucking dork.”

“okay, y/n. the fuck are you wearing?” jeno asked again, nose scrunched and top lip curled in aggravation.

“i was fixing to watch a dog, not babysit a demonic hybrid. and whatever i choose to wear doesn’t have anything to do with you.” you turned back to your food, giving it a good stir before popping open the stainless steel dishwasher next to you.

he watched wolfishly as you bent over without a care in the world to grab a dish and scoffed,”any more and those pair of panties you call shorts are splitting in half. you’re provoking me.”

“i don’t know what you’re into, perv, but the way you’re describing me with so much fire is giving me the impression that you like it. go fuss about the ass you’ll never have somewhere else.” you waved your free hand at him, shooing him away while leveling yourself back up and placing the bowl onto the counter.

“whore.” jeno stalked off towards a different part of the spacious house.

who knew where he’d pop out from next?

—————

midnight quickly approached and your stomach was full, your mood shooting up after that delicious bowl of instant noodles. you’d have to buy those when you got back to your apartment.

jeno hadn’t made an appearance since his harassment earlier and you were thankful, not up to playing his bullshit at this time.

all you had to do was find your room and hope that there would be no more challenges.

how could you fuck that up?

after cleaning up after yourself and grabbing your bag, you made your way up the steep steps and toed down the hall to the provided room.

the large hallway was pitchblack and the only lights guiding you down safely were the ones flashing from under what you assumed was jeno’s room.

getting to your room, you tied your hair back and out of your face and placed your things down by the door. daringly deciding to check up on him, you bounced lightly on the balls of your feet to his door.

suddenly, the world stilled as you mistook one step on the hardwood, a groaning creek shouting out a call from the floorboard alerting jeno and anyone if they were in proximity.

shit!

bolting down the steps, you nearly tumbled down the last few but regained your composure and ran straight for the other side of the house.

you weren’t sure where you were going in the dark but now it dawned on you that the safest place would have been the guest room.

jeno’s footsteps were loud and fast, chasing after you as if he were in the middle of a hunt. “stupid girl. you know i told you to fuck off.”

trying to hold in your pants as you ducked down under what seemed to be a dinner table, your heart beat uncontrollably in your chest.

“i can hear your breaths. can practically smell your fear too.” he grits, pacing around the table.

you just prayed his vision wasn’t good in the dark. it was a roll the dice chance after all, being that he was a hybrid with the characteristics of the most brutal hunting breed there was.

waves of silence washed over the both of you and jeno’s steps couldn’t be heard anymore, neither could your once shaky breaths.

this is the end. you thought. he’s going to maul me.

“this is what you wanted right?” you suddenly heard the low voice in your ear, the hair on your neck standing in surprise.

before you could duck and run, jeno grabbed you by your neck, large hand closing easily around your delicate throat.

“cant— i-i can’t fucking breathe!” you wheezed out, thrashing in the death grip.

“it’s what you asked for, y/n. say it.” you couldn’t make his face out in the pitch blackness but you swore you could see the flash of his canines curved into a taunting grin.

he didn’t wait for a response before crawling out from under the table, your neck still held in place by his unforgiving hold.

puffing out what felt like your last breaths as your kicks grew weaker, jeno finally let go of you, your head dropping onto the cold floor roughly.

hacking and wheezing, you wondered if the money was even worth it now. this hybrid was hell sent.

jeno slicked your hair back with his hand while you hiccuped,”there there.”

“you fu— ow! jeno stop!” you scream out, nails digging into his forearm as he hoists you up into a sitting position by your bun.

“poor you. you’re not too sure how to play this game, am i right?”

“freak! let me go!” your nails dug deeper into his arm, causing him to rip his hand away from your hair and hiss in pain.

“fucking bitch!”

you took this opening to shoot up and lunge across the room, shooting up the steps.

with jeno’s door wide open you could see your room perfectly and it was close within your reach.

so close.

a hand shot out and gripped your wrist, holding you in place, causing you to cry out.

how the hell was he so fast?

“you’re not innocent. if only you could see yourself right now.” jeno laughed.

you must’ve been so caught up in the chase you weren’t aware of the growing patch of arousal staining the entire front of your pajama shorts.

“its— ”

jeno lifted a finger to your lips, shushing you.

“i know all about you. do you like the chase, y/n? do you like it when i’m this rough with you?” his eyes creased with entertainment at your desperate expression.

the finger to your lips dropped as you opened your mouth and he was backing away.

“your call. i won’t show any mercy once you’re in though.”

your mouth definitely played against your brain at that moment,”wait! wait. how are we gonna do this?”

jeno’s head tilted, perked ears dropping,”do what? i thought we were playing a game.”

he’s fucking playing me. you thought outraged.

it wasn’t exactly your gameplan to get your back beat in by this hot puppy hybrid, but now that you were in, there was no way in hell you were backing out.

“i want you to— to… fuck me.” you looked to the side, words falling off your tongue timidly.

“okay.” jeno shrugged casually.

“okay?” your jaw nearly fell to the floor.

after all that?

“do i have to come get you, or are you gonna get over here?” he stuck his hand out, waiting impatiently for you to grab a hold of it.

once you grabbed the large palm, he tugged you into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

you stared in awe at the spacious quarters, letting out a surprised huff at the eager shove jeno gave you towards his bed.

“should we really—”

jeno laughed amused,”what happened to ‘oh my god! please fuck me jeno!’”

your nose scrunched in embarrassment as you took the hint and began sliding your pajama pants down,”don’t look.”

“such a baby, fine i won’t look.”

the taller male turned and slid out of his sweatshirt easily, tugging his shirt off after and walking over to lock his door. “can i turn around now, baby”

you sat on the bed nervously, playing with a loose thread on the duvet and curling your toes. you weren’t sure if this was such a good idea now that you were in his room, but you definitely wanted this.

“yeah, go ahead.”

turning almost too eagerly, jeno took a moment to scan what he was working with before silently making his way over to the bed and crashing his lips against yours needily.

“mmf— jeno!” you froze in place, unaware of what set him off as he attacked your neck next.

“don’t talk.” he murmured out authoritatively, taking a hold of your clenched thighs and lifting you with ease. he dropped you on the middle of the bed restlessly and was quick to slide out of his sweatpants, your eyes widening with every passing second.

“are you fucking crazy? where’s that thing even going?” you scrambled up into a seated position, legs closing together.

“ugh, y/n stop stalling. it’ll fit just fine.” jeno pried your legs open.

“you’re not even gonna prep or anything?” you tried, backed against the headboard at this point.

he settled in between your legs, his hand dragging his leaking tip between your salivating folds,”don’t be such a fucking baby. i know you can take it, y/n. just loosen up.“

a part of you felt scared that you’ve never taken anyone this big before but his endless pressing seemed to get more firm by the minute.

“okay.. please go slow, jeno. i’m being serious.”

jeno scoot up wordlessly, running your slick down the base of his hardened cock and dipping in slowly.

your face twisted in pain, fingers grabbing the sheets tightly. “it hurts— jeno it hurts!”

jeno’s jaw fell slack, hips drawing forward as if there were any room left. “shh, baby. you’re opening up for me so well.”

involuntarily clenching, your entrance slightly burned at the sudden intrusion. jeno bottomed out before lifting a hand to pick the stray strands off of your sweat beaded forehead, lips pulled back into a devilish grin.

your heart began to race once you met his clouded gaze, unsure if that was a good sign,”jen—“

he pistoned forward, heavy length pile driving into you with no end and placed his hands on top of yours, forcing you down and pliant.

“slow, you idiot! i said slow!” you cried, back smashing against the headboard with every thrust. by the entranced look of pleasure on his face, you realized there was no getting through to jeno as he rut into you.

“so fucking tight. can’t believe you didn’t even ask for a condom. little whore wants me to breed her dumb pussy.”

quickly, your body began to take calm to jeno as one particular thrust had you pitifully moaning. “just like that.” you hummed, another shameless moan pouring out in suit regardless of his realization.

“y/n, i’m gonna turn you over.” jeno said lowly, hips slowing down to switch your position.

within a matter of seconds, you quickly found yourself face down into the sheets that reeked of jeno’s scent and your ass up.

jeno’s fingers gripped your waist bruisingly as he picked up, satisfied groans ripping out of his throat.

your face squished into the mattress with every thrust, annoying you to no ends but nonetheless drawing aroused noises out of you at your usage.

squeezing around him as well as you could, jeno’s head fell back and his hips gained momentum. you gasped as you felt his hand leave your hip and onto the back of your head, stuffing it into the bed.

“what are you doing!” you called out, words muffled by the duvet.

you could hear the preen in jeno’s taunting tone,”fuck you here? is that what you said?”

you laid confusedly before you felt him pull out all at once and tap his tip teasingly against your rim.

before you could protest, jeno was sliding into your gaping entrance again and thrusting with vigor, almost as if he wanted to silence you.

his actions were incalculable at this point, forcing you to believe he was just saying things to get you to react.

soon enough, his movements grew sloppy and breath got heavier, signaling to you that he was close until his creamed cock was sliding out and being pried into your rim.

your hips shot up at the intrusion, painful shouts eaten up by the mattress.

i’m going to kill him. you thought.

an animalistic growl ripped its way out of his throat as your hole slowly made way for his throbbing length,“fuck, i’m never pulling out. beg all you want. this hole belongs to me.”

your teeth grit down into themselves as your thighs tensed, you had lost all energy to try and push him off leaving you vulnerable to his thrusts.

jeno paused for a second, stilling inside of you. with the hand he used to push your head down, he was now using it to pull your head up, fingers threaded in your hair near the scalp.

ignoring your cries of pain, jeno leaned in and pressed his spit-licked lips to your ear, your body collapsing from his weight against your own,”was this the ass i’d never have? hm, y/n?” he whispered mockingly.

jeno snuck his free hand underneath you, using two fingers to pry open your drenched folds and using another to rub quick circles onto your clit.

small whines filled the room as he worked his hips into your hole, finger continuing to swipe at your quivering core.

“fuck, that’s it, baby. i knew you could take me here too. feels so fucking good.” he huffed out.

a muffled knock came at the door just then, motivating jeno to snap his hips into your ass and curl up the fingers dragging against your aching clit.

your head snapped over to the door, adrenaline rushing through your system as well as guttural moans spilling out once his brutal pace drove untimely squirts out of you.

your jaw hung slack as your orgasm hit you a pulse later, legs jolting up.

“jeno!”

“jeno, unlock the door! what are you doing in there!” the doorknob jiggled under pressure, frightening you into clenching madly.

“pull out, dumbass! it’s your owner!” you hissed, batting his hand out of your hair as you regained your senses.

“shut up, y/n, i’m gonna cum.” he groaned out throatily, digging his nose into your neck as his hips slowed. you felt his teeth graze the sensitive skin in the crease of your neck.

sighing irritatedly as he released inside of you, you kicked your legs out from under him,”we’re about to be in so much trouble, get the hell off!” you complained, flinching as the knocking on the door got louder.

“get under the covers and pretend you’re asleep.” jeno lazily muttered after rolling off of you and leisurely redressing.

he tossed your clothes at you to hide with you as he made his way to the door and shut the tv off, swinging the door open with annoyance.

“the sitter fell asleep while we were watching a movie, you didn’t have to do that. what are you doing home so early?” you heard jeno mutter.

your eyes were shut delicately, breathing lightly as silence fell over the room. you assumed you were being spectated.

“i got anxious. i know how you get around sitters and i insisted i leave early.” the unfamiliar voice sighed out. “when she wakes up tomorrow, you can tell her i’ve already paid her for the full night.”

“will do. anything else before i go back?” jeno asked impatiently.

“yes actually, there is. you forgot to pick up the girl’s underwear you little shit.”

freezing in his spot, jeno didn’t bother turning to see if it was true or not. “it was an accident.” he whined, shocking you at the soft sound. you were convinced he was incapable of anything remotely pleasant.

“we’ll talk about this in the morning. stay the hell away from the poor girl tonight. get downstairs, go.”

as if you could feel jeno’s icy glare shot towards you, your body tensed until all you heard was the door click shut and footsteps furthering down the hall.

you were positive you’d be quite familiar with this home soon enough. after all, you were good with dogs.

©meowjunie | do not copy to other websites or plagiarize

#jeno x reader #nct dream smut #nct dream #nct dream fanfic #nct dream x reader #jeno smut #nct dream x you #everything jeno

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cnnmairoll · 8 months

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hello hello! may i ask for a luka x fem!reader where luka sees reader taking care of the moles and he just gets this very homey and fluffy feeling within him? :'DD please only do it if you're comfortable + are okay with doing it given your sched!!! have a great day/night ahead!

The Moles' Beloved Miss

Pairing : Luka x Fem!Reader Genre : Fluff a/n : When I saw this rec I immediately stopped whatever I was doing and got into writing. Luka favoritism? Yes but I'm not sorry for it. Anyways hope you liked this anon!!

You had always been the nurturing type. Whether it was tending to your garden, or baking cookies for your neighbors, your heart was as warm as your freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. You had a special place in your heart for children, which is why it was no surprise that you found yourself surrounded by a group of adventurous kids who called themselves "The Moles."

You had become fast friends with Hook and the other members of The Moles, Timmy and Julian. It all started when you noticed them playing in the park one day. Hook had taken a tumble, and you couldn't resist rushing to her aid. Since then, you had become their go-to caregiver, a role you embraced wholeheartedly.

One breezy afternoon, you sat in the center of a circle of Moles, their eyes wide with wonder as you spun a fantastical tale of knights, dragons, and magical kingdoms. They hung onto every word, their imaginations running wild.

Meanwhile, not too far away, Luka watched with a soft smile. He had always been drawn to your nurturing spirit, and your ability to bring joy to these young souls only deepened his admiration for you.

As your storytelling session concluded, Hook, the self proclaimed leader of the Moles, jumped up with enthusiasm. "Miss, can we hear more stories tomorrow? Pretty please?"

You chuckled, ruffling Hook's hair affectionately. "Of course, Hook. I'll have a new adventure ready for you."

Timmy and Julian exchanged excited glances, and Luka couldn't help but be touched by the happiness radiating from the children.

After your storytelling session, the Moles led you on a little expedition through the hidden corners of Belobog's Underworld. They showed you their secret hideouts, mysterious caves, and all their favorite spots for games. Along the way, you couldn't help but notice their youthful curiosity and wonder, and it warmed your heart.

As the day turned into evening, you returned to your small cottage in Belobog's Underworld. It was a cozy little place with wooden walls and a thatched roof, and it felt like a second home. You had a feeling Luka was responsible for its comfort, as he often popped by with small surprises, like freshly baked cookies or a bouquet of wildflowers.

Tonight, as you entered your cottage with the Moles in tow, you discovered a delightful surprise. The room was bathed in the warm glow of candlelight, and the smell of something delicious wafted through the air.

"Miss, look!" Julian exclaimed, pointing to a table laden with cookies, hot chocolate, and a pile of storybooks.

Hook grinned mischievously. "Luka helped us set up this surprise for you, Miss!"

And there, standing by the table, was Luka himself, wearing his characteristic warm smile. "I thought we could all have some cookies and milk and continue with the stories," he suggested, his eyes twinkling.

The Moles cheered in delight, and you couldn't help but feel a flutter of happiness in your chest. You all gathered around the table, munching on cookies, sipping hot chocolate, and sharing tales long into the night.

Luka, with his infectious enthusiasm, added to the magic of the evening. He told stories of his own adventures, ones that inspired the Moles to dream even bigger. As the hours passed, you couldn't help but admire the way he connected with the children, just as you did.

The night drew to a close, and as the Moles left your cottage with tired smiles and full hearts, Luka lingered behind. He looked at you, his blue eyes filled with warmth and admiration.

"Thank you," he said softly, "for bringing so much joy to their lives. You have a gift.

You blushed, feeling grateful for Luka and the bond you shared with the Moles. "It's my pleasure, Luka. And thank you for always being there to support us."

With a fond smile, Luka reached out and gently held your hand. "You know," he began, "I think the Moles are right. You're like a guardian angel to them. And to me."

As you looked into Luka's eyes, you realized that this peculiar little corner of Belobog's Underworld had become a place of magic and wonder, filled with friendship and love. And in that moment, you couldn't imagine being anywhere else in the world.

#˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ mai writes #honkai star rail #hsr #hsr x reader #honkai star rail x reader #luka #luka honkai star rail #luka hsr x reader #luka hsr #luka x reader #hsr luka #honkai star rail luka #luka strongarm x reader #luka strongarm

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suzannahnatters · 1 year

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Subplot Romance

Over the years I've created some twitter threads on writing and history and I've decided it's a good time to start compiling and sharing them on this Tumblr. I'm going to tag them "writing".

Here's what I've learned about writing subplot romance. (People who write genre romance probably already know this stuff. It's those of us who are mainly leavening romantic subplots into fantasy novels that need this info).

1. Romance = fundamentally character-driven. All internal conflict & internal growth. (Can these two trust each other? Will their character flaws drive them apart?) The more study you put into creating characters and building character arcs, the better your romantic writing.

A romance arc is not the SAME as a character arc, but it 100% NEEDS solid character work undergirding it.

2. Romance needs two ingredients: a compelling reason for the characters to be TOGETHER, & a compelling reason for them to be APART. This forms the conflict in the romance so do not skimp on either.

Eg, a common mistake in male-penned stories: female lead has no compelling reason to want male lead. "He's a good-looking warrior dedicated to winning her throne!" Yeah nah, she's literally surrounded by good-looking warriors dedicated to winning her throne, why's he different?

3. Romance needs chemistry = a believable spark of attraction. Something that blew my mind when I realised it: romantic chemistry =/= sexual chemistry. Sexual chemistry (purely physical attraction) is simply PART of romantic chemistry.

Romantic chemistry is a good deal broader. (Read/watch some good romances to see how chemistry is built by different storytellers. One fave of mine is the Romola Garai EMMA. Peerless friends-to-lovers chemistry. Watch the actors' body language; the way they gravitate to each other; the way their faces light up)

Chemistry tip A: if the driver behind sexual chemistry is lust, the driver behind romantic chemistry is trust. Protag needs/wants someone to trust. It's the way you play with trust/distrust that will create romantic tension.

eg: love interest holds protag's hand. With sexual chemistry, protag simply feels a jolt at the contact. With romantic chemistry, protag feels comforted and trustful - then betrayed when it turns out LI is tracking her pulse to see if she's lying to him (see: MISS SHARP 😇)

Chemistry tip B: if protag is falling for someone, that person should occupy their mind. LI should be mentioned/thought of each scene, even when absent. When present: LI consistently provokes unaccustomed emotion - either positive or negative, depending.

Chemistry tip C: make the characters their best/most lovable/most iconic selves when with each other. Quirkiness, smarts, hilarity. Make these the most fun character scenes in the book & the audience will ship them. Passionately.

4. Build romantic chemistry/attraction through escalating moments of trust and tension. If aiming for happily-ever-after(HEA)/for-now(HFN), then the overall arc is towards greater trust, but you need those moments of tension to give the big payoff scenes appropriate catharsis.

OTOH, if you're writing a tragic/backstabby romance, you need the trust/comfort moments in order to sell the big tragedy/betrayal.

5. Trust, comfort, & happiness are POWERFUL. This is what genre romance thrives upon. Even in dark/spiky stories, the most surprising thing in the story can be the moment when the LI DOESN'T betray the protag. That too can be wildly cathartic. Use it.

6. Just as character-driven skills help you with romance, so if you master romantic writing, you'll be better able to write ALL types of relationship - platonic, friendly, hostile.

OK that's all so far. Two book recs: ROMANCING THE BEAT by Gwen Hayes & THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY by Gail Carriger teach you the rules/expectations of genre romance so you'll know what the rules are for a happy romance subplot & how to break them for a tragic version.

#Writing #writing romance #Miss Sharp's Monsters #Romancing the beat #Gwen Hayes #The heroine's journey #Gail Carriger #romance tropes #writing tip

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thewayuarent · 8 months

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So, the Mew thing

Spoilers: he’s fine

Mew by far is the character people theorize the most about. And while for other characters theories lay more in a “why he is the way he is” field with Mew we have a bit different narrative. Summarizing - there is something deeply wrong with him. And while I do love the theories - they are always fun to read - and will never criticize people for making them, I cannot stop thinking about why. What in Mew makes people feel so uncomfortable?

I’ll start from observing some points and then make my conclusions. It’s gonna be a really long one.

Mew and Sand as “normal ones”. From the very beginning these two were commonly read as being pretty normal compare to others. And it makes sense - they both seems way more self-conscious, well-communicated and generally adequate dudes who trapped in the middle of chaos. They are very different but share some similarities in their approach to life. But while with Sand we are quite comfortable - he is this way and it’s fine - with Mew we have some struggles. The wildest take on Sand is him being baseball bat psycho and even with that most people see him having some anger management issues. Mew is, well. He is manipulator. He is mastermind behind every shit happens in the show. He is unpredictable. He is dangerous. We don’t trust him.

Very different approach to characters from the same field, isn’t it?

The “unreliable narrator” trope. The first episode uses the voiceover as a narration device so we meet our main characters (except for Nick) through Mew’s perspective. He is the one calling names, he is our introduction to everyone (except for Nick), including himself. Then the story shifts to more “objective” perspective - we are shown, not told, so we can make our own consumptions based on characters behavior. But the episode starts and ends with Mew. And that fact makes a lot of people to assume him being unreliable narrator. And, well, he is. So as Ray in episode 4, where we see the same device used the same way.

They are both unreliable. But that doesn’t mean they are intentionally lying to us, or lying at all - that means that they are subjective by their nature (they are, you know, humans). The unreliable narrator trope is widely used in media and can take different forms depending on genre and storyteller intentions. And while it technically is a possibility that Mew is a madman or liar, I would argue that it wouldn’t work in such narrative. Only Friends is not a detective or thriller, it’s a story about 20-something years old boys navigating their lives. Please go read this post if you haven't yet, it explains everything well.

But the thing is, such as with Sand not being questioned by most people, Ray is not too (and that’s good, really, no complaints about it). We believe him - we see him struggling, of course, and we have no reason thinking that something isn’t clear about his story. But why don’t we trust Mew the same way?

And I know that Ray’s story takes place in the past while Mew’s is in present, but we see Mew’s story such as we see Ray’s - we are here watching how it’s actively happening.

We don’t know a lot about Mew. Yes, true. His past and his motivations are unclear, and that gives us a space for interpretation as well as a sense of distrust - while we can assume things about him, we don’t know the truth yet. But we also don’t know anything about Sand. Or Nick. Or Boston. We do know some parts of Top history and partially explored Ray’s, and that’s all by now.

But with any other character it doesn’t bother us as much as with Mew. And, again, why? Is there no reasonable explanations for him being the way he is? Or is the most reasonable explanation - that he is pretty normal a bit fucked up guy who makes some questionable decisions - feels boring? I wouldn’t say so. Again, we are fine with the same type of explanation for Sand.

And now we arrived to the most interesting point that I call

The “he’s not that simple” thing. That statement stands out as the beginning of so many Mew theories. And the thing I honestly don’t understand is: at what point of the story Mew was presented as “simple”? We meet him in episode 1, he is the first person we know, and the show gives us a lot of information about him during that one episode.

He is smart enough. He’s observant type of person but he is also very outspoken. He knows his boundaries and he’s great at setting them. He is quiet, but not shy. He is calm, but not humble. He is also hypocritical and a bit arrogant. He is confident in himself and - am I forgetting something?

Ah, yes. He is a virgin. And I do think that’s what all of that about.

The audience being Boston. For legal reasons: please, don’t speak on me with this one, I truly believe most people aren’t Bostons, it’s a metaphor. It’s fascinating how in the show that was so criticized about being too sexual the vast majority of interest is prone to one character’s virginity. The big problem for some people is not Mew being just a virgin but him being a virgin by choice. He has no problems with it. He is comfortable being a virgin. While other characters - Top, Boston, Cheum - are invested in his virginity, I would say, even more than Mew himself. Top sees it as some prize or whatever. Cheum pushes Mew to “lose it”. Boston has a lot of difficult feelings about it - from supremacy to irritation. He doesn’t understand how Mew can be fine with it. And the audience, well, the audience kind of doing the same thing. I like to call it the “confident virgin” dissonance.

The whole “he’s not that innocent” argument is exactly the thing Boston successfully used with Top.

Top buys it due to his insecurities, sure. But also due to his biases. He believes Mew being a virgin but he’s very quick to question it. And so as audience.

After episode 3 I said I don’t want to see the video Boston took - I want to know the Mew and Ray story from their perspective, not Boston’s. And while I was glad the show did exactly that, I saw a lot of discussions about the video. Even after we saw a kiss, after Mew told Top and us how it ended, after Mew said he and Ray didn’t have sex - it’s still not enough. The audience don’t trust him.

But why it’s easier to believe that Mew is some devious manipulator than that he is a confident virgin? Why he is not allowed be simply comfortable with his sexuality and physicality while being inexperienced? Why is it such a problem that the writer of the show has to address this issue to the audience?

Well, I have a theory.

Virginity and slutshaming. There are some amazing points written about slutshaming and how easility we fall for judging characters (read as: Boston and Top) for being sluts (read as: having active sex life with number of partners) here and here. People tend to judge others for their too active or “morally wrong”sex life (non-monogamous, kinky, not vanilla etc). And the same way people tend to question those who don’t have a sex life at all. Virginity is something you should hide, something you want to get rid of as soon as opportunity comes. It’s okay if you are virgin but you for sure need to try hard and fix this problem, you know? Especially in the show like this - celebrating and normalizing sex - what’s up with Mew not jumping on it from the start? Too much sex as not enough sex are basically two ends of the same spectrum. Everything what’s not in the middle feels weird and uncomfortable.

And I think, the show wants us to be uncomfortable with Mew being virgin the same way it tricks us into judging Top being fuckboy. It constantly plays with realistic characters framed by our stereotypical expectations. It challenges us to overcome our personal biases. And it does a great job on that.

Because while we already know Mew isn’t perfect, him being flawed it still not good enough. He is judgemental, he has some control issues, he uses (absent of)sex as manipulation device and those things are working great with what we know about him so far. But there must be something more, something deeply, almost villainously wrong with him, isn’t it? Otherwise we have to do work on ourselves and that’s not the most pleasant thing to do.

#ofts #only friends #only friends the series #only friends meta #only friends mew #topmew

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welcometothejianghu · 4 months

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Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 절대 그이/My Absolute Boyfriend

My Absolute Boyfriend is the 2019 Korean live-action adaptation of the Watase Yuu manga "Absolute Boyfriend." (There are two other adaptations, one Taiwanese and one Japanese.) It tells the story of a woman who has just broken up with her celebrity boyfriend, and the robot who becomes a real boy by falling in love with her.

(And yes, the reason we started watching it was because of Yeo Jingoo, since the tantalizing prospect of "that guy who played Han Juwon, playing a robot boyfriend" was too amazing to pass up.)

I need to note right off the bat: I am not usually a consumer of bippy k-dramas, romcoms, or het romance in media in general. No shade to anyone who likes these thing; they're just not my regular cup of tea. So if your tastes are akin to mine, you may have looked at the poster and been like, hm, no thank you.

Thus I am here to try and sell you on it even if you are not a fan of these genres.

This show is so unwatched that (as far as I can tell) there is nothing for it on AO3. There are a mere eight hits for the manga, Zettai Kareshi | Absolute Boyfriend, but there's nothing at all for this adaptation. This is an absolute crime, for reasons I will detail in the forthcoming five reasons to watch (above and beyond the simple pleasure of watching Yeo Jingoo be a handsome goober, though that remains a serious point in its favor):

1. Balls entirely to the wall

You know those Tumblr posts where someone comments and is like, at no point could I have predicted what the next word in that sentence would be? Yeah, that, only the sentence is the show.

This show is absolutely bonkers. It is absolute storytelling mayhem. It is gleefully head-clutching weird. Someone told it that girls like exactly three things -- cute boys in adorable outfits, cute boys with their shirts off, and cute boys in Situations -- and it is ready to deliver.

I could tell you what the plot of the show is, or at least I could try, but that wouldn't convey the sheer volume of shenanigans it gets up to. I feel like every time it had a flashback montage (set to one of its six licensed pop songs), I was like, oh yeah, that happened.

The thing, too, is that it's so self-aware. This show knows precisely what it is, and it's having fun with it. The acting is often melodramatic, but obviously very consciously so. I'm not going to say the show never takes itself seriously (because it does -- see my point #5), but it never doesn't know exactly what it is.

Browsing the MyDramaList page, I can see that a lot of viewers had lukewarm feelings on the show as a whole. (Normally I don't make the mistake of reading the comments, but since this is such a non-property in English-speaking fandom, I had to go find out what the hell.) And yeah, I can imagine that if you came into this expecting a more straight-faced entry in the genre, what you get could be confusing and alienating.

If you watch this, take off your nitpicker's hat. There are many, many points that do not make sense. Just go with it. Let the cute boys take off their shirts. Kiss a robot. Embrace chaos.

2. A++ Girlfriend

Eom Dada is great. She's just so weird. I love her and I absolutely understand why those two boys want to get with her.

She is a special effects makeup artist who runs her own three-person team that specializes in sci-fi/horror properties. One of the first things we see her doing is mixing up a bunch of different types of fake blood, because, hey, a lot of different stunt people are going to die today, and you can't just use one type of blood for everybody!

She is a dadgumn professional, is what she is.

What she isn't, however, is a pick-me, not-like-the-other-girls girl. Several times, she gets dressed up real cute and femme, and she never expresses negativity toward her more girly-girl friends. It's not that she's rejecting femininity so much as that her vision of femininity is big enough to include creating beautiful fake severed body parts. When someone describes a female character as "quirky," I cringe reflexively. But that's what she is! She's got quirks! She's a nice, normal girl who is also a big weirdo.

Since I did go read the comments, I found out pretty quickly that a lot of viewers hate her. Part of this, I'm sure, is just your generic vitriol you see aimed at any woman in a show, because holy fuck, we sure do hate women.

But I think part of it may come from how she's not asking "how high?" every time those boys tell her they'd like her to jump. There's some real viciousness out there toward women that turn down men, epecially from other women. Without getting too much into psychoanalysis about it, an awful lot of hate gets directed from other women toward the female ex-/partners of desirable men, much of which comes from the terrible assumption that if you were in her position, you'd be appropriately grateful! You'd treat that boy right! That lucky bitch doesn't know how good she's got it!

...You see how that's bad, though, right? Like, really bad and toxic?

Eom Dada tells those boys "no" when she doesn't want what they're offering. She's realizes early on that setting yourself on fire to keep your partner warm is terrible, so she stops. She's going to make them wait until she wants it -- and if she never wants it, well, those boys just get to keep right on waiting!

Read me loud and clear: I'm not saying the only reason to dislike Eom Dada is misogyny. Sometimes you just don't like a character! It happens! It's legal! What I am saying, though, is that when you look at a lot of the hate toward her all at once, certain trends emerge, and they're more than a little bit ugly.

And I think that's unfair because she's an absolute pumpkin who deserves all the smooches and spicy noodles she wants.

3. ...Are they gonna kiss?

And by "they" here, I don't mean Girlfriend and Robot Boyfriend, who obviously smooch. I mean Robot Boyfriend and Ex-Boyfriend.

They hate one another! They make heartbreaking sacrifices for one another! They're vicious rivals! They team up to solve mysteries! They're incredibly suspicious of one another! They trust one another completely! What the actual hell is going on with these two? Because oh boy, the show itself sure doesn't know.

Their relationship yo-yos constantly throughout the length of the series. They're never friends, but they get weirdly close on several occasions, including rescuing one another from terrible predicaments. They also both seem fascinated with each other, above and beyond how they're competing for the affections of the same girl. The actors have some solid chemistry (much of it comedic) in their shared scenes. They're certainly not afraid to get right up in each other's personal space.

This isn't queerbaiting, it's not using gay as a punchline, it's ... something, that's for sure. And by that I mean, I don't know if I've ever seen a more powerful vindication of the principle that the optimal solution to every love triangle is a threesome.

This to me is one of the flaws of the show, that it has decided it must never acknowledge the strength of their independent bond outside of its place in the central love conflict, and to keep from doing so, it keeps nuking Ex-Boyfriend's character back to square one. He learns about love and trust and growth! ...and then we need the plot to have a which boy will she choose??? conflict, so he's got to unlearn all of that real quick so he can be a real dillhole again. If it didn't feel obligated to do that, things would get sexy fast, I'm just saying.

Here is the main reason I'm baffled that I'm getting no AO3 hits for this: These three would be one hell of a throuple. Where are my bisexual horndog fix-it fics where all three of them wind up sharing Ma Wangjoon's comically large bed?

4. Weirdly healthyish messages about romance?

I mentioned earlier that het romance in media is not my thing, and one of the main reasons it's not is how many just gross messages it delivers about normative gender roles and behaviors.

This show absolutely starts that way. Robot Boyfriend is raised on all your classic romcoms and taught that love is all about giving everything with no concern for your own well-being, while at the same time overriding all your partner's objections because you know what she really wants. When he first latches on to Eom Dada, he's kind of your classic overbearing comedy stalker who doesn't take no for an answer, because True Love.

And then ... he changes. He realizes that his romcom education is not going to help here, so he decides to figure out what kind of boyfriend she actually wants. Once he does that, he starts to figure out that he wants to be loved too. And that's when things get interesting.

He never stops being pretty forward about things, but it becomes far more playful when he's not pressuring her, just reminding her that the offer is still on the table. Eom Dada then responds by becoming clear about how she definitely wants to take this boy out for a spin -- just at her own pace, when she herself is ready for it.

It makes an interesting contrast to how, when she was with Ex-Boyfriend, all she wanted was for him to acknowledge her (which he wanted to do too, but couldn't, for absolutely bonkers reasons, because this show is just Like That). The two of them are still in love, but the show makes it clear that being in love doesn't mean you're going to be good together -- and it doesn't mean you have to forgive the bullshit your ex-partner pulled back when you were together.

But the love triangle isn't even the sole source of romance! There's a whole 'nother love ... triangle? quadrilateral? Whatever, you've also got Robot Boyfriend's charmingly goofy MIT-educated co-creator/trainer/big brother, who becomes the object of affection for at least two of the supporting characters.

My take on this is that Handsome Robot Hyung deserves the whole harem: the boss lady who can pick him up, the cute thirsty girl who does yoga, and the sweet gay-coded boy who is so impressed that he knows robots. (This is another tragic casualty of the NO HOMO attitude of the show, where that boy should be treated as a legitimate love interest, but can never be. But we know better!)

I'm used to seeing love triangles solved in one of three ways: 1) one point on the triangle gets demonized so significantly as to make the other one the obvious choice; 2) the eventually unchosen point gets given a Consolation Prize Significant Other so we don't fell too bad about how they didn't get chosen; or 3) one point dies or is otherwise removed from the narrative, letting the other two hook up without guilt. None of those things happen to either of these love polygons. Despite some genre-appropriate catty, melodramatic speed bumps, everything gets resolved in the manner of adults with reasonable amounts of emotional maturity. It's weirdly kind of nice.

(This isn't to say there's no toxic bullshit that slips in -- for instance, I still don't know what to make of that one arguing couple, or what Robot Boyfriend says to them. It's just much less than I expected.)

Your mileage may vary about the choices the show makes at the very end. It's not how I would have ended it, sure, but I also don't think it could have ended any other way -- remember, this is a show that never forgets what it is. It is contractually obligated by its genre conventions to keep certain narrative promises. If anything, I think it's interesting how much it feels it can get away with leaving hopeful yet unresolved, up to and including how many people are still comfortably single at the end of the show. Partnered romance isn't always the solution to everything! Sometimes you've got your career and you've got your friends, and now you've got some time to work on yourself! Maybe it won't always be that way, but it sure is right now. And that's great.

5. A surprisingly sophisticated meditation on memory and mortality (say that five times fast)

Real talk: In the past four months, I have lost a lot of people, places, and animals who were very dear to me, and had some close calls with a couple more. It has sucked exactly as much as you think it has.

So yeah, in the last few episodes, I blew through some tissues.

To a certain degree, it's exactly the kind of melodramatic tearjerker narrative you'd expect from a property like this. And let me tell you what, there is nothing wrong with getting a good, sappy cry going because of the overwrought dramas of fictional people. There are plenty of objectively mediocre shows and movies I put on because I know I'm going to be a blubbering wreck by the end.

This show, however, has the extra layer of interest that Robot Boyfriend is both Boyfriend and Robot. I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that having a guy designed to be reformatted every time a new person smooches him adds a whole lot of interesting layers to what counts as death and mourning.

Add that to how Eom Dada is still grieving the loss of her beloved father, who taught her everything she knew about her career, and you get some surprisingly moving little moments that creep in through the wacky hijinks that make up the rest of the show.

Look, it's nothing I'd ever teach in a Philosophy seminar, or anything so profound as that. But it's quiet and nice, and it has more depth than I expected, and it all hit me right in my tender little feels box. If that's the kind of thing you're open to, you could do a lot worse.

Thinking about giving this one a shot?

Viki's got the series in its full 40-episode run. (It's actually 20 hour-long episodes split in half because of commercial break rules, if you're wondering why it's sometimes Like That.) So does Tubi. I guess your choice then becomes which one's ads you'd rather sit through.

I think if you go into this with the attitude that you're just going to go with it all and laugh at how zany it is, you're in for a fine time. Whether or not you think it's good is up to your standards of quality. But it's hard to deny that it's a whole lot of fun.

And then get your ass to AO3 and give me some OT3! Mama needs these three cutie patooties to smooch~

#절대 그이 #my absolute boyfriend #absolute boyfriend #k drama #rec post #i made this #honorary danmei

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adarkrainbow · 3 months

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Long ask. Bear with me, please.

I'm still thinking about what counts or not as a fairy tale.

To be honest, I think the only pre-requisites for something to become a fairy tale in pop culture is for it to be a popular fantasy children's story in public domain. And kinda look like a fairy tale, too.

In your opinion, which work would be considered a fairy tale if it weren't for copyright?

Let me give, my examples

C.S. Lewis' Narnia books, especially the first one, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. If Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz are considered fairy tales, especially in crossovers, Narnia should be too as it shares many themes, plot points, and character archetypes.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It literally uses all fairy tale archetypes and cliches under the sun, even if it ditches magic for extremely soft sci-fi. Willy Wonka is like Frau Holle or that fairy godmother from Toads and Diamonds, the four brat children are like those siblings and step-siblings who are always magically punished, and even as a child I knew Charlie Bucket was Cinderella but with no focus on romance. He's the youngest sibling that always is magically rewarded.

It is quite funny because I had the idea to make a post about this subject specifically! But since you asked I'll drop some elements of my planned posts here - it can be a good introduction!

Now if you ask me, "fairytale" can't be everything and anything, but that's probably because I come from France where "fairytales" are literaly a literary genre first, and then a category of folktales and legend, and we have specific categorizations different from other countries (again, the merveilleux/fantastique divide for example which determines the French approach to supernatural and fantasy, but is absent from English literature if I am not mistaken).

I... personally do not believe any "popular children story" would be a fairytale. Else that would make the first Harry Potter books a fairytale, or the Winnie the Pooh stories a fairytale or Despicable Me or the recent musical Troll movies fairytales. I think the inherent decision to make something "for children" fairytale like is bad because, again, fairytales were not originally meant for children and thus should not be limited to a child audience.

From my point of view, a fairytale needs to be either a folktale that hold itself in a specific format that makes it separate from legends and myths (the type of local folkloric stories told by old storytellers to children in the countryside for example - but with a clear plot, clear characters, and beginning and ends, separating it from vague legends ; and with a minimum religious element, to separate it from myths for example). I do not like to think of Greek myths as "Greek fairytales". For example, to take an example of the folkloric fairytales of France vs the legends: we have in Bretagne the belief in "les lavandières de nuit", "the night washer-women", ghostly, otherwordly apparitions of women washing clothes at night, and you should never help them else you'll end up dead or with your arms broken. If someone simply tells you what I told you above "It is said there are ghostly women who wash linen at night...", this is more of a "legend", like ghost stories, or "Oh, this is a fairy mound haunted by fairies!" or "It is said a monster lives in this cave". But if you actually tell the story of a specific peasant boy with a specific name, who due to specific reasons ends up meeting these women, and either escapes or falls to their fate, we already are closer to the folktale and thus the "fairytale of Bretagne". But this is all obvious, as these kind of fairytale-folktales were those collected by Grimm and Jacobs and Moe and others...

And then you have literary fairytales, which are stories meant to evoke or imitate the folktales described above, and can derive in many ways (be more "literary") but still identify or present themselves or link themselves to these folktales. These are the Perrault and d'Aulnoy and Andersen fairytales for example. This category can be pushed further with what we call in French "contes détournés" - you could call them "fractured fairytales" to take back a common English term, that is to say all the parodies and rewrites and deformations of fairytales, sometimes for humoristic effects, other times not. Modernization and expansion of fairytales are part of that, so to speak. But we stay in a domain where the story is presented or follows the code and format of fairytales, while also explicitely avoiding, pointing out or reversing the common tropes and rules.

But where the Narnia books and the Dahl books enter, we reach a domain that is not fully fairytale but rather a crossroad between three genres deeply intertwined. "Fairy tales" (or rather "modern fairytales") ; "Fairytale-Fantasy" and "Children fantasy".

Children fantasy is basically any modern children story (by modern I mean deliberately fictional and written as fiction) that involves magic and the supernatural. And these stories can be influenced by fairytales, since it is something children are very aware about, but not always. Peter Pan, just like the Oz books, are "children fantasy" - a form of fantasy for children primarily, or rather a form of children stories that step into the fantasy realm. Pinocchio is one of the oldest "children fantasy", as in a work primarily aimed at children, but with magical and fantastical elements in it.

"Fairytale-fantasy" however is a term usually given to a subgenre of fantasy works that, instead of taking inspiration from epic sagas (epic fantasy) or horror works (dark fantasy) or other things ; takes inspiration from fairytales and folktales. The same way Tolkien was the father of "epic fantasy" he was also the father of "fairytale fantasy" through his Hobbit novel, and also other works (his Tom Bombadil poems, his Farmer Gilles of Ham novel).

The thing is that "children fantasy" and "fairytale fantasy" are deeply interconnected since both can draw source from fairytales and folktales to build entirely new stories. As a result there is a frequent overlap. The Oz books belong as much to "children fantasy" (one of the biggest success in terms of magical series of children-book) as "fairytale fantasy" (they were a pure deconstruction of typical fairytales, explicitely playing with fairytale codes, and later becoming an "American fairytale" classic). The Narnia books are also part of this crossroad, as they are "children fantasy" (they are a traditional fantasy story with epic tones, but for children and teenagers), while also being "fairytale fantasy" (taking inspiration and paying homage to several fairytales and folktales). They all belong to this category of works which are not fairytales per se (since they are not of folkloric origins, nor were they meant to be faithful rewrites or perfect pastiches of traditional folkloric fairytales), but definitively works of fiction based upon fairytales, inspired by fairytales, and mant to take fairytales into the "next step" of the world of fiction.

The main difference between "children fantasy" and "fairytale fantasy" would be as such. Children fantasy, while sometimes inspired by fairytales, is not always tied to fairytales and can be completely fairytale free. For example many of Roald Dahl stories do pay homage to fairytales and are inspired by his fairytales (his witches in The Witches, his giants in THE BFG, Wonka and his factory, the Giant Peach, etc...), he is part of the "writers of modern fairytales". But you have also lot of children stories with magic that do not involve any fairytale reference. Children fantasy can be inspired and allied by fairytales, but is not defined by them.

On the opposite side, "fairytale fantasy" is defined by fairytales - but not by age. Yes some of the most famous "fairytale fantasy" works are for children: the Oz books or the Narnia books. But just as many are for adults and definitively not for children. Neil Gaiman wrote a Coraline for children, but his Stardust is definitively for adults. The movie "Legend", while one of the most iconic fairytale-fantasies, is for adults.

So, I think the real way to point out what a fairytale is, is to look at the format and intentions of the author and of the work, to see if it fits the literary fairytales of old. There needs to be a conscious emulation, pastiche or imitation of traditional fairytales, there needs to be something that make it feel like a fairytale, and not like a story inspired by fairytales. But honestly... this is deep down really, really hard to draw a line as it mostly comes to personal definitions and appreciations. The genre of fairytales is vast and blurry, as it covers traditional European folktales and a specific short literary genre first, but was then expanded to cover other literary works and non-European folktales - and so the lines are... muddled.

I do not hesitate to say that "Over the Garden Wall" is actually a modern fairytale, as seeing the show made me literaly feel again the same kind of feeling I had when I first discovered fairytales. But I can understand why people would consider it "fairytale fantasy" rather than a "modern fairytale" because it was made with the intent of it being a children show and fantasy show first and foremost. Dahl stories are definitively "modern fairytales" - but the fact they are set in "modern day" and a grounded reality where the supernatural is not supposed to exist can disqualify them from being traditional fairytales ; or the humor and parody and play with the fairytale codes can also create a distanciating humor that make them fairytale subversions or pastiches or parodies rather than fairytales. Pinocchio has everything that fits a literary fairytale - but its format also evokes old "story-cycles" like the Reynard adventures or Gargantua ones, and its lack of simplicity and uniformity, or rather its long, flowing nature can also disqualify it from being a fairytale and rather make it a fairytale-inspired fantasy....

Honestly the narrowest definition you can have of "fairytale" is: printed works that explicitely designate themselves as such, from collected folktales (Grimm) to literary fiction written to emulate and imitate them (Andersen). This is the most narrow definition you can have. But then, one can expand to include all folktales that inspired fairytales ; or on the other side, one can push into the literary direction, to include stories that do not have the fairytale format, but that were so heavily inspired and shaped after fairytales, and gained such a popular influence and widespread presence, that they became "modern fairytales". But then this also opens the door to questions such as "What is a myth?" or "What about literary myths?" (like Faust or Don Juan or Frankenstein, all those famous "literary myths" as we call them in French).

As you can see by this convoluted answer, it is not a clear-cut question and nobody can truly answer it. Everybody will have a different opinion, and there is no real limit. The question mostly defines in how the work label itself. Perrault and Grimm and Andersen works called themselves fairytales, so there is no doubt about it. But take Neil Gaiman's Stardust - an iconic of fairytale fantasy, and yet Gaiman refers to it as a "romance in Faerie", evoking more the genre of fantastical and supernatural romances (medieval-meaning of the sense) like "The Well at World's End" and others - and the work is also very inspired by fantasy fae stories with a vague proto-urban fantasy feel to it, like "Lug-in-Mist". Same thing with the movie "Legend" which is definitively inspired by fairytales and a fairytale-fantasy, but was sold as a "fantasy movie" or even "heroic fantasy" movie first and foremost. Meanwhile the Oz books were intended by Baum to be a "modern, American fairytale" - even though their novel format and their franchise nature removes the idea they can become as "traditional" as the folktales he meant to imitate...

I'll stop there for now, but long story short: It's complicated, and when in doubt, don't hesitate to refer to intermediary terms like "children fantasy" or "fairytale fantasy", which clearly evoke modern fictional works and can highlight a difference with classic literary fairytales or folkloric fairytales, without rejecting the idea these "modern fairytales" aren't fairytales in their own right.

#question #fairytales #what is a fairytale #fairytale fantasy #children fantasy #literary fairytale #folkloric fairytale #i honestly don't know what i am writing

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zbsinbloom · 3 days

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ZB1 as types of simmers

🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀

Pairing(s): none

Genre: crack

Word Count: 1.5k

Trigger warnings: in-game violence, death, a Murphy bed-related incident, Gyuvin's is a little unhinged but then aren't we all?

Tagged: @taerrrrrae @i05wook

🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀 ☘ 🍀

🤯 Jiwoong

too many saves

He tries to commit to just one household

Spends hours perfecting their personalities and outfits and tells himself he's going to play with then until the end :D

He's got some cute ideas for when his sims are elders and have grandkids

Tries to level up their skills and careers and gives them the perfect house he got from the gallery

And then he's on week 4, his sims got married, they've had a baby and he's… bored?

So he creates a new save for a new family who are totally different and he tells himself this is the save to end all saves

Before he knows it, he's 40 save files down and he hasn't a clue what was going on in a single one of them

But he'll definitely go back and play them all, he swears!

📖 Zhang Hao

the storyteller

Hoho you thought this would be Matthew? No, this man LIVES for the drama I'm telling you

He creates an elaborate storyline for each and every sim he creates

Sometimes he surprises even himself with the plots he creates sometimes

His sims were happily married and living life and then one day he was like "guess what? This one is gonna have an affair with a married sim"

Love affair child incoming?? When he realises he's like "Wait this is perfect this is like a drama"

The type to do challenges like rich to poor or poor to rich because there's so much character development possibilities there

Is he going to make his sims suffer? Yes. Could their lives be a kdrama spanning 12 seasons? Also yes

At this point he could be a streamer, and he'd be pretty successful too because his streams would take the wildest turns

🔨 Hanbin

building whiz

He probably has all the packs (or most of them, minus maybe a couple kits he doesn't care for) and maybe some cc but not much

Probably has a YouTube and/or insta account where he posts screenshots and videos of his builds and they're always out of this world

How does he come up with all of these designs like.. who thought of using platforms like that??

Watches a lot of build hacks by other simmers and always makes sure to mention them if he uses their ideas

Bless Hanbin and his never-ending patience. No offence but nobody else wants to sit there for 3 hours placing debug pebbles to make them look pretty

The premade houses make him shake his head because the exterior deserves so much better!! So he renovates the inside to make it prettier

Will collaborate with Gunwook where Hanbin builds the shell and landscapes and Gunwook does the decorating

There's no type of build he won't try, he wants to always try new styles and techniques, and sometimes goes back to improve his own builds?? Even though they're already stunning

🕵️‍♂️ Matthew

lore obsessive

Doesn't care about his own sims, he's just trying to solve mysteries out here

His sims only read all the books that reference sims lore of past and present wishes he could read it too and goes feral if there's a popup with a piece of lore

What really happened to Bella Goth? Did she die? Was she kidnapped by aliens? Did she run off with a secret lover? Is she trapped in an alternate dimension?? Is.. is he Bella Goth?

How exactly did the mother plant come alive? He just has to know.. surely it was created by someone and he's gonna plant bugs on everyone to try and get the inside info me-core

What about Lady Mimsy and Bernard? Was the fire an accident or on purpose? He has at least 73 theories on what happened that night

The type to annoy all his friends by debating sims lore as if it's a real-life unsolved mystery

You better believe he also eats up the werewolf lore, he will collect books and treasures just so he can find out what's up with Greg

How does he even sleep at night? (Spoiler: he doesn't)

🙋‍♂️ Taerae

the self-insert

Makes himself in nearly every save (sometimes he makes himself buff or have a bigger butt or something but it’s always Tae)

Sometimes he makes his skills match his, and other times he’s like “might make myself a rocket scientist 🤷”

If he has a crush, then he’ll make them as well, taking his time to make their sim perfect

Literally cries if the game says they have anything less than ‘amazing’ compatibility because.. They’re literally made for each other, how could this happen to him??

Makes them ultimate relationship goals because he’s living vicariously through this sims game right now

Will quit and reload his game if something goes wrong, like if they reject his hug or they flirt with someone else. Yes, he’s just that petty

And if things don’t go well with his crush irl then uhhhh breakup?? Or maybe he’d delete the sim and make himself a new crush lmao me-core p.2

Makes his sim adopt about 5 puppies and it will make his day more than any relationship could ever (will talk to them as if they’re real, too)

🃏Ricky

the wildcard

He's not trying to make his sims' lives a living hell, he really isn't

They have the perfect lives and things are going great, nothing could go wrong.. right?

Next thing he knows, his sim is proposing and they get hit by a meteor or something - time to reload!

His sim goes out on a bachelor party, dancing away and having drinks, all the usual jazz

When his sim hears a joke and dies laughing :D ... what

Or they randomly get bitten by a vampire and burn to a crisp because there's suddenly a heatwave in winter????

Buys a Murphy bed to save some space. His sim is about to go to bed after an exciting day and WHAM! It crushes him to death. On the first night

Honestly the best thing for him right now is to switch his pc off and lay down in bed

🗡 Gyuvin

the CallMeKevin (iykyk)

He's all up in EVERYONE'S business. Everyone.

Probably blackmails all the other sims for fun (or simoleons) let's face it, it's both though

Is enemies with most of the townies because he just decided to smack a bitch for no reason

He finds a sim with ugly fashion sense? He sets their house on fire. Get better sense next time smh

Someone flirts with his lover/spouse/crush? Cue a cute ladderless swimming party 🥳

Flirts with married sims and breaks up their relationships because he was bored 💅

Oh? A sim didn't like his joke about llamas? He's gonna build them a lovely little maze for them to run around until they meet grim <3

If he likes them a little, though, he might put them to work in the basement crafting for money. Might.

🛍 Gunwook

CC collector

I’m honestly surprised at how his pc hasn’t set itself on fire by now with all of the cc he’s downloaded

Has to constantly delete his pictures and sometimes other games to make space for his cc obsession

He’s got everything, from hair and eye colour swatches to cushions for his sims’ sofas

If he’s decorating a house or making a sim and it’s not perfect then he’s hunting down the perfect cc to add to his collection

But let’s face it… his games are always perfect. He has the kind of houses and sims that make players like me cry because we could never

Somehow he remembers the names of every piece of cc he uses??? Like someone asks him where he got something from and he’s like “oh yeah it’s (set name) by (creator), I’ll send you the link right now”

The thing that breaks his heart the most is when there’s an update and it breaks his cc because now he has to get rid of it, but most of the time he can just redownload so that mends his little heart

Wants to learn how to make his own cc so he can make new swatches because that shade of yellow is slightly too bright for his sims’ house

👑 Yujin

Mod fanatic

He used to play the game just as it was, but then he was watching others play and saw them using fun mods

First downloaded a simple mod, like one that adds a few new hobbies for his sims

This honestly changes his life, his games will never be the same ever again

And that's how his mod collection begins, with just one small mod, and then whenever he's feeling spicy, he adds another

He gets bored with stuff like the jobs quite quick because he's tried it all, so he finds mods to give his sims more careers

And then when he's tried all of them, he'll add more (sometimes he's not that keen on a mod and deletes it, but not very often)

His favourite by far, though, is the royalty mod because he can make himself king (as he should) and rule over his peasants

Hanbin catches Yujin making him as a peasant whenever he's upset with him, like he refused to buy him ice cream or something… yeah he just closes the door and leaves him be

#zbsinbloom #zumblr fics #zb1 as random things #zb1 drabbles #zb1 reactions #zb1 imagines #zerobaseone reactions #zerobaseone scenarios #zerobaseone fanfics #zb1 gamers 🎮

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chryblossomjjk · 1 year

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bts fic recommendations | 01.10.23

→ hi friends! this is a little segment i do every tuesday (reviewsday get it, aren't i funny, pls tell me how funny i am) where i read and review two-three fics. as a content creator, i know how big of a role other creators play in your growth, therefore, i want to do my part in making sure everyone gets the recognition they deserve! so with that being said, please check out the amazing fics listed below. make sure to like, reblog, and leave feedback! ♡ #reviewsday #kikirecs

pina coladas (pt 1 + pt 2) - @han-nah-banana (jjk x reader | established relationship, smut, angst, fluff)

ok so um... the attention to detail is off the charts! like when the little things you mention about jungkook and oc, like them eating healthy foods, only having sex in the missionary position, etc. tells us so much about them and the status of their relationship. like you showed us that they were stuck in a boring, mundane relationship through little hints and i really love that. ALSO POV SHIFT IN PART ONE WAS SO GOOD! like the way their thoughts mirrored one another was such good storytelling ugh!!! also think you picked a great setting for this type of story, the 80s. it makes everything feel so real, like the sexual repression oof! so glad they got to bang it out in the sexiest way in pt 2! really really good for your first fanfic like WOW! loved it!

i can do better - @here4btsfics (pjm x reader | fwb, smut)

summary: your boyfriend of two years just dumped you and you’re angry and sad. so get hammered with your coworker at his place and eat bad food and watch trash tv which leads to some interesting conversations.

bro all you did is enforce my delusions that irl men cannot compete bc they are not park jimin. men should apologize for not being park jimin at this point. even kim taehyung... anywho lmao. DUDE and then oc listing all the things perfect about jimin. she is just like me fr!!! also like this is kind of how i picture jimin in real life ngl. THAT MAN IS A COCKY CONFIDENT DOM I WILL ARGUE THIS SHIT UNTIL IM BLUE IN THE FACE GTFO! and miss oc... no strings attached girl??? A WHOLE BLUFF. honestly, this entire fic is one of my daydreams when im in a lecture and i fucking loved every second of it bby! so so good. so glad you decided to start writing again, extremely proud of you.

darksided - @eoieopda (myg x reader | established relationship, smut)

summary: min yoongi adored you. he'd simply never hurt you.

i saw someone post about smut where the characters are so grossly in love is their fav genre. this is exactly that. this fic encompasses everything i love in fanfic. i felt like a fly on the wall, being dropped into the middle of the situation where i figure out who the characters are through their actions, words, etc. you do that so perfectly here. like the way i know everything i need to know about min yoongi through the FUCKING setting?? naur this is s tier writing right here. also there's just something you do with words thats v magical. can't put my finger on exactly what it is but here is an example:

"a quick survey of the landscape before you indicated that this was a criminal oversimplification."

LIKE IDK JUST SOMETHING ABOUT HOW YOU STRUCTURE SENTENCES IS GENIUS! like cannot even begin to describe how good this was. would die for this couple honestly. the smut had me clenching too OOF. so cool to see what you've accomplished on this platform in such a short period of time! it's so so deserved and i can't wait to see where you go from here. don't know how you can even get better than this like ur already at the moon um!!! but god it's only going to get better from here. like next thing u know u'll be a famous writer fr. wishing you nothing but the fucking best!!!!

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cryptidafter · 1 month

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do u remember some time ago when we where talking about woh and its potential for a horroredit??? im gathering inspiration and ill probably ask u at some point to lend me ur expertise in that area but for now i just want to ask what u like abt horror, as a viewer! what do u enjoy? what would u like to see explored more, what have movies (or books!?) done before that excites u and that u could talk abt for hours? if u want pls do go deep into the technical aspects if u have any thoughts from a storyteller's perspective! youve shared your thoughts with me a bit before so view this as the extended cut!

Oooh yes, of course I remember (and am still incredibly excited about the idea)!

You asked for the extended cut so this is probably going to be another long one (get comfortable lol).

If we're specifically talking about film, what I like about horror as a genre is its ability to personify and often contextualize the complicated and uncomfortable emotions most of us have a difficult time unpacking. Grief, trauma, rage, anger, fear - they're all given a name and/or a face and by taking those abstract concepts and re-imagining them as something tangible and real, it provides me with a sense of catharsis that few other genres can.

More below the cut <3

I enjoy having that control. I'm choosing to sit down and watch a piece of media that will force me to confront those abstract unknowns in a way that's not as overwhelming as IRL. I've been drawn to darker themes from a young age (I think because death was something I had to grapple with when I was too young to really understand it) and I've always been fascinated by the parts of life people shy away from or outright refuse to acknowledge. I grew up on Goosebumps, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, and whatever vampire books I could get my hands on. Horror just hooked me.

Something I'd like to see explored more in horror is race but not in the way it's usually done. I don't want the story to be tailored for a non-black/non-poc audience. I want horror that focuses on all those nasty bits of racism that fester beneath the surface. The microaggressions and the respectability politics and the ever-looming discomfort that comes from trying to fit yourself into spaces that were never made for you in the first place. Get Out touches on some of this (hence why it's such a cultural touchstone) but even it doesn't get down into the weeds like I want. Give me the specter of racism! Make it a silent, sneaking embodiment of minstrelsy that waits in the shadows to mock you. Give me two versions of the same person: code-switching taken to its extreme. Idk, I just think there are so many terrifying but subtle ways that racism presents itself that could be personified in a way that might be hugely impactful for non-white audiences. Most people understand that slavery is bad and that you shouldn't call people slurs. Now, lets go deeper.

I've made posts about some of my favorite horror media but, like you said, I can talk about this stuff for hours and I don't think I've discussed unique types of filmmaking/writing execution before.

I'm a huge fan of psychological horror. Yes, I can get down with a good gory slasher, I LOVE zombie everything, but psychological horror is my true love. I'm a sucker for horror where something isn't quite right even if you can't put your finger on it. Something that seems ordinary and should be a safe space (like your home) suddenly becoming unfamiliar. That lingering sense of dread that comes from feeling like your surroundings are off but not knowing why or how. Seeing something that should not be possible and trying to apply logic and reason to what can never be explained. That will always fuck me up in the best ways lol. Taking the mundane and twisting it beyond recognition *chef's kiss*, I love it.

Junji Ito is one of my favorite manga writers for this reason. Not only is his art style PHENOMENAL but a lot of his stories revolve around the ordinary turned monstrous (Uzumaki, Tomie). A town that's doomed to always be consumed by spirals for reasons unknown. A girl who dies only to suddenly turn back up but something about her isn't the same. So great!

Another fantastic example of this is House of Leaves, which genuinely unnerved me so much so that I still haven't finished reading it.

The way House of Leaves has the text itself morph and change, becoming entirely nonsensical at times, really heightens the anxiety and discomfort I feel. I never know what's going to happen next, both in the actual narrative and on the page. Books have always frightened me more than visual media because my mind will always conjure up the most terrifying images imaginable lol. It's difficult to make something look as scary on screen as it does in my head (not impossible, of course, just tough).

Skinamarink is another fantastic exploration of this theme. Your home - the place where you rest, make memories, get to fully be yourself - has become a hostile environment. I won't get into how the movie is (imo) an incredibly well-done metaphor for childhood trauma (your house becomes a prison that you can't escape and your parents are demonic entities that frighten and harm you; though I can also get behind the other theory I've seen where normal things can seem more confusing and scary as a child because you have no frame of reference for what's happening). But wow this movie stuck with me. I know you're not into horror but I have to share the short film that was the inspiration behind the full-length movie to really get the message across (headphones are best because there's a lot of audio distortion).

youtube

Visually, my favorite types of horror do a lot with a little. You don't need jumpscares and buckets of fake blood to get the job done (though those are fun lol). Playing around with lighting, depth of field, focus, etc. can do a lot to make you disoriented or nervous. Take liminal spaces for instance (which I love).

There's nothing inherently strange about these images but they're unnerving. You get the sense that something could be lurking, that you might turn a corner and encounter danger. Something about being utterly alone does weird things to your brain sometimes which is really the core of what I'm getting at: good horror asks the viewer to sit with discomfort, get familiar with it.

Okay, I have rambled long enough lol. You know my DMs are always open for more discussion of this topic (especially as it pertains to WOH) <3

#asked and answered #cryptid's thoughts #horror films #horror novel #liminal spaces

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writing-with-gore · 2 months

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Writing A Story Part 1: What Are Themes In A Novel?

Hello! Today We’ll be talking about themes in storytelling, and what that means for our novel, book, or hell, even fanfic!

I used to think that a book ‘theme’ was unnecessary, since, yknow, the plot is there to do the theme's job.

But now? I realize that a theme is there for the plot to happen. If the theme wasn’t there, it would be like the writing’s genre was missing. So, themes are very important!

What Are Themes?

A theme is the main idea that a story tries to convey to its readers. It can be the message, or a moral that a story is pushing to its readers. The theme is the underlying message in everything that happens. If you can immediately tell who the bad guy and the good guy are, then the story is probably about Good VS Evil.

So, themes can be both simple and complex, and it is not uncommon for a story to have more than one theme. It’s okay for your theme to be complicated.

However, it is important that the theme is not confusing.

Here are some examples you can use in your novel!

1- Forbidden Love:

Forbidden love happens when two people are in love, but shouldn’t be.

Maybe it’s the parents? Maybe it’s society? Class structure, rules, or maybe personal biases?

Forbidden love can be used in royalty settings, or in a story about homophobia within society.

EXAMPLE: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

2- Coming of age

I’m sure we’re all familiar with this, but let me explain it for anyone who hasn’t heard this term before:

This is the most universal experience. The coming-of-age literary theme centers around a character who is growing up in some manner. Sometimes, they’re literally growing from a child into an adult.

Other times, they are an adult and are simply stepping into another stage of their life or passing a milestone. This common theme explores self-discovery, change, and growth, and leads to a character’s inner metamorphosis.

A coming-of-age story always shows how the protagonist overcomes internal conflict, so you should be careful to pay attention to the characters’ personal development is critical when writing about this literary theme.

EXAMPLE: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

3- Righteous Justice

In stories about justice, there is a main character who is entirely driven by getting the justice they think they deserve.

Maybe some sort of revenge? Maybe fixing a problem in the system they live in?

In the righteous justice theme, most readers should agree that the character in question is in the right and feel a sense of satisfaction when (if) the character gets what they want.

If you write this theme right, then your readers should feel sympathy for the main character.

EXAMPLE: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

4- Corruption

The corruption theme shows how an external influence changes a character throughout a story and serves as a warning to the reader that they, too, could become corrupted if they’re not self-aware.

EXAMPLE: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

5- Family dynamics

Family themes in literature often challenge readers to look beyond blood and to analyze what the true meaning of family is. For the trope lovers out there, consider this as something resembling found family.

Characters may lose their biological family in some manner and then discover a new one, either with another literal blood family or with a group of friends.

A character’s biological family may also become threatened in whatever way.

Whatever the case may be, a family unit is always an important part of the story and pushes the plot points and conflict foreword.

Interpersonal relationships and character development should be at the forefront for these types of stories with these recurring themes.

In the family dynamics theme, the story examines how family members interact with one another, and how those dynamics are capable of driving a plot.

EXAMPLE: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

6- The power of family

The power of the family theme is always positive.

These stories show how family is a powerful force that can help a character overcome challenges, both internal and external.

There are many challenges in a Power Of Family theme. However, by the end of the book the conflict has been dealt with and the main message is that with the power of family, anything can be overcome.

EXAMPLE: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Gore's note: I absolutely love this book. I read it when I was nine and I’ve been obsessed ever since!

Hey! I hope you enjoyed today's topic and that it was helpful to you. If you did, then please leave a reply and tell me your thoughts!

Reblogs and Likes would also be very appreciated <3

#writing #writing advice #themes #themes in writing #how to write #how to write a novel #how to write a book #fanfiction #ao3 #writing tips #writer #writerblr #writing stuff #writing problems #writing is hard

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saezurumurmurs · 9 months

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Hey!!...how are you??. I just wanted to ask you about what do you think about Alice Osman words about bl/yaoi. From my point of view, she sounds quite pretencious, because I dont feel "heartstoppers" is that great , and she just from be british she has the opprtunity a big plattaform as netflix oppen their doors, so she cant imagine what is been an asian author and how actually his work is BL.

Taking Advantage of A Fandom

I watched the show, and haven’t read the comic. However @absolutebl posted a terrific commentary on this issue a while back:

From my perspective, BL and by extension, yaoi, is a uniquely Asian sub genre of erotic romance.

Alice Osman is a British creator who wrote a young adult LGBT+ romance comic. So the comparisons made seem ‘convenient’ for ‘marketing purposes’.

I personally resent the accusations lobbed against fujoshi of fetishisation, because it’s rooted in anti-woman rhetoric and I won’t have my tastes dictated to me. Everybody has opinions, but not all of them are valid.

BL is full of problematic tropes, just like regular M/F romance… and I’ve been reading romance and erotica for forty odd years. But these tropes are part of romance as a genre, and these tropes reflect our lived context. To single out BL/Yaoi as unique is nonsense. The tropes exist because the reality exists. Storytelling exists to allow us to find empathy for one another.

There are some good academic pieces out there, that debate this far better than I can. What I can tell you is that the internalised and externalised misogyny regarding BL content, is quite painful to me. Somebody always gotta rush on to tell women what they can and cannot enjoy. Dictate their sexuality and shame them for their pleasures.

We literally can’t have a damn thing nice, without some bozo trying to make us feel bad because we like it. Chile, I’m too old for that shit. We are allowed to like what we like, and enjoy problematic media just like anyone else. We are people too!

And lest you think otherwise: homophobia and transphobia’s roots are in anti-woman thinking and policies. That women do it to other women… well, it’s nice to be somebody’s favourite pet isn’t it. You get a padded cage, and the best kibble.

Osman benefits from the BL label, even though her story isn’t in my opinion BL. But criticising and alienating potential readers within the BL fandom seems to be a bit of a sport across ‘BL’ as it’s being broadly defined here. Because throwing shade on fans happens too much… by too many creators both Asian and Western.

Which is interesting, because the global market consuming this content is HUGE. You don’t understand the numbers of people reading Painter of The Night. I believe last year, it was more than all the people who bought romance novels in the West COMBINED. So if you think the Western authors don’t know the market for their stories are pale compared to what BL is doing on a global level, I should encourage you all to get interested in the business of BL. There is a lot of money and soft power in it.

But because it’s a FEMALE audience interested in SMUTTY stories, well… it’s a PROBLEM. Even in the countries of origin.

I get that we should analyze the problematic tropes in BL/Yaoi, but that’s what storytelling is for. I’m not for false equivalencies, because I personally disdain most Western content… and where do you see these types of stories in profusion from Western creators? No place. That’s where.

Maybe Osman has feelings because her story is no Painter of The Night. Maybe somebody asked her one too many times about our smutty stories… and what we got was shade and salt.

I did watch Heartbreaker on Netflix, and it was cute but I don’t feel compelled to rewatch it, the way I do say KinnPorsche or Love In The Air. I haven’t been moved to hunt down the comic to find out what happens next, the way I did when I watched that last scene of Twittering Birds Never Fly: The Clouds Gather.

Chile… Osman could NEVA.

#boys love #yaoi #debates #bl fandom #yaoi fandom #yaoi manga #yaoi manhwa #bl series #thai boys love #kblseries #shounen ai

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away-ward · 7 months

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To the anon who posted "one thing i hate about will was his manwhore tendencies/lowkey maybe “flirty” personality.", i agree with you 100%. Even worse when i remember that will said that he could easily "sink into alex" implying that he can have alex and alex have him, just like how rika could easily have kai if em and banks were not around. There's no "exclusivity" for their romance as if intimacy with others were so easy, so it does cheapen their feelings for their partners, and it can be seen like "so mich talk, but no actions". This was my main gripe with will too, because if he had the time to fuck around with other women, he had the time to email or call emmy and asked if she was homeless or dying, alright.

That's why i said, no MMCs in this book is possessive, not even damon, they all aint shit. The romantic parts were not giving, the bias were so obvious it ruin the fun of "a story with variety of couples" type of series, the men were scums from hell, even worse than mafia romances (and mafia romances had better arc, can you imagine that?! Even these mafia guys practice loyalty and monogamy wtf?!). Like if you guys want great dark romance, better not expect it from PD srsly, because if there's one constant thing i noticed that pd loves to use in their storytelling is to romanticise (?) something ugly, then abandon that ship and expect the reader to lap every second of it. They always wanna write something that goes beyond ugly (whoch is fine, many other authors like k. Webster and other do it too), but PD'S wrap up of their stories were always just pure shit. It's even disappointing because pd's idea was usually fun to read but man, the execution was just so 🗑️☠️

If there is one thing pd was really bad at, it's the middle and redemption arc, that's why whichever character that gets the shorter end of the stick in any of their books will always just have to stow in their hurt feelings without any further just ending for them. It happens in DN for banks and emory, it happens in Fall Away, it happens in credence noah and jake, in tryst six venom too, and at this point, only birthday girl and maybe hellbent were free from this, only because they dont have much "bully" elements to their stories. Even if there were some rough scenes in hellbent, the romance was still sweet, hot, monogamous and everything great you'd expect from the romance genre, but with a sprinkle of hot spice in it.

IMO, i didnt have much thoughts or feelings when will complimented banks, because he's literally like that with everyone, but when you guys discussed about it, he really was a bit too flirty with these women, huh? 🤣 now he made me pissed off to, and this just adds more to my will grayson's ick list, LOL! Becaus that mad sense, if we cant get angry at michael for looking at banks and kai at rika, why cant we with will?

Hey, I hope the Anon sees your message. And I also hope you don’t mind me popping in with some thoughts!

But you can ignore them too. I'll post if Anon replies.

Even worse when i remember that will said that he could easily "sink into alex" implying that he can have alex and alex have him

So I actually found this line interesting, because it can have two meanings, depending on how deep you want to look at it. One, is the obvious. He means penetration.

But the second is like drowning. Like how he used Alex, along with drugs and booze to, drown out his pain. It would be so easy to just try to love Alex and to sink into her because she doesn’t fight him; she numbs his pain. But at this point, he's come so far that he doesn’t want to be numb anymore. He’d rather fight with Emory than forget with Alex.

At least, that’s how I understood his thoughts in that scene.

because if he had the time to fuck around with other women, he had the time to email or call emmy and asked if she was homeless or dying, alright.

You’re not the first person to say this and, I hope you don’t mind, but it always struck me as a bit funny. Because if I was Will’s friend after he got out of prison and he told me he was going to try and contact Emory, I would have lost my mind.

Because, looking at the situation with only the information Will has, this is a girl who had repeatedly for three years told him ‘no’ and to ‘leave her alone’. Then, when he goes to prison for brutalizing her brother (who rightfully deserved it), she doesn’t reach out to him at all.

He's not sleeping with other women in prison. He’s not going anywhere. She knew exactly where he was every day and night.

I’d say with all of that, Emory had made it abundantly clear she didn’t want to be contacted by him.

So if he told me he was going to reach out “just to check on her” I would have tied him to a chair, and removed all access to the internet. No email. No calls. Hell, he doesn’t even get pen and paper. He can’t do smoke signals or morse code. Nothing.

It just seems to be that when a girl says no, we should respect that. So we can’t say we want Will to respect her but also ignore her when she says she doesn’t want him in her life. Because that’s what she told him. Repeatedly.

But also, it sort of does a disservice to Will to expect him to roll his heart out to her once again.

For three years, he begged, followed, and pleaded with her to see him. He goes to prison, and she still says nothing. Not even a thank you letter. Now, whether Em owned him any communication is up to the reader.

But even before then, Will was lost.

I propose Will didn’t just not like himself, but that he hated himself. He hated himself for wanting her so much. And he tries for years to root her out of his mind and heart. He tries to numb the pain with women and booze, because if the woman he wants doesn’t want him, what would be the point of acting like he’s in a committed relationship. Why mourn the loss of someone who was never his?

And I still think all of this is to cover up the fact that he hates himself. He’s trying to deaden the voice inside that says he’s worthless because Em didn’t see anything worth in him. He’s heartbroken and sick.

Now, if I were Will, and I had gone through all that and had tried to get this person out of my head and heart, only to see them once and realize they are still so deeply entrenched in every part of me? To realize that for years, all the stuff I’d done to try and kill off the love I felt for them, was useless because at the first sight of them I know without a doubt I’m still in love with this person who has made it very clear they want nothing to do with me?

I would feel so stupid. Just dumb. And broken.

But in NF, Will of course has a layer of anger to cover up his feelings. He wants to hurt Em for hurting him and it’s messy and wrong, but people often are.

All I’m saying is expecting Will to come out of prison wanting to get right back to where he left off in high school would be unfair to both of them.

but PD'S wrap up of their stories were always just pure shit. It's even disappointing because pd's idea was usually fun to read but man, the execution was just so 🗑️☠️

Unfortunately, I think this is the case. PD has great ideas, but somewhere along the line, at least for me, the story I’m interested in reading and the story they’re interested in telling diverge until I’m just confused as to how we ended up here.

because they dont have much "bully" elements to their stories

This is an interesting analysis. I wonder what it is about the “bully romance” trope that causes them to do this?

I know a lot of author get tripped up with arc enemies to lovers storyline because they don’t give enough time to let them come to respect each other before making them lovers? At least in my experience, it seems some authors try make the enemies part ‘oh they don’t really hate each other; it’s just hidden attraction’ but that’s not enemies to lovers!

Does PD do the same thing? Where they try to make it a bully romance but once the romance picks up, there’s no time to deal with all the previous bullying?

I don’t know. I’m just throwing things at the wall…

I never minded Will be flirty with the women in the inner-circle, because I don’t think there was any real intent behind it, but I won’t waste an opportunity to bring up this clip so…

#shout out to kennie #asked and answered #devil's night series stuff #will grayson iii #asked and answered 135 #response to prev ask #asked and answered 127

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